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For the fourth time since its inception in September 2016, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has extended the transitional relief period for Foreign Financial Services Providers (FFSPs) for a further 12 months until 31 March 2025. In its introduction of the ASIC Corporations (Amendment) Instrument 2023/588 on 4 August 2023, FFSPs have been offered a further extension on relief from the requirement to hold an Australian financial services license when providing certain financial services.

On 6 July 2023, the Insurance (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 was enacted by the Legislative Council which provides the legal basis for the implementation of the risk-based capital (RBC) regime for the insurance industry in Hong Kong.
The RBC regime is targeted for implementation in 2024. Prior to its implementation, it is expected that the Insurance Authority of Hong Kong will further consult the insurance industry on the detailed rules and technical requirements of the RBC
regime. Based on the conclusions of the consultation, it is expected that new subsidiary legislation(s) will be promulgated to set out the detailed rules and technical requirements of the RBC regime.

On 15 August 2023, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced the features of a new regulatory framework for single-currency stablecoins (SCS) that are issued in Singapore and pegged to the Singapore dollar or Group of Ten currencies. The framework takes into account the feedback that the MAS received following a public consultation paper published in October 2022, and the MAS has issued response to feedback on the same.

On 15 August 2023, the Argentine Securities and Exchange Commission (Comisión Nacional de Valores or CNV) issued General Resolution No. 971/2023 to limit the purchase and sale of fixed-income marketable securities denominated and payable in US dollars issued by the Argentine Republic under local or foreign law.

The Central Bank of Egypt recently published regulations setting out the licensing and regulatory framework for digital banks in Egypt (“Digital Bank Regulations”) which came into force on 12 July 2023. The Digital Bank Regulations will effectively allow for the establishment and operation of digital banks in Egypt, thus taking a significant step in aligning the country with global trends in financial technology and catering for the needs of a growing Egyptian financial market.

The Financial Regulatory Authority recently issued decrees No. 139, No. 140 and No. 141 completing and complementing the Financial Technology L aw No. 5 of 2022 which sets out the framework for the development and use of Fintech in non-banking financial services. The decrees, which came into force on 11 July 2023, come as part of the FRA’s continuing efforts to transition Egyptian financial markets towards digitization by encouraging the use of Fintech.

The Government of Spain has approved the creation and operating regulation of the Ultimate Beneficial Ownership Registry, by means of Royal Decree 609/2023 of 11 July 2023, which was published today in the Official State Gazette. This registry is configured as a central and public registry, through which information on ultimate beneficial ownership of Spanish legal entities and other entities or structures without legal personality can be generally accessed.

Last week the SEC published new proposed rules and amendments to address certain conflicts of interest associated with the use of Predictive Data Analytics by broker-dealers and investment advisers in interactions with investors. The wide-ranging proposal would require firms to implement detailed policies and procedures to identify and “eliminate or neutralize” the effects of such conflicts of interest.