From Administrative Gatekeepers to Governance Leaders: Elevating AML/CFT/CPF Compliance for Malaysia’s Company Secretaries
Executive Summary The Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) of Malaysia 2025, published by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in December 2025, assesses the effectiveness of the country’s anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism, and countering the financing of proliferation (AML/CFT/CPF) measures. The evaluation recognises Malaysia’s significant progress since its 2015 MER, including strengthened legal […]
Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) Verification Failures: Lessons from Recent Hong Kong Enforcement Cases
What Is UBO Transparency and Why Does It Matter? An Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) is the natural person who ultimately owns or controls a corporate entity, whether through direct shareholding, indirect control, or nominee arrangements. Under Hong Kong’s Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (AMLO), Trust and Corporate Service Providers (TCSPs), CPAs, Company Secretaries, Dealers in Precious […]
Singapore’s 2026 FATF Mutual Evaluation Report: Key AML/CFT/CPF Insights and Implications for Professional Firms
In May 2026, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) released the Mutual Evaluation Report (MER) of Singapore. This assessment evaluates the effectiveness of the country’s anti-money laundering, counter-terrorist financing, and counter-proliferation financing (AML/CFT/CPF) measures. Overview of the Mutual Evaluation Report Findings Singapore was assessed as having robust […]
Australia AUSTRAC Tranche 2 Enrolment FAQ: What You Need to Know Before July 2026 – Deadlines, Requirements & Penalties
Sector 1: Am I Required to Enrol? 1. What actually triggers the requirement to enrol with AUSTRAC? If your business provides one or more “designated services” listed in Section 6 of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) Act and has a geographical link to Australia, you are legally required to enrol. You can verify […]
AUSTRAC Enrolment Now Open for Tranche 2 Entities: A Practical Guide to AML/CTF Enrolment and Compliance
AUSTRAC opened enrolment for Tranche 2 entities on 31 March 2026, with full AML/CTF obligations commencing on 1 July 2026. If your business provides designated services — including legal services, accounting, conveyancing, real estate agency activities, property development, or dealing in precious metals and stones — you are now a reporting entity under Australia’s expanded […]
AUSTRAC’s AML/CTF Starter Kit for Accountants and TCSPs: A Summary Guide to Compliance Readiness
From 1 July 2026, Tranche 2 entities that provide “designated services, including accountants, trust and company service providers (TCSP), dealers in precious stones, metals and products, lawyers, conveyancers, and real estate professionals, must comply with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML/CTF) requirements. To support these professionals in preparing for compliance, AUSTRAC has released a sector-specific […]
AML/CFT Case Study: Money Laundering Through Gold Bars and Trade – Vulnerabilities and Risk Mitigation for DNFBPs
In a recent landmark case, Singapore authorities sentenced South Korean national Kim Taek Hoon to 5 years’ imprisonment for orchestrating a sophisticated money laundering operation involving over SG$1.55 billion (approximately USD1.15 billion) in illicit funds. Between 2014 and 2017, Kim systematically converted smuggled cash into nearly 28 tonnes of gold bars, which were then exported […]
Navigating AML/CTF Compliance in Australia: A Guide for Tranche 2 Entities Under the Amendment to the AML/CTF Act Effective 2026
Australia’s AML/CTF regime has evolved with the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) Amendment Bill 2024, passed in December 2024. The legislation amends the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 to align Australia’s AML/CTF framework with the global standards of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), strengthening its ability to prevent, detect, and disrupt […]
The New Corporate Service Providers Regulations and Guidelines: Top 3 Requirements and Compliance Steps CSP Need to Know
(Updated on 22 May 2025) Singapore’s Corporate Service Providers (CSP) Act 2024 was passed by Parliament on 2 July 2024, and the Corporate Service Providers Regulations 2025 will come into effect on 9 June 2025, marking a significant step in strengthening the nation’s anti-money laundering, countering proliferation financing and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CPF/CFT) framework. The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) has released the AML/CFT Guidelines […]
Singapore’s New AML/CFT Sentencing Framework for Nominee Directors: Implications for Corporate Service Providers
A recent landmark ruling by the Singapore High Court has sent a strong message to corporate service providers (CSPs), particularly those offering nominee director services. The court has established a stiffer sentencing framework for “silent” company directors who fail to exercise due diligence, with imprisonment now the presumptive sentence, starting at a minimum of four […]