FMI
UBS teams up with other major banks in blockchain venture
‘Utility settlement coin’ to be backed by cash held at central banks; team of experts will keep an “open dialogue” with the banks and regulators throughout the testing process
Nepal Rastra Bank broadens electronic payments oversight
Banks and financial institutions will have to re-register with the bank under new licensing law; central bank hopes reform will support more non-banking institutions and new payment transactions
MAS looks to overhaul payment systems
City state already has access to some of the world’s most advanced payment systems, but cash and cheque use remains high; MAS hoping to improve governance, regulation and technology
Tajikistan objects to Basel Institute’s anti-money-laundering criticisms
The Basel Institute’s grading of Tajikistan as the third-worst money laundering jurisdiction in the world is based on an “absolutely incorrect analysis”, the country’s central bank says
Basel reports target gaps in CCP resolution framework
Reports by CPMI-Iosco and FSB find there are still gaps in CCPs’ implementation of recovery and risk management principles and regulators need to think more about resolution planning
Swift CEO gives network top marks despite Bangladesh Bank theft
‘No room’ for complacency says Leibbrandt, noting it is now up to the banks to upscale their security infrastructure
Malawian central bank sees legal risk to payments reform
Malawi payment infrastructure making ‘significant strides’, annual report says, but lack of legislation poses a risk
Payments revamp should cut costs in Thailand, governor says
In an interview with Central Banking journal, Veerathai Santiprabhob lifts the lid on payment system reforms aimed at strengthening infrastructure and promoting debit card usage
ECB begins gathering data on daily money-market transactions
ECB announces daily collection of data from four money-market segments; scheme gathers 35,000 transaction records per day
Kenyan governor outlines three pillars for ‘new normal’ in banking
2016 to be a year of “transition” for banking in Kenya, says Patrick Njoroge; calls for greater transparency, stronger governance and new models
UK payments regulator finds ‘no effective competition’ for infrastructure
Market review says current provider of the UK’s three main payment systems faces limited competitive pressure, and suggests reforms
Flug points to risks as banking competition work proceeds
Government approves banking competition bill and central bank moves ahead with payments competition work, though Karnit Flug says new risks stemming from the reforms must be dealt with
Sarb review calls for changes to payment frameworks
An enforcement committee is to be created in the next six months as part of Sarb’s payment system review; the report identifies a number of “inadequacies” with current framework
Menon pledges tougher measures on AML controls in Singapore
Ravi Menon says central bank will conduct more intrusive probes of higher-risk institutions and take stronger actions where practices fall short; monetary policy likely on hold for 2016
MasterCard strikes deal to acquire UK’s VocaLink
Agreement to gain controlling stake in retail payments firm will end ownership by major UK banks; regulator to discuss developments
RBI deputy praises Indian payment and settlement systems
R Gandhi notes the ever-increasing volume handled by state-of-the-art systems, but stresses the need to ensure they are safe and “result in overall efficiencies”
Bank of Israel opens payment protocol to smaller players
Central bank removes obstacle to new firms looking to enter payments market; also working on ‘payment systems directive’ based on European model and new access standards
Credit, liquidity and collateral versus more intermediation
Richard Heckinger examines the costs and benefits of complex financial market infrastructure regulations, including the impact of new layers of intermediation
Payments forum moots ‘layered’ architecture in UK
New layered strategy would help improve agility of payments infrastructure, consultation suggests; trade association says changes will need to be implemented in line with regulation
CPMI digs into data on correspondent banking pull-back
Study based on Swift data and banking interviews sheds light on uneven pace of decline in correspondent banking; CPMI offers recommendations to help reverse direction of travel
Norges Bank questions contingency plans for cash distribution
Report warns Norwegian banks’ back-up plans “may prove inadequate” in a crisis; both the central bank and financial supervisory authority in communication with the finance ministry
Swift brings in external firms to support security work
UK firm BAE Systems and Dutch company Fox-IT will be part of effort to strengthen cyber security; Swift says information-sharing initiative has “grown significantly” since launch
Eastern Caribbean ACH enters second phase of implementation
ECCB annual report sets outs progress so far; electronic payments and US dollar cheques to be processed through the Eastern Caribbean Automated Clearing House
CPMI-Iosco launch plan for two-hour cyber attack recovery
First internationally agreed guidelines for cyber resilience tell FMIs to plan for resumption of services within two hours of an attack; firms will have 12 months to prepare