Insights

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched an 18-month sandbox, TouristDigiPay, allowing visitors to convert digital assets into Thai baht for spending as e-money, linking regulated asset operators and e-money providers.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) has published draft regulations for comment, marking a step forward in the development of open banking in the country.

On June 28, 2025, the European Accessibility Act ( Directive (EU) 2019/882 on the accessibility requirements for products and services — EAA) became applicable across the European Union. The act covers products and services identified as most important for persons with disabilities and are most likely to have diverging accessibility requirements across EU countries. The EAA affects numerous sectors, including the banking and finance sector, with consumer banking services being highlighted in the directive. Consumer banking services include credit agreements, services linked to payment accounts and the provision of payment services under the revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2).

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has been applauded for listening to the payments industry’s feedback on its proposed safeguarding rule overhaul, but experts warn that challenges still lie ahead for firms.

Gambling companies, including many suppliers, are being advised to contact the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner to assess if they will need a licence under the jurisdiction’s comprehensive new gambling act.

As interest in the potential of digital assets grows, regulators and traditional financial institutions are seeking ways to safely and securely adopt the positive features of cryptocurrencies, while offering protections from their worst excesses.

On July 31, 2025, the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) released a comprehensive report detailing progress towards the introduction of the digital dirham. The report reviews achievements to date, as well as the policy and design framework guiding the development of a secure, trusted and user-friendly central bank digital currency (CBDC) for individuals and businesses.

After a Senate vote last week, Chile is now entering the final phases of a multi-year legislative process to regulate online gambling, with several pivotal policy questions due to be answered over the next few months.

The Philippine central bank has severed a lucrative payments channel for the online gambling industry, forcing payments providers to suspend in-app transfers with 48 hours’ notice.

Despite active enforcement efforts against offshore gambling websites, state gaming regulators and law enforcement officials believe it requires assistance from the U.S. federal government to effectively address a multi-billion-dollar problem.