logo
Forum: MAS to consider suggestion to better protect large inter-bank transfers

Forum: MAS to consider suggestion to better protect large inter-bank transfers

Straits Times10 hours ago

Forum: MAS to consider suggestion to better protect large inter-bank transfers
We refer to the Forum letter by Chan Cheng Lock 'Stronger safeguards needed for inter-bank transfers' (June 20).
We thank the writer for the suggestion to implement additional safeguards for large transfers. The Monetary Authority of Singapore will consider the suggestion as part of efforts to better protect customers against fraudulent or erroneous transfers.
Lu Xinyi
Director (Corporate Communications)
Monetary Authority of Singapore
More on this Topic Forum: What readers are saying
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

JB-Woodlands train to end service in 2027, after RTS Link begins operations: Malaysian official
JB-Woodlands train to end service in 2027, after RTS Link begins operations: Malaysian official

Straits Times

time14 minutes ago

  • Straits Times

JB-Woodlands train to end service in 2027, after RTS Link begins operations: Malaysian official

Operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad, Shuttle Tebrau began transporting passengers between Singapore and Malaysia in July 2015. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO JB-Woodlands train to end service in 2027, after RTS Link begins operations: Malaysian official The Shuttle Tebrau train service between Johor Bahru and Woodlands will cease operations in 2027 after the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link begins its service. '(The Shuttle Tebrau) service will be terminated within six months after RTS Link begins operations on Jan 1, 2027,' Johor's Works, Transport, Infrastructure, and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salle h was quoted by local media outlet Harian Metro as saying in a June 24 report. Operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad , Shuttle Tebrau began transporting passengers between Singapore and Malaysia in July 2015 . A ticket for the five-minute journey into Singapore costs RM5 ($1.50) , and $5 into Malaysia . 'With a track length of 1.1km, this service is capable of carrying 8,635 passengers per day with a frequency of 31 trips in both directions,' Mr Fazli reportedly said. Th e new 4km RTS Link , which will connect travellers between between Woodlands North in Singapore and Bukit Chagar in Johor in five minutes, is scheduled for completion by December 2026 and expected to be operational in early 2027 . The fare for the rail link has yet to be announced, but will be set by the operator closer to the completion of the project. RTS Operation s is a joint venture between Singapore rail operator SMRT and Malaysian public transport firm Prasarana . When ready, the RTS Link will be able to carry up to 10,000 peop le per hour in each direction. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Vietnamese tycoon's jail term reduced in $186.2 million stock fraud
Vietnamese tycoon's jail term reduced in $186.2 million stock fraud

Straits Times

timean hour ago

  • Straits Times

Vietnamese tycoon's jail term reduced in $186.2 million stock fraud

Defendants stand during their corruption trial at the High People's Court in Hanoi, on June 26.. PHOTO: AFP HANOI - A Vietnamese appeal court on June 26 slashed a former property and aviation tycoon's jail sentence in a US$146 million (S$186.2 million) fraud and stock market manipulation case from 21 years to seven. Trinh Van Quyet, who owned the FLC empire of luxury resorts, golf courses and budget carrier Bamboo Airways, was given the lengthy jail term in August after a trial. Quyet and 49 others including his two sisters and four stock exchange officials were punished for fraud, stock market manipulation, abuse of power and publishing incorrect stock market information. After a 10-day hearing in Hanoi, the appeal court dropped Quyet's three-year term for market manipulation and cut his 18-year sentence for fraud to seven years. The appeal court gave several other defendants reduced jail terms on June 26 . Its ruling comes after the tycoon's family paid nearly US$96 million in compensation for the losses. According to the indictment in August, Quyet set up several stock market brokerages and registered dozens of family members, ostensibly to trade shares. Police said while orders to buy shares were placed in hundreds of trading sessions – pushing up the value of the stock – they were cancelled before being matched. The court said there were 25,000 victims of the fraud as Quyet illegally pocketed more than US$146 million between 2017 and 2022. The appeal court said it had received 5,000 letters asking for a reduction of punishment for Quyet 'from the victims, FLC staff, some associations and local authorities'. The case is part of a national corruption crackdown that has swept up numerous officials and members of Vietnam's business elite in recent years. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Singapore hammers down on crypto firms serving overseas clients, no grace period given
Singapore hammers down on crypto firms serving overseas clients, no grace period given

Independent Singapore

time2 hours ago

  • Independent Singapore

Singapore hammers down on crypto firms serving overseas clients, no grace period given

SINGAPORE: The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has issued a stern ultimatum to cryptocurrency service providers: stop serving foreign clients from Singapore without a licence — or face jail time and fines. Effective June 30, 2025, all digital token service providers (DTSPs) based in Singapore must obtain a formal licence to offer services to overseas customers, or immediately cease such operations. Failure to comply could result in up to three years' imprisonment and fines reaching S$250,000 (USD 200,000). This directive, announced under Section 137 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2022, marks one of the most uncompromising crypto crackdowns in the region. There are 'no backdoors' Unlike during previous regulatory shifts, no transition period will be granted. Unlicensed companies must shut overseas-facing operations or relocate — with many already doing so. 'Singapore is cleaning house,' said Hagen Rooke, a partner at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. 'It's de facto shutting down the industry that was operating on the fringes.' MAS has justified the move by citing heightened money laundering risks, especially for firms that operate in opaque jurisdictions but claim Singapore as their regulatory home. 'If a business is incorporated in Singapore, it is considered to be operating in Singapore — regardless of where its customers are,' MAS stated. That effectively shuts the door on firms using the city-state as a springboard for unregulated overseas ventures, closing off a loophole long criticised by international regulators for leaving open the possibility of money laundering. Hong Kong and Dubai emerge as alternatives Industry fallout has already begun. Exchanges like Bitget and Bybit are reportedly relocating teams to Hong Kong and Dubai, where governments have taken a more permissive stance on digital asset innovation. 'Singapore took a reputational hit during the crypto winter,' said Yuankai Lin, partner at RPC, referring to the collapse of high-profile ventures like Terraform Labs, whose founder Do Kwon was linked to Singapore during his attempted global evasion. See also Singapore's pain, HK's gain Now, Singapore is tightening its regulatory perimeter to restore global confidence in its financial oversight. Why now? In the aftermath of the 2022 crypto crash and mounting global scrutiny, MAS appears to be reinforcing its position as a regulator of financial integrity, prioritising oversight over innovation. The move is designed to prevent regulatory arbitrage — the practice where crypto companies register in Singapore but operate in unregulated foreign markets. Only firms with robust anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-financing of terrorism (CFT) frameworks will be eligible for the new DTSP licence. Existing licences under the Securities and Futures Act, Financial Advisers Act, or Payment Services Act will exempt companies from reapplying. Strategic repositioning Singapore's message is clear: if you want to do crypto, do it right or don't do it here. While this may drive some players away, analysts say it is also a strategic repositioning — a move that distances Singapore from crypto's 'Wild West' image and prepares it for a more regulated, institutional future in digital assets. 'MAS is plugging gaps,' said Rooke. 'They're taking the regulator's role seriously — even if that means shrinking the industry.' A future with fewer loopholes In the coming months, many eyes will be on who stays, who leaves — and who gets licensed . And while this may mean Singapore loses some crypto volume in the short term, the long-term gain may be far more valuable — trust . As the city-state doubles down on oversight, many observers are hopeful that this is only the beginning of a broader cleanup. The fight for financial integrity doesn't end with a single directive. It is a continuous pursuit — one that requires plugging not just existing loopholes, but anticipating new ones before they form. In a space defined by speed and complexity, Singapore's stand shows that clarity, caution, and credibility may still be the most powerful currencies of all.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store