Digitisation of the EU’s financial sector is accelerating – and the banking regulator is starting to pay attention. The EBA is advising supervisors to get up to speed with the potential risks, but its suspicions about digital platforms has left fintechs fuming.
Latest articles from Farah Khalique

Evergrande: a watershed moment for China’s regulators
China’s regulators have turned sour on the nation’s most high-profile — and the world’s most indebted — property developer, Evergrande. Experts predict its demise is unlikely to batter the banking sector, but are sceptical as to whether China can steer an orderly deflation of its property bubble.

ESMA defies bond sceptics to impose tougher transparency rules
Despite widespread opposition, the EU’s securities markets regulator has pushed ahead with recommendations to pull more traded bonds into the pre- and post-trade transparency net. Sceptics say it is too soon to impose greater reporting requirements and will hit market makers unfairly.

BIS warns supervisors to wake up to AI risks
Global standard-setters are brainstorming international standards to oversee the use of artificial intelligence in finance, a growing disruptive trend that poses serious ethical dilemmas like algorithmic bias which disadvantages minorities. Some AI experts say guidance is long overdue.

‘Shadow banks’ criticise EBA consultation as “overkill”
The European Banking Authority is consulting on what constitutes a shadow bank for the purpose of reporting large exposures, as the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic has global regulators assessing the degree to which they should regulate shadow banks.

South African banks brace for FRTB
South Africa’s prudential regulator is bringing the fundamental review of the trading book back to life after Covid-19-related delays, with a firm go-live date for banks of January 1, 2024. Despite concerns that this could hammer local markets, banks remain upbeat.

CCPs urge global co-ordination on Basel III reforms
A Covid-19-related delay to rolling out Basel III has clearing houses worried about horrendous capital charges for their foreign clearing clients. They are urging banking regulators to provide a reprieve.

Regulators accused of whitewashing securitisation report
A landmark 66-page report on the securitisation market published ahead of a pivotal European Commission (EC) consultation has been branded a “Titanic-like” disappointment by many in the industry

South Africa beds down bank resolution plans following slow progress
South Africa is catching up with its post-financial crisis obligations with a series of reforms that have been in the works for years as it learns from the experience of other jurisdictions.

Delayed CRR II poses risks of capital penalties for underprepared firms
The EU’s updated Capital Requirements Regulation is going live at the end of June, imposing stricter standards on banks and asset managers. Experts warn financial services firms of tough penalties for non-compliance.