Asia Pacific Financial Services Regulatory Updates, Quarter One 2026

The Deloitte Asia Pacific Centre for Regulatory Strategy is pleased to share with you the key regulatory updates from our region for Q1 2026.

The start of the new calendar year saw a significant uptick in the volume of regulatory guidance issued compared to previous quarters, focusing primarily on governance and consumer protection.

Governance and accountability related updates were the most prominent in Asia Pacific regulatory developments during Q1 2026, as authorities sought to strengthen institutional resilience amid economic uncertainty. In Mainland China, the draft Financial Law of the People’s Republic of China was released for consultation, codifying over a decade of financial regulatory guidance into a comprehensive law. New Zealand advanced the Deposit Takers Act 2023 Standards with a dedicated focus on governance, while Japan consulted on amendments to the Banking Act, informed by regional development goals and industry feedback.

Conduct and consumer protection remained a priority across the region. Australia’s securities regulator launched a review of advice licensees using lead generation services, aiming to curb practices that may inappropriately drive superannuation switching and expose consumers to financial loss. In Hong Kong, the Guideline on Elderly friendly Banking Services was introduced to promote financial inclusion, while Vietnam issued a Decree detailing implementation measures for its Personal Data Protection Law, reinforcing safeguards for consumer data.

Operational resilience and sustainability saw renewed regulatory emphasis. Japan finalised supervisory guidelines to enhance cyber risk preparedness, Taiwan (China) updated incident reporting rules to include remittance firms and digitise submissions, and Indonesia mandated stronger IT governance and third-party oversight for banks. Meanwhile, Singapore issued new environmental risk management guidelines on transition planning, and Hong Kong launched Phase 2A of its Sustainable Finance Taxonomy, marking a significant re engagement with climate related regulation after a period of reduced activity.

For queries or more information on these updates or other regulatory topics, please get in touch.