The following updates are examinable from 1 March 2024

 

TOPIC 1 – GENERAL REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

 

Distributors and Fund Managers Engaging in Activities Related to Virtual Assets

  • The SFC regulates the trading of virtual assets conducted by distributors and fund managers
  • A virtual asset is a cryptographically secured digital representation of value:
    • that falls within the SFO because it constitutes “securities” as defined in the SFO; or
    • that falls within the ambit of the AMLO because it:
      • is expressed as a unit of account or a store of economic value
      • can be used as a medium of exchange
      • can be transferred, stored or traded electronically; and
      • satisfies and other characteristics prescribed by the SFC
  • Fund management activities could be related to:
    • Virtual assets that are securities as defined in the SFO
    • Virtual assets that are not securities but fall within the ambit of the SFO
    • Virtual assets where the underlying of a futures contracts are virtual assets
    • A CIS that is investing in virtual assets
  • SFC laws and regulations apply to the foregoing fund management activities
  • Licensing requirements will continue to apply to persons who distribute shares or CIS units irrespective of what the CIS invests in, as they are engaged in Type 1 activities
  • Virtual Asset Fund Managers, who need to be Type 9 licensed and will be subject to additional terms and conditions, will manage an investment portfolio where either:
    • the portfolio investment objective is to invest in virtual assets; or
    • the manager intends to invest 10%or more of the gross asset value of the portfolio in virtual assets

 

 TOPIC 2 – BACK-OFFICE COMPLIANCE

No updates to report

 

TOPIC 3 – ASSET MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS

No updates to report

 

TOPIC 4 – MISCONDUCT

No updates to report

 

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