The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) steered Asia-Pacific securities regulators to reach an agreement on closer collaboration to combat online investment scams at the 50th International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Annual Meeting in Doha, Qatar, this week (Note 1).
Chaired by the SFC’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ms Julia Leung, the IOSCO Asia-Pacific Regional Committee (APRC) met to discuss the emerging trends and risks faced by capital markets in the region. Members exchanged views on the prevalence of deepfake-driven online investment scams and the growing phenomenon of finfluencers.
Representing the APRC, Ms Leung addressed IOSCO members during the Presidents Committee meeting on key regional initiatives aimed at fostering closer cooperation. She also participated in the IOSCO-OECD roundtable, reaffirming the Asia-Pacific region’s unwavering commitment to jointly tackling online scams (Note 2).
“Amid trade and geopolitical uncertainties, capital market regulators have worked collaboratively on multiple fronts, including exchanging market intelligence and combatting cross-border crimes, as well as developing international standards to enhance investors’ trust in the markets,” said Ms Leung.
As part of the SFC delegation, Ms Christina Choi, Executive Director of Investment Products and Chair of the IOSCO Committee on Investment Management, participated in a panel discussion on Navigating Private Finance. She shared insights on the key areas of risk and regulatory concerns related to growing retail investment in private markets and assets, as well as the work of IOSCO in addressing such risks and concerns.
Meanwhile, the IOSCO Annual Meeting afforded the SFC an opportunity to deepen its engagement with overseas regulatory counterparts as part of its continued effort to bolster Hong Kong’s connectivity with capital markets within the region and beyond.
In this connection, the SFC entered into separate Memoranda of Understanding on the sidelines of the Annual Meeting with the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Abu Dhabi Global Market, the Central Bank of Ireland, and the Ontario Securities Commission of Canada to lay the foundation to facilitate cross-border industry collaboration and access to new markets (Note 3).
The SFC delegation further held bilateral meetings with regulatory counterparts and met with a broad array of industry representatives from the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe, North America and Africa.
Notes:
- The Annual Meeting was held from 12 to 14 May 2025.
- OECD refers to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- See the SFC’s press releases dated 13 May 2025, 14 May 2025 and 15 May 2025.
Chaired by the SFC’s CEO Ms Julia Leung (middle), the IOSCO APRC met to discuss the emerging trends and risks faced by capital markets in the region.
The SFC’s CEO Ms Julia Leung addressed IOSCO members at the Presidents Committee as APRC Chair on regional initiatives to foster closer cooperation.
The SFC’s CEO Ms Julia Leung (second from right) participated in the IOSCO-OECD roundtable, reaffirming the Asia-Pacific region’s commitment to jointly tackling online scams.
Ms Christina Choi (second from left), the SFC’s Executive Director of Investment Products and Chair of the IOSCO Committee on Investment Management, spoke at a panel discussion on private finance.
