In mid-January 2019, the SARB published its Consultation Paper on Policy Proposals for Crypto Assets, amid a growing interest, investment and participation in crypto assets by financial institutions and individuals and an estimated market capitalisation of about US$200 billion for crypto assets globally. Crypto assets are digital representations or tokens that are accessed, verified, transacted and traded electronically by a community of users. The name is telling. The SARB classifies them as assets and…

The Draft Financial Sector Laws Amendment Bill has been published for comment. The Bill proposes amendments to various acts including the Insolvency Act, the South African Reserve Bank Act, the Banks Act, the Mutual Banks Act, the Competition Act, the Financial Markets Act and the Insurance Act – with a view to strengthening the ability of the South African Reserve Bank to manage the orderly resolution or winding down of a failing financial institution with minimum…

The Financial Sector Regulation Bill was signed into law by President Zuma on 21 August 2017. The commencement dates for the new Financial Sector Regulation Act (FSR Act) are not yet known. The act provides the architecture for the new ‘twin peaks’ method of regulation to be adopted across the South African financial services industry, and is the first step toward the commencement of a complete regulatory overhaul of the South African financial services sector.…

The Financial Sector Regulation Bill was passed by Parliament and sent to the President for assent on 22 June 2017. The Bill provides the architecture for the new twin peaks method of regulation to be adopted across the South African financial services industry. While the immediate effect of the passing of the Financial Sector Regulation Bill is not extensive, the passing of the Bill heralds the commencement of a complete regulatory overhaul of the South…

The Financial Services Board, acting in terms of the Financial Markets Act 2012, has published proposed amendments to the JSE Derivatives Rules and Directives. The proposed amendments deal with: The buying and selling of derivative securities; and Derivative transactions that take place off the JSE’s Automatic Trading System (ATS). The ATS is the computerised facility which facilitates trading in and reporting of derivative securities. The proposed amendments provide a list of off-ATS transactions that do…

The International Swaps and Derivatives Association Inc. (ISDA) indicated that South Africa has been in focus over recent months since the margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives transactions were published for comment in June 2015. The aim of the requirements is to outline the future regulation of OTC derivatives in South Africa in line with South Africa’s G20 commitments. Although the margin requirements have been published, the regulators in South Africa have not yet specified…