Week of January 19 - 25, 2026

🗓️ January 19, 2026

• The Joint Bank Reporting Committee publishes its 2026 Work Programme and recommendations to enhance semantic integration on ESG definitions. The Joint Bank Reporting Committee (JBRC) has published its Work Programme for 2026, focusing on semantic integration and developing common definitions and standards across various reporting frameworks to support an integrated European reporting system for banks. Additionally, the JBRC released recommendations for ESG reporting, aiming to enhance consistency and alignment across supervisory, resolution, and statistical frameworks, which will be followed up by the European Banking Authority (EBA) and the European Central Bank (ECB). These efforts contribute to the EU initiative to streamline reporting obligations and improve data consistency and efficiency. 🔗 Read more
  

• EBA and AMLA complete handover of AML/CFT mandates. On 1 January 2026, the European Banking Authority (EBA) and the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA) completed the transfer of all AML/CFT mandates and functions from the EBA to AMLA, marking a milestone in the EU’s fight against financial crime. AMLA will now be at the center of an integrated European system of AML/CFT supervision, completing the EU’s Single Rulebook and directly supervising 40 of the most complex financial institutions in the EU, while the EBA continues to address money laundering risks through prudential regulation. The two authorities have established a strong cooperation framework to ensure a seamless transition and a consistent EU response to financial crime. 🔗 Read more
  

• IAIS publishes its Roadmap 2026-2027. The International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS) has published its Roadmap 2026-2027, outlining its strategic priorities to address structural shifts in the life insurance sector, tackle climate-related risks, and adapt to digital innovation and cyber risks. The Roadmap focuses on enhancing societal resilience by assisting supervisors with guidance on climate metrics and natural catastrophe protection gaps, and it emphasizes the consistent application of global standards through implementation assessments of the Common Framework for the Supervision of Internationally Active Insurance Groups (ComFrame). The IAIS will also support emerging market and developing economy jurisdictions by facilitating capacity-building programs and sharing knowledge on emerging digital innovations. The Roadmap reflects the IAIS’ commitment to collaborating with its members, partners, and international organizations to navigate the evolving global insurance landscape. 🔗 Read more
  

🗓️ January 20, 2026

• Division of Corporation Finance Names Senior Staff. Washington D.C. - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced the senior team from the Division of Corporation Finance, responsible for advising Director James Moloney on various matters, including rulemaking and corporate disclosure. James Moloney expressed confidence in the team’s ability to further the SEC’s mission with their diverse experience. The team includes Luna Bloom, Duc Dang, Gabriel Eckstein, Tomeka Gilbert, Sebastian Gomez Abero, Jessica Kane, Heather Rosenberger, Michael Seaman, Brad Skinner, Christina Thomas, and Ted Yu. 🔗 Read more
  

• CFTC Chairman Selig Announces Senior Staff Appointments. Washington - Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael S. Selig announced two senior staff appointments. Michael Passalacqua joins as senior advisor, bringing experience in financial regulatory matters related to crypto assets and blockchain technologies, and previously worked at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP. Cal Mitchell also joins as senior advisor, having served as special advisor in the Office of Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and worked for U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty. 🔗 Read more
  

🗓️ January 21, 2026

• SEC Seeks Candidates for Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee. Washington D.C. - The Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking candidates for the Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee, which advises on rules and policies for small businesses, including smaller public companies. Established by the SEC Small Business Advocate Act of 2016, the committee includes diverse leaders, investors, and advisors. It focuses on capital raising, trading, and public reporting for companies with less than $250 million in market capitalization. Interested individuals should submit a letter of interest by Feb. 20, 2026, highlighting relevant experience. 🔗 Read more

🗓️ January 22, 2026

• SEC and CFTC to Hold Joint Event on Harmonization, U.S. Financial Leadership in the Crypto Era. Washington D.C. - Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Paul S. Atkins and Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael S. Selig will hold a joint event on Tuesday, Jan. 27, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at CFTC headquarters to discuss harmonization between the two agencies and their efforts to make the United States the crypto capital of the world. The event will feature introductions, opening remarks, and a fireside chat moderated by Eleanor Terrett, and will be open to the public and webcast live on the SEC’s website. 🔗 Read more
  

• SEC Small Business Advisory Committee to Continue Discussion on Regulatory Framework for Finders and Begin Exploring the Private Secondary Market. Washington D.C. - The Securities and Exchange Commission’s Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee will hold a public meeting on February 24, 2026, at 10 a.m. ET at SEC Headquarters in Washington, D.C., with a webcast available on the SEC website. The meeting will focus on potential regulatory improvements for “finders” assisting companies in raising capital from accredited investors, featuring insights from Steven Jafarzadeh of Stonehaven. In the afternoon, the committee will review the SEC Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation’s 2025 Staff Report and discuss the growth of the private secondary market, with contributions from Emily Zheng, Nigel Dawn, and William Duval. The committee advises the SEC on small business-related rules and regulations. 🔗 Read more
  

• SEC Approves 2026 PCAOB Budget and Accounting Support Fee. Washington D.C. - The Securities and Exchange Commission approved the 2026 budget for the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), totaling $362.1 million, which is a 9.4% decrease from the previous year. The budget includes significant reductions in compensation for the chairperson and other Board members, and the accounting support fee is set at $306.0 million, an 18.4% decrease. SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins emphasized the importance of audit quality and the need for fiscal discipline and regulatory effectiveness. SEC Chief Accountant Kurt Hohl highlighted the ongoing efforts to reassess the PCAOB’s strategic plan and operations, ensuring transparency and trust from investors and the public. 🔗 Read more
  

• SEC Seeks Candidates for Membership on the Investor Advisory Committee. Washington D.C. - The Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking candidates for the Investor Advisory Committee, which was established to protect investors and improve securities regulation. Candidates can apply for at-large membership or as a representative for senior citizens. The committee advises on regulatory priorities, securities product regulation, investor protection initiatives, and promoting investor confidence. Interested individuals should email a letter of interest by February 23, 2026, and those who applied in 2025 may request reconsideration if their information is still accurate. 🔗 Read more
  

• FDIC Approves the Deposit Insurance Applications for Ford Credit Bank, Salt Lake City, Utah, and GM Financial Bank, Salt Lake City, Utah. Washington - The Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) approved applications from Ford Motor Company and General Motors Company to establish Ford Credit Bank and GM Financial Bank, respectively, as Utah-chartered industrial banks. Both banks will focus on providing automotive financing products nationwide through retail installment sales contracts and will primarily fund their operations via online savings accounts and time deposits. The FDIC found that both banks met the statutory factors for approval, subject to conditions such as maintaining a minimum 15 percent tier 1 leverage ratio and support from their parent companies for capital and liquidity. The approval orders will expire in 12 months unless extended by the FDIC. 🔗 Read more
  

• FDIC Board Approves Final Rule to Amend Official Signs and Advertising Requirements. Washington - The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board of Directors approved a final rule to amend regulations for displaying the FDIC official digital sign and non-deposit signage. The rule simplifies requirements for banks on digital deposit-taking channels and ATMs, focusing on relevant screens and pages for consumers and allowing more design flexibility. It will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, with compliance required by April 1, 2027. 🔗 Read more
  

• FDIC Board of Directors Establishes Office of Supervisory Appeals. Washington - The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Board of Directors approved amendments to replace the Supervision Appeals Review Committee (SARC) with the Office of Supervisory Appeals, an independent office within the FDIC. This office will be the final level of review for material supervisory determinations, staffed by externally hired officials with bank supervisory and industry experience. The FDIC will inform institutions when the office becomes operational. 🔗 Read more
  

• ECB and ESRB issue joint report analysing financial stability risks from geoeconomic fragmentation. The European Central Bank (ECB) and the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB) published a joint report titled “Financial stability risks from geoeconomic fragmentation,” which examines the impact of rising geopolitical risks and uncertainty on financial stability in the euro area and the European Union. The report highlights that geopolitical shocks lead to tighter financial conditions, market stress, and reduced loan growth, with more open economies and those with higher public debt ratios being more vulnerable. It emphasizes the need for enhanced datasets and scenario analyses to preserve financial stability and increase economic resilience. 🔗 Read more
  

• AUSTRAC orders audit of Airwallex for suspected AML/CTF compliance failures. AUSTRAC has appointed an external auditor to assess Airwallex Designated Business Group’s compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing obligations due to concerns about potential non-compliance. The audit, conducted under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006, will evaluate Airwallex’s AML/CTF program, customer due diligence, and suspicious matter reporting, with findings due within 180 days. The outcomes will help Airwallex comply with its obligations and guide AUSTRAC on any further regulatory actions needed. 🔗 Read more
  

🗓️ January 23, 2026

• SEC Charges Public Company, its Former CEO, and Two Former Executives Along with CEO of SPAC in Alleged Financial Fraud. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed charges against Lottery.com, Inc., its former CEO Lawrence Anthony DiMatteo, former executives Matthew Clemenson and Ryan Dickinson, and Trident Acquisitions Corp. CEO Vadim Komissarov for allegedly conducting a fraudulent scheme involving false statements in a SPAC merger. The SEC’s complaint claims that Komissarov, with the involvement of DiMatteo, Clemenson, and Dickinson, orchestrated a revenue scam where Lottery.com falsely reported $9 million in revenue from valueless customer data, which was then used to overpay for Mexican businesses, and engaged in additional bogus sales totaling over $35 million. These scams misled investors, causing substantial losses, and the SEC charges the defendants with violating multiple securities laws, seeking injunctions, disgorgement, civil penalties, and officer-and-director bars. Clemenson and Dickinson consented to judgments without denying the allegations, agreeing to be enjoined from future violations and to pay penalties determined by the court. 🔗 Read more
  

• SEC Announces Dismissal of Civil Enforcement Action Against Gemini Trust Company, LLC. The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a joint stipulation with Gemini Trust Company, LLC to dismiss its civil enforcement action against the company with prejudice. This decision, made at the Commission’s discretion, considers the “100 percent in-kind return of Gemini Earn investors’ crypto assets” and related state and regulatory settlements. The dismissal does not necessarily reflect the Commission’s position on other cases. 🔗 Read more
  

• SEC Charges New Jersey Resident in Alleged Investment Advisor Fraud. The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Joel B. Sofia, an unregistered investment adviser from New Jersey, with fraud involving his business, WOLO Wealth Inc. Sofia allegedly made false claims about his background and experience, guaranteed no financial losses, and misled clients about proprietary trading software, resulting in over $1.6 million in client losses by January 2023. The SEC seeks permanent injunctive relief and civil penalties, with the investigation led by the SEC’s New York Regional Office. 🔗 Read more
  

• Chairman Selig to Sponsor the CFTC’s Agricultural Advisory Committee. Washington - Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman Michael S. Selig announced his sponsorship of the CFTC’s Agricultural Advisory Committee (AAC) and is seeking nominations to fill current vacancies, with submissions due by February 18. Selig emphasized the importance of the AAC in advising the Commission on agricultural derivatives market issues and maintaining the CFTC’s connection to its agricultural roots. The AAC, along with four other active advisory committees, provides advice and recommendations to the Commission on regulatory and market issues affecting U.S. markets. Nominations for the AAC should include details about the nominee and potential topics to prioritize. The CFTC’s advisory committees facilitate communication between the Commission and market participants, with their views not necessarily reflecting those of the Commission or the U.S. government. 🔗 Read more‍
• The EBA updates technical standards to streamline resolution planning and strengthen cooperation in resolution colleges. The European Banking Authority (EBA) has published its updated final draft Regulatory Technical Standards (RTS) on resolution plans and resolution colleges, aiming to simplify and refocus resolution planning while enhancing cooperation among authorities. The revisions include a more consistent set of essential information for plan summaries, a clearer separation between resolution strategy selection and resolvability assessment, and a reorganised assessment structured around seven core dimensions. Additionally, updates to the RTS on resolution colleges focus on simplifying processes, improving cooperation and information exchange, and strengthening coordination mechanisms. 🔗 Read more