Interview With Dublin Office Managing Partner Nicholas Butcher

Ireland offers a sophisticated regulatory framework for Alternative Investment Funds, with structures ranging from ICAVs and Investment Limited Partnerships to Unit Trusts and Common Contractual Funds. The jurisdiction provides flexible options for both retail and institutional investors, with distinct regulatory pathways for RIAIFs, QIAIFs, and ELTIFs, each designed to accommodate different investment strategies and liquidity profiles while maintaining robust investor protections.

European securities regulators are launching a comprehensive assessment of crypto-asset service providers' digital operational resilience, with a particular focus on custody activities and distributed ledger technology risks. The exercise will examine how firms manage critical areas including key storage, transaction controls, incident response, and third-party dependencies under the newly enforceable Digital Operational Resilience Act.

The EU Retail Investment Strategy is a legislative package which introduces significant changes to the UCITS Directive and AIFMD, as well as MiFID II, the Insurance Distribution Directive and the Solvency II Directive via an omnibus directive (Omnibus Directive).

The Central Bank of Ireland's thematic assessment of the Fitness and Probity regime within the MiFID investment firm sector reveals critical gaps in governance documentation and evidence. Firms are struggling to demonstrate adequate due diligence processes, policy implementation, and Management Responsibility Map compliance. Can your organization withstand regulatory scrutiny of its F&P framework?

Dechert's submission to Ireland's Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment advocates for comprehensive reform of the Limited Partnerships Act 1907, proposing removal of the 20-partner limit, introduction of a statutory whitelist of permitted activities, and full recognition of the commitment and drawdown capital model to modernize Ireland's private fund structures and enhance competitiveness with global jurisdictions.

Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2026/825 introduces sweeping changes to MiFID order execution requirements, shifting from public disclosure to robust internal governance. Investment firms face enhanced obligations around execution venue selection, continuous quality monitoring using objective market data, and comprehensive documentation of routing decisions. How will firms adapt their execution frameworks to meet these data-driven standards by the February 2028 deadline?

Ireland's Department of Finance unveils its Vision 2030 strategy to strengthen the country's position as a leading international financial services hub through 31 targeted actions addressing legislation, regulation, digital transformation, and talent development.

The Central Bank of Ireland (the “Central Bank”) has published a thematic assessment report (the “Report”) following a review of the implementation of key aspects of the Fitness and Probity regime (the “F&P Regime”) in the MiFID investment firm sector.

The Central Bank of Ireland has published its assessment of how MiFID investment firms implement the Fitness and Probity regime, revealing significant gaps in due diligence processes and documentation practices. While many firms demonstrated strong policies, a notable cohort failed to effectively apply requirements in practice, particularly around onboarding and annual certification. The assessment provides clear expectations for firms to strengthen their governance frameworks and embed the Individual Accou

The Central Bank of Ireland has issued comprehensive guidance on prohibition notices under its fitness and probity regime, while simultaneously releasing its second payment and e-money newsletter addressing critical compliance matters. These publications coincide with the second edition of the Financial Crime Bulletin, which emphasizes escalating fraud risks and the evolving AML/CFT supervisory framework across Ireland's financial services sector.

The Central Bank of Ireland (the “Central Bank”) has published a thematic assessment report (the “Report”) following a review of the implementation of key aspects of the Fitness and Probity regime (the “F&P Regime”) in the MiFID investment firm sector.

A key operational change to CRS is the new requirement for a Cayman Islands Financial Institution (each an “FI”) to appoint a Principal Point of Contact (“PPoC”) that is resident in the Cayman Islands. Where the PPoC of an FI is not currently resident in the Cayman Islands, the FI is required to appoint a Cayman Islands-based PPoC and notify the Department for International Tax Cooperation (“DITC”) by 31 January 2027.

The Cayman Islands has updated its Common Reporting Standard (“CRS”) framework, and most new requirements came into effect from 1 January 2026. This client update provides an overview of the changes and how the Maples Group can assist.

The Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands (“BVI”) occupy a leading position in the global investment funds landscape.

Effective as of 1 January 2026, an update to the Common Reporting Standard, or CRS, requires that financial institutions based in the Cayman Islands have a Principal Point of Contact, or “PPOC”, that has a physical presence within the jurisdiction.

On 24 July 2026, China's Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration jointly issued the Announcement on Individual Income Tax Matters Relating to Offshore Trusts (《财政部 税务总局关于离岸信托个人所 得税有关事项的公告》) (Announcement No. 21 of 2026) (the "Notice"), together with a companion Announcement of the State Taxation Administration on Collection and Administration Matters Relating to Individual Income Tax on Offshore Trusts...

The legislative framework governing agency workers in Ireland, the Protection of Employees (Temporary Agency Work) Act 2012 (the “2012 Act”) has been in place for almost 15 years but continues to be an area that generates questions...

The Cayman Islands Government has announced 1 the Cayman Islands has submitted an application to the US National Association of Insurance Commissioners (“NAIC”) for Qualified Jurisdiction Status (“QJS”).

The UK Consumer Composite Investments (“CCI”) regime introduces a new disclosure framework for investment products made available to UK retail investors.

CIMA’s new AML and sanctions Rules introduce enhanced compliance requirements for Cayman Islands regulated entities, including private funds and mutual funds. This guide summarises the key obligations, compliance considerations and action items for CIMA registered funds ahead of the 18 September 2026 implementation date.