Charting The Dragon's Ascent: Revolutionary Investment Solutions Bring New Questions

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has issued a circular that sets forth comprehensive guidelines and expectations for licensed corporations (LCs) regarding the responsible use...

Hong Kong has introduced sweeping reforms to its automatic exchange of information framework, implementing both the OECD's Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF) and an enhanced Common Reporting Standard (CRS 2.0). These changes mandate registration for all reporting financial institutions, impose stringent due diligence requirements on crypto-asset service providers, and expand tax transparency to cover digital money products and crypto-related investment activities.

Hong Kong's regulators are active, coordinated, and increasingly expectations‑driven. Businesses should be prepared for assertive use of statutory powers...

The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) of Hong Kong released the "Consultation Conclusions on the Proposed Regulatory Requirements for Virtual Asset Trading Platform Operators...

Hong Kong's submission of CRS 2.0 amendment legislation in April 2026 marks a pivotal shift in global tax transparency, expanding coverage to crypto assets and strengthening beneficial ownership identification. How do these systematic upgrades address the structural deficiencies of CRS 1.0, and what challenges remain in achieving effective cross-border tax information exchange?

Hong Kong's Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (PCPD) recently published Guidelines for the Use of Generative AI by Employees.

The Situation: Surging interest in digital tokens has caught the attention of regulators in Hong Kong.

At long last, Hollywood has thrown its hat into the generative AI lawsuit ring.

The Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission has issued new guidance calling on licensed financial firms to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses against AI-enabled cyberattacks, as recorded incidents surge 27% year-over-year. The circular outlines five critical areas requiring immediate review and enhancement, from vulnerability management to incident response protocols, while emphasizing that senior management bears ultimate responsibility for cybersecurity risk in this rapidly evolving threat landsc

On 7 April 2025, the Securities and Futures Commission ("SFC") issued circular 25EC22 setting out its regulatory approach to the provision of staking services by SFC-licensed virtual asset ("VA") trading platforms ("VATPs") to their clients.

This "regrettably growing catalogue of family disputes," as the court noted, provides a multi-million dollar case study in how ambiguity and the "borrowing" of names can catastrophically backfire...

At a time when trusts are coming increasingly under attack, it is quite common for the validity of a trust to be questioned on the basis that the instrument creating it is a sham document or fails to fulfil the requirements for the creation of a valid trust.

The Charity Commission policy team has recently published a blog discussing the pros and cons of charities engaging with cryptoassets, such as cryptocurrencies.

California's proposed Billionaire Tax Act would impose a onetime 5% excise tax on individuals and trusts with assets exceeding $1 billion, creating unprecedented challenges for estate planners. The retroactive application and anti-abuse provisions raise critical questions about the treatment of grantor trusts, non-grantor trusts, and beneficiary interests that deviate significantly from established federal wealth transfer tax principles.

As the UK anticipates its first Budget under Andy Burnham's premiership on 28 October 2026, questions arise about whether 'Manchesterism' will introduce an exit tax regime. This analysis examines how different jurisdictions—from Canada's deemed disposal system to France's targeted charges on substantial holdings—tax individuals leaving their borders, and explores what form a UK exit tax might take if implemented.

Florida has enacted significant statutory changes affecting trust administration, probate procedures, and business entity formation. These reforms introduce streamlined nonjudicial processes for trustee discharge, expand access to simplified probate administration, and establish a new framework for protected series LLCs that offers enhanced asset protection and operational flexibility for estate planners and business owners.

Kids Company was a high-profile charity which provided support to disadvantaged inner city children and young people.

Japan's Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act amendments, promulgated in June 2026, introduce significant changes to foreign direct investment screening procedures. These modifications expand regulatory oversight to include indirect acquisitions, mandate reporting of risk mitigation measures, and grant authorities enhanced powers to address national security concerns even after transactions are completed.

China's Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration have issued comprehensive new regulations governing offshore trust taxation, creating a framework that applies throughout the entire lifecycle of offshore trusts from initial funding to succession. These sweeping changes, effective immediately with a 90-day compliance window, impose Chinese Mainland taxes at multiple points for residents who have established offshore trusts, while also extending reach to non-residents with Chinese Mainland-source

The UK government has published its response to consultation on flexible working reforms, introducing a new reasonableness test for employers refusing requests from 2027. The reforms will require employers to meet with employees before rejecting applications and explain why refusal is reasonable, while consultation data reveals significant gaps between employer and employee perceptions of the current system.