MONTHLY GLOBAL COMPLIANCE DIGEST

Regulatory UPDATES

 

10 July 2026
Malta

Amended Beneficial Ownership Register regulations take effect, introducing revised access arrangements and implementing elements of the European Union's Sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive.

 

19 June 2026
Global / FATF

FATF adds Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iraq to increased monitoring and removes Algeria and Namibia following completion of their respective action plans.

 

29 May 2026
Cyprus

CySEC issues a further amendment to the Cyprus Trusts Beneficial Ownership Register framework for express trusts and similar legal arrangements.

 

1 May 2026
Abu Dhabi Global Market, United Arab Emirates

ADGM amends commercial legislation and beneficial ownership rules, including changes concerning trustee obligations, bearer shares, filing deadlines, and certain foundation and trust purposes.

 

29–30 April 2026
Ireland

Companies Registration Office tightens identity-verification procedures for directors and beneficial owners without Personal Public Service Numbers, requiring physical co-presence for specified witnessed declarations.

 

9 April 2026
Cayman Islands

Legitimate-interest access to beneficial ownership information becomes operational through the General Registry for qualifying applicants under the applicable regulations.

 

6 April 2026
Singapore

ACRA publishes operational requirements for updating the Central Registers of Nominee Directors and Nominee Shareholders, including filing deadlines following changes to private registers.

 

30 March 2026
British Virgin Islands

BVI launches a legitimate-interest process for access to beneficial ownership information, with qualifying requests permitted from 1 April 2026 subject to prescribed procedures.

 

24 February 2026
Abu Dhabi Global Market, United Arab Emirates

ADGM Registration Authority issues Beneficial Ownership Compliance Expectations Circular 01/2026.

 

17 February 2026
United Kingdom

Companies House postpones planned presenter requirements until no earlier than November 2026 while implementation of identity verification continues.

 

13 February 2026
Global / FATF

FATF adds Kuwait and Papua New Guinea to jurisdictions under increased monitoring and publishes updated statements concerning high-risk and monitored jurisdictions.

 

1 February 2026
United Kingdom

Revised Companies House filing fees take effect for incorporation, confirmation statements, voluntary strike-off applications, and other registry services.

 

29 January 2026
European Union

Further EU high-risk third-country changes enter into force, including the addition of Bolivia, the British Virgin Islands, and Russia.

 

31 December 2025
Singapore

Deadline for existing companies to file nominee director and nominee shareholder information with ACRA's central registers.

​

9 December 2025
Singapore

Transition deadline expires for existing corporate service providers to register under Singapore's new Corporate Service Providers regulatory framework.

 

9 December 2025
Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Commerce clarifies implementation of the new beneficial ownership regime, including disclosure at incorporation and during annual commercial registry confirmation.

 

8 December 2025
Saudi Arabia

Ministry of Commerce approves new Beneficial Ownership Rules establishing a sequential beneficial-owner identification test and new record-keeping requirements for companies.

 

3–4 December 2025
European Union

European Commission adopts further changes to the EU high-risk third-country framework, adding Russia, Bolivia, and the British Virgin Islands while removing several jurisdictions that completed FATF action plans.

 

19 November 2025
British Virgin Islands

Limited Partnership Financial Return Order 2025 published, specifying financial return information that limited partnerships must provide to their registered agents.

 

18 November 2025
United Kingdom

Companies House identity verification becomes a legal requirement, beginning the transition period for existing directors and persons with significant control.

 

7 November 2025
British Virgin Islands

FSC issues updated beneficial ownership bulk-filing template and guidance addressing recurring formatting, rejection, and resubmission issues.

​

31 October 2025
United Kingdom

Companies House publishes its first public list of Authorised Corporate Service Providers, identifying businesses and sole traders authorised to act as Companies House agents.

 

30 October 2025
United Kingdom

Companies House announces filing fee changes effective 1 February 2026, affecting incorporation, confirmation statements, strike-off applications, and other services.

 

24 October 2025
Global / FATF

FATF removes Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa from increased monitoring following completion of their respective action plans.

 

16 October 2025
Abu Dhabi Global Market, United Arab Emirates

ADGM introduces enhanced controls for company service providers, including strengthened governance and conflict-of-interest requirements.

 

7 October 2025
Bermuda

Registrar of Companies announces implementation steps for the Beneficial Ownership Act 2025, including transfer of the central beneficial ownership register from the Bermuda Monetary Authority.

 

29 September 2025
Bermuda

Beneficial Ownership Act 2025 receives Governor's assent, advancing implementation of Bermuda's revised beneficial ownership framework.

 

2025
Seychelles

Beneficial Ownership Act and related Regulations amended, updating the Seychelles beneficial ownership framework and associated compliance requirements.

 

5 August 2025
United Kingdom

Companies House confirms mandatory identity verification will begin on 18 November 2025 for new directors, existing directors, and persons with significant control under a phased transition.

 

5 August 2025
European Union

Updated EU high-risk jurisdiction changes enter into force for AML/CFT purposes.

 

1 August 2025
Delaware, United States

Delaware tightens registered agent requirements. Registered agents may not perform their functions solely through a virtual office or mail-forwarding service and become subject to additional identity-verification requirements.

 

18 July 2025
Bermuda

Government tables the Beneficial Ownership Bill 2025, proposing transfer of the central beneficial ownership register to the Registrar of Companies and broader changes to the beneficial ownership framework.

 

16 July 2025
European Union

Updated EU high-risk third-country regulation published in the Official Journal, formalizing previously announced additions and removals from the AML/CFT list.

 

23 June 2025
British Virgin Islands

FSC reminds companies that the extension for filing initial annual financial returns expires on 30 June 2025, with registered agents required to notify the Registrar of applicable non-compliance.

 

16 June 2025
Singapore

New corporate transparency requirements take effect, including enhanced Register of Registrable Controllers obligations and central filing requirements for nominee directors and nominee shareholders.

 

13 June 2025
Global / FATF

FATF updates jurisdictions under increased monitoring. Bolivia and the British Virgin Islands were added, while Croatia, Mali, and Tanzania were removed.

 

10 June 2025

European Union

European Commission updates the EU list of high-risk third countries for AML/CFT purposes, adding and removing multiple jurisdictions.

 

9 June 2025
Singapore

Corporate Service Providers Act takes effect. Businesses providing regulated corporate services in or from Singapore must register with ACRA and comply with new regulatory, AML/CFT, and nominee director requirements.

 

4 June 2025
British Virgin Islands

Filing deadline for existing limited partnerships extended to 1 January 2026, covering registers of general partners, limited partners, and beneficial ownership information.

 

30 May 2025
British Virgin Islands

Filing deadline for existing companies extended to 1 January 2026. The extension covers registers of members, information concerning director services, and beneficial ownership information.

​

27 May 2025
Abu Dhabi Global Market, United Arab Emirates

ADGM Registration Authority issues Beneficial Ownership Circular 03/2025, setting out requirements relating to beneficial ownership compliance.

 

27 May 2025
British Virgin Islands

FSC issues detailed guidance for beneficial ownership batch and bulk filing, including template structure, required fields, date formatting, and submission requirements.

 

22 May 2025
British Virgin Islands

Bulk beneficial ownership filing becomes available through VIRRGIN, enabling registered agents to upload beneficial ownership information in batches.

 

20 May 2025
Mauritius

Financial Services Commission reminds management companies and other licensees of prior-approval requirements for specified ownership, beneficial interest, and officer changes.

 

May 2025
Hong Kong

Companies Registry issues revised licensing guidance for Trust or Company Service Providers, updating requirements applicable to TCSP licensees and applicants.

 

24 April 2025
British Virgin Islands

Registry of Corporate Affairs updates beneficial ownership filing and company-restoration procedures, including requirements relating to beneficial ownership information, certified registers, and restored companies.

 

8 April 2025
United Kingdom

Companies House opens the identity-verification reporting service for Authorised Corporate Service Providers, allowing registered agents to notify Companies House after verifying a client's identity.

 

8 April 2025
United Kingdom

Companies House launches voluntary identity verification. Individuals can verify their identity directly through GOV.UK One Login or through an Authorised Corporate Service Provider.

 

1 April 2025
Jersey

JFSC issues guidance on legitimate searches of the Beneficial Ownership Register. Obliged entities must retain evidence demonstrating that searches were conducted for a legitimate customer due diligence purpose.

 

25 March 2025
Jersey

JFSC confirms launch of the Obliged Entity Beneficial Ownership Register, providing qualifying obliged entities with controlled access to beneficial ownership information for customer due diligence purposes.

 

21 March 2025
United States

FinCEN removes beneficial ownership information reporting requirements for U.S.-created companies and U.S. persons. Reporting obligations were narrowed principally to qualifying foreign entities registered to do business in the United States.

 

18 March 2025
United Kingdom

Companies House opens registration for Authorised Corporate Service Providers. Accountants, solicitors, company formation agents, and other third-party providers could begin registering as ACSPs.

 

14 March 2025
Cyprus

CySEC amends beneficial ownership rules for express trusts and similar legal arrangements. Directive R.A.D. 77/2025 amended the Cyprus Trusts Beneficial Ownership Register framework.

 

7 March 2025
British Virgin Islands

BVI FSC issues Beneficial Ownership Filings implementation update. BVI companies and limited partnerships were required to file beneficial ownership information through VIRRGIN, with further guidance covering filing errors, penalties, extensions, and bulk filing.

 

3 March 2025
Hong Kong

Revised AML/CFT Guideline for Trust or Company Service Provider Licensees takes effect. The Companies Registry brought its revised AML/CFT guideline for TCSP licensees into force, together with updated related forms and FAQs.