The First 90 Days After Obtaining a Forex Licence: What Most Firms Underestimate

Receiving Your Licence Is Only the Beginning For many firms, obtaining a forex licence feels like crossing the finish line. In reality, it marks the beginning of a far more challenging phase. Regulators assess applicants based on their proposed business model. Once the licence...

Why Seychelles Continues to Be a Preferred Jurisdiction for Securities Dealers

In an increasingly regulated global financial environment, choosing the right licensing jurisdiction is no longer simply a compliance exercise, it is a strategic business decision that can directly influence a firm’s ability to scale, attract clients, establish banking...

Seychelles VASP Paid-Up Capital Requirements: FSA Issues New Guidance for Virtual Asset Service Providers

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) of Seychelles has published its long-awaited Guidance Note on Paid-Up Capital Requirements for Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs), providing important clarification on how the paid-up capital provisions under the Virtual Asset...

Bridging the Gap between Regulators and Industry: Insights from Seychelles

Early in my career as a regulator, I often wondered why firms struggled to implement what appeared to be straightforward regulatory requirements. From my perspective at the time, the purpose of the rules seemed clear, and the expectations appeared reasonable. Years later,...

FSC Mauritius Issues New Guidelines on the Frequency of Customer Due Diligence Reviews

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) Mauritius has issued new Guidelines on the Frequency of Customer Due Diligence (CDD), providing greater clarity on the timing and frequency of customer reviews that financial institutions and other regulated entities must undertake as...

End of Transition Period Approaches for Seychelles Securities Dealers

The Securities (Amendment) Act, 2024 and related regulations, which came into force on 1 January 2025, introduced a number of changes affecting the operations and compliance obligations of Seychelles Securities Dealers. Existing licensees were granted an 18-month transition...

Why AML Audits Matter in Mauritius: Key FSC Expectations for Regulated Entities

Mauritius continues to strengthen its position as a reputable international financial centre through an increasingly robust Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework. As the jurisdiction aligns more closely with Financial Action Task...