Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) enjoyed a strong 2018 on the enforcement penalties front, living up to its promise to focus its resources on fewer, but bigger, “high impact” cases, according to new analysis by international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer (Freshfields). Over the course of last year, the regulator continued to strengthen ties with its mainland China counterparts, particularly the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), and secured a number of victories in its focus areas of insider dealing, market manipulation and sponsor misconduct.

Both the SFC and the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) also continued their efforts to clamp down on money laundering and encourage the implementation of effective anti-money laundering controls.