Independent research and policy forum
Research. Policy.
Regulation. Innovation.
New rules on payments, digital assets, lending and AI land every month. FDFR explains what they mean for the people who have to apply them: lawyers, bankers, fund managers and compliance teams.
Now on the desk
01 / Mandate
What we do
We follow the rules changing finance and explain what they mean in practice.
Research
Independent studies on fintech, digital assets, AI and capital raising, written so you can use them in day-to-day work.
Analysis
What new laws, licences and guidance actually require, how they compare across countries and what to check in your own business.
Dialogue
Roundtables where practitioners, regulators and researchers compare notes on what is working and what is not.
Working paper · 2026
Regulating Virtual Assets
Emerging approaches across markets
Licensing routes, AML/CFT controls and customer protection rules compared side by side, with a South Asia chapter.
Featured research
Regulating Virtual Assets: Emerging Approaches Across Markets
If you advise on, run or invest in a crypto business, this paper sets out how each market licenses virtual asset firms, what AML/CFT controls it expects and where the rules are heading.
Read the research →02 / Live data
Regulatory tracker
| Jurisdiction | Date | Institution | Development | Area | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | 2026-09 | Reserve Bank of India | Retail CBDC pilot expansion to additional banks and offline functionality | Digital Assets | Active |
| European Union | 2026-08 | European Commission | AI Act conformity timelines applied to financial-sector high-risk systems | AI & Finance | Active |
| United Kingdom | 2026-07 | Financial Conduct Authority | Open banking market review and roadmap toward open finance | Data & Governance | Under review |
| Singapore | 2026-06 | Monetary Authority of Singapore | Wholesale CBDC settlement framework consultation | Digital Assets | Consultation |
03 / Regional focus
South Asia
Fast-growing markets with fast-moving rules. We track what changes for firms operating or expanding across the region.
Explore the programme →India
UPI
World's largest real-time payments system
Bangladesh
MFS
Mobile financial services at scale
Pakistan
Raast
Instant settlement live nationwide
04 / Convenings
FDFR Dialogues
Practitioners, regulators and researchers in one room, talking through new rules before and after they take effect.
All events →The Future of Virtual Asset Regulation
SingaporeAI in Financial Services: What Regulators Expect
LondonDigital Lending and Consumer Protection
ColomboLatest insights
All insights →Commentary
What the Global Shift Toward Stablecoin Regulation Means for Emerging Markets
Rules written in Washington and Brussels will affect how countries far beyond those markets manage money and payments.
Analysis
Using AI in Credit Decisions: Five Questions to Ask Before Launch
Where did the data come from, can you explain the outcome to a customer, and who signs off when the model gets it wrong?
Commentary
Digital Lending Rules: What Lenders and Their Advisers Need to Check
Disclosure, pricing and collections are where new rules bite. A checklist for lenders, partners and counsel.