The New Southeast Asia Economic Hub: Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ)

Introduction   The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (“JS-SEZ“) represents a strategic initiative aimed at transforming the border region between Malaysia’s Johor state and Singapore into a premier economic hub. Announced with the objective of fostering deeper economic integration and regional development, the JS-SEZ is poised to play a pivotal role in boosting trade, investment, and […]

Enhancing Online Safety in Singapore: Public Consultation on Measures to Provide Redress and Increase Accountability

Introduction  The Ministry of Law (“MinLaw“) and the Ministry of Digital Development and Information (“MDDI“) are seeking feedback to address the growing concerns regarding online harms with proposed measures to bolster the existing legal and regulatory regime in order to empower individuals to seek relief from harmful online content and hold responsible parties accountable. Existing […]

Upcoming Launch of GenAI Sandbox 2.0 for SMEs

The Infocomm Media Development Authority (“IMDA“) has announced that the second iteration of the Generative Artificial Intelligence Sandbox for SMEs (“GenAI Sandbox 2.0“) will be launched on 2 December 2024. The GenAI Sandbox 2.0 aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs“) experiment, innovate and adopt generative artificial intelligence (“GenAI“) tools in new business areas. […]

Establishment of Global Finance & Technology Network to Enhance FinTech Growth in Singapore

On 30 October 2024, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS“) announced the launch of the Global Finance & Technology Network (“GFTN“) to reinforce Singapore’s position as a leading global FinTech hub and boost international connectivity for impactful financial services innovation. GFTN will take over the role of Elevandi, previously established by MAS to connect people, […]

New Measures against Digitally Manipulated Content and Deepfakes during Elections

Introduction   The Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) (Amendment) Bill (“Bill“), which was introduced in Parliament on 9 September 2024, was passed on 15 October 2024. The Bill introduces new measures against digitally manipulated content during elections, including artificial intelligence (“AI“)-generated misinformation (aka deepfakes).   The rapid advancement of AI technology has led to the […]

MAS Consults on Proposed Regulations, AML/CFT Notice and Guidelines, for Regulatory Framework for Virtual Asset Service Providers under FSMA

Executive Summary   The Monetary Authority of Singapore (“MAS“) is consulting (until 4 November 2024) on proposed: (i) Financial Services and Markets Regulations (“FSM Regulations“); (ii) notices, including on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (“AML/CFT“); and (iii) other applicable guidelines, for the regulatory framework for virtual asset service providers (“VASPs“) under Part 9 of […]

Introduction of AI Playbook for Small States: Best Practices, Governance, and Social Impact

Introduction   The recent advent of generative artificial intelligence (“AI“) and large language models have led to groundbreaking opportunities for all parts of society. However, its adoption may be uneven across states. Small states, in particular, face challenges such as:   access to resources and funding; limitations of small domestic markets and the resulting difficulty […]