Findings from a report by financial compliance software firm Fenergo show that regulators worldwide issued more than US$1.2 billion in fines against financial institutions in the first half of 2025 - a staggering year-on-year increase. While North America accounted for the largest penalties, Asia was not spared, with enforcement actions in China, Malaysia, Australia, and Singapore, where MAS issued multiple fines for AML breaches.

On Industry Insight, host Lynlee Foo speaks with Cengiz Kiamil, Managing Director at Fenergo, about what’s driving this surge in fines, why sanctions and digital assets are increasingly in the crosshairs, and how Asia’s financial institutions should respond.