Following the statement by the Minister of Finance YB Lim Guan Eng on the coming into force of the Capital Markets and Services (Prescription of Securities) (Digital Currency and Digital Token) Order 2019, the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) clarified that they will put in place guidelines to regulate offering and trading of digital assets.

According to the regulator, the guidelines will among others, establish criteria for determining fit and properness of issuers and exchange operators, disclosure standards and best practices in price discovery, trading rules and client asset protection.

Those dealing in digital assets will be required to put in place anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing (AML / CFT) rules, cyber security and business continuity measures.

With the coming into force of the Prescription Order, the offering of digital assets, as well as its associated activities, will require authorisation from the SC and compliance with relevant securities laws and regulations.

In order to implement the regulatory framework on digital assets, the SC and BNM will enter into coordination arrangements to ensure compliance with laws and regulations under the purview of both regulators. The relevant regulatory framework is expected to be launched by end-Q1 2019.

For those interested in a more detailed read, the gazette can be found here