Each month our finance writers round up the top regulatory announcements and compliance changes to ensure our clients stay informed. We follow regulatory news and updates from ASIC, CySEC, MFSA, FCA, FSA, FRB, SEC, MiFID II and more to stay compliant for our clients. Here’s our financial regulations roundup for November 2025.
SEC Approves Altcoin ETFs
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was relatively muted in September because of the ongoing US government shutdown, which has been going on for over 34 days.
One of its most significant events in September was that it allowed the trading of altcoin ETFs, including on tokens like Solana, Hedera Hashgraph, and Litecoin.
These funds had a mixed reception, with Solana funds having over $500 million in assets under management (AUM) and Hedera’s having over $50 million. Litecoin has had the least inflows, which are less than $1 million.
Solana’s ETFs are notable because they include a staking feature that enables users to earn a monthly return.
There is a likelihood that the agency will approve more altcoin ETFs later this month. Some of the most notable ones will be for altcoins like Ripple (XRP), Chainlink (LINK), Binance Coin (BNB), and Cardano (ADA).
Another major regulatory story in October was a statement by Paul Atkins, the SEC chairman, in which he said that he was eying launching a new “innovation exemption” to let crypto companies immediately launch products without first applying for approval. He said:
We’re trying to give the marketplace some kind of stable platform upon which they can introduce their products.
FCA to Stop Disclosing Identity of Short Sellers
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) announced that it will seek to stop publishing the identity of short-sellers as it seeks to accelerate its light touch approach on regulations.
It can do this because the UK is no longer a member of the European Union, which has a rule requiring the disclosure of all short-sellers with positions above 0.5% of a company’s shares.
The new rule will bring it in line with the United States, which only publishes short positions in aggregate without disclosing the players behind it. It also proposes extending the deadline for short sellers to disclose their positions, moving it from 3:30 p.m. on the following trading day to midnight.
Furthermore, it seeks to simplify and expedite the notification procedure through which market makers may obtain exemptions from the applicable rules. Simon Wells of the FCA said:
These proposed changes are another important milestone in our drive to become a smarter regulator and to support growth.
FCA to Regulate ESG Ratings Providers
The Financial Conduct Authority also made a major announcement regarding ESG regulations in the country. It will now regulate companies that provide ratings in the sector.
At the same time, that agency announced that it was developing its own ESG ratings and is expecting to consult on proposed rules before the year ends. The agency said:
This marks a significant milestone in the UK’s commitment to enhancing transparency and trust in this market. ESG ratings continue to play a critical role in influencing investment and capital allocation decisions.
Cyberspace Administration of China Quashes Unqualified Influencers
On 25 October 2025, the Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”), China’s internet regulator, introduced new regulations requiring that social-media influencers who address topics such as medicine, finance, education, law and health must hold formal qualifications (such as a university degree, professional licence or certified certificate).
Under the new regime, social-platforms including Douyin, Weibo and Bilibili are mandated to verify the credentials of creators wishing to publish content in those professional domains, and to ensure appropriate disclaimers, source citations and transparency when content is derived from studies or produced with AI-assistance.
The regulatory aim is to enhance the credibility and reliability of online content by preventing unqualified individuals from offering advice in areas with significant public-welfare implications. The rules apply across livestreams, short-form videos and written posts.Non-compliance may lead to severe sanctions including fines of up to ¥100,000, suspension of their account or permanent bans from publishing. At the same time, platforms bear liability for enforcement and removal of content that fails to meet the new standard.
ASIC Names Stablecoins and Wrapped Products Financial Assets
The Australian Securities Investment Commission (ASIC) announced a clarification of existing laws and how they applied to digital assets. It noted that stablecoins, wrapped products, and tokenised securities that it considers financial securities.
It now hopes that the new guidelines will help to bring more clarity to the financial market and boost investors’ confidence in the long term. The statement added:
We recognise that firms will need time to consider the updated guidance and apply for licenses, so ASIC has granted a sector-wide no-action position until 30 June 2026. ASIC also proposes to provide relief for stablecoin and wrapped token distributors to smooth the transition to proposed law reform.
FINRA Probes Broker-Dealer Firms on Pump and Dump Schemes
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) launched a probe into companies known as broker-dealers that are involved in taking small companies public in a move seeking to curb pump and dump schemes.
The new rules ask for these companies, that serve as underwriters, bookrunners, or placement agents in small-cap offerings with companies operating overseas, to provide more information. It seeks information like training materials, compliance policies, and due diligence procedures for companies listed between January 2023 and September this year. It is probing companies that raised less than $25 million with their shares priced between $4 and $8.
The probe is largely motivated by the fact that some of these companies tend to rally by triple digits and then plunge within a few days, signalling potential market manipulation. The announcement came after Nasdaq announced that it would revamp the listing standards by some of these small companies, especially those from China.
China Securities Regulator to Triple Cash Rewards for Whistle-blowers
Meanwhile, in China, the main regulator announced that it would increase the maximum whistleblowing reward from 100,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan. It will increase the reward payouts from 1% to 3% of the confiscation from each case. The agency hopes that the increased payout will encourage citizens to report irregularities in the country.
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