Customs Mandates Haiti Sanctions Screening
September 2026 C&ED circulars require immediate client screening against updated UN sanctions for Haiti and Yemen.
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FATF Payment Transparency Overhaul
The C&ED is urging MSOs to prepare for massive cross-border payment transparency requirements driven by FATF’s 2026 guidelines.
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Customs Issues ISIL Sanctions Updates
A September 2026 Customs circular mandates MSOs to immediately screen client lists against updated UN sanctions.
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Navigating Hong Kong’s VA OTC Licensing
The upcoming Virtual Asset OTC licensing regime strictly separates fiat MSO activities from crypto services.
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C&ED Enforces FATF Countermeasures
An October/November 2025 Customs circular requires MSOs to apply heightened countermeasures against FATF-listed high-risk jurisdictions.
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Customs Mandates Electronic Form 11 for MSO
A May 2025 C&ED circular requires MSOs to submit quarterly periodic transaction returns exclusively via the MSOS portal.
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Customs Penalizes Four Non-Compliant MSOs
In September 2024, Hong Kong Customs took formal disciplinary actions against four MSOs for statutory CDD and transactional breaches.
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Customs Disciplines Non-Compliant MSOs
On April 30, 2024, Hong Kong Customs issued formal disciplinary action against money service operators for statutory AMLO contraventions.
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Customs Sanctions MSO Bank Account Lapses
In September 2023, Customs penalised an MSO for failing to report bank account changes within statutory deadlines.
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Introduction of Former PEP Rules
Statutory amendments effective April 2023 establish a risk-based approach for handling former Politically Exposed Persons.
