A compilation of guides, how-to's, tips and more from CCL Academy's highly professional subject matter experts who have significant industry/practitioner experience.
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Who do the DFSA Conduct Principles apply to?
The new DFSA Conduct Principles (effective 1 July 2026) extend the personal accountability regime to a wider range of individuals working in DFSA-authorised firms. The application of the Conduct Principles depends on the nature of an individual’s role. This flowchart... -
The DFSA, Suitability and Thematic Reviews: What firms can do now
In its November 2025 Dear SEO letter, the DFSA announced that it would be undertaking thematic reviews on the issues of Suitability, Fund Platforms and Brokerage: Oversight of Trading Environment. The letter also highlighted the growing significance of thematic reviews... -
Training and the DFSA’s Approach to Conduct Principles
The DFSA proposed amending its approach to Licenced Functions and Authorised Individuals in its March 2025 Consultation Paper 165, highlighting the importance of targeted training and the need for staff to understand what the Conduct Principles “mean for them in... -
CASS Compliance: How has it evolved and what has caused the uptick in requests for CASS training?
In this article, Peter Haines discusses the evolution of CASS Compliance, how it was perceived then vs how it is perceived now, and what might be leading firms to spend more resources on CASS training. -
The DFSA’s Business Plan: A Focus on Sustainability and Climate Risk
The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) recently published its Business Plan for 2025-26. The Business Plan sets out the DFSA’s ‘Sustainable Finance Roadmap 2025-2027’ and states that one of the focus areas for 2025-26 is to work with other UAE... -
What led TD Bank to receive the largest fine to date under AML law, and what should financial institutions do now?
On October 10th 2024, US Attorney General, Merrick B Garland, announced that TD Bank had pleaded guilty to multiple felonies under the Bank Secrecy Act and Money Laundering Conspiracy violations. TD Bank agreed to pay a total penalty of just... -
The DFSA’s approach towards the prevention of greenwashing
Regulators globally are taking steps to address the problem of greenwashing and in this article, we outline the approach taken by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). -
UK regulator implements new Anti-Greenwashing Rule
In November 2023, the FCA confirmed that it would be introducing various measures relating to sustainability disclosures, including a new set of labels for investment funds, as well as a new ‘Anti-Greenwashing’ (AGW) Rule. The AGW rule is the first... -
UK regulator warns firms over anti-money laundering failings
On 5th March 2024, the FCA issued a ‘Dear CEO’ letter to Annex 1 firms (i.e. firms that are supervised by the FCA for AML/CTF purposes only) which reiterated the importance of the ‘…fight against financial crime…’. It also sets... -
The increase in bribery and corruption and how to assess and manage associated risks
Almost every country in the world prohibits the payment of bribes to their own government officials, but the scale and ubiquity of bribery and corruption continue to worsen. Bruce Viney discusses the rise in bribery and corruption, some of the... -
Trade Based Financial Crime and Managing the Compliance Risk
According to the WTO Trade Volume Index 2022, world trade volumes have grown between 4% - 6% annually since 1995, and the total value of annual trade currently stands at around USD 31.0 trillion. This vast and still growing volume... -
How to combat Trade-Based Money Laundering: Podcast
Bruce Viney features in this month's episode of The Laundry as a guest speaker where he discusses how to combat Trade-Based Money Laundering.