Compliance & Ethics

UK CMA Opens Investigation Into Hilton, IHG & Marriott Over Use of Shared Hotel Data Platform

The UK’s competition watchdog has turned its attention to the hotel sector, opening an investigation into whether some of the world’s largest hotel chains shared competitively sensitive information through a common data analytics platform.

Belgian Competition Authority Opens Probe into Google’s Role in Online Advertising Market

Belgium’s competition watchdog has formally opened proceedings against Google over its practices in the online advertising sector, adding fresh regulatory pressure to a business model that sits at the heart of the digital economy.

OCC Moves to Operationalize the GENIUS Act With Proposed Stablecoin Rule

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency has taken a step toward shaping the future of dollar-backed digital assets, issuing a proposed rule to implement the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, better known as the GENIUS Act.

South Korea Lifts Whistleblower Reward Caps in Crackdown on Market Manipulation & Accounting Fraud

South Korea’s Financial Services Commission is preparing to dramatically expand financial incentives for whistleblowers, scrapping long-standing payout caps and tying rewards directly to the scale of illicit gains recovered in market manipulation and accounting fraud cases.

Walmart to Pay $100 Million Over Spark Driver Earnings Claims After FTC & State Action

Walmart has agreed to a $100 million judgment to settle allegations that it misled gig workers about how much they would earn delivering orders through its Spark Driver platform, closing out a case brought by the Federal Trade Commission and 11 states.

Malta’s 2026 Supervisory Agenda Puts Financial Crime & Consumer Outcomes Front & Center

In its Supervisory Priorities for 2026, the Malta Financial Services Authority outlines a roadmap that leans heavily into financial crime compliance and consumer protection, while continuing to track digital transformation and cross-border risks. The document reflects a regulator balancing two pressures at once: keeping pace with sweeping EU reforms and reinforcing domestic standards across a diverse financial services landscape.

ASIC’s Enforcement Surge Delivers $230.9 Million in Penalties & $385.1 Million in Customer Returns

New figures released by Australian Securities and Investments Commission show that between July and December 2025, the watchdog secured $230.9 million (AUD $349.8 million) in court-ordered civil penalties, the highest six-month total in its history. Over the same period, its actions set in motion $385.1 million (AUD $583 million) in refunds, remediation payments, and investor returns.