Global Updates on Transparency, Privacy and Register Integrity
October brought a wave of beneficial-ownership and register-access change; Bermuda's new framework, Australia's centralised register plans and Jersey's deferral alongside a clear international theme of protecting directors' personal data, from France's new address confidentiality to fresh cases of registry misuse.
Here is our round-up of the month's corporate-registry news.
- United Kingdom: Companies House publishes 2025–2030 strategy and annual report
Companies House set out its five-year strategy and released its 2024–25 annual report, framing the next phase of Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) reforms and register-integrity work.
Read More - United Kingdom: Another Companies House change lands 18 November
Alongside new identity-verification checks, further company-registration rule changes take effect from 18 November, adding to the ECCTA implementation timetable.
Read More - Bermuda: New Beneficial Ownership Act 2025 framework takes effect
Bermuda's consolidated beneficial-ownership regime under the Beneficial Ownership Act 2025 came into force in early November, introducing new Registrar roles and powers, with guidance, training and privacy considerations flagged by practitioners.
Read More - Australia: Beneficial-ownership register to be centralised but may slip to 2028
The Albanese Government said it will run an open, centralised register of company beneficial owners, though commentators noted the public search may not arrive until after the 2028 election.
Read More - Jersey: Beneficial-ownership access decision postponed
Jersey confirmed that proposals to collect extra beneficial-ownership information from legal entities will not feature in the 2026 annual confirmation statements, deferring its access decision.
Read More - France: New confidentiality option for directors' home addresses
A new provision in the French Commercial Code lets company directors shield their personal addresses in the Trade and Companies Register, part of a wider international shift on director-address privacy.
Read More - India: MCA restructures Registrar of Companies jurisdictions
India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs notified a new jurisdictional structure for Registrars of Companies under the Companies Act 2013, reshaping oversight and access.
Read More - Philippines: SEC touts one of the world's best registration processes
The Philippine SEC highlighted the speed of its company-registration system, reinforcing a broader regional push toward fast, fully digital incorporation.
Read More - Denmark: Copenhagen restricts access to the companies register
Denmark moved to curb open access to company-register data, a change described as a blow to private investigators and a notable counter-trend to transparency campaigns elsewhere.
Read More - European Union: Commissioner urges broad access to an EU-wide registration system
As the Commission readies a plan to simplify company creation across the EU, a key figure urged that the new registration system be opened to all company types rather than a narrow subset.
Read More - Thailand: Over 100 companies share a single address in nominee probe
An investigation on Koh Phangan uncovered a web of suspected nominee arrangements, with more than 100 companies registered to one address a fresh example of registry misuse to mask foreign control.
Read More - New Zealand: A fraudster's ever-changing identities expose a register gap
A Stuff investigation followed a convicted fraudster who set up a new business under a changed name, raising questions about how easily identities can be recycled on the Companies Register.
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Stay updated by visiting often our "Registry News Weekly" summary and the Foster Moore blog for more insights on these stories and other key registry news.
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