Global Updates on Compliance, Digital Transformation, and Transparency
October’s registry news centred on the integrity and security of company data, from gaps in the UK’s director identity verification regime to a security flaw in the Czech business register. Beneficial-ownership access advanced in Bermuda, while New Zealand and Pakistan moved against thousands of non-compliant companies and the FATF removed four jurisdictions from its greylist. Read on for the month’s round-up.
Stay ahead with our round-up of the latest global registry news shaping compliance, innovation, and digital transformation.
Here are this month's highlights:
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- UK: Tens of Thousands of Companies May Have Fraudulent Directors
Since Companies House introduced identity verification for directors, overdue company filings have reportedly risen by 139%, with more than 33,000 companies showing overdue filings and no evidence of director verification. The findings raise concerns about fraud and the accuracy of register data.
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- Czech Republic: Business Registry Security Flaw Exposed Personal Identification Numbers
A security flaw in the Czech business registry exposed the personal identification numbers of individuals listed in the register, prompting scrutiny of how personal data is protected in public company records.
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- Bermuda: Beneficial Ownership Amendment Act 2026 Introduces Legitimate Interest Access
Stephen Abbott Pugh examines Bermuda’s strengthened beneficial ownership rules, which introduce legitimate interest access to ownership information for the first time ahead of the jurisdiction’s 2027 FATF review.
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- New Zealand: Companies Office to Strike Off 5,813 Companies Over Annual Returns
The New Zealand Companies Office intends to remove 5,813 companies from the register for failing to file annual returns, with objections due by 18 November.
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- Malaysia: Company Registry System Stabilises After Improvements
Malaysia’s company registry system has stabilised following a series of improvements and now records up to 6,000 users a day.
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- New Zealand: MBIE Outlines Changes for Charitable Trust Boards
The Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment has set out changes affecting charitable trust boards, describing them as a positive step for the sector.
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- Pakistan: SECP Declares 39,704 Firms Inactive
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has marked 39,704 companies as “inactive by registrar” for failing to file annual returns or financial statements for four years.
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- Kenya: A Reform Agenda for the BRS v2 Companies Registry Platform
Lawyers at Bowmans Kenya review BRS v2, the Business Registration Service’s eCitizen-integrated registry platform fully launched in early 2026, and recommend targeted fixes to support ease of doing business.
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- Australia: Practical Implications of New Director ID Requirements
From 1 July 2027, companies must report directors’ identification numbers to ASIC when registering, appointing directors or notifying changes, with transitional deadlines for existing directors.
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- Global: FATF Removes Bulgaria, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC and Monaco from Greylist
Following its October 2026 Plenary, the Financial Action Task Force removed Bulgaria, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Monaco from its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring.
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- Jamaica: Senate Approves Virtual Asset Service Provider Licensing Regulations
Jamaica’s Senate has affirmed the Virtual Asset Service Providers (Licensing) Regulations, 2026, aligning the sector with international AML standards.
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- UK: Cardiff University Launches New LLM in Financial Crime
Cardiff School of Law and Politics has launched a new LLM in Financial Crime covering anti-money laundering, sanctions, bribery, proceeds of crime and counter-terrorist financing. Applications are open for the September 2027 intake.
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Stay updated by visiting our "Registry News Weekly" summary and the Foster Moore blog often for more insights on these stories and other key registry news.
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