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Sion Yoong Tian

Sion Yoong Tian is a partner in the Financial Services Regulatory, the Derivatives & Structured Products and the FinTech Practices at WongPartnership LLP.

sionyoong.tian@wongpartnership.com

Articles by author

Decentralised finance (DeFi): a game-changer or just a passing fad?

DeFi is a term used to describe decentralised applications that provide financial services using blockchain technology. DeFi leverages on technologies such as smart contracts and open-source protocols to execute peer-to-peer transactions without the use of any centralised party. Given the increasing prevalence and receptiveness towards DeFi, stakeholders in the financial industry should possess some basic understanding of this new alternative to the traditional financial system. This article outlines the distinctive characteristics, underlying benefits and risks of DeFi applications, and the regulatory approaches towards regulating such applications.

1 JAN 2022

Crypto headwinds: an overview of regulations in Singapore, the EU, UK and US

This article provides an overview of the recent developments in the regulation of cryptoassets across several jurisdictions, with a focus on consumer protection and stablecoin regulation. The importance of regulating cryptoassets has been underscored by their growing market capitalisation. Discussions for bespoke stablecoin regulations are also underway, as regulators become increasingly cognisant of the potential for stablecoins to be incorporated into mainstream financial systems. This article examines the cryptoassets regulatory proposals which have been made across various jurisdictions, and highlights opportunities for harmonisation of such regulations on an international front.

1 JUN 2023