The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the leading global standard setter for securities markets, has proposed guidelines to improve the regulation of crypto assets worldwide. This proactive initiative is aimed at safeguarding client interests and ensuring that crypto trading adheres to the same strict standards applied to public markets. The guidelines address areas such as conflict of interest management, prevention of market manipulation, cross-border cooperation between regulatory bodies, secure custody of cryptocurrency assets, mitigation of operational risks, and fair treatment of retail customers.

130 regulatory bodies make up IOSCO’s extensive membership collectivity responsible for overseeing over 95% of the world’s securities markets. Leveraging its broad reach and expertise, IOSCO aims to establish a comprehensive and globally aligned set of policy recommendations to establish global consistency in digital currency oversight. To achieve this ambitious goal, IOSCO has initiated a public consultation process that invites stakeholders from various sectors to provide their insights and feedback on the proposed standards. The objective is to finalize the recommendations by the end of the year to allow sufficient time for rigorous analysis and consideration of the input received during the consultation period.

This proactive approach enables jurisdictions to identify and rectify any gaps or shortcomings swiftly, bolstering investor protection, and market integrity in the rapidly evolving landscape of cryptocurrency.