Page 28 - SC Annual Report 2018 (ENG)

Securities
Commission
Malaysia
ANNUAL
REPORT
2018

as well as key stakeholders to bring about greater FACILITATING GREATER INVESTOR
understanding of digital assets and initial coin offerings INCLUSIVENESS
(ICOs). This includes amplifying educational efforts on
scams, particularly through InvestSmart programmes. There is increasing awareness among Malaysians on
®
Where necessary, the SC undertook regulatory the need for greater emphasis in managing and
actions, and will continue to do so, to deter and halt growing their wealth. Malaysia’s population of about
schemes that contravene securities laws. 32 million features a diverse workforce, sizeable
youth population and growing segment of affluent
Digital assets and ICOs can become an alternative and sophisticated investors. Given the range of
avenue for early-stage financing as well as a new investors with differing investing goals and risk
investment class for investors, provided they are appetites, a comprehensive set of capital market
harnessed in the right way with the appropriate products as well as access to investment advice and
safeguards in place. Regulations are being put in place services are essential. It presents investors with a
to bring digital assets within the remit of securities myriad of choices and enables them to make
laws to promote fair and orderly trading and ensure informed investment decisions.
investor protection. The SC will regulate issuances of
digital assets via ICOs and the trading of digital For these reasons, the SC has focused not just on
assets on digital asset exchanges in Malaysia. In product innovation but also on bolstering the
order to implement the regulatory framework on availability of investment advice, financial planning
digital assets, the SC and Bank Negara Malaysia and portfolio management services in the market.
(BNM) will enter into co-ordination arrangements to Having a wider selection of investment choices
ensure compliance with laws and regulations under would serve to diversify investors’ risks, helping
the purview of both regulators. The regulatory them balance risk and return. From a broader
frameworks are targeted to be launched early 2019. perspective, it would also encourage mobilisation of

Diversity in the Malaysian population leads to different

investing needs

3% addition to

52% 3% established the workforce in
youth * business owners ** the past year *

18%
working 8% to retire in $ 84% subscribe to
women * the next 5 years * internet banking ***

6% skilled 32% housewives 15% early stage
workers * and retirees * entrepreneurs **

Note:
* Department of Statistics Malaysia, 3Q 2018
** Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2017/18
*** BNM Payment Statistics 3Q 2018

18 | PART 1 »» ENABLING SHARED VALUE GROWTH

NEW_2-35.indd 18 2/21/19 9:26 AM