Financial Services Update: New guidelines and exposure drafts issued by Bank Negara Malaysia

The following guidelines was issued by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM") on 19 December 2025:

Charge Card and Charge Card-i;
Debit Card and Debit Card-i;
Credit Card and Credit Card-I,

which came into effect on the same date save for certain provisions.

BNM also issued the following:

a discussion paper on operational resilience which sets out BNM’s emerging direction and the key considerations to strengthen the operational resilience of financial institutions in a landscape marked by greater digitalisation, complex interdependencies, and more frequent and severe occurrences of operational disruptions. The deadline to submit feedback on BNM’s discussion paper is 30 April 2026.
an exposure draft of the policy document on related party transactions. The policy document will set out the regulatory requirements on related party transactions.Pursuant to the exposure draft:

BNM aims for the new requirements to come into effect on 1 January 2029.
several guidelines/policy documents will be superseded:

Guidelines on Credit Transactions and Exposures with Connected Parties, which was issued on 16 July 2014;
Guidelines on Credit Transactions and Exposures with Connected Parties for Islamic Banks, which was issued on 16 July 2014;
Financing Facilities with Connected Parties, which was issued on 13 July 2016;
Related Party Transactions which was issued on 28 June 2013; and
Intercompany Charges Paid to Related Entities, which was isued on 31 January 2019.

the deadline to submit feedback on BNM’s discussion paper is 30 June 2026.

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THIS UPDATE IS ISSUED FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE CLIENTS OF THE FIRM AND COVERS LEGAL ISSUES IN A GENERAL WAY.
THE CONTENTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE ANY ADVICE ON ANY SPECIFIC MATTER AND SHOULD NOT BE RELIED UPON AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR DETAILED LEGAL ADVICE ON SPECIFIC MATTERS OR TRANSACTIONS.

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