Dentons - Insights

The rapidly evolving digital assets and payments regulatory landscape: What you need to know

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Australia: Australia's financial services regulatory framework has been challenged to keep pace with the development of digital assets and new payment technologies. Whether a given digital asset was a "financial product" subject to licensing, disclosure and conduct obligations was not always clear-cut, requiring careful, case-by-case regulatory analysis and prompting a series of ASIC enforcement actions with varying outcomes.

Trade union access rights: what employers need to know

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

United Kingdom: The government has published its draft Code of Practice on the new statutory right of trade union access to workplaces. The regime creates a structured and enforceable framework with significant operational and financial implications for employers.

Victorian private schools to restrict student device use from January 2027

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Australia: The Victorian Government has announced that from January 2027, independent and other Victorian schools will be required to implement policies restricting student use of personal electronic devices during school hours. The change follows growing evidence that electronic devices can disrupt students’ focus, learning and social interaction. Schools should begin planning now to ensure they are ready to meet these new requirements.

Wage Deductions and Iowa Code 91A

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Iowa Code 91A – the Wage Payment and Collection Act is specific regarding its requirements for Iowa employers. It states that employers must pay employees at least monthly, semi-monthly, or bi-weekly, on regular paydays, with certain exceptions for commissions. While wages may be mailed upon request by the employee, the employer is required to maintain a copy of the request for mailing for as long as it is effective and for “at least two years thereafter.”

“Neither a borrower nor a lender be?” — The SGCA clarifies the limits of winding-up jurisdiction where debts are subject to arbitration

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Singapore: The Singapore Court of Appeal’s decision in Singapore Commodities Group Co Pte Ltd v Founder Group (HK) Ltd clarifies the limits of insolvency proceedings where debts are subject to arbitration agreements, reaffirming that such disputes should ordinarily be resolved by the agreed tribunal. It underscores that an unresolved arbitral dispute may deprive a creditor of standing to invoke the court’s winding up jurisdiction, absent clear and unequivocal admission of liability.

A landmark milestone in global defence finance presents opportunities in Canada

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On April 29, 2026, following the conclusion of multilateral charter negotiations in Montréal, Canada was unanimously selected by the 19 founding member nations as the future host country for the headquarters of the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank (DSRB), a newly established multinational financial institution purpose-built to finance defence, security and resilience projects for NATO members and allied nations.

GIFT City Newsletter | April 2026

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

India: The GIFT International Financial Services Centre, established in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, is India's first international financial services centre with the intent of catering to global MNCs and financial institutions in alignment with international standards of business. To ensure that the utmost benefits can be provided, the entire zone has been equipped with world-class infrastructure akin to global standards. This newsletter navigates the journey of GIFT IFSC and the International Financial Services Centres Authority set up under the International Financial Services Centres IFSCA Act 2019.

Patent and Design Trends: Key insights from the Australian IP Report 2026

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Australia: IP Australia has released its annual intellectual property (IP) report for 2026. The Australian IP Report 2026 examines recent trends in Australia’s patent and design systems and provides insight into how filing activity is evolving in response to global economic shifts, technological change and increasingly competitive markets.

Ukraine eases foreign exchange (FX) and banking restrictions

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Ukraine: On April 23, 2026, the Board of the National Bank of Ukraine adopted Resolution No. 43, amending its Resolution No. 18 of 24 February 2022 “On the Operation of the Banking System During Martial Law.”

Working from home and energy efficiency: a new policy direction for businesses in Indonesia

Mon, 11 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Indonesia: This article discuss the key recommendations under the Circular Letter, including the proposed one-day-per-week WFH arrangement and workplace energy efficiency measures, as well as the practical implications for employers in Indonesia.