India’s insurance regulator signals a major shift towards reducing sales costs and increasing transparency, with potential to make the industry more policyholder-centric and improve market efficiency. India’s insurance regulator has put the economics of distribution under the microscope, and the…
As India prepares to impose a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate on transactions above ₹2,000, banks may tighten monitoring of segmented payments to prevent fee circumvention, potentially limiting flexible payment practices for consumers and merchants alike. The prospect of a customer…
India’s market regulator has renewed open-market buyback options through stock exchanges, driven by recent tax law changes that eliminate previous fairness concerns, with new controls to safeguard investor interests. India’s market regulator has brought back open-market buybacks through stock exchanges,…
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India is consulting on a new framework that aims to realign commission structures, reduce distribution costs, and improve transparency, potentially transforming how insurers sell policies and benefit consumers. India’s insurance regulator is weighing…
India’s insurance regulator, IRDAI, has revealed a comprehensive draft framework aimed at transforming the insurance sales landscape, broadening distributor options, and tightening accountability for mis-selling in a move expected to reshape the industry. India’s insurance regulator has proposed a major…
The Mumbai Income Tax Appellate Tribunal rules that genuine, fully documented property deals between spouses are not automatically considered tax avoidance, setting a precedent for future family transactions under Section 54F. The Mumbai Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has ruled that…
India’s labour ministry has increased the mandatory wage ceiling for Employees’ Provident Fund contributions to Rs25,000, ensuring employees’ net salaries remain unaffected despite higher employer contributions, in a move aimed at expanding social security coverage. India’s labour ministry has told…
New enhancements to the EPFO portal’s Form 13 simplify the transfer of provident fund balances across multiple accounts, helping workers consolidate their retirement savings effortlessly after switching jobs. Changing jobs does not automatically move provident fund savings into a new…
Deepening tensions over inheritance and gift transfers are causing a surge in legal battles in South Korea, prompting calls for better planning amid a legal landscape in flux. Long holiday gatherings can surface more than family nostalgia. In South Korea,…
The Reserve Bank of India introduces a revised framework for large fixed deposit interest rates, aiming to enhance transparency, reduce branch-to-branch variation, and standardise pricing for depositors by October 2026. The Reserve Bank of India is tightening the rules on…
India is set to raise its higher EPFO wage ceiling from ₹15,000 to ₹25,000, potentially extending retirement benefits and social security to millions of formal workers, with changes effective from September 2026. India’s higher EPFO wage ceiling is set to…
Zerodha CEO Nithin Kamath warns that policy changes by regulators like IRDAI can rapidly alter the economics of regulated industries, impacting investor confidence and business models. Regulatory risk can matter more than headline growth when a business depends on rules…
