KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 5 (Bernama) -- Bursa Malaysia closed lower on Friday amid mixed regional market performance as investors turned cautious over a possible rate hike by the Bank of Japan (BOJ) and upcoming US economic data that may influence the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate decision next week. At 5 pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) pared most earlier losses to settle 4.55 points easier, or 0.28 per cent, to 1,616.52 from Thursday’s close of 1,621.07. The benchmark index, which opened 0.37 of-a-point lower at 1,620.70, moved between 1,609.67 and 1,621.25 throughout the day. The broader market was negative, with decliners outpacing advancers 604 to 439. A total of 550 counters were unchanged, 1,151 untraded, and 18 suspended. Turnover declined to 3.17 billion units worth RM2.24 billion from 4.48 billion units worth RM2.75 billion yesterday. Rakuten Trade Sdn Bhd vice-presiden...
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) is stepping up efforts to evaluate tokenisation and central bank digital currency (CBDC) applications as part of Malaysia’s broader digital finance agenda, according to a Finance Ministry (MOF) statement to Parliament.
Tokenisation Initiatives
BNM is working with industry experts through the Asset Tokenisation Industry Working Group forum to explore applications of tokenisation via a co-creation approach. The recently launched Digital Asset Innovation Hub (DAIH) is also supporting pilot projects to test tokenisation use cases and assess risks.
Key areas of focus include:
Risk management: addressing operational and technology vulnerabilities.
Compliance: ensuring adherence to AML/CFT frameworks.
Interoperability: overcoming potential fragmentation across platforms.
BNM will publish a discussion paper in 2H2025 on tokenisation of financial instruments, including tokenised depositsand ringgit-backed stablecoins.
CBDC Evaluation
BNM is actively evaluating the potential role of wholesale CBDCs in improving settlement efficiency between financial institutions and in cross-border payments, in collaboration with other regional central banks.
Securities Commission’s Role
The Securities Commission (SC) is focusing on:
Responsible access to crypto assets.
Expansion of securities tokenisation within Malaysia’s capital markets.
Policy Direction
The MOF highlighted that:
BNM will focus on payment systems and monetary stability.
SC will regulate capital market applications and ensure investor protection.
Investor Implications
Malaysia’s exploration of tokenisation and CBDCs signals a measured but proactive regulatory approach, positioning the country for future adoption of digital financial infrastructure. For investors, this could unlock opportunities in financial innovation, fintech partnerships, and digital asset infrastructure while ensuring regulatory safeguards remain in place.
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