In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, Angela Ang, senior policy advisor at TRM Labs, is a former regulator and blockchain intelligence company. She has spent over a decade at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), where she was deputy director of licensing for payments and crypto service providers. Angela has been recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice for Finance in Asia for her thought leadership on digital asset developments in the See more +
In this episode of Regulatory Ramblings, Angela Ang, senior policy advisor at TRM Labs, is a former regulator and blockchain intelligence company. She has spent over a decade at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), where she was deputy director of licensing for payments and crypto service providers. Angela has been recognized as a LinkedIn Top Voice for Finance in Asia for her thought leadership on digital asset developments in the region.
TRM Labs helps clients make sense of public blockchain data by layering information about entities and their risk levels to give clients a better picture. Angela sees parallels between her time at the MAS and TRM Labs, which also has a compliance-centric business model and is mission-driven.
Ang shares her views on the regulation in Asia, stating that the region is leading the pack regarding regulatory clarity. There has been more movement in crypto regulation across the region, especially in financial hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong. Angela acknowledges that every Asian regulator will have their philosophy on how to view crypto but is broadly optimistic about the direction of things.
Regulation is about control and the requirements needed to prevent illicit activity. Sufficient enforcement is needed to ensure consequences, and authorities must have enough skilled people to conduct rigorous supervision. The perceived talent shortage in crypto compliance is also discussed, with older compliance principles and risk management still applicable.
Technology's changed landscape also gives rise to the related topics of SupTech and RegTech, which are key parts of what TRM does. Crypto compliance professionals use TRM's tools for ongoing due diligence and transaction monitoring, while regulators use TRM's offerings for RegTech purposes.
Discussion Guide / Chapter Topics:
1:43 Life as a Regulator: Balancing Innovation and Rules in Singapore
6:26 A Mission-Driven Approach to Fighting Fraud and Financial Crime
13:19 Crypto’s Journey in a Traditional Financial Sector
18:14 How Singapore and Hong Kong are Leading Regulatory Clarity
21:56 Tackling Enforcement Challenges in Crypto Regulation
27:00 Bridging the Talent Gap in Crypto Compliance
30:04 Making SupTech Accessible for Non-Experts
34:44 Asia's Role in Global Crypto Crime
36:26 Evolving Responses of VASPs to Crypto Crime
42:47 Travel Rule Compliance: High Numbers, Real-World Challenges
47:00 Using Crypto to work-around sanctions: Lessons from North Korean and other Actors
53:08 Leveraging Blockchain Transparency for Asset Recovery
58:04 The Allure of Digital Currencies: Liquidity, Anonymity, and Crime
1:01:20 Building a Safer Crypto Future: Advice for Aspiring Professionals
Resources:
Connect or follow Angela Ang on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelaajl/
TRM Labs: Webpage | http://trmlabs.com/ See less -
