Even in the face of shifting regulations, mounting data demands, and a murky compliance landscape, companies aren’t backing down from their ESG reporting commitments. That’s the central message from KPMG’s 2025 ESG Assurance Maturity Index, which paints a nuanced picture of steady, if uneven, progress, and a growing divide between those leading the charge and those still trying to find their footing.
France’s financial watchdog and its anti-corruption agency are sounding the alarm over organized criminal networks that are targeting professionals with access to inside information, and they’re getting better at it.
Interactive Brokers LLC has agreed to pay nearly $11.83 million to settle a wide-ranging enforcement case with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). The fine stems from thousands of transactions spanning more than seven years that violated multiple U.S. sanctions programs, including dealings linked to Iran, Cuba, Syria, Crimea, Russia, and Chinese military-linked firms.
Brussels has approved its most comprehensive sanctions package yet against Russia, marking the 18th wave of EU action since the start of the war in Ukraine. The new measures aim to ratchet up pressure on the Kremlin’s energy revenues, financial lifelines, and military-industrial backbone, while also closing loopholes and clamping down on sanctions evasion through third countries and shadow networks.
July was quiet on the institutional front, but the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) didn’t let misconduct slide. Instead of targeting banks, the regulator issued a number of prohibition orders aimed squarely at former bank employees who crossed the line, from check fraud and ATM manipulation to outright theft and criminal convictions.
The UK’s audit watchdog is turning its attention to the backbone of the economy (small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)) with a new push to make audit requirements more proportionate and accessible. On July 17, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) released emerging findings from its ongoing market study into the SME audit landscape, alongside a public consultation on draft guidance aimed at helping auditors take a more tailored approach with smaller businesses.
When things are going well—when markets are humming, innovation is booming, and everyone feels flush—it’s tempting to believe the system is safer than it actually is. That’s exactly the moment risk professionals should be most concerned.