Risk & Resilience

As the world continues to grapple with a rapidly changing geopolitical landscape and the persistent threat of cyber attacks, financial institutions in Denmark are facing a unique set of challenges. While these concerns are growing, one thing is clear—confidence in the stability of Denmark’s financial system remains remarkably high. A recent survey conducted by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finanstilsynet) shows that geopolitical issues and cyber risks are at the top of the list for what’s keeping Denmark’s financial firms awake at night.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has imposed a £9.2 million fine on the London Metal Exchange (LME) for failing to ensure its systems and controls were adequate to handle severe market stress, marking the first-ever enforcement action and fine against a UK-recognised investment exchange.

In a shocking new report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), consumers in the U.S. reported losing over $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024. That’s a staggering 25% increase from the previous year, underscoring a rising tide of fraud that businesses, consumers, and regulators are struggling to keep up with.

In Singapore, the commodity financing (CF) sector plays a pivotal role in connecting global trade to the world’s financial systems. As one of the world’s key trading hubs, Singapore’s banks are responsible for financing the flow of commodities that power economies from oil and gas to metals and beyond. However, as the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) pointed out in its recent 2024 inspection report, the sheer scale and complexity of commodity trade financing means that banks are facing heightened risks that need more than just a cursory glance.

As 2025 unfolds, organizations are grappling with an unprecedented wave of risk. The world is changing rapidly, and so too are the risks businesses must navigate. Geopolitical tensions are escalating, economic forecasts are fluctuating, and technology—especially Artificial Intelligence (AI)—is completely reshaping entire industries while amplifying threats in ways we’ve never seen before. From AI-driven cyberattacks to increasingly complex global conflicts, the stakes have never been higher.

In a world that’s changing faster than a New York minute, banking chief risk officers (CROs) are feeling the pressure. According to the latest survey by EY and the Institute of International Finance (IIF), cybersecurity remains the number one concern for CROs globally. In fact, a staggering 75% of them flagged it as their top priority for the next year. But that’s not the whole story—geopolitical risks are also rising fast on the horizon, with geopolitical tensions leaping from 12th to 3rd in the list of risks to worry about.

The Spanish National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) has recently released its 2025 Activity Plan, which contains a clear set of objectives aimed at strengthening Spain’s financial market oversight. Carlos San Basilio, Chairman of the CNMV, highlighted the need for the Commission to adapt to the new challenges that the financial markets face, emphasizing that the CNMV must be both more agile and more transparent as it responds to an increasingly complex regulatory environment.