The Qualified Opportunity Zone program, established under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and subsequent rulemaking, was created to promote economic development and job creation in low-income communities by offering significant federal tax incentives to investors for development in those communities.

Vietnam: On 31 December 2025, the Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (“SBV”) issued Circular No. 77/2025/TT-NHNN (“Circular 77/2025”), amending and supplementing a number of provisions of Circular No. 50/2024/TT-NHNN on security and safety requirements for online services in the banking sector. This Circular takes effect from 1 March 2026. The objective of Circular 77/2025 is to enhance the security and safety of online service systems in the context of increasingly sophisticated cybercrime, particularly fraud schemes involving deepfake technology, malware, and “shell” or fraudulent corporate accounts used to misappropriate users’ assets in cyberspace.

Vietnam: According to the latest Report on Economic Concentration Control issued by the Vietnam Competition Commission (“VCC”), Vietnam’s M&A market has recorded a clear recovery. Against the backdrop of a dynamic market and increasingly diverse forms of economic concentration, the new provisions under Decree No. 102/2026/ND-CP dated 31 March 2026 (“Decree 102/2026”), which amends and supplements several articles of Decree No. 75/2019/ND-CP on administrative sanctions in the field of competition (“Decree 75/2019”), demonstrate a clear trend: increasing sanction levels and tightening compliance obligations for economic concentration. Decree 102/2026 will take effect on 20 May 2026.

Vietnam: On 31 December 2025, the State Bank of Vietnam (the “SBV”) issued Circular 66/2025/TT-NHNN to amend and supplement several provisions of Circular 34/2024/TT-NHNN concerning the reissuance of bank licenses and the supplementation of operational contents to bank licenses. These amendments are not merely technical adjustments to align with the SBV’s new organizational structure, but also clearly reflect a reform trend in three main directions: (i) reallocation of regulatory authority; (ii) shortening of administrative processing time; and (iii) gradual digitalization of licensing procedures. These changes are expected to improve administrative efficiency while creating more favorable conditions for credit institutions to expand their operations.

Australia: In this episode of IR Insights podcast, Partner Paul O’Halloran and special guests Michael Zappone and Deiter Lehmann from Nominis Communications discuss how to mitigate PR and reputational risks.

Australia: A PR disaster can be catastrophic for a business especially if it becomes a media story but sometimes the coverup is worse than the crime. Join Paul O’Halloran, Partner and special guests Michael Zappone and Deiter Lehmann from Nominis Communications in this discussion about what makes a story and how to mitigate Public Relations and reputational risks.

United Kingdom: The EU Pay Transparency Directive will reshape pay practices across the EU, with initial obligations applying from June 2026. We outline what businesses with employees in the EU should be doing now to prepare.

New Zealand: The High Court has upheld the criminal conviction and sentencing of Anthony Gibson, the former chief executive of Ports of Auckland Limited, for breaching his due diligence duty as an officer under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (HSWA). This decision is significant. The District Court proceedings against Mr Gibson resulted in the first conviction of an officer of a large and complex organisation for failing to exercise appropriate ‘due diligence’ to ensure safety standards were observed.

Australia: In this Q1 2026 edition of our Consumer Quarterly: Australia, we unpack the key regulatory and enforcement developments shaping the operating environment for consumer facing businesses. From mandatory merger reforms and increased ACCC scrutiny to heightened expectations around privacy, cybersecurity, tax compliance and digital workplace safety, this quarter signals a more interventionist regulatory approach. We also examine the growing legal and copyright risks associated with artificial intelligence in marketing and customer engagement. Designed for leaders and in house teams, this edition provides practical insights to help Australian consumer businesses stay compliant, competitive and prepared for what lies ahead.

Qatar: Qatar has taken a significant step in regulating its digital economy with the issuance of Ministerial Decision No. (25) of 2026 (the Decision), published in the Official Gazette (Issue No. 5 of 2026) and issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI). The Decision introduces a comprehensive framework governing the conduct of commercial activities through electronic platforms that do not require a physical place of business.

Singapore: In this client alert, we offer insights into Singapore cases on the taxability of employment related payments, with particular focus on UZF v Comptroller of Income Tax. The cases underscore that substance, not form, and the capacity in which a payment is received are key to its tax treatment.

United Kingdom: The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill (the Bill) continues its progress through the legislative process, bringing a potential ban on upwards-only rent reviews (UORRs) in commercial leases in England closer to reality.

Latin America and the Caribbean: The mining sector in Latin America is entering a different phase of ESG scrutiny. What passed as sufficient over the past decade, compliance checklists, sustainability reports, audit certifications, no longer answers the questions now being asked by courts, lenders, investors, regulators, and affected communities.

Bolivia: Much has been said in recent days regarding ASFI Resolution N° 299/2026 of April 8, which sets forth changes to the use of debit and credit cards abroad, and rightly so. For many users, this was the first visible symptom: higher costs for international transactions and modified operational limits. However, limiting the discussion to card usage alone is to remain at the surface of a much deeper transformation.

Slovak Republic: We are pleased to present you with a new issue of the Life Sciences Newsletter with interesting events and key news from the decision-making practice of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic and legislation.

United Kingdom: The extension of CDC regulations to include unconnected multi-employer arrangements represents a significant expansion of the existing framework.

Vietnam: The Law on Investment No. 143/2025/QH15 officially took effect on 01 March 2026 (“Investment Law 2025”), replacing the Law on Investment No. 61/2020/QH14 (“Investment Law 2020”), continuing to build upon and refine the regulations governing offshore investment activities. Notably, for the first time, the Government has issued a dedicated decree to provide detailed guidance for this sector. Accordingly, Decree No. 103/2026/ND-CP on offshore investment took effect on 03 April 2026 (“Decree 103/2026/ND-CP”), replacing Chapter VI of Decree No. 31/2021/ND-CP on elaborating some articles of the Law on Investment (“Decree 31/2021/ND-CP”). This new decree clarifies the provisions of the Investment Law 2025 and systematizes the legal framework regulating offshore investment.

Venezuela: The Organic Law for the Acceleration and Optimization of Administrative Procedures was recently enacted, published in Special Official Gazette No. 7,018 of April 8, 2026 ("Law").

On April 9, 2026, the Indiana Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion in Harper v. S&H Leasing, LLC that significantly changes the landscape for statutory conversion claims involving money in Indiana.

New Zealand: From 6 March 2026, holders of an Active Investor Plus residency by investment visa or one of the predecessor visas (together, Investment Visas) may purchase or build a residential home in New Zealand through a new targeted consent pathway under the Overseas Investment Act 2005. This new pathway represents a significant opportunity for Investment Visa holders, but it also carries an important tax risk that investors should obtain advice on and may need to carefully manage.