Legal and regulatory update for the life and health insurance sector

29 Apr 2025 - The FMA release Jess Learns to Invest Episode 4 | Market Volatility and Your Investments with Brad Olsen. https://www.fma.govt.nz/library/podcast/jess-learns-to-invest-episode-4/

29 Apr 2025 - The FMA has announced the six fintech firms who will be testing their innovative products, services or business models in the FMA’s pilot regulatory sandbox.

The successful fintech firms are:

• ECDD Holdings Limited   - part of the exchange service Easy Crypto) intends to launch a yield bearing NZD-backed stablecoin and to generate revenue from interest earned on money held on trust in interest-bearing accounts.

• Emerge Group Limited   - intending on offering a digital-first business banking alternative for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

• Homeshare  - which appears to be an investment company aiming to assist period with home sharing schemes.

• IndigiShare  - with aims to offer a koha-loan platform designed to break down barriers to entry for indigenous businesses and provide funding for Māori entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs, especially those with a strong social impact

• Invest in Farming Co-op - with intention to offer individuals a way to invest in agricultural businesses directly from their smartphones.

• Tandym Limited - currently offers full-service solutions for recruitment and workforce development and management, connecting businesses with top talent, we are unsure what their interest in financial services.

https://www.fma.govt.nz/news/all-releases/media-releases/fintech-sandbox-participants/

29 Apr 2025 - The FMA has published the first edition of FMA Financial Advisers Update. https://createsend.com/t/r-B06F256588858C182540EF23F30FEDED

29 Apr 2025 - The FMA have published a Consumer Confidence Factsheet. The results of the Consumer Confidence Survey indicate that that Māori and women are less likely like to feel confident in NZ's financial markets, and less likely to feel confident our financial markets are effectively regulated. The results indicate that Māori and women are less likely like to have health or life Insurance, but Māori are more likely to have funeral Insurance. https://www.fma.govt.nz/library/research/consumer-confidence-factsheet-2025/

29 Apr 2025 - The FMA release ‘5 mins with the FMA’ podcast #13: Consumer Confidence Survey. https://www.fma.govt.nz/library/podcast/5-mins-with-the-fma-podcast-13/

30 Apr 2025 - The Office of the Privacy Commissioner is asking for feedback on Privacy Amendment Bill (IPP3A) draft guidance. Feedback can be submitted between 30 April - 25 June 2025. https://www.privacy.org.nz/news/haveyoursay/

1 May 2025 - The RBNZ has released research which investigates why the ‘natural interest rate’ has fallen in New Zealand over recent decades. https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/hub/news/2025/05/research-investigates-why-the-natural-interest-rate-has-fallen-in-new-zealand-over-recent-decades