PANews reported on November 17 that the Securities Commission of Malaysia (SC) has proposed that, starting in 2026, licensed cryptocurrency exchanges will be able to independently approve token listings without needing individual regulatory approval. This move aims to modernize the Malaysian digital asset market, expand investor access, and give exchanges greater operational flexibility.

Under the new framework, exchanges will be responsible for assessing the compliance of tokens and adhering to higher governance, security, and transparency requirements to ensure investor protection. This reform is expected to shorten token listing times, increase the variety of assets available to investors, and propel Malaysia into a digital asset hub in Southeast Asia.