On September 7, 2023, the Financial Advisers (Exemption for Cross-Border Arrangements) (Foreign Related Corporations) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2023 were published on Singapore Statutes Online, the official journal of Singapore. The regulations modify Regulation 2 and 6 of the Financial Advisers (Exemption for Cross-Border Arrangements) (Foreign Related Corporations) Regulations 2021 as follows:
(1) In regulation 2 pertaining to „definitions“, the definition of Accredited Investor is removed and it is subsequently introduced in regulation 6 containing „circumstances for exemption“.
(2) Regulation 6 is entirely replaced to define “accredited investor” and various other terms („consent provision”, “counterparty“, and „specified financial advisory service“). Additionally, in relation to Foreign Related Corporations (FRCs) of specified financial advisers, the regulation addresses the status of a customer who was previously considered an accredited investor with respect to such FRC before October 9, 2023. Specifically, such customer continues to have an Accredited Investor status
– if the exempt FRC provided financial advisory services to the customer before October 9, 2023 related to its qualifying business (financial advisory service);
– if the agreement for such service was made and corresponding client instructions given prior to October 9, 2023; and
– if the service related to an investment product that the FRC had previously advised the customer before that date.
Additionally, the FRC should not provide any other financial advisory services to the customer in the course of the qualifying business, except as those specified.