The International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), the global body of capital market regulators, has launched it’s first-ever Asia Pacific hub in Malaysia.

The hub will be IOSCO’s first presence outside of its headquarters in Madrid, Spain. It will be located at the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC) building in Kuala Lumpur.

IOSCO, which regulates over 95% of markets globally, said hub is intended to further develop capital markets and strengthen regulatory capabilities in the region.

The hub will promote the transfer of knowledge, expertise and best practices from across IOSCO’s membership.

SC chairman Ranjit Ajit Singh said: “The selection of Malaysia as the host of the first ever regional Hub reinforces the country’s efforts in building a high quality and well-regulated capital market.

“The Hub in Malaysia will foster greater connectivity and inclusiveness within the Asia Pacific region, and is a reflection of the SC’s commitment in facilitating greater cross-border collaboration,” he added.

IOSCO vice chairman Ashley Alder said: “The launch of the IOSCO Asia Pacific Hub in Kuala Lumpur marks an important milestone for IOSCO, delivering quality capacity building for all IOSCO members, particularly for developing and emerging markets in the Asia Region. I would like to congratulate and thank the Securities Commission Malaysia for hosting the very first IOSCO Hub and I wish it every success.”