Author: Jatin Kasan

Cross-border growth is back in fashion. Across Africa and beyond, banks are once again pursuing regional platforms, new client corridors and selective international expansion. The problem is that many are still approaching it with an outdated playbook. The question is no longer whether there is capital or appetite to grow. It is whether the institution can expand without multiplying regulatory drag, governance complexity and data failure. That is the commercial issue now. In a more fragmented regulatory environment, cross-border ambition will only create value if it is backed by an operating model that can handle divergent rules, tougher scrutiny and…

The South African Reserve Bank’s Prudential Authority (PA) has confirmed its intention to derecognise Moody’s Investors Service South Africa as an eligible external credit assessment institution (ECAI), with a 24‑month transition period running to April 2028. While the regulatory mechanics are now well understood, the more important question is how this development is playing out across South Africa’s financial sector in practice. From our work with banks, insurers and asset managers, the answer is that this is not a crisis moment, but it is a meaningful inflection point. A REGULATORY CHANGE, NOT A MARKET SHOCK It is important to separate…