AICB's IFCTF 2026 Call for Faster, Intelligence-Led Response to Financial Crime

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As financial crime moves across institutions, platforms and borders, the Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers (AICB) and its Compliance Officers' Networking Group (CONG) are calling for stronger intelligence-sharing, responsible use of technology and closer cooperation across the financial ecosystem.

The call comes at the opening of the 16th International Conference on Financial Crime and Counter Terrorism Financing (IFCTF 2026) held from 5 to 7 October at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

The urgency is evident in Malaysia, where publicly reported scam losses reached RM2.8 billion in 2025, highlighting the growing scale and sophistication of financial crime and the need for stronger intelligence-led responses.

Themed "Intelligence-Led Financial Crime Prevention: The Power of Data, Insights and Collaboration," IFCTF 2026 brings together regulators, enforcement agencies, financial institutions and technology specialists to examine how shared intelligence can lead to earlier detection and intervention.

As financial crime becomes increasingly sophisticated, AI and advanced analytics offer new opportunities to strengthen monitoring, investigations and risk detection. At the same time, criminal actors are exploiting emerging technologies to conduct fraud and other illicit activities with greater speed and scale.

Delivering the special address, Bank Negara Malaysia Governor Dato' Sri Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour said: "In today's digital economy, every transaction leaves a trail of data. The challenge is no longer the availability of information, but our ability to transform them into actionable insights and intelligence. We need to move from a reactive model to a predictive one, and ultimately to a preventive one."

AICB Chairman Tan Sri Azman Hashim said: "Technology can help detect financial crime, but skilled professionals must turn intelligence into sound decisions. At AICB, we are committed to developing the judgement and capabilities banking professionals need to respond to evolving threats and strengthen the resilience of our financial system."

For the banking industry, the challenge is to connect signals that may appear separately in a bank account, a phone number, a digital platform or an enforcement investigation.

Faradina Ghouse, FCB, Chairman of CONG and Group Chief Compliance Officer of AmBank Group, said: "Banks cannot see the full picture on their own. We need to connect what we know with insights from telecommunications providers, digital platforms and enforcement agencies, and act on that intelligence quickly. For compliance professionals, this means looking beyond individual alerts to understand the networks and behaviours behind them."

The conference examined intelligence-led and risk-based approaches to anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing, the responsible use of artificial intelligence and analytics, fraud and corruption, digital assets and governance and organisational resilience. Technology showcases demonstrated tools for fraud detection, investigations and risk management, including solutions from Platinum Sponsor SymphonyAI and Gold Sponsor LexisNexis Risk Solutions.

Now in its 16th edition, IFCTF organised by AICB and CONG with the support of Bank Negara Malaysia, The Securities Commission Malaysia and the Labuan FSA continues to provide a platform for industry and public-sector leaders to share practical approaches to preventing financial crime and strengthening public trust.

For more information on IFCTF 2026, visit www.aicb.org.my/events/ifctf-2026-event

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About Asian Institute of Chartered Bankers

AICB is Malaysia's premier professional body for the banking industry, governed by a council comprising representatives from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), The Association of Banks in Malaysia (ABM) and the Malaysian Investment Banking Association (MIBA). With over 39,000 members, our mission is to elevate banking standards by developing professionals who exemplify integrity, expertise and competence. As the exclusive institute in Malaysia authorised by the UK's Chartered Banker Institute, we confer the prestigious Chartered Banker status. AICB collaborates with industry leaders to ensure our qualifications remain relevant, equipping bankers with the skills needed to thrive in the dynamic banking sector. Our commitment goes beyond education, offering members opportunities for growth through innovative learning, advocacy for professionalism, thought leadership and valuable networking initiatives.

For more information on AICB, please visit www.aicb.org.my

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AICB's IFCTF 2026 Call for Faster, Intelligence-Led Response to Financial Crime

Eye-tracked 60GHz streaming over the first 2x2 MIMO wireless link on a VR headset; Pimax also debuts Ringless VR Controllers, the Spation mini-PC, and a new Stratosphere Blue brand identity

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pimax, a leading manufacturer of high-end PC virtual reality headsets, today unveiled Crystal Pro, a wireless PC VR headset built around a streaming technology it calls Native Foveated Streaming, at its "Frontier: Change To Stay The Same" launch event. Pimax also debuted Ringless VR Controllers, the Spation mini-PC, and a refreshed brand identity built around a new signature color, Stratosphere Blue.

Crystal Pro ships with built-in Wi-Fi streaming and a dedicated Wi-Fi 6E adapter. For the GPU's native image, Pimax offers an optional 60G AirLink kit, bundled or sold separately. Using eye-tracking, its 60GHz connection sends the GPU's native image directly to the panels in the user's focus area, without the encoding Wi-Fi streaming requires. The kit's two Room Antennas run in a 2x2 MIMO configuration — a first for VR headsets, Pimax says — for up to 6 Gbps combined throughput and under 2ms of added latency.

The headset pairs aspheric glass lenses with QLED panels at 2880 x 2880 pixels per eye, a 110-degree field of view, and refresh rates up to 120Hz. Tracking combines eye-tracking, SLAM 2.0 inside-out tracking, and a swappable faceplate for optional Lighthouse support or MR passthrough with LiDAR depth. No battery is built in; power comes from an included 16,000mAh external pack.

Ringless VR Controllers replace Pimax's earlier tracking ring with camera-based hand tracking plus infrared and motion-sensor tracking, under 15ms latency, and clip into a gamepad for Windows and Steam.

Spation is a mini-PC with desktop-class components in a chassis smaller than a typical tower, pairing an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU with an AMD RX 9070 XT or Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti GPU. It supports Windows and SteamOS, with a DIY configuration also available.

Crystal Pro is priced at $1,399, or $1,899 bundled with the AirLink kit; the kit alone is $599. Shipping dates, and pricing for Ringless VR Controllers and Spation, will follow. Customers can reserve one for $1 today at pimax.com.

Pimax is a virtual reality hardware company known for high-resolution, wide-field-of-view PC VR headsets, including the Crystal and Dream Air series. More at www.pimax.com.

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Pimax Unveils Crystal Pro with Native Foveated Streaming, Sending the GPU's Native Image Wirelessly to the Headset