PARIS: Facebook’s planned global ‘Libra’ cryptocurrency must respect anti-money laundering regulations and it must seek banking licenses if it offers banking services, France’s central bank chief said in a magazine interview.
Facebook announced plans last week to introduce a new global cryptocurrency called Libra as part of an effort to expand into digital payments.
Bank of France Governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau said that while there was room to improve cross-border money transfers, Libra had to follow anti-money laundering rules.
“The risks are increased by the anonymity that Libra users would have,” Villeroy said in an interview with French weekly magazine L’Obs, adding that Libra would have to ensure transactions and users’ data were fully secure.
“If the project seeks to go beyond payments to offering banking services like deposits, it will then have to be regulated like a bank with a banking license in all the countries it operates. Otherwise it would be illegal,” he said.
France is using its year-long presidency of the Group of Seven nations (G7) to set up a task-force to tackle such concerns at an international level.
It has been charged with studying how cryptocurrencies like Libra are governed by regulations ranging from money laundering laws to consumer-protection rules.
Facebook’s Libra must obey anti-money laundering rules: French central bank chief
Facebook’s Libra must obey anti-money laundering rules: French central bank chief
- Facebook announced plans last week to introduce a new global cryptocurrency
- Libra is part of Facebook’s effort to expand into digital payments
Saudi ports brace for cargo surge as shipping lines reroute
RIYADH: Preliminary estimates suggest that several global shipping lines could reroute part of their operations to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports, potentially adding 250,000 containers and 70,000 vehicles per month, according to Rayan Qutub, head of the Logistics Council at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce, in an interview with Al-Eqtisadiah.
“Any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz not only affects maritime traffic in the Arabian Gulf but could also reshape global trade routes,” Qutub said, highlighting the strait’s status as one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints for energy and goods transport.
With rising regional tensions, international shipping companies are reassessing their routes, adjusting shipping lines, or exploring alternative sea lanes. This signals that the current challenges extend beyond the Arabian Gulf, impacting the global supply chain as a whole.
Limited impact on US, European shipments
The effects of these developments will not be uniform across trade routes. Qutub noted that goods from China and India, which rely heavily on routes through the Arabian Gulf, are most vulnerable to disruption. In contrast, shipments from Europe and the US typically traverse western maritime routes via the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, making them less susceptible to regional disturbances.
Saudi Arabia’s strategic location, he emphasized, strengthens the resilience of regional trade. The Kingdom operates an integrated network of Red Sea ports — including Jeddah, Rabigh, Yanbu, and Neom — that have benefited from substantial infrastructure upgrades and technological enhancements in recent years, boosting their capacity to absorb increased cargo volumes.
Red Sea bookings
Several major carriers, including MSC, CMA CGM, and Maersk, have already opened bookings to Saudi Red Sea ports, signaling a shift in operational focus to these strategically positioned hubs.
However, Qutub warned that rerouted shipments could increase sailing times. Cargo from Asia, which normally takes 30-45 days, might now require longer voyages via the Cape of Good Hope and the Mediterranean, potentially extending transit to 60-75 days in some cases.
These changes are also reflected in rising shipping costs, driven by longer routes, higher fuel consumption, and increased insurance premiums — a typical response when global trade patterns shift due to geopolitical pressures.
Qutub emphasized that Saudi Arabia’s transport and logistics sector is managing these developments through coordinated government oversight. The Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the Logistics National Committee, and the Logistics Partnership Council recently convened to evaluate the impact on trade and supply chains. Regular weekly meetings have been established to monitor developments and implement solutions to safeguard the stability of supplies and continuity of trade.
He noted that the Kingdom’s logistical readiness is the result of long-term strategic investments, encompassing ports, airports, road networks, rail systems, and logistics zones. Today, Saudi logistics integrates maritime, land, rail, and air transport, enabling a resilient response to global disruptions.
Qutub also highlighted the need for the private sector to continuously review logistics and crisis management strategies, develop alternative plans, and manage strategic stockpiles. Such measures are essential to mitigate temporary fluctuations in global trade and ensure smooth supply chain operations.
