Malaysia H1 2026 Intensive Legislation, AI, Crypto, and Digital Platform Regulation Comprehensively Upgraded
TechFlow reports, July 31, according to e27, in the first seven months of 2026, Malaysia intensively introduced six major technology-related laws, covering full-stack regulation of AI, cryptocurrency, and digital platforms. Major developments include:
The "Online Safety Act" (ONSA) took effect from January 1, implementing mandatory licensing for platforms with over 8 million Malaysian users;
The "Cybercrime Bill" was passed on July 1, classifying deepfakes and AI-generated intimate images as criminal offenses, with a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment and a fine of 500,000 ringgit;
The "Competition Act Amendment" brings digital platforms under the scope of antitrust regulation;
The "AI Governance Act" is open for public consultation, proposing to include AI training data and output content under intellectual property protection, a first for ASEAN; the Securities Commission Digital Asset Guidelines tightened compliance requirements for DAX operators on May 20, with currently six licensed exchanges;
The "Consumer Credit Act" brings BNPL service providers under formal regulation from March 1.
