New Zealand Budget 2026: Finance Minister Nicola Willis introduces a prudential levy on banks, non-bank deposit takers and insurers to fund Reserve Bank regulation, targeting about NZ$209m over four years and set for consultation after the Budget. Retail Banking & Customer Engagement: JD Power finds banks are expanding financial advice, but awareness and sustained customer action still lag, with financial vulnerability remaining high. Bank Tech & Onboarding: Citizens Bank selects Alkami’s MANTL to streamline deposit account opening across digital and branch channels. AI & Inflation Watch: Fed’s Austan Goolsbee warns AI hype could raise inflation and force higher rates, especially alongside oil or supply shocks. Hong Kong Crypto Rules: HKMA and SFC tighten guidance for virtual-asset financing, custody and stablecoin dealing, including cold-storage requirements. Cybersecurity Stress Tests: Indian banks and critical services test against Anthropic’s Mythos after concerns about AI finding software vulnerabilities. Fraud Alerts: BBB warns consumers about phone scams impersonating banks, loan firms and government agencies. Prediction Markets Clash: White House OIRA begins review of CFTC prediction-market rules as Trump backs CFTC exclusive jurisdiction. Cross-border Payments: BIS’s Project Agorá says tokenization could speed settlement and reduce reconciliation frictions across currencies.