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The paper discusses the policy implications of the Wirecard scandal. The study finds that all lines of defense against corporate fraud, including internal control systems, external audits, the oversight bodies for financial reporting and auditing and the market supervisor, contributed to the scandal and are in need of reform. To ensure market integrity and investor protection in the future, the authors make eight suggestions for the market and institutional oversight architecture in Germany and in ...

While multiple causes underpin accounting scandals such as Wirecard, they often point at deficiencies in the audit profession and its oversight. Currently, the system of national public audit oversight boards (POBSAs) is fragmented and overly complex, characterized by limited responsiveness to red flags, and apparent lack of communication among the POBSAs, and with other supervisors. This suggests supervisory coordination and clear action triggers are imperative. Importantly, pervasively low transparency ...

Beginning with a discussion of the Wirecard case, this study highlights several lessons for the regulation and supervision of Fintech companies. Innovation in the financial industry brings both efficiency gains and new risks. To balance these two elements, regulators need a deep understanding of Fintech’s technologies and business models. Because Fintechs can be very complex companies, there is a need for an approach combining the oversight of both entities and activities. The global scope of Fintech ...

The European single market for payments is based on the idea of providing safer and more innovative payment services across the EU. To this end, the European institutions are working on establishing rules and tools to make payment services easier and to foster competition. The aim is to guarantee common standards in all Member States, efficient, faster and diversified types of payment, and consumer protection. The EU has already put several legislative tools in place, has established common criteria ...