Eurex Clearing has named Laura Bayley as its next chief executive, with her appointment to the Executive Board scheduled to take effect on 1 June 2026.  She joins from SIX Group, where she has been Head of Clearing Services and chief executive of SIX x-clear since 2022. Bayley brings extensive experience in market infrastructure, regulatory policy and major integration projects, including roles at SIX x-clear and BME Clearing.  With a background in law and Chinese studies, she has played a key role in shaping regulatory and governance frameworks within the clearing division and represents SIX on bodies including the EACH Executive Committee and the SWIFT Board. Her appointment marks a continuation of Deutsche Börse Group’s strategy to modernise clearing operations and strengthen resilience across derivatives markets. Robbert Booij, Head of Financial Derivatives and CEO of Eurex, said he was “delighted to welcome Laura”, noting her “forward-looking vision for shaping the future of clearing through innovation” and her ability to lead transformation initiatives. Bayley stated that she is “deeply honoured and grateful for the opportunity to lead Eurex Clearing”, calling the organisation “an institution that stands at the heart of the financial markets.” She added that she looks forward to working with clients and partners to reinforce the clearing house’s position through “resilient, high-quality infrastructure.” The post Eurex Clearing Names Laura Bayley As Chief Executive Officer appeared first on LeapRate.

The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) and Apex Group have announced a collaboration to connect private funds with LSEG’s Digital Markets Infrastructure (DMI), creating an end-to-end digital distribution channel that aims to reshape how managers raise capital and how investors access private-market opportunities. DMI, powered by Microsoft Azure, uses blockchain technology to support the full asset lifecycle, from issuance and tokenisation to distribution, settlement and servicing.  Apex Group, which oversees $3.5 trillion in assets under administration, becomes the first global servicing provider to connect to the platform. Fund managers using Apex’s Digital Liquidity & Distribution Service, known as Apex Digital 3.0, will be able to access DMI through a single gateway for managing investors at scale.  The system integrates directly with LSEG’s Workspace platform, which reaches more than 400,000 users globally, providing visibility to a broad investor base while maintaining privacy and suitability controls. Dr Darko Hajdukovic, Head of Digital Markets Infrastructure at LSEG, said the partnership “represents a significant step toward digitising private markets”, creating a “secure, efficient, and scalable ecosystem” that brings fund managers and investors closer together. Apex Group founder and chief executive Peter Hughes believes private markets have lacked the connectivity needed to efficiently access global capital pools.  He said the collaboration automates the investor lifecycle and establishes the “digital foundation for future blockchain- and AI-enabled connectivity”, positioning the platform as next-generation infrastructure for private markets. The service is expected to go live in the first half of 2026. The post LSEG And Apex Group Partner To Connect Private Funds With Digital Markets Infrastructure appeared first on LeapRate.

Standard Chartered and B2C2 have entered a strategic partnership aimed at improving how institutional clients access digital asset markets, combining regulated banking infrastructure with deep crypto liquidity. The collaboration links Standard Chartered’s global banking rails and settlement capabilities with B2C2’s spot and options liquidity.  It is said to be designed to reduce friction in fiat-to-crypto flows and give asset managers, hedge funds, corporates and family offices more reliable market access. Standard Chartered explained that the initiative reflects the rapid growth of institutional adoption across Asia and globally, as demand rises for regulated channels into an emerging asset class.  Through the agreement, B2C2’s clients will gain future direct connectivity to the bank’s network, allowing faster settlement and more predictable execution. Luke Boland, Head of Fintech, Asia at Standard Chartered, stated that the partnership supports the move of digital assets “from the periphery to the core of global finance”, adding that the bank aims to provide “regulated, scalable market linkage without compromising execution or risk management.” B2C2 chief executive Thomas Restout feels that Standard Chartered’s global reach and regulatory track record make it a strong strategic counterpart. He said the firms are “building a durable connectivity layer between traditional finance and the digital asset ecosystem” as institutional engagement accelerates. The post Standard Chartered And B2C2 Partner To Expand Institutional Access To Digital Assets appeared first on LeapRate.

Trading Technologies (TT) and Enmacc have agreed a strategic tie-up aimed at combining their exchange-traded and bilateral OTC energy trading capabilities into a unified workflow for European market participants. The firms will integrate Enmacc’s bilateral trading venue and RFQ system with TT’s global execution platform, allowing users to move seamlessly between listed derivatives, spot energy markets and OTC contracts.  The partnership is designed to eliminate fragmented processes in one of Europe’s most complex trading environments. TT said the collaboration will give clients the ability to manage bilateral credit risk with greater precision while distributing liquidity instantly through Enmacc’s network. Enmacc’s “alpha” agentic trading technology will be linked with TT’s execution tools to support faster price discovery and improved order management. “Enmacc has built an incredible footprint across the European energy landscape… There is a natural synergy between our technology,” commented Alun Green, TT’s EVP for futures and options. Enmacc chief executive Jens Hartmann said the deal aligns with the firm’s ambition to “redefine OTC markets by providing flexibility, intelligence and front-to-end digital trading workflows”, adding that TT’s global distribution network would offer clients a powerful alternative to legacy systems. The partnership is expected to enhance access for municipal utilities, commercial energy users and other institutions seeking streamlined OTC–exchange connectivity. The post Trading Technologies and Enmacc Form Partnership to Link OTC and Exchange Markets appeared first on LeapRate.

CME Group plans to launch a suite of financially settled Single Stock futures this summer, offering exposure to more than 50 of the largest U.S. companies, including Alphabet, Meta, NVIDIA and Tesla, subject to regulatory approval. The exchange operator said the contracts will give investors an alternative way to take positions on individual equities, with the capital efficiencies and margining benefits associated with futures rather than holding shares outright.  The products will track constituents across the S&P 500, Nasdaq-100 and Russell 1000. Tim McCourt, CME Group’s global head of equities, FX and alternative products, stated that the rollout would provide “a simpler, more cost-effective way to take a view on a stock”, while enabling institutional and retail participants to hedge price moves. The announcement comes amid continued growth in equity derivatives usage. CME Group reported several record figures in 2025, including futures and options average daily volume of 7.4 million contracts and record open interest of 9.8 million contracts. Futures open interest averaged 5.6 million contracts, up 19% year-on-year. The new contracts will be listed on and governed by CME rules, with further details expected closer to launch. The post CME Group to Launch Single Stock Futures Covering Over 50 Major U.S. Names appeared first on LeapRate.

Interactive Brokers has broadened its digital asset offering with the addition of nano Bitcoin and nano Ether futures from Coinbase Derivatives, introducing both monthly and perpetual-style contracts that can be traded around the clock. The broker said the products, now available on its global platform, give eligible clients a regulated way to manage cryptocurrency exposure with lower capital requirements and more granular position sizing.  The contracts represent 0.01 Bitcoin and 0.10 Ether, making them significantly smaller than standard futures and aimed at widening participation in crypto-linked markets. Interactive Brokers emphasised the benefits of perpetual-style futures, which are designed to track spot cryptocurrency prices without the need for frequent contract rolls.  “Perpetual-style crypto futures have become popular with traders because they provide long-dated exposure and greater flexibility,” commented chief executive Milan Galik. The move continues the firm’s strategy of integrating traditional securities and digital assets within a single platform, giving clients access to more than 170 markets worldwide. Coinbase Institutional co-chief executive Greg Tusar said the collaboration was intended to “lower the barrier to entry and give more investors the ability to engage with digital assets in a secure and regulated environment.” Eligibility to trade the contracts will depend on local rules, with some jurisdictions placing limits on access to crypto derivatives. The post Interactive Brokers Expands Crypto Derivatives Access with Coinbase Nano Futures appeared first on LeapRate.

Data disappointment ahead of the event January ADP private payrolls number came in much lower than expected at 22,000 (vs 46,000 forecast [37,000 previous]). While its correlation with government figures is seldom observed, it is worth noting that it aligns with softer metrics recently released. The December JOLTS Job Openings cooled to 6.5 million vacancies, with the quits rate remaining around historical lows of 2.0%. Hiring has also remained unchanged. Ultimately, this suggests employers are cautious in their hiring, and workers continue to lack confidence to voluntarily leave their employment, reaffirming the ‘low hire-low fire’ stance. The January Challenger report revealed that US employers announced 108,435 job cuts, marking a substantial jump from 49,795 reported in the same month a year ago. Interestingly, January’s total is also the highest since 2009. Bear in mind that while this is an early warning signal, not all announced layoffs translate into job losses, and there is a notable lag between the announcement and the actual job loss. While we did see the ISM Manufacturing PMI headline number reverse course and jump back into expansionary territory at 52.6 (the ISM Services headline also remained in expansionary space at 53.8), the employment sub-indexes for both reveal that while the jobs market is not catastrophic, it is by no means good and hiring remains tepid, at best. This was particularly evident in Services, which dropped to 50.3 from 51.7 in December. If you look at your economic calendar’s revisions to these data, you will note that since around mid-2023, downward revisions have been commonplace. These are incredibly important to monitor. While the headline number could be positive and even beat analysts’ estimates, the persistent large downward revisions we have been seeing mean job growth has been trending south, and is currently negative according to the three-month average.  NFP trading scenarios: Neutral print: A print that aligns with market forecasts would shore up support for the Fed’s current ‘no rush’ stance, essentially aligning with the central bank’s narrative of a stabilising labour market and fully price out a March cut.  However, the language will likely emphasise that the door is open for cuts later in the year if further weakness is observed. Ultimately, this could only be moderately positive for yields and the USD, as it is not new information for market participants. Bullish print: A positive surprise, with payrolls coming in at 100,000 or higher, would suggest robust hiring and prompt a hawkish repricing of Fed rate expectations, potentially pushing out a rate cut beyond June. Given the breadth of soft data and the USD remaining overstretched to the downside, this would likely offer the best risk-reward, triggering a notable move higher in yields and the USD. If unemployment remains at 4.4% or even drops to 4.3% (the minimum estimate), it should add fuel to the USD upside, I believe. A triple whammy could occur if wage growth remains at current levels or increases.  Bearish print: If payrolls come in below 30,000, unemployment ticks up to 4.5%, and average earnings miss expectations, this could weigh on yields and the USD, increasing the probability of a March or April rate cut despite inflation risks.  Conclusion The weight of evidence tilts toward downside risk. However, with USD positioning stretched to the downside and soft data well telegraphed, markets may be vulnerable to a meaningful short squeeze on any beat above 100,000.  The post US January jobs report preview: Downside risks dominate appeared first on LeapRate.

Standard Chartered has appointed Peter Burrill as interim Group Chief Financial Officer following the immediate departure of Diego De Giorgi, who is leaving to pursue an external opportunity.  The bank said Burrill will be based in London and will report directly to Group Chief Executive Bill Winters. Burrill currently serves as Group Head of Central Finance and Deputy CFO, roles he has held since joining the bank in 2017. Prior to that, he was Group Controller and Co-Head of Group Finance at Deutsche Bank. He began his career at KPMG, spending almost two decades with the firm, split between the United States and Germany.  He has also chaired the SCB AG Supervisory Board since March 2025, having joined the board in 2019. Winters stated that Burrill brings continuity and deep sector experience to the role. “As deputy CFO, Pete has extensive sectoral experience. He likewise provides valuable continuity to the leadership of our finance function and takes on the position as a well-regarded member of our global leadership team,” he commented.  Winters added that under Burrill’s interim stewardship, the bank remains positioned to advance its strategic priorities. Winters also thanked De Giorgi for his contribution as Group CFO, citing his support in execution of the bank’s strategy. Standard Chartered said an announcement regarding the permanent appointment of a Group CFO will follow in due course. The post Standard Chartered Appoints Peter Burrill as Interim Group CFO appeared first on LeapRate.

FINRA has censured Taglich Brothers Inc. and imposed a $60,000 fine after finding that the New York-based broker-dealer willfully violated Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI), failed to deliver Form CRS to certain retail investors and did not maintain adequate supervisory controls. The findings, published in a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, state that from June 2020 to the present, the firm failed to comply with Reg BI’s Conflict of Interest and Compliance Obligations.  FINRA said Taglich Brothers did not establish or enforce written policies and procedures tailored to its business model until July 2022, despite knowing in advance of the June 2020 compliance date that changes were required. According to FINRA, associated persons at the firm held stakes in issuers and served on issuer boards while recommending those securities to retail customers.  The regulator claims that Taglich Brothers shared fees and personnel with a non-FINRA private equity entity involved in deal structuring and ongoing services, yet its procedures did not sufficiently address conflicts arising from these arrangements. FINRA also stated that the firm failed to deliver Form CRS to certain retail investors who participated in private placements and that it did not implement supervisory procedures to ensure compliance with Form CRS requirements.  In addition, Taglich Brothers did not conduct supervisory control testing or provide required annual reports to senior management from at least 2018 onwards. Alongside the censure and fine, the firm must certify within 60 days that it has remediated the issues identified and implemented compliant supervisory systems and controls.  FINRA said the settlement includes a finding that the firm’s willful violation of Reg BI subjects it to statutory disqualification. Taglich Brothers accepted and consented to the findings without admitting or denying them. The post Taglich Brothers Censured and Fined By FINRA appeared first on LeapRate.

Euronext has launched a new professional-only segment on ETFplus to expand institutional access to crypto-linked exchange-traded products within a regulated market environment. The new segment will allow professional investors in the Italian market to trade crypto ETPs with full exchange-grade post-trade services, including euro-denominated trading, clearing via Euronext Clearing and settlement through Euronext Securities Milan. Euronext stated that the initiative strengthens the integration of digital assets into Europe’s regulated financial ecosystem. It builds on the company’s existing crypto-linked product offering in Paris and Amsterdam, where more than 100 instruments are already listed. The company noted that the move responds to increasing institutional demand for transparent and secure access to digital assets. It also aligns with supervisory recommendations aimed at ensuring investor protection while supporting innovation. All instruments listed in the new segment are restricted to professional clients and must be accessed through authorised members connected directly to the ETFplus market. These members are responsible for ensuring availability is limited to eligible participants. Aurelien Narminio, Head of Indices, ETFs and Securitised Derivatives, feels the launch marks a significant milestone. “It underscores our determination to foster a robust European market for digital assets,” he remarked. The new segment, he added, “lays a solid foundation for further innovation and supports the growing demand for these assets in a transparent, competitive and regulated framework.” The post Euronext Launches Professional Crypto ETP Segment on ETFplus appeared first on LeapRate.

smartTrade Technologies has appointed Tom Luker as Head of Corporate Development to support the company’s goal of building a fully integrated front-office trading and payments ecosystem. Luker joins the Executive Leadership Team and will oversee global M&A and strategic investments. He will report directly to Co-Founder and CEO David Vincent. The company said the hire accelerates its strategy of creating an end-to-end suite that allows clients to monetise flows, reduce risk and expand market share across trading and payments activities.  The plan has been advancing through the integration of kACE, the FX and interest rate derivatives platform acquired in late 2025. smartTrade said the integration is ahead of schedule across its LiquidityFX and Commercial Banking and Payments solutions. Vincent believes Luker’s arrival strengthens smartTrade’s long-term ambitions. “Our goal is to create the most robust, integrated front-office ecosystem in the market,” he commented. “The success we are seeing with the kACE integration proves the appetite for our unified cross-asset payments and trading solutions.” Luker brings 15 years of experience across financial market infrastructure, data and technology. His background includes nearly a decade at the London Stock Exchange Group, where he served as Co-Head of Corporate Development. He joins from Triple Private Equity, where he led software and data investments. “smartTrade has established itself as a clear innovator in trading and payments technology,” Luker stated. He added that the momentum from the kACE acquisition provides a strong foundation for future expansion. The post smartTrade Hires Tom Luker to Lead Global Corporate Development appeared first on LeapRate.

Deutsche Bank and BlackRock have announced a partnership to integrate Deutsche Bank’s HausFX platform with BlackRock’s Aladdin system. The collaboration addresses long-standing operational challenges tied to cross-border securities activity, particularly as settlement cycles shorten and regulatory demands grow.  The companies stated that common clients will gain seamless access to Deutsche Bank’s FX-as-a-Service technology directly within Aladdin, allowing them to manage execution and workflows more efficiently. HausFX includes embedded logic that covers currencies across developed, emerging and restricted markets.  By integrating it into Aladdin, clients are expected to be able to maintain control of the full trade lifecycle while reducing operational drag and minimising FX-related risks. “This integration is demonstrative of the shared vision that exists between BlackRock’s Aladdin and Deutsche Bank to bring clients operational efficiency and performance through some of the best in tech,” remarked Panos Stergiou, Global Head of Institutional Client Group at Deutsche Bank. Ollie Jerome, Head of FX for Europe at Deutsche Bank, said the partnership represents a “step change” for the market and will help firms identify new cost savings. Kamya Somasundaram, Global Head of Aladdin Enterprise Partnerships at BlackRock, feels the collaboration reinforces the firm’s commitment to helping clients manage complexity. Integrating HausFX, she said, will give investors “a powerful, automated solution to manage FX seamlessly as part of their end-to-end investment workflow.” The post Deutsche Bank and BlackRock Partner to Integrate HausFX with Aladdin appeared first on LeapRate.

Cantor has joined the 24X National Exchange as a member firm, expanding its electronic trading capabilities and giving clients broader access to U.S. equities. The exchange, which secured U.S. regulatory approval for 23/5 equities trading in 2024, launched 16/5 operations last October. Cantor noted that the move supports its strategy of offering flexible and technology-driven execution options across global markets. The investment bank has been steadily adding new electronic venues to its trading network since early 2024, including Blue Ocean, Bruce Markets and Moon ATS.  The firm believes joining 24X strengthens its ability to provide scalable infrastructure and improve liquidity access for clients. “Cantor is focused on staying at the forefront of market access and execution for our clients,” said Pascal Bandelier, Co-CEO and Global Head of Equities. “Joining the 24X National Exchange strengthens our electronic trading capabilities and further supports our clients, positioning us to provide best execution and liquidity.” 24X Founder and CEO Dmitri Galinov stated that the exchange aims to support market participants seeking modern and efficient trading channels. “We are pleased to welcome Cantor as a member firm,” he commented. “Cantor’s global reach, strong client relationships, and focus on best-in-class execution align closely with 24X’s mission to deliver a modern, efficient and convenient trading platform for sophisticated market participants.” The post Cantor Joins 24X National Exchange to Expand Market Connectivity appeared first on LeapRate.

Intercontinental Exchange has launched a new futures contract providing international investors with broader access to South Korea’s equity market.  The FTSE South Korea RIC Capped Index Futures, approved by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, are listed under the code SKO. Developed in partnership with FTSE Russell and the Korea Exchange, the contract combines FTSE Russell’s RIC-capped methodology, which is designed to reduce single-name concentration and meet regulatory requirements, with ICE’s global derivatives platform.  The product is denominated in U.S. dollars and can be traded directly by U.S.-based investors. ICE said the futures are aimed at supporting more efficient portfolio and risk management for international market participants.  Caterina Caramaschi, vice president of financial derivatives, stated that the launch reflects the group’s focus on building “transparent, efficient markets,” supported by deep liquidity across its equity index derivatives suite. FTSE Russell’s Jan Thorwirth believes the initiative will provide “greater transparency, consistency and capital efficiency” for global investors seeking exposure to Korean equities. The contract expands ICE’s existing FTSE derivatives franchise, which includes FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 futures and options.  Trading the new Korea futures on ICE allows participants to benefit from margin offsets across the exchange’s U.S. equity index products, which the company feels can improve capital utilisation and enhance portfolio efficiency. The post ICE Launches New FTSE South Korea RIC Capped Index Futures appeared first on LeapRate.

NatWest Group has agreed to acquire Evelyn Partners for £2.7 billion, a move the bank says will create the United Kingdom’s leading private banking and wealth management business.  The deal will be funded from existing resources and accompanied by a £750 million share buyback. NatWest stated that combining Evelyn Partners with its existing Private Banking and Wealth Management business would expand fee-based income by about 20% ahead of planned synergies.  The merged operation will hold £127 billion in assets under management and administration and £188 billion in customer assets and liabilities. Chief executive Paul Thwaite described the transaction as “a unique opportunity” to broaden the group’s financial planning, savings and investment services.  He added that the acquisition would accelerate the bank’s strategy and strengthen returns in a “high-growth, capital-light segment”. Evelyn Partners, which oversees £69 billion in client assets, generated £179 million in EBITDA last year. Chief executive Paul Geddes remarked that joining NatWest marked “an exciting new chapter” and would provide scale and resources to enhance client service. NatWest expects about £100 million in annual cost synergies, equivalent to roughly 10% of the combined cost base. It stated that the deal will be accretive to growth and return on tangible equity in the first year and generate higher returns than a standalone buyback. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to complete in summer 2026.  NatWest said it remains well capitalised and will revisit further buybacks at its half-year 2027 results. The post NatWest to Buy Evelyn Partners in £2.7bn Deal, Launches £750m Buyback appeared first on LeapRate.

Plus500 reported higher annual revenue and continued strategic expansion as the fintech group delivered preliminary results for 2025.  The company noted that revenue rose 3% year on year to $792.4 million, while EBITDA increased 2% to $348.1 million, both ahead of market expectations. Basic earnings per share climbed 10% to $3.93. The broker saw continued strong momentum in customer deposits, with the average deposit per Active Customer increasing by 124% to a record level of approximately $26,900 during the year. The group highlighted strong cash generation and a debt-free balance sheet, with cash resources of about $0.8 billion at year-end. Plus500 also announced shareholder returns of $187.5 million, including $87.5 million in dividends and $100 million in buybacks. Chief executive David Zruia commented that 2025 marked “a year of accelerated strategic progress,” with the non-OTC business surpassing $100 million in annual revenue for the first time.  Customer segregated funds in the division rose 160% to more than $0.9 billion, reflecting what the firm described as increasing trust among both institutional and retail clients. The company also cited progress across new products and geographies. It completed the acquisition of Mehta Equities in India in February, extending its regulatory footprint to 17 licences worldwide.  New permissions were secured in Canada, the UAE and Colombia, alongside a commodities licence in Japan. Plus500 said prediction markets had emerged as a strategic growth engine, pointing to partnerships with CME Group, FanDuel and the launch of U.S. event-based contracts via Kalshi. The group said trading momentum had continued into 2026 and that it expected full-year performance to exceed current market forecasts. The post Plus500 Posts Higher Revenue, Average Deposit Per Active Customer Hits Record appeared first on LeapRate.

Broadridge has agreed to acquire CQG, a major provider of futures and options trading technology, to expand its global multi-asset execution capabilities.  The company said the acquisition will integrate CQG’s execution management, analytics and connectivity tools with Broadridge’s existing order management and client connectivity systems, creating a unified platform for derivatives markets. Frank Troise, president of Broadridge’s Trading and Connectivity Solutions business, feels the purchase will “accelerate Broadridge’s mission to deliver advanced, highly connected trading solutions on a global scale.”  He added that combining the firms’ technologies would simplify complexity, improve transparency and enhance workflow efficiency. CQG chief executive Ryan Moroney remarked that his team was “truly excited” to join Broadridge, describing the combined offering as one defined by “speed, intelligence, and scale” that would help clients trade more effectively and access new markets. Broadridge said the expanded suite will serve a broad client base, including FCMs, institutional investors, proprietary trading firms and hedge funds.  The acquisition also supports its innovation strategy across futures, options, FX and digital assets, with CQG’s agile development intended to accelerate delivery of new functionality. The transaction includes the purchase of CQG, LLC and affiliated entities. Terms were not disclosed, and Broadridge does not expect a material impact on its financial results.  The deal is scheduled to close early in its fiscal fourth quarter, subject to regulatory approvals. The post Broadridge to Acquire CQG in Push to Expand Global Futures and Options Trading appeared first on LeapRate.

iSAM Securities has launched a new CFDs on futures offering, expanding its liquidity and execution services in response to rising client demand for streamlined derivatives access. The firm said the addition builds on its existing technology-led liquidity suite and is engineered to reduce operational complexity for institutional clients. The new product provides auto-rolling CFDs on futures, allowing traders to maintain uninterrupted exposure without manually managing contract expiries.  Pricing is generated using iSAM Securities’ in-house technology and a quant-driven protocol that adjusts spreads in real time based on primary markets. The firm says the structure delivers consistency in volatile conditions. The offering is available through existing client accounts and is supported by iSAM Securities’ regulated entities across Hong Kong, the United States and the Cayman Islands, which provide variable spreads and what the company calls “award-winning execution” under a robust supervisory framework. Balraj Sroya said the rollout “reflects a truly client-led approach,” adding that the company had “been deliberate in taking the time to ensure this has been built to the standards our clients expect.” He stated that the focus on integration was intended to provide “reliability across markets.” The launch comes after a period of heightened volatility, during which the firm continued to perform as a stable liquidity provider.  Recent investments include a move to a larger London headquarters and continued expansion of its technology platform. iSAM Securities feels the developments signal confidence in its long-term growth strategy despite shifting market conditions. The post iSAM Securities Launches CFDs on Futures Amid Rising Client Demand appeared first on LeapRate.

Marex Group has agreed to acquire European equity derivatives market maker Webb Traders, a move the firm says will strengthen its technology-led market making and broaden its equity-linked capabilities.  The deal, announced on Friday, will add teams across Amsterdam and Paris specialising in single-stock options for European and U.S. mid and large-cap equities. The acquisition is intended to deepen Marex’s ability to internalise hedging within its Equity Linked Structured Products platform, a shift the group believes will enhance margins and improve pricing for clients.  Webb Traders will also bring additional quantitative expertise, developers and electronic trading systems. The company described Webb’s trading and risk philosophy as fully aligned with Marex’s own approach. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2026. Ian Lowitt, Marex’s chief executive, said the group was “excited to welcome the team from Webb Traders,” adding that the business “built an incredibly talented team supported by excellent technology, which will enhance our equity derivatives capabilities.”  He said Webb’s “prudent approach to risk” and consistent profitability across market environments, combined with reduced hedging costs, would be “beneficial to Marex.” The post Marex to Acquire Webb Traders to Boost Equity Derivatives Capabilities appeared first on LeapRate.

FINRA has censured Arkadios Capital and ordered the firm to pay a $25,000 fine and $20,571 in restitution after finding it failed to maintain adequate supervisory systems for recommendations involving leveraged and inverse exchange-traded funds. According to the regulator, the Atlanta-based broker-dealer did not design or enforce policies capable of ensuring compliance with Regulation Best Interest when recommending non-traditional ETFs.  FINRA said the firm lacked monitoring tools, suitable written procedures and product-specific training, despite warnings that such products may be unsuitable for retail investors holding them beyond a single trading session. They added that Arkadios representatives recommended daily-reset ETFs to 36 retail clients between September 2022 and March 2024, including senior investors, without sufficient oversight.  Some customers are said to have held positions far beyond intended timeframes, leading to significant losses. One moderately conservative investor held a leveraged ETF for 630 days and lost nearly $6,000, according to the findings. The regulator noted that Arkadios only updated its procedures in March 2024, when it moved to prohibit representatives from recommending non-traditional ETF purchases. Arkadios agreed to the sanctions without admitting or denying the findings. The firm must provide proof of restitution payments and comply with escheatment requirements where customers cannot be reached. The post Arkadios Capital Fined by FINRA appeared first on LeapRate.