The service is expected to launch in 2026. The move represents a step toward greater integration across Europe’s post-trade ecosystem, enabling clients to benefit from improved balance sheet netting, enhanced operational efficiency, and broader access to euro-denominated securities. According to Euroclear, the initiative will “reduce fragmentation, enhance collateral mobility and reinforce open infrastructure and client choice.”  Italian government debt settled via Euroclear Bank will also be available on the Euroclear Collateral Highway, supporting securities financing and funding activities. Michel Semaan, Global Head of RepoClear at LSEG, said: “We are delighted to be working with Euroclear to bring even greater efficiencies and choice to our members, both key elements of a competitive European capital market.” Sebastien Danloy, Chief Business Officer at Euroclear, added that the collaboration “represents an important milestone in our vision of advancing the Savings and Investments Union,” highlighting Italy’s key role in the continent’s fixed-income markets. The partnership underscores a broader trend toward post-trade harmonisation in Europe, aligning with regulatory goals to promote market resilience and interoperability between major clearing and settlement infrastructures. The post Euroclear and LCH SA Deepen Partnership to Streamline Italian Debt Settlement appeared first on LeapRate.

The indices are said to combine StepStone’s proprietary fund-level data with FTSE Russell’s index engineering expertise, offering two methodologies, Daily Cash-Adjusted Indices and Daily Market Indices, to deliver daily mark-to-market estimates for private market funds. The firms said they are designed to address long-standing data lags in private market reporting, and the indices will enable investors to track private market trends with greater accuracy and agility, forming a foundation for future index-tracking investment products. Gerald Toledano, Global Head of Equity and Multi Assets at FTSE Russell, said the launch “sets a new standard for rules-based and consistent benchmarking in this growing asset class.” Tyler Johnson, Partner and Chief Technology Officer at StepStone, added: “These new indices deliver daily mark-to-market estimates for private markets funds—an innovation we pioneered in our semiliquid solutions.” The post FTSE Russell and StepStone Launch Daily Global Private Market Indices appeared first on LeapRate.

The online investment platform said the move broadens its crypto futures range following the launch of its futures and commodities trading business in March 2024, which gave users access to diversified trading instruments.  Coinbase Derivatives, a Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)-registered exchange, provides the listed contracts, while Webull offers the trading interface and analytical tools. “Webull users are always looking for smart ways to diversify and manage risk, especially in markets that move as quickly as crypto,” said Anthony Denier, Group President and U.S. CEO of Webull. “By continuing to build on our partnership with Coinbase Derivatives, we are able to deliver more opportunities for our customers to invest with confidence while providing them with the tools to navigate the evolving digital asset landscape.” Boris Ilyevsky, Head of Coinbase Derivatives Exchange, said: “It’s been amazing to see Webull’s futures business grow with Coinbase Derivatives. As we continue to expand our product suite and report record volumes and open interest in futures on major crypto assets as well as Alts, I am thrilled to see our partners at Webull Financial expand access to the crypto economy.” Webull said the smaller contract sizes enable investors to align upfront commitments with their goals. The platform provides free real-time market data and offers crypto futures trading 23 hours a day, six days a week through funded futures accounts. The post Webull Expands Crypto Futures Offering with Coinbase Partnership appeared first on LeapRate.

Group Chief Executive Bill Winters said progress was “broad-based,” with “strong double-digit growth in Wealth Solutions and Global Banking, alongside good momentum in our Global Markets flow business.” The bank’s operating income rose 5% year-on-year to $5.1 billion, supported by a 27% jump in Wealth Solutions income, a record quarter, and a 23% increase in Global Banking, driven by higher origination and capital markets activity.  Non-interest income climbed 12% to $2.4 billion, offsetting a 1% decline in net interest income to $2.7 billion. Profit before tax came in at $2 billion, with operating expenses up 4% to $3 billion due to growth investments.  Credit impairment charges totalled $195 million, lower in the Wealth & Retail Banking division thanks to unsecured portfolio optimisation. Standard Chartered reaffirmed its strong balance sheet, with a Common Equity Tier 1 ratio of 14.2%, and said it plans to return at least $8 billion to shareholders between 2024 and 2026. The bank also raised its 2025 income growth guidance to the upper end of the 5–7% range and maintained its expense and capital targets, underscoring a confident outlook as it focuses on affluent and cross-border clients across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The post Standard Chartered Expects to Hit RoTE Target Early as Wealth and Global Banking Drive Growth appeared first on LeapRate.

The probe will examine whether there have been any breaches of the law related to the Fund’s investments.  Clime Asset Management Pty Limited, the Fund’s investment manager and a wholly owned subsidiary of Clime Investment Management Limited, is the subject of the investigation. ASIC clarified that neither Clime Capital Limited nor Clime Investment Management Limited are subjects of the inquiry. The regulator said the scope of the investigation “may change” as it progresses. ASIC stressed that the confirmation of an investigation “does not mean that an entity or person has contravened the law or will necessarily be the subject of any legal or other proceeding.” The watchdog said it released the statement to ensure accurate reporting following recent media coverage and public commentary about the matter. Under ASIC Info Sheet 152, investigations are routinely confirmed to maintain transparency, but the regulator emphasised that no adverse inference should be drawn at this stage. The post ASIC Launches Preliminary Investigation into Clime Australian Income Fund appeared first on LeapRate.

Between April 2019 and September 2025, FINRA said CIBC failed to report or inaccurately reported 7,501 OTC options positions across 1.4 million instances, breaching FINRA Rules 2360(b)(5) and 2010, according to the regulator’s Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent (AWC). The violations were linked to reporting system flaws and missing client tax identification data, which caused trades to remain “quarantined” internally without proper submission.  CIBC also lacked adequate supervisory procedures to detect or correct the errors, breaching FINRA Rule 3110. FINRA said the failures “stemmed from three separate issues” in the firm’s logic for recording options contracts and verifying data completeness.  The watchdog added that accurate Large Options Positions Reporting (LOPR) is critical to its market surveillance and detection of potential manipulation. CIBC has since updated its reporting systems, hired staff for oversight, and implemented new supervisory checks.  The firm accepted the sanctions without admitting or denying the findings and waived its right to contest the settlement. The post FINRA Fines CIBC $425,000 for Reporting Failures in Options Market appeared first on LeapRate.

Following its recent launch in Argentina and Peru, the company said ADA is now operational across all regions where BBVA operates, except Turkey, creating a single, cloud-native data infrastructure built on Amazon Web Services (AWS). The system, which processes more than 100,000 tasks daily and stores 8.4 petabytes of data, enables real-time insights and a 40% improvement in operational efficiency compared with traditional systems.  “The platform has achieved a 40 percent improvement in operational efficiency compared to traditional solutions,” said Marta Sanz, BBVA’s Global Head of Data Engineering.  She added that ADA enhances analytical capabilities through Amazon SageMaker AI, QuickSight, and AWS Bedrock, paving the way for secure generative AI use cases. The rollout represents a milestone in BBVA’s multi-year transformation strategy, enabling faster decision-making, improved risk management and personalised services. The initiative has also been accompanied by a global training programme to promote a stronger data culture within the bank. With ADA now fully deployed, BBVA said it can operate more efficiently and scale innovation across its global network. The post BBVA Completes Global Rollout of Cloud-Based Data Platform appeared first on LeapRate.

The move marks Alpaca’s first live deployment beyond Ethereum and expands its multi-chain infrastructure for crypto trading and settlement. “This is a major update for Alpaca as we continue to invest in multi-chain compatibility,” said Arush Sehgal, Head of Crypto at Alpaca.  “By integrating USDG on Solana through the Global Dollar Network, we are excited to support new stablecoin issuers and promote innovation across the ecosystem.” USDG, issued by Paxos Digital Singapore under the supervision of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and by Paxos Issuance Europe under MiCA compliance, is a fully backed and transparent digital dollar designed to meet global regulatory standards. According to Nick Ducoff, Head of Institutional Growth at the Solana Foundation, Alpaca’s integration “unlocks faster, more cost-effective access to stablecoins” for developers, institutions, and end users. Through this partnership, Alpaca’s customers are said to gain access to fast, compliant, and cost-efficient stablecoin settlements, strengthening its position as a key enabler of global crypto infrastructure and interoperability. The post Alpaca Expands Crypto Reach with USDG Integration on Solana appeared first on LeapRate.

“We are excited to bring one of eToro’s most recognised features to the world’s largest retail investing market,” said Yoni Assia, eToro’s Co-Founder and CEO. “CopyTrader enables you to leverage other investors’ expertise at the click of a button with no management fees or hidden costs.” The tool allows users to mirror selected investors’ trades instantly, with portfolios updating automatically whenever the copied trader makes changes.  Users can view performance history and copy up to 100 investors simultaneously, with full flexibility to adjust or stop at any time. Andrew McCormick, Head of eToro U.S., said the feature has empowered millions worldwide for over 15 years and now brings “the power of shared knowledge” to American investors. CopyTrader is launching in phases, initially to a select group of users. eToro also unveiled its public APIs, providing free access to market data and portfolio analytics, and announced plans for an eToro App Store that will allow developers to share applications with millions of users globally. The post eToro Launches CopyTrader in the U.S. appeared first on LeapRate.

A key initiative under the partnership is the creation of the Saudi Collateral Management Service (SCMS), a centralised triparty system designed to automate and optimise collateral and financing activities.  The service will aim to enhance liquidity and efficiency in the Saudi market while linking it more closely to international investors. Edaa CEO Hanan Alshehri said the collaboration “marks a vital step in our endeavours to enhance the overall efficiency and liquidity of the Saudi capital market,” aligning with international best practices. Sam Riley, CEO of Clearstream Securities Services, described the initiative as “a key part of our commitment to connecting global investors with emerging and dynamic markets,” adding that it would “advance the local post-trade infrastructure” and “boost market liquidity and efficiency.” The partnership builds on Clearstream’s 2021 move to give clients access to the Saudi market via Edaa and represents another milestone in developing the Kingdom’s capital markets under Vision 2030. The post Edaa and Clearstream Partner to Boost Saudi Market Infrastructure appeared first on LeapRate.

Triance joined ASX in 2023 and has reportedly been a key figure in overseeing CHESS Release 1, a cornerstone of the exchange’s market infrastructure upgrade. ASX CEO Helen Lofthouse said Triance “has played a critical role in driving our strategy, including leading the CHESS project,” adding that his leadership ensured “quality delivery for participants.” The exchange confirmed that the go-live of CHESS Release 1 remains on track for the fourth quarter of FY26, with work on Release 2 continuing in parallel.  “I’m so pleased that Clive will remain with us through this important phase,” Lofthouse said. “His continued focus and drive ensures a smooth and orderly transition of responsibilities in the coming months.” ASX will begin an internal and external search for Triance’s successor in the coming months. The post ASX Executive Clive Triance to Retire After CHESS Launch appeared first on LeapRate.

The new platform, based on Aquis’ Equinox matching engine, will deliver “a unified experience for clients” with a “one plug, multiple trading venues” connection, offering easier access and greater liquidity.  The system is expected to go live in 2027 and will later extend to additional asset classes. According to Tomas Kindler, global head of exchanges at SIX, “Harmonising all our platforms through Aquis’ cutting-edge, regulatory grade technology represents a major technological milestone for SIX.”  He said the initiative would “significantly reduce operational complexity and provide our participants with the best possible trading experience.” David Stevens, CEO of Aquis, said SIX’s decision “reinforces the strength and capability of the Aquis matching engine,” adding that the companies will continue expanding their collaboration and client base in the years ahead. The announcement follows a multi-stage vendor selection process and marks a major step in SIX’s ambition to create a next-generation pan-European platform. SIX said it is working with regulators to secure the necessary approvals. The post SIX to Launch Unified Trading Platform Powered by Aquis Technologies appeared first on LeapRate.

Through the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), PayPal’s tens of millions of merchants will become discoverable within ChatGPT, allowing users to browse, select and purchase goods without leaving the app.  The system will support payments via PayPal wallets, bank accounts, cards, and balances, and include buyer and seller protections, order tracking and dispute resolution. “By partnering with OpenAI and adopting the Agentic Commerce Protocol, PayPal will power payments and commerce experiences that help people go from chat to checkout in just a few taps,” said Alex Chriss, President and CEO of PayPal. For merchants, the collaboration means product catalogues will be automatically connected to ChatGPT through PayPal’s ACP server, with no additional integration required.  PayPal will handle payment validation, routing and orchestration, enabling purchases across categories including fashion, beauty, electronics, and home improvement. The initiative also extends PayPal’s use of AI: the company will expand ChatGPT Enterprise access for its 24,000 employees and adopt OpenAI’s Codex to accelerate product development. The partnership is expected to roll out in 2026, giving ChatGPT users global access to millions of products through PayPal’s vast merchant network. The post PayPal and OpenAI Partner to Enable Instant ChatGPT Checkout appeared first on LeapRate.

In a settlement accepted without admission of guilt, FINRA said BofA Securities violated multiple provisions of Regulation National Market System (NMS), including Exchange Act Rules 611(a)(1), (a)(2), and (c), as well as FINRA Rules 6380A and 2010.  The failings occurred between September 2014 and July 2023, according to FINRA’s findings. The regulator stated that the bank did not have written policies “reasonably designed to prevent trade-throughs” or ensure its intermarket sweep orders (ISOs) complied with NMS rules. It is also said to have failed to maintain an adequate supervisory system under NASD Rule 3010 and FINRA Rule 3110. This is not the first time BofA Securities has faced regulatory penalties over similar issues. In 2018, FINRA fined the firm $115,000 for NMS violations, while the Cboe BYX and BZX exchanges imposed a combined $135,000 fine that same year. As part of the current settlement, FINRA said no further actions will be taken based on the same findings. The firm employs around 5,300 registered individuals across 130 offices worldwide. The post BofA Securities Fined $155,000 by FINRA Over Trade-Through Failures appeared first on LeapRate.

The partnership makes WisdomTree BNY’s first retail digital assets BaaS client. The collaboration will allow users of WisdomTree Prime to invest in tokenised real-world assets (RWA) and conduct onchain transfers across tokenised funds and select stablecoins such as USDC and PYUSD.  Through BNY’s infrastructure, the platform will offer smooth on- and off-ramp capabilities between the traditional banking system and the blockchain. “As digital assets continue to converge with traditional finance, BNY is committed to serving as the bridge that supports this transformation,” said Jennifer Barker, Global Head of Treasury Services and Depositary Receipts at BNY. Will Peck, Head of Digital Assets at WisdomTree, said: “Stablecoins and tokenized assets are unlocking new user experiences across a range of use cases in financial services.BNY is a leader for banks working with stablecoin issuers and brings unmatched trust and reliability as we grow our platform.”  The move expands WisdomTree’s longstanding partnership with BNY, which already acts as custodian and sub-adviser for select WisdomTree funds and its USDW stablecoin.  The initiative will also extend access to institutional users through WisdomTree Connect, enabling firms to use existing payment rails for treasury and reserve management. The post WisdomTree Appoints BNY Mellon as Infrastructure Provider for Digital Assets Platform appeared first on LeapRate.

Traders are preparing for the publication of the US interest rate on Wednesday, October 29th, and the press-conference of Jerome Powell. Usually, he provides a softening effect on markets with a positive sentiment, so given the overall dovish expectations from the FED and a moderately bullish sentiment, we can expect markets to resume the pullback ahead of the FED’s meeting and beyond. The Nasdaq and overall tech sector gets overbought against the financial sector, so one possible scenario for the week is a rotation between techs and financials (in favor of financial stocks): some of this dynamics was already displayed last week, and it may extend to the week ahead. Crude oil had returned back to $60 and above, reacting to sanctions imposed by Donald Trump to largest Russian oil producers. That creates uncertainty in the energy markets, as around 500 to 600 thousand barrels per day is expected to be eliminated from the oil market, according to Bloomberg. So, the global record surplus pressure might be compensated by the effects of sanctions. At the same time, Kuwait’s prime minister said that OPEC is prepared to increase production if demand requires it. So, current upward pressure for Crude oil futures might be amplified by short coverage, though the overall bearish trend remains intact. Let’s dive into the charts of Crude oil and Gold and try to highlight major scenarios for the week ahead. USOIL Crude oil had reached the 50-day moving average, driven by sanctions for Russia, and creating some bullish flow amid some short coverage, as open interest for crude oil futures has been declining steadily since October 15. The effect seems temporary, as the global record surplus expectations skew expectations for lower price levels. Thus, we may expect some rotation around the achieved level with some volatility around it. One should be careful with upside breakouts, as they have greater odds to be false, unless any game changing news will reach the market. XAUUSD Gold is consolidating after the large sell-off, which also was the biggest daily decline for more than a 10-year period. As the asset was deleveraged, it’s not expected to continue quickly moving up, though in case it generates the upside breakout, it may turn down as shown at the chart, as the bullish price action might be vulnerable now after the liquidation. Though, everything will depend on the geopolitical situation, as Gold acts as a protection against political statements and current market volatility. If there would be no drivers behind the bullish action, it would probably slide down further in case the retest of the upper border of the chart formation would be false. The post Markets lay low ahead of the FED appeared first on LeapRate.

The company explained that the new service uses artificial intelligence to analyse data from billions of transactions processed by Worldpay.  It is said to determine in real time whether to apply 3D Secure (3DS) authentication, a fraud prevention step required in some markets, or proceed directly to authorisation, based on factors such as risk and issuer preferences. “With the Authentication Optimisation Service, we’re using AI and deep transaction insights to help merchants capture more revenue and deliver seamless payments,” said Cindy Turner, Chief Product Officer at Worldpay. “Our scale, data and technology turn declines into approvals helping clients win back missed revenue, while reducing the kind of friction at checkout that can lead to abandoned carts.” A two-month pilot with a leading cruise line company using 3DS for all transactions reportedly showed an average 5.5% improvement in authorisation rates, with double-digit gains in non-3DS regulated markets.  The company added that fraud remained minimal, with just one chargeback reported where authentication was bypassed. James Mirfin, Head of Risk and Identity Solutions at Visa, said the service “helps bridge the gap between merchant needs and issuer risk management,” ensuring secure yet efficient transactions. The company concluded that the the service is available to merchants already using Worldpay’s 3DS Flex, the tool requires no additional integration and continually adapts to issuer behaviour. The post Worldpay Launches AI-Powered 3D Secure Optimisation Tool to Boost Payment Approvals appeared first on LeapRate.

The approval allows CAB’s new Middle Eastern subsidiary, CAB Global Markets, to accelerate its growth in the region and strengthen relationships with government institutions, central banks, and key financial stakeholders. The company also announced the appointment of Arif Khan as Senior Executive Officer to lead operations in the Middle East.  Khan is said to brings expertise in cross-border transactions, credit and risk, and has advised sovereigns, multinationals, and development finance institutions across emerging markets. “Securing this IPA is a pivotal step in our global roadmap and a strong endorsement of our strategic focus on the region,” said Neeraj Kapur, CEO of CAB.  He added that the bank is committed to contributing to the UAE’s vision of becoming a leading global financial centre by bringing “sophisticated, institutional-grade transactional solutions” to the market. The expansion reflects CAB’s confidence in Abu Dhabi’s growing role as a financial hub, underpinned by strong regulation and economic diversification.  The new licence builds on CAB’s existing regulated footprint in the U.K., Netherlands and the U.S., aligning with its mission to foster financial inclusion and prosperity across emerging markets. The post CAB Global Markets Secures Key Licence to Expand Middle East Presence appeared first on LeapRate.

Through the collaboration, LSEG will grant Claude customers access to licensed data from products such as Workspace and Financial Analytics, allowing them to automate analysis and integrate AI directly into their workflows.  The rollout is said to begin with Financial Analytics, with additional data sets to follow. “With Claude for Financial Services, our customers can now access LSEG’s unmatched financial data and insights to power and scale agentic AI directly within their workflows,” said Ron Lefferts, Co-Head of Data & Analytics at LSEG. Nicholas Lin, Head of Product for Financial Services at Anthropic, said the combination of Claude’s intelligence and LSEG’s data “offers real value,” enabling AI tools to summarise earnings calls, scan diligence materials and surface market signals with enterprise-grade controls. The partnership builds on LSEG’s broader AI strategy, “LSEG Everywhere,” which integrates its data with platforms such as Microsoft, Databricks, Snowflake and Rogo.  The initiative is underpinned by Model Context Protocol (MCP), ensuring secure interoperability between LSEG’s data and AI systems used by enterprise customers. The post LSEG and Anthropic Join Forces to Expand AI Access to Financial Data appeared first on LeapRate.

The partnership will initially focus on fiat pay-ins, pay-outs and payments orchestration, enhancing Coinbase’s on/off ramps, the systems that connect fiat money and digital assets.  Citi said additional initiatives, including the creation of alternative fiat-to-stablecoin payout methods, will be revealed in the coming months. “The financial landscape is changing fast, and we’re thrilled to join Coinbase to explore new and innovative payment options for our global clients,” said Debopama Sen, Citi’s Head of Payments and Services.  She said the collaboration aligns with Citi’s “network of networks” approach across its 300 payment clearing networks in 94 markets. Brian Foster, Global Head of Crypto as a Service at Coinbase, said Citi’s global reach makes it an “ideal partner” as both firms work to simplify access to digital asset payments. The move builds on Citi’s Citi Token Services and 24/7 USD Clearing, which provide around-the-clock digital money infrastructure for institutional clients.  Citi already banks 90% of the world’s top e-commerce companies and 15 of the 20 largest fintech firms. The post Citi and Coinbase Partner to Advance Digital Asset Payment Capabilities appeared first on LeapRate.