Spotware Systems, the technology provider behind the cTrader trading platform, has launched cTrader CLI, a standalone command-line application that allows traders to connect popular AI tools directly to cTrader and manage their trading activity using natural-language commands, without ever opening the graphical interface. Running locally on a trader’s own computer, cTrader CLI supports a wide range of functions including live trading, cBot execution, backtesting, strategy optimisation, and access to market and account data. The tool is designed for professional algo traders looking to integrate AI more deeply into their daily workflows, enabling them to hand off repetitive tasks to AI agents that operate in the background. Through cTrader CLI, AI applications such as Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Windsurf and Gemini CLI can retrieve pricing and historical data, review trading history and exposure, manage orders and positions, set alerts, and run cBots and backtests via natural-language instructions. Spotware notes that cTrader CLI is intended to complement, rather than replace, its existing MCP servers, with the CLI aimed at lightweight, command-line automation while MCP servers cater to AI agents needing direct, UI-based interaction with the platform. The launch also strengthens cTrader’s algo trading capabilities, letting users test and optimise cBots and monitor strategies independently of the main application interface. Commenting on the release, Sergey Borisov, Head of Product Development at Spotware, said the launch reflects rising trader demand for algo and AI-assisted functionality, adding that cTrader CLI “gives advanced traders the freedom to use AI to run and automate their trading without a graphical interface.” cTrader serves more than 11 million traders and 300-plus brokers and prop firms globally.The post cTrader Launches CLI Tool to Let Traders Run AI Apps Without the Platform’s Interface first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Marex Group Limited (NASDAQ: MRX), the diversified global financial services platform, posted record second-quarter and first-half 2026 results earlier this weel, underscoring continued structural growth across its trading and infrastructure businesses. For Q2 2026, Marex reported revenue of $695.8 million, up 39% year-on-year, while Adjusted Profit Before Tax rose 56% to $165.9 million. Profit After Tax more than doubled to $155.3 million, and Basic EPS climbed 103% to $2.09. Adjusted Profit Before Tax Margin expanded 250 basis points to 23.8%, which the company attributed to a growing contribution from higher-margin, infrastructure-intensive businesses. For the first half of 2026, revenue reached $1,388.1 million (+43%), with Adjusted Profit Before Tax up 57% to $318.6 million. Group CEO Ian Lowitt highlighted that Marex has increased Adjusted Profit Before Tax year-on-year in every quarter since its IPO but one in the last five years, crediting the firm’s diversified platform and deepening client relationships—now including 77 clients generating over $5 million in annualized revenue each. All four business segments grew in Q2: Market Making surged 106% to $118.2 million, driven by broad-based gains and the integration of Winterflood; Hedging and Investment Solutions rose 74% to $71.0 million; Agency and Execution increased 35% to $351.0 million; and Clearing grew 16% to $161.3 million on record client balances. Strategically, Marex completed its redomiciliation to Bermuda on July 1, issued $1 billion combined in hybrid capital and senior notes, advanced acquisitions including Bright Point, Levmet and Webb Traders, and sold Winterflood’s custody business for a roughly $35 million pre-tax gain.The post Marex Q2 Results Hit Record as Adjusted Profit Before Tax Surges 56% first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

European investment platform BUX has named Juha Ristolainen as its new Chief Technology Officer, bringing in a fintech veteran with more than 25 years of software development experience and 15 years in executive leadership roles. Ristolainen joins BUX after co-founding Upvest, where he served as CTO and built the backend investment infrastructure used by several major neobanks and brokers across Europe. During his time there, he also grew the engineering team and worked through BaFin licensing requirements covering investment services and crypto custody. He most recently held the CTO position at Alpaca, where he oversaw the expansion of the broker dealer’s global API infrastructure and built out its engineering organisation. Across his career in Europe and the US, Ristolainen has focused on balancing fast product development with the strict security standards expected in financial services. At BUX, he will lead engineering and product strategy, with a particular focus on rolling out the company’s new cross country savings offering. “BUX has made investing simple and accessible, and now we’re extending that same clarity to savings across our markets, always built around what customers need,” Ristolainen said. “This is the kind of work that first drew me into fintech, and I’m glad to be doing it with a team that’s this curious and customer focused.” BUX, a challenger brand under ABN AMRO, offers a mobile app for trading shares, ETFs and ETCs, along with automated Investment Plans. The company is now broadening its offering to include savings products, aiming to give customers a single app for both investing and saving. BUX currently operates in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria and Ireland.The post BUX Appoints Juha Ristolainen as Chief Technology Officer first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Barclays has grown the notional value of its trades with Qube Research & Technologies (QRT) to more than $100 billion, according to a Bloomberg report citing people familiar with the matter, underscoring the quant hedge fund’s growing importance to the bank’s prime brokerage arm. The figure represents the gross face value of all positions between the two firms, without netting off offsetting trades. London-based QRT, which spun out of Credit Suisse in 2018 with roughly $1 billion in seed capital, has ballooned into one of the world’s most prolific quantitative funds, now managing an estimated $38 billion in assets and employing between 1,400 and 2,000 staff. QRT is reportedly one of Barclays’ largest prime brokerage clients, helping the British bank climb to fifth place in prime brokerage fee revenue rankings as of June 2024, up from seventh five years earlier. Barclays’ rise comes as competition in the space has intensified since UBS’s absorption of Credit Suisse in 2023 forced many hedge funds to redistribute their prime brokerage relationships. Prime brokerage has become an increasingly lucrative business line for banks as the hedge fund industry has swelled to roughly $5.6 trillion, dominated by leverage-heavy multistrategy players. Alongside Barclays, QRT maintains prime brokerage relationships with JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and UBS, and reportedly banks with 15 firms for equities and 30 for fixed-income repo, according to regulatory filings. Notably, QRT disclosed a short position against Barclays shares worth roughly £200 million in March 2024 — a reminder that even close trading partners can bet against each other in public markets.The post Barclays’ Trades With Quant Hedge Fund QRT Surge Past $100 Billion, Reports Bloomberg first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

CME Group has announced plans to launch the first index-based futures contracts tied to the National Hockey League. Pending regulatory approval, the new contracts are set to begin trading on September 28, coinciding with the start of the NHL’s 2026-2027 season. The futures will be based on CME FutureSports Performance Indexes (FSPI), which convert official NHL statistics into structured financial benchmarks. These indexes track play-by-play performance data for each NHL team, awarding points for positive plays and deducting them for negative ones, following a transparent and rules-based system. Two contract sizes will be offered: a standard version valued at ten times the underlying index, and a smaller “micro” version worth one-tenth of that value. Both will trade continuously, giving market participants the ability to take positions at any time on a regulated exchange backed by central clearing and transparent pricing. Tim McCourt, CME Group’s Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products, said the launch reflects growing demand for tools to manage financial risk tied to professional sports. He noted that fans, sponsors, broadcasters and vendors could all benefit from a regulated way to hedge exposure to team performance. FutureSports’ Steve Byrd added that fan interest in the NHL remains strong, pointing to record sponsorship revenue of $1.53 billion and over 23 million fans attending games last season, the highest in league history. The new contracts mark another step in CME Group’s expansion into sports-linked financial products.The post CME Group to Launch First-Ever NHL Futures Contracts first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Derivatives marketplace CME Group and Silicon Data, a GPU market intelligence firm backed by trading firm DRW, have announced plans to launch two new futures contracts tied to the cost of AI computing power. The contracts, set to debut October 5, 2026, are still pending regulatory review. The new products, called Silicon Data H100 Rental Index Futures and Silicon Data B200 Rental Index Futures, will track indexes that measure hourly GPU rental costs. Each contract represents a month’s worth of rental costs for either the Nvidia H100 chip, widely used in today’s AI systems, or the newer Nvidia Blackwell B200 chip. The goal is to give companies a way to manage the rising and often unpredictable cost of “compute,” the hardware and processing power needed to train and run artificial intelligence models. As demand for AI infrastructure has surged, prices for GPU access have swung sharply, leaving many businesses without a reliable way to plan for or hedge those costs. Pete Keavey, Global Head of Energy and Environmental Products at CME Group, compared the shift to how oil evolved from simple spot trading into a global derivatives market. He said compute is becoming “the currency of the AI age” and that these new contracts aim to make its pricing more transparent and standardized. Silicon Data CEO Carmen Li said the futures will finally give companies a public benchmark for GPU pricing, something that has been missing until now. She noted that businesses have often paid vastly different prices for the same computing capacity with no way to compare deals. The new contracts will trade under NYMEX rules once approved.The post CME Group and Silicon Data to Roll Out Compute Futures This October first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Interactive Brokers announced Thursday that it has added access to the Bucharest Stock Exchange, allowing eligible clients to trade Romanian equities alongside products from more than 170 global markets. The automated global broker said the expansion offers access to what was one of Europe’s strongest-performing emerging markets of 2025.  Romania was elevated to MSCI’s Advanced Frontier Market status while the country’s BET index reached record highs in 2025 and continued to grow through the first half of 2026. “Adding the Bucharest Stock Exchange expands the choices available to our clients and reinforces our commitment to providing the broadest possible access to global markets,” stated Milan Galik, chief executive of Interactive Brokers. “Romania is one of Europe’s stronger emerging economies, and we’re pleased to make this market available to our clients through the same platform they use to access exchanges around the world.” Bucharest Stock Exchange Chief Executive Remus Vulpescu welcomed the broker to Romania’s capital market, saying every new gateway matters.  He added that the market had channelled more than €5 billion into the Romanian economy over the past 12 months and delivered a total return of more than 80%, which he described as the highest among EU main market indices.The post Interactive Brokers Adds Access to Bucharest Stock Exchange first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Charles Schwab said Wednesday that it has launched Single Stock Futures for more than 50 prominent US stocks. Charles Schwab Futures & Forex explained that the cash-settled contracts, available now on its thinkorswim trading platforms and traded on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, are based on the underlying price movement of an individual company at a set future date.  Each standard contract represents 100 shares of the underlying stock, covering names across the S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100. The broker noted that the products require less initial capital than buying a stock outright, offer a way to react to news outside standard market hours, and allow investors to take a short position without stock borrow fees or short-sale restrictions.  They also let traders take a position on a stock without option-specific factors such as time decay. “Adding Single Stock Futures expands the breadth of our trading offering and strengthens our position as a destination for retail traders,” commented James Kostulias, managing director and head of trading services at Charles Schwab.  He added that with index futures already representing about 75% of the firm’s futures trading volume, there was strong demand for the next evolution in futures trading, including from clients who have historically traded stocks. Schwab, which reported $13.08 trillion in total client assets in the second quarter, cautioned that disciplined risk management is essential with leveraged products, which can result in substantial losses exceeding the initial investment.The post Schwab Launches Single Stock Futures for Retail Traders first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

The US dollar has held around familiar areas with July’s inflation matching the consensus precisely. American inflation, headline and core, on 12 August was as expected, generating relatively little volatility as markets are seasonally less active around the middle of August. This article summarises the latest news affecting the US dollar then looks briefly at the charts of cable and AUDUSD. In July, American annual headline inflation declined slightly to 3.4% as widely expected: The lower uptick in prices of fuel compared to June was possibly surprising but there wasn’t a big difference between the two months. Meanwhile most other major components of headline inflation such as rents/shelter and food were the same or nearly the same as the previous month. With all of the annual and monthly releases for both core and non-core meeting expectations, there was much lower volatility on the whole compared to the average around inflation, compounded by the release being around the middle of August when markets are usually less active. The combination of a weaker NFP and lower inflation for July means that the more hawkish expectations for the Fed have moved out of focus for now. With the job market possibly slowing down or at least certainly not heating up in recent months and inflation declining for two consecutive months while the annual headline figure remains below the base rate of interest, there’s no immediate pressure on the Fed to hike in September. As of 13 August, a moderately sized majority of participants, around 64%, expects another hold by the Fed on 16 September according to CME FedWatch. A slight majority of around 52% expects at least one hike by 28 October and the probability of a hold all the way into 2027 has risen but remains only around 28%. Traders might now look ahead to the release of the Fed’s minutes on 19 August. However, it’s unlikely that these will bring significant new information since the meeting occurred before the weaker NFP and inflation over the last week. Barring major developments in the Gulf or a clear change in sentiment overall, most major markets are likely to remain in summer mode with relatively low activity and volatility for the next few days. Cable still eyeing a break above $1.35 Slightly better British GDP than expected on 13 August has helped cable to hover close to familiar areas slightly below $1.35. Although the latest NFP was overall negative, American inflation as expected on 12 August didn’t produce much movement on the chart. With both the Fed and the BoE likely to remain around 3.5-3.75% for the near future, there’s no obvious input from monetary policy for now; traders will probably have to wait until early next month for significantly clearer expectations for the next moves by rates. $1.35 remains a likely area of resistance which the price is currently testing. However, a clear breakout around the middle of August seems very unlikely unless there’s surprising news. Volatility based on ATR is close to the minimum while volume remains seasonally low, but the slow stochastic signals overbought. If there’s a break above $1.35 further ahead, the next target might be around May’s highs near $1.36. The main moving averages have bunched fairly closely together below the price as volatility and momentum declined in August. The value area between the 100 and 200 SMAs around $1.343 is a possible support but the 23.6% weekly Fibonacci retracement around $1.335 might be stronger. Given the seasonal conditions, an upward breakout around upcoming British job data and inflation is questionable unless these releases are genuinely surprising. Aussie dollar holds around dynamic resistance The Australian dollar has generally held its strength since early August as the RBA indicated preparedness to hike rates further if necessary. A total of 0.75% of hikes in 2026 so far means that conditions are overall restrictive in Australia and the Aussie dollar seems to be benefitting from the carry trade against other major currencies. With no imminent threats to the stability of trade, AUD’s basic fundamentals seem strong but traders will continue to monitor any possible intensification of hostilities in the Gulf which might influence AUDUSD lower. The 100 SMA around 70.6c remains the key dynamic resistance which the price has been testing for several days without success. As for cable, a breakout higher in the middle of August seems questionable with very low volume and overall activity. The recent shape of the chart of AUDUSD is generally similar to cable although the context isn’t, so when volume does return at the end of August or early September the Aussie dollar might be a better buy than sterling against the greenback. However, this depends on fundamentals as noted above. The high from May on this chart is more than two cents above the current price, so a confirmed break above resistance could allow for a decent ratio if buying. The 100% weekly Fibonacci retracement just below 69c seems like a strong through possibly broad area of support. In the short term, though, 70c is a more likely source for a bounce if the price retraces lower, being a psychological area and around the 200 SMA. For the latest analysis, ideas for trading and more, follow Michael on X: @MStarkExness. The opinions in this article are personal to the writer; they do not represent those of Exness. This is not a recommendation to trade.The post Dollar mostly flat after inflation meets expectations first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

ABN AMRO Clearing USA LLC (AAC-USA), a global clearing broker and subsidiary of ABN AMRO Clearing Bank N.V. (AACB), has announced that its clients can now access Bruce Markets, the operator of the overnight US equities trading venue Bruce ATS. The move comes as more of the trading industry shifts toward markets that operate 24 hours a day, five to seven days a week. Demand for round-the-clock access to liquidity and clearing services has been rising as investors look to trade across different time zones without interruption. The company said the update is part of a wider effort to support clients as they adapt to these changes and to make it easier for them to reach markets outside of standard US trading hours. Ronald Breault, Chief Commercial Officer of AAC-USA, said the expansion reflects the firm’s commitment to supporting clients’ growth plans and improving their overall experience. He added that the move fits into AACB’s broader goal of staying ahead of change in financial markets by offering technology-based solutions. Bruce ATS provides institutional-level infrastructure for trading US equities overnight. Jason Wallach, CEO of Bruce Markets, said that as demand for overnight access to US equities grows, market participants need dependable systems they can rely on throughout the trading process. He said the partnership with ABN AMRO Clearing will help clients trade overnight with greater confidence and stability across regions. The expanded access is now available to AAC-USA clients.The post ABN AMRO Clearing USA Broadens Overnight Trading Access to Include Bruce Markets first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) reported a rise in underlying profit for the financial year ending 30 June 2026, as market volatility and strong listings activity boosted revenue across all four of its business units. Operating revenue climbed 13.3% to $1.25 billion, while underlying net profit after tax rose 5.2% to $536.4 million. However, statutory net profit fell 3.5% to $484.9 million, weighed down by one-off costs tied to the settlement of legal proceedings brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), along with other significant items. Total expenses rose 21.1% to $557.4 million, which the company said came in below the midpoint of its previous guidance. The increase was largely driven by ongoing technology upgrades, additional staffing to support new platforms, and higher depreciation costs. ASX declared a fully franked final dividend of 104.7 cents per share, bringing the total dividend for the year to 206.5 cents, down 7.5% on the previous year. Interim CEO Darren Yip described the year as “consequential,” pointing to heightened regulatory scrutiny alongside continued progress on technology and product development. He highlighted the successful rollout of CHESS Release 1, a major upgrade to the exchange’s clearing infrastructure, as a key milestone. The company also reported its strongest year for new listings since 2022, with 100 new entities joining the exchange, adding $32.6 billion in market capitalisation. Looking ahead, ASX reaffirmed its expense and capital expenditure guidance for the 2027 financial year, while noting that global market volatility and a strengthening listings pipeline continue to support activity.The post ASX Posts Full-Year Profit Growth as Trading Activity Surges Amid Volatility first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Australia’s corporate regulator has issued a fresh warning to retail investors after a review found online brokers are selling complex, high-risk products without properly explaining the dangers involved. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) examined nine brokers offering short-dated exchange traded options, futures, and fractional shares to everyday investors between March and June 2026. The review found several firms failed to clearly disclose risks or run proper checks on whether customers understood what they were buying. ASIC said some brokers used incentives such as fee-free trades, cash vouchers, and airline reward points to attract new customers to these products. ASIC Commissioner Simone Constant said sign-up perks can distract investors from real risks and encourage impulsive decisions. She noted that leveraged products like short-dated options and futures can generate losses within hours, while fractional shares can carry unclear ownership rights that affect investor protections. The regulator found some brokers had weak processes for checking whether products suited their customers, including onboarding questionnaires that allowed unlimited attempts until a client passed. Following the review, five brokers have already improved their compliance practices, with two pausing new options clients while fixing issues. One firm has left the Australian market entirely. ASIC said it is still working with other firms and may take further regulatory action. Separately, ASIC’s Moneysmart platform has published new educational pages explaining exchange-traded options, futures, fractional shares, and micro-investing, urging investors to understand a product fully, know where their money is held, and only invest what they can afford to lose before trading.The post ASIC Warns Retail Investors Over Risky Products Sold by Online Brokers first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Swiss online banking group Swissquote has posted resilient half-year results, with client assets climbing to a record CHF 96.3 billion, even as a downturn in crypto markets weighed on overall performance. For the six months ending 30 June 2026, Swissquote added 64,011 new accounts, lifting its total to 1,220,818, a rise of 5.5% since the end of last year. Net new money reached CHF 5.1 billion, just shy of the company’s record, while client assets grew nearly 20% compared with the same period last year. The company said most of its revenue streams performed well during the period, with net fee and commission income up 13% and net trading income rising almost 16%. However, net crypto asset income dropped sharply by 66.2% to CHF 14.6 million, as bitcoin and other digital assets lost value amid geopolitical tension, rising interest rates and a stronger dollar. Overall net revenues rose modestly to CHF 364.2 million, up 1.7% year on year, while pre-tax profit held nearly steady at CHF 182.9 million, maintaining a profit margin above 50%. Swissquote’s mobile app Yuh also grew its user base by 6.1% to over 423,000 accounts, and is on track for full-year break-even. The company has partnered with Swiss football club BSC Young Boys to boost Yuh’s visibility going forward. Looking ahead, Swissquote has trimmed its full-year guidance, now expecting net revenues of about CHF 730 million and pre-tax profit near CHF 365 million, citing a slower-than-expected recovery in crypto markets. The firm’s longer-term target of CHF 500 million profit by 2028 remains unchanged.The post Swissquote Reports Record Client Assets Despite Crypto Setback in H1 first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Robinhood Markets reported on Wednesday that funded customers reached 28.5 million at the end of July, up about 80,000 from June and roughly 1.77 million higher year on year, in its latest monthly operating data. Total platform assets stood at $355 billion, down 4% from June but up 19% from a year earlier. From July, the figure includes Trump Account assets custodied by Robinhood.  Net deposits were $5.6 billion in the month, representing an 18% annualised growth rate relative to June’s total platform assets, and totalled $74.9 billion over the last twelve months. Trading volumes were mixed. Equity notional trading volumes were $333 billion, down 15% from June but up 59% year on year, while options contracts traded rose 2% on the month and 66% on the year to 324 million. Crypto notional trading volumes fell 33% from June to $10.9 billion, down 62% year on year. Event contracts traded were 6.1 billion, down 5% on the month but 20 times higher than a year earlier. Among interest-earning assets, margin balances ended the month at $20.7 billion, down 4% from June but up 82% year on year, while cash and deposit balances rose 4% to $19.5 billion. Total securities lending revenue was $40 million, down 2% on the month and 34% lower than a year earlier.The post Robinhood Funded Customers Rise to 28.5 million in July first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Kraken said Wednesday that it has added the S&P 500 to Kraken Prop, its funded trading program, making it the second traditional finance market on the platform after the Nasdaq 100. The company said traders can now submit trade signals on the S&P 500 across every Kraken Prop evaluation and funded account.  The index is offered as a perpetual priced off an index oracle that tracks the same 500 large-cap US companies as the benchmark, meaning no expiry, no rollover and no forced exit, allowing positions opened on a Friday to remain open into the following week. Kraken noted that the addition does not change how the program works. Evaluations can be bought from $20 across Starter, Intermediate and Advanced plans, with wallet sizes ranging from $5,000 to $200,000, no consistency rules, no time limits and profit splits of 80% to 90%, with payouts made to a Kraken wallet typically within 24 hours.  The S&P 500 can be traded with 5x leverage and a $1 million notional cap, subject to a maximum daily loss of 3%. The firm said index markets tend to be less volatile than crypto, which can support stronger evaluation pass rates for traders coming from a traditional finance background. The two indexes are the first markets in a broader multi-asset build-out for Kraken Prop, with commodities next on the roadmap.The post Kraken Prop Adds S&P 500 as Second Flagship Index for Funded Traders first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

StoneX Group (NASDAQ: SNEX) said Wednesday that it has agreed to acquire Banco Travelex S.A., marking a major step in its push to grow across Brazil’s payments and foreign exchange markets. Banco Travelex holds the distinction of being Brazil’s first bank focused solely on foreign exchange, regulated by the Central Bank of Brazil. The acquisition is expected to widen StoneX’s global payments reach and reinforce its position in one of Latin America’s biggest FX markets. It will also let StoneX clients hold both local and foreign currency accounts in Brazil, while expanding the firm’s banknote trading services. Once the deal closes, StoneX plans to add new banking products in Brazil, including non-resident accounts, its own PIX instant payment option, online and mobile banking, and additional settlement tools. These additions will sit alongside StoneX’s existing FX, payments, and NDF offerings. Glauco Monte, CEO of StoneX Brazil, said the move reflects the company’s long-term commitment to the country, while Thiago Vieira, Global Head of StoneX Payments, linked it to StoneX’s broader strategy of building licensed payment infrastructure across Latin America, following its recent investment in Bamboo Payments. Banco Travelex CEO Ana Tena called the deal a natural next step after the bank earned approval in December 2024 to operate as a full multiple-service bank. The transaction excludes Banco Travelex’s retail stores and Confidence-branded outlets, which will continue operating separately. Closing is expected within 12 months, pending regulatory approval.The post StoneX Group Acquires Banco Travelex to Boost Brazil FX and Payments Business first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Crypto.com said Wednesday that it has launched Tokenized Stocks, a new feature that lets users gain exposure to US stocks and exchange-traded funds directly through the Crypto.com App. The launch initially covers 1,500 underlying stocks and funds, with access starting from as little as $1. The product is available to eligible users across the European Economic Area and other approved regions worldwide. Unlike traditional stock markets, which operate on fixed schedules, Tokenized Stocks can be traded 24/7, giving users the ability to act on price movements at any time. The offering includes exposure to well-known companies such as Nvidia, Tesla, and Apple, as well as commodity-linked funds like GLD and SLV. According to Crypto.com, the products are built for fast settlement and allow fractional investing, meaning users do not need to buy a whole share to participate. The underlying assets are held in custody by Alpaca, a US-regulated broker-dealer that reportedly supports the majority of the tokenized stock and ETF market. It is worth noting that these tokenized instruments do not give users ownership of the actual shares or shareholder rights such as voting. However, users may qualify for dividend-equivalent payments under certain conditions. Kris Marszalek, Co-Founder and CEO of Crypto.com, said the launch reflects the company’s push toward a more flexible, always-on trading experience, adding that markets “shouldn’t have to sleep.” For a limited time, Crypto.com said it is offering zero-commission trading on these products, though other fees may still apply. In the EEA, the service is regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.The post Crypto.com Rolls Out Tokenized Stocks, Offering Round-the-Clock Access to US Equities first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed charges against Goliath Ventures, Inc. and its founder and chief executive, Christopher A. Delgado, accusing them of running a multi-year Ponzi scheme that raised at least $425 million from more than 1,300 investors. The complaint, filed August 11 in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, alleges that between January 2023 and January 2026, Goliath sold unregistered securities by inviting investors to “partner” with the company in what it described as crypto asset liquidity pools. According to the SEC, Goliath promised monthly returns of 3% to 10%, supposedly generated from trading fees within those pools, and guaranteed investors their principal back. However, the regulator says none of the money was actually invested in any liquidity pools. Instead, Delgado allegedly diverted at least $51 million for personal spending, including homes, luxury cars, a yacht, and travel. The SEC also claims new investor funds were used to pay earlier investors, a hallmark of Ponzi schemes, while sales agents were paid commissions to recruit more participants. Investors reportedly received fabricated account statements showing fake profits. The scheme collapsed in November 2025 when Goliath could no longer attract enough new money to cover payouts and halted distributions. Delgado has agreed to a settlement, still subject to court approval, that would bar him from the securities industry and from associating with brokers or dealers. Financial penalties will be determined later by the court. The SEC is also seeking penalties against Goliath.The post SEC Charges Goliath Ventures and CEO With Running $425 Million Crypto Ponzi Scheme first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Charles Schwab revealed this week that its Schwab Trading Activity Index rose to 59.80 in July, up slightly from 59.12 in June, as clients remained net buyers and used late-month dips to add exposure across individual stocks, ETFs and options. The index, known as STAX, is a proprietary behaviour-based measure that analyses retail investor positions and trading activity across Schwab’s millions of client accounts to show how investors were positioned in the markets each month. “While major indices posted strong gains in July, those gains masked the fact that many individual stocks performed unevenly—while some stocks rose sharply, others struggled,” said Joe Mazzola, head trading and derivatives strategist at Charles Schwab. He said clients were selective, buying stocks that had pulled back and taking profits in names that had already run up. Schwab noted that economic data during the period was generally strong, particularly in employment and manufacturing, while inflation remained a concern. Federal Reserve policymakers kept rates paused at a range of 3.5% to 3.75% at their late July meeting, with three officials dissenting in favour of a hike. In ETF and equity trading, clients were net buyers by a two-to-one ratio, while options activity skewed towards put selling, particularly in technology stocks and the chip and memory industries. The strongest buying interest came from Gen X clients and self-directed traders. Popular names bought during the period included Space Exploration Technologies, Micron Technology, Intel, Oracle and Tesla, while clients net sold Apple, Advanced Micro Devices, Broadcom, PayPal and Adobe.The post Schwab Trading Activity Index Rises Modestly in July as Clients Buy Dips first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Melbourne-based digital asset firm Zerocap has integrated Integral Digital to power its institutional crypto and currency trading, the two companies announced Tuesday, as demand for digital asset trading accelerates across the Asia-Pacific region. The deal gives Zerocap a single point of connectivity to a broad network of liquidity providers spanning both digital assets and fiat currency markets. Integral’s pricing engine builds synthetic currency pairs, allowing Zerocap to offer more accurate, real-time cross-currency pricing — a capability the firm says is increasingly valuable as crypto trading expands into a wider range of Asia-Pacific currencies. Integral worked with Zerocap to build customized liquidity pools, while the platform’s flexibility eased integration with other back-office providers, including Elysium. Integral Digital’s branded front-end consolidates portfolio exposure, margin details and risk analytics into a single view, backed by automated risk controls designed for institutional workflows. “As institutional demand for digital assets accelerates, our clients expect the reliability and risk discipline of traditional markets — in venues that never close,” said Jon de Wet, Chief Investment Officer at Zerocap. “Integral Digital gives us unified access to deep digital asset and fiat liquidity, real-time cross-currency pricing and automated risk controls in a single platform.” Integral CEO Harpal Sandhu said the partnership reflects “growing demand for proven, agile trading technology” among institutions exploring crypto markets. The tie-up comes as Australian digital asset firms face a 30 September deadline to lodge financial services license applications with ASIC. Zerocap is the second Australian client Integral has signed in as many months, following bitcoin-lending platform Vield in July. Founded in 2017, Zerocap provides spot crypto, FX and derivatives liquidity to institutions globally. Integral has served currency markets since 1993 and expanded into digital assets in 2023.The post Zerocap Scales Institutional Crypto and FX Trading With Integral Digital first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.