NinjaTrader Group has launched CME Group Single Stock futures on its platform, allowing eligible users to trade futures contracts tied to individual U.S. companies including Nvidia, Tesla, Apple and Amazon. The rollout marks one of the first major integrations of these new contracts in the retail trading space. CME Group is phasing in the launch across more than 50 companies drawn from the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Russell 1000 indices, expanding NinjaTrader’s existing equity index offering. Martin Franchi, CEO of NinjaTrader Group, said the launch reflects a shift in how retail traders operate. “Retail traders today are more active, informed, and focused on high-conviction opportunities than ever before,” he said, adding that Single Stock futures offer speed and capital efficiency “without the complexity of options.” Tim McCourt, CME Group’s Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products, said the partnership extends access to “centrally cleared, financially settled contracts” that bring near round-the-clock trading to major U.S. stocks. Unlike options, Single Stock futures do not require traders to manage time decay, Greeks or multi-leg strategies, and they carry no stock borrowing requirements for bearish positions. They also trade nearly 24 hours during the trading week, giving traders a way to react to earnings, geopolitical news and other market events outside standard hours. Franchi said the product could draw new participants into futures trading. “Single Stock futures have the potential to dramatically expand and reshape investor participation in futures trading,” he said. NinjaTrader serves close to 3.9 million users through its cloud-based platform, alongside its clearing and technology divisions supporting institutional and proprietary trading firms.The post NinjaTrader Adds CME Group Single Stock Futures, Giving Traders Direct Access to Nvidia, Tesla and Apple first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has reprimanded and fined Luk Fook Securities (HK) Limited (LFSHK) $2.1 million after finding the firm failed to implement adequate cybersecurity controls, a lapse that may have contributed to its inability to withstand a ransomware attack in 2022. The attack, which struck on 19 September 2022, hit LFSHK’s critical IT infrastructure across the board, disrupting file servers, domain controllers, email servers, trading application servers and accounting servers. The firm did not fully restore its systems until 7 October, nearly three weeks later. During that period, clients were locked out of the firm’s mobile trading app and internet platform, forced instead to place orders through account executives. Following LFSHK’s self-report, the SFC launched an investigation and uncovered a string of deficiencies. These included a lack of firewall protection, outdated operating systems and antivirus software, weak controls over user access, poor password management practices such as storing credentials in unencrypted files, insufficient oversight of remote access and external devices, no regular cybersecurity training for staff, and inadequate data backup arrangements. The regulator concluded that LFSHK had breached cybersecurity requirements tied to its regulated activities, calling the failures systemic and damaging to both client interests and the integrity of its operations. In setting the penalty, the SFC noted mitigating factors, including LFSHK’s cooperation, its clean disciplinary record, remedial steps taken since the incident, an independent review of the breach, and the absence of evidence that clients suffered financial losses as a result.The post SFC Fines Luk Fook Securities Over Cybersecurity Failures Tied to Ransomware Attack first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

CME Group revealed on Monday that nearly 15,000 of its 1-Ounce Gold futures contracts traded during the opening weekend of its new round-the-clock schedule, representing about $60 million in notional value. The derivatives exchange operator launched the 24/7 trading format for the contract, allowing customers to trade regulated gold futures at any time of day, on any day of the week. “Gold is a global safe-haven asset, and global events don’t stop on weekends,” said Jin Hennig, managing director and global head of metals at CME Group.  He added that CME’s “launch demonstrates that retail traders were ready and waiting for always-on, regulated and right-sized products to manage their exposure to gold.” “24/7 Gold futures from CME Group offer our customers the ability to trade regulated futures contracts at any time of the day, any day of the week, from any timezone,” said Adam Hickerson, senior director and chief operating officer of Robinhood Derivatives. “This brings instant real-time digital access to the world’s oldest store of value.” CME Group said a record $125 billion in average notional has traded each day across its gold futures this year. The 1-Ounce Gold futures contract launched in January 2025 and recorded average daily volume of 87,000 contracts in the first half of 2026. The company’s metals business set a record in the first half of the year, with 1.3 million contracts traded daily on the back of precious metals activity, up 55% year on year.The post CME Group Sees Strong Demand in First Weekend of 24/7 Gold Futures first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Ant International’s Alipay+ said last week that it has added Hang Seng Bank as its first banking partner in Hong Kong, extending a network that already spans more than 50 digital wallets and financial institutions. The unified wallet gateway is said to be accepted in over 220 markets globally and lets banks offer cross-border payment services through a single integration.  Hang Seng Mobile App users can now make QR code payments in mainland China and overseas at more than 100 million merchants across over 55 countries and regions. Alipay+ said outbound cross-border payment demand from Asia Pacific is projected to grow faster than the global average. It cited estimates that consumer-to-consumer and consumer-to-business outbound volume from the region could reach 3.7 trillion by 2032, almost doubling from 2024. The platform also partners with more than 10 national QR systems, including Malaysia’s DuitNow, Thailand’s PromptPay and Uzbekistan’s HUMO, allowing banks to scale mobile payment use without striking individual merchant agreements in target markets. Banks already connected to the network include Public Bank Berhad in Malaysia, Bank of the Philippine Islands and Asia United Bank in the Philippines, OCBC in Singapore, Kasikorn Bank and Siam Commercial Bank in Thailand, and Vietcombank in Vietnam. Beyond Alipay+, Ant International works with banks through other services, including its Falcon TST AI FX model, which it said makes long-term foreign exchange forecasts with up to 93% accuracy and is used by Citi and Barclays.  Its blockchain platform Whale, which enables round-the-clock cross-border liquidity transfer, is being integrated by Standard Chartered and HSBC.The post Alipay+ Adds Hang Seng Bank as Cross-Border Payments Demand Grows in Asia first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE: CRCL) announced on July 27, 2026, that it has acquired fundamental assets from IBM’s blockchain patent portfolio, a move that positions the company as the leading holder of blockchain patents in the United States. The acquired portfolio is substantial, comprising more than 680 patent families and nearly 1,000 issued patents across the globe. Its scope extends well beyond core blockchain technology, covering banking, financial services, insurance, enterprise infrastructure, supply chain verification, and secure cloud operations. For Circle, the deal represents more than a defensive IP play. The company said the expanded patent position will directly support its broader mission of building what it calls the “internet financial system.” That includes existing products such as USDC and Circle Payments Network, as well as newer initiatives like Arc and an expanding lineup of onchain tools and agentic financial products. Notably, the transaction does not appear to be a one-time deal. Circle and IBM said they intend to explore further commercial opportunities together going forward, suggesting the relationship could extend beyond this patent transfer. Sarah Wilson, Circle’s General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, framed the acquisition as central to the company’s strategy. “Intellectual property is critical to advancing our mission and expanding adoption of onchain infrastructure,” Wilson said, adding that IBM’s history of technological innovation strengthens Circle’s capacity to build infrastructure for global, internet-native finance.The post Circle Acquires IBM Blockchain Patent Portfolio, Becomes Leading U.S. Patent Holder first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Capitolis, the financial technology firm, has appointed Ashwath Bhat as its new Chief Financial Officer, effective August 3. Bhat will report directly to Gil Mandelzis, the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder, and will take charge of Capitolis’ global finance organization as the firm looks to sustain its growth trajectory. Bhat succeeds Lindsey Baptiste Fiedler, who is stepping back from the CFO role but will stay on with Capitolis in an advisory capacity to support a smooth handover. Bhat arrives with more than 20 years of financial leadership experience spanning both public and private sector organizations. He most recently served as CFO of Fractal, an AI and analytics company listed on the National Stock Exchange of India, where he oversaw the company’s IPO in February 2026 while helping boost revenue and profitability. Before that, he spent over a decade at Nielsen in various senior finance positions, including CFO roles at Global Media, Product and Technology, and at Gracenote. He also served as regional CFO for Africa and the Middle East at Nielsen, and earlier held finance leadership posts at IBM South Asia and GE Healthcare South Asia. “Capitolis has been growing rapidly, and we have been looking for a financial leader to help us scale the business,” Mandelzis said, adding that Bhat brings the operational rigor needed for continued expansion. Bhat said he was eager to help strengthen the company’s financial foundation as it enters what he called a “pivotal moment.” The appointment follows a stretch of momentum for Capitolis, marked by new product launches and an expanding client base.The post Capitolis Names Ashwath Bhat as New Chief Financial Officer first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

tastytrade, the online brokerage, has launched Prediction Markets, a new offering that brings CFTC-regulated event contracts directly into its trading platform. The service is said to be powered by Apex Fintech Solutions and marks tastytrade as the first brokerage to go live on Apex’s turnkey FCM infrastructure. Prediction Markets allows traders to take positions on real-world catalysts they already follow, including Federal Reserve decisions, inflation and jobs data, the VIX, crude oil, and major cryptocurrencies. Rather than trading price reactions to news, users can trade the event itself through defined-risk, yes-or-no contracts that settle based on real-time probabilities. The offering is fully integrated into tastytrade’s existing platform, letting customers access event contracts in a segregated account alongside stocks, options, and futures, all within a single unified view. Contracts are available 24/7, including nights and weekends, and span timeframes from hourly to yearly. The company said the launch catalog covers major equity indices, Treasury yields, the U.S. dollar, and rate decisions from the Fed, ECB, BoE, and BoJ. It also includes inflation and growth indicators such as CPI, PCE, nonfarm payrolls, and GDP, along with leading digital assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP, plus commodities including gold, silver, copper, and natural gas. Pete Mulmat, Head of Brokerage at tastytrade/IGNA, said the product responds to growing customer demand for simple, directional trades tied to catalysts rather than complex strategies. Travis McGhee of Apex Fintech Solutions added that the partnership enables firms to launch prediction markets without building exchange connectivity from scratch.The post tastytrade Rolls Out Prediction Markets for Active Traders first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

LMAX Group, the London-based institutional trading venue spanning FX and digital assets, is exploring a sale or public listing that could value the company at up to $5 billion, according to a CoinDesk report citing people familiar with the matter. The firm has reportedly enlisted Morgan Stanley and KBW, the investment banking arm of Stifel, to weigh its options. These range from a traditional IPO on Nasdaq — said to be management’s preferred route — to a European listing, a SPAC merger, or an outright sale. LMAX declined to comment on the speculation, and its advisors have similarly stayed quiet. A Nasdaq debut would mark a dramatic re-rating for LMAX since private equity firm J.C. Flowers bought a 30% stake in mid-2021 at a roughly $1 billion valuation. Since then, gross profit has grown from $106 million to $190 million and EBITDA from $62 million to $101 million in 2024 — solid growth, but nowhere near enough to justify a fivefold jump in valuation on its own, with a $5 billion price tag implying nearly 50 times last reported EBITDA. Though widely framed in headlines as a “crypto exchange” story, LMAX’s core business remains institutional FX, with crypto — bolstered by a $150 million Ripple financing deal, plus the Omnia Exchange and Kiosk additions — an increasingly important but still secondary growth engine.The post LMAX Group Explores Sale or IPO at Valuation of Up to $5 Billion first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing said last week that it added Bursa Malaysia to its list of Recognised Stock Exchanges, allowing companies primarily listed on the Malaysian bourse to apply for a secondary listing in Hong Kong. The move takes the number of Recognised Stock Exchanges in South-East Asia to four, alongside the Indonesia Stock Exchange, the Singapore Exchange and the Stock Exchange of Thailand.  Bursa Malaysia becomes the 21st exchange across 19 countries to be recognised by the Hong Kong operator. The recognition, announced by The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, builds on a memorandum of understanding signed between HKEX and Bursa Malaysia Berhad earlier this year. It coincided with a separate memorandum between Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission and the Securities Commission Malaysia to expand mutual market access. “We warmly welcome Bursa Malaysia to HKEX’s list of Recognised Stock Exchanges,” commented HKEX Chief Executive Officer Bonnie Y Chan. “This recognition reinforces the shared commitment between HKEX and Bursa Malaysia to enhancing regional connectivity and expanding access to capital across Asia.” Bursa Malaysia Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Fad’l Mohamed said the status “creates new opportunities for Malaysian listed companies to broaden their international investor reach and access new sources of capital through a secondary listing in Hong Kong.” He added that the recognition reflected confidence in Malaysia’s regulatory standards, market infrastructure and governance framework. The post HKEX Recognises Bursa Malaysia, Opens Path to Secondary Listings first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Western Alliance Bank revealed on Friday that it has formally launched WA VenueX, an institutional platform offering real-time US dollar liquidity and support for digital asset activity within a regulated banking environment. The Phoenix-based commercial bank, which holds more than $90 billion in assets, said that its WA VenueX Network provides 24/7 dollar instant settlement for approved institutional digital asset businesses.  Since an initial rollout earlier this year, the network has processed billions of dollars in transaction volume across stablecoin minting and redemption, institutional settlement and real-time liquidity rebalancing. The launch places Western Alliance among a small group of regulated US financial institutions offering always-on infrastructure for institutional digital asset markets.  Further capabilities, including digital asset custody, financing, tokenisation and programmable financial services, are said to be in development and will be introduced in phases. “Western Alliance Bank is always looking for innovative ways to better serve our clients while advancing the S-curve funding growth strategy we outlined at our Investor Day in May,” stated Dale Gibbons, vice chairman and chief banking officer, deposit initiatives and innovation.  He added that the platform also supported the bank’s deposit remixing efforts and a more diversified source of funding. David Fragale, senior managing director of the bank’s digital assets group, said WA VenueX “brings together real-time USD settlement and a roadmap toward integrated digital asset capabilities within a single platform.” The bank noted that it launched the platform with nearly five years of digital asset banking experience and about 150 institutional clients, including stablecoin issuers, exchanges and trading firms. The network is currently available to select clients, with integration supported via API.The post Western Alliance Launches WA VenueX for Round-the-Clock Dollar Settlement first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has announced that Chief Financial Officer Andrew Tobin intends to retire, closing out a tenure that began in 2022 and spanned a period of considerable change for the exchange operator. During his time at ASX, Tobin oversaw the finance, treasury, strategy and corporate affairs functions. The exchange credited him with strengthening financial discipline across the organisation, supporting key strategic and transformation initiatives, and providing consistent leadership through a challenging operating environment. ASX Interim CEO Darren Yip praised Tobin’s contribution, stating that he had played a significant role over the past four years as the exchange worked through demanding market conditions. Yip also thanked Tobin for agreeing to remain in the CFO role temporarily to ensure a smooth handover while the search for his replacement continues. Importantly, Tobin’s departure will not be immediate. He has agreed to stay on as CFO until a successor is appointed, allowing ASX to avoid any disruption to its financial operations during the transition. The timing of the announcement is notable given ASX’s broader leadership changes. Anthony Attia is set to take over as Chief Executive Officer on 1 September 2026, as previously disclosed. According to the exchange, Attia will lead the process of selecting the next CFO, with support from the Board, so that the choice reflects both the incoming CEO’s vision and ASX’s long term strategic direction.The post ASX CFO Andrew Tobin to Retire After Four Years first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

On Friday, Deriv announced that it has launched its exclusive Derived Indices directly on TradingView, allowing traders to connect their Deriv account and analyse, place, and manage trades without leaving the charting platform. The integration covers Deriv’s full range of Volatility, Crash/Boom, Jump, and Step Indices, with TradingView handling the charting and trading interface while Deriv manages pricing, execution, and account administration. The move brings one of Deriv’s signature product lines into a charting environment already familiar to many traders, removing the need to switch platforms between analysis and execution. With accounts linked, traders gain access to TradingView’s charting tools, including more than 400 indicators, various chart types, drawing tools, and customisable alerts, before placing trades from the same screen. A paid TradingView subscription is not required, though upgraded plans offer expanded feature limits. Deriv’s Synthetic Indices, part of its wider Derived Indices offering, are generated independently of traditional financial markets and are unaffected by earnings reports, economic data, or geopolitical events. This allows them to trade continuously, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including weekends and holidays. Prakash Bhudia, Chief Growth Officer at Deriv, said the integration reflects the company’s focus on accessibility: “Derived Indices are central to what makes Deriv different. This integration puts those markets inside a charting environment many traders already use, so they can move from analysis to execution without breaking their workflow.” The firm noted that new users can connect by creating free accounts on both platforms, linking them through the Deriv dashboard, and selecting an instrument to trade. Deposits and withdrawals remain managed via the Deriv Wallet.The post Deriv’s 24/7 Derived Indices Now Live on TradingView first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

FINRA said this week that it has censured and fined tastytrade, Inc. $850,000 after finding the online brokerage failed to properly review whether its customers received the best possible execution on equities orders over a three-year period. According to a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent released by FINRA, tastytrade routed all customer equity orders exclusively to five market makers between January 2020 and January 2023. All five paid the firm for that order flow. During this window, the Chicago-based broker is said to have directed more than 8.8 million equity orders, totaling over 1.7 billion executed shares, without comparing execution quality against competing market centers it did not use. FINRA found that tastytrade’s best execution committee met quarterly but only assessed data from its existing five market maker partners, never benchmarking that performance against alternative venues. The firm’s reviews also relied on aggregated data rather than breaking down results by order type, and did not account for price disimprovement, a key metric under FINRA Rule 5310.09. As a result, regulators concluded tastytrade violated FINRA Rules 5310(a), 5310.09, and 2010, which govern best execution and standards of commercial conduct. FINRA also found the firm’s supervisory procedures, including its written supervisory procedures, were not reasonably designed to ensure compliance with best execution requirements, breaching Rules 3110 and 2010. tastytrade, formerly known as tastyworks before its 2023 rebrand, neither admitted nor denied the findings but consented to the sanctions. The firm has since overhauled its supervisory systems and procedures, addressing the deficiencies identified by regulators, according to the settlement documentation.The post FINRA Fines tastytrade $850,000 Over Best Execution Failures first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Wise, the London-founded cross-border payments group, has had its application for a US national trust bank charter rejected by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), dealing a blow to the fintech’s American expansion ambitions. Wise shares fell as much as 10-11% in London trading following the announcement, before paring some losses. The decision comes just months after the company shifted its primary stock market listing from London to Nasdaq, a move it had framed as central to capturing its “biggest market opportunity.” According to Wise, the OCC’s rejection stemmed from the Federal Reserve’s shifting policy stance on payment system access for uninsured trust banks — a stance that has hardened materially since the application was first submitted in June last year. “With the Federal Reserve generally pausing account access for an uninsured trust bank, the approach in our application became non-viable,” the company said. The regulator also referenced a US consent order issued last year over compliance shortcomings, though Wise says it has since overhauled its financial crime and customer due diligence controls both globally and in the US. Crucially, Wise confirmed the setback will not disrupt its existing US operations, which continue under licences spanning 48 states and four territories. The company now intends to refile under the GENIUS Act framework, which governs digital-asset and stablecoin infrastructure, arguing its payment rails are well-suited to interoperate with such systems. Wise processed over $240 billion in cross-border payments last year for roughly 19 million customers. Rival Revolut is also pursuing a fresh US banking charter after an earlier attempt was abandoned, underscoring how the US has become a key battleground for European fintechs.The post Wise’s US Banking Licence Bid Rejected by OCC, Shares Tumble first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Mastercard said Thursday that it has expanded its virtual card platform, adding issuer-level security controls, wider embedded payments capabilities and a single connection point into its partner network. The enhancements to Mastercard In Control, the company’s virtual card number platform, are said to be intended to help enterprises, financial institutions and platforms run virtual card programmes with greater security and scale.  Mastercard said its VCN ecosystem now spans issuers, direct platforms and corporates transacting across 43 countries and 174 currencies. Two capabilities sit at the centre of the update, with Issuer Enforced Controls, a new feature, applies at the point of virtual card number creation and allows issuers to set baseline guardrails such as spend limits, transaction limit caps and validity periods.  Clearing Controls, introduced last year, extend control validation beyond authorisation into the clearing stage, allowing corporates and platforms to block invalid transactions and manage payment timing more precisely. Citi is already live with both and is expected to be the first issuer to roll out the capabilities globally later this year. “As payments become more digitized and embedded into business workflows, expectations for performance, security and control are higher than ever,” said Marc Pettican, global head of corporate solutions at Mastercard. “As virtual card adoption accelerates, our clients need smarter, stronger tools to manage risk,” said Scott Southall, global head of Citi Commercial Cards and Domestic Payments. Mastercard also updated its Commercial Connect API, enabling multiple control sets at the real card level and combining virtual card creation and payment initiation into a single step.  The company said fraud rates on virtual cards are less than one-fifth those on non-virtual cards.The post Mastercard Expands Virtual Card Platform With New Issuer Controls first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

On Wednesday, CME Group reported second-quarter revenue of $1.7 billion and operating income of $1.1 billion, capping what the exchange operator described as its strongest first half on record. Net income was $1 billion and diluted earnings per share were $2.88. On an adjusted basis, which excludes certain items, operating income was $1.2 billion, net income was $1.1 billion and diluted earnings per share were $2.99. “The first half of 2026 was the strongest in CME Group’s history,” said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy. “We delivered record H1 performance across revenue, adjusted operating income, adjusted net income and adjusted earnings per share, all of which were powered by record trading in Q1 and our second-highest Q2 volumes ever.” Average daily volume reached 29.8 million contracts in the quarter, the third highest on record, including non-U.S. average daily volume of 9.1 million contracts.  Clearing and transaction fees revenue totalled $1.4 billion, with a total average rate per contract of $0.678. Market data revenue rose 20% to a record $238 million. Duffy said the company provided more than $95 billion in daily margin efficiencies during the quarter, adding that it continues to develop new products including single-stock futures, 1-ounce gold contracts available around the clock, U.S. Treasury clearing and compute futures. As of June 30, CME Group held $2.3 billion in cash, including $200 million deposited with the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, and carried $3.4 billion of debt.  The company paid roughly $468 million in dividends during the quarter and repurchased $695 million of its shares.The post CME Group Posts Record First Half as Q2 Revenue Hits $1.7 billion first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Nasdaq (NDAQ) reported outstanding second-quarter results, with net revenue climbing 15% on an adjusted basis to $1.5 billion, as all three divisions delivered double-digit growth. CEO Adena Friedman called it “an outstanding second quarter, defined by new records and milestones,” highlighting that the company surpassed $1 trillion in Index ETP AUM and listed SpaceX, the largest IPO in exchange history. Annualized Recurring Revenue rose 11% to $3.3 billion, or 12% organically. GAAP diluted EPS reached $0.89, up 14% year-over-year, while non-GAAP EPS hit $1.07, the first time Nasdaq has topped a dollar in quarterly earnings per share. The Listings business had a landmark quarter, welcoming 26 operating company IPOs that raised $106 billion, including SpaceX’s $86 billion raise. Nasdaq also listed the largest semiconductor, quantum, and biotech IPOs on record, achieving a 74% win rate in new listings. Capital Access Platforms revenue grew 18% on an adjusted basis, while Financial Technology revenue increased 16%, with Verafin’s AML and fraud-detection tools expanding through new agentic AI capabilities. Market Services posted record net revenue of $340 million, up 11%, fueled by surging Index Options volumes. Nasdaq returned $530 million to shareholders through dividends and buybacks combined. Speaking on CNBC, Friedman pointed to tokenization, AI, and market modernization as durable trends shaping the industry’s future. “Nasdaq’s role as our clients’ trusted transformation partner positions us for sustained leadership,” Friedman said, underscoring the company’s momentum heading into the second half of 2026.The post Nasdaq Posts Record Q2 Results, Driven by SpaceX Listing and $1 Trillion Index AUM first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

It was revealed on Thursday that the European Union has hit Google with a €890 million ($1 billion) fine, marking the first time the tech giant has been penalized under the bloc’s Digital Markets Act (DMA). The decision highlights Europe’s determination to curb the influence of Big Tech, even as US President Donald Trump has threatened “substantial additional tariffs” on European goods in response. The European Commission said Google broke DMA rules in two ways. First, by favoring its own services, such as hotels, shopping and transport, over competitors’ offerings on Google Search. Second, by restricting app developers from directing customers to cheaper deals outside the Google Play store. Google was fined €460 million ($524.7 million) for the search practices and €430 million ($490 million) for the app store restrictions. Commissioner Henna Virkkunen said Google “harms businesses offering similar services” by denying them equal prominence on search results, while limiting how developers can offer discounts to users. Google has 60 days to comply with the commission’s directives or face additional penalties. The company pushed back strongly, with global affairs president Kent Walker calling the ruling “product degradation” that forces Google to strip away features like real time hotel and flight pricing. Commissioner Teresa Ribera defended the decision, stating that “the best products should succeed because they’re better, not because they’re owned by the company running the search engine.” The Commission said it will continue engaging with Google to ensure broader compliance with the DMA.The post EU Fines Google €890 Million ($1 Billion) in First DMA Penalty first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

MSCI Inc. (NYSE: MSCI) said Thursday that it has entered into a new licensing agreement with Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX) to launch futures and options contracts based on a broad suite of MSCI indexes spanning global developed and emerging markets. The deal builds on the existing MSCI-SGX partnership, extending it to cover flagship global and regional equity benchmarks, single-country developed and emerging market indexes, and EM Asia sector indexes. The move is aimed at giving institutional investors a centrally cleared venue within the Asia-Pacific time zone to manage multi-regional equity exposure. Henry Fernandez, Chairman and CEO of MSCI, said the agreement supports the firm’s mission of equipping the global investment community with tools to navigate markets with confidence. He added that the expanded partnership ensures MSCI’s benchmarks remain accessible to investors wherever they manage risk. Loh Boon Chye, CEO of SGX Group, said the exchange has developed a distinct capability in building markets around the exposures institutional investors need. He noted that as portfolios are increasingly managed across regions, themes and benchmark suites, the expanded MSCI offering gives investors a broader platform to manage global equity risk through a single trusted venue. The new contracts are designed to provide liquidity and risk management tools for institutional portfolios navigating an increasingly complex global equity landscape. The agreement reinforces both firms’ positioning as key players in derivatives infrastructure connecting developed and emerging markets, particularly for investors seeking exposure through Asia-based trading hours and clearing systems.The post MSCI, SGX to Launch Futures and Options on Global Index Suite first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

SIX, the Swiss financial infrastructure operator, reported very strong first-half 2026 results on July 23, with all four business units contributing to what the company called the strongest EBITDA result in its history. Net operating income rose 8.8% year-on-year to CHF 806.6 million (10.0% at constant exchange rates). EBITDA excluding transformation costs climbed 38.2% to CHF 367.6 million, or 40.2% at constant exchange rates. The EBITDA margin, based on net operating income and excluding transformation costs, jumped to 45.6% from 35.8% a year earlier. Group net profit reached CHF 191.7 million, up sharply from CHF 40.3 million in H1 2025. Markus Habbel, CFO of SIX, said the results reflect both favorable market conditions and the resilience of the company’s diversified business model. He added that strong financial performance allows SIX to reinvest in core franchises while pursuing growth in adjacent services. The Exchanges unit was the largest contributor to EBITDA, with combined turnover across SIX Swiss Exchange and BME Exchange surging 15.3% to CHF 969.3 billion. Securities Services benefited from record levels on the SMI and IBEX 35 indices, while Financial Information saw growth in regulatory and tax services. Banking Services grew on debit card, mobile, and TWINT payment activity. SIX is now in the second year of its three-year Scale Up 2027 transformation program, which aims for mid-single digit income growth and an EBITDA margin above 40%, a target already exceeded this period. Transformation costs fell to CHF 19.7 million from CHF 31.0 million in the prior-year period.The post SIX Group Posts Record First-Half Results, Driven by Strong Trading Activity first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.