New 10-Barrel WTI Crude Oil contract allows for more precise hedging and expanded market access  24/7 gold will provide always-on access for continuous price discovery CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today announced that it will offer 24/7 trading for new, smaller-sized crude oil and gold contracts, pending regulatory review.  The new oil contract will be 1/10th the size of CME Group's existing Micro WTI futures and will launch on August 30. 24/7 trading for the company's existing 1-Ounce Gold futures will begin on July 26. "Traders are increasingly looking to diversify their portfolios across commodity markets in the face of geopolitical uncertainty," said Derek Sammann, CME Group Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Commodities Markets. "Our new WTI and Gold futures provide regulated products that are right-sized and available 24/7, ensuring traders can manage exposure whenever news breaks." WTI is the global benchmark for price discovery and risk management for crude oil. In the first quarter of 2026, WTI Crude Oil options reached a record ADV of 320,000 contracts. In addition, Micro WTI Crude Oil futures ADV reached 272,000 contracts in May, which was a 317% increase compared to May 2025.  CME Group offers the world's leading benchmark futures contract for gold, with $100 billion notional traded each day in 2025. CME Group's new, cash settled 1-Ounce Gold futures contract launched in January 2025, with 90,000 contracts ADV traded in 2026. The 10-Barrel WTI contract will be cash-settled, and it will be listed on and subject to the rules of NYMEX. To learn more, visit here. 1-Ounce Gold is also cash-settled and is listed and subject to the rules of COMEX. To learn more, visit here.

On September 18, 2024, the Commission adopted Regulation NMS: Minimum Pricing Increments, Access Fees and Transparency of Better Priced Orders.[1] On October 31, 2025, the Commission, among other things, granted temporary exemptive relief from the compliance dates for Rules 600(b)(89)(i)(F) and 612 of Regulation NMS (implementing the reduction of the minimum pricing increment for quotations and orders for certain NMS stocks) and Rule 610(c) of Regulation NMS (implementing the reduction of the access fee caps for protected quotations) until the first business day of November 2026 to allow affected entities additional time to come into compliance with the amendments.[2] On March 20, 2026, the Commission issued a notice of an application by MEMX LLC for exemptive relief to temporarily delay implementation of certain amendments to Rule 610(c) of Regulation NMS, and requested public comment on, among other things, whether such relief should be granted and what the potential benefits and drawbacks may be of granting the relief as requested.[3] In connection with the notice of MEMX LLC’s application for exemptive relief, the Commission also requested comment more broadly on whether a temporary exemption from the amended compliance dates for Rules 600(b)(89)(i)(F), 610(c), and 612 of Regulation NMS, as amended, is warranted.[4] Today, the Commission further extended the temporary exemptive relief from the compliance dates for Rules 600(b)(89)(i)(F), 610(c) and 612 of Regulation NMS until the first business day of November 2027 to allow for an orderly implementation of these rules in light of other regulatory initiatives scheduled for the balance of 2026.[5] Today, the Commission also proposed to rescind Rule 611 of Regulation NMS, known as the trade-through rule.[6] In light of the Commission’s proposed rescission of Rule 611 of Regulation NMS,  the exemptive relief issued today, and the pending application by MEMX LLC for exemptive relief and comments received thereon, I have directed the staff to prioritize a review of Rules 610(c) and 612 of Regulation NMS by the end of the year, including whether potential changes to the access fee caps and minimum pricing increments may be appropriate. [1] See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 101070 (Sept. 18, 2024), 89 FR 81620 (Oct. 8, 2024). Among other things, the Commission: (1) amended Rule 612 of Regulation NMS to establish a minimum pricing increment of $0.005 for bids, offers, orders and indications of interest that are priced equal to or greater than $1.00 per share in certain NMS stocks; and (2) reduced the level of the access fee caps under Rule 610(c) of Regulation NMS to $0.001 per share for protected quotations and other best bids and offers in NMS stocks priced at $1.00 or more per share and 0.1 percent of the quotation price for protected quotations and other best bids and offers in NMS stocks priced less than $1.00 per share. Id. [2] See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 104172 (Oct. 31, 2025), 90 FR 51418 (Nov. 17, 2025). [3] See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 105058 (Mar. 20, 2026), 91 FR 14602 (Mar. 25, 2026). [4] Id. [5] See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34-105656 (June 11, 2026) available at 34-105656. [6] See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 34-105655 (June 11, 2026) available at 34-105655.  As part of the same action, the Commission also proposed to: (1) rescind Rule 610(e), the locked and crossed market provisions of Regulation NMS; (2) rescind related defined terms in Rule 600 of Regulation NMS; and (3) make conforming changes to other related provisions. Id.

The market opened for four trading days this week as the Federal Government declared Friday 12, June 2026, as a Public Holiday to commemorate 2026 Democracy Day. Meanwhile, a total turnover of 4.964 billion shares worth ₦207.521 billion in 235,966 deals was traded this week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 3.966 billion shares valued at ₦175.659 billion that exchanged hands last week in 343,587 deals. Click here for full details.

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today announced the publication of final amendments to the principal distributor model in the distribution of mutual fund securities. The changes are intended to improve investor protection and help maintain investor confidence in Canada’s capital markets. A principal distributor is a dealer that has an exclusive right in the distribution of, or benefits from a feature that gives them a material competitive advantage over others in the distribution of, mutual fund securities. The amendments clarify that a dealer may act as principal distributor only for mutual funds in the same mutual fund family. The amendments do not affect the ability of a principal distributor to also distribute mutual fund securities as a participating dealer to multiple mutual fund families. The amendments also enhance transparency by requiring disclosure of principal distributor arrangements and related compensation in the prospectus, fund facts document and the annual report on charges and other compensation. The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.  For investor inquiries, please contact your local securities regulator.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to support these proposed amendments, which remove rules that technological advances have rendered unnecessary, if they ever were necessary, and reflect a thoughtful, deliberative effort to simplify and foster innovation in our markets.  The trade-through rule—or, as some refer to it, the “order protection rule”—has been controversial since its adoption.[1] Whatever one thinks of the rule’s past effects on the market, the release makes clear that the concerns about market connectedness that drove the Commission to adopt the rule have fallen away long since. Indeed, the release shows that, in today’s markets, the trade-through rule has helped fuel disorder by encouraging the proliferation of exchanges, dampening innovation within them, and inspiring ever more complex order types on those exchanges. The result is a market that, despite its many strengths, is fragmented, costlier than it needs to be, and needlessly complex. Rescinding the trade-through rule, as well as the prohibitions on locked and crossed quotations which also have outlived their usefulness, should encourage innovation and competition in our markets. However, as supportive as I am of these proposed amendments, the very complexity of our markets—partially created by the trade-through rule—always has given me pause when considering the rule’s removal.[2] Because regulation encrusts the equity markets, we must be exceedingly careful to avoid doing more harm than good when we seek to break off a piece of that crust. In advance of this rulemaking, recognizing the complexity of our markets and the rulebook we held two roundtables featuring market participants, academics, and investor advocates,[3] and received comments from a broad array of interested parties.[4] Much of today’s proposal reflects the input from the comment letters and our panelists. Yet, I suspect that, for some, this proposal will not go far enough, while for others this proposal will have gone too far. Such divergence is common when the Commission engages with the intricacies of our equity market structure, upon which investor outcomes and market participants’ business models so heavily depend. I hope and expect that commenters will not be shy in letting us know their views. I want to highlight the Division of Trading and Markets, the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis, the Office of General Counsel, and others, for their diligent work on this proposing release. I expect you will all soon be diligently working through a sizable comment file as you continue the same thoughtful engagement reflected in today’s proposal. Thank you for your work so far and for the work to come. I do have one question for the Division of Trading and Markets: A recent comment letter predicted that a post-611 marketplace would be characterized by even more exchanges and ATSs, a proliferation of order types, and new market complexity. Should we be concerned about these outcomes?[5] I also have questions for the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis: The success and failure of our markets turns on so many causes or factors. If we adopt this proposal, what do you plan to do to measure the effects of the elimination of the trade-through rule? What metrics will you use in your analysis? I am not a fan of rules that override market choice, unless there is a good reason for doing so. Is there a market failure here that warrants the continued existence of Rule 611? [1] Dissent of Commissioners Cynthia A. Glassman and Paul S. Atkins to the Adoption of Regulation NMS (June 9, 2005), https://www.sec.gov/files/rules/final/34-51808-dissent.pdf. [2] See generally Commissioner Hester M. Peirce, 6,7 Meet 611: Remarks at the Roundtable on Rule 611 of Regulation NMS (Dec. 16, 2025), https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/peirce-roundtable-rule-611-regulation-nms-121625. [3] See Roundtable on Trade-Through Prohibitions (Sept. 18, 2025), https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/meetings-events/roundtable-trade-through-prohibitions and Roundtable on Rule 611 (Dec. 16, 2025) https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/meetings-events/roundtable-rule-611-regulation-nms. I encourage future Commissions to solicit the input of the industry, academics, and the public in this manner before engaging in comprehensive changes to the structures of our nation’s securities markets. [4] Comments on SEC Roundtable on Trade-Through Prohibitions and Roundtable on Rule 611 of Regulation NMS, https://www.sec.gov/comments/4-862/4-862.htm. [5] Comment of R.T. Leuchtkafer on Notice of an Application of MEMX LLC for Temporary Exemptive Relief (Apr. 24, 2026), https://www.sec.gov/comments/S7-2026-10/s7202610-759887-2336594.pdf.

On 15 June 2026, the following updated constituents list for OFZ Zero Coupon Yield Curve will come into force. № Наименование Номер государственной регистрации 1 OFZ 26245 SU26245RMFS9 2 OFZ 26219 SU26219RMFS4 3 OFZ 26226 SU26226RMFS9 4 OFZ 26207 SU26207RMFS9 5 OFZ 26232 SU26232RMFS7 6 OFZ 26212 SU26212RMFS9 7 OFZ 26242 SU26242RMFS6 8 OFZ 26228 SU26228RMFS5 9 OFZ 26218 SU26218RMFS6 10 OFZ 26241 SU26241RMFS8 11 OFZ 26221 SU26221RMFS0 12 OFZ 26244 SU26244RMFS2 13 OFZ 26225 SU26225RMFS1 14 OFZ 26233 SU26233RMFS5 15 OFZ 26240 SU26240RMFS0 16 OFZ 26243 SU26243RMFS4 17 OFZ 26230 SU26230RMFS1 18 OFZ 26238 SU26238RMFS4 19 OFZ 26239 SU26239RMFS2 20 OFZ 26247 SU26247RMFS5 21 OFZ 26236 SU26236RMFS8 22 OFZ 26237 SU26237RMFS6 23 OFZ 26248 SU26248RMFS3 24 OFZ 26235 SU26235RMFS0 25 OFZ 26246 SU26246RMFS7 26 OFZ 26249 SU26249RMFS1 27 OFZ 26250 SU26250RMFS9 28 OFZ 26252 SU26252RMFS5 29 OFZ 26251 SU26251RMFS7 30 OFZ 26253 SU26253RMFS3 31 OFZ 26254 SU26254RMFS1

I am very pleased that we are convening to discuss what I have viewed as a grave misstep since I served as Commissioner in the Aughts: that is, Rule 611, also known as the “Trade-Through Rule.” I have opposed the Trade-Through Rule since its inception and have elaborated on my concerns, from this very stage and elsewhere, many times since then.  While a central aim of Rule 611 was to incentivize displayed liquidity, we have seen trading activity increasingly occur elsewhere the last two decades. I am concerned that what the Rule rather incentivized was a proliferation of new trading venues, which in turn fragmented liquidity and created an increasingly complex, costly, and opaque marketplace for order execution. Unfortunately, this outcome should not surprise us. Even well-intentioned regulation can yield suboptimal results.  As then-Commissioner Cynthia Glassman and I pointed out at the time of its adoption, Rule 611 prioritized the Commission’s assumptions about the way that markets and investors should interact above what could emerge from competition and market forces.1 The “market for markets,” as it were, has been disrupted by regulation. To that end, I am pleased to support today’s proposal to rescind Rule 611 and Rule 610(e). In proposing these amendments to Rule NMS, the SEC invites public comment and welcomes data from the marketplace to inform rulemaking. This discussion began transparently, as the staff held two roundtables on this topic last year. I look forward to continuing the robust debate on these matters as the public submits comments in response to this proposal. I encourage market participants to share data, when possible, that inform their positions. Before we proceed to the staff presentation, I should like to thank the market participants who participated in the SEC’s roundtables on this topic last year and for their valuable input. I should also like to thank the staff for their hard work in developing today’s proposal: In the Division of Trading and Markets: Jamie Selway, Jon Kroeper, Andrea Orr, Alex Jadin, Richard Holley, Ted Venuti, Kevin Brennan, Sarah Counts, Jenna Dodd, David Liu, Gita Subramaniam, Dan Mathisson, Keegan Murphy, Elizabeth Johnson, Yue Ding, Sharon Park, and Nick Shwayri. In the Office of the General Counsel: J. Russell McGranahan, Elise Bruntel, Donna Chambers, Ronesha Butler, Cynthia Ginsberg, and Rebecca Orban. In the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis: Joshua White, Oliver Richard, Lauren Moore, Paul Barton, John Ritter, Claude Courbois, Peter Dixon, Erika Frost, Robert Girouard, Kevin Roshak, Seung Won Woo, Donald Edmond, and Charles Woodworth. 1Dissent of Commissioners Cynthia A. Glassman and Paul S. Atkins to the Adoption of Regulation NMS, id. at 37639-43 (“Joint NMS Dissent”).

Today, the Commission proposes to rescind Rule 611 of Regulation NMS as well as the prohibition on locking and crossing quotations. This proposal represents an important beginning in the broader, more complex journey of reforming the Commission’s equity market–structure rules. Regulation NMS—in particular, Rule 611’s trade-through prohibition—has shaped market behavior for decades. Whatever benefits it may have provided in the past, we have repeatedly heard from market participants that in today’s evolving technology-driven trading environment, these provisions often introduce unnecessary complexities, burdens, and inefficiencies. By reconsidering them, the Commission is acknowledging that Rule 611 may no longer serve our markets or investors. I commend the Divisions of Trading and Markets and Economic Risk and Analysis for their rigorous and transparent approach to this undertaking. The proposing release carefully lays out both potential benefits and risks and has allowed the Commission to engage in evidence-based rulemaking—while at the same time, calling for more data and engagement from the public. This thoughtful, measured process aligns with the SEC’s statutory mandate to balance investor protection, market integrity, and capital formation. Of course, this proposal is not an endpoint. Rather, it marks the start of a journey into terrain that is less familiar. Removing Rule 611 would unsettle long-standing assumptions in our market structure and inevitably raise questions regarding best execution, transparency, trading mechanics, and investor confidence. While the road ahead may be less certain, it may also lead to a market structure that is more adaptive, resilient, and better aligned with how trading actually occurs today. Public comment and robust economic analysis will be essential in helping us navigate this new course and identify the challenges and opportunities it may reveal. I look forward to hearing from broker-dealers, trading venues, institutional investors, retail investors, academics, and other market participants. I hope commenters will consider, among other things, how execution quality and best execution practices might evolve in the absence of Rule 611 or a prohibition on locked and crossed markets, and what new forms of transparency might be necessary to support informed decision‑making in such an environment. In addition to the Divisions of Trading and Markets and Economic Risk and Analysis, I thank the staff in the Office of General Counsel for commencing this important review of Rule 611. Engagement from all corners of the marketplace will help us devise an approach that both strengthens and modernizes our equity markets. Thank you.

The Securities and Exchange Commission today proposed amendments to rescind Rules 611 and 610(e) of Regulation NMS. “After two decades of Rule 611, it is high time that the Commission review its unintended consequences that have hindered — rather than enhanced — the long-term growth of our markets,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. “This proposal is intended to simplify market structure and reduce costs for market participants while allowing competition, innovation, and other market forces to shape the continuing evolution of our equity markets. I look forward to reviewing public comments as we take a careful, deliberative approach to avoid repeating the same mistakes that brought us here.” The Commission’s proposed amendments would: Rescind Rule 611 of Regulation NMS, which contains the trade-through prohibition for national market system stocks. Rescind Rule 610(e) of Regulation NMS, which contains restrictions on locking and crossing quotations in national market system stocks. Rescind related defined terms in Rule 600 of Regulation NMS. Make conforming changes to other related provisions. The public comment period will remain open for 60 days following the publication of the proposing release in the Federal Register. Resources Proposed Amendments Fact Sheet Chairman Atkins Statement

The Governing Council is committed to setting monetary policy to ensure that inflation stabilises at its 2% target in the medium term. In line with this commitment, it today decided to raise the three key ECB interest rates by 25 basis points. The war in the Middle East is generating inflation pressures, and the decision to raise rates is robust across a range of scenarios mapping out how the shock might evolve and affect the medium-term outlook for the euro area. In the baseline of the new Eurosystem staff projections, headline inflation is expected to average 3.0% in 2026, 2.3% in 2027 and 2.0% in 2028. For inflation excluding energy and food, the baseline foresees an average of 2.5% in 2026 and 2027 and 2.2% in 2028. Compared with March, staff have revised up their baseline projection for inflation in 2026 and 2027 owing to a higher path for energy prices, which, to some extent, is expected to feed into food, goods and services inflation. The baseline sees economic growth at an average of 0.8% in 2026, 1.2% in 2027 and 1.5% in 2028. This is a downward revision for 2026 and 2027, reflecting a more pronounced impact of the war on commodity markets, real incomes and confidence. The outlook remains uncertain, with upside risks for inflation and downside risks for economic growth. The full implications of the war for medium-term inflation and growth will depend on the intensity and duration of the energy price shock, as well as the scale of its indirect and second-round effects. This uncertainty is also reflected in the broad range of outcomes for inflation and growth in the updated illustrative scenarios put together by Eurosystem staff. These will be published with the staff projections on the ECB’s website. With today’s decision, the Governing Council remains well positioned to navigate the uncertainty caused by the war. It will closely monitor the situation and follow a data-dependent and meeting-by-meeting approach to determining the appropriate monetary policy stance. In particular, the Governing Council’s interest rate decisions will be based on its assessment of the inflation outlook and the risks surrounding it, in light of the incoming economic and financial data, as well as the dynamics of underlying inflation and the strength of monetary policy transmission. The Governing Council is not pre-committing to a particular rate path. Key ECB interest rates The Governing Council decided to raise the three key ECB interest rates by 25 basis points. Accordingly, the interest rates on the deposit facility, the main refinancing operations and the marginal lending facility will be increased to 2.25%, 2.40% and 2.65% respectively, with effect from 17 June 2026. Asset purchase programme (APP) and pandemic emergency purchase programme (PEPP) The APP and PEPP portfolios are declining at a measured and predictable pace, as the Eurosystem no longer reinvests the principal payments from maturing securities. *** The Governing Council stands ready to adjust all of its instruments within its mandate to ensure that inflation stabilises at its 2% target in the medium term and to preserve the smooth functioning of monetary policy transmission. Moreover, the Transmission Protection Instrument is available to counter unwarranted, disorderly market dynamics that pose a serious threat to the transmission of monetary policy across all euro area countries, thus allowing the Governing Council to more effectively deliver on its price stability mandate. The President of the ECB will comment on the considerations underlying these decisions at a press conference starting at 14:45 CET today.

The High Court today confirmed the appointment of special administrators for Euro Exchange Securities UK Limited (EES). EES did not seek to overturn the court’s initial decision, which saw the firm cease trading with immediate effect last week. EES agreed it is not in the company’s interests to seek to return to normal trading and will work with the appointed special administrators to ensure client money is returned as quickly as possible. Duncan Perring and James Bennett of Teneo Financial Advisory Limited have been appointed as joint special administrators, under the Payment and Electronic Money Institution Insolvency Regulations 2021. Since being provisionally appointed last week, they have taken control of the firm, secured a significant amount of material and frozen funds. This is the first of its kind case for the FCA, and it will continue to use its powers to their fullest extent to protect consumers and the integrity of the markets. It did so after lengthy engagement with the firm and because of serious concern with the way EES operated its business, which indicated significant financial crime risk. The FCA acted with partners across government, including the Security Industry Authority, as part of joint strategies to disrupt financial crime. Matthew Long, director, payments and digital assets, FCA said: 'The risk of payment firms being used by criminals to launder cash to fund other offences is significant, which is why they must meet expected standards. Fighting financial crime is at the heart of our strategy – and that means using our powers to their fullest extent to protect consumers and the integrity of the financial system.' Click here for full details.

CoinShares PLC (Nasdaq: CSHR) ("CoinShares" or the "Company"), a leading global asset manager specialising in digital assets, today announced that it has been named to the inaugural Fortune Crypto 100 in the DATs & ETFs category. The Fortune Crypto 100 is a definitive ranking of the companies and protocols shaping the global digital asset ecosystem, spanning ten categories from asset management and fintech to venture capital, mining and stablecoins. Compiled independently by the editorial team at Fortune Crypto, in the tradition of the Fortune 500, the list was built on a series of rigorous methodologies, informed by a survey of top crypto professionals and supported by financial, technical and on-chain analysis from digital asset intelligence firm Inca Digital. CoinShares is one of the few European-headquartered firms recognised in a ranking dominated by U.S.-based organisations, reflecting both the scale of the American market and CoinShares's standing as a global asset manager built on a regulated, hybrid model of digital asset finance. A recognition built on more than a decade of regulated digital asset finance CoinShares has focused exclusively on digital assets since 2013, building an asset management business that operates inside the regulatory perimeter rather than outside it. That approach, combining the discipline of traditional finance with native digital asset expertise, has positioned the Company across investment management, trading and capital markets, serving corporations, financial institutions and individuals. The recognition follows a defining period in the Company's development. CoinShares is now publicly listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker CSHR, extending a regulated, transparent operating model into the U.S. public markets and giving investors a listed route into a pure-play digital asset manager. Inclusion in the Fortune Crypto 100 places that model alongside the institutions now defining how digital assets integrate into global capital markets. CEO commentary Jean-Marie Mognetti, Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of CoinShares, said: "We have built this Company on a simple conviction: that digital assets belong inside regulated finance, managed with the same rigour as any other asset class. For more than a decade that was an unfashionable position. This recognition, in a ranking otherwise defined by the largest names in the United States, tells us the position was the right one. Our listing on the Nasdaq and our place on the Fortune Crypto 100 are two markers of the same trajectory: a European-built asset manager competing for a meaningful share of a market that is now firmly part of global finance. We are not finished. We were describing this future in 2013, before we had the words for it, and we intend to keep building it."

Archax, the UK/EU-regulated digital asset platform, today announced real-time streaming cash flows for tokenized securities on Hedera, the trusted public network for building fast, secure, and compliant decentralized applications. This capability enables interest payments to be distributed on a near second-by-second basis directly to investors' wallets using Circle's USDC stablecoin on Hedera. This innovation expands upon Archax's success with pooled token products on Hedera. It marks another step in delivering institutional-grade digital asset infrastructure that improves efficiency, transparency, and liquidity across tokenized markets. Powered by Hedera's enterprise-grade, low-fee network, the streaming cash flow capability enables interest payments to update in real-time within investors’ wallets. As tokenized securities are traded, the corresponding payments automatically follow the asset each second, with cash flows adjusting continuously based on where the security is held. Since the underlying assets can be fractionalized, the associated payments are also continuously divisible. Graham Rodford, CEO and co-founder of Archax commented, “Tokenizing assets was the first step; streaming cash flows is a giant leap into the future of finance. Industry-leading innovation like this unlocks true on-chain utility - such as real-time yield payment streams - as well as reducing market inefficiencies. This deployment on Hedera showcases how regulated, institutional products can leverage cutting-edge DLT capabilities to deliver unprecedented liquidity and efficiency to investors. This isn't just a 24/7 market, it's a real-time, second-by-second market.” “Our work with Archax is a strong example of how tokenization can improve the way financial assets are managed and distributed,” said Gregg Bell, Chief Investment Officer at Hashgraph. “By enabling cash flows to move seamlessly with tokenized securities, we’re bringing greater efficiency, transparency, and precision to capital markets. It's an important step toward a future where financial assets and the value they generate move together in real time.” The streaming cash flow functionality also supports broader future applications, including continuous coupon payments, real-time revenue distribution, usage-based payments, and other models that benefit from precise, real-time settlement. Archax remains focused on bridging traditional finance by providing regulated infrastructure for issuing, trading, and safeguarding digital and tokenized assets. The deployment demonstrates how Hedera's scalable technology, institutional governance, and built-in compliance supports financial applications in regulated markets.

CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today announced that it will launch financially-settled Micro E-mini S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 options on June 29, pending regulatory review. These new Micro options contracts will be one-tenth the size of their E-mini counterparts with short-dated Monday through Friday expiries. In addition,  the contracts will be financially settled, eliminating the additional operational processes tied to underlying futures delivery at expiration. "The expansion of our deeply liquid equity index options suite directly answers client demand for more versatile, accessible risk management and market access tools," said Joe Hickey, Global Head of Equity Products at CME Group. "By combining a smaller contract size with the operational simplicity of financial settlement, we are providing traders with the capital-efficient and flexible toolset they need to manage benchmark U.S. equity index exposure with absolute precision." Micro E-mini S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 options build upon the success of CME Group's existing Micro E-mini Equity Index suite, which has surpassed more than 2.6 billion cumulative contracts traded since its inception, including over 1 billion contracts each for S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 Micro E-mini products. These products will be listed on and subject to the rules of CME. For more information, please visit www.cmegroup.com/microeminioptions.

CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today announced it will expand its benchmark suite of Equity Index futures with the launch of four new E-mini contracts, pending regulatory review. Starting June 29, these new products will enable market participants to trade futures on broad market indices covering more than 90% of the entire U.S. investable market capitalization. New contracts include: E-mini Morningstar U.S. Total Market Index futures E-mini Russell 3000® Index Futures E-mini S&P 1500 Composite Index Futures E-mini S&P Total Market Index Futures "These new E-mini futures contracts expand our benchmark equity index ecosystem to meet growing client demand for unified, all-cap risk management tools," said Joe Hickey, Global Head of Equity Products at CME Group. "In any market conditions, choosing the right index is essential, and these contracts will deliver the precision and capital efficiency investors need to seamlessly gain exposure to and hedge U.S. equity portfolios." "We're so excited to see CME Group kick off our new multi-year index-based derivatives licensing agreement by offering futures contracts on the Morningstar US Total Market Index," said Amelia Furr, President of Morningstar Indexes. "With our acquisition of the CRSP Market Indexes earlier this year and our upcoming rebrand of this series to reflect the Morningstar name, we are proud to open our high-quality equity indexes to an entirely new segment of the global investment marketplace. CME Group clients will now have access to the most definitive and complete measure of the U.S. equity market and an index which currently underpins about $2 trillion in assets including the world's largest mutual fund." "Transparent, broad market benchmarks play an important role in helping market participants measure and access the U.S. equity market," said Robby Ross, Chief Commercial Officer at S&P Dow Jones Indices. "We are pleased to work with CME Group as they prepare to introduce futures products in support of indices that underlie diversified, broad-market investment strategies, including contracts based on the S&P Composite 1500 and S&P Total Market Index. This collaboration underscores S&P DJI's continued commitment to supporting innovative, index-based solutions across the investment ecosystem." "The launch of E-mini futures on the Russell 3000 builds on the strength of our broad market benchmarks, which are designed to reflect the depth and diversity of the U.S. equity landscape," said Shawn Creighton, Director of Index Derivatives Solutions at FTSE Russell. "Working with CME Group to extend these indices into the derivatives market supports investor demand for efficient, scalable tools to manage exposure across the full market spectrum and reinforces the role of transparent, rules-based indices in modern portfolio construction." These products will be listed on and subject to the rules of CME. For more information, please visit www.cmegroup.com/eminiexpansion.

More than 100 jurisdictions now collect beneficial ownership data, but fragmentation is limiting its effectiveness across borders Current systems remain largely domestic in design, making it difficult to trace complex cross-border ownership structures Interoperability identified as the critical next step to enable global financial crime detection and enforcement New roadmap sets out practical models to connect ownership data globally, from international search platforms to standardised datasets Fragmented data systems are limiting efforts to tackle cross-border financial crime, according to a new global report from the Expert Taskforce on Interoperable Beneficial Ownership Data. The report, convened by Open Ownership, the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime (GCFFC), and LSEG Risk Intelligence, finds that while more than 100 jurisdictions now maintain beneficial ownership registers, the lack of connectivity between them is preventing authorities and businesses from using this data effectively across borders. Despite a decade of progress in improving transparency around company ownership, the report concludes that current systems remain largely domestic in design. This is making it difficult to trace ownership chains spanning multiple jurisdictions or identify complex financial crime networks. The Taskforce identifies interoperability - the ability to connect, access, and interpret ownership data across jurisdictions - as the critical next step in strengthening global financial crime detection. It highlights that [beneficial] ownership information must be accessible, standardised, and usable at scale across borders to deliver real-world impact. Without interoperable systems, key stakeholders such as financial institutions, regulators, and law enforcement will face persistent challenges in: identifying links between entities and individuals across jurisdictions tracing full ownership structures across complex corporate networks conducting effective due diligence and risk assessments These limitations increase costs, slow investigations, and create gaps that can be exploited by those engaged in financial crime. Thom Townsend, Executive Director, Open Ownership comments: “Anonymously owned companies enable the majority of major cross-border corruption cases. Over 100 countries now hold the data that can expose them — but that data needs to be shared and connected internationally to make a real difference. This report sets out how governments and their partners can do it.” The Taskforce sets out a roadmap to enable the cross-border use of ownership data, including: improving access to ownership information across jurisdictions establishing common data standards and identifiers enabling machine-readable data sharing through APIs and bulk access strengthening governance frameworks to support trusted international cooperation It also outlines practical implementation models, such as international search platforms, coordinated data exchange between authorities, and standardised national datasets that can be linked and analysed globally. Che Sidanius, Global Head of Financial Crime and Industry Affairs at LSEG Risk Intelligence and Founder and Vice Chair at GCFFC, comments: “Financial crime is inherently cross-border, but the data used to detect it remains fragmented. Improving how ownership data is connected and accessed globally will be critical to enabling more effective risk detection, strengthening due diligence. The report concludes that enabling interoperable ownership data will be essential to strengthening financial integrity, improving public sector accountability, and supporting more effective anti-corruption and enforcement efforts worldwide. Background The Taskforce brought together more than 50 experts from across the public and private sectors to identify practical pathways for enabling cross-border use of ownership data. Beneficial ownership data identifies the individuals who ultimately own or control companies and legal entities. Che and Thom are available for interview today The report is available here and exec summary here  

Mr Fuenmayor has referred his Decision Notice to the Upper Tribunal where he and the FCA will present their cases. Any findings in the Decision Notice are therefore provisional and reflect the FCA’s belief as to what occurred and how it considers his behaviour should be characterised. The FCA has decided to fine Carlos Fuenmayor, the Chief Executive of BancTrust, £99,600 for failing to disclose 3 separate matters to the FCA. Mr Fuenmayor failed, until December 2021, to tell the FCA, including in application forms that he submitted on behalf of BancTrust, that he had been placed under investigation by the US Financial Industry Regulatory Authority in December 2017 and was then sanctioned by them in June 2019. He also failed to disclose that, shortly before an inspection in November 2019, the National Financial Intelligence Unit of Venezuela had frozen his local currency bank accounts, as well as those of his Venezuelan companies and their directors. The failure to disclose these issues meant that the FCA did not have the opportunity to fully consider Mr Fuenmayor’s fitness and propriety or seek further information. Therese Chambers, executive director of enforcement and market oversight at the FCA, said: 'Disclosing information which we reasonably expect, and doing it promptly, is key to maintaining trust in financial services and supporting a strong market that works well for consumers.' Background Read the Decision Notice for Carlos Ricardo Fuenmayor for further information. The FCA concluded that Mr Fuenmayor’s failures were negligent and that he breached APER Statement of Principle 4 and Senior Manager Conduct Rule 4, which requires individuals to disclose appropriately any information which the FCA would reasonably expect.  The FCA’s Senior Managers and Certification Regime aims to reduce harm to consumers and strengthen market integrity by creating a system that enables firms and regulators to hold people to account. The FCA enables a fair and thriving financial services market for the good of consumers and the economy. Find out more about the FCA. 

Camphouse, the enterprise media operations platform, today announced the successful closing of its Series A funding round. Backed by longstanding investors Fairpoint, eEquity, Newion, Frol41, and J12 Ventures, the round brings Camphouse’s total raised capital to $17 million since the company’s founding. The new capital will be used to accelerate the company's product R&D, specifically expanding AI capabilities across the media operations workflow, while growing customer success capacity to support further enterprise deployments of global scale. The goal is simple: to accelerate complex media decisions, giving brands and agencies one source of truth they can act on rather than data they have to chase. This latest investment arrives during a period of rapid commercial growth and enterprise momentum for Camphouse.  "Our Series A success is a testament to the rapid growth and concrete value we are delivering to the market.” said Alexander Högman, Co-founder and CEO of Camphouse “This new capital equips us to scale our impact dramatically. The momentum with enterprise advertisers and their agency partners is clear: unified media data is the key to accelerating media decisions and to unlocking the power of AI in media investments. We deliver that media data layer - where planned and actual data are reconciled and harnessed - driving a whole new era of media intelligence." By unifying media planning and actuals into a single, AI-native media system of record, Camphouse gives global marketing teams a complete, real-time view of every dollar spent across markets, agencies, and channels. The platform equips teams with the unique Media Intelligence, they need to optimize in the moment, rather than in retrospect.

The crypto trading platform of Boerse Stuttgart Group is temporarily placing a BISON statue on Frankfurt’s Börsenplatz, positioning it alongside the bull and bear as an equal counterpart The installation represents a new market phase: cryptocurrencies have become an integral part of the modern capital market The BISON represents a perspective beyond the classic bull-or-bear narrative: crypto as a distinct, volatile, but long-term relevant asset class For decades, the bull and bear on Frankfurt’s Börsenplatz, the square in front of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, have stood for rising and falling markets. Now, for one day, the iconic pair is being joined by a new figure: a BISON statue of equal size. With the installation, the crypto trading platform BISON is making a visible statement on the next phase in the development of cryptocurrencies. The message is clear: the crypto market is increasingly moving beyond its role as a purely speculative niche and becoming a regulated, lasting component of modern financial markets. As a symbol, the BISON statue represents this new phase – one in which digital assets are becoming more firmly embedded in existing financial structures. “The crypto market is undergoing a fundamental transformation. Today, it is no longer defined solely by short-term price movements or the contrast between bull and bear markets,” explains Dr. Ulli Spankowski, CEO and co-founder of BISON. “Digital assets are increasingly becoming part of the regulated financial system. With the BISON statue on Frankfurt’s Börsenplatz, we want to make this development visible.” Crypto: from alternative to integration At Frankfurt’s Börsenplatz, the installation highlights a development that has been taking shape in the market for some time: crypto is no longer merely an alternative to the traditional financial world, but part of its next stage of evolution. While cryptocurrencies were long associated primarily with hype cycles, volatility, and speculation, the focus is now increasingly shifting toward regulation, security, and long-term market integration. At the same time, crypto remains a volatile asset class. For BISON, this is precisely why the focus is not on choosing between the traditional and digital financial worlds, but on enabling simple and secure access. In this way, cryptocurrencies are increasingly becoming a building block in modern portfolios – not as a replacement for traditional investments, but as a distinct addition. “Corrections are part of the markets – whether in equities, gold or Bitcoin. What matters is that cryptocurrencies are not viewed solely through the lens of short-term price movements,” Spankowski continues. “The question is no longer whether crypto will become part of the financial world, but how its ongoing integration will take shape. Trust, regulation and reliable infrastructure play a central role in this.”

CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, along with Morningstar, a leading provider of independent investment insights, today announced that they have entered into a multi-year licensing agreement for CME Group to launch derivatives products based on key Morningstar equity index benchmarks, including the Morningstar US Total Market, Large Cap, Large Cap Value, Large Cap Growth, Mid Cap, and Small Cap Indexes. Through this exclusive agreement, CME Group will offer derivatives on the Morningstar Market Indexes, currently rebranding from CRSP, for the first time, enabling clients to utilize derivatives based on the indexes which underpin over $3 trillion in linked assets. "We are pleased to partner with Morningstar to help unlock more precise, next-generation risk management tools for the global investment community," said Tim McCourt, CME Group Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products. "Together, CME Group's deeply liquid equity derivatives marketplace paired with Morningstar's data-driven, benchmark ecosystem is expected to allow us to provide our global clients with an optimized framework to safely navigate market volatility and capture new opportunities." "We're excited to collaborate with CME Group to offer derivative products for the first time on the Morningstar Market Indexes, the most definitive and comprehensive measures of the US equity market," added Morningstar Indexes President Amelia Furr. "With our acquisition of CRSP earlier this year, we have become a leading provider of U.S. equity benchmarks, and the new relationship with CME Group will accelerate our growth even further. Most exciting, we expect to open new doors and bring our high-quality equity indexes to an entirely new segment of the global investment marketplace."