The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) today published a report outlining key oversight activities for the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF).  CSA Staff Notice 25-315 summarizes key information, activities and observations related to the CSA’s oversight of CIRO and CIPF during the 2025 calendar year.  During the report period, the CSA focused its review on several CIRO initiatives, including rules consolidation, operationalization of the delegated registration functions and powers for dealers and individual registrations. The CSA also reviewed the amendments to the Dealer Member Fee Model along with implementation of the new proficiency model for investment dealers. The CSA also considered CIRO’s response to the August 2025 cybersecurity breach.  For CIPF, the CSA reviewed the organization’s continued integration of its two protection funds, monitored alignment of its investment policies and strategies, and assessed whether to apply a credit-risk based fund model to assist in setting fund size. Beyond these key activities, CSA members carried out regular ongoing oversight, including reviewing amendments to CIRO rules and CIPF policies and required filings, completing the CSA’s 2025 Oversight Review of three CIRO functional areas, and the substantial completion of review into specific processes in two functional areas of CIPF.  The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets.

The Exchange's markets are closed today, April 3, 2026.

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today announced the promotions of Jason Almonte and Sebastian Astrada to Deputy Comptrollers for Chartering, Organization & Structure (CO&S). In their new roles, Mr. Almonte and Mr. Astrada will set policies and provide executive direction on federal bank applications, chartering, and corporate activities, policies, processes, and requirements. “I look forward to continuing working with Sebastian and Jason in their new roles as deputy comptrollers for CO&S and our efforts in implementing the GENIUS Act and promoting responsible innovation in the federal banking space,” said Stephen Lybarger, Senior Deputy Comptroller for Chartering, Organization and Structure. “They both bring proven executive leadership, along with their deep practical experience to CO&S.” Mr. Almonte most recently served as a Director in CO&S where he was responsible for corporate applications from Large and Global Financial Institutions, including filings for business combinations, conversions, Federal branches and agencies, de novo bank charters, and failure transactions. Prior to joining CO&S, Mr. Almonte served as Special Counsel with the OCC’s Chief Counsel’s Office, providing counsel on supervision support, enforcement, licensing, and administrative matters involving national banks, federal savings associations, federal branches and agencies, and bank service providers. Prior to his government service, Mr. Almonte worked as legal counsel in the private sector. Mr. Almonte holds a bachelor’s degree from Lehman College, The City University of New York, and he holds a law degree from the University at Buffalo School of Law, The State University of New York. Mr. Astrada most recently served as a Director in CO&S, where he was responsible for corporate applications related to digital asset filings and de novo charter applications. During his tenure at the OCC, Mr. Astrada has managed the midsized, credit card, trust bank, and central region portfolios for CO&S. Prior to joining the OCC, Mr. Astrada held positions at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. He also worked in the private sector as regulatory counsel. Mr. Astrada holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in international politics and economics from Middlebury College. He received his juris doctor from American University, Washington College of Law, and his Master of Arts in international relations from American University, School of International Service.

The FINRA Investor Education Foundation (FINRA Foundation) released today new research, Finfluencer Followers and Social Media Scrollers: The Profile, Patterns, and Pitfalls of Social-Media-Informed Retail Investors. The research examines retail investors who use social media and follow finfluencers to inform their investment decisions. The findings, drawn from the Investor Survey component of the 2024 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS), reveal that while social media is successfully engaging previously underrepresented market participants, these investors may also face elevated fraud risk due to knowledge gaps.  "This research shows that social media is a significant resource for investors, but it comes with both potential benefits and costs," said Gerri Walsh, FINRA Foundation President. "These platforms are drawing in investors who might otherwise remain on the sidelines, providing educational content and fostering community. However, the fact that many of these same investors exhibit low objectively-assessed investing knowledge, high self-rated confidence in their investing knowledge and are vulnerable to investment fraud raises serious concerns. This research underscores the critical need for more targeted financial education efforts to help financial consumers find unbiased information, better assess risk and spot red flags of financial fraud." Key Findings: Demographics: Social media users and finfluencer followers were predominantly younger (60% of investors aged 18-34 use social media vs. 9% of those 55 or older; 61% aged 18 – 34 made an investment decision based on recommendations from a social media personality vs. 6% of those 55 or older), male, had lower portfolio values and were more likely to be a person of color than those who do not use social media or finfluencers to inform their decisions. Nearly half reported not identifying as "typical investors." Knowledge-Confidence Gap: Social media users and finfluencer followers often exhibited overconfidence, with more rating their subjective knowledge high while scoring low on objective investment knowledge tests compared non-users or non-followers. Social media users and finfluencer followers answered an average of 42% questions correctly on an objective investment knowledge quiz, yet 63% rated their investment knowledge as high. Fraud Risk: Social media users and finfluencer followers reported substantially higher fraud exposure and victimization. Among those who reported being targeted for fraud, 68% of social media users and 69% of finfluencer followers reported losing money to fraud (compared to 29% and 26% for non-users and non-followers, respectively). Information-Seeking: Social media users consulted an average of 7.6 information sources versus 4.0 for non-users and were more likely to check the background of a financial professional (36% vs. 14%). Non-Monetary Motives: Social media users reported significantly stronger motivations beyond profit motives for investing, including entertainment (59% vs. 18% for non-users), social activity (59% vs.11%) and supporting personal values (66% vs. 31%). About the FINRA Investor Education Foundation The FINRA Investor Education Foundation supports innovative research and educational projects that empower Americans with the knowledge, skills and tools to make sound financial decisions throughout their lives. For more information about FINRA Foundation research and education initiatives, visit www.finrafoundation.org.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today filed lawsuits challenging the actions of Arizona, Connecticut, and Illinois against CFTC-registered designated contract markets.  Despite the CFTC’s clear and longstanding exclusive jurisdiction to regulate event contracts under the Commodity Exchange Act, various states have attempted to outlaw, regulate, or otherwise restrain the activities of DCMs that facilitate trading in lawful event contracts. Congress long ago decided that a national framework for commodity derivatives markets was preferable to a fragmented patchwork of state regulations.  “The CFTC will continue to safeguard its exclusive regulatory authority over these markets and defend market participants against overzealous state regulators,” said CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig. “This is not the first time states have tried to impose inconsistent and contrary obligations on market participants, but Congress specifically rejected such a fragmented patchwork of state regulations because it resulted in poorer consumer protection and increased risk of fraud and manipulation.” The CFTC recently issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to assist the agency with identifying areas of confusion regarding the proper application of the CEA and the CFTC’s regulations to prediction markets and expects to move forward with regulation reinforcing those obligations. The CFTC first officially recognized event contracts in 1992 when it allowed the Iowa Electronic Markets, a futures market at the University of Iowa in which traders can buy and sell contracts pegged to events such as presidential elections and corporate earnings. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Congress expressly granted the CFTC comprehensive authority over any such contract based on a commodity, which is broadly defined in statute. The CEA is designed to account for innovation in the financial markets, allowing for new and emerging use cases within CFTC-regulated markets. RELATED LINKS FAQs: CFTC Prediction Markets Jurisdiction

Given the growing interest in prediction markets in Canada, the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) and the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) want industry and investors to be aware of the applicable requirements governing prediction markets and event contracts (also known as prediction contracts and forecast contracts).  Prediction markets are platforms that facilitate trading of event contracts, which pay out based on the outcomes of future events. Anyone trading, or facilitating trading, in event contracts which are securities or derivatives, must follow applicable requirements under securities or derivatives legislation, such as registration or recognition requirements. For instance, in some CSA jurisdictions, Multilateral Instrument 91-102 Prohibition of Binary Options prohibits any person from advertising, offering, selling or otherwise trading a binary option having a term to maturity of less than 30 days, with or to an individual. Failure to comply with applicable requirements under Canadian securities and derivatives laws may lead to enforcement action.  On March 26, 2026, CIRO published a bulletin, Application of CIRO Requirements to Event Contracts. At present, two CIRO members have been authorized to facilitate Canadian client access to event contracts, including contracts executed on foreign regulated prediction markets. Facilitating trading of event contracts by CIRO dealer members is subject to certain terms and conditions imposed by CIRO, in consultation with CSA members, which relate to what types of products may be offered to Canadian clients and how these products may be traded. The CSA and CIRO continue to review these terms and conditions, which may be subject to change for these dealer members and/or any others in the future. While these CIRO members may facilitate Canadian client access to event contracts, traded on non-Canadian markets, to date, no prediction market has been recognized as an exchange or registered as a dealer (or exempted from those requirements) by the CSA.  The CSA and CIRO continue to monitor developments involving prediction markets and event contracts and intend to issue further guidance on how securities or derivatives legislation applies to them. Due to regulators’ ongoing concerns around prediction markets, the CSA and CIRO will also consider whether other regulatory action is required, including changes to the terms and conditions in the above-mentioned CIRO bulletin. Any industry participant interested in trading, or facilitating trading, in event contracts with Canadian investors, should contact their local CSA member and CIRO before doing so. The CSA, the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, coordinates and harmonizes regulation for the Canadian capital markets. The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) is the pan-Canadian self-regulatory organization that oversees all investment dealers, mutual fund dealers and trading activity on Canada’s debt and equity marketplaces. CIRO is committed to the protection of investors, providing efficient and consistent regulation, and building Canadians’ trust in financial regulation and the people managing their investments. For more information, visit www.ciro.ca.  

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission today announced the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered an order granting the CFTC’s motion for summary judgment against James R. Velissaris, finding that he engaged in a fraudulent scheme in violation of the Commodity Exchange Act. The order imposes a $2.2 million civil monetary penalty and permanently enjoins Velissaris from engaging in further violations of the CEA, trading in any CFTC-regulated markets, entering into any transaction involving commodity interests, and registering with the Commission.  The court cited the egregiousness of Velissaris’s misconduct, which lasted for years and resulted in substantial investor losses. The court also noted the significant sanctions imposed upon him in a related criminal case, including a 15-year prison sentence, $125,969,962 in criminal restitution, and $22 million in forfeiture.  The summary judgment order resolves the CFTC’s enforcement action filed Feb.17, 2022, which charged Velissaris with operating a fraudulent scheme to overvalue assets managed by his multi-billion-dollar hedge fund, Infinity Q Capital Management LLC, a CFTC-registered commodity pool operator. [See CFTC Press Release No. 8495-22] According to that complaint, from 2018 – 2021, Velissaris engaged in a fraudulent valuation scheme to inflate the value of swaps held by two commodity pools managed by Infinity Q. He repeatedly represented that the funds valued their over-the-counter derivative positions using an independent third-party system without any substantive input from Infinity Q. In reality, Velissaris made manual adjustments in the system to artificially increase the reported value of the funds’ OTC derivative positions. These adjustments artificially inflated the funds’ net asset values and created a false record of success. Infinity Q then used those inflated values to charge inflated fees, induce additional investments from existing pool participants, and lure in new participants. Ultimately, the scheme resulted in customers paying more than $125 million in excess fees, of which approximately $22 million Velissaris used for his own benefit. RELATED LINKS Summary Judgement Order: James Robert Velissaris

The market opened for four trading days this week as the Federal Government declared Friday April 3 and Monday April 6, 2026, as Public Holidays to commemorate the Easter Celebration. Meanwhile, a total turnover of 2.856 billion shares worth ₦113.597 billion in 215,287 deals was traded this week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 3.950 billion shares valued at ₦201.312 billion that exchanged hands last week in 359,642 deals. Click here for full details.

The OCC (Options Clearing Corporation) March 2026 Monthly Volume Report shows a total trading volume of 1,519,967,103 contracts, a 23.1% increase compared to March 2025. The average daily volume (ADV) for the year-to-date (YTD) also rose by 19.8%, reaching 69,172,625 contracts.  Contract Volume   March 2026 Contracts March 2025 Contracts % Change 2026 YTD ADV 2025 YTD ADV % Change Equity Options 680,088,296 603,733,346 12.6% 33,718,151 30,973,457 8.9% ETF Options 678,860,777 513,096,542 32.3% 28,928,643 21,751,675 33.0% Index Options 153,712,199 112,098,007 37.1% 6,247,057 4,760,534 31.2% Total Options 1,512,661,272 1,228,927,895 23.1% 68,893,851 57,485,666 19.8% Futures 7,305,831 5,984,504 22.1% 278,774 245,326 13.6% Total Volume 1,519,967,103 1,234,912,399 23.1% 69,172,625 57,730,992 19.8%   Securities Lending   March 2026 Avg. Daily Loan Value March 2025 Avg. Daily Loan Value % Change March 2026 Total Transactions March 2025 Total Transactions % Change Market Loan + Hedge Total 218,805,050,284 181,451,990,995 20.6% 310,510 311,828 -0.42% Additional Data Market share volume by exchange Open interest Historical volume statistics

Kaiko, the global independent leader in digital asset market data, analytics, indices, and pricing, today announced a collaboration with Bruce Markets, which operates the after-hours Bruce ATS, to incorporate its trading data into Kaiko’s 24/7 equity Reference Rates. The partnership comes as participation in overnight trading continues to grow, driven by global investor demand and an increasingly around-the-clock news cycle. Kaiko’s Reference Rates combine equity data from multiple institutional sources into one rate, and with this partnership, Kaiko will ingest market data from Bruce ATS, enhancing Kaiko’s ability to deliver accurate, representative pricing by incorporating data from one of the fastest-growing venues in the overnight market. “No single overnight ATS can give you a comprehensive picture of the market, and pricing infrastructure needs to evolve accordingly,” said Ambre Soubiran, CEO of Kaiko. “Incorporating data from Bruce Markets alongside our existing sources strengthens the accuracy and resilience of our equity Reference Rates, ensuring they reflect true market conditions at all hours.” “The overnight session is here to stay, and we’re seeing both overall participation and our share of that activity continue to grow,” said Jason Wallach, CEO of Bruce Markets. “We’re proud to partner with Kaiko to ensure that high-quality overnight market data is reflected in the pricing infrastructure that traders and institutions rely on.” As platforms launch equity perpetual products, they need a dependable underlying reference price that’s accurate and always available. Kaiko’s real-time 24/7 equity Reference Rates are designed to meet that demand, delivering consolidated, institutional-grade pricing that enables seamless trading across both on-chain and off-chain markets.

Multiplier: 2XReason: In maintenance of a fair and orderly market.Time: OPENING and INTRADAYSubject Summary: Please be advised, effective for trade date April 2, 2026, the MIAX Regulatory Department has granted 2 times OPENING and INTRADAY quote parameter relief for all symbols on MIAX Options and MIAX Emerald Options. Please note, standard quote width is $5 wide, two (2) times width is $10.  The quote width listed in the following will be two (2) times the listed width.https://www.miaxglobal.com/markets/us-options/miax-options/market-maker-requirementshttps://www.miaxglobal.com/markets/us-options/emerald-options/market-maker-requirementsFor questions or comments, please contact the Regulatory Department at regulatory@miaxglobal.com.

Fiserv, Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV), a leading global provider of payments and financial services technology, has published the Fiserv Small Business Index for March 2026, indicating that U.S. small business sales continued to grow steadily in March, despite consumers being more selective in their spending. Higher average ticket sizes helped offset slower transaction volumes as small businesses closed out Q1 on solid footing. The seasonally adjusted Index rose to 144. Year-over-year sales grew (+1.3%) despite transactions (foot traffic) slowing (-1.3%). Month-over-month sales (+0.7%) and foot traffic (+0.5%) both grew slightly compared to February. With total transactions easing, sales growth was buoyed by higher average tickets, which grew both year over year (+2.6%) and month over month (+0.2%). “March reflects a small business economy that remains durable, supported by continued growth in consumer spend, but with signs of cautious behavior,” said Prasanna Dhore, Chief Data Officer, Fiserv. “With energy prices rising, households began weighing tradeoffs carefully. Their selectivity was visible with consumers eating out less and making more deliberate purchases.” Key Takeaways Higher gas prices influenced spending decisionsGeopolitical disruption sent Gasoline Station sales higher month over month (+10.3%), driven mostly by a jump in average tickets (+7.2%). Year-over-year sales (+12.7%) grew in line with the rise in average tickets (+12.9%). Consumers may have partially offset higher gas prices by moderating spend at Food Services and Drinking Places (-1.0% year over year). Limited-service restaurants saw sales decline year over year (-2.9%) as foot traffic fell sharply (-4.2%). Full-service restaurant sales were less affected, with sales growing slightly (+0.4%) and foot traffic declining (-0.3%) year over year. Retail sales accelerated from February, while year-over-year growth was modestTotal retail sales rose month over month (+1.2%) and year over year (+0.7%). Gasoline sales accounted for most of the monthly gains. Building Materials (+3.5%), Motor Vehicle Parts (+1.6%) and Furniture (+1.7%) also contributed, with growth in these subsectors driven by higher foot traffic. Food and Beverage Stores (grocery) sales continued to soften (-0.5% month over month and -1.5% year over year) as consumers made more budget‑conscious purchasing choices. Discretionary and essential spending patterns were largely unchanged in MarchEssential spending outpaced discretionary spending for the 12th consecutive month, reinforcing a consistent pattern of prioritization among consumers. Discretionary categories grew year over year (+0.8%) and month over month (+0.8%); essential categories also grew (+1.9%) year over year and (+0.6%) month over month. To access the full Fiserv Small Business Index, visit fiserv.com/FiservSmallBusinessIndex. About the Fiserv Small Business Index® The Fiserv Small Business Index is published during the first week of every month and differentiated by its direct aggregation of consumer spending activity within the U.S. small business ecosystem. Rather than relying on survey or sentiment data, the Fiserv Small Business Index is derived from point-of-sale transaction data, including card, cash, and check transactions in-store and online across approximately 2 million U.S. small businesses, including hundreds of thousands leveraging the Clover point-of-sale and business management platform. Benchmarked to 2019, the Fiserv Small Business Index provides a numeric value measuring consumer spending, with an accompanying transaction index measuring customer traffic. Through a simple interface, users can access data by region, state, and/or across business types categorized by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Featuring the most detailed classification available, the Fiserv Small Business Index provides visibility into 56 standardized level-6 national industries across 26 subsectors and 13 sectors, allowing users to track sales trends with precision and understand the diverse dynamics shaping the U.S. small business economy. 

Click here to download Cboe Global Markets 2024 Annual Report.

Record monthly ADV of 41.1 million contracts in March Record quarterly ADV of 36.2 million contracts in Q1 Record quarterly ADV across interest rate, energy, metals, equity index, agriculture and foreign exchange products Record quarterly ADV in U.S. Treasury and SOFR complexes CME Group, the world's leading derivatives marketplace, today reported its average daily volume (ADV) reached a monthly record of 41.1 million contracts in March, up 33% year-over-year, and a quarterly record of 36.2 million contracts in Q1, up 22% year-over-year. Additionally, for the first time ever, quarterly volumes reached record levels across interest rate, energy, metals, equity index, agriculture and foreign exchange products. Market statistics are available in greater detail at https://cmegroupinc.gcs-web.com/monthly-volume. "Credible markets are more critical than ever as investors at every level seek to manage risk in an increasingly uncertain environment," said CME Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Terry Duffy. "The all-time record volumes we achieved in Q1, and throughout March, attest to the value our clients find in the deep liquidity, unmatched efficiencies, and price transparency CME Group provides across asset classes." March 2026 monthly highlights across asset classes include: Interest Rate ADV increased 42% to 20.8 million contracts Record SOFR futures and options ADV of 9.4 million contracts Record U.S. Treasury options ADV of 2.4 million contracts 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV increased 21% to 2.9 million contracts 5-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV increased 29% to 2 million contracts 2-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV increased 69% to 1.5 million contracts 30-Day Fed Funds futures ADV increased 18% to 560,000 contracts Energy ADV increased 91% to a record 5.1 million contracts Record WTI Crude Oil futures ADV of 2 million contracts Record Micro WTI Crude Oil futures ADV of 655,000 contracts Record RBOB Gasoline futures ADV of 349,000 contracts Record NY Heating Oil futures ADV of 296,000 contracts Metals ADV increased 86% to a record 1.4 million contracts Micro Gold futures ADV increased 291% to 535,000 contracts Micro Silver futures ADV increased 720% to 131,000 contracts Equity Index ADV increased 5% to a record 10.1 million contracts Record E-mini S&P 500 futures ADV of 2.2 million contracts Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures ADV increased 3% to 2.3 million contracts Agricultural ADV increased 19% to 2.2 million contracts Soybean futures ADV increased 33% to 323,000 contracts Soybean Oil futures ADV increased 85% to 273,000 contracts Chicago SRW Wheat futures ADV increased 30% to 169,000 contracts Foreign Exchange ADV increased 18% to a record 1.6 million contracts Record Australian Dollar futures ADV of 207,000 contracts Euro FX futures ADV increased 17% to 393,000 contracts British Pound futures ADV increased 39% to 185,000 contracts Cryptocurrency ADV increased 19% to 210,000 contracts ($7.98 billion notional) Ether futures ADV increased 53% to 19,000 contracts Micro Bitcoin futures ADV increased 6% to 77,000 contracts International ADV increased 43% to a record 13.3 million contracts, with record EMEA ADV of 9.6 million contracts and record APAC ADV of 3.2 million contracts Micro Products ADV Micro E-mini Equity Index futures and options ADV of 4.7 million contracts represented 46% of overall Equity Index ADV, Micro Energy futures accounted for 13% of overall Energy ADV and Micro Metals futures accounted for 60% of overall Metals ADV BrokerTec overall average daily notional value (ADNV) increased 22% to a record $1.151 trillion in March BrokerTec U.S. Repo ADNV increased 17% to a record $412 billion European Repo ADNV increased 15% to €389 billion U.S. Treasury ADNV increased 13% to $135 billion EBS Spot FX ADNV increased 13% to $86 billion and FX Link ADV increased 42% to 59,000 contracts ($6.3 billion notional per leg) Customer average collateral balances to meet performance bond requirements for rolling 3-months ending February 2026 were $147.8 billion for cash collateral and $167.1 billion for non-cash collateral Q1 2026 quarterly highlights across asset classes include: Interest Rate ADV increased 24% to a record 18.7 million contracts Record U.S. Treasury futures and options ADV of 10.6 million contracts Record SOFR futures and options ADV of 7.5 million contracts Record 10-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV of 2.9 million contracts Record 5-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV of 2.2 million contracts Record 2-Year U.S. Treasury Note futures ADV of 1.4 million contracts Energy ADV increased 37% to a record 4 million contracts Record Henry Hub Natural Gas futures ADV of 752,000 contracts Record WTI Crude Oil options ADV of 320,000 contracts WTI Crude Oil futures ADV increased 70% to 1.7 million contracts Metals ADV increased 127% to a record 1.7 million contracts Record Micro Gold futures ADV of 714,000 contracts Record Micro Silver futures ADV of 263,000 contracts Gold futures ADV increased 20% to 282,000 contracts Equity Index ADV increased 8% to a record 8.7 million contracts Record Micro E-mini Nasdaq 100 futures ADV of 2.1 million contracts Record Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures ADV of 1.5 million contracts E-Mini Russell 2000 futures ADV increased 25% to 254,000 contracts Agricultural ADV increased 4% to a record 2 million contracts Record Soybean Oil futures ADV of 243,000 contracts Soybean futures ADV increased 16% to 335,000 contracts Chicago SRW Wheat futures ADV increased 17% to 170,000 contracts Foreign Exchange ADV increased 4% to a record 1.2 million contracts Record Australian Dollar futures ADV of 154,000 contracts Japanese Yen futures ADV increased 2% to 198,000 contracts Cryptocurrency ADV increased 57% to 310,000 contracts ($9.3 billion notional) Micro Ether futures ADV increased 29% to 98,000 contracts Micro Bitcoin futures ADV increased 8% to 83,000 contracts  Ether futures ADV increased 62% to 21,000 contracts

BPX, the UK FCA-authorised institutional venue for issuing, trading and lending both traditional and tokenised alternative assets, today announced the appointment of Charles McManus as Advisor. Charles McManus, Co-founder and former CEO of ClearBank, one of the UK’s first new clearing banks in over 250 years, joins BPX at a pivotal moment for global financial markets. He brings extensive experience in building and scaling regulated financial infrastructure. He continues to work with financial institutions, fintechs and industry bodies in advisory and board roles. His appointment comes as market structure and infrastructure continue to evolve, driven by advances in blockchain, smart contracts, digital money, programmable payments and AI. A profound structural shift is underway: traditional finance is evolving toward digitally native, tokenised, and increasingly decentralised models. BPX is leading this transition—working alongside regulators and institutions to build the infrastructure and frameworks required for safe, scalable institutional participation in this new financial ecosystem. Charles McManus on joining BPX as Advisor: “Having spent my career at the intersection of banking, fintech and securities markets, BPX represents a compelling convergence of these domains at a pivotal moment for the industry. Financial services are entering a new era, where digital assets, digital money and tokenised infrastructure are redefining how markets and leading players operate. BPX is addressing this shift through the development of a regulated securities marketplace for traditional and tokenised assets, designed not only to support innovation, settlement and custody, but to enable institutional adoption within a robust regulatory framework. This is critical to unlocking the full potential of tokenisation of securities in global capital markets. I am excited to support BPX’s mission as its platform evolves alongside regulators and market participants. The transformation of financial markets is underway, and BPX is well positioned to play a leading role in this new ecosystem.” BPX is building next-generation market infrastructure that goes beyond traditional regulated systems, unlocking a significant commercial opportunity at the intersection of institutional finance and digital innovation. Ali Celiker, Founder and CEO of BPX, said: “We are delighted to welcome Charles McManus to BPX as an advisor at such a pivotal moment for capital markets. Charles brings a rare combination of deep banking expertise, fintech innovation experience, and a proven track record of building and scaling regulated financial institutions from the ground up—experience that is directly aligned with BPX’s mission. His insight and relationships will be invaluable as we continue to develop BPX as a next-generation market infrastructure, enabling the issuance, settlement, and trading of digital securities within a trusted regulatory framework. Charles’ perspective, shaped through close collaboration with regulators, institutions, and market participants, strongly aligns with our vision to modernise capital markets through tokenisation. We look forward to working together as we accelerate the transition towards more efficient, transparent, and accessible financial market.” BPX is progressing the build-out of its digital securities marketplace in close collaboration with regulators, institutional participants and strategic advisors. The appointment of Charles McManus further strengthens this effort, bringing additional expertise in navigating regulatory frameworks and scaling financial market infrastructure. BPX is among a select group of firms participating in the joint Bank of England and FCA Digital Securities Sandbox, where it is testing and refining its infrastructure to support both traditional and digital assets within a controlled environment. Through this work, and in collaboration with its members, BPX is contributing to the development of next-generation market models and helping define the future architecture of global financial markets.

Tamam Finance, a leading digital financial service, chose TrafficGuard to protect mobile attribution integrity and drive growth by eliminating ad fraud. By implementing TrafficGuard’s Mobile App fraud prevention solution, Tamam and global media agency partner OMD MENA were able to take real-time control over mobile attribution quality. This enabled them to redirect investment towards genuine, incremental performance, resulting in US$120,000 in projected annual media efficiency improvements.   TrafficGuard’s solution allows Tamam to make better informed budgetary decisions with clean, trustworthy attribution signals. The analysis flagged that up to 66% of Tamam’s installs were potentially invalid or misattributed traffic, reinforcing the need for advanced fraud prevention controls. It was deployed and integrated at click level, install level, and post-attribution level to prevent fraudulent clicks and impressions from reaching the mobile measurement partner (MMP) from the first interactions. This enabled OMD and Tamam to protect mobile app budgets, improve MMP attribution, and ensure future growth in a more secure and transparent mobile advertising environment.   “Mobile ad fraud prevention has become increasingly critical for fintech growth teams. Fraudulent installs, misattributed conversions, and invalid post-install activity are draining budgets, distorting optimisation signals, and redirecting spend away from genuine customer acquisition," said Mathew Ratty, CEO at TrafficGuard. "By deploying TrafficGuard's Mobile App solution, Tamam and OMD MENA are proactively blocking invalid traffic across the full install journey, from click validation through to post-attribution analysis. With clean MMP data powering their decisions, they have the confidence that their campaigns are driving real users and genuine growth."   Tamam Finance is a digital financing service and the first company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be licensed by the Saudi Central Bank to provide digital financial solutions tailored to individuals. Tamam offers Shari’a compliant instant approval financing for up to 50,000 Saudi Riyals in a quick, easy, secure and fully digital solution.   When user acquisition decisions are grounded in verified attribution data, optimisation becomes significantly more effective," said Thamer Almuhaysin, Digital Marketing Manager at Tamam. "With TrafficGuard validating installs and filtering invalid traffic across our app campaigns, we've been able to trust our MMP data, sharpen budget allocation, and drive genuine, sustainable growth.   TrafficGuard is a multi-award winning platform that detects, mitigates, and reports on digital invalid traffic and ad fraud before it hits advertising budgets, trusted by thousands of global businesses including enterprise brands operating across highly competitive verticals such as finance, eCommerce, travel, and gaming. In February, TrafficGuard expanded its operations in the U.S. as part of a robust growth pipeline, with plans to significantly expand its team in the region and enable brands to boost their revenue and confidently scale advertising campaigns by eliminating non-genuine, non-incremental, and wasteful traffic across paid media.

We are changing the publication dates of the Decision Maker Panel (DMP) and Agents’ summary of business conditions (ASBC) so that they no longer fall on the same day as publication of the Monetary Policy Report (MPR). New publication timetable for the Decision Maker Panel In MPR months, the DMP data will now be published on the Friday in the week before MPR publication. For other months, publication will move back one day from Thursday to Friday. New publication timetable for the Agents’ summary of business conditions In both MPR and non-MPR months, the ASBC will be published on the Friday in the week before the Monetary Policy Committee announcement. Publication dates for the remainder of 2026  Friday 24 April Monthly Decision Maker Panel data – April 2026Agents’ summary of business conditions – April 2026  Thursday 30 April  April MPC Summary and minutes and April Monetary Policy Report  Friday 5 June  Monthly Decision Maker Panel data – May 2026  Friday 12 June  Agents’ summary of business conditions – June 2026  Thursday 18 June June MPC Summary and minutes  Friday 3 July  Monthly Decision Maker Panel data – June 2026  Friday 24 July  Monthly Decision Maker Panel data – July 2026Agents’ summary of business conditions – July 2026  Thursday 30 July  July MPC Summary and minutes and July Monetary Policy Report  Friday 4 September  Monthly Decision Maker Panel data – August 2026  Friday 11 September  Agents’ summary of business conditions – September 2026  Thursday 17 September  September MPC Summary and minutes  Friday 2 October  Monthly Decision Maker Panel data – September 2026 Friday 30 October  Monthly Decision Maker Panel data – October 2026Agents’ summary of business conditions – November 2026  Thursday 5 November  November MPC Summary and minutes and November Monetary Policy Report  Friday 4 December  Monthly Decision Maker Panel data – November 2026  Friday 11 December  Agents’ summary of business conditions – December 2026  Thursday 17 December  December MPC Summary and minutes    Background The Decision Maker Panel is a monthly survey of Chief Financial Officers from small, medium and large UK businesses. The Agents’ summary of business conditions summarises intelligence from the Bank’s Agents considered by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC). This information is collated ahead of each MPC meeting.

KEY POINTS SET and LSX have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation and connectivity between the two capital markets, with a focus on supporting Dual Listing to expand fundraising and investment options. The collaboration spans business ecosystem development, research, regulatory knowledge, and personnel exchange. The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the Lao Securities Exchange (LSX) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marking a significant milestone in strengthening cooperation and connectivity between the Thai and Lao capital markets. The partnership represents a major step towards regional capital market integration, unlocking new opportunities for investors and market participants in both countries. The MOU establishes a framework for collaboration in key areas of mutual interest, including cross-border market development, business opportunities, joint research, information sharing, and personnel exchange. Under this agreement, SET and LSX will explore initiatives to foster cross-border connectivity and facilitate dual listings to expand investment access and market liquidity. The partnership will also promote business ecosystems through networking initiatives, business matching activities, and investor engagement programs. In addition, both exchanges will collaborate on research and share market insights, operational expertise, and regulatory knowledge to enhance market efficiency and transparency, while supporting staff exchange programs to enhance mutual understanding and institutional capabilities. SET President Asadej Kongsiri said that this partnership reflects SET’s commitment to strengthening regional capital market connectivity. By working closely with LSX, we are unlocking new cross-border investment opportunities, enhancing market accessibility, and supporting sustainable growth for both markets. This is fully aligned with our vision: “The Trusted Gateway to Inclusive Opportunities” — anchored in SET’s priorities of building a Trusted Marketplace through diverse, high-quality, and relevant products and services, and Empowering Market Participants — both domestic and international — to grow and thrive together sustainably. Furthermore, this partnership reinforces SET’s commitment to developing Purposeful People Who Transform, by creating meaningful opportunities for capacity-building and professional development across both exchanges. Furthermore, this partnership reinforces SET’s commitment to fostering Purposeful People Who Transform, by creating opportunities for capacity-building and professional development across both bourses.  LSX CEO Siosavath Thirakul said that the MOU with SET represents an important step forward for the Lao capital market. Through this collaboration, we will enhance our market capabilities, expand investment opportunities, and promote greater integration with regional markets for the benefit of all stakeholders. This collaboration underscores the shared vision of SET and LSX to advance deeper regional integration, enhance market development, and create long-term value for investors and stakeholders in both countries.

Today, Robinhood Markets, Inc. (“Robinhood”) (NASDAQ: HOOD) announced that it will release its first quarter 2026 financial results on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, after market close. Robinhood will host a video call with Chairman & Chief Executive Officer  Vlad Tenev and Chief Financial Officer  Shiv Verma to discuss its results at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET on the same day. The video call and supporting materials will be available at investors.robinhood.com. The event will also be live streamed to YouTube and X.com via Robinhood’s official channels, @RobinhoodApp, and within the Robinhood mobile app. Following the call, a replay and transcript will also be available at investors.robinhood.com. Ahead of the call, Robinhood shareholders can visit https://app.saytechnologies.com/robinhood-markets-2026-q1 to submit and upvote questions for management using the Q&A platform developed by Say Technologies. The Q&A platform will be open for question submission starting Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Shareholders will be able to submit and upvote questions until Monday, April 27, 2026, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Management will address a selection of the most upvoted questions relating to Robinhood’s business and financial results on the earnings call. Shareholders can email hello@saytechnologies.com for any support inquiries.

Clearstream Banking S.A., Luxembourg („Clearstream“), a 100 per cent subsidiary of Deutsche Börse AG, learned today that a US court in the so-called Peterson II case (see annual report of 2025, page 261) issued a decision in favor of creditors of Iran who had brought a lawsuit seeking turnover of  at least approximately USD 1.7 bn that are attributed to the Iranian central bank (”Bank Markazi“) and held in custody at Clearstream in Luxembourg in a client account. Clearstream is assessing appealing the decision.Since 2018, Bank Markazi also as part of an action filed in Luxembourg against (among others) Clearstream is asking for restitution of considerable amounts of assets including the abovementioned amount of approximately USD 1.7 bn (see ad hoc announcement of Deutsche Börse AG of 18 January 2018). This action is currently still being briefed in the first instance proceedings. Clearstream after legal consultation believes the claims made against it in Luxembourg to be without merit.Clearstream, after comprehensive legal consultation and within the scope of its potential courses of action, will weigh all relevant interests and responsibilities as to how to deal with the assets at issue while complying with Clearstream's legal and regulatory obligations. Clearstream will continue to analyze the overall legal situation.Based on the legal assessment of the mentioned cases, today’s decision does not cause any material change to the overall risk that would require Clearstream or Deutsche Börse AG to make provisions in this context.