A new breed of federally regulated prediction markets is siphoning off a growing share of betting activity around the Super Bowl, a shift that has weighed on the shares of incumbent gambling giants such as FanDuel and DraftKings. While traditional sportsbooks are still expected to see a slight increase in total wagers for the championship game, analysts now project that prediction markets such as Kalshi will capture around 80% of all year-on-year growth in wagering activity for the event, attracting an estimated $630 million in bets. This shift highlights what analysts describe as a successful “regulatory flank”. Prediction markets have positioned themselves as federally regulated prediction markets operating under Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversight, rather than as gambling platforms subject to state-by-state licensing. This allows them to operate in states where traditional online sports betting remains illegal, including large markets such as California and Texas.The Market ReactedShares of FanDuel-owner Flutter Entertainment have entered an eight-week slide, the longest in more than two decades, while DraftKings is trading near its lowest levels since 2023. Wall Street analysts have cut consensus fourth-quarter earnings estimates for Flutter and DraftKings by 49% and 29%, respectively, over the past three months. “A big piece of why we think Super Bowl handle will be down [for traditional sportsbooks] is that prediction markets are taking a bite out of that,” Jordan Bender, a senior equity analyst at Citizens JMP, told Bloomberg. Until early 2025, the CFTC had signalled that sports-related contracts were off-limits. Following the 2024 election and a shift toward a lighter-touch regulatory approach, Kalshi began offering contracts linked to the Super Bowl. The CFTC did not intervene. Since then, sports-related contracts have come to account for more than 90% of Kalshi’s trading volume. Incumbent Operators RespondedBoth DraftKings and FanDuel have launched their own prediction market applications to compete in states where their core sports betting products remain restricted. However, early adoption has favoured first movers. In January, Kalshi’s app was downloaded 1.9 million times, compared with fewer than 100,000 combined downloads for the new prediction market apps from DraftKings and FanDuel, according to Sensor Tower data. While some gambling executives argue that these platforms primarily attract less profitable “sharp” bettors, usage data suggests meaningful overlap. Around 10% of DraftKings users were also active on Kalshi in January. The competitive and regulatory landscape continues to evolve. DraftKings has announced a partnership with prediction market platform Crypto.com to expand its range of contracts, while state gaming regulators are challenging the legality of sports-related event contracts in court, raising the prospect of a Supreme Court review. For now, the new CFTC chair has indicated that sports contracts will be allowed to proceed. For the broader financial and fintech industries, the Super Bowl of 2026 offers a clear strategic lesson. Prediction markets did not displace incumbents by competing within the same regulatory framework, but by operating under a different one. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

Finance Magnates’ Q4 2025 Intelligence Report highlights a steady rise for ATFX, which recorded USD 817.4 billion in MT4/MT5 trading volume in Q4, contributing to a remarkable total exceeding USD 3.17 trillion for 2025. This performance builds on strong trading activity in the first three quarters, reflecting ATFX’s expanding client base, diversified product offerings, and robust results across key asset classes including stocks, indices, precious metals, and currency pairs.Over the course of the year, ATFX experienced increasing client participation and higher trading volumes, fuelled by growing engagement from both retail and professional traders. Consistent account activity and sustained market momentum reflected the company’s ability to attract quality clients.Precious metals and currency pairs achieved notable growth, reflecting robust demand in these sectors. Industry recognition, including awards like Best Global Forex Broker 2025 at Forex Expo Dubai and Broker of the Year 2025 at the FinanceFeeds Awards, alongside multiple regional and international accolades, further affirms ATFX’s leadership and credibility on the global stage.Looking ahead, ATFX aims to build on this momentum by launching AI-driven trading tools, enhancing fintech integration, and investing in infrastructure improvements to deliver institutional-grade solutions and long-term value for traders worldwide.About ATFXATFX is a leading global fintech broker with a local presence in 24 locations and holds 9 licenses from regulatory authorities, including the UK's FCA, Australia's ASIC, Cyprus' CySEC, the UAE's SCA, Hong Kong's SFC, South Africa's FSCA, Mauritius' FSC, Seychelles' FSA, and Cambodia's SERC. With a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, innovative technology, and strict regulatory compliance, ATFX delivers exceptional trading experiences to clients worldwide.For further information on ATFX, please visit ATFX website https://www.atfx.com. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Quant Technology Group today announced the general availability of QuantSentry, a next-generation risk management platform purpose-built for proprietary trading firms of all sizes, from early-stage operators to global market leaders. QuantSentry replaces manual oversight and fragmented legacy tooling with an automated, AI-native risk engine designed to detect coordinated trading abuse, enforce risk rules in real time, and protect firm capital as operations grow.Modern prop firms operate in a risk environment that legacy systems were never built to handle. As firms grow from hundreds to thousands of active accounts, enforcement becomes inconsistent, latency increases, and investigations turn into manual firefighting, which creates payout leakage and margin erosion. QuantSentry closes this gap with an adaptive, cloud-native architecture that preserves millisecond-level precision as account load scales, helping firms protect margins and reduce operational drag.“Legacy risk tooling was never designed for the scale and complexity of modern prop firm operations,” said Akash Thakrar, Head of Corporate Development at Quant Technology Group. “QuantSentry applies network-based analysis to enforce risk rules consistently as firms grow.”QuantSentry delivers immediate operational and financial impact by improving payout accuracy, identifying abusive trading behavior before fraudulent payouts are released, and reducing investigation time through intelligent alerting. By automating detection and audit, firms can operate leaner risk teams without compromising control, compliance, or growth.QuantSentry is available immediately across four tiers. Starter, Growth, Scale, and Enterprise - supporting firms at every stage of their lifecycle. The platform integrates seamlessly with major trading platforms and bridges, enabling rapid deployment without operational disruption. Core CapabilitiesAdaptive Risk Infrastructure - An AI-native, cloud-based platform that automatically adjusts as firms grow, delivering consistent, low-latency risk enforcement from early-stage operations to thousands of active accounts.AI-Driven Abuse Detection - Advanced network analysis and machine learning models that identify coordinated trading abuse, including copy trading, hedging schemes, and multi-accounting, before payouts occur.Intelligent Investigations & Audit Readiness - Risk-based alert prioritization with full trade context and a complete audit trail, enabling faster investigations, defensible decisions, and regulator-ready reporting. PDF Evidence Kits can be generated to assist firms in enforcing Terms of Service.For more information, users can visit http://www.quantsentry.com/About Quant Technology GroupQuant Technology Group is a fintech development firm specializing in high-performance trading and risk infrastructure. By combining deep market expertise with advanced cloud engineering, the company delivers mission-critical systems that enable proprietary trading firms and financial institutions to operate securely, efficiently, and at any scale. Its flagship risk platform, QuantSentry, serves as a core risk engine for modern proprietary trading operations. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

PU Prime has become the latest contracts for differences (CFDs) broker to gain a licence in Dubai and, like most others, has opted for an introducing broker-equivalent Category 5 licence.UAE Is the Next Hub for BrokersAccording to the register of the Capital Market Authority (CMA), which was recently renamed from the Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA), the licence will allow the broker to introduce and promote products offered by other offshore entities.However, the Cat 5 licence does not allow firms to hold client assets or execute trades locally. They must redirect UAE-based clients to other offshore entities.Although the Cat 1 licence offers full brokerage status in the UAE, the conditions are much higher compared to the popular Cat 5 option. For instance, the Cat 1 licence requires at least AED 30 million in capital, while the requirement for Cat 5 is only AED 500,000.Category 1 licensees are also required to maintain larger operating teams and office setups, including more senior control functions and stronger operational infrastructure.These factors have likely pushed XM, Exinity, VT Markets, Eightcap, EC Markets, Pepperstone, Taurex, and many others to secure the Cat 5 licence in the UAE. However, some brokers are willing to bear the higher cost. Plus500, XTB, Deriv, and RoboMarkets are among the well-known firms that have secured Category 1 licences. There are also newer Dubai-based entrants that have chosen the full brokerage route.[#highlighted-links#] PU Prime’s Expansion PlanFounded in 2015, PU Prime primarily operates under offshore licences, including those in Mauritius and Seychelles. It also holds a licence from the regulator in South Africa and obtained one from the Australian watchdog last year by acquiring the Australian business of Admirals.PU Prime’s entry into the UAE also shows that brokers see the region as attractive.While detailed local data are limited, several brokers have pointed to rising demand in the region.Capital.com reported that 52 per cent of its H1 2025 trading volume came from the Middle East, compared with 15 per cent from Europe. The broker had 35,000 MENA traders, compared with 61,400 in Europe. In addition, 71.7 per cent of Capital.com’s $804.1 billion trading volume in MENA was generated by UAE-based traders.CFI Financial, another Middle East-focused CFD broker, handled a record $2.07 trillion in trading volume during the fourth quarter of 2025. By comparison, the broker’s total trading volume for the whole of 2024 was $2.79 trillion. This article was written by Arnab Shome at www.financemagnates.com.

Mid-caps are increasingly on the radar of institutional investors in Singapore and with listing activity set to rise again this year, opportunities for diversification will also increase.Institutional interest in Singapore’s small- and mid-cap segment has strengthened meaningfully over the past year.The Monetary Authority of Singapore’s equity market development programme has been a major catalyst, directing capital to strategies with a significant allocation to locally listed equities - particularly those outside the large-cap universe.The equity market development programme was launched in February 2025 with a S$5 billion investment to bolster the local fund management ecosystem, deploying $3.95 billion across two batches of appointed asset managers, with a third allocation expected in the second quarter of this year.In addition, tax exemptions were introduced for fund managers investing substantially in Singapore-listed equities, while adjustments to the Global Investor Programme targeting Singapore-based single family offices were made to encourage capital inflows.The grant for the equity market Singapore scheme, enhanced by S$50 million from the Financial Sector Development Fund, now includes research coverage on pre-IPO companies and mid- to small-cap enterprises.According to Yain Wang, AEW managing director and chief investment officer for Asia Pacific, these initiatives have helped to broaden market liquidity and improve price discovery for smaller companies.“With S$3.95 billion already allocated to nine asset managers, momentum is building and many investors now view small and mid-cap companies as a key theme for 2026 as liquidity improves and structural reforms take hold,” she says.Value Unlock and Market SupportComplementary initiatives such as the Value Unlock programme further support this segment of the market by strengthening corporate engagement and transparency.Value Unlock is a strategic initiative by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Singapore Exchange that helps listed companies realise their full valuation potential by encouraging them to think beyond ‘business as usual’, identify opportunities for improvement, and implement and communicate actionable strategies that create sustainable shareholder value.Singapore Exchange wants to attract more companies from China and Southeast Asia to list in the city-state to increase momentum in IPOs https://t.co/cY7hvuKr5K— Bloomberg (@business) February 5, 2026IPO Activity Rebounds StronglyAccording to PwC’s latest equity capital markets watch report, after a decline over the past three years, Singapore’s IPO activities experienced a strong rebound in 2025 with 12 IPO deals.Deloitte’s Southeast Asia IPO capital market report 2025 notes that the real estate sector saw two key listings in Singapore, with assets for data centre and accommodation purposes. While the consumer sector accounted for the highest number of public offerings last year, it was real estate that fuelled the massive increase in funds raised – S$2 billion compared to just S$34 million in 2024.According to the report, these listings reflect a broader regional shift toward niche asset classes. Investors are drawn to these sectors for their resilience and growth potential.IPO activity in Singapore is expected to progress in its recovery this year, supported by regulatory and market reforms and specifically measures implemented by the equities market review group.The more accommodative interest rate environment has supported the return of REIT listings on the Singapore Exchange, and healthcare and technology companies are also expected to pursue listings on the SGX. Investors will remain selective, focusing on companies with strong fundamentals, well-prepared offerings and decent valuations.Dual Listing and Structural ReformsWang agrees that the universe of listed companies in Singapore is expected to increase further and that structural reforms will also influence listing activity.“The MAS-SGX proposal for a dual-listing bridge with Nasdaq, aimed at attracting high-growth Asian companies, could draw more issuers to Singapore from mid-2026 onward,” she says. “Combined with the Value Unlock programme, these efforts should support a modest but steady expansion of SGX’s issuer base. The real estate sector, in particular, is at an interesting inflection point. Alternative-living platforms are already active with additional vehicles and potential listings in the pipeline.”ETF Flows and Pipeline GrowthShawn Ang, portfolio manager of the Fullerton Singapore Value-Up Fund, also refers to increased engagement with Singapore’s emerging mid-cap segment from institutional investors, noting that flows into Singapore securities picked up in 2025 with overall ETF fund flows reaching their highest level since 2021.Ang (who co-manages the fund with Michelle Sim) says that since its inception the firm has received a number of reverse enquiries about the fund and its strategies, both locally and across the region.“In terms of listings, Singapore’s IPO pipeline has been picking up,” he says. “SGX recorded 15 IPOs in 2025 - up significantly from 2024 – and as of the first week of January 2026 more than 30 companies have begun preparing for listings across the Mainboard and Catalist [which has no quantitative entry criteria].”????Hong Kong & Singapore to be biggest winners as global capital flows shift to #Asia:HK & SG are best choices for global investors seeking to diversify their portfolios amid geopolitical risks.DBS CEO Tan Su Shan via @SCMPNews. #WealthManagement https://t.co/j34B1J9Kz1— Urs Bolt ???? (@UrsBolt) February 9, 2026Ang shares the view that initiatives such as the SGX-Nasdaq dual listing bridge, which will allow companies to list on both bourses concurrently with a single set of offering documents, can help to sustain a healthy IPO pipeline by attracting high-quality growth companies.“SGX has also been proactive in its outreach for IPOs from Chinese companies, especially those pursuing a China + 1 strategy and looking at expansion to Singapore,” he says. “This allows us to continue to grow our pipeline of listings and is a trend that benefits the fund in terms of broadening the investable universe and opening up more opportunities for investment in quality stocks.”Strong Fundamentals Attract InstitutionsAccording to Robert St Clair, head of investment strategy at Fullerton Fund Management, institutional investors may turn to domestic assets due to Singapore’s strong economic fundamentals.“The economy expanded by 4.8% in 2025, more than the Government’s forecast of 4%, marking its best performance since 2021’s bounce back from the pandemic-induced recession,” he observes. “Supported by strong productivity, external demand and trade momentum, Singapore is a valuable anchor in this disruptive realpolitik environment.”Singapore’s AAA sovereign rating, stable currency, strong rule of law and fiscal soundness continue to make local assets highly attractive to institutional investors seeking safe, predictable returns - especially against a backdrop of volatile global geopolitics and rising scrutiny on fiscal sustainability across developed markets, says Wang.“Investor appetite has remained robust across sectors, supported by sound market fundamentals and lower financing costs,” Wang concludes. “These characteristics reinforce Singapore’s status as a regional safe haven and strengthen the case for sustained institutional overweighting to domestic assets.” This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

IC Markets, a leading global forex and CFD provider, will participate in iFX Expo Dubai 2026 as an Elite Sponsor, reinforcing its continued investment in technology, partnerships, and long-term growth across global markets. With nearly two decades of experience serving traders worldwide, IC Markets will use the event to highlight its institutional-grade infrastructure, deep liquidity offering, and expanding suite of trading solutions designed to support both retail and professional market participants. As part of the official agenda, Jason Hughes, General Manager at IC Markets, will speak on “Margin Optimisation: Leverage That Works for You,” a session focused on responsible leverage models, capital efficiency, and risk-aligned margin methodologies that support sustainable trading environments. Throughout the event, IC Markets will be available at Booth 3, where the team will meet with partners and industry peers to discuss platform technology, integrations, and evolving market requirements. Commenting on the company’s participation, Tony Philip, Chief Marketing Officer of IC Markets, said: “Our presence at iFX Expo Dubai reflects IC Markets’ ongoing commitment to building robust, transparent trading environments supported by institutional-grade technology. We look forward to engaging with partners and contributing to meaningful conversations around the future of global trading.”About IC MarketsFounded in 2007, IC Markets is a globally recognised CFD broker offering access to FX, indices, commodities, stocks, and cryptocurrencies. Known for its institutional-grade infrastructure and trader-focused approach, IC Markets serves clients across multiple regions worldwide. Find out more about IC Markets icmarkets.com/global This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Freedom Holding Corp. (https://www.freedomholdingcorp.com/)(Nasdaq: FRHC), a diversified financial services and technology group, today announced financial results for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2025, reflecting growth in assets and shareholders’ equity, strong operating cash flow generation, and continued expansion of its customer base across core business segments.The holding company’s total assets at the end of the third quarter amounted to $12.38 billion, which is 25% higher than at the end of the previous fiscal year - $9.91 billion. The growth in assets was driven by the expansion of the company’s own investment portfolio and an increase in client balances in brokerage accounts.Key Financial HighlightsFor the nine months ending 31 December 2025, operating cash flow reached $1.73 billionTotal shareholders’ equity rose to $1.40 billion, up from $1.21 billion at the end of the prior fiscal year.Net income for the 3Q FY2026 was $76.2 million.Diluted earnings per share (EPS) were $1.25 for the quarter and $2.38 for the nine-month period.Cash flow and liquidityDuring the nine-month period, net cash provided by operating activities totaled $1.73 billion. This was driven primarily by growth in customer funds held in brokerage accounts, as well as a reduction in margin-related balances.As of 31 December 2025, cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash stood at $3.51 billion, compared to $1.64 billion at the start of the financial year.Revenue and operating performanceTotal revenue for the three months ending 31 December 2025 amounted to $628.6 million, driven by interest income, brokerage and commission revenues, and insurance premiums. Revenue for the nine-month period totaled $1.69 billion. This diversified revenue mix reflects continued customer activity across the brokerage, banking, and insurance segments, providing stability in the face of fluctuating market conditions.Customer Growth and Business DevelopmentFreedom Holding Corp. continued to scale its platform during the reporting period. The number of banking customers increased from 2.5 million to 4.5 million over nine months, while the brokerage customer base grew by more than 20%. Growth was supported by expanded digital offerings and continued development of the company’s financial and non-financial ecosystem.The company demonstrated the effectiveness of its diversified business model across financial, insurance, and technology segments.“We continue to develop our digital ecosystem by integrating traditional brokerage and banking with everyday consumer services. This ecosystem supports a wide range of use cases, from daily purchases such as groceries and tickets to transactions involving complex investment instruments. The strategy we adopted several years ago - to build a trusted operating environment rather than a simple marketplace - is delivering results. More than 7 million customers now use our platform. Our SuperApp is the most downloaded application in Kazakhstan, with plans for expansion into additional markets. Global technology leaders, including NVIDIA, Amazon, and Microsoft, are participating in our projects,” said Timur Turlov, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Holding Corp.About Freedom Holding Corp.Freedom Holding Corp. provides financial services in 21 countries, including Kazakhstan, the United States, Cyprus, Poland, Spain, Uzbekistan, and Armenia. The Company’s principal executive office is located in New York City. In Kazakhstan, Freedom is actively developing its financial and digital ecosystem, which includes Freedom Bank, Freedom Broker, the insurance companies Freedom Life and Freedom insurance, as well as a lifestyle segment that features Arbuz.kz, Freedom Ticketon, and Aviata. Freedom Holding Corp. shares are traded on the U.S. technology exchange NASDAQ, the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange (KASE), and the Astana International Exchange (AIX) under the ticker symbol FRHC. Freedom Holding Corp. is regulated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the common stock is included in Russell 3000 Index. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has assembled more than 20 federal and state agencies for a coordinated push against relationship investment scams, timing the campaign around Valentine's Day when scammers traditionally intensify their operations.CFTC Rallies Federal Partners to Combat $10 Billion Romance Scam IndustryThe fraud, which criminals call "pig butchering," drained an estimated $10 billion from Americans in the past year. The CFTC's Office of Customer Education and Outreach is coordinating the national "DatingOrDefrauding?" social media campaign, which runs through Saturday."Foreign criminals are exploiting dating apps, social media, messaging platforms, and artificial intelligence to steal money from American citizens," CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig said. "Keep your friends and family safe by warning them about this scam and encouraging them to keep their crypto assets safe by using trusted and secure software systems and U.S.-regulated intermediaries."Losses Jump 66% as Criminal Networks IndustrializeThe financial damage from these scams has accelerated sharply. Americans lost $10 billion dollars to Southeast Asia-based operations, representing a 66% increase year-over-year. Worldwide losses likely exceed $75 billion, according to industry estimates.Pig butchering scam revenues grew nearly 40% in 2024, while deposits into these fraudulent schemes jumped 210%. Individual U.S. victims reported average losses exceeding $150,000 in cases linked to scam service providers.The criminal operations are heavily concentrated in Southeast Asia. Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar generated $43.8 billion in scam revenue, with between 100,000-150,000 forced workers exploited in Cambodian scam centers alone. Approximately 305,000 scammers operate across the three countries.Scammers increasingly use AI-generated messages and move victims from platforms like WhatsApp to encrypted apps like Telegram, making detection more difficult for both victims and law enforcement.Federal Coalition Spans 13 AgenciesThe campaign includes the Department of Justice Criminal Division, FBI, Securities and Exchange Commission, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, and Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. State regulators from Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin, and the Virgin Islands are also participating, along with self-regulatory organizations FINRA and the National Futures Association.The CFTC is simultaneously working with the International Organization of Securities Commissions on a global initiative. The Valentine's week campaign builds on a similar effort conducted in October 2025, when 16 jurisdictions across five continents carried out coordinated educational outreach.The SEC launched its own campaign in April 2025 highlighting "pig butchering" and other relationship-based investment scams, creating videos and educational resources about the fraud.How the Scam WorksThe fraud relies on dating apps, social media platforms, messaging apps, and even random "wrong number" text messages to identify targets. Scammers use fake profiles, images, videos, and AI-generated voices to appear trustworthy and professional.After establishing frequent contact and building emotional connections over weeks or months, the scammers claim to earn significant profits trading crypto assets, precious metals, or foreign currency. They offer to help victims do the same.Victims are directed to fraudulent trading platforms controlled by organized criminal networks. The platforms show fake profits initially to encourage larger deposits, but victims can never withdraw their money.Warning signs include an online friend or romantic interest who cannot meet in person, moves conversations to encrypted messaging apps, claims expertise in crypto trading, or offers to help invest money.Coinbase warned about these scams in 2022, noting that scammers use dating apps to build trust before directing victims to fraudulent investment platforms. The exchange adds addresses associated with scams to its products' blocklists.Enforcement Division Refocuses on Fraud PreventionThe CFTC announced a major reorganization of its Division of Enforcement on February 4, 2025, with a renewed focus on fraud prevention. Acting Chairman Caroline Pham simplified the Division's task forces into two primary teams: the Complex Fraud Task Force and the Retail Fraud and General Enforcement Task Force, which focuses on fraud affecting retail investors.On September 4, 2025, the CFTC completed its "enforcement sprint" by issuing six orders that simultaneously filed and settled material compliance violations against 10 firms, imposing 8.325 million dollars in total penalties.Under Chairman Selig's leadership, which began in 2026, the CFTC has prioritized fraud prevention over technical compliance violations. The agency now emphasizes guidance over enforcement actions and focuses on willful misconduct rather than inadvertent compliance issues.The regulator released updated guidance on self-reporting, cooperation, and remediation on February 25, 2025, and announced updates to its procedural rules and investigative guidelines on December 1, 2025, aiming to improve transparency and due process. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

INFINOX signed a multi-year partnership with Tottenham Hotspur, becoming an official global partner of the Premier League club. It grants the CFD broker a rights package that includes branding, digital activations, content collaboration and hospitality. Focus on International Markets and EducationAdditionally, the partnership will cover fan engagement and educational initiatives. “Tottenham Hotspur has built a genuinely international audience, particularly in markets where digital financial participation is growing quickly. This partnership reflects our focus on engaging globally mobile, informed clients through trusted, regulated platforms,” commented Elena Moiseeva, the Chief Marketing Officer at INFINOX.INFINOX is not new to sports sponsorship. Last year, the platform announced a collaboration with Sportgate International to become the Official Trading Partner and Team Zurich Sponsor of the Chestertons Polo in the Park event in London.INFINOX’s branding featured on Team Zurich shirts, pitch-side boards, and other major touchpoints, highlighting its visibility and association with the sports experiences.More Sports Sponsorship Deals Additionally, in the racing space, INFINOX entered into a partnership with Acelerador Racing last year to sponsor its car in the Porsche Cup Brazil 2025. As part of the collaboration, the brokerage’s logo featured on the vehicle’s top hood and upper door panels throughout the racing season. The debut race took place last March at the Autódromo Velocitta circuit. Earlier, the firm appointed Brazilian actor and model Carlos Casagrande as its brand ambassador.The broker is not the only player keen on sports sponsorship. Hantec Markets recently entered into a multi-year UFC sponsorship across the Asia-Pacific region, using the partnership to spotlight both its CFD brokerage brand and its prop trading arm, Hantec Trader.INFINOX operates under a multi-jurisdictional regulatory framework. It has expanded from a Contracts for Difference broker into a diversified financial services organization. Its institutional division, IXO Prime, provides liquidity, technology and risk management solutions to institutional clients, including hedge funds and proprietary trading firms. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Jump Trading is set to gain small stakes in prediction-market platforms Kalshi Inc. and Polymarket in return for providing liquidity, according Bloomberg. The move tightens the Chicago-based firm’s ties to a fast-growing corner of derivatives trading built around event-based contracts.Venture-Style Liquidity DealsJump’s agreement with Kalshi involves a set amount of equity in the company, the people said, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. The size of its stake in Polymarket will depend on how much trading capacity Jump ultimately provides to the platform’s US operation.The arrangements resemble venture deals, with Jump receiving ownership in exchange for supplying liquidity and trading resources rather than only cash.Kalshi and Polymarket rely on market makers, including in-house systems, that commit capital and stand on the other side of client trades. These firms help keep markets open and prices tight, particularly during volatile or uncertain periods.Related: Prop Firm Jump Trading Enters Prediction Markets Under the Radar as Volumes SurgeKalshi’s latest funding round valued the platform at about 11 billion dollars, while Polymarket’s recent fundraising put its valuation near 9 billion dollars.Expansion of Event-Contract TradingThe investments align with Jump’s broader push beyond traditional asset classes such as equities into event-based contracts. The firm, founded in 1999 by two former Chicago Mercantile Exchange pit traders, already trades US Treasuries, futures and crypto, using quantitative strategies driven by artificial intelligence models. Other trading firms have taken similar steps. Susquehanna International Group disclosed in 2024 that it would act as a market maker on Kalshi. Last year, Susquehanna and retail brokerage Robinhood Markets Inc. acquired a majority stake in LedgerX, a US-based derivatives exchange.That deal gave them direct control over infrastructure to list and clear event contracts, with Susquehanna serving as a “day-one liquidity provider” to ensure customers have a ready counterparty.Late last year, Jump Trading started making markets on Kalshi, marking one of the first instances of a major proprietary trading firm entering the fast-emerging event-betting sector attracting attention across Wall Street and Silicon Valley. The firm then started providing liquidity on Kalshi’s event contracts. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Britain’s markets watchdog is preparing to publish trading data for every London-listed share in a bid to prove that UK equity liquidity is much stronger than many issuers and advisers assume. The move comes after several companies cited lower liquidity as a reason to favor a US listing over London.According to the Financial Times, The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) plans to collect and release data from all trading venues, including exchanges, dark pools, systematic internalizes and over-the-counter markets. Current figures focus mainly on the London Stock Exchange’s central limit order book and miss large parts of the market.FCA Targets Under-Reported UK LiquidityInterim markets director Simon Walls was quoted by the publication saying that there is an under-reporting of UK share liquidity. He said the FCA is talking to multiple parties about stepping to fix the problem ahead of a full consolidated tape, which is due next year.Between January and September last year, official order book data captured about 270 million UK share transactions. The FCA estimates that the total notional amount traded was roughly four times higher when all venues are included.You may also like: FCA Unveils Consumer Tool as The UK Investment Scams Hit 800,000 VictimsAdvisers say prospective issuers still view London as less liquid than US markets. The LSE has tried to push back with a document showing FTSE liquidity is comparable with major US indices and noting that most UK companies that listed in the US after raising more than 100 million dollars now trade below their offer price.Wider Reforms to Revive Capital MarketsThe FCA has already eased some rules to speed up equity and debt issuance, including removing the prospectus requirement for many secondary share sales.It is also considering relaxing curbs on payment for order flow in certain wholesale business, cutting reporting for some over-the-counter trades, removing position limits in commodities, creating a framework for more tokenized assets and trimming disclosure for securitizations.FCA plans to publish the interim all-venue data so that investors, bankers and boards can use a fuller picture of trading when they assess London’s appeal as a listing venue.Interestingly, data gaps were responsible for 68% of anti-money laundering (AML) fines issued to UK financial institutions over the past five years, totaling more than £430 million, according to a review of 22 enforcement cases by compliance technology firm Kyckr. Kyckr said these findings reflect a regulatory shift by the Financial Conduct Authority, which is increasingly focused on the practical execution of AML policies rather than their presence on paper. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Vantage Markets, a globally recognised multi-asset CFD trading platform with over 16 years of industry expertise, is proud to confirm its participation as an Elite Sponsor at iFX EXPO Dubai 2026. Scheduled to take place from February 10 to 12 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the event marks Vantage’s continued commitment to connecting with traders, partners, and industry leaders worldwide, building on its presence at last year’s showcase.Since its founding in 2009, Vantage has established a presence across key global financial hubs. The company highlighted its diverse portfolio of CFDs spanning Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares, ETFs, and Bonds, as part of its global platform capabilities. In a recent interview, Business Development Manager at Vantage, Souhail Fadlallah, highlighted the company’s 24/5 support, platform infrastructure, and educational resources, which aim to support traders and industry participants globally. He emphasised that Vantage focuses on providing reliable platform support and educational resources over the long term, and pointed out that Vantage’s high-quality infrastructure ensures that the experience remains the same and consistent, no matter when placing first trade or managing complex high-volume strategies. Vantage is participating at iFX EXPO Dubai 2026 to showcase its platform and engage with industry participants. "We aim to provide practical insights and clear information, rather than just brochures or giveaways," Fadlallah stated. "Vantage’s focus at the booth is on substance, practical insight and honest open conversations."For more information about Vantage and their participation in iFX EXPO Dubai 2026, visit Vantage Markets.About VantageVantage Markets (or Vantage) is a multi-asset CFD broker offering clients access to a nimble and powerful service for trading Contracts for Difference (CFDs) products, including Forex, Commodities, Indices, Shares, ETFs, and Bonds.With over 16 years of market experience, Vantage delivers an established trading platform built around an award-winning mobile app, providing clients access to trading opportunities in major financial markets.trade smarter @vantageRISK WARNING: CFDs are complex instruments and carry a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Ensure you understand the risks before trading.Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, an offer, or solicitation of any financial products or services. The content is not intended for residents of any jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation. Services are provided only by Vantage entities licensed in their respective jurisdictions. Readers are advised to seek independent professional advice before making any investment or financial decisions. Any reliance you place on the information presented is strictly at your own risk. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Real-world asset (RWA) tokenisation is no longer a conceptual framework. For asset owners and issuers, it has become a practical question of structure, governance, and regulatory recognition, one increasingly addressed at the board and shareholder level rather than in innovation labs. Nowhere is this shift more visible than in the UAE, where regulatory regimes (rules and frameworks for overseeing financial activities), market infrastructure (the systems that enable trading and settlement of financial assets), and institutional capital (large-scale investment from organisations such as funds or banks) have converged to make asset digitisation executable rather than experimental. As a result, RWA tokenisation is being evaluated not as a technology initiative, but as a capital-markets and asset-structuring exercise. The Mandate: From Feasibility to an Execution-Ready Tokenisation BlueprintAt the institutional level, tokenisation does not begin with token design. It begins with feasibility, specifically, whether a tokenised structure can be built that is legally enforceable, licensed by a reputable regulator, and, most importantly, commercially viable over time.In practice, feasibility rapidly expands into the design of a full tokenisation blueprint. This includes defining the program's scope, the token's lifecycle, the relationship between the underlying asset and the token's economics, and the operational dependencies required to support issuance, holding, and potential secondary activity.For boards and senior management, tokenisation is credible only when presented as a complete system. Isolated token issuance, without clarity on custody, governance, audit, and regulatory positioning, would not survive institutional scrutiny. The shift from feasibility to blueprint is therefore the first important step.????HUGE: After UAE, Qatar Financial Centre to kick off real estate tokenization, starting with over $500M worth of towers.Also in the pipeline: tokenized investment funds and a fresh digital asset regulatory framework. Dubai picked XRP Ledger for real estate tokenization as… pic.twitter.com/ajlGvWyW1s— Stellar Rippler? (@StellarNews007) May 25, 2025Asset Classification in the UAE: How Regulators Actually Assess RWA TokensOne of the most critical and most frequently misunderstood elements of RWA tokenisation in the UAE is regulatory classification.The UAE applies an activity-based regulatory approach, meaning that regulation depends on the specific financial activities involved rather than the product label. Regulators focus on what a token represents economically, the rights and obligations it creates, and the activities surrounding its issuance and distribution. Labels such as "utility token" or "security token" are secondary, and are not even present in the regulations.In practice, this means that asset-backed tokens may or may not trigger regulated financial activity, depending on the jurisdiction of the issuance. This assessment has material consequences for licensing requirements, disclosure obligations, custody rules, and investor access.Engagement commonly spans multiple authorities, including the Dubai Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority, the Abu Dhabi Global Market, and relevant federal regulators such as the Capital Markets Authority (CMA) and even the UAE Central Bank. Selecting the appropriate regulatory perimeter is therefore one of the most important structuring decisions.Token Design Must Follow Asset EconomicsA recurring lesson in execution is that token design cannot get abstracted from the underlying asset.Physical commodities, income-producing assets, and infrastructure projects each exhibit different economic characteristics, yield profiles, liquidity constraints, operational risks, and custody requirements. These characteristics dictate how value can be represented digitally and what claims tokenholders can reasonably expect.In practice, this requires mapping asset economics into enforceable tokenholder rights, issuer obligations, and risk allocation mechanisms. Yield-bearing structures, for example, must clearly articulate the source of yield, payment mechanics, and conditions under which returns may be suspended or adjusted.Tokens designed independently of asset realities may function technically, but they tend to collapse under regulatory, auditor, or investor review. Institutional-grade RWA tokenisation succeeds when the token is a faithful economic representation of the asset, not a financial abstraction layered on top of it.Custody and Bankruptcy Remoteness: The Institutional GatekeepersCustody architecture is often the single most decisive factor in whether an RWA tokenisation project progresses.Regulators, auditors, and institutional investors focus first on asset control: who holds legal title, how assets are safeguarded, and whether they are insulated from issuer insolvency. These questions are not theoretical; they determine whether a tokenised structure is considered credible.In practice, this usually involves third-party custodianship, clear asset segregation, and bankruptcy-remote arrangements that correspond to off-chain legal title with on-chain representation.Without this alignment, tokenised assets struggle to meet institutional acceptance thresholds, regardless of the quality of the technology stack.Audit, Verification, and Proof-of-ReservesInstitutional RWA tokenisation requires continuous credibility rather than one-time assurances. Independent audit and verification frameworks, therefore, become foundational. These may include proof-of-reserves mechanisms, reconciliation between on-chain records and off-chain custody, and periodic reporting aligned with regulatory and investor expectations.In practice, auditors often become de facto stakeholders in the design of tokenisation. Their ability to verify asset existence, control, and flows directly influences the regulator's confidence and investors' trust. Projects that defer audit considerations until late in the process frequently face costly redesigns.Governance On-Chain and Off-ChainTokenisation materially raises governance standards. Institutional RWA structures require clearly defined issuer obligations, tokenholder rights, operational controls, and escalation mechanisms. These governance models must operate coherently across smart contracts and traditional legal documentation.Boards and regulators pay particular attention to accountability: who can make changes, under what conditions, and how those changes are communicated. Governance design is therefore not an accessory to tokenisation—it is central to approval and sustained viability.Read more: SEC Clarifies the Rules Around Tokenised Stocks - Will It Encourage US Issuers Now?Legal Architecture and Cross-Border StructuringInstitutional RWA tokenisation in the UAE is rarely confined to a single jurisdiction.Legal architecture must address enforceability, liability allocation, disclosure obligations, and cross-border regulatory interactions.Given the issuer’s international footprint, a comparative analysis was also conducted across the UAE, Switzerland, and the EU under the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), a European Union legal framework for crypto-asset markets. While MiCA provides standardisation and clarity, it also introduces heavier disclosure and liability regimes. Switzerland offers alternative structuring options, each with its own trade-offs.In many institutional cases, hybrid structures emerge as the most pragmatic solution. The UAE frequently serves as the anchor jurisdiction due to its flexibility and regulator engagement model, while other jurisdictions are integrated where appropriate.Commercial Execution and Board-Level Decision FrameworksRegulatory compliance, though essential, is only one component of a viable RWA tokenisation program. In practice, many technically compliant projects still fail to progress because commercial execution has not been adequately designed or stress-tested.At the institutional level, tokenisation delivers a new operational and economic model that must function coherently across issuance, holding, servicing, and—where applicable—secondary activity. This requires clearly defined token issuance flows, lifecycle mechanics, and risk apportionment across all participating parties, including the issuer, asset custodian, auditor, technology providers, and any distribution or trading venues.From an execution standpoint, one of the most critical deliverables is translating these design choices into board-level briefing materials and decision frameworks. Senior stakeholders are not evaluating tokenisation on novelty; they are assessing downside risk, capital efficiency, reputational exposure, regulatory durability, as well as strategic optionality. They expect to understand how the structure behaves under stress scenarios, how liabilities are allocated, and what operational dependencies exist over the life of the program.Projects that reach execution successfully tend to share a common characteristic: tokenisation is treated as a coordinated commercial program from the outset, with defined ownership, governance, and accountability. By contrast, initiatives that approach tokenisation primarily as a compliance exercise commonly struggle to secure final approvals, as commercial and operational questions surface too late in the process.The Core Lesson for Asset Owners and IssuersOnce tokenisation moves from concept into execution, a consistent lesson emerges: RWA tokenisation is not a single discipline, nor can it be delivered by any one function in isolation. Successful institutional tokenisation requires integrating multiple domains - asset economics, regulatory classification, legal structuring, custody design, audit and verification, governance, and ongoing operational execution. Weakness or ambiguity in any one of these areas tends to undermine confidence in the entire structure.For asset owners, this frequently represents a cultural shift. Tokenisation exposes assumptions that may have been implicit in traditional asset structures, forcing explicit decisions around control, transparency, and accountability. It also demands closer coordination between legal, finance, operations, and technology teams than many organisations are accustomed to.Where these elements are aligned into a single, logical framework, tokenisation becomes a durable institutional solution, capable of sustaining long-term capital strategies and regulatory engagement. Where they are not, tokenisation remains an experimental initiative, vulnerable to regulatory pushback, investor scepticism, or operational friction.Complexity Is a ChallengeThe UAE has positioned itself as one of the most credible and commercially viable environments globally for institutional RWA tokenisation. Its regulatory posture, market infrastructure, and engagement model provide asset owners with a framework for assessing and implementing tokenisation with a high degree of confidence.That said, the UAE’s advantages do not eliminate complexity. They reward asset owners and issuers who approach tokenisation as a structural, regulatory, and governance challenge rather than a technology launch or branding exercise.In institutional RWA tokenisation, the difference between concept and execution is not incremental. It is decisive. Real value is created not at the point of issuance, but in the quality of the framework that supports the asset over its lifecycle. This article was written by Anton Golub at www.financemagnates.com.

Kraken-backed xStocks have gone live on 360X, giving Deutsche Börse Group clients access to tokenized versions of major equities on a regulated secondary trading venue. The move is the first major product milestone under the partnership that Kraken and Deutsche Börse Group announced in December.According to the company, participants on 360X can trade five xStocks instruments, CRCLx, GOOGLx, NVDAx, SPYx and TSLAx, against stablecoins. The listing broadens institutional access to the xStocks standard and aims to support further growth in trading volumes and unique holders.Track Established Equity and ETF MarketsxStocks launched last year and have reportedly generated nearly 20 billion dollars in total trading volume since then. Each token is backed one-to-one by the underlying equity or ETF, which a licensed custodian holds in a bankruptcy-remote structure.Continue reading: From Chat to Stock: xStocks Puts Tokenized U.S. Equities Inside TON Wallet on TelegramMark Greenberg, Global Head of Consumer and Vice President of Product for xStocks, highlighted that the demand has come from investors who want digital instruments that track established markets.“The rapid adoption of xStocks reflects strong global demand for digitally native instruments that provide exposure to established financial markets,” said Greenberg. “Integrating with a leading distribution channel like 360X means Deutsche Börse Group clients can now access one of the most liquid ecosystems for tokenized financial instruments.”He added that integration with 360X gives Deutsche Börse Group clients access to a liquid ecosystem for tokenized financial instruments and enables round-the-clock trading with instant settlement.Aiming for Round-the-Clock Trading360T is Deutsche Börse Group’s global FX trading platform, focused on institutional foreign exchange and short-term money market products, and now also offers an integrated institutional crypto spot venue. 360X, by contrast, is a separate regulated secondary trading venue for tokenized financial instruments, including credits, rates, equities and funds. The latest partnership between the crypto exchange and Deutsche Börse Group spans foreign exchange, custody, settlement and tokenized assets. The firms aim to combine regulated market infrastructure with crypto-native capabilities for institutional clients. However, xStocks on 360X not available to U.S. clients.Earlier, xStocks debut its tokenized equities on the TON blockchain, allowing Telegram’s nearly 100 million users to buy and trade fully backed versions of U.S. stocks and ETFs directly through the app’s built-in TON Wallet. The integration brought traditional financial assets onchain, expanding investment access within Telegram’s fast-growing ecosystem. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

A group of companies that operated under the Octa brand announced it is opting out of the brand-sharing agreement. Bringing its participation in Octa to a close, it will emerge as Elev8, an independent international brokerage brand, effective 9 February 2026. The changes will affect only the brand identity, while the operational processes remain unchanged.The group of companies that used the Octa brand under a brand-sharing agreement has recently announced that it is launching its own, independent global brokerage brand and withdrawing from Octa. The group comprises two licensed entities, regulated in Mauritius and Comoros, respectively.With a view to opening a new chapter in its journey, the group of companies will take the course towards full independence and self-sufficiency going forward. Separating from Octa, it will operate as a new global brand, Elev8, starting 9 February 2026.Elev8 emphasises it will maintain continuity with the best industry practices—in other words, stick with what really works. The new brand plans to meet the highest Fintech standards—a reasonable claim, given that it was created by seasoned professionals with 15 years of experience building FinTech solutions. That track record, plus the robust, time-tested infrastructure, can become the foundation of Elev8's market success.While the new brand identity, visuals, app, and website will reflect the independent course the group of companies has taken, the customer journey will remain unchanged. It includes statuses and benefits, trading conditions, and platform functionality. Elev8 emphasises its focus on continuity during the initial period of operating as a new brand; this focus will help minimise disruptions for traders.Elev8 will operate under the brokerage licences of Mauritius and Comoros, but plans to obtain additional reputable licences to create new opportunities for its clients.Elev8 is a global broker that takes trading to a new level. Elev8 provides traders with an ecosystem designed to meet their needs, featuring a wide range of instruments, analytical and educational tools, integrated AI solutions, and responsive customer support. As a socially responsible broker, Elev8 funds various charitable projects and humanitarian efforts worldwide. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Ethereum price tumbled 3% on Monday, February 9, 2026, trading at $2,028 and edging dangerously close to the psychologically critical $2,000 level. This selloff comes despite bullish institutional ETH price forecasts from major banks like Standard Chartered and Citi, creating a stark disconnect between long-term predictions and current market realities.In this article I am answering a question of why Ethereum price is going down today and how low it can go according to my technical analysis of ETH/USDT chart. Moreover, I am examining the newest ETH price forecasts from the biggest investment banks. You can follow me on X for more crypto and metals technical analysis.Ethereum Price Predictions 2026Standard Chartered's Aggressive $7,500 TargetStandard Chartered has emerged as the most bullish major financial institution on Ethereum, with Geoffrey Kendrick, Global Head of Digital Assets Research, declaring 2026 as "the year of Ethereum". The bank's revised forecast sets a $7,500 target for end-2026, with extended projections reaching $15,000 in 2027, $22,000 in 2028, $30,000 in 2029, and $40,000 by 2030.The London-based bank cites several catalysts supporting this aggressive outlook: Ethereum's dominance in stablecoins and DeFi, institutional accumulation (firms like Bitmine Immersion now hold 3.4% of circulating ether), and the anticipated Fusaka network upgrade. Standard Chartered analysts also linked technical improvements to an even more aggressive $12,000 price target, contingent on successful implementation of Vitalik Buterin's roadmap for a 10x increase in Ethereum's Layer 1 throughput by 2026.The bank's confidence partially stems from pending U.S. regulatory clarity, particularly the Clarity Act, which underwent Senate review in mid-January with potential passage expected in Q1 2026. However, recent market volatility has tested these optimistic scenarios.Citi and Traditional Finance Join the Bull CampCiti has issued a forecast predicting Ethereum would reach $5,440 within 12 months, citing rising investor demand and sustained ETF inflows. The bank's analysts wrote that they anticipate "modest upside into year-end, with further gains expected next year due to investor demand."Traditional finance institutions have coalesced around conservative but bullish targets in the $6,500-$7,500 range, highlighting aggressive accumulation by corporate treasuries and spot ETFs. These institutional vehicles have acquired approximately 3.8% of all Ether in circulation since June 2025. Treasury firms alone purchased around 2.3 million ETH in just over two months, nearly double the pace seen in comparable Bitcoin accumulation phases.Earlier institutional forecasts from September 2025 targeted $5,200 for Ethereum by Q1 2026, driven by Federal Reserve rate cuts and liquidity expansion. Those projections now appear overly optimistic given current price action.ETH Technical Analysis: Bears Control the ChartMy technical analysis paints a starkly different picture from institutional bullishness. Bears currently dominate the Ethereum chart, and I've identified three distinct downside targets for the coming weeks and months.Short-Term Target: $1,760The first near-term target sits at $1,760, matching 2026's year-to-date lows and coinciding with May 2025 minimums. Sunday's bearish pin bar below the local resistance at $2,100 signals we should head toward this level soon. This represents approximately 33% downside from current levels.Medium-Term Target: $1,400The second target lies around $1,400, corresponding to April 2025 lows. Bitcoin has already tested these depths, but Ethereum hasn't yet revisited these levels—making it only a matter of time. While I would anticipate a bounce from this zone, Bitcoin's chart accelerated much more aggressively before deciding to reverse. This level represents 47% downside from Monday's price.Long-Term Bearish Scenario: $1,000In a more bearish long-term scenario, I wouldn't rule out a decline to the psychologically round $1,000 level—the lowest prices since November 2022. Significantly, this area also aligns with the 100% Fibonacci extension measured on the downtrend from near-$5,000 peaks in August 2025. This catastrophic scenario would erase virtually all gains achieved since late 2022.Similar bearish technical patterns emerged in November 2025, when death cross formations signaled potential declines to $1,370-$1,500 range.Vitalik's Austerity Sparks ConcernsPaul Howard, Director at Wincent, contextualizes Ethereum's price weakness within broader risk market dynamics: "ETH's price move is indicative of what we see in global risk markets and compounded by rumours Buterin's Ethereum Foundation is 'entering a period of mild austerity' over the next five years to achieve its goals."Howard references Vitalik Buterin's January 30 announcement: "For this reason, I have just withdrawn 16,384 ETH, which will be deployed toward these goals over the next few years." On-chain analysis shows only about 3,000 ETH has been sold, but this move has "no doubt spooked ETH buyers into a 'wait and see' mode and given the options market a free lunch on Tom Lee."The market's reaction to Buterin's withdrawal highlights investor sensitivity to any perceived weakness in Ethereum's financial position—even when the withdrawal represents a tiny fraction of circulating supply.Market Stabilization After Extreme FearJoel Kruger, crypto strategist at LMAX, offers a more balanced perspective: "The crypto market has stabilized following last week's sharp selloff, which had pushed the crypto fear and greed index to extreme fear levels."Kruger notes that after Bitcoin retraced more than 50% from its October record high, "price action has moderated, with signs of consolidation emerging as forced liquidation pressures ease. The market appears to be transitioning from a disorderly de-risking phase toward a more selective, two-way environment."From a positioning perspective, Kruger observes that "the depth of the correction is beginning to attract interest from medium- and longer-term investors looking to add exposure on weakness." This suggests accumulation may be occurring beneath the surface panic, potentially supporting institutional price targets on longer timeframes.This stabilization follows extreme volatility in early February 2026, when crypto markets plunged to 2026 lows across major assets.Historical Context: February's Make-or-Break MonthEthereum entered February 2026 at a critical juncture after losing nearly 7% in January—contrasting sharply with its historical median January return of +32%. February historically delivers median gains around +15% since 2016, making this month crucial for confirming trend direction.Key technical levels to watch include support near $2,690 and upside resistance at $3,000 and $3,340. The failure to hold $2,690 on Monday's session validates the bearish case outlined in my technical analysis.Previous Ethereum price predictions from mid-2025 targeted $16,700 by 2026 based on ascending triangle patterns and institutional demand—forecasts that now appear wildly optimistic given current market conditions.Analysis from January 2026 questioned whether this would be the year Ethereum outperforms Bitcoin, noting that by 2026, Bitcoin and Ethereum moved together about 70-90% of the time. Ethereum Price Prediction TableHowever, technical momentum remains firmly bearish, and until Ethereum reclaims the $3,000 psychological level, bears maintain control. Previous analysis from August 2025 showed similar technical setups leading to $10,000-$15,000 targets driven by AI adoption and Wall Street blockchain integration, targets that now appear disconnected from market reality. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

The Financial Commission has approved SBCFX as its newest Member. SBCFX is the online trading brand of StarBridge Capital, a multi-asset trading group. The group holds regulatory licenses from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Seychelles Financial Services Authority, and the South African Financial Sector Conduct Authority.The Financial Commission has also approved other recent members. Monstrade was approved last week. It was founded by a group of asset managers with experience in Dubai’s financial sector. [#highlighted-links#] The announcement followed the Commission’s certification of trading technology provider iTech Software. The certification confirmed that its systems meet standards for brokers and traders. iTech provides technology solutions for forex, CFD, crypto, and NFT brokerages, including web trader platforms, back-office infrastructure, and live support with monitoring and risk management.SBCFX Gains Access to EDR ProtectionAs an Approved Broker Member, SBCFX and its customers gain access to a range of services and benefits. These include protection “for up to €20,000 per the submitted complaint, backed by the Financial Commission’s Compensation Fund.”The Financial Commission is an independent external dispute resolution forum. It provides a platform to resolve complaints when parties cannot reach an agreement directly. The Commission “initially set out to provide a new approach for traders and brokers alike to resolve any issues that arise in the course of trading electronic markets such as Foreign Exchange,” and has since expanded into CFDs, related derivatives, and certification of trading technology platforms.For CFD, forex, and cryptocurrency clients, the Commission facilitates “a simpler, swifter resolution process than through typical regulatory channels such as arbitration or local court systems.”Financial Commission Expands with Multiple BrokeragesOther firms recently confirmed as members include RA Prime, which provides foreign exchange and CFD products globally, as well as FP Markets, OneRoyal, FXON, GTCFX, and Neex, an online brokerage offering access to forex, indices, and commodities. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Systems has connected its FX trading platform to CME Group's spot and futures markets, giving clients access to additional liquidity sources without requiring new infrastructure.The integration links FlexTrade's FlexFX system with CME's EBS Market central limit order book and FX Spot+ platform. Users can now route orders to both venues directly through their existing order management interface, similar to how FlexTrade recently integrated with LoopFX for dark pool matching on large trades.Anonymous Pricing Meets Futures LiquidityEBS Market operates as an all-to-all order book where institutional traders and banks can access firm pricing without last-look protocols. The venue handles spot and non-deliverable forward transactions through a central limit order book structure."New innovations and partnerships drive demand to bring more FX liquidity into the EMS to further optimize electronic trading," said Uday Chebrolu, senior vice president for FX and digital assets at FlexTrade. "This data, in turn, produces continuous improvements in trading performance, efficiency, and speed."FX Spot+ takes a different approach by connecting over-the-counter spot traders to CME's futures ecosystem. The platform converts futures liquidity into spot format, allowing participants to interact with both market types through a single interface. CME launched FX Spot+ to bridge the gap between these traditionally separate markets.Competing platforms have also been adding CME connectivity. Integral integrated both venues into its trading system last June, while CME recently partnered with FairXchange to provide execution analytics for EBS Direct users.Automated Routing Through FlexAlgoWheelFlexTrade's existing automation tools will work with the new CME connections. The FlexAlgoWheel system can now include EBS Market and FX Spot+ in its routing decisions, alongside other liquidity sources already connected to the platform.Paul Houston, global head of FX products at CME Group, noted that "The past 12 months have once again demonstrated the critical role that EBS Market performs in the FX market. Through FlexTrade's interfaces, mutual clients can now more easily interact with the firm pricing on our anonymous EBS Markets spot and NDF liquidity, as well as FX Spot+ which allows spot traders to access the futures ecosystem and the FX futures liquidity in spot format".FlexTrade previously partnered with KCx Analytics to add AI-driven market insights to its platform. The firm has been expanding connectivity across different FX venues, including an integration with CMC Markets for CFD liquidity in 2017.The integration reduces the technical work needed for FlexTrade clients who want to trade on CME venues. Firms can add the connections without building separate infrastructure or managing additional APIs. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

The spin-off brand of Octa has revealed Elev8 as its new contracts for differences (CFDs) broker platform. The domain, until recently, was posting celebrity and culture news.Going Completely OffshoreAs already reported, the new CFD brand will operate under the Mauritius- and Comoros-licensed entities, which previously operated the Octa brand under a brand-sharing agreement with several other global entities. These companies have completely stopped using the Octa brand and are only operating through the Elev8 brand. Traffic from the OctaFX.com website is now being diverted to the new Elev8 domain. The ownership structure of the entity operating Octa or Elev8 remains unclear.The Octa brand, meanwhile, still exists, as other entities, including the Cyprus-regulated one that operated it, did not take part in the spin-off. Two other entities, one in South Africa and the other in Saint Lucia, also operated under the Octa brand.It remains unclear whether those entities will continue to operate under the Octa brand.[#highlighted-links#] According to the team behind Elev8, all Octa customers under the Mauritian and Comoros entities will be moved to the new brand. The companies themselves remain unchanged, with only the brand name changing.“While the new brand identity, visuals, app, and website will reflect the independent direction the group of companies has taken, the customer journey will remain unchanged,” Elev8 said. “It includes statuses and benefits, trading conditions, and platform functionality.”Although the broker has been onboarding traders under the Comoros licence, which it obtained from the regulator on the island of Mwali, the authenticity of the jurisdiction remains highly disputed.An Interesting Move, SEO-wiseThe two offshoot entities also did not opt for a new, unregistered website. Instead, they acquired an existing celebrity and culture news website, which appears to have hosted content as recently as last December, according to archived versions of the website.Although acquiring existing websites is a common tactic to strengthen brand value and SEO, the Elev8 case stands out as the site previously had no link to financial services. It appears that the previous Octa operators see value in the Elev8 brand for the brokerage industry. This article was written by Arnab Shome at www.financemagnates.com.

China has replaced its landmark 2021 crypto ban with a new, more comprehensive regulatory framework that tightens oversight across the digital asset sector. While the updated rules formally acknowledge real-world asset (RWA) tokenization for the first time, they do so within a narrowly defined, state-approved structure, while restrictions on all other crypto-related activities are expanded rather than relaxed. The new circular, jointly issued by eight government ministries, repeals the 2021 notice but replaces it with a broader set of prohibitions. The ban now explicitly extends to RWA activities conducted outside state-approved channels, as well as to the provision of advertising or internet traffic to any unauthorised crypto service. This may appear to be a relaxation of policy, but in practice it represents a strategic tightening of control. The new framework establishes a highly asymmetrical system. Under the revised rules, a stricter ban applies to virtual currencies and unauthorised RWA activities. The absolute prohibition on cryptocurrency trading, exchange services and initial coin offerings (ICOs) is reaffirmed and expanded. Any RWA activity that does not receive explicit state approval is now also classified as illegal financial activity. At the same time, a narrow and tightly controlled channel is created for state-approved RWA. For the first time, the regulations allow RWA to exist legally, but only under two highly restrictive conditions. Domestic RWA must operate exclusively on “designated financial infrastructure”, such as state-owned data exchanges, effectively creating a walled garden under direct government supervision. Cross-border RWA — including tokenised securities issued abroad using domestic Chinese assets — are now subject to a stringent China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) filing regime, with extensive disclosure requirements and a “negative list” of prohibited asset types.The filing regime referenced in the new framework is set out in CSRC Document No. 1 (2026), published on the regulator’s official website. The document outlines supervisory requirements for cross-border issuance of asset-backed security tokens backed by domestic assets.? China Opens Green Channel for RWA! ?China's CSRC dropped "Document No. 1," establishing a landmark filing system for domestic assets to issue RWAs overseas. This isn't just a regulatory nod; it's a clear roadmap, strictly differentiating RWA from speculative virtual… pic.twitter.com/DqgvVZs2fv— EnrgiX (@EnrgixWeb3) February 9, 2026 Market Reaction Misreads the Signal Initial market reaction included a rise in the shares of some Hong Kong–listed firms holding virtual asset licences, as investors interpreted the announcement as a broad opening for the RWA sector. A closer reading of the regulations, however, suggests a different reality. The opportunity created by the new framework is not for a new class of broadly “compliant” crypto companies, but for a very limited number of entities willing and able to operate within China’s state-controlled financial infrastructure. The rules also specify that financial institutions may provide services — such as custody and settlement — only to these pre-approved RWA projects, reinforcing the state’s role as the central gatekeeper. Ultimately, this is a story of China selectively adopting the technology of tokenisation while maintaining firm opposition to the principles of open, permissionless crypto markets. By constructing a narrow and tightly controlled pathway for RWA, Beijing is shaping its own version of a tokenised future — one in which the state, rather than the market, defines the boundaries of participation This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.