Gold has become the dominant trading instrument at Australian broker Axi, reflecting a broader shift across the CFD industry as traders chase volatility in precious metals markets.The broker confirmed XAU remains its most traded contract, with activity more than doubling in recent months as the metal extended gains to test a record $4,888 per ounce this week before pulling back to around $4,836. Gold climbed 65% last year and has added another 12% in the first three weeks of 2026."Interest in gold trading has more than doubled, firmly keeping XAU as the most traded instrument across the platform," Thiago Duarte, Market Analyst at Axi, told FinanceMagnates.com. He pointed to volatility rather than directional moves as the primary draw for traders, with wide intraday ranges attracting both short-term participants and those holding macro views.Axi's experience mirrors a wider pattern among retail brokers. Metals CFDs accounted for more than 60% of global broker volumes in the first half of 2025, with roughly 80% of that activity concentrated in gold contracts. Volumes Surge Across CFD IndustrySome platforms have seen gold trading climb to 90% of total volumes during peak sessions.The rally has prompted operational adjustments across the sector. FXPrimus raised leverage on gold positions in October while OANDA flagged heightened volatility risks as gold rally continues.More recently, Scope Prime updated spreads after CME Group shifted precious metals futures margins from fixed amounts to percentage-based requirements.Even crypto platforms have joined the rush. BingX reported gold futures contracts generating over $500 million in daily volume, accounting for half of the exchange's $1 billion in traditional finance trading activity.Tight Spreads Fuel ActivityDuarte said improved execution quality has played a key role in sustaining volumes. Tighter spreads across the industry have made gold CFDs more cost-efficient to trade, particularly during trending periods when traders become more sensitive to transaction costs. That efficiency has kept demand elevated even during pullbacks, suggesting gold has shifted from an occasional hedge to a core trading vehicle."Traders are no longer treating gold as a one-off hedge, but as a core trading instrument during periods of uncertainty," Duarte noted. He added that demand has remained consistent through corrections, with pullbacks bought quickly by investors still under-allocated to the metal.The broker's focus on gold comes as Axi expands its product suite and institutional capabilities. The firm launched AxiPrime in July, a liquidity solution capable of processing 500,000 orders per second, and added 150 crypto contracts earlier this month alongside the appointment of former eToro risk executive Sotiris Karagiorgis.Market Conditions Support Further GainsDuarte outlined three factors supporting gold's momentum: real yields struggling to move decisively higher, stretched equity valuations increasing sensitivity to shocks, and relatively light short-term positioning that amplifies price moves when uncertainty rises. He also pointed to a feedback loop where price breakouts draw momentum flows while dips attract defensive buyers."Gold is entering a phase where pullbacks are likely to be tactical rather than trend-ending," he said. "As long as volatility remains elevated, gold should stay well supported, with upside risks outweighing downside into the months ahead."Analysts have projected targets as high as $5,000 to $6,000 for 2026 following a rally that accelerated after a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sparked concerns about central bank independence in early January. The metal is now in price discovery mode, with technical levels pointing to a 100% Fibonacci extension at $5,000.New institutional products continue to emerge alongside retail demand. GCEX launched gold futures CFDs last week, providing an alternative to rolling spot and non-expiring CFD structures for professional traders navigating the volatile environment. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

XTB is heading into its preliminary fourth-quarter earnings report with expectations of a financial rebound, driven by favorable market volatility and a massive influx of new traders. Analysts at Noble Securities expect the Warsaw-listed broker (WSE: XTB) to report a net profit of 205 million zlotys ($56.8 million) for the final three months of 2025, bringing the estimated full-year total to 673 million zlotys ($186.4 million).The firm is hoping to leave behind the sluggishness of the previous quarter, when low market volatility sent revenues down 20% year-on-year.XTB Revenue Streams Diversify As CFD Competition MountsThe brokerage is grappling with a fundamental shift in the European trading landscape. The arrival of international platforms like Robinhood, Interactive Brokers, and Trade Republic has made the continent a primary battleground for retail capital. This competition is starting to impact XTB’s numbers, as the company saw a record client outflow in the third quarter of 2025, with 21.5 thousand users leaving the platform.Mateusz Chrzanowski, an analyst at Noble Securities, noted that the drop in profitability per lot over recent months isn't just about market conditions. He suggested that “we cannot rule out that part of the reduction is also due to growing competition and that this effect will deepen in the future.” The firm’s decision to scrap its planned expansion into Brazil has also limited the potential growth ceiling for its traditional CFD business.Despite these hurdles, the fourth quarter provided a more helpful backdrop for the broker's core trading desk. Gains in gold and volatile moves in natural gas helped offset a quieter period for the DAX. “This environment should allow for a return to the average level of profitability per lot seen in recent years, which, with the continued growth of the customer base, will in our opinion generate a net profit of 205 million zlotys ($56.8 million) in the fourth quarter...” Chrzanowski wrote in the report.XTB Financial Performance and ForecastsNoble Securities Seeks To Rebound From Previous Forecasting MissThis latest forecast represents a cautious reset for Noble Securities. The firm’s previous projection for the third quarter proved overly optimistic. Chrzanowski had predicted a profit of 190 million zlotys ($52.6 million) that ultimately missed the mark as market conditions soured.To maintain its lead, XTB is doubling down on a high-spending growth model. The company’s marketing budget jumped by roughly 75% in 2025, a move that helped it sign up an estimated 865,000 new clients over the year. This aggressive acquisition strategy has been particularly successful in its home market, where XTB added over 442,000 Polish accounts in 2025 as a year-end rush pushed the total market past a significant milestone.The optimistic outlook follows a difficult period for the brokerage, which recently saw its shares upgraded despite posting some of its weakest financial results since 2022. Marketing Blitz Targets 1.3 Million New UsersThe pace of acquisition is expected to accelerate, with Noble Securities forecasting that XTB will onboard 1.3 million new users in 2026 as marketing spend grows by another 50%. The cost of acquiring these customers has stabilized at around 700 zlotys ($194) per head.This scaling is aimed at building a massive user base before the firm rolls out its next wave of products, including crypto spot trading and options. The push for volume is already showing results in the data. Trading volumes recently jumped 76% as the Polish market experienced a significant surge in activity.If the current trajectory holds, the brokerage is on track to hit a net profit of 1 billion zlotys ($277.2 million) in 2026. This milestone depends on successfully diversifying its revenue, which already saw income from stocks and ETFs nearly double in the first nine months of 2025. Market reaction to the projections was positive during Wednesday's session, with XTB shares rising to 76.80 zlotys ($21.28). Noble Securities maintained its “buy” rating, raising its price target to 95.70 zlotys ($26.51). This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

GMG Prime, the institutional division of Global Markets Group, has enabled a direct institutional liquidity feed into MetaTrader 5 using MetaQuotes’ Ultency Matching Engine. The integration allows brokers to tap GMG Prime’s liquidity pool natively from MT5, reducing dependence on external bridges and middleware layers. The move targets execution quality for brokers and institutional clients that route high volumes through MetaTrader 5. GMG Prime highlights lower jitter, improved fill ratios, and high-throughput performance across a wide set of instruments, including during volatile trading conditions.Ultency Built into MetaTrader 5Ultency operates as a matching and aggregation engine that MetaQuotes has built directly into the MT5 stack. It handles liquidity aggregation, order execution, and risk management from inside the platform to support fast order processing and stable system performance.Brokers can connect to the Ultency-based setup and access extensive liquidity while avoiding fixed maintenance fees, paying instead on actual traded volume. Read more: FMLS:25: MetaQuotes Launches New MT5 Matching Engine, Promising Speed and Broker Control“Ultency, it's a game changing solution for MetaTrader 5 brokers and liquidity providers seeking for the best in-class ultra-low latency solution for their liquidity connectivity, aggregation, distribution, and also for their execution and risk management,” commented Christoforos Theodoulou, the Head of Global Business and Sales at MetaQuotes, during the FMLS:25. By combining Ultency’s proprietary aggregation and matching logic with GMG Prime’s liquidity network, the firm says brokers can access tighter spreads, faster execution, and more control over routing and risk parameters.The new setup gives institutional clients direct access to multi-source liquidity with increased operational transparency, according to GMG Prime. Brokers that connect through Ultency can deploy advanced risk controls while using infrastructure that scales horizontally as client flow and product coverage expand.GMG Prime and Its Client BaseGlobal Markets Group Limited launched in March 2015 and has held authorization from the UK Financial Conduct Authority since September 2016, operating as a liquidity provider to financial institutions and brokerages.GMG Prime serves start-up and small-to-medium brokerages, as well as family offices, hedge funds and asset and wealth managers. It offers institutional pricing and deep liquidity through a scalable execution environment, with streamlined onboarding and flexible account setups to help clients go live quickly while keeping control over how their trades execute. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

GBM Securities, a London-based prime brokerage firm, appointed Maria Antsupova as the Head of operations for Global Markets. Antsupova served in the same capacity at ITI Capital. ITI describes itself as an emerging-markets-focused brokerage firm serving a broad range of clients. Its customer base includes private clients, proprietary trading firms, banks, hedge funds, institutional investors and corporates.Experience from Renaissance CapitalShe also brings nearly 9 years of experience from Renaissance Capital, where she was the Head of London Operations, Global Head of Trade Support. She joined the firm as the Head of Trade Support.Other recent moves: CMC Markets’ Marketing Head Moves to Creative Agency After Two Decades in FinanceAdditionally, her rich background includes a previous role at Alfa Capital as the Head of Global Markets Back Office in Asset Management Company and as the Chief Specialist of Operations Department.GBM Securities is authorized and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. The firm serves institutional investors and family offices, providing brokerage and prime brokerage services across global markets.Its activities include trade execution, clearing and settlement, portfolio optimization, risk analysis and leverage-related solutions. Using execution supported by electronic trading technology and compliance controls, the firm aims to support sophisticated investors operating in complex markets.Recent Collaborations at GBM Securities Recently, the firm strengthened its custody setup by working with BNY Pershing EMEA, a global provider of clearing and custody services for institutional clients. The collaboration aimed at improving how client assets are held and overseen within GBM’s prime brokerage offering.According to the company, the new arrangement uses a Model B custody structure with a tri-party setup, where client assets are held directly with BNY Pershing EMEA rather than on GBM’s own balance sheet. The move highlighted GBM’s focus in giving institutional clients more confidence in complex markets. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

President Donald Trump arrived at the World Economic Forum in Davos today (Wednesday) as renewed tariff threats tied to his push to acquire Greenland unsettled markets and strained trade relations.US equities rebounded the same day after the steepest selloff in months. Investors assessed Trump’s remarks in Davos for signals on the Greenland dispute.Trump Proposes Talks, Keeps Tariff PressureIn a keynote address, Trump said he wanted “immediate negotiations” over Greenland. He also said he would not use force to acquire the Danish territory.“You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember,” he said. Trump dismissed the idea of global economic decoupling. He described the United States as the central driver of global markets. “You all follow us down, and you follow us up,” he said.Trump is scheduled to meet European leaders who have criticized his bid to take over Greenland. Over the weekend, he said the United States would impose 10% tariffs on eight European countries he accused of blocking a US purchase of the territory. He said the tariffs would rise to 25% on June 1 if no agreement is reached, according to Yahoo Finance.The measures are set to begin on February 1. They would apply to “any and all goods sent to” the United States.Trump has also threatened 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne. The warning came after French President Emmanuel Macron rejected Trump’s call to join a peace initiative.HAPPENING NOW: President Donald J. Trump delivers a special address to the World Economic Forum in Davos."The United States is in the midst of the fastest and most dramatic economic turnaround in country's history." ?? pic.twitter.com/3kBZHW6bIY— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 21, 2026Treasury, Supreme Court Address Tariff UncertaintyEuropean Union capitals have started discussions on possible retaliatory tariffs. The measures could reach up to $108 billion on US products. Trump said the Greenland dispute would not cause the EU to reconsider its trade agreement with the United States or its pledged investments.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed reports that Denmark had sold US Treasurys. A Danish pension operator sold about $100 million, citing concerns over US finances. “They’ve been selling Treasurys for years, I’m not concerned at all,” Bessent said.Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court has not issued a ruling this year on the legality and scope of Trump’s global tariffs. The court declined to rule on Tuesday. The timing of its next decision remains unclear.Stocks Rise Despite Tariff, EU WarningsMarkets showed modest gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite each rose about 0.6%. The rebound followed Trump’s call for “immediate negotiations” and his statement that he would not use force. Tariff threats and EU warnings of retaliation continued to weigh on trade expectations.In corporate trading, Netflix shares fell after earnings. Investors also prepared for results from Johnson & Johnson, Charles Schwab, and other financial firms. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Japan’s SBI Holdings has taken a minority stake in US broker Clear Street in a $50 million deal that paves the way for a new joint venture in Japan focused on asset management and prime brokerage services. SBI Buys In, Plans Japan VentureSBI made the investment via its US subsidiary, SBI Holdings USA. The stake represents less than 1% of the US firm, which is working toward an initial public offering on the Nasdaq market. Alongside the capital injection, SBI and Clear Street agreed to pursue a partnership with a view to creating a joint venture in Japan. The planned entity will reportedly focus on asset management-related services at launch, with scope to expand into equities trading, prime brokerage and digital asset-related businesses as the partnership develops.Clear Street operates as a prime broker to hedge funds and other institutional investors, providing execution and settlement for large volumes of securities trades as well as securities lending and financing.​Prime brokerage services for Japanese equities are still largely delivered by major foreign financial institutions. These incumbents typically offer limited automation and focus on a relatively small number of very large institutional investors, leaving smaller hedge funds and high-net-worth individuals with restricted access to full-scope capabilities.Clear Street Files for IPOSBI and Clear Street intend to use the joint venture to address those gaps. Clear Street filed for an initial public offering, revealing strong financial growth in 2025. According to Bloomberg, the company’s SEC filing shows a sharp increase in both revenue and profitability for the first nine months of the year. Net income attributable to shareholders rose to $157.2 million on $783.7 million in revenue through September 2025, up from $20.7 million in profit and $301.9 million in revenue during the same period in 2024, according to the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.Last year, Clear Street launched its outsourced trading desk and appointed former UBS executive Morgan Ralph to lead the initiative from its new office at 4 World Trade Center. The new service focuses on hedge funds, asset managers, and family offices seeking to enhance execution and access real-time trading tools without expanding their internal trading teams. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD) and partner Susquehanna International Group completed their acquisition of MIAXdx today (Wednesday), purchasing 90% of the derivatives platform from Miami International Holdings for an undisclosed sum.The move was intended to help the retail trading platform become independent from Kalshi, currently the largest provider of event-based contracts. However, the latest data show that the two firms remain strongly dependent on each other.Robinhood Controls Half of Kalshi's Trading VolumeRobinhood has been driving more than 50% of Kalshi's total trading volume since launching event contracts in March 2025. In Q2 2025, Robinhood users traded approximately $1 billion in contracts on Kalshi, representing over half of Kalshi's $1.87 billion quarterly volume during that period. By September, analysts estimated Robinhood accounted for roughly one-third of Kalshi's daily volume.The partnership has been profitable for both companies. Kalshi and Robinhood split a 2-cent per contract fee evenly, generating approximately $10 million in revenue for Robinhood during Q2 2025 alone. Kalshi recorded $23.8 billion in total trading volume during 2025 and opened 2026 with $291 million in daily notional volume on January 1.Robinhood stated it will continue offering Kalshi contracts alongside products from its own exchange when MIAXdx begins operations later in 2026. However, owning exchange infrastructure allows Robinhood to capture full fee structures rather than splitting revenue with Kalshi, potentially doubling earnings from prediction markets according to Bernstein analysts.Migration Timeline Remains Unclear as Legal Challenges MountThe deal closes just one day after Robinhood filed court papers defending its continued access to Kalshi's exchange, arguing that losing Kalshi would cause "severe disruption" to its business. That filing revealed Robinhood users have traded over 100 million sports-related event contracts in Wisconsin alone, with "most of that volume" coming through Kalshi's platform.The transaction gives Robinhood control of a CFTC-licensed Designated Contract Market and Derivatives Clearing Organization authorized to list and clear fully collateralized futures, options on futures, and swaps. Miami International Holdings keeps a 10% stake in the exchange and clearinghouse.The MIAXdx exchange is expected to begin operations in 2026, though Robinhood has not specified when it will start migrating users to contracts listed on its own platform rather than Kalshi's. The platform already holds CFTC licenses as a Designated Contract Market and Derivatives Clearing Organization, which could accelerate the launch timeline."The purchase of MIAXdx accelerates our investment in the prediction markets and improves our position to deliver a better experience for customers in this growing asset class," said JB Mackenzie, VP and GM of Futures and International at Robinhood.Prediction markets have become Robinhood's fastest-growing revenue source since debut, with management projecting a potential $300 million annual run rate. The platform has traded more than 9 billion contracts across over 1 million users.State Regulators Continue Crackdown Despite Federal ApprovalsThe acquisition comes as multiple state regulators have challenged prediction market operators, with ten states filing complaints against Kalshi alleging the contracts constitute illegal gambling. The Ho-Chunk Nation lawsuit in Wisconsin prompted Robinhood's recent court filing defending its Kalshi partnership.Robinhood has expanded into sports-linked contracts, drawing comparisons to sportsbooks while operating under CFTC regulation. Federal courts have so far sided with exchanges operating under CFTC oversight, though state-level challenges continue to mount.Robinhood shares climbed 11% in November when the acquisition was first announced, reflecting investor confidence in the fintech's ability to scale prediction markets into a core business line alongside equities, options, and cryptocurrency.MIAX Retains Exposure Through Minority StakeMiami International Holdings operates eight exchanges including MIAX Options, MIAX Pearl, and international venues like The Bermuda Stock Exchange. The company also owns Dorman Trading, a full-service Futures Commission Merchant."Our sale of MIAXdx reaffirms our strategy of partnering with industry leaders to accelerate our growth strategies and we're pleased to gain exposure to the growing prediction market through our retained equity stake in the exchange," said Thomas P. Gallagher, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MIAX. "MIAX is laser focused on organic growth opportunities within our core exchanges and believe the sale of 90% of MIAXdx unlocks significant value for our shareholders."The exchange operator maintains access to prediction market growth through its minority stake while freeing resources to expand options and equities trading infrastructure.Robinhood's move follows CEO Vlad Tenev's vision to build a platform managing wealth, investments, and family finances across generations, with tokenized assets and emerging products playing a central role alongside traditional brokerage services. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Why crypto is going down today and why crypto is falling can be summed up in one sentence: this is a classic macro-driven risk-off move hitting a technically weak market, with my charts on Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Dogecoin all pointing lower.The cryptocurrency market extended its selloff on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, as Bitcoin dropped below $89,000 to trade around $88,626, Ethereum slipped to $2,920, and XRP logged its seventh consecutive down session at $1.89. Let’s check together why crypto is falling today. We’ll take a look at the charts and go through XRP/USDT, BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, and DOGE/USDT, walking step by step through a technical analysis based on my more than ten years of experience as an investor and analyst.Why Crypto Is Going Down Today?Tariffs, Greenland and Risk-OffPresident Trump's arrival at Davos with his "Greenland-or-tariffs" ultimatum has pushed US-Europe relations to a breaking point, triggering a rotation out of high-beta assets like Bitcoin and altcoins. The proposed tariffs, aimed at pressuring Denmark to reconsider control of Greenland, have met firm resistance from European leaders, raising fears of a prolonged trade confrontation that could escalate into a full-blown transatlantic trade war.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that any EU response to US measures would be "unflinching, united, and proportional," reinforcing market concerns about broader economic spillovers. As one European politician put it, Trump's rhetoric serves as a "Nero warning" to the established international order, and this fracture in Western alliances is making Bitcoin and altcoins look even riskier in the near term.Why crypto is falling today extends beyond just tariff headlines. Safe-haven repricing has accelerated as the EU weighs its "anti-coercion tool" and potential retaliatory trade actions, with gold investors now watching the $5,000 level as concerns mount. Meanwhile, billionaire investor Ray Dalio warned that the global economy may be entering a "new phase of financial conflict," telling CNBC that geopolitical disputes increasingly risk spilling into capital flows and asset allocation decisions.Roughly $1.7 billion was liquidated from the crypto market in the last 24 hours according to Coinglass, while the Crypto Fear & Greed Index lingers in "Fear" territory. US spot Bitcoin ETFs have reversed course to post nearly $500 million in outflows over just two sessions, suggesting that last week's record inflows were driven by speculative hot money rather than solid, long-term accumulation.For real-time Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Dogecoin technical analysis as my charts test critical support zones with extreme downside risk, follow me on X (Twitter) @ChmielDk. I provide moving average updates, Fibonacci projections, and macro impact insights on why crypto is falling today.Macro Pressure Points Driving Crypto LowerAs Filip Dzięciołowski from Cryps.pl warns, as long as "geopolitical turmoil from Greenland to Iran" persists, safe bets like gold look more attractive while "stocks and bitcoin" look riskier, which is exactly the kind of environment where crypto is going down today instead of bouncing.Bitcoin Price and Technical Analysis: Why Bitcoin Is Falling?Bitcoin has just completed six straight down sessions, with only a tiny 0.2% uptick today and is trading around $88,626. As you can see on my chart, Bitcoin remains locked in a consolidation below the 200 EMA, which confirms that in my technical view the market is officially in a downtrend.According to my short-term chart, the immediate scenario is a test of the lower boundary of the sideways range around $74,000. Bitcoin's current price of $88,626 sits only 5% above this critical support zone, which represents the November consolidation lows and the April 2025 yearly minimum of $74,420.My technical analysis shows that the first downside target from the daily chart is $74,000, followed by $68,000 from the weekly chart, where the 200-week EMA is currently running. If we reach that weekly level, Bitcoin would be trading nearly 23% below current prices and testing a zone that has historically marked major cycle lows.My extreme bearish scenario, based on Fibonacci extensions, points to around $52,000 on the Bitcoin chart, which would be the lowest since August 2024. From current levels near $88,626, this represents a potential decline of over 41%, though such a move would require a complete breakdown of market structure and sustained macro stress.Bitcoin Technical RoadmapCurrent price: $88,626 (Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026) Intraday low: $88,965 (lowest in 2+ weeks) Six-session decline: From ~$98,000 peak on Jan 17 (-9.6%)My downside targets:Immediate: $74,000 (November consolidation lower band, April lows, -16%)Medium-term: $68,000 (200-week EMA zone, -23%)Extreme Fibonacci: $52,000 (100% extension, August 2024 lows, -41%)Invalidation levels:Reclaim $98,000 (recent peak)Break above 200 EMAEstablish higher highs on daily chartJoel Kruger, the LMAX strategist, still views Bitcoin's pullback as "corrective rather than trend-breaking," noting that the asset has fallen back into a familiar consolidation range and remains above its November lows, preserving the broader medium-term uptrend structure. He adds that Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as the "defensive anchor within the sector" compared with high-beta alts, but in the near term, my chart still points lower.Ethereum Price and Technical Analysis: Why Ethereum Is Going Down TodayEthereum (ETH) price is logging its fourth straight losing session, currently down about 0.7% on Wednesday and trading near $2,920. As you can see on my chart, ETH is clearly targeting at least $2,750, which is the lower boundary of a two-month-long consolidation range.The upper boundary of this range sits around $3,400, which I define as the zone created by the 9 October lows and the local highs from December and early January. Ethereum fell below the $3,000 mark for the first time in three weeks during Tuesday's selloff, recording steeper declines than Bitcoin and shedding nearly 4% in a 24-hour window.My medium-term downside target is the June lows near $2,100, extending toward the round psychological support at $2,000. From current prices around $2,920, this represents a potential decline of roughly 28-32%, which would take Ethereum back to levels last seen during the summer consolidation phase.My extreme bearish scenario, based on Fibonacci extensions, points toward the $1,000 area, which would mark the weakest Ethereum price since November 2022 and represent a stunning 66% decline from current levels. While this is an outlier scenario, it illustrates the tail risk embedded in the current technical structure on my chart.Ethereum Technical LevelsCurrent price: $2,920 (down 0.7% Wednesday) Recent low: $2,965 (below $3K for first time in 3 weeks) Consolidation range: $2,750-$3,400 (two-month sideways pattern)My downside targets:Immediate: $2,750 (lower consolidation band, -6%)Medium-term: $2,100 (June lows, -28%)Round support: $2,000 (psychological level, -32%)Extreme Fibonacci: $1,000 (Nov 2022 lows, -66%)Bullish invalidation on my chart:Reclaim 200 EMABreak back above $3,400 (upper consolidation band)Push through $3,800 (cluster of autumn 2025 lows/highs)XRP Price and Technical Analysis: Why XRP Is FallingXRP has just logged seven straight red sessions, and today (Wednesday, 21 January 2026) it is drifting toward the lower end of the range, trading around $1.89. Since the early-January test of two-month highs on January 6, there has been just one meaningful up session on January 13, with the rest of the days dominated by declines, that's exactly what my chart is highlighting.XRP recorded a 3.42% decline in Monday's session and continues to trade defensively as the broader crypto market selloff intensifies. As you can see on my technical setup, XRP is now facing a direct test of local support at $1.80, which overlaps with this year's and last year's lows.The moving averages on my XRP chart clearly point to a bearish trend, and my technical analysis shows that a clean break below $1.80 opens the way to deeper depreciation. In an environment where investors are running from risk, higher-beta, litigation-scarred names like XRP tend to suffer more, which aligns with the seven-session losing streak visible on my candles.XRP Downside Roadmap on My ChartCurrent price: $1.89 (Wednesday, 7th down session) Critical support: $1.80 (yearly/prior-year lows) Sessions: 7 straight declines (only 1 up day since Jan 6)My downside targets if $1.80 breaks:First major target: $1.25 (flash-crash low from October 10)Extreme Fibonacci scenario: $0.50 (lowest XRP price since November 2024)If this support band at $1.80 breaks on my technical setup, XRP could accelerate lower toward the $1.25 zone, which I identify as the flash-crash low from 10 October. That would represent a 34% decline from current levels and would likely trigger significant stop-loss cascades among leveraged traders.My extreme Fibonacci-based scenario on my chart points to around $0.50, which would be the lowest XRP price since November 2024 and represent a catastrophic 74% decline from current prices. While this is a tail-risk scenario, the technical structure on my longer-term charts keeps this level in play if the macro environment deteriorates further and liquidations accelerate.Dogecoin Price and Technical Analysis: Why Dogecoin Is Going Down TodaySince 6 January, Dogecoin (DOGE) has had only one green session (13 January), and is now falling for the eighth straight day, down around 0.7% on Wednesday and changing hands near $0.1254. As you can see on my chart, DOGE is clearly pointed toward this year's lows in the $0.12065 region, which also lines up with the lower limit of the recent consolidation.Dogecoin recorded a 2.23% decline in Monday's session, making it one of the better performers among major cryptocurrencies on a relative basis, though the absolute trend remains firmly negative. On my technical setup, Dogecoin could accelerate lower, potentially slipping below $0.08, which is the next major downside zone I am watching if the current support fails.Dogecoin Technical StructureCurrent price: $0.1254 (8th straight down day) Winning sessions since Jan 6: Only 1 (out of 15 total sessions) Current target: $0.12065 (2026 lows, lower consolidation limit)My downside scenario:If support breaks: Below $0.08 (next major support zone, -36%)Bullish reversal conditions on my chart:Reclaim $0.18 (200 EMA location)Break above mid-Oct lows / mid-Nov highs resistance clusterReopen path toward $0.26 (last seen 3 months ago)From my perspective, the negative scenario gets properly neutralized only if Dogecoin can reclaim at least $0.18, where the 200 EMA currently sits and where a key resistance cluster formed by the mid-October lows and mid-November highs is located. A move back above that region would reopen the way toward $0.26, last seen only three months ago in October 2025.FAQ: Why Crypto Is Going Down TodayWhy is crypto going down today?Why crypto is going down today: Bitcoin fell to $88,626, Ethereum to $2,920, XRP logged 7th straight decline to $1.89, driven by Trump tariff threats over Greenland triggering risk-off rotation. According to my technical analysis, Bitcoin targets $74K consolidation lower band, with extreme risk to $52K on Fibonacci extensions. $1.7B liquidated in 24 hours, $500M ETF outflows in 2 sessions.Why is Bitcoin falling?Bitcoin is falling after 6 straight down sessions, now at $88,626, as you can see on my chart below 200 EMA in confirmed downtrend. My technical analysis shows immediate test of $74K (Nov consolidation/April lows), then $68K (200-week EMA), extreme scenario $52K (-41%). EU Commission President warns response will be "unflinching" to tariffs, JGB yields hit records, tightening global liquidity.Why is Ethereum going down today?Ethereum down 4th straight session to $2,920, fell below $3K for first time in 3 weeks. On my chart, ETH targeting $2,750 lower consolidation band, then $2,100 June lows (-28%), extreme $1,000 Fibonacci scenario (-66%). ETH/BTC ratio sliding as Ethereum trades "more like a growth asset with higher sensitivity to liquidity and risk sentiment" per LMAX analyst.Why is XRP falling?XRP falling 7th straight session to $1.89, only 1 up day since Jan 6 highs. Moving averages on my XRP chart clearly point to bearish trend, with direct test of $1.80 yearly/prior-year lows support. My technical analysis shows break below $1.80 opens way to $1.25 flash-crash lows (-34%), extreme Fibonacci $0.50 (-74%). Higher-beta, litigation-scarred names suffer more in risk-off.Why is Dogecoin going down today?Dogecoin down 8th straight day to $0.1254, only 1 green session since Jan 6 (out of 15 total). On my chart, DOGE targeting $0.12065 (2026 lows, lower consolidation), break opens path below $0.08 (-36%). Bullish invalidation only if reclaim $0.18 (200 EMA, Oct/Nov resistance cluster) toward $0.26. Macro risk-off draining liquidity from most speculative corners. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

For years, debates about Bitcoin versus Ethereum felt like watching extreme opinions clash in petty online arguments. But the 2024 spot ETF approvals changed everything. What once gave the impression of a tribal war has become a legitimate question for institutional portfolios: which asset deserves more weight as we head into 2026?Both have earned their stripes. Bitcoin secured its "digital gold" narrative, while Ethereum established itself as the world's decentralized computer. The question isn't whether they belong in serious portfolios anymore but how to balance them. And that depends on understanding what actually drives their prices beyond the endless speculation.So will Ethereum outperform Bitcoin in 2026, perhaps even not in price action alone? Let's try to estimate the probability of this scenario with network economics, institutional behavior, and macro conditions.Is There Any Real Competition?Bitcoin's Value PropositionBitcoin does one thing exceptionally well: it exists as a predictable, unchanging store of value. There are exactly 21 million coins, no more, no less. This "boring" quality is precisely what makes Bitcoin attractive to institutions treating it like digital gold.For pension funds and nation-states, Bitcoin's immutability is a feature, not a bug. It's transparent, mathematically certain, and has operated continuously for 15 years without breaking. When MicroStrategy loads up its balance sheet with BTC or El Salvador makes it legal tender, they're betting on this stability lasting decades.Ethereum's Value PropositionEthereum takes the opposite approach. It's designed as a global computer that runs smart contracts—self-executing code that powers everything from decentralized exchanges to NFT marketplaces. The majority of stablecoins settle on Ethereum. DeFi protocols handling billions live there. Real-world asset tokenization experiments? The relevant majority is happening in the Ethereum ecosystem.But what makes Ethereum's economics weird is after its 2022 transition to proof-of-stake and the implementation of fee burning, more ETH gets destroyed during busy periods than gets created. Bitcoin inflates predictably at ~0.8% annually until 2028; Ethereum can actually shrink its supply.Despite serving different purposes, they compete for the same capital. And because they move together most of the time (with correlation typically running 0.7-0.9), the decision matters less for "should I own crypto" and more for "which type of crypto exposure do I want?"The Bull Case for Ethereum OutperformanceBitcoin ETFs pulled in over $15 billion in their first few months. But let's consider the math: at the time of writing, Bitcoin's market cap sits around $1.9 trillion; Ethereum's is roughly $400 billion. If Ethereum ETFs attract even 25-30% of Bitcoin's institutional inflows, the proportional impact on ETH's price would be substantially larger.Plus, a sizable proportion of ETH supply is locked up: either staked in the network or deployed in DeFi protocols. In finance terms, Ethereum is a smaller boat facing the same institutional wave.Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum's value connects directly to how much people actually use it. Every transaction burns a portion of the fee, creating deflationary pressure during high-activity periods. The real catalyst hiding in plain sight is real-world asset tokenization. BlackRock launched a tokenized fund on Ethereum; major institutions are piloting on-chain treasury bills and real estate. If this trend accelerates in 2026, Ethereum captures value that Bitcoin simply cannot since it doesn't have the programmability required.Historically, Ethereum acts as a high-beta version of Bitcoin. When crypto sentiment turns bullish, ETH tends to pump harder on a percentage basis. This happened in 2017 during the ICO boom and again in 2021 with "DeFi summer." Smaller market cap plus technology growth narrative equals amplified moves. But it is worth remembering that this cuts both ways—during bear markets, Ethereum typically falls further than Bitcoin.The Bull Case for Bitcoin DominanceWhile Ethereum's narrative requires explaining proof-of-stake, smart contracts, Layer 2s, fee burning mechanisms... Bitcoin's narrative fits on a napkin. For conservative institutions, especially those outside the tech sector, Bitcoin's simplicity makes it far easier to approve. Bitcoin is generally classified as a commodity, giving pension funds and insurance companies clear legal footing; Ethereum's status remains less solidified for the time being.When it comes to cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin's market depth is still unmatched. For a sovereign wealth fund moving hundreds of millions, execution quality matters enormously. Bitcoin lets large players enter and exit without catastrophic slippage and similarly, retail investors buy Bitcoin on ChangeHero with favorable rates.Bitcoin's programmatic supply cuts called halvings that occur every four years have historically preceded major bull markets. The 2024 halving cut new supply from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC per block. If the traditional pattern holds, 2025-2026 should be the "sweet spot" for peak performance, although the current cycle seems to be the most divisive when it comes to whether the claim still holds up.Bitcoin's conservative development philosophy minimizes attack surfaces. While Ethereum undergoes frequent complex upgrades, Bitcoin changes slowly and deliberately. For institutions prioritizing capital preservation, this "boring stability" is more likely to be a positive factor.Addressing "The Flippening" Narrative"The flippening" refers to Ethereum overtaking Bitcoin by total market cap. It's become a symbolic milestone to a facet of the crypto culture, representing validation that utility beats pure scarcity.Ethereum actually got close twice: during 2017's ICO mania (reaching ~80% of Bitcoin's market cap) and again in 2021's DeFi boom. Both times, speculative fervor drove the ratio higher. And both times, it returned to more baseline levels afterward. The pattern reveals something important: Ethereum gains ground during innovation cycles when new use cases capture imagination. Nevertheless, soon after Bitcoin reasserts dominance during uncertainty or narrative exhaustion.For a flippening, Ethereum would need roughly 2.5x Bitcoin's appreciation rate from current levels. Even if BTC's price manages to stay virtually flat, ETH needs to exceed $10,000-11,000. If Bitcoin climbs to $150,000 under bull market conditions, though, ETH needs to be $25,000+.History has demonstrated that a development like this is not impossible but it requires a perfect storm: massive ETF inflows favoring ETH, breakthrough RWA adoption, a DeFi renaissance, and Bitcoin stagnation. Not zero but extremely low probability nonetheless, given the consistent strength of Bitcoin's bullish case.Whether Ethereum outperforms Bitcoin in different metrics, not just market capitalization, is an entirely different question, and the answer is likewise completely different. The chances that ETH outperforms BTC in 2026 are on the opposite side of the probability spectrum.What the Numbers SayLooking at raw returns, Ethereum has frequently outpaced Bitcoin during bull markets, sometimes by wide margins. But volatility matters. Ethereum's maximum drawdowns typically exceed 80% during crypto winters, while Bitcoin "only" drops 70-75%. For a conservative institutional investor, Bitcoin's lower volatility makes it the default entry point; aggressive growth investors will turn to Ethereum's higher beta.By 2026, Bitcoin and Ethereum have moved together about 70-90% of the time. High correlation means macro factors such as Fed policy, global liquidity, regulatory headlines will often matter more than individual project developments. The correlation breaks down during Ethereum-specific catalysts: major upgrades, scaling breakthroughs, ecosystem explosions. Outside those windows, they function as a unified "crypto beta."Traditional finance giants like BlackRock frame Bitcoin as a macro hedge—protection against currency debasement. Meanwhile, crypto-native funds and tech-focused investors view Ethereum as the infrastructure play. Analyst price targets reflect this split. Conservative Bitcoin forecasts for 2026 cluster around $100,000-150,000 (50-120% upside). Ethereum predictions range wider: $6,500-15,000 (150-300% potential).But there's a contrarian view worth considering: maybe the Bitcoin-versus-Ethereum debate is overblown. If macro conditions dominate (which 2022 certainly suggested), then total crypto exposure matters more than the specific BTC/ETH split.Bottom LineWill Ethereum outperform Bitcoin in 2026? Nobody knows for certain, given the uncertainty of the market's trajectory going forward.What can be said with more confidence is that Ethereum has structural catalysts (ETF flows to smaller market cap, network utility, deflationary tokenomics, higher beta) that could drive outperformance. Bitcoin still has fundamental advantages (simplicity, liquidity, regulatory clarity, halving cycle, lower risk) that could maintain its dominance.A probabilistic framework makes more sense than predictions. Maybe there's a 40% chance Bitcoin leads, 30% Ethereum outperforms, 20% they both struggle due to macro headwinds, and 10% we see extreme outcomes like a flippening. The year 2026 will reveal crucial data about how institutional capital actually behaves in a mature, post-ETF crypto market. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

PT Valbury Asia Futures, an Indonesian brokerage offering forex and commodities, has launched a service enabling clients to trade U.S. stocks. The platform is powered by Alpaca, a brokerage infrastructure provider offering access to stocks, ETFs, options, and fixed income.The launch follows recent partnerships between Alpaca and other regional players, including Gotrade, which uses Alpaca’s API infrastructure to provide U.S. stock and options trading across Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, Valbury acts as the licensed broker, executing transactions for clients while routing orders to Alpaca in the U.S. to ensure compliance with local regulations.Valbury Enables $1 U.S. Equity Trades in IndonesiaIndonesian retail investors have historically faced limited access to global markets due to high fees, regulatory complexity, and other barriers. The number of retail investors in the country reached 17 million in 2025, reflecting increased financial literacy and market participation. Valbury’s service is designed to lower entry barriers and allow clients to trade U.S. equities from $1 USD, enabling portfolio diversification.Caroline Haryono, CMO of Valbury, said, “The US stock market is highly attractive to Indonesian investors, yet they have often needed multiple accounts across a variety of platforms to access both domestic and international assets.” She added that with the new service, Valbury clients can “consolidate all of their assets on a single platform, eliminating fragmentation, enhancing the customer experience, and making global investing accessible to more than just the wealthy.”Valbury Uses Broker API, OmniSub for Trading OperationsValbury’s U.S. trading platform uses Alpaca’s Broker API and its OmniSub technology, a sub-accounting ledger model. The system is designed to streamline back-office operations, support compliance with Indonesian regulations, and simplify position management, reconciliation, corporate actions, and trade matching.Yoshi Yokokawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpaca, said the firm was “excited to support Valbury as it brings global investing opportunities to investors in Indonesia.” He added that through its Broker API and OmniSub technology, Alpaca helps brokers “deliver increased access to the world’s largest capital markets,” while managing operations and compliance. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Michael Berman, a former chief executive at FXTRADING.com and Ditto Trade, has launched a new venture called S2N Navigator. He announced the role in a LinkedIn post, writing: “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Founder [at S2N Navigator].”Berman Led FXTRADING.com and Ditto Trade in AustraliaBerman served as Chief Executive Officer of FXTRADING.com for just over one year. Prior to that, he was CEO of Ditto Trade for around one year. Both roles were full-time and based in Australia. Ditto Trade was acquired by FXTRADING.com in May 2022. The platform provides multi-asset and copy-trading services, offering access to over 1,500 instruments, including FX, indices, commodities, metals, cryptocurrencies, and US equities via the MT5 platform. It also provides proprietary trading tools and a capital accelerator program called The Hub.Platform Targets Trading Failure Causes, Not Strategy GenerationS2N Navigator is described as an AI-enabled organisational framework for traders. The platform aims to address common causes of trading failure, including overfitting, fragmented workflows, and behavioural bias. It is positioned as a decision-support system rather than a strategy-selection or signal-generation service, combining research, strategy development, deployment, and monitoring into a single framework. Co-Founded True Alpha Ventures Focused on Crypto MarketsBefore launching S2N Navigator, Berman founded Signal2Noise, a global macro newsletter and research portal focused on traders and investors. He also co-founded True Alpha Ventures, a proprietary quantitative high-frequency market-making firm in the crypto market, where he served part-time across Australia and Ukraine for more than four and a half years.FXTRADING.com Names Adam Phillips Chief ExecutiveSeparately, FXTRADING.com has appointed Adam Phillips as its new Chief Executive Officer. Phillips has more than 25 years of experience in institutional trading and prime brokerage, including roles at UBS, Deutsche Bank, Yellowfin Asset Management, and Blue Fin Capital. He has managed institutional mandates and relationships with global banks. His appointment may indicate a focus on operational practices aligned with institutional trading, while the company has historically served retail clients. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

In a development that could only come from Japan, the high-stress, chart-obsessed world of retail forex trading is officially getting its own television anime series. The adaptation of the popular manga FX Fighter Kurumi-chan is set to debut in 2026, marking an unexpected and wonderful cultural milestone for the FX industry. The series tells the all-too-familiar story of a retail trader's journey. The protagonist, a college student named Kurumi Fukuka, enters the foreign exchange market with a simple goal: to win back the 20 million yen (approx. $126,000) her late mother lost trading. Believing it will be "easy," she quickly dives into a world where, as the official synopsis describes, "things can turn from heaven to hell in an instant." The plot promises all the emotional cornerstones of the retail trading experience: "unrealized losses and loss-cutting, a racing heart that won't stop," and the relentless desire to "buy, sell, and earn."FX戦士くるみちゃんアニメ化ありがとうございます٩(๑>∀<๑)۶ﾔｯﾀｰ!昨日は炭酸28時間くらい原稿やってて爆睡→担当さんから連絡→炭酸夢の中→朝起きて通知がすごくてビビる（笑）という流れでした。担当さんも急に連絡来たらしいです。あと9巻発売まであと1日❤️こちらもよろしくお願い致します pic.twitter.com/kdO90K2If2— 炭酸だいすき (@tansandaisuki3) January 21, 2026Why Retail FX Became Part of the Japanese Culture Japan is home to one of the world’s largest retail FX markets by volume, and the existence of such a show is a testament to its sheer scale. In the third quarter of 2024, the average monthly FX volume surpassed $10 trillion, which is a substantial increase from $6.6 trillion recorded in 2023. Beyond FX, Japan also has a well-developed retail trading ecosystem that increasingly includes digital assets. Recently, the country took a notable step in stablecoin adoption, with SBI VC Trade securing regulatory approval to list Circle’s USDC — the first time a foreign dollar-pegged stablecoin has been legally distributed in Japan. Under the country’s updated payments framework, the exchange will introduce USDC trading, highlighting a gradual shift in how Japan approaches digital assets alongside traditional markets. Legions of individual traders, sometimes dubbed "FX fighters," are a Japanese cultural phenomenon in their own right. The story follows Kurumi as she joins a group of other "FX fighters" in a "cute and slightly dangerous money game as charts swing back and forth." For brokers and industry professionals, the anime is a humorous, if slightly dramatic, reflection of their own customer base. The only question that remains is whether Kurumi-chan will manage to avoid a margin call before the season finale. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

In the world of institutional liquidity, “business as usual” is a dangerous concept when the underlying market dynamics have fundamentally shifted.For years, the industry treated Gold (XAU) and Silver (XAG) with a static mindset regarding spreads and financing costs. However, the recent price action in precious metals is not merely a trend; it is a categorical shift in market structure.As we move through the post-2025 landscape, marked by record nominal highs and severe dislocation in physical inventories, the brokerage industry faces a critical choice: cling to outdated pricing models that risk liquidity failure, or adapt to the reality of the new volatility regime.At Scope Prime, we believe in the latter. We believe that transparency regarding these structural pressures is the only way to build long-term trust.Read more: Gold Trading Rises to 90% of Total Volumes, but Liquidity Is Not a Concern for CFD BrokersThe Precious Metals “Trilemma”The widening of spreads we are seeing across the institutional space, including our recent updates to XAU and Gold Futures (GC) structures, is a rational market response to a “trilemma” of structural pressures. To understand why trading costs are evolving, we must look at the engine room of the market.1. The Nominal Value and Capital RealityAs gold breaks nominal records, the “real cost” of a fixed spread diminishes. A 10-cent spread at $1,500/oz represents a different risk profile than at $4,500/oz or beyond.Furthermore, the shift by major exchanges, such as the CME Group, towards percentage-based margins rather than fixed nominal values has sharply raised the capital requirements for holding positions.Market makers are capital-constrained entities. When the cost of capital to hedge a trade doubles, the cost to facilitate that trade must adjust to maintain the same depth of liquidity.2. Physical Dislocation and the “Liquidity Drain”The spot price is no longer decoupled from physical reality. We are witnessing historic levels of central bank demand that are effectively draining liquidity from the accessible market.This was clearly shown in 2025, when we saw significant arbitrage opportunities open between London and Shanghai. While gold has grabbed headlines, silver has quietly faced a liquidity crisis of its own, with prices rising by more than 100% in the last quarter alone. This is not standard bullish sentiment; it is a sign of acute physical scarcity that has forced a split in liquidity.As industrial demand from China reduced physical inventories, the arbitrage window closed, leaving traditional liquidity pools shallower than they have been in decades.This shortage has triggered persistent backwardation in the futures curve, where spot prices trade higher than futures prices. This is a rare market signal showing that immediate physical ownership is valued more than future delivery.During recent weeks of peak lease rate stress, we observed institutional raw spot gold spreads widen from a baseline of 10–15 cents at the start of last year to 40–80 cents, a 300% to 500% rise in hedging costs.3. Market Microstructure and HFT SensitivityIn this environment, “toxic flow” orders that aim to predict short-term price movements with high accuracy become more dangerous to liquidity providers. Leading HFT market makers use advanced algorithms that automatically widen spreads when volatility patterns meet specific “toxicity” rules set in advance.If a prime broker does not adjust pricing to reflect this widening from primary market makers, they are effectively subsidising the trade. This is not a sustainable business model and introduces counterparty risk for clients.JUST IN: $4,850 Gold pic.twitter.com/K5JJhOLrDP— Watcher.Guru (@WatcherGuru) January 21, 2026Volatility-Adjusted Cost: The New MetricClients often focus on the nominal spread. However, the more meaningful metric is the volatility-adjusted cost. With implied volatility in precious metals staying high due to geopolitical tension and shifts in monetary policy, a wider nominal spread is required to provide the same chance of execution that clients expect.Tighter spreads in a highly volatile and illiquid market are often an illusion. They may appear on screen but disappear during execution through slippage or rejected orders. We have chosen to move away from the appearance of tight spreads that cannot be supported by capital and towards a transparent structure that ensures execution quality.Leading with TransparencyAs Daniel Lawrance, our CEO, recently stated: “Aligning pricing to the current market environment is essential to sustaining consistent, high-quality liquidity provision.”We are not simply updating a price sheet; we are strengthening our risk management framework. By adjusting our spreads on XAU and GC futures, Scope Prime ensures that when clients need to enter or exit the market during a volatility spike, liquidity is available and reliable.The period of cheap, static leverage in precious metals may be slowing as the asset class moves into a higher valuation range. This can be a healthy development for the market, provided brokers and liquidity providers are open about what is required to service this flow safely.At Scope Prime, we remain committed to setting the standard for institutional-grade reliability, placing the security of operations, clients, and partners above all else. This article was written by Saul Knapp at www.financemagnates.com.

eToro holds 45 per cent of existing Australian contracts for differences (CFD) traders, while Capital.com onboarded 14 per cent of new traders, the highest among brokers, according to a report by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).Five to Six CFD Brokers Dominate AustraliaThe Aussie CFD industry appears highly concentrated, with only five brokers capturing most of the market share. After eToro, the Australian unit of Plus500 holds 12 per cent, IG holds 8 per cent, and Pepperstone and CMC Markets hold 7 per cent each. Interestingly, 67 per cent of new retail clients who placed their first CFD trade in the first quarter of FY 24 stopped trading by the end of that year, ASIC found.When it comes to new client acquisition, Plus500, with 13 per cent, follows Capital.com. The shares of eToro, Vantage, and Pepperstone stand at 12 per cent, 11 per cent, and 10 per cent, respectively.Read more: ASIC Makes “Reporting Misconduct” a Priority - An Alarm for CFD Brokers?The Aussie regulator revealed that 119,300 clients traded CFDs per quarter in fiscal year 2024, which marked a 76 per cent drop from the average of 515,000 clients in the two months before ASIC imposed industry restrictions in March 2021.“This decline could be due to several factors, including the impact of ASIC’s product intervention order, the subsequent reduction in foreign retail clients, and high client attrition rates,” ASIC noted.The report followed ASIC’s review of 52 locally licensed CFD brokers between October 2024 and December 2025.The regulator found “widespread weaknesses” in CFD brokers’ design and distribution obligations (DDO), the CFD product intervention order (PIO), and regulatory reporting requirements. As a result, ASIC secured about AU$40 million in refunds for more than 38,000 retail CFD clients.Wholesale CFD Traders Lost More Money Than Retail TradersAccording to regulatory data, 94 per cent of CFD traders in Australia are retail clients, while the remaining 6 per cent are wholesale clients. However, wholesale clients lost more money than retail clients in FY24. Seventy per cent of wholesale clients made net losses totalling AU$738 million, including AU$63 million in fees.Among retail clients, 68 per cent lost money, amounting to AU$458 million, including AU$73 million in fees.The Aussie regulator has started a target market review of the classification of retail and wholesale clients and will conduct risk-based testing to assess whether retail clients are misclassified as wholesale clients.Aussie CFD brokers acquired 45 per cent of new retail clients through paid online ads, while 20 per cent came from paid referrals, including introducing brokers, affiliates, and client referrals. Notably, 74 per cent of new retail clients acquired through paid online ads lost money.Options CFDs: A Loss-Making Product for Retail TradersAnother product with high losses was options CFDs, as 85 per cent of retail clients trading these products lost money. However, ASIC is not yet clear who is suitable to trade options CFDs. “We will consider this when determining the way forward in relation to the upcoming expiry of ASIC’s product intervention order in 2027,” the regulator added.The Aussie watchdog also raised concerns about growing demand for copy trading. A total of 26,243 retail clients, mainly concentrated among a few brokers, used copy trading services.“We have identified potential concerns relating to CFD issuers’ supervision and oversight of lead trader conduct, fee transparency, and lead trader conflicts of interest,” the regulator noted. “We will engage with issuers and other related providers regarding their copy trading services and our proposed regulatory response.”Exotic CFD products, which some brokers sold from November 2020 for three years to retail and wholesale clients, also raised concerns. Seventy-two per cent of retail traders using these instruments lost money, while costs reduced profits and increased losses. ASIC is also unsure about the appropriate clients for these products.The regulator noted that although brokers have stopped offering these instruments, they refunded more than AU$1.3 million to 250 affected retail clients for losses, fees, and costs after its intervention.ASIC has already imposed strict restrictions on retail CFD offerings, including leverage caps and marketing limits, in line with rules in Europe and the UK.Effective from March 2021, ASIC’s intervention order will expire in May 2027. The regulator stated that in the 2025–26 fiscal year, it will engage with the industry on its proposed next steps.The Aussie watchdog also found that two CFD brokers breached leverage limits and refunded more than AU$1.3 million to affected retail clients. This article was written by Arnab Shome at www.financemagnates.com.

The ability to trade across both FX and cryptocurrency has prompted institutional traders in Singapore to take a closer look at the latter, although obstacles remain to be overcome if it is to become a core element of portfolios.Singapore remains very clear in regulatory terms that FX and crypto are distinct markets – the former is supervised under long‑standing capital markets and banking rules, while digital assets sit under the Payment Services Act and related MAS frameworks for digital payment tokens.Singapore Sees FX Crypto ConvergenceAt the trading front end, the distinction is blurring. Many multi‑asset brokers and trading platforms now offer FX, CFDs and crypto on the same interface, often using similar margin, execution and risk systems. For active traders, that means increasingly thinking in terms of 24/7 macro and volatility exposure rather than in strict FX versus crypto silos.“Institutionally, Singapore has deliberately built itself as both a leading global FX hub and an institutional grade digital asset centre, so the infrastructure stacks are converging,” explains Kate Leaman, chief market analyst at AvaTrade.Separate Rules, Shared StandardsWhile the regulatory regimes remain separate, MAS has been deliberate in allowing institutional participation across both, rather than letting crypto markets develop in isolation. As a result, institutional traders increasingly apply the same governance, compliance and risk management standards to crypto trading that they use in FX.“For institutional traders, this convergence should translate into greater confidence when accessing crypto markets through regulated entities, with clearer expectations around custody, capital treatment and operational risk - even where regulatory objectives differ,” says Julien Le Noble, chief executive officer GTN Asia.Tokenisation Drives Institutional LearningIn many ways, trading digital assets and the opportunities they present mirror those in FX with the same core attraction: the ability to extract alpha.Where engagement has notably increased is in the recognition that tokenised assets are likely to form a part of the future structure of capital markets. As a result, building knowledge around trading, safeguarding and understanding the underlying technology on which these assets increasingly operate has become a serious driver of institutional involvement suggests Nick Strain, director LMAX Digital.Infrastructure and API Connectivity Lower BarriersThe convergence of crypto and FX markets in Singapore has significantly reduced costs and increased market access for institutional traders and brokers because API connectivity in digital assets has largely become commoditised.“Any platform can now be connected to any exchange and any digital asset liquidity provider using the same protocols already implemented across existing FX trading infrastructures,” notes Tom Higgins, founder & CEO Gold-i. “This removes the need for bespoke integrations and lowers the technical and operational barriers to entry.”Strategic Allocations Remain LimitedCryptocurrency is still perceived as a small allocation in strategic terms. For example, although there has been a good deal of engagement, the two main sovereign wealth funds in Singapore have not allocated to direct crypto asset holdings.Increased regulatory clarity has been welcomed and has led to the emergence of these strategic allocations, but more needs to be issued - particularly in other regions - to further confidence in investing according to Mark Garabedian, director digital assets and tokenization at Wellington Management Singapore.“Infrastructure is the key challenge and that starts with custody and the need to be able to partner with a trusted, reputable institution offering high grade custody that obfuscates technical hurdles,” he says. “There are also ancillary adjustments to operations, risk, compliance and oversight that need to be built. While the long term benefits of holding assets on chain should bring ongoing costs and risks down, the short term adjustment to on chain investing will require proper tooling.”Structural challenges still exist for many asset managers. Investor mandates often do not yet explore exposure to newer asset classes such as digital assets, limiting their ability to invest directly in crypto markets.However, those that have control over their own assets - such as high net worth individuals or family offices - are far more likely to invest in crypto markets, suggests Strain. “Given there are more than 2000 registered family offices in Singapore and they manage assets in excess of $67 billion, there is a significant potential investor base that is either already invested in or is considering investing in digital assets as a core part of their holdings,” he says.Regulated Products and Settlement Efficiency in FocusIn addition, the advent of crypto ETFs and the creation of digital assets futures on regulated exchanges have allowed investors in Singapore to gain exposure in a format they already understand.Legacy technology within domestic institutions will need to be connected to digital asset markets which operate using technology that differs from their existing systems and the regulatory environment also presents a challenge, as the regulator does not yet have full digital asset regulation in place.However, Higgins notes that this is coming and will drive increased market uptake amongst institutional investors and firms in Singapore.As for institutional traders and brokers in terms of market access and costs, Strain suggests that for the larger players, legacy systems remain relatively efficient when it comes to trading. “The greater opportunity lies is in the settlement layer,” he says. “Here, stablecoins are the product driving step-change improvements in efficiency and cost.”?? ADOPTION: Singapore Exchange will introduce Bitcoin and Ethereum perpetual futures on Nov 24, adding regulated crypto derivatives to its product lineup.Singapore’s broader crypto landscape remains strong, with 94% public awareness and a 15th-place ranking on the global… pic.twitter.com/BvVFV1rKP5— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) November 17, 2025Cost reductions at this scale potentially change the fundamental nature of the FX business from an institutional model that relies on aggregating transactions into a marketable parcel and then transacting into a model of smaller trade sizes, dramatically lower transaction costs and corresponding tighter spreads.Regulation as a Competitive DifferentiatorLeaman reckons the integration of FX and crypto in Singapore reinforces its status as a pricediscovery and risktransfer hub. Average daily FX volumes have continued to climb, cementing Singapore as the world’s thirdlargest FX centre, while the number of licensed digital asset providers has grown under a clearer MAS rulebook.“That combination is exactly what institutional traders want,” she says. “Deep liquidity, strong regulation and the ability to trade legacy and novel asset classes through a unified, institutionalgrade infrastructure.”A competitive advantage will accrue to brokers and venues that can offer capital-efficient, compliant and scalable multi-asset access, adds Le Noble. In this environment, regulation will act less as a constraint and more as a differentiator. This article was written by Paul Golden at www.financemagnates.com.

Proprietary AI Systems Outperform Major Hedge Funds with Superior Risk-Adjusted Returns.Vertus, a frontier artificial intelligence company, today announced two major milestones demonstrating the advancement of machine reasoning in financial markets: surpassing $1 billion in daily AI-driven transactions and delivering 51.15% returns for 2025 with a Sharpe ratio of 2.13-figures independently audited by Alpha Performance Verification Services, Certified Public Accountants.The $1 billion single-day volume milestone, first achieved on November 25, 2025, caps a breakthrough year in which Vertus' AI systems significantly outperformed both traditional market indices and leading hedge funds on both absolute and risk-adjusted return metrics. Vertus' 2025 performance places the company's AI systems among the top-performing institutional trading operations globally:51.15% annual return vs. S&P 500's ~17% (more than 2x market performance)2.13 Sharpe ratio vs. leading hedge fund range of 0.5-1.5 (superior risk-adjusted returns)$600M+ average daily volume with systems processing $1B daily regularlyConsistently positive returns achieved through advanced machine reasoning "This milestone validates everything we built," said Julius Franck, Co-Founder at Vertus. "We engineered a quantitatively backed system that thinks and acts at market speed-processing complexity, making decisions, and executing with precision that traditional algorithms simply cannot match. The independently verified billion-dollar threshold proves the architecture is performing exactly as designed."Vertus developed and stress-tested its core systems in the Isle of Man, where progressive regulation and robust digital infrastructure provided the ideal environment to validate machine reasoning under live market conditions. What began as controlled experimentation has become production-grade technology now powering institutional-scale investing infrastructure.The company's technology now serves as the decision-making backbone for a growing network of funds, family offices, and asset managers, executing in high-velocity markets where legacy systems falter."We've proven that advanced intelligence architecture outperforms decades-old algorithmic models," said Alex Foster, Co-Founder. "Financial markets were the perfect crucible-unforgiving, instantaneous, high-stakes. Our planned expansions put us at the center of the next wave: applying this reasoning power across autonomous systems and the computational infrastructure required for superintelligence."The 2.13 Sharpe ratio-a measure of risk-adjust ed returns-demonstrates that Vertus' performance wasn't achieved through excessive risk-taking. The company's AI systems generated returns more than double the market while maintaining disciplined risk management; a combination rarely achieved in quantitative finance.With daily transaction volumes regularly exceeding $1 billion, Vertus has established itself as critical infrastructure in modern investing ecosystems. The company's trajectory from inception to billion-dollar daily transactions represents one of the fastest scaling timelines in autonomous systems deployment."Financial markets are just the beginning," said Michal Prywata, Co-Founder. "We built AI that learned to reason in an environment where mistakes cost millions and decisions happen in milliseconds. That same intelligence now powers capital at scale-and we're rapidly expanding into domains that demand genuine machine reasoning. We're not just building financial systems. We're architecting the infrastructure for the next generation of intelligence."Trading volume figures, performance metrics, and milestone achievements have been independently verified by Alpha Performance Verification Services, Certified Public Accountants. Verification report available upon request.About VertusVertus http://www.vertus.ai/ builds frontier artificial intelligence where intelligence meets consequence. Its systems operate directly in live financial markets, transacting over $600 million daily while reasoning under extreme uncertainty, learning in adversarial conditions, and adapting in milliseconds. This real-world crucible produces intelligence that is not simulated - it is proven.Founded by Julius Franck, Alex Foster, and Michal Prywata, Vertus develops AI systems where precision matters and every decision has irreversible cost. Today, its technology powers institutional trading infrastructure for funds, family offices, and professional investors - environments where errors are measurable and accountability is absolute.Beyond finance, Vertus is extending this intelligence into general reasoning systems designed to operate in complex, high-stakes domains. By training AI in environments where failure is punished and success compounds, Vertus is building the infrastructure for reliable machine intelligence - systems capable of reasoning, adapting, and acting autonomously across industries yet to be defined. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Prediction markets collected more than $2.7 million in fees last week, marking the highest weekly total the sector has recorded, even as the largest US-regulated platform faces a court-ordered shutdown in Massachusetts.Prediction Markets Generate Record $2.7 Million in Weekly Fees as Kalshi Faces Massachusetts BanSuffolk County Superior Court Judge Christopher Barry-Smith ruled yesterday (Tuesday) that he will issue a preliminary injunction blocking Kalshi from accepting sports-related contracts from Massachusetts residents without a state gaming license. The judge gave state Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell's office until Wednesday to submit the proposed ban, with Kalshi having until Friday morning to respond before the order takes effect.The timing creates an unusual backdrop for the sector's fee milestone. Opinion, a prediction platform operating on BNB Chain, generated over $1.5 million in fees during the record week, accounting for 54.3% of the total. The platform averaged $115.6 million in seven-day trading volume, up 2.5% week-over-week and more than 33% compared to the previous month.Volume Concentrates Among Three PlatformsPolymarket posted strong numbers through its 15-minute price direction contracts, which alone produced $787,000 in fees and represented 28.4% of total weekly fees across all platforms. Seven-day trading volumes on Polymarket reached $112.4 million, climbing more than 15% from the prior week and nearly 200% quarter-over-quarter. Open interest on the platform hit $335.7 million, the highest among prediction protocols.Kalshi maintained the largest overall market share at 52.6% of seven-day volume despite mounting regulatory challenges across multiple states. The New York-based company averaged $307.6 million in weekly volume, with growth of 7% week-over-week and nearly 177% quarter-over-quarter. Open interest reached $334.6 million, closely matching Polymarket.The platform began offering sports event contracts nationally in January 2025, and they quickly became a majority of Kalshi's trading volume, according to Barry-Smith's ruling. The company warned in November that an injunction could force the halting or liquidation of $650 million in contracts.Legal Pressure Builds in Multiple StatesBarry-Smith's decision marks the strongest judicial rejection yet of Kalshi's claim that its federal registration with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission preempts state gambling laws. The judge wrote that the company "well understood that its business model, especially once it began offering bets on sporting events, came into direct conflict" with state enforcement bodies.Campbell called the ruling "a major step toward fortifying Massachusetts' gambling laws and mitigating the significant public health consequences that come with unregulated gambling". The injunction will apply on a forward-looking basis, requiring no unwinding of existing contracts in an effort to "minimize disruption," Barry-Smith said.Tennessee regulators issued cease-and-desist orders to Kalshi, Polymarket, and Crypto.com earlier this month over sports betting concerns. While Kalshi faces litigation with several other states, Massachusetts was the first to seek an injunction to halt operations.Smaller Platforms Show Rapid GrowthProbable recorded the fastest expansion among tracked platforms, with weekly volume jumping more than 93% and quarter-over-quarter growth exceeding 2,300%, though from a smaller base. Predict Fun averaged $14.6 million in weekly volume, while Football.Fun held just over $5 million in open interest.Opinion's open interest stood at $151.6 million, with a volume-to-open-interest ratio of 76%, pointing to active turnover rather than passive positioning. The platform has benefited from aggressive marketing efforts and integration within the Binance ecosystem, with weekly trading volumes reaching $1.6 billion at certain points in January.Kalshi's lower volume-to-open-interest ratio suggests a greater share of longer-dated positions compared to competitors focused on short-term price direction bets. The data points to a sector where liquidity, fees, and open interest are rising together, with short-term trading formats and opinion-driven markets playing a larger role in driving engagement and revenue.Analysis of Polymarket addresses showed that 70% of prediction market traders lose money, mirroring loss patterns seen in retail CFD trading. The regulatory pressure comes as platforms compete for market share in a space increasingly attracting Wall Street and Silicon Valley attention, with Kalshi reportedly raising $1 billion at an $11 billion valuation in November. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

A trio of trading technology companies has joined forces to deliver visual automation tools to the retail brokerage sector, betting that simplified algorithmic trading can boost client engagement and retention rates.Level2, which builds no-code trading automation platforms, is teaming up with messaging provider Convrs and brokerage technology firm Leverate to distribute automated trading capabilities across Leverate's broker network. The companies shared exclusively with FinanceMagnates.com their combined offering will let retail traders design, test, and deploy trading bots using drag-and-drop interfaces instead of programming languages.Visual Tools Replace Code RequirementsLevel2's platform says it eliminates traditional barriers to algorithmic trading by converting technical analysis and automation into a visual interface. Traders can build strategies by selecting conditions and actions from menus rather than writing scripts or learning specialized programming languages."By combining Level2's visual automation, Convrs' communication platform, and Leverate's extensive broker network, we're making systematic trading both intuitive and accessible. a first for the industry," said Andrew Grevett, Founder of Level2.The system connects to Convrs' messaging infrastructure, which delivers real-time alerts and performance updates through popular chat apps. Convrs has been expanding its presence in the brokerage sector, working with more than 50 FX and CFD firms including CMC Markets and FxPro.The push comes as brokers look for new ways to differentiate themselves in a crowded market. Leverate recently gave away free access to its MetaTrader stack for three months.Distribution Through Existing Broker NetworkLeverate will distribute the integrated solution to brokers using its technology platform, which includes liquidity connections, risk management tools, and CRM systems. The company has been building out its messaging capabilities through partnerships with Convrs since early 2025."Brokers don't need to piece together algo trading from separate vendors. It's native to our platform, alongside everything else they need to compete: liquidity, risk management, CRM, and now sophisticated automation with social features," said Shmulik Kordova, Chief Operating Officer at Leverate.Enis Mehmet, Co-Founder of Convrs, said the combination of automation, broker distribution, and real-time communication creates what he called "a trading experience that keeps traders informed, confident, and connected."“And we’re very proud to help brokers bring this level of experience to their traders,” he added.Growing Focus on No-Code AutomationThe announcement follows similar moves in the retail trading automation space. Level2 previously partnered with Lightspeed to offer no-code bot building tools, while several brokers have added AI-powered features to their platforms.Questions remain about how quickly retail traders will adopt algorithmic strategies and whether simplified interfaces can deliver performance comparable to hand-coded systems used by institutional clients. The companies did not disclose pricing or provide timeline details for broker rollouts.The integration gives Leverate's broker clients a built-in answer to competitors offering algorithmic trading, though it's unclear whether the visual approach will prove more popular than existing MT4/MT5 expert advisors or other automation tools already available in the market. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

A full-length interview with Wael Hammad, Group Chief Commercial Officer of XS.com2025 marked a defining chapter in XS.com’s global evolution. Throughout the year, the company accelerated innovation across its product offering, expanded its physical and regulatory footprint, and strengthened its international brand presence through strategic partnerships, global events, and industry recognition. These developments reflect XS.com’s continued commitment to building long-term credibility and delivering a secure, forward-looking trading environment for clients worldwide.In this exclusive interview, Finance Magnates speaks with Wael Hammad, Group Chief Commercial Officer of XS.com, to explore the milestones that shaped the company’s journey in 2025. From product innovation and global visibility to awards, new offices, regulatory achievements, and leadership appointments, Wael shares how these efforts are positioning XS.com for sustained growth in 2026 and beyond.1) Wael, welcome and thank you for joining us. 2025 was a landmark year for XS.com, with major milestones globally. To start, can you highlight some of XS.com's biggest achievements this year?Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be speaking with you today. Indeed, 2025 has been a truly landmark year for XS.com. We’ve achieved a breadth of milestones that have shaped our journey worldwide. For starters, we expanded our global presence significantly, opening new offices, entering new markets, and forging partnerships that brought us closer to our clients than ever before. We also secured important regulatory licenses in key financial hubs, which not only strengthen our credibility but also allow us to better serve traders in those regions under proper oversight. Additionally, this year saw us accelerating innovation within our platforms and services, which has really set us apart in the industry.One of the most visible signs of our success in 2025 is the sheer number of industries awards we earned, over twenty awards across various categories. From being recognized as the Best Global Multi-Asset Broker to winning awards for trust, transparency, and client service, these honors underscore the excellence and reliability we strive to deliver. We’re especially proud that these achievements span multiple regions and facets of our business, indicating that our efforts in expanding our reach, building trust, and innovating have resonated globally. It’s been a year of hard work, but seeing XS.com grow in capability across the world has been incredibly rewarding.2) XS.com has been growing its global footprint rapidly. We know you opened new offices in Kuwait and Dubai in 2025. What drove these expansions, and how do they fit into your strategy?Our global expansion is driven by a commitment to be closer to our clients and partners. Opening a new office in Kuwait City this year was a strategic move to strengthen our presence in the GCC region. Likewise, establishing a larger office in Dubai has been critical. Dubai is a major global financial hub, and having a robust base there means we can engage more closely with our Middle Eastern and international clientele. It supports better service delivery, localizes our outreach, and enhances relationships with regional stakeholders.XS.com’s expansions are not just about physical offices; they’re about building a truly global team and infrastructure. Our offices in key locations ensure our services are attuned to local market needs and cultural nuances. It’s also a statement that XS.com is investing in those economies and creating a presence that clients can trust. We’ve hired local talent and experts in these offices, which helps us provide localized customer support, education, and market expertise on the ground. All of this fits into our broader strategy of being a globally present yet locally savvy broker. In essence, wherever our clients are, we want to be right there with them, speaking their language, understanding their market, and providing the best trading experience possible.3) On the regulatory front, 2025 saw XS.com securing several new licenses, including in Kuwait, Mauritius, and the UAE. Can you tell us about your current regulatory footprint and why these licenses are so important?Regulatory compliance is the backbone of our business and one of our top priorities. In 2025, we significantly expanded our regulatory footprint. We secured a license from the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority, authorization from the Financial Services Commission in Mauritius, and approval from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in Kuwait, key milestones that expand our reach across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. These approvals complement our existing licenses across major jurisdictions and reinforce our commitment to the highest international standards.Today, XS.com operates under a robust multi-jurisdictional framework across eight regulators worldwide. Each of these eight licenses is more than just a certificate on the wall; they are an assurance to our clients that we operate transparently, meet financial and ethical standards, and ensure that client funds are protected under established regulations. By adhering to multiple regulatory regimes, we give our clients peace of mind no matter where they are, reinforcing the trust that is so essential in our industry.4) XS.com had a notable presence at industry events worldwide, I believe you participated in 20+ global events across regions in 2025. How have these events contributed to the company's growth and client engagement?Absolutely. We made it a point in 2025 to be front and center at major financial expos, summits, and trade shows around the globe. These in-person engagements have been a key driver of our growth. They allow us to showcase our latest products, gather direct feedback, and build relationships in ways that digital communication can’t fully replicate. When we attend an expo or summit, we’re not just setting up a booth, we often take the stage, share insights, and listen to the community.By sponsoring and participating in these events, we demonstrated our commitment to each region, built trust by meeting clients in person, and were often honored with awards, which further amplified our credibility. In short, our active presence at global events in 2025 deepened client engagement, expanded our network, and fuelled our growth by keeping us closely attuned to market trends and client feedback.5) From multiple expos to multiple awards, XS.com garnered an impressive number of accolades in 2025, with more than twenty industry awards. You closed the year by being named “Best Global Multi-Asset Broker,” as well as “Best Multi-Asset Broker - APAC” and “Best Multi-Asset Broker - Africa.” What do these recognitions mean for you and the company?It’s truly an honor to be recognized with so many industry awards in one year. Being named “Best Global Multi-Asset Broker” for 2025 is a testament to our team’s hard work and to the strength of our platform on the world stage. What’s especially gratifying is that we didn’t just win globally, we also earned recognition across APAC, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Latin America.Taken together, these distinctions show that our multi-asset offering is not only globally competitive, but also tailored to local market needs. For us, they validate our strategy of being a truly global broker that delivers excellent service and a wide range of instruments at the same high standard across markets. Beyond pride, they also reassure clients and partners that XS.com is a trusted industry leader and reinforce for traders that they are working with a broker known for quality and reliability. Internally, these achievements have been a tremendous morale boost, a clear acknowledgment of the passion and dedication our team brings every day.6) In addition to the broker recognitions, XS.com also won accolades for its affiliate program and partner support. How has XS.com built such a strong partner and affiliate ecosystem?Our partners, whether they are traditional affiliates, introducing brokers (IBs), or finfluencers, are absolutely critical to our growth, and we treat them as an extension of our team. In 2025, we invested heavily in making the XS Partner Program one of the strongest in the industry, and the results clearly showed it. Our program has become known for competitive commissions, flexible offerings, and just as importantly, exceptional partner support. We built a dedicated affiliate management team that works closely with partners to ensure they have everything they need, from marketing materials and timely payouts to ongoing product training. The positive feedback we’ve received from our partners and industry peers has been a powerful validation that our partnership model truly stands out.We’re also proud of how we’ve supported the growing community of finfluencers. This space is evolving quickly, and financial influencers are becoming key players in education and community-building, particularly across regions like MENA and Africa. By engaging directly with local trading communities, providing tailored resources, and fostering meaningful collaboration, we’ve built relationships that benefit everyone involved.Ultimately, our partner ecosystem is strong because we focus on transparent, long-term, win-win relationships, where our partners grow, our clients benefit, and the XS brand continues to earn trust.7) Innovation is another theme that stood out. What technological advancements or innovations did you implement this year?Innovation is in our DNA at XS.com, and 2025 was a year where we truly demonstrated our technological edge. A major focus for us was deploying next-generation AI tools to enhance the trading experience. We used AI and machine learning to strengthen multiple areas, from smarter risk-management systems to AI-driven analytics that help traders make more informed decisions.Our innovation also extended behind the scenes. We partnered with leading technology providers to reinforce our infrastructure. For example, our partnership with FXCubic expanded our liquidity distribution ecosystem, giving institutional and retail brokers using our liquidity services faster and more robust price feeds. Likewise, our collaboration with Centroid Solutions brought tier-1 liquidity management and advanced risk analytics, ensuring execution quality remains high as our client base grows.As a broker that fundamentally invests in people, we also strengthened our internal leadership. We welcomed a new Chief Technology Officer, Stelios Pallis, in February 2025, and a Senior Product Development Manager, Marios Skitsas, in March 2025, both of whom have been central in upgrading our platforms and delivering new features.8) With such a successful 2025, what has been the key driver behind XS.com’s achievements, and as we head into 2026, how do you plan to build on that momentum?The real driver behind XS.com’s success in 2025 has been its unwavering focus on the client, supported by a global mindset. Every strategic move, from product development to market expansion, has been guided by a simple question: does this genuinely benefit traders? That philosophy, combined with agility and disciplined execution, helped the company react quickly to opportunities, strengthen trust, and deliver consistently high standards across regions. Equally important has been XS.com’s ability to balance innovation with credibility, investing in technology while maintaining strong regulation, transparency, and service.As the company moves into 2026, the plan is to scale that formula rather than change it. XS.com will continue investing in its people, accelerate advancements in AI and platform technology, and deepen its presence in new and existing markets, pursuing additional licenses where it makes strategic sense. The commitment remains the same: stay client-first, innovate responsibly, and grow in a way that builds long-term trust across the global trading community.Thank you. It’s been a pleasure reflecting on a truly milestone year for XS.com, and we are excited to continue this journey of growth and innovation. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

January 2025: OneRoyal, a leading global financial services provider, has announced the appointment of Anthony Potamitis as Chief Operations and Products Officer, further strengthening the company’s leadership team as it accelerates its next phase of growth.Anthony brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience in product, technology, and trading operations. He has a proven track record of building, scaling, and optimising high-impact platforms in highly regulated environments across fintech and gaming. His appointment reflects OneRoyal’s continued commitment to operational excellence, platform innovation, and delivering a superior customer experience.In his new role, Anthony will oversee operations, product strategy, and platform development, helping enhance execution, improve reliability and controls, and drive outcome-focused delivery across the organisation. Having led teams spanning Product, Engineering, UX/Design, QA, Project Management, and Trading Operations, he brings a rare end-to-end perspective that aligns seamlessly with OneRoyal’s growth ambitions.“Anthony brings the exact combination we value most as we scale,” said Rayan Al-Annan, CEO of OneRoyal. “His ability to connect product vision with operational execution, combined with deep experience in brokerage operations and technology leadership, will be instrumental as we continue to evolve our platform and client offering.”Most recently, Anthony held a senior leadership role at King (part of Microsoft), where he worked on some of the world’s most successful mobile games, including the Candy Crush franchise. There, he led major platform initiatives that significantly improved efficiency, reliability, and developer velocity. His work included launching internal platform products that delivered up to 70% cost reductions, generating millions in annual savings. He also spearheaded initiatives in runtime optimisation, observability, AI enablement, and security enhancements to support acquisition and long-term scalability.Prior to this, Anthony spent nearly two decades at brokerages, holding senior roles such as Head of Product & Technology and Head of Trading Operations at Intertrader (Entain Group), and VP, Head of Product at easyMarkets. Across these positions, he led the design and delivery of multi-asset trading platforms, scaled global teams, managed M&A integrations, and brought innovative products to market that helped shape the modern retail trading experience.Earlier in his career, Anthony was an early hire and founding team member at FxPro, where he played a key role during the company’s formative years. His contributions spanned support, development, trade operations leadership, and the creation of FxPro’s first Project Management Office, helping establish the delivery structures that supported long-term scale.“At OneRoyal, we’re focused on growing with pace and discipline,” said Anthony. “I’m excited to join a business with strong foundations and ambitious goals. I look forward to strengthening the platform, evolving the customer experience, and working with the team to deliver meaningful outcomes for our clients.”Anthony’s appointment underscores OneRoyal’s mission to invest in world-class leadership, technology, and operations as it continues to expand its global footprint and enhance its trading offering. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.