Do you know who the top brokers and fintech companies in the Middle Eastern and African region are? Then you should nominate them for one of the industry’s most credible awards: The UF AWARDS MEA 2026. Time is quickly running out, though, and the nomination round is closing on January 23rd. The UF AWARDS are a global series of awards that focus on the biggest, most innovative, and market-leading brokers, financial institutions, and fintech companies. If your brand fits that description, then don’t miss the opportunity to nominate them. Voted on by the publicThe reason the UF AWARDS are considered the most credible is due to their voting process. UF AWARD winners are not decided on by a small group of individuals or special interest groups. The awards are decided by a public vote that includes traders, industry professionals, clients, and partners. This ensures the utmost impartiality and practically eliminates the risk of vested interests skewing the outcome. Prove your favorite brand leads the competitionThe financial services and fintech industry is densely represented, an often challenging and noisy space. This is why brands and companies that manage to stand apart from their peers should be recognised for those hard-won achievements.The UF AWARDS help promote the people, brands, and companies that propel the industry forward through innovation, the best conditions, and advanced technology. It reinforces trust and credibility among potential clients and increases winners' profiles and regional footprint. It also proves that your nominated brand can stand neck to neck with some of the most well-established, B2B and B2C organisations. Multiple award categoriesResponding to the plethora of nominees, specializing in a diverse range of products and services, the UF AWARDS recognizes excellence across multiple fields. This includes awards, of course, for Best Broker and Best Trading Platform, but also Best All-in-One Brokerage Solution for top-tier Fintech firms and Best Institutional Broker for leading institutional financial service providers. Visit the UF AWARDS MEA 2026 site for a complete list of B2B and B2C award categories. Any member of the public can nominate a brand for any of the categories. Participants can also be nominated for multiple categories if they excel in more than one. How to Register NominationsThe last day to submit nominations is January 23rd, and time is running out. Here’s how:Register on the UF AWARDS MEA 2026 website.Log in after you register, choose the category from the dropdown that best represents your nomination: B2B or Broker Awards.Finally, click on the Award or Awards that best describes the nominee you wish to recommend.The voting round will be open from January 26th until February 4th. Once the votes the public submitted are tallied, the award winners will be announced on the 11th of February. Click the link for more information regarding the UF AWARDS MEA 2026 and past winners. Best of luck to all the participants, and we look forward to seeing all the extraordinary nominees from the Middle East and Africa rapidly driving the industry forward. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Exness Expands To Cape Town: Interview With CMO Alfonso CardaldaFinance Magnates’ Andrea Badiola Mateos sat down with Alfonso Cardalda, Chief Marketing Officer at Exness, during the grand opening of the company’s new office in Cape Town. This conversation builds on our earlier interview with Paul Margarites, highlighting Exness’ growing footprint across Africa. While Margarites discussed the broader expansion strategy, Alfonso addressed the marketing approach, local engagement, and the continued centrality of product quality in everything they do in South Africa.? Watch the complete interview Putting traders firstCardalda shared that at Exness, everything starts with the trader. The company focuses heavily on delivering a great product. This means stability, valuable features, and fair trading conditions. Retaining customers is just as important as getting new ones, and they do this by offering what traders actually need.In South Africa, traders are getting more advanced. There's a strong interest in learning and using innovative trading strategies. That’s why Exness is choosing its partners carefully. They’re not chasing big numbers; they’re focused on working with the right people.Marketing with meaningWhen asked about the marketing strategy in South Africa, Alfonso broke it down into a few key points:Clear message: Everything starts with having the right message. Traders need to understand what makes Exness different.Proper channels: It's not about using just one platform. Exness uses social media, PR, influencers, and more.Strong brand: The brand is built on values like trust and transparency. This comes from the leadership and runs through all communication."Marketing isn't about one channel. It's about combining the right message, the right product, and the right platforms."Exness does not just talk; it ensures that every aspect of its message reflects who it is and what it offers.? Watch the full interview Local faces, real connectionsA key part of Exness’s strategy in Africa is working with local and international influencers who serve as the brand's voice. These aren’t just marketing tools. They are people traders can talk to, ask questions, and get help from.In some African countries, local influencers work best. In others, people connect more with international voices. Exness adapts based on the country. That’s what makes their model work so well across different places.Expansion with controlGrowth is not easy, and Alfonso didn’t shy away from this. He said that expanding while keeping control is one of the biggest challenges for companies. At Exness, every new office or market entry is backed by careful planning. They don’t waste money. They study each move before making it.He also mentioned that many smaller brokers struggle because they don’t plan or manage costs well. That’s why Exness invests significant effort in analysis, cost control, and smart execution.Customer retention: not just a buzzwordRetaining traders means more than sending emails or running ads. At Exness, it’s about the product. Alfonso said if the product is strong, people stay. And if someone leaves, they often return and stay longer.To retain its traders, Exness runs targeted campaigns. These aren’t just emails. They include new product updates, influencer content, and other types of outreach that actually work.The Cape Town office shows its deep commitment to Africa, and there’s no doubt they’re here to stay.Looking to the futureExness is expanding its presence across Africa, and this interview with Alfonso Cardala offers valuable insights into the brand's philosophy: focused, measured, and always centred on the trader. With smart marketing strategies, strong product offerings, and local partnerships, Exness is establishing a benchmark for how financial services can grow with both ambition and responsibility.Watch the full interview nowto hear more from Alfonso Cardalda, CMO at Exness, on how the brand is moving forward in South Africa and beyond. This article was written by Finance Magnates Staff at www.financemagnates.com.

BMLL Technologies hired Karen King as its new Head of Sales for Asia Pacific, giving the market data company a senior executive to push into a region where it recently added nine new exchange feeds.BMLL Taps Karen King to Lead Asia Pacific ExpansionKing will work from Hong Kong to build BMLL's client roster across the region and shape how the company approaches growth in Asian markets, according to the press release sent to FinanceMagnates.com. The appointment comes roughly two months after Nordic Capital acquired BMLL in a deal that included existing minority shareholder Optiver.The timing also reflects BMLL's recent buildout across Asia. Over the past 14 months, the company added data from Shanghai, Bombay, ASX 24 futures and others. Those additions let traders and exchanges compare order book behavior across venues globally, something BMLL CEO Paul Humphrey says creates demand for deeper analytics."Following Nordic Capital's investment in BMLL, we are focused on accelerating the company's next phase of growth," Humphrey said. "Asia Pacific is a key part of that wider strategy as we aim to better serve our customers across the region."This wasn’t the only executive move this week. Former B2C2 sales executive Zeke Vince joined Robinhood as Global Head of Business Development for institutional crypto.Two Decades of Data Sales ExperienceKing spent more than 20 years in financial services and data solutions, most recently as Managing Director at S&P Global Market Intelligence after that company merged with IHS Markit. She originally joined through IHS Markit's acquisition of Data Explorers, where she worked with buy-side and sell-side clients across Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa.Earlier in her career, King worked in Prime Brokerage at Goldman Sachs in London, covering Southeast Asian clients. That background gives her experience on both the trading floor and the data vendor side of the business."BMLL has seen increasing demand from market participants looking to optimize trading strategies, improve execution outcomes and gain deeper insight into market behavior," King said.The company introduced its first execution analytics dataset built with direct client input in October, addressing coding challenges that trading firms face when analyzing order flow. In July, BMLL partnered with Ultumus to cut ETF spreads by 16% in initial tests by combining reference data with market analytics.Broader Push Into DerivativesBMLL provides what it calls Level 3 data covering global equities, ETFs, futures and US equity options. The company harmonizes this data across venues so researchers can apply statistical techniques without building their own infrastructure to clean and standardize raw feeds.Humphrey framed King's appointment as part of a larger emphasis on derivatives coverage worldwide. The Nordic Capital deal, completed in October 2025, followed a $21 million investment led by Optiver in October 2024. Before that, BMLL raised $26 million in Series B funding during 2022-2023 and $36 million across earlier seed and Series A rounds. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Bridging the DivideKraken’s strategic partnership with Deutsche Börse is expected to result in a range of new products and services across trading, custody, settlement, collateral management and tokenised assets. But it may also serve as a template for other link-ups.The agreement between the US-based cryptocurrency exchange and the Frankfurt-headquartered international exchange and market infrastructure provider promises to remove a number of obstacles that have deterred clients from moving between fiat currency and crypto, such as cost and time.As discussed elsewhere in this column, institutional investors are the holy grail for crypto exchanges – so if Kraken and Deutsche Börse can jointly smooth the transition for investors moving between traditional securities and digital assets, they will contribute significantly to the institutionalisation of cryptocurrency markets, particularly in Europe.In addition to connecting Kraken clients to 360T, the companies have said they will develop white label solutions that enable financial institutions to offer crypto trading and custody services. This is potentially significant for firms that lack the technical know-how to develop their own infrastructure.We just announced a groundbreaking partnership with Deutsche Börse Group to bring TradFi & crypto closer than ever.FX via 360T is phase one. Derivatives, enhanced liquidity, Embed, & xStocks are next.Institutional access is getting a serious upgrade.https://t.co/rtunQkmtyn— Kraken (@krakenfx) December 4, 2025Kraken will extend its American services to institutional clients of Deutsche Börse who are seeking exposure to cryptocurrencies. In turn, Deutsche Börse will make its European infrastructure available to Kraken’s clients worldwide.The parties will hope that this arrangement provides a solution to the regulatory challenges that have complicated cross-border cryptocurrency trading for institutions.The collaboration has the potential to speed up the adoption of compliant digital asset exposure among asset managers and banks. From a fintech perspective, it suggests that the convergence of digital and traditional markets is happening at a much faster pace than previously expected.Other financial institutions will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on how this develops as they consider similar tie-ins to tap into unmet demand for crypto assets.Spot Crypto Trading Gathers PaceReferences to “golden ages” typically reflect nostalgia for a perfect past that never really existed, as well as optimism for a better future. Given Donald Trump’s fondness for all things gold (see his tasteful redesign of the Oval Office, for example), it should not be surprising that he has used this phrase repeatedly to describe his ambitions for cryptocurrency in the US.Trump is now remodeling the Oval Office to cover it in gold after ordering a $200 million golden ballroom.All after cutting 17 million Americans’ health care and taking food away from hungry children. pic.twitter.com/JtCJMaGzwd— No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen (@NoLieWithBTC) August 7, 2025The latest phase of this broader vision came late last year when the acting chair of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced that listed spot cryptocurrency products would begin trading for the first time in US federally regulated markets on CFTC-registered futures exchanges.This move could allow market participants to carry out complex trading strategies such as the “basis trade”, which involves taking advantage of the price difference between spot and futures markets and can only be done if the trader holds both assets.The CFTC said it has a “rich history of welcoming responsible innovation on futures exchanges by balancing regulatory flexibility with core principles that protect both institutional and retail traders”. It added that recent events on offshore exchanges showed how important it is for Americans to have greater choice and access to safe, regulated US markets.As well as fuelling Trump’s narcissism (perhaps she should have referred to a “golden ego”), Caroline Pham also praised her own role, suggesting that the requirement for leveraged retail commodity trading to take place only on futures exchanges had existed for 15 years, and that it was only under her leadership that the regulator had provided clarity on how to list these products.To be fair, Pham does have a point, as previous high-profile enforcement actions against firms accused of running unregistered platforms point to regulatory uncertainty.The new regime should attract institutional investors who have been put off by concerns around custody and market transparency. However, exchanges will need to reassure this group that they have strong controls in place to prevent practices such as the simultaneous or near-simultaneous buying and selling of the same financial instrument to create a false impression of high trading volume and demand.Don’t Lose Your ConcentrationOne of the major themes of 2025 was the steady rise of tech stocks and the resulting concentration in US and global large-cap indices. The last time the US equity market accounted for such a high share of global equity markets, American combat troops had just left Vietnam, and the final mission of the Apollo space programme had landed the last man to walk on the Moon.Conventional wisdom suggests that the dominance of tech stocks in the S&P 500 creates significant concentration risk for investors whose portfolios are heavily weighted towards these names. The internet is full of articles warning about the dangers of relying on a small number of stocks and offering advice on where traders should look for value and diversification.2025 final performance:S&P 500: 16.39%Nasdaq: 20.36% pic.twitter.com/OeMeVcXef4— Brew Markets (@brewmarkets) December 31, 2025But what if concentration is a blunt way of measuring risk? Hollie Briggs, head of global product management for Loomis Sayles’ growth equity strategies team, believes the unintentional concentration investors get when buying an index such as the S&P 500 is very different from the deliberate concentration achieved by skilled investors. She also says there are clear steps investors can take to reduce concentration risk while keeping exposure to US growth stocks.“If you have passive exposure to a cap-weighted equity index, then as stock prices rise and short-term investors chase momentum, your portfolio becomes more concentrated in these stocks,” she explains. “For passive investors who bought exposure to a cap-weighted index believing it offered a broad mix of investments, this can increase downside risk because their holdings become unintentionally focused on fewer stocks.”Briggs contrasts this with active concentration, where investors choose not only which stocks they hold, but also the size of each position, based on long-term value.She also believes that owning a larger number of stocks does not always mean a portfolio is less risky, pointing to research suggesting that the benefit of adding more stocks falls sharply as the number increases. This article was written by Paul Golden at www.financemagnates.com.

Doo Group appears to be changing its trade name, as it has rebranded its South Africa- and United Kingdom-based brands to RKX. This comes months after the group rebranded its prime services brands to D Prime from Doo Prime.Another Rebranding for DooCompanies House filings show that the broker group changed the name of its UK-registered entity from Doo Clearing to RKX Financial yesterday (Tuesday). It has also updated the new trade name with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).However, the ownership structure appears to be the same.Although the UK website of RKX is not yet operational, the South African version indicates that its services are only available to “professional clients and eligible counterparties,” meaning there is no room for retail traders.The offering on the South African website also appears standard, as it provides contracts for differences (CFDs) on forex, indices, commodities, metals, and cryptocurrencies, with leverage as high as 1:1,000.[#highlighted-links#] Is the Rebranding Part of a Restructuring?The rebranding came after changes within Doo Group. Doo obtained a Cyprus licence in 2024 and opened a second office on the island last year. FinanceMagnates.com reported last October that the brokerage arm of the group was vacating its Limassol office following staff layoffs.The broker group also maintains a significant part of its operations in Malaysia. However, Malaysian authorities “conducted inspections” at the local office of Doo last year. The action by law enforcement was part of “a broader nationwide campaign against illegal call centres.”Meanwhile, a subsidiary of Doo Group recently obtained a money lenders licence in Hong Kong, which allows it to operate a money lending business in the autonomous jurisdiction. The group also secured an Indonesian licence in 2024 to expand its presence in Asia. This article was written by Arnab Shome at www.financemagnates.com.

Tradomatix launches unified trading technology infrastructure enabling seamless integration across asset classes and global marketsTradomatix today announced the launch of its global trading technology platform, designed to bring hedge funds, quantitative traders, AI trading agents, brokers, and advanced market participants together within a single, asset-agnostic environment.The platform arrives as financial markets undergo a fundamental shift toward data-driven decision-making, machine learning, and automated execution. Tradomatix provides the critical technology layer connecting participants, strategies, and intelligence—empowering modern trading operations to scale efficiently."Trading infrastructure has remained fragmented for too long," said Gary Tan, Director at Tradomatix. "We built Tradomatix to eliminate silos and enable hedge funds, quant traders, and AI systems to operate within one unified ecosystem."Key Platform Capabilities:Unified Integration Framework — Human-led strategies, quantitative models, and AI-driven agents operate seamlessly within a single technological environmentQuant-to-Capital Connectivity — High-performing quantitative traders gain access to institutional infrastructure while hedge funds efficiently deploy systematic strategiesAdaptive Machine Learning — Systems learn dynamically from market conditions, execution outcomes, and strategy behavior rather than relying on static automationAsset-Class Agnostic Design — Support for cross-asset workflows eliminates product silos and enables multi-market strategy executionNon-Custodial Architecture — Participants maintain control while leveraging institutional-grade infrastructureBridging Institutional and Advanced TradingTradomatix serves a diverse global user base spanning institutional hedge funds, professional quant traders, autonomous AI bots, brokers, and sophisticated retail participants. The platform reflects the evolving structure of modern markets, where participants increasingly rely on shared underlying technology regardless of size or classification.AvailabilityTradomatix is now available to qualified hedge funds, quantitative traders, AI trading system developers, brokers, and advanced market participants globally.About TradomatixTradomatix is a global trading technology platform enabling hedge funds, quantitative traders, AI trading agents, autonomous bots, brokers, and advanced traders to integrate intelligent trading systems within a unified, non-custodial, asset-class-agnostic environment.Website: https://www.tradomatix.com/ This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

WNSTN, a global provider of AI powered financial intelligence, today announced a strategic partnership with Meritz Securities, one of South Korea’s leading retail trading and investment platforms. Meritz will integrate WNSTN’s AI technology into its next-generation digital investment platform to enhance client engagement, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance.Meritz Securities, one of the top financial institutions in Korea for U.S. equities trading, is building a new AI driven platform designed to enhance investor experience while meeting the evolving standards of financial consumer protection. By adopting WNSTN’s solution, Meritz gains access to a fully compliant financial AI system capable of supporting real-time client inquiries, investment knowledge, and regulatory aligned interactions across multiple channels.“We are honored to partner with Meritz Securities, a market leader known for its commitment to innovation and customer experience,” said Jamie Rakover, Co-Founder of WNSTN. “This collaboration reflects a shared vision for the future of digital finance, combining advanced AI capabilities with the strict compliance standards required in regulated markets.”Roy Michaeli, CEO of WNSTN added: “Our mission is to help financial institutions implement AI powered tools that deliver hyper personalized, intelligent investment experiences, enhance market clarity and confidence, and give traders a competitive edge to make better informed decisions.”Through this partnership, Meritz will be the first major Korean financial institution to deploy WNSTN’s infrastructure grade AI capabilities. The companies are collaborating closely on tailoring the system to Korean regulatory requirements and Meritz’s long term product vision.“This partnership strengthens our ability to deliver an exceptional, hyper personalized digital experience to our clients,” said The Executive Director, Jang-Wook Lee, of the InnoBiz Center at Meritz Securities, who is leading the platform launch. “WNSTN brings advanced financial AI, strong compliance controls, and a deep understanding of the needs of regulated institutions. We are excited to work together to accelerate our innovation roadmap.”The integrated platform is expected to launch in early 2026 as part of Meritz’s new AI powered investment service.About Meritz SecuritiesMeritz Securities is one of South Korea’s leading financial institutions, offering brokerage, investment banking, wealth management, and digital trading services. Known for its strong presence in U.S. equities trading and its focus on technology driven innovation, Meritz serves millions of retail and institutional clients.About WNSTNWNSTN is a global provider of compliant AI solutions for financial institutions, brokerages, and capital markets firms. Built with layered compliance controls, multi agent financial intelligence, and enterprise grade security, WNSTN enables institutions to deploy real time AI safely across client engagement, service automation, and internal analytics workflows. WNSTN is headquartered in the U.S. with teams across North America, Europe, and the Middle East. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Alpaca announced yesterday (Tuesday) it intends to acquire Zincmoney IFSC, a broker-dealer licensed by India's International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and operating from the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).Alpaca Moves Into India Through GIFT City AcquisitionThe deal gives the U.S.-based brokerage API provider access to Indian brokerage licenses and infrastructure through a special financial zone that is targeting global firms seeking a regulated entry point into India's market. "The acquisition of Zincmoney is critical to building truly global brokerage infrastructure," Yoshi Yokokawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpaca, said in a statement. Zincmoney has worked with Indian financial institutions and fintechs since establishing operations in GIFT City.Zincmoney operates as a broker-dealer offering international securities and products listed on GIFT City exchanges. The firm also provides services for overseas education funding and restricted stock unit management. The acquisition includes a payment service provider license that processes customer transfers in India.Alpaca offers multi-asset brokerage infrastructure covering U.S. stocks, options, fixed income, and crypto. The company recently secured Nasdaq exchange membership and won options and fixed income clearing memberships to reduce reliance on third-party clearing.GIFT City Draws More Financial FirmsThe transaction requires regulatory approval from IFSCA, which oversees broker-dealers and other financial intermediaries operating in GIFT City. GIFT City hosts over 1,000 registered entities, including 38 global and Indian banks with combined assets exceeding $100 billion.Operating with its own market watchdog, it brings a model similar to Dubai's International Financial Centre (DIFC), which houses over 70 brokerage firms under the oversight of the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). The DIFC reported strong growth in the first half of 2025, with its banking and capital markets cluster expanding to 289 companies. Mayuresh Kini, who leads Zincmoney IFSC, will become CEO of Alpaca India following regulatory approvals. "Joining Alpaca allows us to accelerate what we set out to build, making global investing and IFSC products accessible to Indian households through the partners they already trust," Kini said.Other U.S. financial firms have recently moved into GIFT City. StoneX expanded operations in India last year, establishing offices in Bangalore and Pune while joining the International Bullion Exchange.Alpaca has been expanding its product set over the past year, launching 24/7 tokenized trading of U.S. equities and partnering with platforms like Gotrade to bring options trading to 22 million investors across Southeast Asia.The company said the acquisition positions it as a full-stack global brokerage infrastructure provider for brokers, banks, and fintechs launching investing and wealth products. Alpaca has raised over $170 million in funding. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.