The prediction market platform Kalshi is exploring a potential expansion into Brazil in 2026 — a move that could test how far prediction markets can stretch the boundary between finance and betting outside the United States. In an interview with Brazilian newspaper Valor, Kalshi co-founder Luana Lopes Lara confirmed the company is considering entering the country. The timing is notable: Brazil is in the midst of a sweeping overhaul of its sports betting regime, creating a narrow but potentially strategic opening for products that do not fit neatly into traditional gambling definitions. As of January 2025, Brazil has implemented a strict regulatory framework for fixed-odds betting. Operators are required to obtain a dedicated licence, use a .bet.br domain, and comply with enhanced KYC rules, including mandatory facial recognition and a ban on credit-based betting. The framework is designed to formalise a market long dominated by offshore and grey-market operators. Where Betting Law Meets Financial Regulation This is where Kalshi’s strategy becomes relevant. In the United States, the company has consistently positioned its “event contracts” as financial instruments regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, rather than as gambling products subject to state-level betting laws. If Kalshi can advance a similar classification argument in Brazil, it could potentially operate outside the scope of the country’s new betting regime, which was built with traditional sportsbooks in mind. Such an outcome would offer a meaningful competitive advantage in a market estimated to be worth tens of billions of reals — while simultaneously testing the boundaries of Brazil’s regulatory definitions. The timing may prove decisive. Brazilian authorities are still finalising secondary legislation and technical standards through 2026, leaving room for regulators to determine how — or whether — prediction markets fit within the new framework. At the same time, the government’s stated objective is clear: to reduce unregulated activity and bring betting-adjacent products under formal oversight. Kalshi’s potential entry, therefore, is not simply a geographic expansion. It represents a broader regulatory experiment — one that could help define how prediction markets are treated in newly regulated jurisdictions beyond the United States. For regulators, the case raises a fundamental question: where does financial risk trading end, and betting begin? This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

eToro has entered a new sponsorship agreement with Djurgårdens IF Fotboll, one of Sweden’s “oldest and prominent” football clubs. The deal includes LED visibility at matches and exclusive hospitality experiences for eToro’s top-tier clients.The partnership follows eToro and Nasdaq’s expansion to provide real-time trading data for more than 210 additional stocks listed on Nasdaq’s Nordic exchanges in Stockholm, Helsinki, and Copenhagen. Global retail clients will have complimentary access, making eToro the first non-Nordic broker to offer this data. Retail participation in Nasdaq Nordic markets has increased from 7.7% in 2018 to 10.6% in the first quarter of 2025. Companies listed include Volvo, H&M, Nokia, and Novo Nordisk.eToro Expands Operations in Nordic RegionDjurgårdens IF was founded in 1891 and has played a central role in Swedish football. The club maintains “a large and active fan base.”eToro said the partnership aligns with its focus on the Nordic market, where retail investor participation is high. The company described Sweden as “a true investment hub” and plans to expand its local offerings, including payment methods and investment products.eToro Extends Football and Rugby Sponsorship AgreementsSeparately, eToro has extended its sports sponsorships across Europe. The firm signed a multi-year agreement to become the Official Trading Partner of Nottingham Forest FC for the 2025/26 season, covering both men’s and women’s teams. In 2025, eToro began sponsoring Premiership Women’s Rugby, supporting both men’s and women’s competitions. The company has also extended its sponsorship of Dutch football club AZ Alkmaar, initially established in 2023, through 2027, including matchday visibility at the AFAS Stadium and content collaborations with players and events for clients.The Nottingham Forest partnership comes amid broader changes in Premier League sponsorship rules. The UK is preparing to prohibit betting firms from displaying logos on the front of shirts, currently valued at £101.1 million across 11 clubs, creating opportunities for non-betting brands like eToro. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has clarified the reason behind fintech giant Revolut's recent decision to close accounts for its Ukrainian residents, stating that any firm wishing to offer financial services in the country must first obtain a local license and adhere to Ukrainian law. The statement comes after Revolut, one of the most valuable startups in Europe's most valuable startup, began notifying its Ukrainian users that their accounts, opened through its Lithuanian entity, would be closed within 60 days. In April 2025, Revolut suspended new client registrations from Ukraine after the National Bank of Ukraine reiterated that the company was operating without a local licence.While the initial news caused confusion and concern, the NBU's comments reframe the situation not as a permanent exit, but as a regulatory impasse.What the NBU Is SayingThe central bank emphasized that its rules are the same for all market participants and that it had previously provided Revolut with "comprehensive clarifications" on the necessary authorization procedures. "The rules are the same for everyone—any company that intends to provide financial services to residents of Ukraine must go through the authorization procedure in accordance with the requirements of Ukrainian legislation," the NBU stated in a press release. The regulator confirmed that Revolut had informed them of its intention to suspend services and stressed that the door remains open for the company to re-enter the market legally."We remain open to regulatory dialogue with the Revolut company and welcome any properly authorized form of this company's presence in the financial market of Ukraine," the NBU noted, adding that it would ensure a "prompt review" of any application package. Crucially, the NBU also clarified that the account closures will not affect Ukrainian refugees who are officially registered and residing in the European Economic Area. Their accounts will continue to be serviced by Revolut. For Revolut, a company with global ambitions and a potential IPO on the horizon, the situation in Ukraine is a clear example of the challenges that global fintechs face when scaling into jurisdictions with robust and assertive national regulators. The company must now decide on its future strategy for the Ukrainian market, weighing the benefits of obtaining a local license against the costs and complexities of full regulatory compliance. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

Revolut is in early talks with private equity firm Blackstone over a potential partnership that would allow Revolut customers to access Blackstone’s investment funds. The discussions centre on integrating Blackstone products into Revolut’s planned private banking offering. If the deal goes ahead, it would signal Revolut’s shift from retail finance toward private banking and wealth management. For Blackstone, the talks reflect an effort to expand distribution to a new generation of affluent investors through digital platforms.Revolut’s Move into Private BankingThe potential partnership aligns with Revolut’s broader push to target wealthier clients. The company has been expanding its private markets team and hiring investment bankers and private capital advisers to develop products for high-net-worth individuals. In a recent job posting, Revolut described its private banking initiative as focused on building long-term relationships with high-net-worth clients globally. Private bankers would be responsible for managing defined market segments, overseeing client acquisition and activation, and supporting more complex financial needs—an approach that closely mirrors traditional private banking models rather than mass-market fintech services.Private Capital and Fintech Converge on Affluent Clients For Blackstone, a tie-up with Revolut—whose platform serves nearly 70 million users globally—would provide direct access to a large and growing pool of affluent and mass-affluent clients as the firm looks beyond institutional investors for new sources of funding. Blackstone has tripled the number of private banks and wealth managers it works with in Europe over the past two years as part of a broader distribution strategy. Similar dynamics are emerging elsewhere in the industry as other private capital firms are pursuing comparable routes, with recent initiatives linking Apollo Global Management with EQT with German neobroker Trade Republic. The potential Revolut–Blackstone partnership highlights how the traditional boundary between retail fintech platforms and private banking is narrowing, reshaping competition across brokerage and wealth management. For firms moving into this space, success will depend on execution, regulatory compliance, and their ability to meet the expectations of a more sophisticated client base. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

“There’s a much greater willingness for individuals to put forward a good idea, get quick sign-off, build something—and accept that sometimes it will fail.”That observation, offered by Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, captured a recurring tension at the Finance Magnates London Summit 2025: how far banks can push speed and experimentation without undermining the discipline on which financial services is built.Speaking with Jonathan Fine, Content Strategist at Ultimate Group, Bullock contrasted her experience at SAP—a global software group with more than 100,000 employees—with her current role at one of the UK’s newest principal clearing banks. The difference, she said, is not simply scale but mindset. In smaller institutions, leadership is accessible, approval chains are short, and ideas can move quickly from concept to prototype. In large corporates, by contrast, “the signoff hurdles are large,” and by the time projects begin, “the use case or utility isn’t there.”Scale Shapes Decision-MakingThat cultural shift is shaping how The Bank of London approaches innovation. Rather than treating new technologies as isolated experiments, the bank is embedding them directly into its operating model. Bullock pointed to artificial intelligence as an example, noting that the focus has moved from experimentation to application. “We’re really embedding those use cases into our workflows,” she said, citing a production AI assistant trained on the bank’s own APIs and internal data.Bank of London is a banking, payments, and clearing partner for businesses, providing secure and technologically advanced financial solutions. According to the bank, it reduces the complexity of traditional banking, offering faster, more flexible ways for clients to hold and move money while supporting business operations.From AI to ImplementationThe assistant, she explained, supports clients during integration by helping generate code and identify the right endpoints—part of what she described as “that willingness to use new technology and tooling,” combined with a tight feedback loop from clients on what they actually need.Client Feedback Drives Product ChoicesTokenisation is another area where that feedback is shaping priorities. Bullock described growing demand from clients for continuous, round-the-clock access to capital. “They don’t want to wait for cutoff times,” she said, adding that cross-border clients in particular want to avoid fees that ultimately get passed on to end users. With all client money held at the Bank of England, she framed on-chain development as “a very logical place to start” for the bank.Tokenisation and Capital AccessNot all clients, however, are equally able to move at speed. Bullock said innovation tends to start with “pathfinder” institutions, particularly financial firms serving emerging markets through remittances and cross-border payments. These clients, she noted, are “really driving that change,” because they need to move money quickly and operate across borders.In our latest Fintech Focus TV episode, Toby sits down with Christopher Horne (CEO) and Tam Holmes (CCO) of @_bankoflondon live from Pay360 at ExCeL London. https://t.co/BVW6v4g8GW#Fintech #DigitalBanking #HarringtonStarr @ThePAssoc pic.twitter.com/7RzLGI8oqz— Harrington Starr (@HarringtonStarr) May 19, 2025Uneven Pace Across MarketsTheir biggest constraint is often infrastructure rather than ambition. Bullock contrasted the UK’s data-rich environment—where tools like Companies House make it “incredibly simple” to validate ownership structures—with markets where similar information is fragmented or paper-based. “They want that smooth, quick onboarding experience,” she said, but enhanced checks are often unavoidable, creating delays.Data Limits SpeedFounded as the UK’s sixth principal clearing bank, The Bank of London operates with the same licence as established institutions but positions itself as a challenger. Its core offerings—accounts, embedded banking, and payments clearing and settlement—are aimed primarily at regulated financial institutions that lack deposit-taking permissions. Embedded banking, Bullock said, allows clients to “offer the service to their customers,” while the bank provides the underlying infrastructure.Challenger Positioning in BankingLooking ahead, the emphasis is less on spectacle than execution. Bullock pointed to the continued evolution of the bank’s developer studio and APIs, alongside further investment in automation. The aim, she said, is “making that onboarding process as seamless as possible.”For an industry still balancing innovation with trust, her message was pragmatic. Moving fast, in Bullock’s telling, is not about ignoring risk—but about closing decision loops quickly enough to ensure that ideas still matter by the time they reach the market. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Robinhood has moved into direct competition with traditional sportsbooks by expanding its prediction markets with new parlay-style contracts tied to NFL games. The launch signals a deeper push into event-based trading and marks the segment’s transition from an add-on product to a material revenue contributor. What sets the business apart is its scale and user engagement. Analysts estimate Robinhood’s prediction markets division is tracking toward roughly $300 million in annual revenue. The segment has also been cited as one of the factors supporting the company’s strong stock performance in 2025. According to Mizuho analyst Dan Dolev, Robinhood has identified a product that closely aligns with its retail user base. Robinhood users are significantly more likely to engage with prediction markets than the general public, supporting higher activity levels and repeat participation. That dynamic is reflected in the platform’s trading data. Since launching prediction market contracts in March, more than 9 billion contracts have traded on Robinhood, with over one million users participating. In the third quarter alone, trading volumes reached approximately 2.3 billion contracts. Activity accelerated further in the following months, rising to 2.5 billion contracts in October and exceeding 3 billion in November.From Financial Contracts to Sports-Linked Events The latest expansion applies familiar sports-betting mechanics to regulated event contracts. Robinhood users can now trade preset combinations of NFL game outcomes, with custom combinations expected to launch in 2026. The platform has also introduced live contracts tied to individual player performance metrics, including passing yards and points scored. JB Mackenzie, Robinhood’s general manager of futures and international, said the company views prediction markets as a durable part of its product strategy, citing sustained customer demand. Beyond sports, Robinhood is exploring ways to link contracts across multiple event categories, potentially allowing users to combine outcomes tied to economic data, climate-related events, or political developments. The expansion has also attracted regulatory scrutiny. Earlier this year, state regulators in Connecticut issued cease-and-desist orders to several prediction market platforms, including Robinhood, arguing that sports-linked event contracts resembled unlicensed sports betting under state law. The episode highlighted ongoing uncertainty around the boundary between state-level gaming rules and federally regulated event-based derivatives.A Structural Shift Toward Event-Based Markets Robinhood’s move reflects a wider shift across trading and derivatives markets. Traditional brokers, crypto firms, and exchange operators are increasingly treating event-based contracts as a distinct asset class rather than a niche product. Plus500 recently entered the space as a clearing partner for CME Group and FanDuel’s event-based contracts platform, underlining growing institutional interest in the model. Robinhood has signalled similar ambitions at the infrastructure level. The company has announced plans to operate a regulated futures and derivatives exchange alongside its consumer-facing platform, subject to regulatory approval. If realised, the move would further integrate prediction markets into Robinhood’s broader financial ecosystem. Collectively, these developments suggest prediction markets are becoming a more established component of modern financial platforms rather than experimental offerings. For Robinhood, the segment provides a meaningful additional revenue stream while extending user engagement beyond traditional asset classes. How far the model can scale, however, will depend on how regulatory frameworks evolve to accommodate event-based trading. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

Visa is allowing U.S. banks to settle payments using Circle’s USDC stablecoin in a move highlighting how stablecoins are moving closer to mainstream financial infrastructure as institutions look for faster, round-the-clock payment solutions. Visa’s Expanding Crypto StrategyAfter years of experimentation, the payments giant is formally launching the new offering within its U.S. payment network. The program, which started with pilots abroad, lets approved issuers and acquirers send funds over the Solana blockchain using USDC, the company shared on Tuesday. Cross River Bank and Lead Bank are the first partners on board, and broader rollout across U.S. institutions will reportedly continue through 2026. Visa said the integration allows faster fund transfers, seven-day settlement windows, and more efficient liquidity management for banks, without altering how consumers use their cards.The system aims to make treasury operations as seamless as using a blockchain wallet while maintaining the risk controls and compliance standards expected from a global payments provider.“Banks Are Ready for Stablecoin Settlement”“Visa is expanding stablecoin settlement because our banking partners are not only asking about it – they’re preparing to use it,” said Rubail Birwadker, Global Head of Growth Products and Strategic Partnerships at Visa. “Financial institutions are looking for faster, programmable settlement options that integrate seamlessly with their existing treasury operations.”The U.S. launch builds on Visa’s international pilot programs, which collectively surpassed an annualized $3.5 billion in stablecoin volumes as of November. The company was among the first major payment networks to test stablecoin settlement in 2023 and has since added more blockchains and tokens for flexibility.A powerful milestone in the mainstream adoption and acceptance of USDC, with Visa announcing that all US card issuers (banks, fintechs, crypto firms) can now settle directly with Visa using USDC. Visa also working with Circle to prepare for launching on @Arc.Dollar digital… pic.twitter.com/c7ilmCrXWY— Jeremy Allaire - jda.eth / jdallaire.sol (@jerallaire) December 16, 2025Visa is also collaborating with Circle on Arc, a new Layer 1 blockchain designed for large-scale financial applications. Once live, Visa plans to validate transactions on Arc and use it for future settlements. Early adopters Cross River Bank and Lead Bank see the potential in merging legacy payment systems with blockchain. Visa’s Advisory Arm Tackles Stablecoin StrategyTo complement the rollout, Visa Consulting & Analytics launched a Stablecoins Advisory Practice to guide institutions through implementation and compliance. The move reflects growing demand from banks and fintechs exploring blockchain-based settlement and integrating tokenized money into regulated financial structures.As Visa extends USDC settlement across the U.S., its strategy signals a shift in how traditional finance interacts with digital assets – a movement where blockchain infrastructure no longer sits outside the payment system but becomes part of its foundation. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

United Fintech has accepted a minority investment from Dansk Vækstkapital, marking the fintech infrastructure provider's sixth institutional investor and second addition to its shareholder roster this month.The investment fund, which operates under Danske Private Equity and Danske Bank Asset Management, joins a group that already includes Barclays, which became the company's fifth banking investor just last week. The backing from Dansk Vækstkapital adds institutional capital alongside the four other banking giants: BNP Paribas, Citi, Danske Bank, and Standard Chartered.Momentum Builds After Bank Investment SpreeThe company's investor base has grown substantially since early 2024, when BNP Paribas and Citigroup first came aboard in February. Standard Chartered followed in May, and Danske Bank joined as the third institutional investor in August."United Fintech is creating a powerful, highly scalable platform that enables large financial institutions to adopt essential new technology while helping tech founders scale their products effectively," Mikael Deigaard, partner at Dansk Vækstkapital, said in a statement.United Fintech, founded in 2020 by Christian Frahm, operates as an industry-neutral platform connecting financial institutions with fintech solutions through acquisitions and integration. The company completed two acquisitions in 2025, bringing its portfolio to seven fintechs focused on commercial banking, capital markets, and wealth management. One of those deals involved AI lending platform Trade Ledger in a share swap transaction earlier this year.​Platform Model Attracts Banking Partnerships “Bringing Dansk Vækstkapital onto our cap table marks an important step in broadening our investor base with experienced financial backers who share our long-term vision," added Christian Frahm, Founder and CEO at United Fintech. "United Fintech is scaling globally, and the combination of strategic bank investors and strong institutional capital gives us a unique foundation to accelerate that mission."Dansk Vækstkapital focuses on venture funds, buyout funds, and direct minority investments primarily across the Nordic region. Since launching in 2011, the fund has deployed approximately 9.4 billion Danish kroner across four vintages.The investment comes as United Fintech continues consolidating fintech providers that serve institutional clients, aiming to streamline how banks and asset managers access and deploy new technology. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

PayPal has applied for approval to establish PayPal Bank, which would be able to offer loans to small businesses.Other fintechs are also exploring banking licences. Wise is considering a banking licence in the United Kingdom and has engaged senior financial sector figures about roles linked to a potential banking business. The company has also applied to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to establish a national trust bank in Texas, allowing direct U.S. dollar settlements with the Federal Reserve.Meanwhile, UK regulators are holding Revolut’s full banking licence over concerns about risk controls amid the fintech’s international expansion. Revolut has operated under a restricted “mobilisation” licence since last year, and authorities are reviewing its risk management before deciding on a full licence.PayPal Seeks Bank Licence for Lending“Establishing PayPal Bank will strengthen our business and improve our efficiency, enabling us to better support small business growth and economic opportunities across the U.S.,” CEO Alex Chriss said in a statement.The company said the U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation will review the application, along with Utah’s Department of Financial Institutions. PayPal also plans to offer interest-bearing savings accounts to its customers.PayPal $PYPL has applied with the FDIC and Utah regulators to form “PayPal Bank,” a Utah industrial loan company aimed at expanding its small business lending after already providing more than $30B in loans since 2013. pic.twitter.com/rZ0XRLAZ9L— Wall St Engine (@wallstengine) December 15, 2025PayPal already provides credit lines to consumers and has been expanding banking-like services amid growing competition from fintech firms seeking to attract business from traditional banks.Shares Rise After Bank AnnouncementShares of PayPal rose 1.5% in extended trading following the announcement. In October, the company reported quarterly revenue of $8.42 billion, up 7% from a year earlier, surpassing analysts’ expectations. In 2025, however, the stock has fallen about 29%, while the S&P 500 has gained nearly 16% over the same period. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

“Make sure you know what's on their roadmap so that you know what you need to prep for and what you need to build,” commented fintech strategist Jas Shah when asked about the ideal stablecoin strategy for brokers during the FMLS:25. Shah – a consultant, writer, and frequent voice in the digital finance space – spoke with Jonathan Fine, Content Strategist at the Ultimate Group, offering a sharp view of an industry at a crossroads: technologically agile, but structurally uneven.He brought strong insights and depth to a conversation that spanned artificial intelligence, stablecoins, and the ongoing transformation of digital banking. Shah has spent nearly two decades building products in financial services, beginning his career as an engineer before focusing primarily on product leadership.Over this time, he has worked at tier 1 financial institutions, helped launch challenger banks and PFM apps, scaled an SME lender as Chief Product Officer, and continues to advise and provide hands-on expertise to organizations developing innovative products. He is also a columnist at Fintech Under the Hood, an online publication with over 6,000 subscribers. Building Digital Banking in MENAMuch of Shah’s current work, he revealed, revolves around digital transformation projects in the Middle East, particularly the challenge of modernizing user experience and payments infrastructure as banks race to engage younger generations.Many banks there are striving to attract younger customers, which requires transitioning from traditional internet banking to fully developed mobile banking experiences – a shift that’s already commonplace elsewhere but still in progress across the region.Stablecoins and the RegulationsThe conversation then turned to stablecoins – a topic that dominated many conversations across the Summit – and how brokers should approach this evolving space. Shah’s advice was pragmatic: start from first principles.“You need to know what your customers are doing,” he said. “Even get them in a room, take them out for dinner, and ask: What do you know about stablecoins? What are your challenges? What are you thinking about for next year? Then you can build something meaningful around that.”Yet optimism was tempered by realism. Regulation, particularly around KYC, AML, and fund segregation, remains murky. “It’s still a challenge,” he acknowledged. “But I think the more adoption that happens, the more regulation will fit around what use cases are across industry. Yeah, we will wait for clarity. Wait-and-see.”The Convergence of Banking, Investing and FintechPerhaps the most forward-looking part of the discussion explored the convergence between neobanks and retail investing – a theme Fine noted as central to the Summit’s evolution. Shah pointed to Revolut as emblematic of this shift, citing its growth, regulatory licenses, and product strategy.You may also like: “Prop Isn’t Finished, but If You’re Coming into Prop Now, You Are,” FMLS:25 Takeaways“Nick approaches product like a finance person with a tech lens,” said Shah. “I think Revolut maybe will become a bigger part of this conference. But I think they're talking about launching their own real estate investing platform for institutional investors plus retail investors.”He suggested that leading digital banks – from Monzo to Starling – will eventually internalize their trading and investment tech stacks, transforming from platform customers into “investment-as-a-service” providers. “And once they've built the tech, they can license the tech and come here as a, you know, investment as a service platform like many of the people here.”Writing Fintech, From Insight to ArtIn a lighter turn, Fine lauded Shah’s long-form writing, particularly his widely read Fintech Under the Hood essays. Asked about his process, Shah described something closer to an artisan’s craft than a journalist’s workflow.“It meanders,” he admitted with a laugh. “I start with what people should know – what’s happening that isn’t being talked about. Then I layer structure: intro, background, timeline, closeout. And then I add the meat.”Shah’s reflections encapsulated a wider narrative running through the Summit halls: fintech is no longer a sideshow to retail investing. It is becoming its infrastructure. As regulation catches up and neobanks mature, a new generation of digital finance builders is quietly turning from disruption to construction. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

“AI is a hot topic, but boards must understand what they are getting into,” said Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, speaking at the Finance Magnates London Summit 2025. In an interview with Finance Magnates Editor in Chief Yam Yehoshua, she shared a measured view of artificial intelligence adoption in regulatory technology, outlining both its potential value and the risks it poses for brokers and financial institutions.AI Use in Compliance Raises Accountability and Onboarding ConcernsMøller said many firms are eager to introduce AI into compliance functions without fully understanding the operational and regulatory implications. “Its usability, accuracy, and accountability are fundamental in compliance,” she said, adding that weak implementation can result in financial burdens, regulatory fines, reputational damage, and interruptions to client onboarding.Founded in 2012, Muinmos was established following its founder’s early concept for an automated system to assess whether financial institutions can onboard clients in line with regulatory requirements. The company develops a SaaS-based regtech platform that uses automation, including AI and machine learning, to support client onboarding and compliance processes across multiple jurisdictions. Automation Often Mistaken for Artificial IntelligenceMøller described the current level of AI maturity in the industry as limited. “A lot of companies talk about AI, but mostly they mean automation,” Møller said. She emphasized that decision-making responsibility cannot be delegated to technology. “The final decision-making must sit with the institution, which retains responsibility and accountability,” she noted.According to Møller, client onboarding is one of the areas where AI can offer near-term benefits, particularly through process support and efficiency gains. However, she said such systems should operate with defined controls and under human oversight, rather than functioning as fully autonomous decision-makers.AI Dialogue Grows Amid Licensing UncertaintyThe discussion also addressed regulatory engagement with AI. Møller observed that regulators are increasingly open to dialogue, including inviting regtech firms into regulatory sandboxes. Despite this, she said many firms continue to operate in fragmented ways. “There is still a gap between using AI and understanding the regulatory framework,” she said, stressing that compliance considerations must remain central as AI tools are applied across business functions.On licensing trends in Europe, Møller pointed to recent approvals granted to firms such as Revolut and eToro by CySEC as signs of regulatory progress. At the same time, she highlighted ongoing uncertainty around passporting within the European Union. “Even if authorities are ready, some regulators are being asked to slow down the pace,” she said, referring to guidance issued by ESMA.Regtech Sees Controlled Shift to AutomationLooking ahead, Møller said client lifecycle management is likely to move toward greater straight-through processing supported by AI. “The future of onboarding is very little human touch, managed through AI—but with the right controls and risk framework,” she said.The discussion highlighted a central tension in regtech today: AI offers efficiency and compliance gains, but its responsible implementation requires careful oversight, regulatory collaboration, and an appreciation of its limitations. For brokers and investment firms, the message is clear: embrace AI, but do so deliberately. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Beeks Financial (LSE: BKS) has signed nuam, the regional holding company that operates stock exchanges in Santiago, Colombia and Lima, as its latest exchange client. The agreement brings Beeks' total new exchange partnerships this year to five.Under the deal, Beeks will provide its Exchange Cloud infrastructure service to nuam through a revenue-sharing arrangement. The platform will let nuam onboard both local and international trading participants across the three markets it operates - the Santiago Stock Exchange in Chile, Bolsa de Valores de Lima in Peru and Bolsa de Valores de Colombia.Beeks Signs Five Exchange Deals in Twelve MonthsBeeks has been adding exchange clients at a steady clip. Earlier this year, the company reported 26% revenue growth for its fiscal year ending June 2025, with profit jumping 91% as exchanges and trading firms increased infrastructure spending. The firm also partnered with TMX Group in September to provide cloud-based access to Canadian markets.The company's Exchange Cloud product is a managed infrastructure stack that lets exchanges offer computing and analytics services to their participants without building the underlying technology themselves. Exchanges can rebrand the platform and maintain direct client relationships while Beeks handles the technical operations."Our Exchange Cloud platform gives nuam the agility, scalability and global connectivity needed to onboard participants quickly and cost effectively, while nuam retains full control of their client relationships and brand," said Gordon McArthur, Beeks' Chief Executive.For nuam, the platform should speed up the process of bringing new participants into its unified market. Trading firms typically face lengthy onboarding procedures when connecting to exchanges, especially across multiple countries with different technical requirements and regulatory frameworks.Latin American Integration Playnuam runs Latin America's first cross-border integrated exchange, combining three national markets under one trading architecture. The company aims to standardize trading conditions and regulations across Chile, Colombia and Peru to attract foreign capital and improve market efficiency in the region.Juan Pablo Córdoba, nuam's Chief Executive, said the Beeks agreement fits the exchange's broader integration strategy. "This agreement supports our mission to build Latin America's first fully integrated multi-country exchange," he said. "The deal adds geographic reach for Beeks beyond its recent contracts with North American and European exchanges. The company has been expanding its infrastructure footprint, including acquiring a stake in LMS in September for access to ultra-low-latency network technology used in high-frequency trading.Beeks also secured a five-year contract with a large forex broker and a Canadian bank earlier this month, worth a combined £4 million. Those partnerships are expected to generate revenue starting in the second half of the fiscal year ending June 2026. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.