Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited has appointed Kay Lo Hei Rose to its statutory Risk Management Committee, replacing former Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited chairman Xing Guiwei. HKEX said the appointment, effective 1 January, was made in accordance with the Securities and Futures Ordinance. Lo Hei Rose recently became chairman of Hong Kong Interbank Clearing Limited and joins the committee as its newest member. The Risk Management Committee, which advises the HKEX board on the adequacy of risk safeguards across the group’s clearing houses, will continue to be chaired by Carlson Tong.  HKEX confirmed the full list of members as: Carlson Tong, Chow Woo Mo Fong Susan, Ho Hon Kit Daryl, Kay Lo Hei Rose, Kwok Pui Fong Miranda, Leung Chung Yin Rico, Leung Pak Hon Hugo and Sun Yu. Lo Hei Rose’s inclusion follows other recent governance adjustments across Hong Kong’s financial infrastructure operators. HKEX reiterated that the appointment followed the prescribed regulatory process and takes effect immediately. The post HKEX Appoints New Member to Statutory Risk Committee appeared first on LeapRate.

Tap Global Group reported higher revenue, stronger gross profit and reduced operating costs for the year to 30 June 2025, as the digital finance platform continues to scale its payments and cryptocurrency services. Revenue rose 31 per cent year-on-year to £3.48 million, supported by increased trading volumes and a growing user base, which reached more than 391,000. Gross profit climbed 68 per cent to £2.62 million as the cost of sales fell 20 per cent.  The group also recorded £0.42 million in other income from recovered historical Bitcoin referral bonuses. Operating expenses fell 6.6 per cent to £3.8 million following optimised compliance and staff costs. Adjusted EBITDA turned positive at £0.41 million after adjusting for one-off listing and regulatory expenses. Despite a £4.7 million goodwill impairment pushing the loss before tax to £5.7 million, the group said the underlying performance had improved significantly. Cash balances increased to £0.81 million, supported by a £1 million equity raise in early 2025. The company also announced that CFO Steven Borg resigned and will leave the board on 9 January 2026. He will be replaced at the senior level by Andrew Milmine, who joins as Head of Finance. The company said it remains satisfied with its financial oversight and governance following the change. CEO Arsen Torosian said FY25 marked a “defining period of graduation” as Tap evolves from a challenger fintech into a regulated digital finance platform serving both retail and institutional clients. The post Tap Global Reports Higher Revenue and Profit Margins as CFO Resigns appeared first on LeapRate.

Boku announced Friday that it has launched a new share buyback programme of up to 4 million shares after its board concluded the company’s current valuation does not reflect its long-term prospects. The fintech, listed on London’s AIM, said the repurchased shares will be held in Treasury and may be used to meet future obligations arising from warrants or staff equity awards, helping to limit dilution for existing investors.  Boku already holds 6.5 million shares in Treasury, representing 2.1 per cent of its issued share capital. The board authorised the buyback under existing powers to repurchase up to 5 per cent of its common stock. The company said strong cash balances and confidence in its growth plan made the programme an “effective use” of capital. Investec Bank, Boku’s joint broker, has been instructed to conduct the buyback according to preset parameters.  The maximum price paid per share will be capped at the lower of 5 per cent above the average middle-market price over the past five business days, or the higher of the last independent trade and the highest independent purchase bid. The programme takes immediate effect and will run until 30 April 2026, unless the 4 million-share limit is reached earlier. Because of limited liquidity, the company warned daily repurchases could exceed 25 per cent of average trading volumes.  As a result, Boku will not benefit from the buyback safe-harbour exemption under the UK’s Market Abuse Regulation. The board said it will review the need for further share repurchases once the current programme concludes. The post Boku Launches Share Buyback appeared first on LeapRate.

IC Markets has signed a new partnership with Australian tennis player Alexei Popyrin as he prepares for what the trading platform describes as a “blockbuster” 2026 season. Sydney-born Popyrin, 26, has won three ATP singles titles and one doubles title, including his 2024 Canada Open title at the Montreal Masters 1000. That victory made him the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 to lift an ATP Masters 1000 trophy. Popyrin will open his 2026 campaign at the Brisbane International and Adelaide International before heading into the Australian Open. The company said fans can expect his “power, precision and resilience” as he targets a deep run in his home Grand Slam. “I’m looking forward to starting the season strong with IC Markets,” Popyrin said. “Last year had its challenges with the injuries, but I’ve put in the work to come back better.” After reaching the ATP Top 20 in August 2025, driven by strong performances in Monte Carlo, Toronto and Roland Garros, Popyrin is aiming to rebuild momentum following an injury-affected year. Peter Tardent, IC Markets Australia’s general manager, said: “Alexei is an incredible athlete and an even better person. His speed and precision perfectly reflect what IC Markets delivers to traders worldwide.” The partnership forms part of IC Markets’ wider brand-building push as the broker continues to expand its global profile. The post IC Markets Partners With Australian Tennis Star Alexei Popyrin for 2026 Season appeared first on LeapRate.

A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners has been censured and fined $145,000 for repeated failures to file required notifications related to securities distributions and for longstanding supervisory weaknesses, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority said. FINRA found that between April 2019 and August 2022, the Connecticut-based firm failed to submit, or submitted late or inaccurate, Regulation M-related notices in 55 instances covering 47 distributions.  The errors included late restricted-period notifications, some more than 100 days overdue, and trading notifications that omitted required participant information. In several cases, the firm failed to file notifications at all. The regulator said these failures breached FINRA Rules 5190 and 2010, noting that accurate and timely notifications are essential for monitoring compliance with Regulation M, which aims to prevent manipulation during securities distributions. FINRA also cited extensive supervisory gaps from 2019 through 2024. The firm did not maintain written supervisory procedures ensuring timely or accurate filings and carried out what FINRA described as “unreasonably narrow” reviews.  The regulator added that Alliance Global failed to review whether it bid for or purchased covered securities during restricted periods, breaching Rules 3110(a), 3110(b), and 2010. As part of the settlement, the firm must submit a written certification from senior management within 60 days confirming it has fully remediated the issues and implemented adequate supervisory systems. The sanctions were accepted without the firm admitting or denying the findings. The post Alliance Global Partners Censured and Fined By the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority appeared first on LeapRate.

Standard Chartered Securities North America has been censured and fined $95,000 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority after the firm failed to timely report hundreds of fixed income trades and did not maintain adequate supervisory systems. According to a FINRA settlement, the firm did not report around 700 TRACE-eligible corporate debt transactions within the required 15-minute window between September 2021 and March 2023.  FINRA said the late reports accounted for roughly five per cent of the firm’s eligible transactions during the period and violated Rules 6730(a) and 2010. FINRA found additional supervisory failings spanning more than three years. From at least September 2021 through December 2024, the regulator said the firm lacked written supervisory procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with TRACE reporting rules.  Although it tracked late reports and escalated them internally, the firm had no system to remediate repeated failures and did not act promptly despite FINRA alerts highlighting deficiencies. The regulator added that the absence of effective written procedures and supervisory reviews meant the firm breached Rules 3110 and 2010. Standard Chartered has since established a cross-department working group and, in January 2025, implemented updated procedures for tracking and escalating late reports. The firm accepted the sanctions without admitting or denying the findings.  The post Standard Chartered Securities Fined $95,000 By FINRA appeared first on LeapRate.

STARTRADER has launched a refreshed brand identity as it seeks to strengthen its position in the global brokerage market and reinforce its long-standing focus on trust and client relationships. The firm said the repositioning introduces a cleaner, more minimal design direction aligned with its new tagline, “Built on Trust. Driven by Growth.”  The company said its updated visual identity features calmer colour palettes and simplified compositions aimed at creating a more confident and client-centric experience. According to STARTRADER, the rebrand reflects a broader shift in its mission and vision, with greater emphasis on accessibility, transparency and long-term partnerships.  The firm said the updated image aligns closely with ongoing improvements to its product offering, noting that growth must remain “grounded in client needs, confidence and consistency.” Internally, the changes are designed to give teams a clearer framework for delivering consistent interactions across departments. STARTRADER said staff play a “central role” in bringing the brand evolution to life. The updated identity is expected to roll out across digital platforms, communications, sponsorships, and client and partner engagements throughout the year.  STARTRADER added that the rebrand marks the beginning of a wider evolution the company expects to build on as it moves further into 2026. The post STARTRADER Unveils New Brand Identity appeared first on LeapRate.