The countdown has officially begun for one of the online trading industry’s most anticipated annual gatherings.The 5th FXCubic Mini-Football Tournament returns on Friday, 12 June 2026, bringing together leading brokers, fintech brands, technology providers, and service companies for an evening of football, networking, and industry connection at Wembley Mini Football in Limassol.What started as a friendly competition has developed into a yearly tradition for professionals across the sector, creating opportunities to build relationships beyond meetings, conferences, and office settings.This year’s edition has once again attracted strong interest, with participation limited to 16 teams to maintain a competitive format.Official Group Draw AnnouncedThe official draw is now complete, determining the path teams must take towards this year’s trophy.The competition will begin with a group stage, where the top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals, followed by the semi-finals, a third-place playoff, and the final.With defending champions returning and several strong contenders entering the competition, this year’s matches are expected to be among the most competitive in tournament history.Former Champions Return to Defend Their LegacyOver the years, the tournament has built a growing history of winners:? 2022: Sheer Markets? 2023: FX Dealing Solutions? 2024: Equiti?2025: ExnessExness enters the 2026 tournament as defending champion, aiming to secure back-to-back victories. Meanwhile, previous winners and first-time challengers will be looking to take the title.More Than a TournamentThe FXCubic Mini-Football Tournament has become more than a sporting competition.Organised on behalf of FXCubic by Convertico Media, the event gives professionals across online trading and fintech an opportunity to strengthen industry relationships while competing in a less formal environment.Visitors can expect:⚽ Competitive football matches? Networking opportunities? Music and entertainment? Drinks and finger food? Awards ceremonyAwards for Teams and Individual PerformancesRecognition extends beyond the winning team.The top three teams will receive trophies and medals during a dedicated awards ceremony. In addition, the tournament’s highest goal scorer will receive the Golden Shoe Award, recognising standout individual performance throughout the competition.Open Entrance for Supporters and Industry VisitorsThe tournament remains open to visitors and supporters, allowing colleagues, friends, and industry professionals to attend and enjoy the event atmosphere.Whether supporting a company team, meeting peers, or attending for networking, the event aims to bring together the wider financial services community.Finance Magnates Named Official Media PartnerAs the official media partner, Finance Magnates will provide event coverage, including updates, highlights, photos, and behind-the-scenes content from the tournament.With excitement building and teams preparing for kick-off, all attention now turns to 12 June in Limassol.Who will lift the trophy at the 5th FXCubic Mini-Football Tournament? This article was written by Finance Magnates Staff at www.financemagnates.com.

May 21, 2026, ABUJA, NIGERIA — PU Prime is proud to announce the official launch of the Dream Fund, a dedicated philanthropic initiative designed to bridge the gap between potential and opportunity for children facing educational barriers. Launched in 2026, the fund begins its mission in Abuja, Nigeria, with a commitment to providing sustained, multi-year support to students who would otherwise be unable to remain in the classroom.The scale of the global education crisis is staggering, with 251 million children currently out of school worldwide. In Nigeria alone, this figure reaches 18 million, representing a significant portion of the population whose ambitions are hindered not by a lack of ability, but by a lack of access. The Dream Fund was created to address this specific hurdle, acting as a bridge to ensure children can stay in school and pursue their long-term goals.Walking Alongside Students: A Sustained ApproachUnlike one-time donations, the Dream Fund is structured as a multi-year sponsorship that covers multiple terms across various school grades. The funding is strictly ring-fenced for essential academic needs, including.Academic Fees: Coverage for school fees and examination costs.Essential Supplies: Provision of books and school uniforms.Modern Resources: Access to digital learning tools to ensure students remain competitive in a tech-driven world.Inaugural Partnership: Destine Children’s OrphanageThe Dream Fund’s first milestone is a partnership with Destine Children’s Orphanage in Abuja. By working with this launch partner, the fund ensures that aid is distributed through trusted institutional channels, with proper documentation and oversight to maintain full transparency. “I see the potential in our children every day. However, that potential is often limited by a lack of access to consistent schooling. For many of our students, the fear of having to leave their studies due to rising costs remains a constant burden,” said Ms. Sarah, Admin Assistant at Destine Children’s Orphanage.Reflecting on the initiative, Mr. Idowu, PU Prime’s Country Manager for Nigeria, shared: “The seeds for the Dream Fund were sown during our visit on October 30, 2025, where we witnessed both the incredible potential of these students and the stark barriers they face. Today, we are proud to turn intention into action by sponsoring 23 children from six different schools, ensuring they receive the consistent support needed to remain in the classroom.”While the initiative begins in Nigeria, PU Prime has a visionary roadmap for the Dream Fund. The long-term goal is to expand the fund beyond a single organization, growing a network of partners across the global regions to create a worldwide coalition for education. In a unique move for the brokerage industry, PU Prime is also inviting its global client base to participate. The Dream Fund represents PU Prime’s evolution from a financial service provider to a socially responsible global citizen, committed to the belief that education is a fundamental right, not a privilege.About PU PrimeFounded in 2015, PU Prime is a leading global fintech company and trusted CFD broker. Today, it offers regulated financial products across forex, commodities, indices, shares, and bonds. Operating in over 190 countries with more than 40 million app downloads, PU Prime provides innovative trading platforms and an integrated copy trading feature, empowering traders worldwide to achieve financial success with confidence.For media enquiries, please contact: media@puprime.com This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Swiset, a B2B trading technology company providing infrastructure for brokers, prop firms, and trading communities, officially announces the launch of “Create Your Own Competition”, a new initiative designed to simplify and accelerate the creation of trading competitions across the industry.The new feature allows any user to launch their own trading competition in less than three minutes, introducing a faster and more accessible way to create competitive trading experiences without requiring technical setup or operational complexity.As part of this launch, Swiset is also introducing Skin-Themed Competitions, a new layer of customization that enables creators to personalize competitions with visual themes and character-based experiences.With the upcoming World Cup season approaching, Swiset will promote its new World Cup Competition Template, allowing users to create football-inspired trading competitions where participants can choose their favorite players, represent teams, and share competitions with friends, trading communities, or online audiences.The initiative aims to transform trading competitions into more social, engaging, and community-driven experiences.“Trading competitions have traditionally been difficult to configure, manage, and scale,” said Andres Jimenez, COO at Swiset. “With Create Your Own Competition, we wanted to remove friction and make competitive trading experiences accessible to everyone, while also bringing a stronger layer of identity, gamification, and engagement.”The feature includes:Competition creation in under 3 minutesAdvanced customization toolsSkin-themed competition experiencesShareable competition pagesWorld Cup-inspired templatesPublic or private competition formatsReal-time leaderboards and performance trackingThe launch reinforces Swiset’s broader vision of helping brokers, prop firms, and trading communities increase trader activation, retention, and engagement through gamified infrastructure and scalable trading technology.The initiative is expected to be adopted by communities, educators, influencers, brokers, and traders looking to create more interactive experiences around trading performance and competition.Swiset currently provides trading infrastructure and engagement technology to firms and communities operating across more than 140 countries.For more information, visit:swiset.com This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

LiteFinance Global LLC, which operates the offshore LiteFinance platform and was previously known as LiteForex in several markets, has introduced two new instruments which track the price of WTI and Brent crude oil through perpetual contracts. The move allows clients to trade oil without time restrictions, including outside traditional exchange hours, as brokers increasingly adopt always-on trading models.New Instruments and Trading AccessAccording to Wednesday's announcement, the contracts are available across all account types and can be traded via MetaTrader 5, cTrader, LiteFinance’s web platform, and mobile applications. The broker stated that the instruments mirror the price of the underlying oil benchmarks, giving traders direct exposure to market movements.Perpetual contracts differ from traditional futures as they do not have an expiration date. This structure allows traders to keep positions open as long as margin requirements are met.LiteFinance said the new instruments enable users to react to market developments at any time. Oil prices often respond to geopolitical events, supply disruptions, and macroeconomic data, many of which occur outside standard trading sessions.Broader Shift Toward Perpetual TradingThe launch aligns with a wider industry trend toward perpetual contracts. These instruments gained prominence in cryptocurrency markets, where they now account for the majority of trading volume globally.Recent data shows that trading activity in perpetual contracts linked to tokenized commodities and equities has increased significantly, pointing to growing adoption beyond digital assets.Keep reading: Number of Oil Traders Jumps 276% on Capital.com as Middle East Tensions Rattle MarketsMarket participants use these instruments for various strategies, including spread trading between WTI and Brent. Continuous trading access also allows faster execution of trades in response to breaking news.LiteFinance’s addition of oil perpetuals highlights how traditional asset classes are adopting structures first developed in crypto markets, as brokers respond to demand for more flexible trading conditions.Perpetual Structures Move Beyond CryptoLiteFinance’s move comes as brokers and exchanges expand perpetual-style derivatives beyond crypto. Perpetual contracts on tokenized commodities and stocks have seen sharp growth in trading volumes in recent quarters, and crypto derivatives venues report that perpetuals now account for the bulk of global trading in that segment.You may also like: AI Is Slowing Hiring at Prop Firms, Not Replacing Traders – YetSome large brokers have previously introduced non-expiring oil CFDs or spot contracts, offering continuous exposure to Brent and WTI, but most still market these instruments as traditional CFDs rather than perpetuals. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Ripple has integrated its prime brokerage platform, Ripple Prime, with the spot and derivatives venues operated by EDX Markets and EDXM International. The integration expands institutional access to digital asset liquidity across spot and perpetual futures markets through a unified prime brokerage framework.The development follows Ripple’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Hidden Road in April last year. The deal gave Ripple ownership of a global, multi-asset prime brokerage business and positioned it among the few crypto-native firms operating in the sector. Hidden Road provides clearing, prime brokerage, and financing services across foreign exchange, digital assets, derivatives, swaps, and fixed income markets, forming the foundation of Ripple’s Ripple Prime platform.Ripple Links Spot and Futures VenuesThe latest integration enables Ripple Prime clients to access EDX liquidity through a single structure that includes credit intermediation, net settlement, and collateral management services. The setup is intended to improve capital efficiency for institutional participants operating across fragmented digital asset markets.EDX Markets operates a spot trading venue, while EDXM International runs a perpetual futures exchange. Both venues are positioned as institutional-focused markets with price discovery functions and a non-conflicted structure aligned with traditional financial market design.Michael Higgins, International CEO of Ripple Prime, said the integration supports partnerships with venues offering “a secure, liquid bridge between traditional and digital markets.” He added that EDX delivers “the performance, reliability, and depth that our clients expect.”‼️ RIPPLE JUST PARTNERED WITH THE NEXT MAJOR SWITCH FOR THE ENTIRE CRYPTO SPHERE ‼️Ripple Prime has just integrated with EDX Markets.?This is a major development that all eyes should be on.?Here’s why:EDX Exchange is backed by Wall Street giants like Charles Schwab,… pic.twitter.com/Ypp0M9w4SN— SMQKE (@SMQKEDQG) May 19, 2026EDX Eyes Stablecoin Collateral ExpansionThe companies also said the partnership lays the groundwork for potential integration of Ripple USD, Ripple’s US dollar-backed stablecoin, as a settlement and collateral asset on EDX. If implemented, it would allow institutional clients to use RLUSD for margin and collateral management across spot and derivatives trading.Tony Acuña-Rohter, CEO of EDX Markets, said institutions are seeking infrastructure that combines “the operational rigor of traditional finance with the innovation and efficiency of digital assets.” He said the integration expands access to “deep, transparent liquidity” across spot and perpetual futures markets. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

AI is prompting proprietary trading firms to slow hiring and focus on more specialized talent, but it is not yet driving widescale job cuts, according to Acuiti’s Q2 2026 Proprietary Trading Management Insight Report in association with Avelacom. The survey, based on a global network of institutional prop firms, shows that managers mainly use AI to boost productivity of existing staff while becoming more selective about new roles. Asked how AI is changing their approach to employment, 44% of firms said they are slowing the pace of hiring.Institutional proprietary trading firms trade with their own capital on regulated exchanges, using in‑house teams, technology, and colocation to run systematic and high‑frequency strategies. Retail‑style prop firms, by contrast, are built around selling funded accounts or evaluations to individual traders. Nearly Half of Prop Firms Slowing HiringOnly 15% reported reducing headcount due to AI productivity gains, with 3% “significantly” reducing staff and 12% slightly cutting headcount. By contrast, 32% are slightly increasing hiring and 6% are aggressively increasing hiring, suggesting a split between firms leaning into AI‑driven growth and those pausing to reassess their staffing needs.The trend is most pronounced at firms that combine algorithmic trading with point‑and‑click execution. These firms use AI to automate routine work, support decision‑making and increase throughput for existing teams. The report notes that, rather than pulling out of markets or shutting desks, most firms seek to run leaner, more efficient operations and demand clearer justification for each additional hire.Continue reading: Everyone Talks About AI’s Power. Few Ask What It Does to Financial DecisionsAs overall hiring momentum cools, the type of roles prop shops want is changing. Acuiti’s report finds that firms are moving away from broad-based recruitment and instead target highly specialized profiles, particularly in quantitative research, engineering and data science. These roles are central to developing, training and integrating AI models into trading strategies and infrastructure.Demand Shifts to Quant, Data and Engineering SkillsRemonda Møller, the Founder of Muinmos, said at the Finance Magnates London Summit 2025 that AI is a major focus right now, but boards need a clear understanding of what they are adopting. In compliance, the key questions remain how usable, accurate and accountable any AI system actually is.“AI is a hot topic, but boards must understand what they are getting into. Its usability, accuracy, and accountability are fundamental in compliance.” The AI findings sit alongside other structural themes in the report. During the first quarter of 2026, marked by heightened volatility driven by conflict in the Middle East and concerns about AI’s impact on corporate business models, 83% of firms said their operational performance was good or excellent. However, 54% reported issues with market data feed capacity and latency, and 46% saw problems with order management and execution technology, highlighting pressure points as firms scale more automated, model‑driven strategies.Together, the data suggests that AI is reshaping how prop firms think about headcount and skills, but in a gradual, targeted way. For now, productivity gains appear to translate into slower, more selective hiring rather than large‑scale displacement of traders and technologists.Retail Brokers Lean on AI TooIn retail brokerage, AI has already appeared in layoff narratives. Early this year, eToro announced a plan to cut about 7% of its global workforce and explicitly cited “process automation and AI” as part of the push to operate more efficiently and focus on key priorities.“We are reducing our global headcount by approximately 7%", CEO, Yoni Assia said. “We are aligning our resources with our key priorities and leveraging process automation and AI to operate more efficiently and focus on the areas most critical to our long-term success. This will sharpen our execution so we can move faster.”Previously, the operator of FXCM and Tradu announced that it was preparing to cut more than 100 jobs and pointed to “agentic AI” as one factor behind that reduction. The question remains whether AI is becoming a genuine driver of leaner broker operations or simply a convenient label for cost-cutting. Outside the trading industry, Meta signaled a similar shift late last year, saying it was considering cutting its metaverse budget by up to 30% and reallocating those resources toward AI. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

The modern retail brokerage landscape is heavily saturated with newly launched international entities marketing extreme promotions. However, the core of the industry remains dominated by deeply established legacy brokers. Going into 2026, professional traders allocating significant capital heavily prioritize stability. They look for regulatory longevity, robust customer support infrastructures, and flawless legacy platform integrations rather than experimental mobile applications.In this overview, we focus on three major legacy brokers that define operational stability: Blueberry Markets, GO Markets, and ThinkMarkets. We examine how their deeply entrenched structures continue to capture massive global market share by prioritizing execution transparency and multi jurisdictional regulatory compliance.Risk Warning: Trading Contracts for Difference carries a high risk to your capital. You can lose more than your initial deposit. Make sure you fully understand the mechanics of margin trading and the risks before you open a live account.Evaluation Strategy for Institutional TrustEvaluating "established" brokers requires a clear departure from standard metric grading. Instead of focusing on flashy marketing logic, we reviewed Blueberry Markets, GO Markets, and ThinkMarkets across foundational stability pillars.First, we evaluated legacy regulation. A broker earns established status by operating securely under top tier watchdogs over decades. We verified their adherence to ASIC and FCA operational frameworks, specifically regarding the ongoing public auditing of client capital segregation.Second, we assessed platform consistency. Highly established brokers understand that institutional traders rely on the rigid architecture of MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. We examined how flawlessly these brokers bridge deep global liquidity directly into these legacy terminal environments without injecting proprietary lag.Finally, we analyzed structural client support. Established market leaders secure long term retention by offering premium customer troubleshooting and fundamental macroeconomic research rather than forcing users to rely entirely on automated bots.Quick Technical OverviewBlueberry Markets FeaturesBlueberry operates as a fascinating case study in the established brokerage sector. Rather than constantly overhauling its technological suite, Blueberry captures and retains massive global market share by executing basic fundamentals flawlessly. It is widely considered the industry standard for customer support and client trust.Regulation and ComplianceFounded fundamentally on Australian architecture, Blueberry holds rigid legacy licenses with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). To support its international presence, the broker also operates under the Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC) and a license in Mauritius. The firm consistently adheres to complete internal fund segregation, protecting retail deposits entirely from corporate operational use.MetaTrader SynergyBlueberry rejects the bloat of proprietary trading ecosystems. The broker provides a pristine, unmodified environment for MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, and Blueberry X. By focusing exclusively on optimizing servers for the MetaQuotes architecture, the broker provides latency environments suitable for high frequency algorithmic scalping. Users running complex Expert Advisors benefit from an execution pipeline that rarely drops connectivity.The Customer Service DynamicWhere Blueberry truly establishes its industry dominance is its structural approach to client relations. For a global mega broker, it maintains incredibly fast, human response times. While competitors rely heavily on outsourced automated AI chatbots, Blueberry Markets continues to deploy highly trained, localized financial support staff capable of managing complex deposit and execution inquiries natively.Pros & ConsGO Markets FeaturesGO Markets stands as one of the original pioneers of the modern retail forex space. Tracing its operational history back over two decades, the broker is recognized as the first firm to introduce MetaTrader 4 to the Australian landscape. It maintains a massive legacy presence globally by operating as a highly structured analytical hub.Regulation and ComplianceOperating for decades requires flawless regulatory hygiene. GO Markets holds legacy authorization from ASIC in Australia and CySEC in Europe. It also maintains deep roots operating within the Middle East through the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) alongside standard offshore bridging via the FSC. Clients trade knowing the broker is regularly subjected to tier one financial audits.Analytical Density and Trading CentralWhile providing highly optimized MT4 and MT5 servers, GO Markets defines its established nature through its external research partnerships. The broker natively integrates Trading Central directly into the user dashboard and MetaTrader platforms.Trading Central provides users with algorithmic pattern recognition scanners, daily analyst breakout levels, and deep macro economic behavioral mapping. By embedding this expensive institutional research suite entirely for free, GO Markets retains heavily capitalized swing traders who rely on data rather than instinct.Execution ConditionsGO Markets allows standard STP execution or raw ECN configurations. Deep internal liquidity pools ensure that standard currency pairings frequently hit 0.0 pips during volatile tier one overlap sessions. Combined with a $0 baseline minimum deposit on standard accounts, the broker effortlessly manages both raw beginners and legacy institutional players.Pros & ConsThinkMarkets FeaturesThinkMarkets operates as a massive foundational pillar for global professional traders. Founded heavily on strict compliance frameworks, the broker pairs deep traditional banking structures with one of the most stable standalone technological environments on the market.Regulation and ComplianceThinkMarkets fields one of the most secure regulatory portfolios in the entire industry. The broker is officially regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom, ASIC in Australia, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa, and the incredibly strict Japanese Financial Services Agency (JFSA). This operational network legally guarantees the absolute highest level of capital preservation and fund separation available to retail clients.The ThinkTrader PlatformWhile providing standard access to MT4 and MT5, ThinkMarkets innovates carefully through its proprietary ThinkTrader platform. Built entirely from the ground up to prevent the latency and clunkiness of standard web platforms, ThinkTrader is remarkably stable. It operates cleanly on mobile and desktop, integrating over 80 technical indicators and 50 drawing tools without crashing or hanging during severe macroeconomic news releases.Institutional SecurityThinkMarkets is incredibly established within the algorithmic community due to its free VPS (Virtual Private Server) offerings for high volume traders. By housing algorithmic systems directly adjacent to the broker execution servers, ThinkMarkets ensures legacy algorithmic managers receive virtually zero latency bridging in a highly secure server environment.Pros & ConsSummary of Established Broker StabilityEstablished legacy brokers dominate the market by delivering precisely what high volume professionals require: absolute stability.Blueberry Markets secures its legacy strictly through flawless client care and robust execution environments tailored solely to the MT4 and MT5 ecosystems.GO Markets utilizes its incredibly deep multi decade legacy to integrate expensive institutional research systems like Trading Central directly into retail logic.ThinkMarkets builds out maximum regulatory security via the FCA and JFSA, deploying heavily vetted technology like ThinkTrader alongside secure algorithmic VPS architecture.Frequently Asked QuestionsAre older legacy brokers safer than new offshore brokers?Generally, yes. Brokers holding licenses under tier one authorities like the FCA or ASIC for over a decade are regularly subjected to strict public auditing. Their corporate financial models emphasize organic long term revenue built on stable execution rather than the aggressive risk models often deployed by unvetted offshore startups.Does Blueberry Markets offer a proprietary trading app?Blueberry Markets prioritizes execution reliability over proprietary software bloat. They officially run their execution architecture directly through MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 servers, ensuring total execution transparency for their global client base without forcing them into a newly branded app.What exactly is Trading Central on GO Markets?Trading Central is a highly regarded third party financial research firm. It provides automated technical analysis, scanning global markets for candlestick patterns, Fibonacci levels, and breakout formations. GO Markets natively pays for and integrates this intelligence directly into their client portals and MT4 dashboards seamlessly.Do these brokers charge withdrawal fees?Highly established brokers generally absorb the cost of standard basic banking transfers to ensure a frictionless client experience. However, specific localized international banking routes or complex third party electronic wallet withdrawals may incur baseline systemic network fees outside of the broker's direct control.Can I run Expert Advisors on ThinkTrader?ThinkTrader is a massively powerful proprietary charting interface, but it is built for manual execution flow and custom algorithmic signaling alerts. Users wanting to plug in legacy algorithmic robots and complex automated Expert Advisors must utilize the concurrently offered MetaTrader 4 or MetaTrader 5 bridges provided by ThinkMarkets.Disclaimer: CFDs are highly complex instruments and come with a significant risk of losing money rapidly due to the mechanics of financial margin. You should carefully consider whether you fully understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Always align your personal trading decisions with your current financial situation, available capital, and overall risk tolerance. This article was written by Finance Magnates Staff at www.financemagnates.com.

FXIFY, the first broker-backed prop firm, is marking its third anniversary. Three years in, FXIFY has delivered on the model it set out to build. With over $40 million paid out, 250,000 active traders worldwide, and a highest single payout of $117,000, FXIFY enters year four as one of the most trusted names in prop trading.FXIFY launched with a straightforward mission: build a prop firm that actually works for traders. Not built to collect challenge fees, but to pay traders who earn them. In an industry where many firms profit when traders fail, FXIFY is built around traders who succeed. The results since then have been unambiguous.David Bhidey, Co-Founder of FXIFY said: "We didn't guess what traders needed. We listened, and we built. Every product we've launched, every platform we've added, every rule we've refined - it came from paying attention to the people using our firm every single day. That's how we operate."From day one, FXIFY set itself apart through infrastructure most prop firms can’t replicate. The firm was the first in the industry to be broker-backed, and also the first to offer payouts on demand; a standard that has since become the benchmark others are measured against. Today, traders choose from MT5, TradingView, and DXTrade, with programs spanning 1-Phase, 2-Phase, 3-Phase, Instant Funding, Crypto, and a dedicated Futures arm through FXIFY Futures.Behind the product is a team that has grown as fast as the firm itself. With teams operating globally, FXIFY operates with the kind of reach and depth that only comes from genuine international growth. Underpinning all of it is decades of experience in the brokerage and financial services industry - expertise that most prop firms simply don't have access to, and that traders feel in every interaction with the platform.The firm's expansion has been driven not by trend-chasing but by trader feedback. When demand for the 2-Phase model grew, FXIFY didn't just keep it; they built three distinct 2-Phase programs, each designed around a different trading style. That same philosophy is driving what's coming next.David Bhidey added: "We're announcing a new 2-Phase program - with static drawdown and no consistency rule. It's the most freedom we've ever offered inside a structured evaluation. It's been built from everything we've learned over three years, and everything our traders have been asking for. We can't wait to share more."To mark the anniversary, FXIFY is offering 33% off all accounts from April 28th for one month; every program, every account size. First payout on demand. Up to 100% performance split. Accounts up to $400,000.Alongside the discount, FXIFY is giving away $3 million in challenge accounts as part of its anniversary celebrations. Traders who purchase any new challenge between April 28th and May 19th will be automatically entered into the draw. Winners will be announced on May 30th.David Bhidey said: "Three years in, $40 million paid out, and we're just getting started. The traders who've been with us since the beginning deserve to be part of what's coming - and this is our way of saying thank you. Year four is going to be our biggest yet."FXIFY was recently named Best Broker-Backed Prop Firm 2025 at the FundedTrading Awards; a recognition the firm sees not as a destination, but as a signal to keep pushing further. The team is proud of the recognition, but already focused on what comes next. With the launch of the new 2-Phase model, FXIFY has its sights set on Best Broker-Backed Prop Firm 2026 and Best 2-Step Program 2026. The goal isn't to collect awards. It's to keep building the kind of firm that earns them.About FXIFYFXIFY https://fxify.com/ is an industry-leading prop firm that empowers traders with access to trading capital. With funded accounts up to $400,000, on-demand first payouts, and up to 100% performance splits on eligible programs, FXIFY helps traders scale with confidence. As the first broker-backed prop firm, FXIFY offers unmatched infrastructure, experienced leadership, and flexible programs tailored to the modern trader - including 1-Phase, 2-Phase, 3-Phase, Instant Funding, and Futures programs. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Don’t Lose Sight of Europe’s Big PictureThe ‘old continent’ might have its fair share of problems right now, but investors who cannot see the wood for the trees have been urged to look beyond short-term geopolitics and macroeconomics.Europe clearly faces challenges both domestically and internationally. The war between Ukraine and Russia has entered its fifth year with no sign of resolution, energy prices continue to be impacted by disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and eight of the 27 member states are set to elect new parliaments this year.Of those countries that don’t have elections scheduled this year, the UK and Germany have seen right-wing and centre-left opposition forces continue to challenge incumbents in national polling averages.However, Francis Ellison, client portfolio manager at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, reckons Europe’s broad and diverse range of high-quality businesses make fertile ground for stock pickers as they are trading at attractive valuations.Comparing the market shock triggered by the attack on Iran to the effects of last year’s US tariffs last spring, he observes that not all stocks were affected in the same way. For instance, Rolls-Royce’s share price initially declined only to rebound as investors realised that regardless of where engines are manufactured, the key to profits is long-term maintenance and that tariffs don’t hit the maintenance business.According to Ellison, semiconductor equipment manufacturers stand out as orders benefit from the AI build-out. “We have long recognised Europe’s leadership in semiconductor manufacturing through ASML and ASM International,” he notes. “AI means huge capital expenditure programmes at big global software and technology companies, driving demand for more and faster computer chips.”Companies that help generate electricity are also of interest, with the likes of wind turbine maker Vestas and gas turbine maker Siemens Energy taking centre stage, while the sharp rise in the price of precious metals benefits mining technology companies such as ABB and Sandvik.Artificial Intelligence, Real ConcernsCompanies with a stake in the AI revolution may be appealing to investors, but the technology has a long way to go before it usurps human judgement, if the findings of Morningstar’s Investor Perspectives: Retail Investor Survey are anything to go by.The study found that nearly half (45%) of participants had a high level of trust in the ability of generative AI to help them make investment decisions, up from 29% in 2024. The proportion of participants who reported low trust in generative AI declined from 38% to 27%, implying that investors are growing more open to the idea of AI regardless of their trust level.When determining whether to trust an AI tool, high-trust investors considered aspects such as demonstrable evidence and social proof, reliability, performance and limits, and practical utility and usability.Negative factors included scepticism, reluctance and personalisation barriers, as well as user control, human oversight and support.Although trust in AI among retail investors is rising, usage tells a different story. Most investors still don’t rely on AI for investment decisions, and only a very small percentage use it for the majority of investment decisions, typically to confirm the output themselves. This hesitation is remarkably consistent across generations, suggesting the issue isn’t simply familiarity.The study authors suggest that investors appear willing in principle but uncertain in practice about how to integrate AI into their decisions.Just over half of the investors surveyed primarily blamed themselves rather than the technology when acting on an AI-based investment recommendation that resulted in losses, compared to a quarter who felt AI was at fault.Yet when choosing to follow a human financial adviser’s recommendation that resulted in financial losses, investors reckoned the responsibility was more evenly split between themselves (37%), a human adviser (28%) or both parties equally (34%). This implies that investors view AI as a tool instead of an authority and that they still place deeper trust in human judgement - both their own and an adviser’s - than in technology.The Perils of Politics…To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, you can please all the people some of the time and some of the people all the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time.Politicians are more aware of this than most, particularly when it comes to financial markets. For example, one of the most notable statements coming out of the camp of wannabe UK prime minister Andy Burnham after confirming he would run for parliament again was to row back on any suggestion that existing borrowing limits could be changed.The effect on the country’s cost of borrowing was immediate, with a fall in the 10-year gilt yield - the effective interest rate on a 10-year loan to the government. The comments would also have been welcomed by the International Monetary Fund, which has recommended maintaining fiscal rules that commit the UK to cutting borrowing at a faster rate than other major economies.For 40 years USA survived on cheap debt. Rates fell, they borrowed more, kicked the can. Now rates are surging and they owe $39T. Every 1% increase in rates costs $390B in extra interest per year. They are already running a $2T annual deficit. They’ll be forced to print money to… pic.twitter.com/SFzLkdAOxU— Bitcoin for Freedom (@BTC_for_Freedom) May 19, 2026In addition, the IMF had some good news for the beleaguered current prime minister and particularly his chief financial officer this week when it raised its growth forecast for the UK this year from 0.8% to 1%, while acknowledging that the economy would continue to be negatively impacted by the Middle East conflict.Expectations of a recovery in the second half of 2027 could, of course, be blown off track by geopolitical events and even policy announcements, as evidenced by the reaction of the bond market to last week’s King’s Speech outlining the government’s legislative agenda for the new parliamentary year.Although there was nothing notable in his acknowledgement that the UK was operating in ‘a dangerous and volatile world’, the UK’s borrowing costs increased on the day, and sterling also lost value against the dollar.One analyst observed that uncertainty around the future of key figures in the UK government was making markets uncertain that policies such as debt reduction would be sustained if the health of the economy declined. This article was written by Paul Golden at www.financemagnates.com.

Bitcoin (BTC) price traded at $76,984 on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, after closing five consecutive down sessions and cracking the $80,500 daily-close trigger I flagged on FinanceMagnates.com last week. The cryptocurrency has fallen 5.3% over the five-session run from the May 12 close near $81,290, with the May 19 daily low at $76,565 marking the weakest level since early March. The volatility cage I described on May 13, a 2% range between $80,500 support and the 200 EMA at $82,000, has resolved to the downside. My 50 EMA at $76,000 is now the only technical line between BTC and a return to year-to-date lows.Follow me on X for real-time market analysis: @ChmielDkThe Cage Resolved Down: Why Bitcoin Cracked $80,500?The breakdown is not a single-catalyst event. Futures expiry triggered approximately $256 million in long liquidations on Friday, but the timing was coincidental rather than causal. Pressure on 30-year Treasury yields, a deteriorating macro outlook, and escalating Middle East tensions did the heavier work."We could see further downside through the middle of the week," said Paul Howard, Senior Director at Wincent. Howard's note was filed when the $79,000 support level had already cracked, and BTC has now extended that decline by another $2,500 through Wednesday's open. He framed the move as macro-driven rather than crypto-specific.The macro stack lining up against Bitcoin this week includes:30-year Treasury yields under sustained pressure across global bond marketsMiddle East tensions raising risk premia on tech and crypto-correlated assets$1.8 billion in spot Bitcoin ETF outflows over the past five trading daysEther ETFs in a six-session outflow streakBlackRock's IBIT losing $448.36 million on May 18, the third-largest 2026 daily outflowTotal spot BTC ETF AUM falling below $100.5 billionThis is the third major down sequence of 2026 after January's tariff shock and February's $63,000 capitulation. Each previous run found a buyer in the $60,000 to $66,000 band. The question now is whether the 50 EMA at $76,000 holds buyers at this higher level or capitulation extends back to the lows. The pattern from prior 2026 declines suggests neither side gets a clean resolution without a fresh macro catalyst.Where $1.07 Billion Quit Crypto: The Flow Picture Beneath the SelloffThe headline outflow number from CoinShares matters less than what sits underneath it. Crypto ETP outflows hit $1.07 billion last week, the third-largest weekly redemption of 2026 and the first negative week in seven. The geographic distribution flips the read entirely."Strip the US out and the picture flips," said Can-Luca Köymen, Investment Strategist at Sygnum Bank. Köymen pointed to Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and Canada all recording net inflows, with XRP taking in $67.6 million globally and Solana $55.1 million. Eleven individual digital assets attracted meaningful inflows over the same week.The onchain capital picture is thinner than the headline outflow implies. Bitfinex analysts wrote in their latest market report that monthly net Bitcoin inflows now sit at roughly $2.8 billion, well below the $10 billion pace historically associated with durable breakout conditions. They argued the recovery now "hinges almost entirely on whether fresh net capital continues entering" the market.The structural read explains why my technical bias has not flipped despite multiple bullish catalysts, including the FinanceMagnates.com CLARITY Act explainer covering the bill's advance through the Senate Banking Committee on May 14.Bitcoin Technical Analysis: The 50 EMA at $76,000 Is the Last DefenseIn 15-plus years analyzing crypto and CFD markets, I have watched the $80,000 to $82,000 band define every multi-month Bitcoin consolidation since the 2022 bear. The trigger I published in my May 13 volatility cage analysis has now activated. The next defense layer is the 50 EMA, marked in red on my chart at approximately $76,000. More of my work sits on my analyst page.The 50 EMA is not just a moving average at this location. It coincides with the horizontal level set by the March 17 highs near $76,000, and the last two sessions have drawn long lower wicks rejecting the move down. Buyers are present at this band; the question is whether they hold it on a daily close.The 200 EMA, the blue line on my chart, now caps the upside at $82,000. The cage that defined trading from May 6 to May 18 has resolved, but the architecture above remains unchanged. As my May 6 analysis on FinanceMagnates.com first established, reclaiming the trend requires a daily close back above the 200 EMA, not just a wick.If the 50 EMA breaks on a daily close, the structural target moves to $74,000, the April 2025 lows. Below that, year-to-date lows in the $63,000 to $66,000 band come back into play. The ultimate bear scenario sits at $57,000 to $60,000, the October 2024 levels. As my March 24 crash analysis warned, that lower band was where the bull-market framework was last defended.Bitcoin key levelsBitcoin Price Predictions: From $50K Bear Case to $250K Bull TargetThe institutional forecast range for 2026 spans $50,000 to $250,000, but every bullish target now depends on the same prerequisite: a daily close back above the 200 EMA at $82,000. None of these prints activate without that confirmation, which is the framework the FinanceMagnates.com $240K target report laid out in April. The wide range of forecasts itself signals how little consensus exists on whether 2026 finishes higher or lower than where it began.The CLARITY Act passing the Senate Banking Committee on May 14 has not arrested the slide, which tells me regulatory headlines are no longer the marginal price setter. The Peter Brandt $300,000-to-$500,000 long-horizon scenario, covered in the FinanceMagnates.com Brandt prediction report, remains a 2029 thesis on a four-year cycle framework. Until the 200 EMA flips back to support, my base case remains continued sideways-to-down action bounded by $74,000 and $82,000.Bitcoin Price Prediction FAQWhy is Bitcoin falling today? Bitcoin is down 5.3% over five consecutive sessions, with the May 19 close at $76,565 marking the weakest level since early March. The drivers are macro, not crypto-specific: 30-year Treasury yields under pressure, Middle East tensions raising risk premia, and $1.8 billion in spot Bitcoin ETF outflows over five trading days. The breakdown confirmed a technical trigger I published on May 13.What does the $80,500 break mean for Bitcoin price? The $80,500 daily-close trigger was the line I identified on May 13 as the confirmation of bearish resolution. A close below it ended the 2% volatility cage that had defined trading since early May. The technical bias is now confirmed bearish until BTC closes back above the 200 EMA at $82,000. The path of least resistance tilts down toward the 50 EMA at $76,000.How low can Bitcoin go from here? The first defense is the 50 EMA at $76,000, the level currently being tested. A daily close below opens the path to $74,000 (April 2025 lows). Beneath that, the year-to-date low band at $63,000 to $66,000 comes into play. The ultimate bearish target sits at $57,000 to $60,000, the October 2024 levels, which would mark the deepest bear sequel since the April 2024 halving cycle began.What would invalidate the bearish Bitcoin scenario? A daily close back above the 200 EMA at $82,000 would flip the technical bias and reopen the corridor to the November-December 2025 lows at $85,000. From there, the next resistance ladder sits at $90,000, then $97,000 to $100,000 (the January 2026 peaks), then the $112,000 to $126,000 all-time-high zone. Until that 200 EMA reclaim, every rally is a counter-trend move.Are institutional investors still buying Bitcoin? The picture is split by geography. CoinShares data shows US-listed Bitcoin and Ethereum products drove almost all of last week's $1.07 billion in crypto ETP outflows, the third-largest of 2026. Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands and Canada all recorded net inflows, and XRP took in $67.6 million globally. Bitfinex analysts note monthly net BTC inflows at $2.8 billion versus the $10 billion historical breakout pace.This analysis was prepared by Damian Chmiel, drawing on personal chart work, primary source data, and institutional research. Prices verified against TradingView at time of publication. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

N26 has hired Aytac Aydin from Oldenburgische Landesbank as chief operating officer and managing director of N26 SE and N26 Bank SE, the German digital bank said today (Wednesday). He will join on July 15 alongside an expanded mandate for current Chief Business Officer Daniel Lappas and a reporting overhaul that places the country chiefs for Spain, Italy, and France directly under Chief Executive Officer Mike Dargan.Aydin's appointment remains subject to approval from German financial regulator BaFin, the company said in a statement.From OLB's Sale to Berlin's Largest NeobankAydin spent more than four years at OLB, most recently as chief operating officer and head of retail and SME banking, where he sat on the management board and worked on the lender's sale process. OLB's shareholders agreed in March 2025 to sell the entire share capital to TARGO Deutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of France's Credit Mutuel Alliance Federale, with the deal closing in January 2026.At N26, Aydin will oversee technology, operations, and legal functions, according to the company. The mandate places him at the center of an infrastructure agenda Dargan has prioritized since taking the CEO seat in April from UBS."Aytac's experience leading complex operational and technological transformations in the banking sector will be invaluable as we continue to scale our platform," Dargan said in the statement.Before OLB, Aydin served as chief operating officer at Nova KBM in Slovenia between 2019 and 2022, where he led the merger of the country's second- and third-largest banks. Earlier in his career, he ran Turkish business process outsourcing firm CMC Turkey as chief executive.Lappas Gets Product Portfolio in Combined MandateThe second move expands the brief of Daniel Lappas, who joined N26 in 2022 as general manager for DACH and Northern Europe and stepped up to chief business officer earlier this year. Under the new title of chief product and business officer, Lappas will absorb the product division, unifying commercial strategy and product development under a single executive.The product portfolio at N26 has cycled through several hands in recent years. The bank brought in former Binance executive Mayur Kamat as chief product officer in early 2024, a hire that came as N26 was rolling out its stock and ETF trading platform and broadening into savings accounts across 13 European markets.Country Managers Pulled Into the CEO's LineThe third change is structural. The country general managers for Spain, Italy, and France will report directly to Dargan rather than through an intermediate layer, the bank said. N26 framed the move as a step to give its core European growth markets more representation at the top of the company.The Berlin firm operates in 24 markets and has identified Southern Europe as a focus area for retention and product depth.Reshuffle Caps a Year of UpheavalThe latest changes follow a turbulent stretch for N26. BaFin imposed fresh restrictions on the bank in late 2025, including a ban on new mortgage lending in the Netherlands, and installed a special monitor after an audit flagged structural weaknesses. The watchdog also ordered N26 to hold additional capital.The pressure prompted a leadership rebuild that began with the appointment of former Bundesbank executive Andreas Dombret as supervisory board chairman in August 2025, followed by Dargan's hire from UBS. Co-founder Valentin Stalf stepped aside as joint CEO in the same period."Aytac Aydin brings deep operational and banking expertise as well as extensive experience leading transformation at scale," Dombret said in the statement.Senior Hiring Picks Up Across European NeobanksThe pace of executive moves at N26 reflects a broader hiring cycle across European neobanks, which are layering in regulated-finance experience as scrutiny intensifies. UK-based Revolut, the largest competitor by user base, this month hired former Coinbase risk chief Michael Schroeder as global head of crypto expansion and named former African Bank CEO Gaby Magomola as chairman of its South African unit in November.N26 has also lost senior staff during the same period. Marketing director Kertu-Liina Lehismae departed for investment platform Mintos, and Chief Regulatory Officer Jan Stechele left in 2024.The Berlin bank, founded in 2013, has roughly 8 million customers and a 1,600-strong workforce. Its valuation has been reset sharply lower since the 2021 peak of $9 billion, with Allianz X having marked its stake at a $3 billion company valuation in 2023. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

London, [23rd March 2026] Hantec Markets has announced a new partnership with Serve On, reinforcing its commitment to supporting communities affected by natural disasters across the regions where it operates.As a global financial services provider serving clients across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, Hantec Markets recognises that many of the communities connected to its international footprint are exposed to environmental risks including earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires.Through this partnership, Hantec Markets will support Serve On’s operational readiness, training, equipment, and deployment capability, helping strengthen rapid humanitarian response when disasters occur.Commenting on the partnership, Hantec Markets CEO, Bashir Nurmohamed said:“As a global business serving clients across diverse regions, we understand that our responsibility goes beyond the markets we operate in. Natural disasters can leave lasting effects on communities long after immediate recovery begins. Through our partnership with Serve On, we are supporting a highly skilled organisation that delivers critical humanitarian response where it is needed most. It is a partnership built on shared values of preparedness, discipline, and long-term resilience.”Serve On is an international search and rescue charity made up of highly trained veterans, emergency response specialists, and civilian professionals who deploy rapidly to disaster zones worldwide. The organisation provides urban search and rescue, medical support, technical rescue, logistics, and humanitarian assistance in some of the world’s most challenging environments.For Hantec Markets, the partnership reflects a practical commitment to supporting resilience in vulnerable regions where emergency response capacity can have a significant impact on recovery efforts.By supporting Serve On, the company aims to contribute to organisations working directly on the front line of humanitarian response, while reinforcing its wider commitment to responsible global business.The partnership also reflects shared values between both organisations, including discipline, trust, professionalism, and the ability to perform effectively under pressure.For Hantec Markets, initiatives such as this form part of a broader approach to aligning business growth with positive social contribution and long-term community resilience. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Leverate has launched Algo Studio, a no-code algorithmic trading suite built into its flagship retail platform, in the latest attempt by a broker-technology vendor to push quant-style tools toward traders who do not write code.The Israeli software firm said the studio lets users combine three visual building blocks, Indicators, Logic, and Actions, to construct strategies on a drag-and-drop canvas, then stress-test them against historical market data before deploying live. The package also bundles automated chart pattern recognition and multi-asset scanners covering harmonic, crossover, momentum, and pattern-based setups, according to the company."The demand from brokers has been immediate and unambiguous," Shmulik Kordova, Leverate's chief client officer, said in a statement. He added that brokers were activating the studio "faster than almost anything we have launched."Competition Heats Up for No-Code Strategy ToolsThe broker-technology market has spent the past two years racing to offer some version of algorithmic trading to non-developers. Spotware's cTrader Automate has long supported coded strategies through its cAlgo framework, and the platform's cTrader Copy layer pairs algorithm publishing with one-click copying for traders on more than 250 broker and prop firm accounts.MetaQuotes still anchors the wider market through MQL5, the scripting language behind MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 Expert Advisors. The firm launched a metatrader.com consumer portal earlier this year, bundling an Algo Forge collaboration space alongside its existing developer marketplace.Other vendors are pushing further into no-code territory. Brokeree Solutions launched a Social Trading integration API in March that lets brokers connect copy trading to platforms outside MetaTrader and cTrader. On the broker side, eToro opened a developer App Store and builders portal in April, pitching AI-driven no-code tools alongside coded apps from outside developers.Algo trading exists on a lot of platforms. But native algo trading, with backtesting, social strategy sharing, and seamless execution built into your CRM, risk tools, and liquidity stack, only exists in one place. Leverate's Algo Studio.#AlgoTrading #BrokerTech #Fintech— Leverate (@leveratelive) May 19, 2026A Native Algo Layer Inside the Broker StackThe launch builds on a trio partnership announced in January, when Leverate teamed up with no-code automation specialist Level2 and messaging vendor Convrs to distribute visual strategy-building tools across its broker network. Algo Studio appears to fold that capability into Leverate's own platform rather than route it through a third-party shell.Traders can also publish their algorithms inside a shared community layer, the firm said, where other users can view live performance data and copy strategies directly. The arrangement bundles algorithmic execution with social copy trading, two product categories that have historically sat on separate platforms.Leverate Declares 56% Client Activation and Higher Trader EngagementThe company said the studio drives a two-to-four times increase in order frequency among traders who shift from manual to automated execution, with session duration and feature interaction rising between 30% and 70%. Retention among users who build up a library of backtested strategies improves by 15% to 40% over a 90-day window, Leverate said.Leverate also added that 56% of its existing clients have already activated Algo Studio, which it described as one of the fastest-adopted additions to its platform. None of those figures have been independently audited.Algo Studio Joins a Broader Leverate Product PushAlgo Studio arrives alongside other recent Leverate launches aimed at broadening what brokers can offer through a single vendor. The company opened a white-label prediction markets platform in February, citing 85% monthly retention figures in early deployments, and previously integrated TradingView charting into its SiRiX platform last year. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Panda Trading Systems ("Panda" or the "Company"), a leading global provider of B2B trading technology and brokerage infrastructure solutions, today announced that it has retained Citizens JMP Securities, LLC ("Citizens") as its exclusive strategic and capital structure advisor.In this role, Citizens will assist the Company in evaluating a broad range of strategic alternatives intended to support the next phase of Panda's growth, accelerate the expansion of its product platform, and maximize long-term value for the Company and its stakeholders. The review will consider opportunities including, but not limited to, strategic partnerships, growth capital initiatives, and other corporate and capital structure options."Panda has built a strong reputation as a trusted technology partner to brokers worldwide, and our platform continues to see meaningful demand across both established and emerging markets," said a spokesperson for Panda Trading Systems. "Engaging Citizens allows us to thoughtfully evaluate the most compelling pathways to build on that momentum and unlock the next stage of value creation for the Company and its stakeholders."The Company has not set a definitive timetable for the review and does not intend to comment further on the process unless and until appropriate.About Panda Trading SystemsWith more than 20 years in the brokerage technology industry, Panda Trading Systems is a global provider of B2B trading and brokerage infrastructure solutions. Headquartered in Israel, the Company serves brokers across Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and beyond.Panda's product suite spans the full brokerage technology stack — led by the Panda CRM and the Panda Trading Server, with Trading Applications, an IB System, and a range of operational tools.The Company's white-label and modular offerings allow brokerages to launch, scale, and operate efficiently across multiple jurisdictions.For more information, visit www.pandats.com.About Citizens Financial Group, Inc.Citizens Financial Group, Inc. is one of the nation's oldest and largest financial institutions, with $226.4 billion in assets as of December 31, 2025. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Citizens offers a broad range of retail, private banking, wealth management and commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses, middle-market companies, large corporations and institutions. Citizens helps its customers reach their potential by listening to them and by understanding their needs in order to offer tailored advice, ideas and solutions. In Consumer Banking, Citizens provides an integrated experience that includes mobile and online banking, a full-service customer contact center and the convenience of approximately 3,100 ATMs and approximately 1,000 branches in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Consumer Banking products and services include a full range of banking, lending, savings, wealth management and small business offerings. Consumer Banking includes Citizens Private Bank and Private Wealth, which integrate banking services and wealth management solutions to serve high- and ultra-high-net-worth individuals and families, as well as investors, entrepreneurs and businesses. In Commercial Banking, Citizens offers a broad complement of financial products and solutions, including lending and leasing, deposit and treasury management services, foreign exchange, interest rate and commodity risk management solutions, as well as loan syndication, corporate finance, merger and acquisition, and debt and equity capital markets capabilities. More information is available at www.citizensbank.com or visit us on X, LinkedIn or Facebook.Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements regarding Panda Trading Systems and its strategic review process. These statements are based on current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the possibility that the strategic review may not result in any transaction or other outcome. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Panda undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

FYNXT, a leading provider of modular front and middle office infrastructure for capital markets brokers, today announced that GO Markets, a global multi-asset CFD broker, has selected FYNXT’s TradeOps Control Center to automate and centralize its MT4 and MT5 operations across its global trading environments.The partnership extends FYNXT’s footprint among established, regulated brokers operating at scale across multiple jurisdictions, and further validates TradeOps Control Center as the operational control layer of choice for MetaTrader-native brokerages.FYNXT Selected by GO MarketsAfter evaluating the market for a purpose-built operational control layer, GO Markets selected FYNXT for its capital-markets-native design, deep MT4 and MT5 domain expertise, and proven ability to support enterprise brokers across multiple trading servers and jurisdictions. FYNXT’s TradeOps Control Center replaces fragmented MetaTrader Administrator and Manager actions with structured, governed, and auditable execution across live and demo environments.The selection reinforces FYNXT’s position as the operational backbone for modern brokerages — purpose-built for the complexity of MT4 and MT5, and designed to help broker operations teams scale without increasing headcount or operational risk.GO Markets Adopts TradeOps Control CenterThrough this deployment, GO Markets will centrally manage its MT4 and MT5 trading servers through a single control layer, significantly reducing manual workloads, operational risk, and dependency on native platform access. TradeOps Control Center supports bulk operations, automated workflows, role-based permissions, approval processes, and full audit trails.Core TradeOps Control Center capabilities being adopted include:Trade Closer and Trade Updater — for controlled incident management and trade correction workflows.Balance Manager — for governed balance adjustments across incident handling, payment reconciliation, and promotional credit execution.Holiday Scheduler and Session Time Updater — for unified control of trading sessions, calendars, and market availability across servers.Account Manager and Group Settings Manager — for rolling out leverage changes, account configurations, and incentives at scale.Symbol Updater and Swap Free Tool — for instrument-level control and Islamic account management.Every action executed through TradeOps Control Center is fully logged and auditable, helping brokers strengthen compliance oversight, reduce human error, and maintain operational accountability.Automation, Governance, and Operational ScaleTradeOps Control Center is purpose-built to replace fragmented, manual MetaTrader Administrator and Manager actions with structured, auditable execution. For GO Markets, routine server operations — incident handling, balance adjustments, holiday and session updates, account and group configurations, and instrument-level changes — will be executed through governed, rule-based workflows with full auditability across MT4 and MT5 environments.The deployment delivers three immediate operational gains for GO Markets: reduced manual intervention and human error across server operations, stronger and more consistent governance across jurisdictions, and faster, scalable execution of operational changes — without increasing headcount or dependency on native platform-level access.Executive Commentary“We are proud to welcome GO Markets to the FYNXT platform. GO Markets is a highly respected global broker with deep roots in MetaTrader, and their decision to standardize on TradeOps Control Center reflects the direction the industry is moving — from fragmented, manual server operations to a governed, automated control layer. TradeOps Control Center gives their operations team the automation, governance, and operational scale that modern brokerages require.”— Aeby Samuel, CEO, FYNXT“Operational scalability and governance are foundational to how we serve our clients. FYNXT’s TradeOps Control Center gives our operations team a unified command layer across MT4 and MT5, replacing fragmented manual processes with automated, auditable workflows that are increasingly difficult to maintain at scale. FYNXT’s domain depth and broker-first design made them the right long-term technology partner.”— Khim Khor, COO, GO Markets Availability and Next StepsThe GO Markets deployment strengthens FYNXT’s modular brokerage technology ecosystem, which includes CRM, Digital Onboarding, IB and Partner Management, PAMM, Copy Trading, and White-Label solutions. TradeOps Control Center is available immediately to new and existing clients, and can be deployed as a standalone operational module or as part of a broader FYNXT implementation.An AI-powered release of TradeOps Control Center is planned for 2026, extending intelligent automation across core operational workflows — including automated reconciliation, smart exception detection, and conversational, chat-driven operational actions with full auditability and approval controls.For more information on TradeOps Control Center, visit https://fynxt.com/products/tradeops-control-center.About FYNXTFYNXT is a leading provider of modular front and middle office infrastructure for capital markets brokers across FX, CFDs, crypto, and multi-asset classes. Its product suite includes CRM, Client Portal, Digital Onboarding, IB and Partner Management, PAMM, Copy Trading, Contest Manager, TradeOps Control Center, White-Label Solutions, and Custom Enterprise Capabilities. FYNXT serves brokers across 18+ jurisdictions with 42+ integrations, enabling broker teams to launch, scale, and operate with confidence.Learn more at www.fynxt.com.About GO MarketsFounded in 2006 and celebrating 20 years of trading excellence in 2026, GO Markets is a multi-award-winning global CFD broker serving hundreds of thousands of traders worldwide. GO Markets offers access to forex, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, bonds, and ETFs across industry-leading platforms including MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, TradingView, cTrader, and its proprietary GO TradeX mobile platform. The firm has been recognized with numerous industry awards for customer service, education, platform quality, and trust, including Best Global Forex Broker 2025 and Most Trusted Forex Broker APAC 2025.Learn more at www.gomarkets.com. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

IG Group shares (LSE: IGG) closed at a record 1,742 pence on Tuesday, up almost 11% on the day, after the broker raised its full-year revenue guidance alongside its annual general meeting trading update and reported first-quarter organic revenue growth of 19%.The move marks the sharpest single-session rally in IG's listed history outside the pandemic-era spikes and takes year-to-date gains above 30%, matching what the stock added across the whole of 2025. IG entered the FTSE 100 on 23 March 2026 and has since outperformed the broader index by more than 30 percentage points.Guidance Upgrade Closes the Gap to LTIP Stretch TargetsThe numbers behind the rally were straightforward. Organic total revenue of £331.2 million for the three months to 31 March was about 10% ahead of the £300 million the broker had flagged in its pre-close note two months earlier. Active customers grew 12% organically, first trades rose 63%, and assets under administration crossed £20 billion in April.What gives the upgrade more weight is what it implies for the company's 2028 plan. As FinanceMagnates.com reported in April, the long-term incentive plan granted to CEO Breon Corcoran and CFO Clifford Abrahams in September 2025 would only vest in full if revenue reaches £1.51 billion by 2028, implying a compound annual growth rate of 11.4% from the 2025 base.Tuesday's upgrade to 10-15% organic growth in 2026, with at least 10% compound growth beyond that, puts the LTIP threshold of £1,226 million within comfortable reach and the £1.51 billion maximum target into a credible band, rather than a stretch case.FM Intelligence Data Cements IG Among the Global Top FiveThe IG share rally lands in a quarter when FM Intelligence's broker tracker recorded retail FX and CFD volumes at all-time highs, with active accounts across the named-broker cohort reaching 7.42 million and five separate brokers running monthly volumes above $1.5 trillion.IG sits inside that top five. According to FM Intelligence data, the broker recorded around $1.65 trillion in average monthly trading volume in Q1 2026, alongside roughly 173,000 active accounts in the cohort, up from approximately 149,000 in Q4 2025. The 16% sequential increase in client count came against headline monthly volumes that ran broadly flat quarter-on-quarter on the FM Intelligence reading.That contrast matters. Net trading revenue rose 17% QoQ to £306.5 million on IG's own books even as platform-level volumes were stable, which points to a mix shift toward higher-monetization activity rather than pure throughput. The company itself flagged that OTC customer income retention reached the mid-80s percentage range in Q2 to date, up from 83% at the full-year stage.IG has held a top-five position in the FM Intelligence cohort consistently since 2021, though it lost market share over the four-year period as the broader sample expanded faster. The Q1 numbers suggest that erosion may have stopped.Peers Posted Strong Q1s, But IG Got the Sharpest Stock ReactionTuesday's move was disproportionate to the news on a peer-relative basis. Plus500 lifted its full-year guidance in April after Q1 revenue rose 18% to $242 million, and its shares are up roughly 16% year-to-date. XTB reported an 88.5% Q1 revenue jump and a 176% rise in net profit, with the Polish stock up around 12% since the start of the year.IG's 30%-plus year-to-date move outpaces both. Part of the explanation is positioning. Expectations into the AGM were anchored on the March pre-close, which guided high single-digit organic growth. The actual Q1 read implied something closer to mid-teens, with Q2 active customer growth accelerating beyond 12% in the first seven weeks.UBS, which upgraded IG to Buy with a 1,600 pence target earlier this quarter, has now seen its price target overtaken by the stock itself. Consensus analyst target prices sit below the current share price after Tuesday's move.Strategic Review Still the Bigger CatalystThe autumn 2026 strategy update remains the larger swing factor. The board confirmed alongside the full-year results in March that the review will evaluate acquisitions, IG's domicile and listing venues, and possible combinations of group divisions with other industry participants.Bloomberg reported earlier this year that a relisting from London to New York is among the options being weighed. Tuesday's record close suggests the market is starting to price in a constructive outcome rather than a defensive one. The £125 million buyback launched on 1 April continues in the background, with 987,160 shares repurchased for £14.9 million by 15 May.Interim results for the six months to 30 June are due on 31 July, with the strategy update to follow in the autumn. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Per-account monthly trading volume across the FM Intelligence in the first quarter of 2026 sits inside a 17-fold spread, with Hantec Markets Group at the top of the distribution and D Prime at the bottom. The weighted average lands at $4.30 million per active account.The full broker-by-broker breakdown is live on the FM Intelligence DataLab Portal. Read the full Q1 2026 per-account volume analysis here.The Top of the Distribution Is Not Where the Largest Brokers SitThe brokers leading on per-account volume are not the ones running the largest client books. Hantec Markets, which crossed the trillion-dollar quarterly mark for the first time in Q4 2025 and posted another record in Q1 2026, reports roughly 30,000 active accounts in the analyzed group.Several brokers with significantly larger account bases sit lower on the per-account ranking, reflecting different mixes of clients, average trade sizes, and product weight.The full ranking, including how Hantec compares against IG, Saxo Bank, CMC Markets and other names in the top tier, is broken out on the FM Intelligence DataLab Portal.XTB Sits Outside the Account-Volume RelationshipThe cohort shows a fairly tight relationship between active account counts and monthly trading volume, with one notable exception. The Pearson correlation between the two variables reaches 0.80 when XTB is excluded from the calculation, compared with 0.45 across the full 52-broker sample.The Warsaw-listed broker added 864,000 new clients in 2025 alone, a 73% year-on-year jump that pushed its base above 2.16 million accounts. Its account totals also include non-CFD positions, which makes a direct comparison against CFD-only active accounts at peers difficult.FM Intelligence treats XTB as a non-comparable observation in the second correlation calculation for that reason.What Else the Full Analysis CoversThe distribution clusters between $2 million and $6 million per active account, with most brokers grouped inside that band. A smaller tail of seven brokers reports per-account volumes at or above $8 million, while a handful, including EC Markets and other names that reported record Q1 volumes, land in the middle of the pack.The DataLab article walks through where each of the 52 brokers fits, the quarter-over-quarter direction of travel for outlier names such as D Prime, and the methodology behind the cohort definition.Per-account volume figures are sensitive to broker reporting practices, the treatment of dormant or low-frequency accounts in the active count, and product mix. The metric describes activity intensity per account, not account composition.Read the full Q1 2026 per-account volume analysis, including the broker-by-broker breakdown, on the FM Intelligence DataLab Portal:Per-Account Monthly Volume in the Q1 2026 Broker Cohort: $0.76M to $13.40M Around a $4.30M Average. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Tradeify has launched a new retail brokerage as the U.S.-based proprietary trading firm moves beyond its core evaluation business. The futures prop firm also signed a clearing and technology agreement with NinjaTrader, acquired by Kraken, which will handle all trade execution and client funds.Exclusive Clearing AgreementTradeify will operate the brokerage through Tradeify Brokerage LLC, a registered introducing broker with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and a member of the National Futures Association. Under the agreement, NinjaTrader Clearing LLC will act as the sole futures commission merchant for the activities of the new platform Slay Markets.Tradeify opened the Slay Markets waitlist on Tuesday, with early access set for its existing funded traders. The company plans a broader rollout to retail clients in the coming weeks.You may also like: After IG Group, NinjaTrader Also Adds Adclear for ComplianceAccording to the announcement, NinjaTrader will provide clearing, execution, and custody, while also supplying infrastructure through its Connect platform. The setup allows Tradeify to focus on the front-end trading experience and client onboarding.Client funds will remain with NinjaTrader, which will execute and clear all trades. This introducing broker and clearing firm structure follows the standard model used across the U.S. retail futures market.Rollout and Market ExpansionThe launch gives users access to CME Group futures and marks Tradeify’s first step into the retail brokerage segment. The firm has grown its user base through evaluation programs that offer traders funded accounts after meeting performance targets.Chief Executive Officer Brett Simberkoff said the move creates a direct path for traders to transition into live brokerage accounts. "Tradeify was built to help retail traders develop their skills and scale their trading. Creating an easy path to take their capital to a live brokerage account when they felt they were ready was a necessary chapter in that journey.""NinjaTrader is the right partner for it. Their clearing infrastructure and their long experience in the retail futures industry made the decision straightforward. With NinjaTrader handling the infrastructure, Tradeify aims to focus on creating the best possible user experience."Proprietary trading firms now try to keep traders for longer by adding regulated brokerage services. This lets traders move from evaluation and funded accounts straight into real-money trading without changing platforms or providers. The launch of Slay Markets puts Tradeify into that group, as it connects its prop trading community directly to live CME Group futures through a licensed introducing broker.NinjaTrader Expands in Prop Trading and Prediction MarketsNinjaTrader recently moved directly into the prop trading space with two dedicated platforms, NinjaTrader Prop and Tradovate Prop. The platforms provide evaluation support, advanced risk controls, and integrated trading tools for prop traders and firms across web, mobile, and desktop.The launch comes as prop firms move back into the US after more than a year of disruption caused by the MetaQuotes crackdown. Most firms, such as The5ers, returned with non-MetaTrader platforms, while FTMO stood out as the only major player to bring MetaTrader back for US clients. NinjaTrader also entered prediction markets with a business-to-business platform that lets brokers and fintechs offer access without building their own infrastructure. The single-API service bundles onboarding, funding, clearing, margin and risk controls, plus a white-labeled front end. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

A viral critique from DraftKings co-founder Matt Kalish has exposed a structural fault line in the prediction market industry that participants had mostly chosen to ignore: who, exactly, is making money, and at whose expense. Kalish's public broadside targets Kalshi, the leading CFTC-regulated prediction market in the United States. His core accusation is that despite Kalshi's positioning as a financial exchange, the platform functionally operates as a sportsbook that routes retail order flow to institutional market makers. "You're not trading against me," Kalish wrote on X, pointing to a trade where his odds were significantly diluted by slippage. "We're all trading against Susquehanna and professional Wall Street market makers." The Exchange Paradox: Liquidity vs. Fairness The conflict points to a structural tension at the center of the prediction market model. Traditional sportsbooks act as the house, managing risk by limiting winners. Prediction markets like Kalshi use an order-book model that attracts quantitative trading firms to provide liquidity but also creates what amounts to a shark tank for retail participants. New research from Citizens JMP Securities gives weight to Kalish's skepticism. Traders with over $500,000 in volume are consistently profitable, with a median ROI of +2.6%. The median return for retail prediction market users is -8%, which is worse than the -5% typical of traditional sportsbooks. Small accounts under $100 are losing 26.8%. Kalish argues this structure lets Wall Street extract profit from retail losses, effectively making Kalshi a sportsbook that is "2-3 years behind" in consumer product development. A War for Legitimacy Kalshi has worked hard to put distance between itself and the gambling label, positioning its event contracts as CFTC-regulated derivatives. To reinforce that framing, the company recently announced a $2 million investment in the National Council on Problem Gambling.We’re funding a new Financial Trading category within NCPG to advance trader health & safety.While financial markets have different incentive structures than casinos and sportsbooks, there is still risk of irresponsible trading, whether it’s active stock trading, short-dated… pic.twitter.com/mRGS3UNZ2H— Tarek Mansour (@mansourtarek_) May 18, 2026 The industry is nonetheless converging. While Kalshi moves toward Wall Street, the major gambling operators are moving into its territory. DraftKings and FanDuel have both launched prediction products — DraftKings Predictions and FanDuel Predicts — using CFTC-linked structures to sidestep state-level betting bans. Squeezed from both sides, firms like Sporttrade are making more drastic moves: the company recently announced it would exit sports betting entirely and pivot to a regulated exchange model. Data Transparency under Scrutiny The most serious technical allegation concerns how Kalshi handles user data. Kalish accused the platform of sharing user IDs with market makers through its API, which would allow professionals to profile order flow and selectively choose when — or whether — to provide liquidity to specific traders. Why is it 93-1 if you bet $10 and 38-1 if you bet $1000 on something pic.twitter.com/ZXegUsakEz— Matt Kalish (@mattkalish) May 15, 2026 That may not be enough going forward. For the B2B brokerage community, the episode signals something broader: the prediction market sector has outgrown its niche status, but its infrastructure is under real pressure. As the industry pushes toward a $22 billion valuation, questions are growing over whether these platforms operate as neutral marketplaces or disproportionately benefit professional liquidity providers. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

IPC Systems has announced a multi-million dollar investment to expand its US network infrastructure, adding new routes and upgrading key points of presence amid rising demand for continuous market access and low-latency connectivity.The move comes alongside continued infrastructure expansion across the sector, including Beeks Financial Cloud’s earlier report that it had signed its fifth exchange client, extending its role in cloud-based market access and cross-border exchange connectivity. Similar developments across providers have highlighted sustained demand for distributed, low-latency trading infrastructure linking exchanges, brokers and data centres.IPC Adds Routes, Upgrades Core PoPsThe project includes more than 15 new high-capacity routes and upgrades to six existing PoPs in Dallas, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose. These locations are set to be developed into core network hubs. IPC is also establishing a new PoP in Seattle, aimed at improving connectivity to West Coast cloud regions, including AWS US-West.According to IPC, the rollout will take place in phases, with initial routes expected to go live in May 2026 and full completion scheduled for October 2026. The design focuses on increased route diversity, higher backbone capacity and improved resiliency across key US trading corridors.US Liquidity Demand Drives Network ExpansionThe company said the expansion is intended to meet growing demand for access to US liquidity outside traditional market hours, particularly from Asia, as trading activity continues to extend into overnight sessions. IPC also linked the buildout to broader expectations of more continuous trading environments in US markets.The Seattle hub is positioned as a connectivity node between financial market participants and major cloud infrastructure zones. IPC said the wider upgrade is designed to support customers requiring high-availability network performance for trading and data-heavy applications.Paul Zatek, Global Head of Data Sales at IPC Network Services, said demand for round-the-clock access to US markets is increasing the need for more resilient global connectivity, adding that the programme is designed to support continuous execution strategies across regions. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.