Standard Chartered has appointed Shebani Baweja as its new Group Chief Data Officer (CDO), effective immediately, the bank announced on 28 May 2026. Based in Singapore, Baweja will report directly to Alvaro Garrido, Chief Operating Officer for Technology & Operations and Chief Information Officer for Information Security & Data. In her new role, she will head the Group Data Office and take responsibility for shaping and executing the bank’s overarching data strategy, covering governance, management, and the broader application of data across the organisation. Baweja is no stranger to Standard Chartered, having joined the bank in 2008. Over the course of nearly two decades, she has held senior positions spanning Wealth and Retail Banking (WRB) and Technology & Operations transformation. Most recently, she served as Chief Information Security Officer for WRB and International Markets, where she led cyber risk strategy and strengthened governance frameworks to support business growth and digitisation efforts. With more than 20 years of experience in data-led digital transformation, Baweja is expected to accelerate the bank’s use of data and analytics to drive innovation, support decision-making, and deliver client-focused solutions. Garrido highlighted the strategic significance of the appointment, noting that data and technology serve as critical enablers for Standard Chartered’s ambitions as a “super-connector bank,” particularly as it continues to expand its use of data and artificial intelligence. Baweja described the moment as “pivotal,” emphasising her commitment to advancing trusted, responsible data use to power the bank’s next phase of client-centric innovation.The post Standard Chartered Names Shebani Baweja as Group Chief Data Officer first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR) has announced an expansion of its NYFIX platform, integrating overnight U.S. equity trading capabilities through a new partnership with institutional brokerage firm CAPIS and Blue Ocean Technologies’ alternative trading system. The enhancement gives broker-dealers and institutional investors access to overnight liquidity across more than 4,000 National Market System (NMS) securities, allowing clients to trade beyond traditional market hours and respond swiftly to global market developments. Through the integration, NYFIX clients can leverage CAPIS’s high-touch sales trading expertise alongside Blue Ocean’s established overnight liquidity pool. The collaboration enables a range of trading strategies outside regular session hours, including portfolio rebalancing, exposure adjustments, and event-driven trading in response to earnings releases or macroeconomic announcements. George Rosenberger, General Manager of NYFIX at Broadridge Trading & Connectivity Solutions, highlighted the partnership’s broader significance: “This collaboration exemplifies Broadridge’s commitment to delivering greater value to clients by enabling interoperability across the buy side, sell side, and both traditional and non-traditional liquidity pools.” Mark Viani, Director of Institutional Sales Business Development at CAPIS, noted the deal reflects a wider industry trend of firms focusing on core competencies while leveraging external connectivity solutions to enhance execution quality and operational resilience. Blue Ocean Technologies CEO Brian Hyndman added that the collaboration would empower market participants to make faster, more informed decisions as demand for U.S. equity access continues to grow globally. The development further cements NYFIX’s position as a flexible, global connectivity platform built for modern, round-the-clock market participants.The post Broadridge Enhances NYFIX Platform with Overnight U.S. Equity Trading Via CAPIS and Blue Ocean first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Kraken has launched Bitcoin Vault, a new product within its Kraken Earn suite designed to allow long-term Bitcoin holders to earn Bitcoin-denominated rewards without added complexity. The product is powered by Veda, with strategy design and risk curation handled by Sentora, whose platforms are built to manage risks and allocate vault assets to established onchain protocols, including Aave, Morpho, and Tydro.  Customers can begin earning from within their Kraken or Kraken accounts in a matter of seconds, through an interface intended to be accessible to newer users while meeting the expectations of more experienced holders. “Many Bitcoin holders on Kraken have made it clear they want simple ways to earn on the Bitcoin they already plan to hold,” commented John Zettler, Director of Product, Kraken Earn & Trade. “Bitcoin Vault is built for that mindset. It gives customers a way to earn rewards on their Bitcoin through an experience that is easy to access and grounded in the trust Kraken has built over time.” The launch follows the strong performance of Kraken’s USDC Vaults product, which has surpassed $240 million in assets since its January introduction, achieved through organic growth without financial incentives. Kraken said the figure reflects rising customer appetite for simpler earning products. Bitcoin Vault is available through Kraken Earn in eligible jurisdictions. The exchange noted that rewards are variable and not guaranteed, and that interacting with onchain smart contracts carries technological, market, and operational risks.  Bitcoin Vault is an unregulated product provided by Payward Wallet.The post Kraken Launches Bitcoin Vault For Long-Term Holders to Earn BTC-Denominated Rewards first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken on Wednesday announced Kraken Prop, a proprietary trading programme that provides skilled traders with access to firm capital of up to $200,000, with participants retaining as much as 90 percent of any profits generated. The program follows the long-established model, in which traders operate using a firm’s capital rather than their own, working within defined risk parameters.  Under Kraken Prop, the exchange covers trading losses, meaning participants’ financial exposure is an upfront evaluation fee, which starts at $20. To access funded capital, traders first purchase an evaluation and select a wallet size ranging from $5,000 to $200,000.  They then trade in a simulated environment mirroring live market conditions, working towards a profit target whilst adhering to specified loss limits. There is no time restriction on completing the evaluation. Once passed, traders receive a funded wallet with no deposit required. Funded traders keep 80 percent of profits as standard, with an upgrade option increasing that share to 90 percent. Withdrawals are processed to a Kraken account within 24 hours. Kraken has positioned the programme as notably flexible compared with rival offerings, citing the absence of time limits, consistency rules, profit caps, or strategy restrictions.  Participants can trade more than 60 cryptocurrency pairs, including Bitcoin and Ether, with up to five times leverage and access to the full suite of tools available on Kraken Pro. The programme is aimed at both seasoned crypto traders seeking to scale positions without additional personal risk and newer traders looking to demonstrate their strategies in a live environment.The post Kraken Launches Prop Trading Programme first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Payments infrastructure firm Nium announced a partnership with Circle Technology Services on Wednesday to connect USDC-powered settlement with last-mile global payouts. The companies explained that the move will offer financial institutions a unified route for cross-border transactions across more than 190 countries. Under the agreement, Nium joins Circle’s Circle Payments Network (CPN) as a global payout partner, giving institutions on the network direct access to Nium’s payout infrastructure spanning 100 currencies through a single integration. The arrangement is said to eliminate the need to source and manage multiple local providers, with payments supported by integrated foreign exchange optimisation and smart routing. Furthermore, the companies believe the partnership addresses the challenge of connecting fast, transparent settlements with dependable final delivery.  Circle provides regulated, USDC-powered settlements with built-in compliance designed for institutional use, whilst Nium enables local currency delivery through real-time payout rails, allowing funds to reach accounts, wallets, and cards worldwide. “Traditional and onchain payment rails are converging, and that convergence demands infrastructure that banks, fintechs, and global enterprises can rely on at scale,” said Prajit Nanu, Founder and CEO of Nium.  “By partnering with Circle and joining CPN, we are combining Circle’s regulated settlement instrument with Nium’s global payout reach to deliver a more seamless way for institutions to move money worldwide.” Circle’s chief commercial officer, Kash Razzaghi, noted that financial institutions are increasingly seeking stablecoin-based solutions to longstanding payments challenges.  CPN has recorded $8.3 billion in annualised transaction volume based on trailing 30-day activity as of March 2026.The post Nium and Circle Partner to Bridge Stablecoin Settlement with Global Payouts first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Cboe Global Markets has named industry veteran Boudewijn Duinstra as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer, reinforcing the exchange operator’s commitment to enterprise risk management as it pursues its next phase of global growth. Chicago-based Cboe (CBOE: CBOE), one of the world’s leading markets operators and a pioneer in equity and index derivatives, announced the planned appointment on May 26. Duinstra will assume responsibility for Cboe’s global risk management function, with a mandate to strengthen the company’s enterprise risk framework, operational resilience, and governance upon joining at a future date. Duinstra brings over 30 years of experience spanning risk management, clearing, and derivatives markets, with an impressive track record at some of the world’s most systemically important financial institutions. Most recently, he served as CEO of ABN AMRO Clearing USA LLC. Prior to that, he held the position of Head of Risk Management at ICE Clear Europe and occupied several senior roles at ABN AMRO, including Global Chief Risk Officer and Managing Board Member of ABN AMRO Clearing Bank. Cboe CEO Craig Donohue highlighted the strategic significance of the hire, noting that Duinstra’s expertise in derivatives and clearing aligns directly with the firm’s global expansion ambitions. Duinstra will be headquartered at Cboe’s Chicago offices while also maintaining a presence in Amsterdam to support the company’s European operations, including Cboe Clear U.S. and European Equities. He will report directly to Donohue. The appointment signals Cboe’s continued focus on building a robust and scalable operational infrastructure as it grows its international footprint.The post Cboe Global Markets Appoints Boudewijn Duinstra as Chief Risk Officer first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

UAE-based proprietary trading firm Funded Academy has announced a partnership with cTrader, integrating the premium trading platform into its education-driven ecosystem and expanding access to advanced trading technology for its global client base. The collaboration brings cTrader’s full suite of tools to Funded Academy’s traders, combining intuitive design, advanced charting, and fast execution with the firm’s structured approach to trader development. Funded Academy positions itself as a one-stop environment where education, evaluation, and funding converge, and the addition of cTrader is designed to reinforce that proposition for both beginner and professional-level traders. A notable feature of the integration is access to cTrader’s AI Agent Connect, which links AI agents — including Claude Code, ChatGPT Codex, Cursor, and Gemini CLI — directly to the platform via two official MCP servers. Traders can use simple prompts to delegate tasks ranging from technical analysis and trade execution to automation and chart control, extending the strategic freedom that Funded Academy promotes. Sal Azad, Founder and CEO of Funded Academy, said the firm was built to provide talented traders with the structural framework needed to apply their skills consistently, with capital scaling tied to steady progress. Yiota Hadjilouka, COO at Spotware, highlighted the alignment between the two firms’ philosophies, noting the partnership places trader growth at the centre — consistent with cTrader’s Traders First approach. cTrader currently serves over 11 million traders and more than 300 brokers and prop firms worldwide, with its cTrader Store platform recording up to 10,000 daily visits.The post Funded Academy Teams Up with cTrader in Education-Focused Prop Trading Push first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Australia’s financial markets regulator has turned up the heat on one of the world’s largest securities settlement providers, declaring that Belgium-headquartered Euroclear Bank SA/NV has a material connection to Australia — and must now come under the country’s domestic regulatory framework. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) on 27 May 2026 exercised newly granted powers introduced under the Financial Market Infrastructure (FMI) reforms passed in September 2024, triggering a requirement for Euroclear to apply for a clearing and settlement (CS) facility licence by 26 May 2027. Euroclear is a significant player in Australia’s debt securities market, providing cross-border settlement and custody services for assets including Australian Government bonds. Despite operating in Australia, the Brussels-based firm had until now operated outside the country’s formal CS facility licensing regime. To prevent disruption to market participants during the transition, ASIC has granted Euroclear a temporary exemption while its licence application is processed. Euroclear has indicated it will engage constructively with the regulator throughout the process. The move mirrors ASIC’s approach taken in June 2025, when it granted a CS facility licence to Clearstream Banking S.A., another multinational operating in Australia’s bond markets in a similar capacity. ASIC worked in consultation with the Reserve Bank of Australia, which co-regulates licensed CS facilities alongside ASIC, in making its determination.The post ASIC Forces Euroclear Into Australian Licensing Regime, Sets May 2027 Deadline first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

The Australian Securities Exchange has issued updated financial guidance for the 2027 financial year, projecting total expense growth of between 18% and 21% and raising its capital expenditure forecast to between A$180 million and A$200 million, as the exchange accelerates a broad technology modernisation programme. The increased capex guidance, up from a previous range of A$160 million to A$180 million, is driven primarily by technology cost inflation and investment in new product development. FY28 capex is guided at between A$170 million and A$190 million. The expense growth outlook reflects the cost of supporting both legacy and new technology systems during a transitional period, investment in response to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s inquiry — including the expanded Accelerate Programme — and spending on customer-driven growth initiatives, AI, and initial work on tokenisation opportunities, including collateral mobilisation. ASX reported unaudited operating revenue of A$1.03 billion for the financial year to 30 April 2026, up 12.5% year-on-year, with growth across all four divisions, driven by strong volumes in interest rate futures, cash market trading, and clearing and settlement. FY26 expense and capex guidance remain unchanged. The exchange also announced the sale of its 49% stake in e-conveyancing venture Sympli to joint venture partner ATI Group for a nominal amount, which will result in an after-tax loss of approximately A$12 million. The sale follows the decision by Australian property registrars not to proceed with an e-conveyancing interoperability programme. ASX’s dividend policy remains unchanged, with a payout ratio of 75% to 85% of underlying net profit after tax, though the firm expects to pay at the lower end of that range for at least the next two dividends.The post ASX Raises Capital Expenditure Guidance and Flags 21% Expense Growth first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Intercontinental Exchange revealed on Tuesday that its ICE ETF Hub has received regulatory approval to expand operations in Europe and Australia.  Th approval means the platform’s total reach has hit 33 countries and jurisdictions across North America, Europe, and Asia. In Europe, ICE ETF Hub received regulatory approval to operate in the Netherlands, with the ability to passport into 29 additional European countries including Ireland, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, and France.  In Australia, the platform was granted an Australian Market Licence permitting it to be offered to Australian participants. The firm explained that ICE ETF Hub is an open architecture platform designed to bring greater efficiency and standardisation to the primary market workflow for exchange-traded products, specifically the creation and redemption process through which authorised participants manage liquidity and keep an ETP’s trading price aligned with its net asset value.  The platform is said to support ETPs across numerous asset classes. “As ETF assets under management (AUM) have continued to grow globally, so too has the need for an automated infrastructure for the creation and redemption of ETP shares,” stated Peter Borstelmann, President of ICE Bonds. “These recent approvals further expand the reach of ICE’s ETF Hub community, building on our ongoing mission to bring standardization and greater efficiency to ETF issuer workflows globally.”The post ICE ETF Hub Gains Regulatory Approval to Operate Across Europe and Australia first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

On Tuesday, Alipay unveiled a full-stack AI payment infrastructure for business partners across industries, introducing two new services, an AI Wallet and Token Pay, designed to support the rapid growth of agentic commerce, where AI agents execute transactions autonomously on behalf of users. The AI Wallet, available within the Alipay app, is said to give consumers visibility and control over payments made through AI agents, allowing them to manage tasks before and during payment and review spending afterwards.  It builds on Alipay AI Pay, the firm’s consumer-facing AI payment product, which became the first AI-native payment product globally to surpass 100 million users in February 2026 and has now processed 300 million transactions. Token Pay is designed for AI model companies, offering a one-stop solution for global subscription payments, token top-ups within AI agents, and related transaction needs.  At Alipay’s AI Payment Ecosystem Conference, AI model companies MiniMax and Stepfun announced new collaborations with Alipay to adopt the platform for use cases including token top-ups, membership subscriptions, and marketing campaigns. Alipay has also launched China’s first Agentic Commerce Trust Protocol alongside an intelligent security system for AI-driven transactions. “While the essence of commerce remains unchanged in the age of AI, the emergence of AI agents is reshaping everything. Drawing on 22 years of technological expertise and commercial know-how, Alipay is building a new generation of AI payment services to accelerate the growth of the agentic commerce ecosystem,” commented Cyril Han, CEO of Ant Group.The post Alipay Launches AI Wallet and Token Pay first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Acuity Trading and WNSTN have announced a partnership to co-integrate their technologies, combining Acuity’s market, event, and trade intelligence with WNSTN’s conversational AI, data visualisation, real-time interaction capabilities, and compliance monitoring tools. The collaboration is said to be aimed at helping brokers and financial platforms deliver timely market context, relevant content, and more personalised user journeys within their existing technology environments, without adding unnecessary complexity for platform teams. Acuity’s platform provides trade, market, and event intelligence in a white-labelled, multilingual environment, with delivery across MT4, MT5, cTrader, widgets, and APIs.  WNSTN offers a turnkey AI solution for investment platforms, including a multi-agent financial AI system, interactive chat, real-time analytics, bespoke branding, and a compliance officer module trained on financial regulations. Under the arrangement, brokers and platforms will be able to deliver Acuity’s intelligence through WNSTN’s engagement layer, whilst benefiting from WNSTN’s personalisation capabilities alongside Acuity-powered content. Andrew Lane, Chief Executive of Acuity Trading, said the partnership “combines Acuity’s market intelligence with WNSTN’s personalised engagement layer, helping firms deliver a more connected in-platform experience that is informative, scalable and designed with compliance in mind.” Roy Michaeli, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of WNSTN, believes AI in financial services “must do more than generate answers,” arguing that combining trusted market intelligence with a personalised engagement framework gives brokers a stronger way to deliver timely, contextual, and actionable information to users.The post Acuity Trading and WNSTN Partner to Combine Market Intelligence with AI Engagement Tools first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Marqeta has expanded its portfolio of account and money movement tools into 30 additional European countries through a collaboration with Banking Circle, a Luxembourg-licensed bank. The company said in its announcement on Tuesday that the expansion allows businesses across Europe to enrich their card programmes with embedded virtual accounts and multi-rail payment capabilities.  Key features include virtual accounts and digital wallet functionality supporting multiple currencies, UK faster payments integration enabling near real-time transfers, and SEPA Credit and SEPA Instant connectivity covering more than 40 member countries, with SEPA Instant processing payments in under 10 seconds around the clock. The announcement builds on momentum for Marqeta in Europe, where total processing volume for its European card programmes grew eightfold between 2022 and 2025.  The firm noted that its 2025 acquisition of TransactPay added full programme management capabilities and brought licensed e-money functionality for multi-currency virtual accounts and international payments across consumer and commercial card programmes. Anthony Peculic, Interim Chief Product Officer at Marqeta, stated: “Europe represents one of our most important growth markets, and bringing these tools to multinational and regional businesses enables them to build the innovative payment experiences that are crucial to their success. Mikkel Gronlykke, President of Banking Circle, said the collaboration combines ‘full account functionality and money movement capabilities with a proven card issuing platform,’ giving European businesses a powerful foundation for building financial products that simplify how money moves. Marqeta’s European offering is built to comply with PSD2 and GDPR requirements and includes card fulfilment, fraud management, dispute resolution, BIN sponsorship, and reporting and reconciliation services.The post Marqeta Partners With Banking Circle to Extend Account and Payment Capabilities Across Additional European Markets first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Global forex and CFD broker ATFX has announced the appointment of Dany Mawas as Chief Executive Officer for Africa, reinforcing the firm’s strategic commitment to strengthening its presence across the continent. Mawas brings a wealth of industry experience to the role, having previously served as Chief Commercial Officer at Markets.com and CEO of Finalto Africa. He has also held senior positions at RaiseFX, INFINOX, and FXCM. Most recently, he served as CEO and Co-Founder of L7 Prime — formerly known as Fortress Core — through which he collaborated closely with ATFX Connect to deliver liquidity, white label services, and payment orchestration solutions across key African markets over the past year and a half. Under the new leadership structure, ATFX aims to accelerate both its B2C and B2B operations in Africa, leveraging global institutional infrastructure alongside deeper local market expertise. Commenting on the appointment, Siju Daniel, Chief Commercial Officer of ATFX, said: “Over recent quarters, the collaboration between L7 Prime and ATFX Connect generated significant momentum across Africa. What stood out most was Dany’s leadership, his understanding of the market, and his ability to execute with speed and precision. This appointment reflects our confidence in his vision and long-term commitment to the region.” Wei Qiang Zhang, Managing Director of ATFX Connect Global, added: “Africa is one of the most dynamic growth regions for our business. Through our collaboration with L7 Prime, we successfully combined institutional-grade infrastructure with strong local execution. Dany and his team consistently demonstrated the ability to build scalable solutions adapted to the realities of African markets.” Speaking on his appointment, Dany Mawas said: “This appointment represents both an honour and a continuation of the work we have been building together for many years. Africa requires local leadership supported by global infrastructure, and that is exactly what we aim to strengthen further. The opportunity ahead across both B2C and B2B segments is significant, and we are only getting started.” ATFX is regulated by the FCA, ASIC, CySEC, and the FSCA, and operates across multiple global hubs including London, Dubai, and Hong Kong.The post ATFX Appoints Dany Mawas as CEO Africa first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Octa brand’s milestones Over more than 15 years of navigating the financial industry’s twists and turns, Octa has proven its reliability by consistently maintaining high service standards. With this extensive experience behind it, the broker is able to meet clients’ needs based on concrete, real-world cases rather than vague theoretical knowledge. With its long track record, Octa has developed an operational focus that enables it to drive business results and meet traders’ ever-growing requirements. The cornerstones of this approach include: fast withdrawals transparent trading conditions stable access to services. As proof of its efficiency, Octa serves millions of clients worldwide, providing them with reliable, secure access to financial markets. Other results that highlight the brand’s long-term strong standing include: 15 years in the market continuous brand development without drastic changes in the business model uninterrupted presence on the global market 28 million trader accounts worldwide. The broker’s global reach and the millions of traders engaging with the brand are the main evidence of its reliability and the community’s trust. Industry recognition Octa’s market position is reflected in more than 100 industry awards accumulated over the years. These accolades are awarded by independent news portals and experts, marking brands that provide the best brokerage services, create an exceptional trading experience, and ensure security and resilience across all business operations and client-related processes. Knowledge sharing Octa has always considered informed client participation an instrumental factor in establishing healthy business processes that benefit both traders and brokers. With that in mind, the broker purposefully develops and updates its educational resources, including its YouTube channel, to provide clients with trustworthy, structured sources of market knowledge and expert insights. In its educational materials, Octa continuously emphasises the importance of approaching trading as a long-term business project rather than a lottery or a game of chance. Strategy and consistency always beat a careless attitude that ignores risk management basics. The Octa brand’s history and strong market standing allow the company to look to the future with confidence and continue providing reliable, secure trading services to millions of clients worldwide. About Octa Octa is a global broker that focuses on delivering a reliable, high-quality client experience, including transparent trading conditions and fast withdrawals. The Octa brand has been in the market for over 15 years. To help traders achieve their goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools. Octa’s high standards and reliability are confirmed by industry awards, including the ‘Best Forex Broker 2024’ award from AllForexBonus and the ‘Most Reliable Broker Global 2024’ award from Global Forex Awards.The post Octa brand: 15 years of providing reliable trading experience first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Binance has unveiled its OMS Toolkit, a dedicated institutional exchange solution designed for Order Management System (OMS), Order and Execution Management System (OEMS), and trading technology providers servicing both crypto-native and traditional finance clients. Announced on May 25 from Abu Dhabi, the toolkit aims to simplify Binance connectivity for technology providers while delivering exchange-level analytics that offer deeper insight into client order flow, trading activity, and platform engagement. The launch addresses a growing need within institutional digital asset markets, where trading technology providers serve as core infrastructure — centralising order routing, execution tracking, and reconciliation across increasingly fragmented markets. As institutional participation in crypto continues to mature, these providers have demanded more granular exchange-level data and dedicated operational support. Catherine Chen, Head of VIP and Institutional at Binance, framed the toolkit as a means of empowering providers to build stronger client relationships. “Binance OMS Toolkit gives technology solution providers greater visibility into client activity, along with sustainable models that let them grow alongside their clients, and with Binance,” she said. “We’re giving key players a stake in the ecosystem.” The OMS Toolkit builds upon Binance’s existing Link and Trade API trade-tracking system and expands it into a more comprehensive offering. Key features include analytical dashboards surfacing end-client trading behaviour, a full view of integrated API activity on Binance, self-service client segmentation tools via custom user tags, and white-glove onboarding from Binance’s VIP and Institutional team. Providers can also offer clients access to both Binance Spot and Futures markets through their own systems. Eligibility extends beyond traditional OMS platforms to include other non-custodial crypto enterprises, such as algorithmic and automated trading platforms that route order flow through Binance.The post Binance Launches OMS Toolkit to Bridge Institutional Trading Technology Across Crypto and TradFi first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

China’s securities regulator has launched a sweeping crackdown on unauthorised cross-border securities activities, naming prominent online brokerages Futu Holdings, Tiger Brokers — the brokerage arm of UP Fintech — and Longbridge Securities as primary targets for operating without onshore licences. The Chinese regulatory agency, acting in coordination with seven other government bodies, stated that unauthorised cross-border securities operations violate domestic law, undermine market stability, and expose retail investors to significant risk. Authorities vowed to fully eradicate non-compliant cross-border brokerage activity within two years, signalling a prolonged and intensified enforcement campaign. Futu Holdings confirmed it received a formal investigation notice and penalty pre-notification from the regulator over alleged unlicensed securities, fund, and futures activities in mainland China. Proposed penalties total approximately RMB 1.85 billion (~$255 million), with an additional personal fine directed at its CEO. Futu emphasised that proceedings remain ongoing. The action marks a significant escalation from a prior warning issued in late 2022, when Chinese regulators first flagged both Futu and UP Fintech for illegally conducting securities businesses and restricted them from onboarding new mainland Chinese accounts. Friday’s announcement moves from warning to formal enforcement, with concrete financial penalties attached. The crackdown underscores the growing regulatory risk for internationally-oriented online brokerages that have built client bases among mainland Chinese investors through offshore platforms — a business model now firmly in Beijing’s crosshairs. Analysts warn that brokerages may be forced to fully exit existing mainland client accounts, with broader implications for the cross-border retail investment industry.The post China Escalates Crackdown on Unlicensed Cross-Border Brokerages, Targeting Futu, Tiger Brokers and Longbridge first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Australia’s corporate regulator is sounding the alarm about a new wave of crypto investment scams targeting retail investors via social media and popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) warned on 25 May 2026 that scammers are infiltrating “share trading” and “stock tips” group chats to steer victims toward fake crypto-asset trading platforms that display fabricated profits and trades to appear legitimate. “Any money deposited into these platforms goes straight to the scammers,” ASIC cautioned, adding that victims are further exploited when attempting to withdraw funds, with criminals demanding fraudulent “release fees” that are never returned. The scam is said to begin with targeted social media advertisements promising share trading tips. Victims are then funnelled into messaging app groups where scammers impersonate well-known financial figures before directing them to the fraudulent platforms. Young Australians appear particularly at risk. New Moneysmart research surveying 1,127 Australians aged 18 to 28 found that 72% of Gen Z respondents had encountered social media crypto ads, while 41% had been directly contacted about crypto investments. Of those who already own crypto assets, 29% said they trade based on social media influencer advice. ASIC is urging Australians to verify investment platforms through AUSTRAC’s Virtual Asset Service Provider Register before committing any funds, and to report suspicious activity to Scamwatch.The post ASIC Warns of Fake Crypto Platforms Targeting Young Investors Through Messaging Apps first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Cohen & Steers, Inc. (NYSE: CNS) has appointed Amit Muni as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective June 8, 2026. The New York-based real assets investment manager announced that Muni will oversee the firm’s financial operations, financial strategy, and investor relations. He will join the firm’s Executive Committee and report directly to Chief Executive Officer Joseph Harvey. Muni arrives with an extensive financial pedigree, bringing over two decades of experience spanning public markets, asset and wealth management, and capital markets. He joins from CI Financial Corp., the Canadian-based wealth and asset management firm with over $550 billion in AUM, where he held the CFO role. Before CI Financial, Muni served as CFO at WisdomTree, Inc., and has previously held senior finance and accounting positions at the International Securities Exchange, Instinet Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and National Securities Clearing Corporation. Speaking on the appointment, Harvey highlighted Muni’s “strong track record of driving strategic growth, executing M&A and financing initiatives, and engaging with the investor community,” adding that his experience would be instrumental in expanding the firm’s global real assets platform, growing its wealth channel presence, and building out private markets capabilities. Muni succeeds Michael Donohue, who has served as Interim CFO since October 17, 2025. Donohue will resume his permanent role as Controller following the leadership transition on June 8.The post Cohen & Steers Names Amit Muni as New CFO first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd., the core asset management arm of Nomura Group, has announced the upcoming launch of a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to track the Nikkei Japan Entertainment Content Stock Index (Total Return). The new fund — the NEXT FUNDS Nikkei Japan Entertainment Content Stock Index Exchange Traded Fund (ticker: 586A) — was approved for listing by the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) on May 22, 2026, with an official listing date of June 9, 2026. From that date, investors will be able to trade the fund on the TSE through licensed securities dealers and traders in Japan. The underlying index is a market capitalisation-weighted benchmark composed of the 20 largest entertainment and content-related stocks listed on the TSE. It tracks price movements across Japanese entertainment and content equities and incorporates dividend income in its total return calculation. The ETF carries an annual management fee of 0.385% (0.35% tax excluded), and the minimum investment is expected to be approximately ¥2,000 for a unit of 10, making it accessible to a broad range of retail and institutional investors. The launch underscores Nomura’s continued effort to expand its NEXT FUNDS suite and provide investors with thematic exposure to Japan’s growing entertainment economy.The post Nomura Asset Management to Launch Entertainment-Focused ETF on Tokyo Stock Exchange first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.