The distinction between retail and institutional trading may be less clear than ever, but it is far from certain that the future of brokerage lies in firms effectively servicing both market segments."The Cross-Pollination Is Creating a More Robust Ecosystem"During the panel discussion entitled ‘Art of the Dealer, Risk Management and Industry Education’ at the Finance Magnates London Summit, Chariton Christou, co-founder and CEO of Boltzam Research, made the point that retail dealers increasingly have access to tools and concepts once reserved for institutions.This has encouraged many retail brokers to develop their own systems and infrastructure to better support such business. According to David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation, the level of both client and technology sophistication has increased dramatically.Retail brokerages have scaled up technology, research, and execution capabilities, enabling them to service high-frequency traders, family offices, and even smaller institutions, says Ross Maxwell, global strategy and operations lead at VT Markets.“Likewise, traditional institutional brokers and global investment banks are paying greater attention to sophisticated retail and active traders,” he adds. “Advances in fintech and API-based trading have further blurred the lines between retail and institutional offerings. Scale, technology, and regulatory compliance now carry more weight, driving brokers to diversify client bases and revenue streams.”As margins compress across global markets, retail and institutional players are incentivised to standardise technology, share infrastructure, and scale volumes. While differences remain in terms of latency sensitivity, balance sheet usage, and customisation, the core trading technology has largely converged.Retail brokers are becoming more advanced and are naturally moving up to service small-to-medium institutions and professional traders who demand institutional-grade reliability, while institutional players are rethinking their approaches to be more user-focused, similar to the retail world, agrees LMAX Global Managing Director Andreas Wigström.“Overall, the cross-pollination is creating a more robust ecosystem,” he says. “For the institutional broker, this means a larger, more diverse pool of participants and liquidity, which ultimately drives better price discovery and market depth for everyone.”AI Will Blur LinesWigström believes the wider use of AI will further blur the line between retail and institutional trading technology. This view is shared by Christopher Gregory, GTN’s CEO for Europe, who notes that execution algorithms, consolidated market data feeds, and client-facing execution analytics are now common across both segments.“Evidence from industry reports and trade commentary indicates retail platforms are expanding product scope and considering listed derivatives and institutional clients, while incumbents are responding with broader distribution strategies,” he adds.Dan Moczulski, UK Managing Director at eToro, acknowledges that over time certain tools move from institutional markets into retail. However, he also points to the importance of clear definitions when discussing customer segments.For example, his firm would not say it operates in institutional markets, particularly where high-net-worth accounts are offered a retail white-glove service rather than being classed as institutional.“There is also a distinction within what is often described as institutional business,” explains Moczulski. “One type involves reselling liquidity to other retail brokers, and I can see retail brokers moving into this space, as it is effectively the same activity, just higher up the chain. What might be classed as ‘traditional’ institutional business, such as hedge funds and family offices, is very different. Most retail brokers cannot service those clients without significantly changing their practices, balance sheets, infrastructure, and strategies.”The Challenge? "Each Market Demands Full Dedication and Specialised Solutions"While this trend is popular in theory, effective execution is extremely challenging. Only a few companies have successfully managed to offer both types of services, and such cases remain the exception rather than the rule.That is the view of Filip Kaczmarzyk, Head of Trading and XTB board member, who says the markets are fundamentally different, from client onboarding processes through to the technical infrastructure required.“Each market demands full dedication and specialised solutions,” he adds. “It is not possible to treat one as a side task while focusing on the other.”When asked whether he could see a future where a higher percentage of brokers service both retail and institutional clients, Morrison observes that as retail brokers extend their offering to B2B, the institutional space has seen increased volumes flowing from the retail sector and wants to capture part of that growth.“They see it as a potential growth area and will look to adjust and expand their product offering and services to try to meet retail needs,” he says.Regulatory alignment and transparency requirements are narrowing the gap between retail and institutional market access, particularly in equities, derivatives, and FX. From a demand perspective, retail investors are becoming more sophisticated, while smaller institutions seek cost-efficient, multi-asset solutions, creating overlap in service needs.“This trend will favour brokers with strong compliance frameworks and solid capital positions, as conflicts of interest and best execution standards will face closer scrutiny,” says Maxwell. “While brokers will face challenges servicing both client types, those able to combine institutional-grade infrastructure with retail interfaces are well placed to attract a broader and more diverse client base over the long term.”Doing so profitably will require clear product, risk, and compliance separation. While equities are relatively straightforward instruments, the process of making advanced capabilities available to retail clients is extending into more complex asset classes, such as fixed income and exchange-traded derivatives, to make them accessible and easier for retail investors to understand.Wigström accepts that it is difficult to cater to B2B and B2C clients at the same time. However, he adds that brokers with strong technology and local expertise within a global strategy can successfully bridge that gap.Moczulski, however, cautions that much of what is labelled institutional business is still retail at its core, simply aggregated.“There is only so much of that business to go around, and it cannot be endlessly recycled,” he adds. “When brokers reach a certain scale, they also tend to use banks for core services rather than other brokers. For that reason, while there may be overlap, it is not inevitable that more brokers will successfully service both retail and true institutional business.”Kaczmarzyk goes further, suggesting that the trend is moving towards specialisation rather than dual service models. He believes brokers need to be fully committed and focused on either retail or institutional clients. This article was written by Paul Golden at www.financemagnates.com.

The Central Bank of Iran (CBI) acquired at least $507 million in the US dollar-backed stablecoin USDT and used it to bypass global sanctions, according to a new investigation by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic. The report provides a detailed, real-world case study of how a sanctioned state is using digital assets to create a “shadow financial layer” outside the traditional banking system. For brokers and financial institutions, the findings underscore the compliance risks — as well as the enforcement mechanisms — associated with stablecoins. A Dual-Purpose Financial Tool According to Elliptic, which mapped the CBI’s wallet infrastructure using leaked documents, Iran’s central bank appears to have used USDT for two primary purposes: domestic FX intervention and sanctions-resistant trade settlement. On-chain data shows that until June 2025, the CBI systematically sent large amounts of USDT to Nobitex, Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange. Elliptic suggests this was intended to inject US dollar liquidity into the local market to support the Iranian rial during a period of severe economic volatility. At the same time, the report says the authorities accumulated USDT to create what it describes as “digital off-book eurodollar accounts.” This shadow infrastructure enabled a closed-loop trade settlement system in which import payments and export revenues could be settled in a synthetic US dollar equivalent, reducing exposure to asset seizure through conventional banking channels. The CBI’s operational approach shifted abruptly in June 2025. Following a hack of the Nobitex exchange by a pro-Israel group that labelled the platform a “sanctions violation tool,” the central bank stopped routing funds through the exchange. Instead, it began using cross-chain bridges and decentralised exchanges to move and obscure its assets, reflecting a rapid adjustment to emerging security risks. The Double-Edged Sword of Transparency Although the activity was intended to evade restrictions, Elliptic notes that it was not invisible. Stablecoins operate on public blockchains, allowing analytics firms to trace transaction flows even when intermediaries are avoided. The investigation also highlights the enforcement leverage held by stablecoin issuers. On June 15, 2025, Tether blacklisted several wallets linked to the CBI, freezing approximately $37 million in USDT. The episode illustrates the double-edged nature of stablecoins for sanctioned actors. While they can be used to bypass parts of the traditional banking system, they also introduce a centralised point of control. Unlike decentralised assets such as Bitcoin, stablecoin issuers can disable wallets and halt transactions. For financial institutions, the case serves as a clear warning. As digital assets become more embedded in global finance, compliance obligations expand with them. The combination of blockchain transparency, issuer controls, and third-party analytics means that even state-level attempts to evade sanctions can be monitored and, in some cases, disrupted. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

Gold has just delivered one of the most powerful runs in its modern history, and the key questions now are how high gold can go, and whether gold will hit $5,000 per ounce. The yellow metal is still in a clear uptrend, even after setting fresh all-time highs and pulling back slightly.Over the past year gold surged about 65%, and in the first three weeks of 2026 it has already added roughly 12%, briefly testing the $4,888 area per ounce and setting new historical records. Today, on Thursday 22 January 2026, gold is only slightly lower, trading around $4,827 dollars, which in my technical view looks far more like a pause inside a structural bull market than the start of a top.In this article, I examine the XAU/USD chart and explain why the new gold price forecast from Goldman Sachs points to a target of $5,400 per ounce.Why Gold Is Going Up?At the core, why gold is going up comes down to three overlapping forces: structural demand, macro hedging, strong technical uptrend that keeps attracting trend followers. From a fundamental side, a major global investment bank – Goldman Sachs - has just raised its end‑2026 gold price forecast from $4,900 to $5,400 per ounce, explicitly citing private‑sector and emerging‑market central bank diversification into gold as the main driver. The bank assumes these private diversification buyers, who hedge “global policy risks” and have driven the upside surprise, will not liquidate in 2026, which effectively lifts the whole path of its price profile. At the same time, it expects Western ETF holdings to increase as the Federal Reserve cuts rates and sees central bank purchases averaging around 60 tonnes in 2026, as reserve managers continue shifting out of pure dollar exposure and into bullion.That institutional view matches how professional market analysts describe the current phase. Rania Gule, Senior Market Analyst at XS.com MENA calls this a “delicate phase” that reflects a fragile balance between geopolitical, economic and monetary factors, yet stresses that gold has managed to recover early‑year dips and hold above $4,800 dollars, even approaching $4,925 dollars despite a slowdown in momentum. In her view, this is not a mere short‑term spike but a sign that investors increasingly see gold as a strategic asset to be bought on dips, even when the classic safe‑haven narrative is temporarily less intense.Gold Technical Analysis: Support Levels and TrendOn my chart, the message is straightforward: gold is in a strong, dynamic uptrend, and recent price action fits cleanly into a bullish structure.Gold has temporarily met resistance around $4,850, but underneath that ceiling sits an entire ladder of supports that can absorb a technical correction. The first short‑term support on my chart is the gap area around $4,650 between Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s sessions. Slightly lower, I mark $4,550 as the next key level – the zone of highs tested at the end of December and earlier in October.The main support zone for me right now is around $4,360, where price currently overlaps with the 50‑day exponential moving average. This is the area I consider the primary defense line for the existing uptrend. If that $4,360 region were to break cleanly, my analysis points toward a deeper pullback into the $3,900–4,000 band per ounce, a psychologically important round area that also coincides with the volatility envelopes drawn around price in early November.Below that, my chart shows the 200‑day moving average near $3,800 , which is the classic line separating a bull market from a bear market. This means that, in theory, gold has quite a lot of room to correct lower without breaking its structural uptrend: the metal could fall several hundred dollars, find support around the 200‑day line, and still be technically bullish. If, and only if, that $3,800 region failed, the next historical support would sit near $3,450, the old resistance zone that capped rallies for months between April and August of last year.Despite this space for correction, I remain a structural bull on the gold chart. In my view, deeper and sustained declines below those major supports are unlikely. And even if a sharp flush occurred, it would probably be just that, a temporary washout of excessive speculation and leveraged longs, and an opportunity to re‑enter at more attractive prices.What H4 Says About the Gold Trend?Zooming into the medium‑term picture, the intraday structure also supports the bullish case. Looking at gold on a four‑hour chart, Łukasz Stefanik, a financial analyst at XTB, sees a “very strong, dynamic uptrend”, noting that price has broken above prior highs and even exceeded the 161.8% extension of the last corrective decline. The latest upward impulse pushed gold into the $4,880–4,890 zone, where the first more serious supply reaction appeared, but this leg is clearly larger than previous corrections – a classic sign that the demand side still dominates.Using an Overbalance‑style approach, the key conclusion is that as long as gold holds above the lower boundary of the 1:1 geometry around $4,641 and the nearby support zone around $4,680, the base scenario remains continuation of the uptrend.How High Can Gold Go – And Will It Hit 5,000?The raised forecast from Goldman Sachs – $5,400 per ounce by the end of 2026 – provides a concrete fundamental anchor. Their scenario assumes that:Private‑sector diversification buyers continue to hedge global policy risks using gold and do not liquidate en masse in 2026.Western gold ETFs start to rebuild holdings as the Federal Reserve cuts rates, reducing the carry cost of holding bullion.Emerging‑market central banks keep buying around 60 tonnes per month, further tightening the physical market.In other words, my gold price prediction for the current cycle is that gold does hit $5,000 per ounce, and that the $5,400 area outlined in the investment bank’s 2026 forecast is a reasonable, if ambitious, extension of the current trend. The path is unlikely to be straight; corrections into the 4,650–4,360 corridor would be normal, but the structural drivers and the chart both point higher.Please also check the previous gold price articles written by me:Gold Price Roadmap for 2026Putting it all together, the gold price prediction from my perspective looks like this:Short term: Gold is consolidating beneath resistance around $4,850–4,900 after an explosive rally. As long as price holds above $4,680–4,641, the base case is a continuation of the uptrend, with shallow corrections being bought.Correction zones on my chart: First supports sit around $4,650 (gap area) and $4,550 (December/October highs). Deeper but still healthy corrections would target $4,360 (50‑day EMA, my main support) and then the $3,900–4,000 band. The $3,800 area (200‑day MA) is the structural bull/bear line; $3,450 is the last‑ditch historical floor.Upside potential: Provided those key supports hold, my base case is that gold tests 5,000 dollars in this cycle and, in line with the 5,400 institutional target, can stretch further if central banks and private hedgers maintain their current pace of buying and the Fed delivers rate cuts.In short, why gold is going up is that it has become a strategic macro hedge in a world of policy uncertainty, and how high gold can go is now framed not by 2,000 or 3,000 but by 5,000 and beyond. According to my technical analysis, the trend is still clearly up, support layers are well defined, and the combination of technicals and institutional forecasts makes a $5,000–5,400 scenario for 2026 entirely credible.FAQ: Gold Price Prediction 2026Why is gold price going up today?Gold is going up due to structural demand from central banks, private-sector diversification hedging global policy risks, and anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts. Goldman Sachs raised its end-2026 gold price forecast to $5,400 per ounce, citing that private diversification buyers "hedge global policy risks and have driven the upside surprise" and will not liquidate in 2026. How high can gold go?According to my technical analysis and Goldman Sachs forecast, gold can reach $5,400 dollars per ounce by end-2026. My gold price prediction expects $5,000 to be tested mid-year as the Fed cuts rates by 50 basis points and emerging-market central banks maintain 60 tonnes per month buying pace. Will gold hit 5,000 per ounce?Yes, gold will hit $5,000 per ounce in my view. I remain a structural bull on the gold chart and view any pullback toward $4,650-4,360 as a buying opportunity before testing $5,000.What is the gold price forecast for 2026?My gold price forecast for 2026: test of $5,000 mid-year, potential move to $5,400 by year-end per Goldman Sachs target. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

The use of mathematics, data science, and artificial intelligence (AI) has become the cornerstone of contemporary financial solutions in light of the explosive growth of digital finance and the growing demand for real-time data analytics. Considering this, EAERA and the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics (VIASM) have partnered for the 2026–2028 timeframe with the goal of advancing applied research and implementing data-driven and AI-driven technologies in Vietnam’s financial industry.EAERA, a leading fintech company, has announced a long-term collaboration with the Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics (VIASM) to promote Applied Mathematics, Data Science, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in real-time financial data analytics in Vietnam during 2026–2028. This initiative is part of the EAERA Science & Technology Development Fund, reflecting EAERA’s strategic vision to bridge scientific research with practical fintech applications and support Vietnam’s National AI Strategy to 2030. 1. The EAERA – VIASM Partnership: A Significant Milestone Amid the unprecedented growth of the digital finance sector, real-time trading data is becoming increasingly massive, complex, and demanding of precise, instant processing. In this context, the application of mathematics and AI in real-time data analysis has become a critical factor for success. EAERA has recognized this opportunity and determined that creating contemporary, safe, and effective fintech solutions requires a bridge between academia and industry. By collaborating with VIASM, both parties can take advantage of their complementary strengths, including top-tier, seasoned teams' advanced mathematical and artificial intelligence expertise, which creates new opportunities for creating scalable financial data analytics solutions. Representatives of both parties at the partnership signing ceremony 2. Strategic Pillars: Research – Collaboration – Investment The EAERA – VIASM partnership program is built on three strategic pillars, a which aims to foster innovation in Vietnam and generate long-term value for the digital finance industry. Applied ResearchHigh-impact applied research that tackles practical fintech issues is jointly prioritized by EAERA and VIASM. Fraud detection, transaction risk modeling, identifying anomalous behavior, and early-warning systems for possible problems in real-time financial data streams are important areas of focus. In addition to improving the precision and dependability of financial operations, these initiatives provide institutions with the confidence they need to make prompt, data-driven decisions. Academic–Industry CollaborationVIASM, the program's first academic partner, is essential in bringing together top scientists from around the world with fintech companies. This partnership makes it possible to develop, validate, and optimize cutting-edge algorithms, mathematical models, and AI techniques using actual operational data. The program speeds up the development of reliable, scalable solutions designed for contemporary financial infrastructures by connecting theoretical research with real-world implementation. Startup Ecosystem DevelopmentThe program emphasizes developing a thriving startup ecosystem in AI, Big Data, and financial risk intelligence in addition to supporting research and technological advancements. In addition to providing seed-stage funding and technical and strategic support, EAERA will work with up-and-coming teams to co-develop products. These initiatives aim to nurture innovation, empower new ventures, and contribute to the broader evolution of Vietnam's digital finance landscape and knowledge-driven economy. The team from EAERA Vietnam 3. Benefits and Long-Term Vision Through this program, EAERA aims to create long-lasting impact not only for the company but also for the broader digital finance landscape in Vietnam. The partnership lays the groundwork for a time when real-time data processing, artificial intelligence, and sophisticated mathematics will form the backbone of contemporary financial infrastructure. Promote applied mathematics in real-time financial data analytics: By embedding sophisticated mathematical modeling into large-scale streaming data systems, EAERA and VIASM seek to enhance the accuracy, transparency, and predictive capabilities of financial analytics. In quickly changing financial environments, this strategy promotes stronger risk mitigation, more accurate forecasting, and more astute market insights. Develop AI models for automated risk and fraud detection: The collaboration speeds up the creation of AI-powered systems that can recognize irregularities, spot fraud, and evaluate risk in milliseconds. These models improve operational losses, boost financial security, and support a more reliable and stable financial system. Strengthen knowledge transfer between academia and industry: The partnership promotes ongoing knowledge sharing through collaborative research projects, expert workshops, and specialized training courses. While industry demands guide new research directions, academic findings are translated into workable solutions, guaranteeing that technological development stays both inventive and pertinent. Build an innovation-driven fintech ecosystem in Vietnam: EAERA wants to contribute to the development of a vibrant and sustainable fintech landscape by fostering multi-sector collaboration, empowering early-stage startups, and supporting young talent. As part of the nation's larger shift to a knowledge-based economy, this long-term vision positions Vietnam as a developing regional center for AI-driven, data-intensive financial technologies. “We believe that connecting research institutes, startups, and enterprises will create a sustainable FinTech ecosystem that delivers real value to society,” said an EAERA representative. 4. EAERA–VIASM: Bridging Research and Application In the quickly changing field of digital finance, the strategic alliance between EAERA and VIASM creates a trailblazing model that successfully connects academic research with practical application. The partnership builds a strong foundation for innovation based on academic excellence by fusing VIASM's solid foundation in both fundamental and applied mathematics with EAERA's technological know-how. VIASM, which is well-known both domestically and abroad, will collaborate closely with EAERA to promote extensive knowledge-transfer programs, cultivate top talent, and improve ties between mathematicians, data scientists, and fintech professionals. Through this exchange, academic discoveries are not limited to research papers but are instead turned into useful tools, models, and algorithms that can be used in financial settings. Crucially, the collaboration greatly broadens the focus of applied research in AI, data science, and finance. The partnership promotes the development of sophisticated, scalable solutions that can boost forecasting models, improve analytical accuracy, and fortify risk management systems by utilizing real-time financial datasets and practical operational challenges. These results promote safer, more open, and more robust financial operations, which eventually help to modernize Vietnam's fintech scene. EAERA develops data analytics platforms for the financial industry. About EAERA EAERA is a fintech company with over 10 years of international experience, specializing in the development of financial core systems and Big Data analytics platforms for the modern financial industry.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eaera/Website: https://eaera.com/About VIASM The Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics (VIASM) is a leading research center dedicated to advancing fundamental and applied mathematics and integrating it into practical fields such as data science, AI, and technology. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

iSAM, which operates as an alternative asset manager and market maker, has moved to a new London headquarters to support the expansion of its operations and growing global demand for its services.Expansion of Global PresenceAnnounced today (Thursday), the relocation followed the opening of its Cyprus office last May and its move to a larger office in Hong Kong in June. The Limassol office was set up to support clients in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.The group also has offices in the United States and the Cayman Islands.“Our move to a new London headquarters is a direct reflection of the progress we’ve made and the scale of our ambitions,” said Neill Burger, Head of Operations at iSAM. “We are building an algorithmic trading business, with the needs of our clients at the core of everything we do.”A Strategic Move by iSAMiSAM includes iSAM Funds, a $6.5 billion alternative asset manager, and iSAM Securities, an algorithmic trading firm, market maker, and technology provider.It is regulated by the FCA in the UK, the SFC in Hong Kong, and the CFTC in the US. It is also registered with CIMA in the Cayman Islands.[#highlighted-links#] The iSAM Securities unit last year launched a new solution allowing brokers to automate their risk management workflow. This was added to its existing risk management platform.“As our client base continues to grow and diversify, so too must our capabilities. We remain focused on identifying new market opportunities, investing in the right people, and developing fast, robust, and well-tested solutions that meet the needs of our clients.”Meanwhile, iSAM’s UK unit reported £27 million in turnover for 2024, down from £31.6 million the previous year. However, post-tax profits rose by 55 per cent to £9.6 million, suggesting the firm is focusing on higher-margin products such as Parallax rather than pure volume growth. This article was written by Arnab Shome at www.financemagnates.com.

VT Markets today announced the release of its 2026 Global Market Outlook, titled “Steady Growth, Balanced Inflation: Navigating a Regime of Structural Opportunity.” The report delivers a forward-looking, multi-asset assessment of the trends and opportunities expected to shape global markets in 2026, drawing on in-depth analysis across equities, foreign exchange, crypto assets, and commodities.As global growth steadies and inflation pressures continue to normalize, markets are entering a new phase marked by structural adjustment and more balanced risk conditions. Developed by VT Markets’ analyst team, the report examines how these shifts may influence asset allocation, sector leadership, and trading strategy, enabling market participants to move beyond short-term volatility and focus on longer-term positioning.Key Highlights from the 2026 Global Market Outlook2026 Equities OutlookAuthored by Ross Maxwell, Global Strategy Operations Lead, the equities outlook assesses global and U.S. equity markets, covering U.S. economic performance, key drivers, sector opportunities and risks, as well as index technicals and scenario-based outlooks. The analysis highlights the importance of selectivity as market leadership broadens.2026 Forex OutlookWritten by Justin Khoo, Senior Market Analyst, the FX outlook examines the global macro and policy backdrop shaping currency markets, outlining key drivers, potential scenarios, and practical trader takeaways, with central bank divergence and capital flows as core themes.2026 Emerging and alternative assetsAnalyzed by Eduardo Ramos, Senior Market Analyst, this section evaluates developments across emerging and alternative asset classes through the lens of institutional engagement, capital allocation trends, and market structure evolution.2026 Commodities OutlookWritten by Nayel Al-Jawabra, Senior Market Analyst, the commodities outlook explores a “new commodity regime,” focusing on structural demand drivers, strategic supply dynamics, and portfolio implications.The report also includes a special China-focused edition, authored by Ray Yang, Market Analyst, providing targeted insight into China’s economic performance, policy direction, structural challenges, and investment opportunities.Rather than short-term forecasts, the VT Markets 2026 Global Market Outlook emphasizes scenario analysis, risk awareness, and strategic preparedness across asset classes and regions.The 2026 Global Market Outlook: Steady Growth, Balanced Inflation: Navigating a Regime of Structural Opportunity is now available for download via link here. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Devexperts integrated its DXtrade platform with Arizet Labs' full PropTech suite, connecting the trading software provider's prop firm clients to CRM, risk management, payout automation, and compliance tools that address operational bottlenecks many firms still handle manually.The integration gives DXtrade what amounts to an out-of-the-box prop firm setup rather than just a trading interface with matching engine. Firms licensing DXtrade can now plug into Arizet's Prop OS, Prop Risk, and the recently launched A-Trader platform, which was revealed earlier this month.“As the prop trading market continues to grow, it remains our priority to provide a trading platform that offers firms the best possible software for their services,” said Jon Light, senior director of product management at Devexperts. “Offering our firms access to Arizet's PropTech means they can now benefit from technology developed specifically for them, based on many years of experience in this area,” he explained.The proprietary trading sector has expanded rapidly, with the market valued at over $10 billion in 2025. Data from the Prop Firm Match platform show that these firms paid out $325 million to traders in payouts last year. The top performer was FundedNext, which accounted for one-third of that total.DXtrade Moves From Generic White Label to Prop Operations StackThe partnership shifts DXtrade's positioning from a strong alternative platform to what could be considered strategic infrastructure for firms that need scalability and institutional-grade execution but don't want to assemble their technology from scratch.Compared to platforms like MetaTrader or cTrader, DXtrade now presents a clearer prop narrative, including trading plus rules enforcement plus back-office operations. MetaTrader and cTrader still rely heavily on third-party patchworks for challenges, payouts, and compliance, according to market participants.“This partnership represents a convergence of two innovators with a shared commitment to shaping the future of proprietary trading,” said Shervin Arian, chief strategy advisor at Arizet Labs. “Tested at scale with firms serving over 100,000 users, it automates many processes that remain manual across the industry, creating efficiencies, cost savings, and, ultimately, a superior trader experience,” he added.Arizet launched its PropTech platforms in November 2025 after the firm's founders identified outdated technology as the primary cause behind widespread prop firm failures during 2024 and 2025. Between 80 and 100 prop firms shuttered in 2024 alone, with the collapses linked to weak risk management, unsustainable payout control, and limitations of generic CRM systems.As FinanceMagnates.com reported in 2024, Devexperts onboarded over 40 prop firms to DXtrade in a year while adding futures trading functionality to complement its forex and CFD capabilities. The Arizet integration extends that prop-focused buildout by addressing the operations layer that sits behind the trading experience.Real-Time Risk Monitoring Addresses Industry Pain PointArizet's Prop Risk engine monitors trader accounts continuously, enforcing challenge rules like daily loss limits and maximum drawdown thresholds in real time. The system scans for advanced abuse tactics including martingale trading, copy-trading rings, and high-frequency strategies designed to exploit latency gaps.“In prop trading, risk starts much earlier, from how the evaluation product itself is designed,” David Davtyan, CEO of Arizet Labs, told Finance Magnates in November. “The rules, the instruments offered, and the trading experience all form part of the overall risk structure.”Davtyan criticized competitors that ping account equities at intervals ranging from 30 seconds to 15 minutes depending on account volume. “With 500 traders, you might get 30-second updates; with 5,000 traders, five minutes; with 20,000, it becomes almost impossible,” he said. Arizet claims its platform is one of the few with true real-time monitoring that tracks equity, drawdown, and rule enforcement without lag.The system analyzes tens of millions of trades daily using AI-driven analytics to identify suspicious patterns, flag anomalies, and send alerts before losses occur. Arizet built the technology on big data infrastructure and proprietary algorithms developed by its quantitative trading team.Trading Platform Adds Gamification LayerArizet's A-Trader platform, which launched January 15, focuses on education and gamification during evaluation stages – something CEO Davtyan says existing platforms don't prioritize. The platform targets both futures and CFD prop firms with built-in features designed for simulated trading environments.“If you think about MetaTrader 5, that's a great one, and they have been around for quite a long time, but it's almost kind of a dinosaur, especially with their APIs and all that, and everybody knows that,” Davtyan said.The unregulated structure of prop trading, where firms don't handle client money for actual trading, gives providers more freedom to experiment with gamified evaluation experiences that would attract regulatory scrutiny in traditional brokerage, according to Davtyan. The platform includes an app store where traders can download tools, though Arizet will control what gets published rather than opening to third-party developers initially.Arian noted that pass rates among broker clients hover around 15 percent, while prop firm pass rates fall to 7 percent. “Our goal at Arizet is to educate them and provide clear goals and the tools they need so they can be successful and make money,” he said.The platform's revenue-sharing model means prop firms receive a cut of paid app sales. “Every other platform is a cost line for prop firms; some of them are relatively cheap, some of them are expensive,” Davtyan said. “Arizet's platform is not going to be a cost; it's going to be an additional revenue source for them.”Competition Intensifies Across Platform ProvidersOther technology vendors have also moved to serve the growing prop segment. Leverate partnered with Level2 and Convrs this week to bring drag-and-drop trading automation to retail brokers through no-code strategy builders. Spotware's cTrader Mobile 5.6 update earlier this month added equity charts and redesigned interfaces as mobile trading accounts for nine out of ten trades at some brokers.DXtrade already included prop-specific functionality like contest features, simulated and live execution modes, and performance monitoring tools. Risk management capabilities built into the platform include configurable position limits, custom trading schedules, and automatic position liquidation at session close.Recent integrations have expanded DXtrade's ecosystem. In December, TRAction connected its compliance automation system to the platform, automating regulatory data flows between trading software and compliance providers. oneZero's market analytics became available through DXcharts in November, adding autochartist-driven signal analysis. Devexperts also launched DXwallet in September, a modular framework for building crypto wallets integrated with existing fintech systems.The Arizet integration expands DXtrade's addressable market to include broker-props, hybrid firms, and multi-brand operators without diluting focus on its core trading platform capabilities. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

In the fast-paced world of investing, the temptation to chase quick gains or flee sudden losses often leads traders to overreact. Yet, evidence from markets shows that the most effective approach is frequently the simplest: holding quality assets over the long term. This strategy isn’t about being lazy or inaction—it’s about disciplined patience. As a global broker committed to empowering smarter, more sustainable trading decisions, VT Marketsconsistently emphasizes the importance of structure, psychology, and long-term thinking in navigating modern markets.In this article, we’ll examine recent market volatility where reactive trading proved costly, review historical data favoring long-term holding, explore the psychological hurdles to staying put, and provide practical rules for effortless investing.A Recent Market Dip Where Panic-Selling Backfired2025 exemplified the dangers of emotional trading. In April, the S&P 500 plunged sharply amid escalating trade tensions from new tariff announcements under the Trump administration, raising fears of global slowdown. Investors panicked, pulling billions from equities and selling at lows.The rebound was swift. Diplomatic adjustments and strong economic indicators, including robust consumer spending and AI-fueled earnings, drove a rapid recovery. By year-end, the S&P 500 gained around 17%, closing near records after one of its best three-year runs.Meme stock surges also punished active traders. Stocks like Beyond Meat rallied dramatically on social media hype, only to crash post-earnings, leaving chasers with losses. Similar volatility hit other viral names, underscoring how hype-driven trading often means buying high and selling low.These episodes reinforce a key lesson: Short-term volatility is normal, but overreacting amplifies losses. Those who held through 2025’s turbulence captured the upside, while panickers missed it.Historical Data: Long-Term Returns vs. Short-Term TradingHistorical performance strongly supports holding. Since 1950, the S&P 500 has averaged solid annual returns, compounded by dividends, turning patient investments into significant wealth despite crashes and recessions.Over decades, markets recover and grow. A long-term investment in broad indices outperforms most active strategies, as missing top days devastates returns. Studies show frequent trading incurs fees, taxes, and poor timing, eroding gains.Active traders rarely beat benchmarks. Data reveals that shorter holding periods correlate with higher costs and lower performance. Warren Buffett’s wisdom holds: The market transfers wealth from the impatient to the patient. Long-term holders benefit from compounding, while traders often underperform.Why It’s Hard for Humans to “Sit Still” in MarketsDespite compelling evidence, many investors struggle to hold. Psychology explains why. Loss aversion makes declines feel twice as painful as gains feel rewarding, prompting sales during dips despite sound fundamentals. FOMO drives chasing rallies, buying at peaks before corrections.Overconfidence leads to believing we can outsmart markets, while recency bias overweights recent events. Emotional responses impair judgment.These evolutionary traits aided survival but hinder investing. Overcoming them requires recognizing biases and trusting data over instincts.The Framework of Disciplined, System-Driven InvestingAt its core, disciplined investing is built on a few enduring principles:Automate contributions: Use dollar-cost averaging into broad index funds or ETFs to buy regularly, reducing timing risks.Diversify widely: Spread across asset classes via low-cost ETFs for global exposure, buffering volatility.Set and forget: Align allocation to your timeline and risk tolerance, rebalance sparingly, and ignore noise.For those seeking even more hands-off approaches, modern platforms such as VT markets offer innovative tools such as copy trading. Copy trading allows users to automatically mirror strategies of experienced providers in real time, starting from as little as USD 10. Select providers based on performance, risk, and style, set parameters, and let trades execute passively—ideal for benefiting from expert decisions without constant monitoring.The irony of holding is that it demands the greatest discipline. From 2025’s volatility to long-term data, patience prevails. Tools like copy trading make it easier than ever to adopt a winning, low-effort approach.From the volatility of 2025 to decades of historical data, the message is consistent: short-term noise fades, fundamentals endure, and patience compounds. While emotional reactions may feel instinctive, successful investing increasingly belongs to those who rely on structure, process, and perspective. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Stablecoins have gotten big enough that regular people are right to ask, Should I care? The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) put global stablecoin market capitalization at around $255 billion as of 30 May 2025, which is far beyond a niche hobby market.If you’re in the US, there’s another detail that matters even more: BIS found almost 99% of stablecoin market value is USD-denominated (as of 10 June 2025). So when people say digital dollars they’re usually talking about something that wants to behave like dollars in everyday life.Binance Research also highlighted how quickly parts of the stablecoin market can grow: USDe supply grew 43.5% in August to US$12.2B, capturing 4% of the stablecoin market. It added that USDe became the fastest asset to surpass US$10B, reaching the milestone in 536 days versus USDC’s 903 and USDT’s 2000+.In this article, we’ll look at what US regulation is now trying to standardize, what that could mean for paychecks, bills and refunds and how to think about stablecoins and crypto coin prices as a payment tool without pretending the details don’t matter.Digital Dollars with Adult SupervisionThe positive news for consumers in 2026 is that regulated stablecoins is no longer just a vibe. On 07/18/2025, the GENIUS Act (S.1582) became Public Law 119-27, establishing a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins.The law’s plain-English definition is useful: a payment stablecoin is a digital asset an issuer must redeem for a fixed value. That single sentence is the difference between 'I hope this stays close to $1' and 'there’s a formal promise I can evaluate'.GENIUS also narrows who can issue payment stablecoins for use by US persons, aiming to push issuance into a supervised perimeter. It describes permitted issuers that include subsidiaries of insured depository institutions, federal-qualified nonbank payment stablecoin issuers or state-qualified payment stablecoin issuers. It also draws a bright line on oversight choice: issuers may choose federal or state regulation, but state regulation is limited to stablecoin issuance of $10 billion or less.Then come the consumer-facing fundamentals. Permitted issuers must maintain reserves backing the stablecoin on a one-to-one basis using US currency or other similarly liquid assets specified in the bill and they must publicly disclose their redemption policy. They also have to publish monthly details of their reserves, which creates a predictable rhythm for transparency rather than trust us updates.If you’re deciding whether a stablecoin is paycheck-ready or refund-ready a simple screening habit helps:Confirm it’s issued by a GENIUS permitted issuer category (bank subsidiary, federal-qualified nonbank or state-qualified issuer).Read the issuer’s public redemption policy before you rely on it for wages, bill pay or refunds.Look for the monthly reserve details and check they’re current, not six months old. Remember state oversight is capped by the $10 billion issuance limit, so scale can affect which regulator is in the picture.There’s one more detail many people miss. Under GENIUS, permitted payment stablecoins are not considered securities under securities law, but permitted issuers are subject to the Bank Secrecy Act for anti-money laundering and related purposes.That mix matters for real life because the boring parts of money are what make it usable. And the law is, fundamentally, a set of boring requirements that make it easier for you to verify what you’re holding.Binance’s Global Head of FIU, Nils Andersen-Röed, put the compliance reality plainly: “Despite advanced privacy tools, every crypto transaction leaves a trace – a crucial asset for modern law enforcement. As crypto crime grows more complex, global cooperation and strong public-private partnerships are not optional, but essential.”Refunds Without HeadachesRefunds are where payment systems earn trust. Nobody thinks about how money works until something goes wrong, a subscription is cancelled, a merchant apologizes or payroll has to be corrected.Two facts can be true at the same time. First, stablecoins are designed to maintain stable value. Second, even fiat-backed stablecoins “rarely trade exactly at par” in secondary markets, even during tranquil times, according to BIS.This is where clear regulation can make stablecoins feel less mysterious. If you’re getting refunded in a payment stablecoin, the key question is not just what’s the chart doing today? It’s what’s the issuer required to do and what do they publish that lets me check?The Federal Reserve’s April 2024 Financial Stability Report section on funding risks notes stablecoins are “structurally vulnerable to runs” and lack a comprehensive prudential regulatory framework, while also saying they could scale quickly, particularly if supported by access to an existing customer base. In that same section, the Fed put the combined market capitalization of all stablecoins at roughly $150 billion at the time.FSOC, the US interagency council that monitors financial stability risk, approved its 2024 Annual Report on December 6, 2024. In the Digital Assets section, FSOC said stablecoins are “acutely vulnerable to runs” absent appropriate standards and it argues run risk is amplified by market concentration and opacity. FSOC also noted the market was heavily concentrated, with a single firm holding around 70% of the sector’s total market value.That sounds technical, but the consumer point is simple: concentration and unclear reserves make refunds and balances harder to trust at scale. The upside of a clear framework is that it creates shared expectations about backing, disclosure and redemption, so your decision doesn’t rely on guesswork.Even perfect issuer disclosures don’t automatically mean every wallet app will handle support well. Regulation can help define the product, but you’ll still want providers that make the basics easy, like viewing disclosures, understanding redemption steps and getting help when a transfer goes sideways.Your Money, But with a PassportStablecoins are already being used across borders at meaningful scale, which is part of why governments care about getting the rules right. BIS reported that stablecoins’ cross-border use has been growing, with quarterly trading volumes exceeding $400 billion for the two largest coins.A lot of that activity is still tied to trading and crypto market structure, not paying the electric bill. But cross-border capability is exactly what can make stablecoins relevant to everyday life over time, especially for people paid by international clients, families sending support or businesses that deal with overseas vendors.BIS also highlights that major stablecoin issuers back their tokens primarily with short-term fiat assets such as Treasuries, repurchase agreements and bank deposits, linking stablecoins to traditional markets rather than floating in isolation. And BIS summarizes research estimating that a $3.5 billion inflow into stablecoins reduces Treasury bill yields by around 2.5–5 basis points, with outflows increasing yields two to three times as much as inflows lower them.The point isn’t that you personally move T-bill yields. The point is that stablecoins now interact with the financial system in ways that make oversight, disclosures and liquidity management more than a theoretical debate.If a digital dollar can move globally with the ease of software, what should good customer protection look like when a refund is disputed, issuer rules, wallet rules or both?Making Digital Dollars UsefulStablecoins are large, mostly USD-based and increasingly connected to mainstream markets, which is why the topic has moved from tech chatter into public policy. The GENIUS Act puts real structure around who can issue payment stablecoins for US use, how reserves should back them and what must be disclosed so everyday users can verify the basics.At the same time, the Fed and FSOC have been clear about what still needs respect: run risk, opacity and the need for standards that hold up under stress. That’s not a reason to dismiss stablecoins as a payment idea. It’s a reason to treat regulated stablecoins like any other serious financial product: check what’s promised, check what’s published and choose providers that make those checks easy.Binance Research framed a parallel shift in regulatory posture this way: “With Project Crypto, the SEC is finally acknowledging what the market has long argued – most crypto assets are commodities, not securities.”If 2026 is the year digital dollars start showing up in more normal places, the best move for readers is calm curiosity paired with verification. And when a wallet offers to pay you, bill you or refund you in stablecoins, will it also show you the simple proof that the rules are designed to produce? This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Gold has become the dominant trading instrument at Australian broker Axi, reflecting a broader shift across the CFD industry as traders chase volatility in precious metals markets.The broker confirmed XAU remains its most traded contract, with activity more than doubling in recent months as the metal extended gains to test a record $4,888 per ounce this week before pulling back to around $4,836. Gold climbed 65% last year and has added another 12% in the first three weeks of 2026."Interest in gold trading has more than doubled, firmly keeping XAU as the most traded instrument across the platform," Thiago Duarte, Market Analyst at Axi, told FinanceMagnates.com. He pointed to volatility rather than directional moves as the primary draw for traders, with wide intraday ranges attracting both short-term participants and those holding macro views.Axi's experience mirrors a wider pattern among retail brokers. Metals CFDs accounted for more than 60% of global broker volumes in the first half of 2025, with roughly 80% of that activity concentrated in gold contracts. Volumes Surge Across CFD IndustrySome platforms have seen gold trading climb to 90% of total volumes during peak sessions.The rally has prompted operational adjustments across the sector. FXPrimus raised leverage on gold positions in October while OANDA flagged heightened volatility risks as gold rally continues.More recently, Scope Prime updated spreads after CME Group shifted precious metals futures margins from fixed amounts to percentage-based requirements.Even crypto platforms have joined the rush. BingX reported gold futures contracts generating over $500 million in daily volume, accounting for half of the exchange's $1 billion in traditional finance trading activity.Tight Spreads Fuel ActivityDuarte said improved execution quality has played a key role in sustaining volumes. Tighter spreads across the industry have made gold CFDs more cost-efficient to trade, particularly during trending periods when traders become more sensitive to transaction costs. That efficiency has kept demand elevated even during pullbacks, suggesting gold has shifted from an occasional hedge to a core trading vehicle."Traders are no longer treating gold as a one-off hedge, but as a core trading instrument during periods of uncertainty," Duarte noted. He added that demand has remained consistent through corrections, with pullbacks bought quickly by investors still under-allocated to the metal.The broker's focus on gold comes as Axi expands its product suite and institutional capabilities. The firm launched AxiPrime in July, a liquidity solution capable of processing 500,000 orders per second, and added 150 crypto contracts earlier this month alongside the appointment of former eToro risk executive Sotiris Karagiorgis.Market Conditions Support Further GainsDuarte outlined three factors supporting gold's momentum: real yields struggling to move decisively higher, stretched equity valuations increasing sensitivity to shocks, and relatively light short-term positioning that amplifies price moves when uncertainty rises. He also pointed to a feedback loop where price breakouts draw momentum flows while dips attract defensive buyers."Gold is entering a phase where pullbacks are likely to be tactical rather than trend-ending," he said. "As long as volatility remains elevated, gold should stay well supported, with upside risks outweighing downside into the months ahead."Analysts have projected targets as high as $5,000 to $6,000 for 2026 following a rally that accelerated after a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell sparked concerns about central bank independence in early January. The metal is now in price discovery mode, with technical levels pointing to a 100% Fibonacci extension at $5,000.New institutional products continue to emerge alongside retail demand. GCEX launched gold futures CFDs last week, providing an alternative to rolling spot and non-expiring CFD structures for professional traders navigating the volatile environment. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

XTB is heading into its preliminary fourth-quarter earnings report with expectations of a financial rebound, driven by favorable market volatility and a massive influx of new traders. Analysts at Noble Securities expect the Warsaw-listed broker (WSE: XTB) to report a net profit of 205 million zlotys ($56.8 million) for the final three months of 2025, bringing the estimated full-year total to 673 million zlotys ($186.4 million).The firm is hoping to leave behind the sluggishness of the previous quarter, when low market volatility sent revenues down 20% year-on-year.XTB Revenue Streams Diversify As CFD Competition MountsThe brokerage is grappling with a fundamental shift in the European trading landscape. The arrival of international platforms like Robinhood, Interactive Brokers, and Trade Republic has made the continent a primary battleground for retail capital. This competition is starting to impact XTB’s numbers, as the company saw a record client outflow in the third quarter of 2025, with 21.5 thousand users leaving the platform.Mateusz Chrzanowski, an analyst at Noble Securities, noted that the drop in profitability per lot over recent months isn't just about market conditions. He suggested that “we cannot rule out that part of the reduction is also due to growing competition and that this effect will deepen in the future.” The firm’s decision to scrap its planned expansion into Brazil has also limited the potential growth ceiling for its traditional CFD business.Despite these hurdles, the fourth quarter provided a more helpful backdrop for the broker's core trading desk. Gains in gold and volatile moves in natural gas helped offset a quieter period for the DAX. “This environment should allow for a return to the average level of profitability per lot seen in recent years, which, with the continued growth of the customer base, will in our opinion generate a net profit of 205 million zlotys ($56.8 million) in the fourth quarter...” Chrzanowski wrote in the report.XTB Financial Performance and ForecastsNoble Securities Seeks To Rebound From Previous Forecasting MissThis latest forecast represents a cautious reset for Noble Securities. The firm’s previous projection for the third quarter proved overly optimistic. Chrzanowski had predicted a profit of 190 million zlotys ($52.6 million) that ultimately missed the mark as market conditions soured.To maintain its lead, XTB is doubling down on a high-spending growth model. The company’s marketing budget jumped by roughly 75% in 2025, a move that helped it sign up an estimated 865,000 new clients over the year. This aggressive acquisition strategy has been particularly successful in its home market, where XTB added over 442,000 Polish accounts in 2025 as a year-end rush pushed the total market past a significant milestone.The optimistic outlook follows a difficult period for the brokerage, which recently saw its shares upgraded despite posting some of its weakest financial results since 2022. Marketing Blitz Targets 1.3 Million New UsersThe pace of acquisition is expected to accelerate, with Noble Securities forecasting that XTB will onboard 1.3 million new users in 2026 as marketing spend grows by another 50%. The cost of acquiring these customers has stabilized at around 700 zlotys ($194) per head.This scaling is aimed at building a massive user base before the firm rolls out its next wave of products, including crypto spot trading and options. The push for volume is already showing results in the data. Trading volumes recently jumped 76% as the Polish market experienced a significant surge in activity.If the current trajectory holds, the brokerage is on track to hit a net profit of 1 billion zlotys ($277.2 million) in 2026. This milestone depends on successfully diversifying its revenue, which already saw income from stocks and ETFs nearly double in the first nine months of 2025. Market reaction to the projections was positive during Wednesday's session, with XTB shares rising to 76.80 zlotys ($21.28). Noble Securities maintained its “buy” rating, raising its price target to 95.70 zlotys ($26.51). This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

GMG Prime, the institutional division of Global Markets Group, has enabled a direct institutional liquidity feed into MetaTrader 5 using MetaQuotes’ Ultency Matching Engine. The integration allows brokers to tap GMG Prime’s liquidity pool natively from MT5, reducing dependence on external bridges and middleware layers. The move targets execution quality for brokers and institutional clients that route high volumes through MetaTrader 5. GMG Prime highlights lower jitter, improved fill ratios, and high-throughput performance across a wide set of instruments, including during volatile trading conditions.Ultency Built into MetaTrader 5Ultency operates as a matching and aggregation engine that MetaQuotes has built directly into the MT5 stack. It handles liquidity aggregation, order execution, and risk management from inside the platform to support fast order processing and stable system performance.Brokers can connect to the Ultency-based setup and access extensive liquidity while avoiding fixed maintenance fees, paying instead on actual traded volume. Read more: FMLS:25: MetaQuotes Launches New MT5 Matching Engine, Promising Speed and Broker Control“Ultency, it's a game changing solution for MetaTrader 5 brokers and liquidity providers seeking for the best in-class ultra-low latency solution for their liquidity connectivity, aggregation, distribution, and also for their execution and risk management,” commented Christoforos Theodoulou, the Head of Global Business and Sales at MetaQuotes, during the FMLS:25. By combining Ultency’s proprietary aggregation and matching logic with GMG Prime’s liquidity network, the firm says brokers can access tighter spreads, faster execution, and more control over routing and risk parameters.The new setup gives institutional clients direct access to multi-source liquidity with increased operational transparency, according to GMG Prime. Brokers that connect through Ultency can deploy advanced risk controls while using infrastructure that scales horizontally as client flow and product coverage expand.GMG Prime and Its Client BaseGlobal Markets Group Limited launched in March 2015 and has held authorization from the UK Financial Conduct Authority since September 2016, operating as a liquidity provider to financial institutions and brokerages.GMG Prime serves start-up and small-to-medium brokerages, as well as family offices, hedge funds and asset and wealth managers. It offers institutional pricing and deep liquidity through a scalable execution environment, with streamlined onboarding and flexible account setups to help clients go live quickly while keeping control over how their trades execute. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

GBM Securities, a London-based prime brokerage firm, appointed Maria Antsupova as the Head of operations for Global Markets. Antsupova served in the same capacity at ITI Capital. ITI describes itself as an emerging-markets-focused brokerage firm serving a broad range of clients. Its customer base includes private clients, proprietary trading firms, banks, hedge funds, institutional investors and corporates.Experience from Renaissance CapitalShe also brings nearly 9 years of experience from Renaissance Capital, where she was the Head of London Operations, Global Head of Trade Support. She joined the firm as the Head of Trade Support.Other recent moves: CMC Markets’ Marketing Head Moves to Creative Agency After Two Decades in FinanceAdditionally, her rich background includes a previous role at Alfa Capital as the Head of Global Markets Back Office in Asset Management Company and as the Chief Specialist of Operations Department.GBM Securities is authorized and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority. The firm serves institutional investors and family offices, providing brokerage and prime brokerage services across global markets.Its activities include trade execution, clearing and settlement, portfolio optimization, risk analysis and leverage-related solutions. Using execution supported by electronic trading technology and compliance controls, the firm aims to support sophisticated investors operating in complex markets.Recent Collaborations at GBM Securities Recently, the firm strengthened its custody setup by working with BNY Pershing EMEA, a global provider of clearing and custody services for institutional clients. The collaboration aimed at improving how client assets are held and overseen within GBM’s prime brokerage offering.According to the company, the new arrangement uses a Model B custody structure with a tri-party setup, where client assets are held directly with BNY Pershing EMEA rather than on GBM’s own balance sheet. The move highlighted GBM’s focus in giving institutional clients more confidence in complex markets. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

President Donald Trump arrived at the World Economic Forum in Davos today (Wednesday) as renewed tariff threats tied to his push to acquire Greenland unsettled markets and strained trade relations.US equities rebounded the same day after the steepest selloff in months. Investors assessed Trump’s remarks in Davos for signals on the Greenland dispute.Trump Proposes Talks, Keeps Tariff PressureIn a keynote address, Trump said he wanted “immediate negotiations” over Greenland. He also said he would not use force to acquire the Danish territory.“You can say yes, and we will be very appreciative, or you can say no, and we will remember,” he said. Trump dismissed the idea of global economic decoupling. He described the United States as the central driver of global markets. “You all follow us down, and you follow us up,” he said.Trump is scheduled to meet European leaders who have criticized his bid to take over Greenland. Over the weekend, he said the United States would impose 10% tariffs on eight European countries he accused of blocking a US purchase of the territory. He said the tariffs would rise to 25% on June 1 if no agreement is reached, according to Yahoo Finance.The measures are set to begin on February 1. They would apply to “any and all goods sent to” the United States.Trump has also threatened 200% tariffs on French wine and champagne. The warning came after French President Emmanuel Macron rejected Trump’s call to join a peace initiative.HAPPENING NOW: President Donald J. Trump delivers a special address to the World Economic Forum in Davos."The United States is in the midst of the fastest and most dramatic economic turnaround in country's history." ?? pic.twitter.com/3kBZHW6bIY— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 21, 2026Treasury, Supreme Court Address Tariff UncertaintyEuropean Union capitals have started discussions on possible retaliatory tariffs. The measures could reach up to $108 billion on US products. Trump said the Greenland dispute would not cause the EU to reconsider its trade agreement with the United States or its pledged investments.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed reports that Denmark had sold US Treasurys. A Danish pension operator sold about $100 million, citing concerns over US finances. “They’ve been selling Treasurys for years, I’m not concerned at all,” Bessent said.Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court has not issued a ruling this year on the legality and scope of Trump’s global tariffs. The court declined to rule on Tuesday. The timing of its next decision remains unclear.Stocks Rise Despite Tariff, EU WarningsMarkets showed modest gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite each rose about 0.6%. The rebound followed Trump’s call for “immediate negotiations” and his statement that he would not use force. Tariff threats and EU warnings of retaliation continued to weigh on trade expectations.In corporate trading, Netflix shares fell after earnings. Investors also prepared for results from Johnson & Johnson, Charles Schwab, and other financial firms. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Japan’s SBI Holdings has taken a minority stake in US broker Clear Street in a $50 million deal that paves the way for a new joint venture in Japan focused on asset management and prime brokerage services. SBI Buys In, Plans Japan VentureSBI made the investment via its US subsidiary, SBI Holdings USA. The stake represents less than 1% of the US firm, which is working toward an initial public offering on the Nasdaq market. Alongside the capital injection, SBI and Clear Street agreed to pursue a partnership with a view to creating a joint venture in Japan. The planned entity will reportedly focus on asset management-related services at launch, with scope to expand into equities trading, prime brokerage and digital asset-related businesses as the partnership develops.Clear Street operates as a prime broker to hedge funds and other institutional investors, providing execution and settlement for large volumes of securities trades as well as securities lending and financing.​Prime brokerage services for Japanese equities are still largely delivered by major foreign financial institutions. These incumbents typically offer limited automation and focus on a relatively small number of very large institutional investors, leaving smaller hedge funds and high-net-worth individuals with restricted access to full-scope capabilities.Clear Street Files for IPOSBI and Clear Street intend to use the joint venture to address those gaps. Clear Street filed for an initial public offering, revealing strong financial growth in 2025. According to Bloomberg, the company’s SEC filing shows a sharp increase in both revenue and profitability for the first nine months of the year. Net income attributable to shareholders rose to $157.2 million on $783.7 million in revenue through September 2025, up from $20.7 million in profit and $301.9 million in revenue during the same period in 2024, according to the filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.Last year, Clear Street launched its outsourced trading desk and appointed former UBS executive Morgan Ralph to lead the initiative from its new office at 4 World Trade Center. The new service focuses on hedge funds, asset managers, and family offices seeking to enhance execution and access real-time trading tools without expanding their internal trading teams. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD) and partner Susquehanna International Group completed their acquisition of MIAXdx today (Wednesday), purchasing 90% of the derivatives platform from Miami International Holdings for an undisclosed sum.The move was intended to help the retail trading platform become independent from Kalshi, currently the largest provider of event-based contracts. However, the latest data show that the two firms remain strongly dependent on each other.Robinhood Controls Half of Kalshi's Trading VolumeRobinhood has been driving more than 50% of Kalshi's total trading volume since launching event contracts in March 2025. In Q2 2025, Robinhood users traded approximately $1 billion in contracts on Kalshi, representing over half of Kalshi's $1.87 billion quarterly volume during that period. By September, analysts estimated Robinhood accounted for roughly one-third of Kalshi's daily volume.The partnership has been profitable for both companies. Kalshi and Robinhood split a 2-cent per contract fee evenly, generating approximately $10 million in revenue for Robinhood during Q2 2025 alone. Kalshi recorded $23.8 billion in total trading volume during 2025 and opened 2026 with $291 million in daily notional volume on January 1.Robinhood stated it will continue offering Kalshi contracts alongside products from its own exchange when MIAXdx begins operations later in 2026. However, owning exchange infrastructure allows Robinhood to capture full fee structures rather than splitting revenue with Kalshi, potentially doubling earnings from prediction markets according to Bernstein analysts.Migration Timeline Remains Unclear as Legal Challenges MountThe deal closes just one day after Robinhood filed court papers defending its continued access to Kalshi's exchange, arguing that losing Kalshi would cause "severe disruption" to its business. That filing revealed Robinhood users have traded over 100 million sports-related event contracts in Wisconsin alone, with "most of that volume" coming through Kalshi's platform.The transaction gives Robinhood control of a CFTC-licensed Designated Contract Market and Derivatives Clearing Organization authorized to list and clear fully collateralized futures, options on futures, and swaps. Miami International Holdings keeps a 10% stake in the exchange and clearinghouse.The MIAXdx exchange is expected to begin operations in 2026, though Robinhood has not specified when it will start migrating users to contracts listed on its own platform rather than Kalshi's. The platform already holds CFTC licenses as a Designated Contract Market and Derivatives Clearing Organization, which could accelerate the launch timeline."The purchase of MIAXdx accelerates our investment in the prediction markets and improves our position to deliver a better experience for customers in this growing asset class," said JB Mackenzie, VP and GM of Futures and International at Robinhood.Prediction markets have become Robinhood's fastest-growing revenue source since debut, with management projecting a potential $300 million annual run rate. The platform has traded more than 9 billion contracts across over 1 million users.State Regulators Continue Crackdown Despite Federal ApprovalsThe acquisition comes as multiple state regulators have challenged prediction market operators, with ten states filing complaints against Kalshi alleging the contracts constitute illegal gambling. The Ho-Chunk Nation lawsuit in Wisconsin prompted Robinhood's recent court filing defending its Kalshi partnership.Robinhood has expanded into sports-linked contracts, drawing comparisons to sportsbooks while operating under CFTC regulation. Federal courts have so far sided with exchanges operating under CFTC oversight, though state-level challenges continue to mount.Robinhood shares climbed 11% in November when the acquisition was first announced, reflecting investor confidence in the fintech's ability to scale prediction markets into a core business line alongside equities, options, and cryptocurrency.MIAX Retains Exposure Through Minority StakeMiami International Holdings operates eight exchanges including MIAX Options, MIAX Pearl, and international venues like The Bermuda Stock Exchange. The company also owns Dorman Trading, a full-service Futures Commission Merchant."Our sale of MIAXdx reaffirms our strategy of partnering with industry leaders to accelerate our growth strategies and we're pleased to gain exposure to the growing prediction market through our retained equity stake in the exchange," said Thomas P. Gallagher, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MIAX. "MIAX is laser focused on organic growth opportunities within our core exchanges and believe the sale of 90% of MIAXdx unlocks significant value for our shareholders."The exchange operator maintains access to prediction market growth through its minority stake while freeing resources to expand options and equities trading infrastructure.Robinhood's move follows CEO Vlad Tenev's vision to build a platform managing wealth, investments, and family finances across generations, with tokenized assets and emerging products playing a central role alongside traditional brokerage services. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Why crypto is going down today and why crypto is falling can be summed up in one sentence: this is a classic macro-driven risk-off move hitting a technically weak market, with my charts on Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Dogecoin all pointing lower.The cryptocurrency market extended its selloff on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, as Bitcoin dropped below $89,000 to trade around $88,626, Ethereum slipped to $2,920, and XRP logged its seventh consecutive down session at $1.89. Let’s check together why crypto is falling today. We’ll take a look at the charts and go through XRP/USDT, BTC/USDT, ETH/USDT, and DOGE/USDT, walking step by step through a technical analysis based on my more than ten years of experience as an investor and analyst.Why Crypto Is Going Down Today?Tariffs, Greenland and Risk-OffPresident Trump's arrival at Davos with his "Greenland-or-tariffs" ultimatum has pushed US-Europe relations to a breaking point, triggering a rotation out of high-beta assets like Bitcoin and altcoins. The proposed tariffs, aimed at pressuring Denmark to reconsider control of Greenland, have met firm resistance from European leaders, raising fears of a prolonged trade confrontation that could escalate into a full-blown transatlantic trade war.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that any EU response to US measures would be "unflinching, united, and proportional," reinforcing market concerns about broader economic spillovers. As one European politician put it, Trump's rhetoric serves as a "Nero warning" to the established international order, and this fracture in Western alliances is making Bitcoin and altcoins look even riskier in the near term.Why crypto is falling today extends beyond just tariff headlines. Safe-haven repricing has accelerated as the EU weighs its "anti-coercion tool" and potential retaliatory trade actions, with gold investors now watching the $5,000 level as concerns mount. Meanwhile, billionaire investor Ray Dalio warned that the global economy may be entering a "new phase of financial conflict," telling CNBC that geopolitical disputes increasingly risk spilling into capital flows and asset allocation decisions.Roughly $1.7 billion was liquidated from the crypto market in the last 24 hours according to Coinglass, while the Crypto Fear & Greed Index lingers in "Fear" territory. US spot Bitcoin ETFs have reversed course to post nearly $500 million in outflows over just two sessions, suggesting that last week's record inflows were driven by speculative hot money rather than solid, long-term accumulation.For real-time Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP and Dogecoin technical analysis as my charts test critical support zones with extreme downside risk, follow me on X (Twitter) @ChmielDk. I provide moving average updates, Fibonacci projections, and macro impact insights on why crypto is falling today.Macro Pressure Points Driving Crypto LowerAs Filip Dzięciołowski from Cryps.pl warns, as long as "geopolitical turmoil from Greenland to Iran" persists, safe bets like gold look more attractive while "stocks and bitcoin" look riskier, which is exactly the kind of environment where crypto is going down today instead of bouncing.Bitcoin Price and Technical Analysis: Why Bitcoin Is Falling?Bitcoin has just completed six straight down sessions, with only a tiny 0.2% uptick today and is trading around $88,626. As you can see on my chart, Bitcoin remains locked in a consolidation below the 200 EMA, which confirms that in my technical view the market is officially in a downtrend.According to my short-term chart, the immediate scenario is a test of the lower boundary of the sideways range around $74,000. Bitcoin's current price of $88,626 sits only 5% above this critical support zone, which represents the November consolidation lows and the April 2025 yearly minimum of $74,420.My technical analysis shows that the first downside target from the daily chart is $74,000, followed by $68,000 from the weekly chart, where the 200-week EMA is currently running. If we reach that weekly level, Bitcoin would be trading nearly 23% below current prices and testing a zone that has historically marked major cycle lows.My extreme bearish scenario, based on Fibonacci extensions, points to around $52,000 on the Bitcoin chart, which would be the lowest since August 2024. From current levels near $88,626, this represents a potential decline of over 41%, though such a move would require a complete breakdown of market structure and sustained macro stress.Bitcoin Technical RoadmapCurrent price: $88,626 (Wednesday, Jan 21, 2026) Intraday low: $88,965 (lowest in 2+ weeks) Six-session decline: From ~$98,000 peak on Jan 17 (-9.6%)My downside targets:Immediate: $74,000 (November consolidation lower band, April lows, -16%)Medium-term: $68,000 (200-week EMA zone, -23%)Extreme Fibonacci: $52,000 (100% extension, August 2024 lows, -41%)Invalidation levels:Reclaim $98,000 (recent peak)Break above 200 EMAEstablish higher highs on daily chartJoel Kruger, the LMAX strategist, still views Bitcoin's pullback as "corrective rather than trend-breaking," noting that the asset has fallen back into a familiar consolidation range and remains above its November lows, preserving the broader medium-term uptrend structure. He adds that Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as the "defensive anchor within the sector" compared with high-beta alts, but in the near term, my chart still points lower.Ethereum Price and Technical Analysis: Why Ethereum Is Going Down TodayEthereum (ETH) price is logging its fourth straight losing session, currently down about 0.7% on Wednesday and trading near $2,920. As you can see on my chart, ETH is clearly targeting at least $2,750, which is the lower boundary of a two-month-long consolidation range.The upper boundary of this range sits around $3,400, which I define as the zone created by the 9 October lows and the local highs from December and early January. Ethereum fell below the $3,000 mark for the first time in three weeks during Tuesday's selloff, recording steeper declines than Bitcoin and shedding nearly 4% in a 24-hour window.My medium-term downside target is the June lows near $2,100, extending toward the round psychological support at $2,000. From current prices around $2,920, this represents a potential decline of roughly 28-32%, which would take Ethereum back to levels last seen during the summer consolidation phase.My extreme bearish scenario, based on Fibonacci extensions, points toward the $1,000 area, which would mark the weakest Ethereum price since November 2022 and represent a stunning 66% decline from current levels. While this is an outlier scenario, it illustrates the tail risk embedded in the current technical structure on my chart.Ethereum Technical LevelsCurrent price: $2,920 (down 0.7% Wednesday) Recent low: $2,965 (below $3K for first time in 3 weeks) Consolidation range: $2,750-$3,400 (two-month sideways pattern)My downside targets:Immediate: $2,750 (lower consolidation band, -6%)Medium-term: $2,100 (June lows, -28%)Round support: $2,000 (psychological level, -32%)Extreme Fibonacci: $1,000 (Nov 2022 lows, -66%)Bullish invalidation on my chart:Reclaim 200 EMABreak back above $3,400 (upper consolidation band)Push through $3,800 (cluster of autumn 2025 lows/highs)XRP Price and Technical Analysis: Why XRP Is FallingXRP has just logged seven straight red sessions, and today (Wednesday, 21 January 2026) it is drifting toward the lower end of the range, trading around $1.89. Since the early-January test of two-month highs on January 6, there has been just one meaningful up session on January 13, with the rest of the days dominated by declines, that's exactly what my chart is highlighting.XRP recorded a 3.42% decline in Monday's session and continues to trade defensively as the broader crypto market selloff intensifies. As you can see on my technical setup, XRP is now facing a direct test of local support at $1.80, which overlaps with this year's and last year's lows.The moving averages on my XRP chart clearly point to a bearish trend, and my technical analysis shows that a clean break below $1.80 opens the way to deeper depreciation. In an environment where investors are running from risk, higher-beta, litigation-scarred names like XRP tend to suffer more, which aligns with the seven-session losing streak visible on my candles.XRP Downside Roadmap on My ChartCurrent price: $1.89 (Wednesday, 7th down session) Critical support: $1.80 (yearly/prior-year lows) Sessions: 7 straight declines (only 1 up day since Jan 6)My downside targets if $1.80 breaks:First major target: $1.25 (flash-crash low from October 10)Extreme Fibonacci scenario: $0.50 (lowest XRP price since November 2024)If this support band at $1.80 breaks on my technical setup, XRP could accelerate lower toward the $1.25 zone, which I identify as the flash-crash low from 10 October. That would represent a 34% decline from current levels and would likely trigger significant stop-loss cascades among leveraged traders.My extreme Fibonacci-based scenario on my chart points to around $0.50, which would be the lowest XRP price since November 2024 and represent a catastrophic 74% decline from current prices. While this is a tail-risk scenario, the technical structure on my longer-term charts keeps this level in play if the macro environment deteriorates further and liquidations accelerate.Dogecoin Price and Technical Analysis: Why Dogecoin Is Going Down TodaySince 6 January, Dogecoin (DOGE) has had only one green session (13 January), and is now falling for the eighth straight day, down around 0.7% on Wednesday and changing hands near $0.1254. As you can see on my chart, DOGE is clearly pointed toward this year's lows in the $0.12065 region, which also lines up with the lower limit of the recent consolidation.Dogecoin recorded a 2.23% decline in Monday's session, making it one of the better performers among major cryptocurrencies on a relative basis, though the absolute trend remains firmly negative. On my technical setup, Dogecoin could accelerate lower, potentially slipping below $0.08, which is the next major downside zone I am watching if the current support fails.Dogecoin Technical StructureCurrent price: $0.1254 (8th straight down day) Winning sessions since Jan 6: Only 1 (out of 15 total sessions) Current target: $0.12065 (2026 lows, lower consolidation limit)My downside scenario:If support breaks: Below $0.08 (next major support zone, -36%)Bullish reversal conditions on my chart:Reclaim $0.18 (200 EMA location)Break above mid-Oct lows / mid-Nov highs resistance clusterReopen path toward $0.26 (last seen 3 months ago)From my perspective, the negative scenario gets properly neutralized only if Dogecoin can reclaim at least $0.18, where the 200 EMA currently sits and where a key resistance cluster formed by the mid-October lows and mid-November highs is located. A move back above that region would reopen the way toward $0.26, last seen only three months ago in October 2025.FAQ: Why Crypto Is Going Down TodayWhy is crypto going down today?Why crypto is going down today: Bitcoin fell to $88,626, Ethereum to $2,920, XRP logged 7th straight decline to $1.89, driven by Trump tariff threats over Greenland triggering risk-off rotation. According to my technical analysis, Bitcoin targets $74K consolidation lower band, with extreme risk to $52K on Fibonacci extensions. $1.7B liquidated in 24 hours, $500M ETF outflows in 2 sessions.Why is Bitcoin falling?Bitcoin is falling after 6 straight down sessions, now at $88,626, as you can see on my chart below 200 EMA in confirmed downtrend. My technical analysis shows immediate test of $74K (Nov consolidation/April lows), then $68K (200-week EMA), extreme scenario $52K (-41%). EU Commission President warns response will be "unflinching" to tariffs, JGB yields hit records, tightening global liquidity.Why is Ethereum going down today?Ethereum down 4th straight session to $2,920, fell below $3K for first time in 3 weeks. On my chart, ETH targeting $2,750 lower consolidation band, then $2,100 June lows (-28%), extreme $1,000 Fibonacci scenario (-66%). ETH/BTC ratio sliding as Ethereum trades "more like a growth asset with higher sensitivity to liquidity and risk sentiment" per LMAX analyst.Why is XRP falling?XRP falling 7th straight session to $1.89, only 1 up day since Jan 6 highs. Moving averages on my XRP chart clearly point to bearish trend, with direct test of $1.80 yearly/prior-year lows support. My technical analysis shows break below $1.80 opens way to $1.25 flash-crash lows (-34%), extreme Fibonacci $0.50 (-74%). Higher-beta, litigation-scarred names suffer more in risk-off.Why is Dogecoin going down today?Dogecoin down 8th straight day to $0.1254, only 1 green session since Jan 6 (out of 15 total). On my chart, DOGE targeting $0.12065 (2026 lows, lower consolidation), break opens path below $0.08 (-36%). Bullish invalidation only if reclaim $0.18 (200 EMA, Oct/Nov resistance cluster) toward $0.26. Macro risk-off draining liquidity from most speculative corners. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

For years, debates about Bitcoin versus Ethereum felt like watching extreme opinions clash in petty online arguments. But the 2024 spot ETF approvals changed everything. What once gave the impression of a tribal war has become a legitimate question for institutional portfolios: which asset deserves more weight as we head into 2026?Both have earned their stripes. Bitcoin secured its "digital gold" narrative, while Ethereum established itself as the world's decentralized computer. The question isn't whether they belong in serious portfolios anymore but how to balance them. And that depends on understanding what actually drives their prices beyond the endless speculation.So will Ethereum outperform Bitcoin in 2026, perhaps even not in price action alone? Let's try to estimate the probability of this scenario with network economics, institutional behavior, and macro conditions.Is There Any Real Competition?Bitcoin's Value PropositionBitcoin does one thing exceptionally well: it exists as a predictable, unchanging store of value. There are exactly 21 million coins, no more, no less. This "boring" quality is precisely what makes Bitcoin attractive to institutions treating it like digital gold.For pension funds and nation-states, Bitcoin's immutability is a feature, not a bug. It's transparent, mathematically certain, and has operated continuously for 15 years without breaking. When MicroStrategy loads up its balance sheet with BTC or El Salvador makes it legal tender, they're betting on this stability lasting decades.Ethereum's Value PropositionEthereum takes the opposite approach. It's designed as a global computer that runs smart contracts—self-executing code that powers everything from decentralized exchanges to NFT marketplaces. The majority of stablecoins settle on Ethereum. DeFi protocols handling billions live there. Real-world asset tokenization experiments? The relevant majority is happening in the Ethereum ecosystem.But what makes Ethereum's economics weird is after its 2022 transition to proof-of-stake and the implementation of fee burning, more ETH gets destroyed during busy periods than gets created. Bitcoin inflates predictably at ~0.8% annually until 2028; Ethereum can actually shrink its supply.Despite serving different purposes, they compete for the same capital. And because they move together most of the time (with correlation typically running 0.7-0.9), the decision matters less for "should I own crypto" and more for "which type of crypto exposure do I want?"The Bull Case for Ethereum OutperformanceBitcoin ETFs pulled in over $15 billion in their first few months. But let's consider the math: at the time of writing, Bitcoin's market cap sits around $1.9 trillion; Ethereum's is roughly $400 billion. If Ethereum ETFs attract even 25-30% of Bitcoin's institutional inflows, the proportional impact on ETH's price would be substantially larger.Plus, a sizable proportion of ETH supply is locked up: either staked in the network or deployed in DeFi protocols. In finance terms, Ethereum is a smaller boat facing the same institutional wave.Unlike Bitcoin, Ethereum's value connects directly to how much people actually use it. Every transaction burns a portion of the fee, creating deflationary pressure during high-activity periods. The real catalyst hiding in plain sight is real-world asset tokenization. BlackRock launched a tokenized fund on Ethereum; major institutions are piloting on-chain treasury bills and real estate. If this trend accelerates in 2026, Ethereum captures value that Bitcoin simply cannot since it doesn't have the programmability required.Historically, Ethereum acts as a high-beta version of Bitcoin. When crypto sentiment turns bullish, ETH tends to pump harder on a percentage basis. This happened in 2017 during the ICO boom and again in 2021 with "DeFi summer." Smaller market cap plus technology growth narrative equals amplified moves. But it is worth remembering that this cuts both ways—during bear markets, Ethereum typically falls further than Bitcoin.The Bull Case for Bitcoin DominanceWhile Ethereum's narrative requires explaining proof-of-stake, smart contracts, Layer 2s, fee burning mechanisms... Bitcoin's narrative fits on a napkin. For conservative institutions, especially those outside the tech sector, Bitcoin's simplicity makes it far easier to approve. Bitcoin is generally classified as a commodity, giving pension funds and insurance companies clear legal footing; Ethereum's status remains less solidified for the time being.When it comes to cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin's market depth is still unmatched. For a sovereign wealth fund moving hundreds of millions, execution quality matters enormously. Bitcoin lets large players enter and exit without catastrophic slippage and similarly, retail investors buy Bitcoin on ChangeHero with favorable rates.Bitcoin's programmatic supply cuts called halvings that occur every four years have historically preceded major bull markets. The 2024 halving cut new supply from 6.25 to 3.125 BTC per block. If the traditional pattern holds, 2025-2026 should be the "sweet spot" for peak performance, although the current cycle seems to be the most divisive when it comes to whether the claim still holds up.Bitcoin's conservative development philosophy minimizes attack surfaces. While Ethereum undergoes frequent complex upgrades, Bitcoin changes slowly and deliberately. For institutions prioritizing capital preservation, this "boring stability" is more likely to be a positive factor.Addressing "The Flippening" Narrative"The flippening" refers to Ethereum overtaking Bitcoin by total market cap. It's become a symbolic milestone to a facet of the crypto culture, representing validation that utility beats pure scarcity.Ethereum actually got close twice: during 2017's ICO mania (reaching ~80% of Bitcoin's market cap) and again in 2021's DeFi boom. Both times, speculative fervor drove the ratio higher. And both times, it returned to more baseline levels afterward. The pattern reveals something important: Ethereum gains ground during innovation cycles when new use cases capture imagination. Nevertheless, soon after Bitcoin reasserts dominance during uncertainty or narrative exhaustion.For a flippening, Ethereum would need roughly 2.5x Bitcoin's appreciation rate from current levels. Even if BTC's price manages to stay virtually flat, ETH needs to exceed $10,000-11,000. If Bitcoin climbs to $150,000 under bull market conditions, though, ETH needs to be $25,000+.History has demonstrated that a development like this is not impossible but it requires a perfect storm: massive ETF inflows favoring ETH, breakthrough RWA adoption, a DeFi renaissance, and Bitcoin stagnation. Not zero but extremely low probability nonetheless, given the consistent strength of Bitcoin's bullish case.Whether Ethereum outperforms Bitcoin in different metrics, not just market capitalization, is an entirely different question, and the answer is likewise completely different. The chances that ETH outperforms BTC in 2026 are on the opposite side of the probability spectrum.What the Numbers SayLooking at raw returns, Ethereum has frequently outpaced Bitcoin during bull markets, sometimes by wide margins. But volatility matters. Ethereum's maximum drawdowns typically exceed 80% during crypto winters, while Bitcoin "only" drops 70-75%. For a conservative institutional investor, Bitcoin's lower volatility makes it the default entry point; aggressive growth investors will turn to Ethereum's higher beta.By 2026, Bitcoin and Ethereum have moved together about 70-90% of the time. High correlation means macro factors such as Fed policy, global liquidity, regulatory headlines will often matter more than individual project developments. The correlation breaks down during Ethereum-specific catalysts: major upgrades, scaling breakthroughs, ecosystem explosions. Outside those windows, they function as a unified "crypto beta."Traditional finance giants like BlackRock frame Bitcoin as a macro hedge—protection against currency debasement. Meanwhile, crypto-native funds and tech-focused investors view Ethereum as the infrastructure play. Analyst price targets reflect this split. Conservative Bitcoin forecasts for 2026 cluster around $100,000-150,000 (50-120% upside). Ethereum predictions range wider: $6,500-15,000 (150-300% potential).But there's a contrarian view worth considering: maybe the Bitcoin-versus-Ethereum debate is overblown. If macro conditions dominate (which 2022 certainly suggested), then total crypto exposure matters more than the specific BTC/ETH split.Bottom LineWill Ethereum outperform Bitcoin in 2026? Nobody knows for certain, given the uncertainty of the market's trajectory going forward.What can be said with more confidence is that Ethereum has structural catalysts (ETF flows to smaller market cap, network utility, deflationary tokenomics, higher beta) that could drive outperformance. Bitcoin still has fundamental advantages (simplicity, liquidity, regulatory clarity, halving cycle, lower risk) that could maintain its dominance.A probabilistic framework makes more sense than predictions. Maybe there's a 40% chance Bitcoin leads, 30% Ethereum outperforms, 20% they both struggle due to macro headwinds, and 10% we see extreme outcomes like a flippening. The year 2026 will reveal crucial data about how institutional capital actually behaves in a mature, post-ETF crypto market. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

PT Valbury Asia Futures, an Indonesian brokerage offering forex and commodities, has launched a service enabling clients to trade U.S. stocks. The platform is powered by Alpaca, a brokerage infrastructure provider offering access to stocks, ETFs, options, and fixed income.The launch follows recent partnerships between Alpaca and other regional players, including Gotrade, which uses Alpaca’s API infrastructure to provide U.S. stock and options trading across Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, Valbury acts as the licensed broker, executing transactions for clients while routing orders to Alpaca in the U.S. to ensure compliance with local regulations.Valbury Enables $1 U.S. Equity Trades in IndonesiaIndonesian retail investors have historically faced limited access to global markets due to high fees, regulatory complexity, and other barriers. The number of retail investors in the country reached 17 million in 2025, reflecting increased financial literacy and market participation. Valbury’s service is designed to lower entry barriers and allow clients to trade U.S. equities from $1 USD, enabling portfolio diversification.Caroline Haryono, CMO of Valbury, said, “The US stock market is highly attractive to Indonesian investors, yet they have often needed multiple accounts across a variety of platforms to access both domestic and international assets.” She added that with the new service, Valbury clients can “consolidate all of their assets on a single platform, eliminating fragmentation, enhancing the customer experience, and making global investing accessible to more than just the wealthy.”Valbury Uses Broker API, OmniSub for Trading OperationsValbury’s U.S. trading platform uses Alpaca’s Broker API and its OmniSub technology, a sub-accounting ledger model. The system is designed to streamline back-office operations, support compliance with Indonesian regulations, and simplify position management, reconciliation, corporate actions, and trade matching.Yoshi Yokokawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpaca, said the firm was “excited to support Valbury as it brings global investing opportunities to investors in Indonesia.” He added that through its Broker API and OmniSub technology, Alpaca helps brokers “deliver increased access to the world’s largest capital markets,” while managing operations and compliance. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Michael Berman, a former chief executive at FXTRADING.com and Ditto Trade, has launched a new venture called S2N Navigator. He announced the role in a LinkedIn post, writing: “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Founder [at S2N Navigator].”Berman Led FXTRADING.com and Ditto Trade in AustraliaBerman served as Chief Executive Officer of FXTRADING.com for just over one year. Prior to that, he was CEO of Ditto Trade for around one year. Both roles were full-time and based in Australia. Ditto Trade was acquired by FXTRADING.com in May 2022. The platform provides multi-asset and copy-trading services, offering access to over 1,500 instruments, including FX, indices, commodities, metals, cryptocurrencies, and US equities via the MT5 platform. It also provides proprietary trading tools and a capital accelerator program called The Hub.Platform Targets Trading Failure Causes, Not Strategy GenerationS2N Navigator is described as an AI-enabled organisational framework for traders. The platform aims to address common causes of trading failure, including overfitting, fragmented workflows, and behavioural bias. It is positioned as a decision-support system rather than a strategy-selection or signal-generation service, combining research, strategy development, deployment, and monitoring into a single framework. Co-Founded True Alpha Ventures Focused on Crypto MarketsBefore launching S2N Navigator, Berman founded Signal2Noise, a global macro newsletter and research portal focused on traders and investors. He also co-founded True Alpha Ventures, a proprietary quantitative high-frequency market-making firm in the crypto market, where he served part-time across Australia and Ukraine for more than four and a half years.FXTRADING.com Names Adam Phillips Chief ExecutiveSeparately, FXTRADING.com has appointed Adam Phillips as its new Chief Executive Officer. Phillips has more than 25 years of experience in institutional trading and prime brokerage, including roles at UBS, Deutsche Bank, Yellowfin Asset Management, and Blue Fin Capital. He has managed institutional mandates and relationships with global banks. His appointment may indicate a focus on operational practices aligned with institutional trading, while the company has historically served retail clients. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.