Plum logo
April 15, 2025 BY Sam Boughedda

BBVA Backs UK Fintech Plum with £15 Million Venture Debt Deal

The funding is expected to support Plum’s expansion plans and ongoing efforts to scale its business, particularly as it grows its user base across the UK and Europe.  The London-based fintech, which uses AI to help users manage savings and investments, now serves over two million customers and has helped set aside more than £5…

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StoneX
April 15, 2025 BY Sam Boughedda

StoneX to Acquire R.J. O’Brien for $900m

The move is expected to significantly expand StoneX’s global derivatives presence. Announced on Monday, the acquisition will be paid through a mix of $625 million in cash and 3.5 million shares of StoneX common stock.  StoneX will also assume up to $143 million of RJO’s debt. The transaction is expected to close in the second…

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Cboe Global Markets
April 14, 2025 BY Sam Boughedda

Cboe Hires Wei Liao to Lead Launch of Market Intelligence and Content Franchise in APAC

The firm explained that based in Hong Kong, Ms Liao will oversee the delivery of data-driven insights tailored to APAC clients, aiming to deepen engagement and education around Cboe’s derivatives offerings.  The expansion is said to reflect rising demand for derivatives trading, analytics and client support across institutional and retail investors in the region. “With…

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April 14, 2025 BY Sam Boughedda

HSBC Exploring Move into Private Credit Market – Reuters

The bank has reportedly held early-stage discussions with several private credit firms to explore potential partnerships.  Rather than launching a full-scale private credit operation, the report states that HSBC is considering a more measured approach, with some executives said to be expressing caution about the potential cost versus revenue benefits. One source told Reuters that…

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FINRA building
April 14, 2025 BY Sam Boughedda

MD Global Partners Fined $40,000 by FINRA for Regulatory Failures

The fine and censure are said to be for multiple compliance violations, including failures to implement policies required under Regulation Best Interest (Reg BI). According to a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver, and Consent published by FINRA last week, the firm failed to establish, maintain, and enforce written procedures reasonably designed to comply with Reg BI…

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Broadridge
April 14, 2025 BY Sam Boughedda

Broadridge and Fnality to Collaborate On Real-Time Settlement for Intraday Repo Transactions

The collaboration integrates Broadridge’s Distributed Ledger Repo (DLR) platform with Fnality’s Payment System (FnPS), enabling delivery versus payment (DvP) using digital representations of funds held at central banks.  Broadridge said in a press release that the initiative is expected to improve efficiency, optimise liquidity management, and reduce operational risk in repo markets. “This leap forward…

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April 11, 2025 BY Leaprate Staff

Gold Shaking Hands with All-Time Highs

Monthly Resistance and Oversold Conditions Several desks are reportedly eyeing US$3,500 as the next upside objective for Gold; however, the monthly chart reveals it is considerably overbought according to the Relative Strength Index (RSI). You will note the RSI has remained within overbought territory since mid-2024 and recently touched gloves with familiar resistance between 87.31…

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Forex volatilities at low ebb, but how can SME’s protect against a surge?
April 10, 2025 BY Leaprate Staff

Retail Risk During VIX Spikes

The result is frequently a rise in account losses. For instance, during the March 2020 crash, when the VIX surged above 60, brokers reported both an increase in trading volume and in client losses. Extreme volatility across FX and equity index CFDs triggered stop-outs and margin calls at unprecedented rates, often in a matter of…

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April 10, 2025 BY Leaprate Staff

eToro Enters Securities Lending Arena, Targeting Passive Income for European Retail Investors

Strategic Positioning eToro’s stock lending feature is designed not only to enhance investor returns but also to fortify its broader product ecosystem with an income-generating tool. The brokerage will split net revenues from lending activities 50/50 with participating users, providing a novel way for retail investors to tap into institutional-style yield mechanisms. "Retail investors are…

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