Italy’s securities regulator Consob has ordered the blocking of six additional websites found to be illegally offering investment services in financial instruments, according to a press release dated July 3, 2026. The blocked sites include “Mir-Partner” and its related domains, “Capital Trading Group” along with its associated page, “Gravmor” and its linked portals, White Mint Financial Company sro (operating as algosone.ai), AxiTrader LLC (operating under axi.com and related client portals), and “Trilessyum” together with its connected webtrader page. With this latest action, Consob has now blocked a total of 1,763 websites since July 2019, when it was first granted authority to order such blocks against unauthorized financial intermediaries. Of that total, 217 relate specifically to crypto-asset activities. Internet service providers in Italy are in the process of implementing the blocks, though Consob noted that technical delays mean full enforcement could take several days. The regulator urged savers to exercise caution before investing, recommending they verify that any platform offering investment or crypto-asset services is properly authorized and that a prospectus or white paper has been published where required. Consob also flagged a rise in increasingly sophisticated scam tactics, including cloned emails and websites, fake profiles impersonating public figures, and AI-generated content such as fabricated images, voices, and videos designed to manipulate investors into poor decisions.The post Consob Blocks Six Websites Over Illegal Financial Activity first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Standard Chartered has launched a new capability allowing institutional clients to mint and redeem USDC directly, marking the first time a Global Systemically Important Bank (G-SIB) has offered such integrated access to the stablecoin. The service was developed in partnership with Circle Internet Group, Inc. (NYSE: CRCL), the issuer of USDC. The offering allows eligible clients to access USDC through a single onboarding and service experience, removing the need to hold direct accounts with Circle. By connecting fiat banking, digital asset infrastructure and public blockchain networks, the bank aims to give institutions faster, more transparent ways to move value across traditional and digital markets. Use cases include on-chain settlement, treasury and liquidity management, with payment-related applications expected to follow. The capability is initially available to clients through Standard Chartered’s DIFC operations in Dubai, reinforcing the UAE’s ambitions as a hub for regulated digital asset activity. It represents the first phase of the bank’s broader global stablecoin strategy, with plans to expand into further markets pending regulatory approval. Roberto Hoornweg, CEO of Corporate and Investment Banking at Standard Chartered, said the launch reflects growing institutional demand for the same governance and trust standards found in traditional markets, now extended to digital assets. Kash Razzaghi, Chief Commercial Officer at Circle, said the partnership gives institutions a trusted route into blockchain enabled finance while maintaining compliance and risk standards. The launch is part of Standard Chartered’s wider digital assets push spanning banking, markets, custody and digital infrastructure.The post Standard Chartered Becomes First G-SIB to Offer Integrated USDC Access first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (HKEX) announced on Friday that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hong Kong Futures Exchange Limited (HKFE), has entered into a data licensing agreement with ChinaBond Pricing Center Co., Ltd. (CBPC) to support the upcoming launch of 5-Year China Government Bond (CGB) Futures in Hong Kong. Under the agreement, CBPC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Central Depository & Clearing Co, will license bond valuation data to HKFE and provide price calculation services. The move is intended to support the CGB Futures launch, which is targeted for 3 August 2026. Gregory Yu, HKEX Head of Markets, commented on the partnership, saying it marks an important milestone for the exchange as it works to expand its fixed income offerings and support the broader internationalisation of the RMB. He noted that the collaboration would provide critical data infrastructure for the new RMB interest rate risk management tool, while also boosting the global visibility of China’s bond valuation benchmarks. According to Yu, this should help draw greater international investor participation into China’s bond market. CBPC is regarded as a key benchmark pricing service provider within the Chinese Mainland’s fixed income sector, with its bond data widely relied upon by institutions for trading, risk management and accounting purposes. The agreement adds to HKEX’s growing suite of fixed income products and reflects its continued positioning as a connector between Chinese and international capital markets. HKEX operates a range of equity, derivative, commodity and fixed income markets, and includes the London Metal Exchange among its holdings.The post HKEX Signs Data Licensing Deal with ChinaBond Pricing Center Ahead of CGB Futures Launch first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Nuvei said Thursday that it has completed what it described as the first live in-agent purchase authorised across multiple issuers on Visa’s payment rails, in a proof of concept that signals a significant step forward in the development of agentic commerce. The transaction, conducted in partnership with Visa, technology provider Arvato Systems and fashion brand Kings and Priests, saw a merchant’s artificial intelligence agent initiate a product purchase on a shopper’s behalf and complete payment inside the agent, with no hand-off to a separate payment flow.  Issuing partners across Europe, including Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, Bank Leumi and Bank of Cyprus, took part in the exercise, with payments settled using a tokenised Visa credential within Visa Intelligent Commerce and governed by shopper-set controls, including spend caps and approved categories. Phil Fayer, Chair and Chief Executive of Nuvei, said that “agentic commerce is the next evolution of digital commerce, with AI not just finding products but initiating purchases.” Nuvei noted that agentic commerce is projected to drive $1 trillion in global transaction volume by 2030, rising to $3–5 trillion by 2035, citing McKinsey estimates.  The company is now developing what it calls Nuvei Agentic, a protocol-agnostic execution layer enabling any AI agent to initiate payments across networks, with initial availability targeted for the second half of 2026. Mathieu Altwegg, Head of Product and Solutions at Visa Europe, stated that the proof of concept “shows how those foundations can support new experiences today, with authentication continuing to evolve as the model scales.” Nuvei, Visa and participating issuing partners are now working to scale the capabilities toward production deployment.The post Nuvei Completes First Live In-Agent Payment on Visa Rails first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Ondo Finance has launched what it describes as the first live solution for third-party tokenised U.S. securities operating within the existing regulatory framework, partnering with Broadridge Financial Solutions to provide full voting rights for token holders. The firm revealed on Thursday that the milestone involves the tokenisation of BlackRock’s iShares Core S&P 500 ETF and Micron Technology shares on the Ethereum blockchain, following a model outlined by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in January 2026.  Under the structure, the underlying shares remain within the traditional U.S. regulated custody chain, with Ondo’s registered transfer agent minting tokens backed 1:1 by those shares. Broadridge will enable token holders to participate in proxy voting and receive regulatory disclosures through its ProxyVote.com platform, giving them the same shareholder rights and protections as those holding securities through conventional U.S. brokerage accounts. “Today’s milestone shows we can tokenise securities in ways that meet both market and regulatory requirements, for U.S. and global investors and provides a strong foundation for our expanding access to onchain investments for more U.S. investors,” commented Ian De Bode, Chief Executive of Ondo Finance.  Until now, tokenised securities have largely operated outside the U.S. or required issuer sponsorship on a case-by-case basis.  The new structure brings tokenisation inside the U.S. regulatory perimeter while preserving the safeguards and market infrastructure that underpin American capital markets. “Tokenisation will only scale when it delivers both innovation and investor confidence,” stated Doug DeSchutter, President of Broadridge’s Investor Communication Solutions business.The post Ondo Finance Launches First Custodial Tokenised U.S. Securities On Public Blockchain first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

BBVA has successfully completed a transaction initiated by an artificial intelligence agent on behalf of a cardholder, marking a significant milestone in agentic commerce. The test formed part of a live activity that Visa is rolling out across Europe under its Visa Agentic Ready programme. The payment used real card credentials and ran through the systems of an active merchant, proving that AI agents can securely make purchases on behalf of cardholders using existing payments infrastructure. The transaction was enabled through Visa Intelligent Commerce, drawing on established security technologies such as tokenisation and real time fraud monitoring. To meet Strong Customer Authentication requirements set by the European Union, the process also incorporated Visa Payment Passkeys, a biometric authentication tool that lets consumers approve online payments without relying on passwords or SMS codes. Roberto Pagán, Head of Consumer Payments at BBVA Spain, said the bank is focused on building payment experiences that are both seamless and reliable. He added that working with Visa allows BBVA to take part in the next stage of commerce, where AI agents can act on behalf of cardholders while security and oversight remain intact. Eduardo Prieto, Country Manager of Visa in Spain, said the priority is ensuring every transaction stays secure, transparent and trusted as AI agents take on a larger role in everyday purchasing decisions. The milestone was unveiled at the Visa Payments Forum in Paris, where further demonstrations spanned sectors including retail and travel. Visa data shows that 62% of surveyed consumers in Spain already use AI tools to research products and compare prices.The post BBVA Completes First AI Agent-Initiated Payment in Partnership with Visa first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has unveiled proposals to simplify how platforms, advisers and wealth managers communicate investment costs to consumers, urging firms to ditch jargon in favour of plain English. The regulator says the reforms will align investment cost disclosures with earlier product disclosure changes, creating a more consistent framework across the industry. Firms will be given greater freedom to innovate, test new formats and compete on how they engage retail investors, provided communications remain clear and accessible. The move comes amid evidence that many consumers do not understand what they are paying to invest. According to FCA research, 30% of non-advised platform users said they did not know how much they were being charged. Under the new consultation (CP26/24), distributors would need to present their own charges alongside product costs in a format consistent with the Consumer Composite Investments (CCI) regime, while also accounting regularly for the total cost of investing. The proposals also address disclosures on fees and interest paid on client cash. Lucy Castledine, the FCA’s director of consumer investments, said the changes aim to help consumers “feel confident investing” through clearer information on products and charges. Alongside the consultation, the FCA published findings from a review of pre-sale investment disclosure documents, revealing that just 6% of 132 documents examined were written in plain English, with all assessed as more complex than GCSE level. The consultation runs until 21 August, with CCI rules due to take effect from June 2027.The post FCA Proposes Overhaul of Investment Cost Disclosures to Boost Consumer Confidence first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

CME Group, the world’s largest derivatives marketplace, announced on July 2 that its average daily volume (ADV) hit a record 30.6 million contracts in June, marking a 19% increase year-over-year. The Chicago-based exchange operator also reported its second-highest second quarter ever, with Q2 ADV reaching 29.8 million contracts. The strong June performance was driven by all-time monthly records in equity index and agricultural products. Equity Index ADV surged 54% to a record 10.1 million contracts, fueled by a record 3.2 million contracts in Micro E-mini Nasdaq-100 futures and a 39% jump in Micro E-mini S&P 500 futures to 1.5 million contracts. Agricultural ADV also reached a record high, climbing 8% to 2.3 million contracts, with Corn futures up 20% to 619,000 contracts. Interest Rate products remained a core driver, with ADV increasing 17% to 13.6 million contracts. U.S. Treasury futures and options rose 19% to 7.2 million contracts, while SOFR futures and options increased 14% to 5.8 million contracts. Cryptocurrency trading showed particularly strong growth, with ADV up 76% to 334,000 contracts, representing $10.7 billion in notional value. Micro Bitcoin futures ADV rose 46% to 77,000 contracts. International activity also strengthened, with overall International ADV up 17% to 9.3 million contracts. EMEA volumes rose 15% to 6.7 million contracts, while APAC climbed 21% to 2.2 million contracts. BrokerTec’s average daily notional value increased 17% to $1.078 trillion, and EBS Spot FX ADNV rose 7% to $68 billion, underscoring broad-based strength across CME Group’s fixed income and foreign exchange platforms.The post CME Group Posts Record June Volume, Second-Best Q2 on Record first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

XS.com, the global FinTech and financial services provider, has announced the appointment of Maria Pesca Santos as Regional Director for Latin America, part of the company’s ongoing strategy to strengthen its global leadership team with experienced regional executives. The move reflects XS.com’s continued investment in high-caliber leadership across its key markets, aiming to pair global standards with strong local expertise. The company, which operates across multiple regulated jurisdictions and is backed by institutional-grade liquidity and advanced trading infrastructure, says the approach supports a scalable operating model for long-term expansion. In her new position, Pesca Santos will oversee XS.com’s operations across Latin America, focusing on strengthening execution frameworks, optimizing regional workflows and developing scalable operational systems. She will also work closely with global leadership to align regional execution with the company’s broader institutional standards. Pesca Santos brings more than 15 years of experience in regional operations, commercial structuring and multi-market execution across Latin America and North America, including work on organizational transformation, operational governance and cross-functional system integration. “I am pleased to join XS.com at a time when the company continues to strengthen its global leadership structure and invest in operational excellence,” Pesca Santos said, adding that she looks forward to building scalable regional capabilities and supporting sustainable growth. Wael Hammad, Group Chief Commercial Officer at XS.com, said the appointment “reflects our commitment” to aligning with accomplished regional executives who can translate global standards into strong local execution as the company expands internationally.The post XS.com Appoints Maria Pesca Santos as Regional Director for Latin America first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) and compute exchange NATIVX announced plans Wednesday to launch GPU compute futures contracts based on NATIVX’s COIL Index. The COIL Index tracks tokenised GPU compute prices in an energy-normalised framework designed to strip out regional power cost disparities, providing market participants with a consistent basis for comparison.  The new contracts will be US dollar-denominated and cash-settled, with a launch expected later this year, subject to regulatory approvals. Trabue Bland, Senior Vice President of Futures Markets at ICE, said the contracts “will offer price discovery for customers globally through a hedgeable index that will benefit from trading alongside ICE’s natural gas and power futures contracts.” The partnership is said to reflect the growing convergence of compute and energy markets. Power represents a major input cost for large-scale AI infrastructure, and listing compute futures alongside ICE’s established power and natural gas contracts is intended to create an integrated hedging environment where operators can manage GPU exposure in the same venue where they hedge underlying energy costs. Cole Crawford, Founder and Chairman of NATIVX, said: “AI’s continued growth depends on turning compute from a fragmented, unpredictable operating cost into transparent and manageable market infrastructure. Compute is now an asset class, and like every asset class, it needs a public price and a market.” NATIVX describes itself as a public exchange for compute, with its COIL Index auditable at every step and built to reflect both compute and connectivity normalised to a single stable unit.The post ICE and NATIVX to Launch GPU Compute Futures Contracts Tied to Energy-Normalised Index first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

On Wednesday, Interactive Brokers Group (Nasdaq: IBKR) reported strong brokerage metrics for June 2026, with client equity reaching $930.3 billion and daily average revenue trades climbing 53% year-on-year. The electronic broker said daily average revenue trades (DARTs) totalled 5.269 million in June, up 53% from the prior year and 6% from the prior month.  Client equity of $930.3 billion was 40% higher than a year earlier, though 1% lower than the prior month. Client margin loan balances rose sharply, up 67% year-on-year to $108.5 billion, while ending client credit balances increased 27% to $182.4 billion, including $6.4 billion in insured bank deposit sweeps.  Client accounts totalled 5.185 million, up 34% from a year ago and 4% from the prior month. The average commission per cleared commissionable order was $2.52, including exchange, clearing and regulatory fees.  Interactive Brokers said IBKR PRO clients’ total cost of executing and clearing U.S. Reg-NMS stocks through the platform was approximately 3.2 basis points of trade money in June, measured against a daily volume-weighted average price benchmark, and 2.3 basis points on a rolling twelve-month basis. The firm also noted a mark-to-market loss of $318,000 on its U.S. government securities portfolio for the quarter ended 30 June. The value of its GLOBAL currency basket decreased by 0.48% in June and 0.21% for the second quarter.The post Interactive Brokers Reports 53% DARTs Jump in June first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Nuvei, the Montreal based global fintech, has announced three additions to its executive leadership team as part of what it describes as the company’s next phase of global growth. Samir Zabaneh joins as Chief Operating Officer, David McLaughlin steps in as Chief Financial Officer, and Eli Rosner takes on the role of Chief Product and Technology Officer. Phil Fayer, Chair and CEO of Nuvei, said the appointments strengthen the company’s ability to execute globally while scaling its infrastructure. “Samir, David and Eli each bring exceptional leadership experience,” he said. Zabaneh, who previously served on Nuvei’s board, brings more than three decades of experience in payments and financial services. He most recently led TouchBistro as Chairman and CEO, and has held senior roles at Fiserv, Element Fleet Management, Global Payments, and Moneris Solutions. In his new role, he will unify Nuvei’s regional operations under a single leadership structure while overseeing compliance, risk, and underwriting globally. McLaughlin arrives with over 30 years of experience across payments, fintech, banking, and insurance. He most recently served as CFO of Blackhawk Network, where he oversaw global finance operations and supported margin expansion. Rosner, formerly Chief Product and Technology Officer at HealthEquity, brings more than 35 years of experience in product and enterprise technology, including leadership stints at Finastra and NCR. At Nuvei, he will focus on platform development and AI driven innovation. The appointments come as Nuvei continues expanding its global payments footprint across more than 200 markets.The post Nuvei Overhauls Executive Team With Three Senior Appointments first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Tradeweb, a global leader in electronic trading, announced on July 1 the completion of a groundbreaking real-time transaction involving tokenized U.S. Treasuries, executed on its platform and settled via the Canton Network. The trade paired an on-chain U.S. Treasury with tokenized cash, USDCx, with Franklin Templeton transferring the tokenized security to Virtu Financial in exchange for the digital cash. Tradeweb supplied execution and price discovery, while Canton’s synchronized settlement infrastructure enabled the simultaneous, on-chain exchange of both assets. Participants in the transaction included Blockdaemon, Digital Asset, Franklin Templeton, Societe Generale, Tradeweb and Virtu Financial, underscoring broadening institutional interest in tokenized real-world assets. Elisabeth Kirby, Head of Market Structure at Tradeweb, said the transaction demonstrated how the firm’s execution capabilities can support next-generation digital markets, allowing both security and cash to move in real time without the constraints of traditional settlement infrastructure. The move comes as Canton prepares for the anticipated launch of DTCC’s Tokenization Services later this year, a development expected to expand access to high-quality liquid assets beyond conventional trading hours. Executives from Digital Asset, Franklin Templeton and Virtu Financial echoed similar sentiments, framing the transaction as a step toward an always-on, interoperable capital markets infrastructure. Virtu’s Dan Eckstein noted the deal expands the firm’s market-making capabilities into tokenized Treasuries, offering clients liquidity unconstrained by traditional market hours. The initiative reflects growing collaboration among major financial institutions to build a unified, 24/7 global digital financial system centered on tokenized assets.The post Tradeweb Completes First On-Chain U.S. Treasury Trade on Canton Network first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Euronext Corporate Solutions, the subsidiary of Euronext offering software and services to listed companies in investor relations, governance and compliance, has launched its new Investor Relations (IR) Portal, a secure, AI-powered digital workspace aimed at streamlining how issuers manage investor engagement. The platform has already onboarded more than 180 listed companies across Euronext markets in Belgium, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal, according to the company. The launch supports Euronext’s “Innovate for Growth 2027” strategic plan, which aims to expand the group’s subscription based SaaS business and build a unified digital ecosystem for listed companies. Through a single secure login, the IR Portal gives issuers access to live share price data powered by Euronext, shareholder analysis and investor activity insights, an Academy learning hub, IR focused events and resources, and an AI agent to guide users through the platform. The system is GDPR compliant with enterprise grade security and role based access controls. Julien Tessier, CEO of Euronext Corporate Solutions, said onboarding more than 180 companies in under two months showed strong demand for the tool, calling it “a concrete step” toward becoming the most supportive partner for European investor relations teams. Clients including Aquafil and Soiltech praised the portal’s centralised structure, saying it saves time and simplifies daily IR workflows. Euronext said the portal is the first step toward a broader, unified digital experience for listed companies. The company currently serves thousands of corporate clients across Europe through its investor relations, governance and compliance offerings.The post Euronext Corporate Solutions Launches AI-Powered Investor Relations Portal, Signals Push Into SaaS first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

CMC Markets PLC issued a trading update on 1 July 2026, sharply raising its net operating income (NOI) guidance for the 2027 financial year, citing sustained strength in its business-to-business (B2B) division. The London-listed trading and investment platform provider said it now expects NOI for FY2027 to come in at no less than £550 million, a substantial increase from its previous guidance range of £460 million to £480 million. Alongside the upgrade, CMC introduced EBITDA guidance of £250 million for the year. The company said the improved outlook stems directly from the momentum highlighted at its FY2026 results, when it pointed to “exponential and exceptional growth” within its B2B operations. That growth trajectory, CMC said, has continued to build and scale through the opening months of the new financial year. Despite the upgraded top line and profitability expectations, CMC confirmed that its guidance for operating expenses, excluding variable remuneration, remains unchanged at approximately £280 million. Management pointed to this stable cost base as a key factor behind the company’s improving margins, noting that income growth is increasingly being generated against largely fixed expenses, producing greater operational gearing. Looking ahead, CMC said its B2B platform business is well placed for further expansion, with several significant milestones anticipated over the next 12 months alongside a continuing pipeline of new B2B partnership opportunities. The company confirmed its next scheduled trading update will accompany its half year 2027 results, due on 19 November 2026.The post CMC Markets Lifts FY2027 Guidance on B2B Momentum first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Kotak Mahindra Bank and Deutsche Bank have agreed a deal for Kotak to acquire Deutsche Bank’s retail banking, private banking and wealth management operations in India, in a transaction the two lenders said is expected to close by September 2027. The business being acquired comprises approximately 29,000 crore Indian rupees (€2.7 billion) in loans, 16,000 crore rupees (€1.5 billion) in deposits and 10,500 crore rupees (€1.0 billion) in assets under management, serving around 150,000 customers.  Approximately 1,000 Deutsche Bank employees in India are expected to join Kotak as part of the transaction. “This transaction aligns well with our focus on the affluent and SME segments. It is a strong strategic fit and makes sound commercial sense,” said Ashok Vaswani, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Kotak Mahindra Bank. “It also brings a high-quality customer franchise and experienced teams and adds incremental scale and adjacency opportunities.” For Deutsche Bank, the deal forms part of its Global Hausbank strategy to simplify its business and concentrate on areas of competitive strength.  The German lender said it will retain its focus on global ultra-high-net-worth clients, including non-resident Indians outside India. “This transaction marks an important step in sharpening Deutsche Bank’s portfolio and focusing on areas where we have scale, strength, and the ability to deliver sustained returns,” commented Kaushik Shaparia, Chief Executive of Deutsche Bank Group India and Emerging Asia. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals, including from the Competition Commission of India and is expected to be return-on-equity accretive for Kotak and Common Equity Tier 1 accretive for Deutsche Bank at closing.The post Kotak Mahindra Bank to Acquire Deutsche Bank’s Indian Retail and Wealth Management Business first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR) said Tuesday that it has expanded access to South Korean equities through Nextrade, the country’s first alternative trading system, giving clients extended trading hours and additional liquidity alongside its existing Korea Exchange offering. The broker stated in a press release that it has enabled its IB SmartRouting technology across both the Korea Exchange and Nextrade, automatically directing orders to whichever venue offers the best available price.  Nextrade provides access to approximately 650 securities from the KOSPI and KOSDAQ markets and operates across a 12-hour trading window from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Korean Standard Time, split across pre-market, standard and after-market. David Friedland, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Interactive Brokers, said: “By adding Nextrade alongside the Korea Exchange, we’re giving clients greater flexibility and more ways to capture opportunities in one of Asia’s most compelling markets, while further demonstrating our commitment to providing broad, cost-efficient market access worldwide.” Interactive Brokers said it was the first major US-based broker to provide global investors with direct access to Korean equities through the Korea Exchange.  South Korea’s equity market ranks among the top global exchanges by market capitalisation and is home to companies including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and Hyundai Motor.The post Interactive Brokers Launches Korean Equity Trading Through Nextrade ATS first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Euroclear and Franklin Templeton have broadened their existing collaboration to include private markets, adding the asset manager’s alternative strategies to the Euroclear FundsPlace platform. The expansion builds on a partnership that has previously centred on mutual funds. Franklin Templeton’s private equity, private credit, and real estate strategies will now be distributed through FundsPlace, supporting the firm’s efforts to scale its private markets offering across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The move comes as wealth managers increasingly seek access to private market strategies, which have traditionally been difficult to distribute at scale due to operational complexity and fragmented processes. By integrating these strategies into FundsPlace, the two firms aim to standardise distribution, reduce manual overhead, and provide broader reach to wealth managers and institutional distributors. Euroclear FundsPlace connects more than 3,000 distributors across mutual funds, ETFs, and alternative funds, supporting nearly EUR 4 trillion in assets and around 250,000 funds. The platform provides access to over 20,000 alternative funds from more than 500 managers. In 2025, alternative fund managers raised EUR 8 billion through the platform, and subscriptions grew by 36% in the first quarter of 2026. Vincent Clause, Managing Director and Global Head of Euroclear FundsPlace, said the partnership represents a concrete step in bridging the gap between alternative asset managers and global distributors. George Szemere, Head of Private Markets, EMEA Wealth at Franklin Templeton, added that leveraging the right distribution technology is essential as the firm continues to grow its private markets platform.The post Euroclear and Franklin Templeton Expand Partnership to Cover Private Markets first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

Kraken Prime has officially integrated with Trever, giving European banks, brokers and other licensed financial institutions direct access to full-service prime brokerage services from within their existing digital asset workflows. Trever’s Digital Asset Operating System is used by financial institutions across Europe to manage the full digital asset lifecycle, covering trading, treasury, settlement and bookkeeping in a single environment. The new integration means Trever clients can now route execution, settle into qualified custody, record transactions and access additional services through Kraken Prime without stepping outside their current operational setup. Kraken Prime provides institutional crypto trading across more than 20 global liquidity venues, covering over 90% of digital asset liquidity. Its offering includes smart order routing, algorithmic execution for block trades and settlement into Kraken’s qualified custody solution, all supported by a 24/7 institutional account management team. Gurpreet Oberoi, Head of Kraken Institutional, said the partnership addresses a clear need among Europe’s established financial institutions. “By bringing Kraken Prime into their workflow, we’re giving them access to execution quality and qualified custody without the operational drag of stitching together multiple counterparties,” he said. Hans-Juergen Griesbacher, CEO and Co-Founder of Trever, highlighted the demand for MiCA-compliant, all-in-one infrastructure. “Banks and brokers want to run digital asset operations at high institutional standards without assembling infrastructure piece by piece,” he said. The integration is live and available to eligible clients of both Kraken Prime and Trever.The post Kraken Prime Goes Live on Trever, Opening Prime Brokerage Access for European Institutions first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.

CME Group has announced it will launch Single Stock futures across more than 50 of the top U.S. stocks on July 27, subject to the completion of all regulatory review and processes. The new offering will include 55 larger-sized and 22 Micro-sized futures contracts, giving market participants greater flexibility in managing their equity exposure. Among the high-profile names included in the listing are Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Nvidia and SpaceX. Tim McCourt, Global Head of Equities, FX and Alternative Products at CME Group, said: “Clients want to manage equity price risk with more precision and with the capital efficiencies of a centralised marketplace. Our new Single Stock futures will simplify access to the most liquid U.S. stocks and enable traders to easily transition between broad market index hedging and targeted single-name exposure.” The announcement comes on the back of growing demand for equity derivatives across both institutional and retail audiences. CME Group recorded new volume and open interest highs in 2026, with futures and options average daily volume reaching 8.6 million contracts and average open interest of 11.7 million contracts. Futures average daily volume rose 12% year-over-year to 7.2 million contracts, while average futures open interest hit a record 5.4 million contracts. All contracts will be listed on and subject to the rules of CME. Further product details are available at cmegroup.com/ssf.The post CME Group to Launch Single Stock Futures first appeared on LeapRate | Online Trading Industry News, Broker Intelligence & Fintech Analysis.