Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. started 2026 with a sharp rise in trading activity and client balances, while IBKR PRO clients continued to pay less than 2 basis points to trade U.S. Reg‑NMS stocks. The broker’s January 2026 metrics show broad-based growth across DARTs, equity, margin and accounts.Activity and client growthDaily Average Revenue Trades rose to 4.411 million in January, up 27% from a year earlier and 30% from December. Annualized average cleared DARTs reached 211 per client account.Client accounts increased to 4.539 million, a 32% year-on-year jump and a 3% gain month-on-month. Ending client equity climbed to 814.3 billion dollars, 38% higher than the prior year and 4% above the previous month.Client margin loan balances stood at 91.2 billion dollars, up 41% from January 2025 and 1% from December 2025. Client credit balances totaled 162.6 billion dollars, including 6.2 billion dollars in insured bank deposit sweeps, marking a 35% annual increase and a 2% monthly rise.Related: Interactive Brokers’ Q4 2025 Revenue and Profit Top Estimates, Trading Activities JumpAcross products, the average commission per cleared commissionable order was 2.62 dollars in January, including exchange, clearing and regulatory fees. Execution costs and GLOBAL impactInteractive Brokers reported that the average U.S. Reg‑NMS stock trade for IBKR PRO clients was 21,785 dollars in January. The total cost of executing and clearing those trades was about 1.9 basis points of trade money for the month, versus a 2.6‑basis‑point average over the rolling twelve months.The firm also noted that the value of its GLOBAL currency basket, which it uses to diversify net worth across 10 major currencies, increased by 0.27% in January. Notably, retail forex deposits at major US brokersedged down 0.8% in November 2025 to $495.7 million, marking the sector’s third straight monthly decline. Compared with November 2024, deposits were 3% lower, underscoring persistent challenges for retail currency trading despite isolated growth among smaller firms. Interactive Brokers posted the sharpest setback during the month, with client deposits tumbling 20% to $25.7 million from $31 million in October.Additionally, Interactive Brokers reported fourth-quarter 2025 revenue of $1.64 billion and earnings per share of $0.65, surpassing analyst expectations of $1.61 billion and $0.06, respectively. Year-over-year, revenue rose from $1.39 billion in the same period of 2024. Pre-tax net income increased to $1.30 billion, compared with $1.04 billion a year earlier. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Electronic trading major Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR) has just posted its key operating metrics for January 2026. The post Interactive Brokers registers 27% Y/Y increase in DARTs in January 2026 appeared first on FX News Group.

The Trump administration has imposed a fresh round of sanctions targeting senior Iranian officials and, for the first time, digital asset exchanges accused of supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), marking a significant escalation in Washington’s economic pressure campaign against Tehran. The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the measures on Monday, citing Iran’s violent crackdown on domestic protests and the regime’s growing use of financial and digital networks to evade sanctions. Senior Iranian Officials Targeted Over Protest Crackdown Among those sanctioned is Eskandar Momeni Kalagari, Iran’s Minister of the Interior, who oversees the Law Enforcement Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran (LEF). OFAC said Momeni plays a central role in coordinating domestic security operations that have resulted in widespread abuses against civilians during nationwide protests. OFAC also designated Babak Morteza Zanjani, an Iranian businessman previously convicted of embezzling billions of dollars in oil revenues belonging to the Iranian people. According to Treasury, Zanjani was released from prison to assist the regime in laundering funds and has since provided financial backing for major projects linked to the IRGC and the Iranian government. Several senior commanders within the IRGC were also sanctioned for overseeing provincial security forces involved in violent repression, mass arrests, and intimidation campaigns aimed at suppressing public dissent. First-Ever OFAC Sanctions Against Crypto Exchanges For the first time under Iran-related sanctions authorities, OFAC also targeted two UK-registered cryptocurrency exchanges — Zedcex Exchange Ltd. and Zedxion Exchange Ltd. Treasury said both platforms processed large volumes of transactions connected to IRGC-linked counterparties and maintained ties to Zanjani. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the sanctions reflect a broader effort to counter Iran’s misuse of financial systems, including digital assets: “Rather than build a prosperous Iran, the regime has chosen to squander what remains of the nation's oil revenues on nuclear weapons development, missiles, and terrorist proxies around the world. President Trump stands with the people of Iran and has ordered Treasury to sanction members of the regime.” He added that Treasury would continue targeting networks that enrich regime insiders while undermining the Iranian population, including efforts to exploit cryptocurrencies to bypass international restrictions. The designations were issued under multiple executive authorities covering human rights abuses, counterterrorism, and Iran’s financial and energy sectors. Treasury said the move advances the administration’s broader campaign against Iran’s shadow banking, money laundering, and sanctions-evasion networks. All property and interests linked to the sanctioned individuals and entities within U.S. jurisdiction are now blocked, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions involving them. Treasury warned that foreign firms and financial institutions may also face exposure for providing material support to designated actors.

Boerse Stuttgart is the German exchange of Boerse Stuttgart Group. The European group also operates exchanges in Sweden and Switzerland. Based on the order book statistics, Boerse Stuttgart generated turnover of around EUR 18,5 billion in January, around 77 percent more than in the same month of the previous year. This was highest monthly turnover in the last 18 years. Structured securities made up the largest share of the turnover. The trading volume in this asset class was around EUR 9,6 billion – an increase of around 137 percent compared to the same month of the previous year. Leverage products generated turnover of around EUR 8,2 billion. Investment products contributed around EUR 1,4 billion to the total turnover. According to the order book, trading in equities produced turnover of around EUR 3,4 billion, around 66 percent more than in the same month of the previous year. German equities contributed around EUR 1,5 billion towards this total. International equities generated turnover of around EUR 1,9 billion. The monthly total for trading in debt instruments (bonds) was around EUR 1,5 billion in January. Around EUR 713 million of turnover was attributable to corporate bonds. Turnover shown in the order book from exchange-traded products (ETPs) was around EUR 3,8 billion, around 47 percent more than in the same month of the previous year. The turnover from investment fund units in January was around EUR 180 million. Stuttgart stock exchange trading volume January 2026

Our latest Stellar-casino reviews (WinBay, AllySpin, LuckyMax, Spinbara and related “domain mutations”) show a familiar pattern: unlicensed casino access + rail obfuscation. Players are routed through anonymous open-banking checkout domains and “gateway cascades,” while “fake bank deposits” appear to be executed via crypto purchases routed through ChainValley and other on/off-ramp infrastructure. Traffic intelligence suggests the system is heavily Germany-skewed, with mainstream banks repeatedly appearing in the journey. I. Payment Infrastructure as Crime Facilitator Open banking was designed to revolutionize European payments through transparency, security, and consumer empowerment. Account-to-account transfers authenticated via bank-grade biometrics, instant settlement, and financial data sharing for KYC verification promised to create safer, more efficient payment ecosystems. What FinTelegram has documented is the systematic perversion of this infrastructure. FinTelegram identified three payment gateways—operating with domain carousel without disclosed beneficial ownership, regulatory oversight, or transparent corporate structures—have hijacked open banking rails to process what traffic intelligence suggests are well over one million casino deposit transactions monthly, predominantly from German players to operators holding no German gambling licenses. The operational architecture is elegant in its deception: Players see: “Bank Transfer,” “Instant Banking,” or “Sofortüberweisung” options in casino cashiers—familiar, trusted payment methods. Banks process: Generic account-to-account transfers to entities presenting as financial technology providers or payment processors, not gambling merchants. Regulators encounter: Payment flows categorized as “financial services” or “technology services,” evading gambling-specific Merchant Category Codes (MCCs) and payment blocking orders. Casino operators receive: Instant settlement of player deposits without traditional payment processor oversight, chargeback risk, or meaningful AML scrutiny. The result is a parallel payment infrastructure that systematically undermines three years of German enforcement efforts under the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021, Dutch KSA payment blocking initiatives, and Italian ADM concession requirements—while leveraging the trust and security of European banks to facilitate illegal activity at industrial scale. II. The Anonymized Gateway Network: TransactGrid, PayByBank, & BankLayer Our analysis reveals a highly centralized “Gateway Stack” designed for obfuscation. TransactGrid (checkout.transactgrid.com): The core “Black Rail” of the operation. With 760,000+ monthly visits, it serves as the final settlement point for multiple referring sites. PayByBank (openbanking.paybybank.net): A specialized “feeder” gateway. Our data shows 100% of its destination traffic is funneled directly into TransactGrid. This indicates that PayByBank acts as a “white-label” front to provide a veneer of legitimacy to the underlying TransactGrid infrastructure. BankLayer (checkout.banklayer.org): Focused almost exclusively on the Stellar Group (Frumzi, Allyspin, Supabet). This gateway serves as a dedicated rail for Stellar’s “mutated” domains—disposable URLs (e.g., frumzi756723.com) used to evade ISP blocks. Target Market Analysis Despite holding only an Anjouan license—which explicitly does not authorize service to German, Dutch, or Italian players—Stellar casinos generate 92%+ of their open banking traffic from Germany. This geographic concentration, combined with German-language interfaces, Euro as primary currency, and integration with German banking infrastructure (Postbank, Sparkasse branding in payment flows), demonstrates active and deliberate targeting of German players in direct violation of the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021. Aggregate Traffic Analysis: The Scale of Illegal Deposit Infrastructure GatewayDec 2025 VisitsAvg. DurationGermany %Merchant Profilecheckout.transactgrid.com760,0004-8 min97%+Multi-casinoopenbanking.paybybank.net78,0004-8 min87%Multi-casinocheckout.banklayer.org400,0004-8 min92%+Stellar exclusiveTOTAL1,238,000~6 min~95%Illegal offshore Interpretation Framework The 4-8 minute average visit duration is a critical data point. Open banking payment flows require: Gateway landing and bank selection (30-60 seconds) Redirect to bank authentication portal (10-20 seconds) Bank credential entry and 2FA/biometric authentication (1-3 minutes) Payment consent review and authorization (30-60 seconds) Return redirect to merchant and deposit confirmation (30-60 seconds) Total expected duration for completed transactions: 4-7 minutes. The observed 4-8 minute average strongly suggests that the vast majority of these 1.2+ million visits represent completed or attempted payment transactions, not casual browsing or abandoned flows. Combined with the exclusive casino referral sources and 95%+ German traffic concentration, the evidence supports the conclusion that these gateways processed approximately 1.2 million illegal casino deposit transactions from German, Dutch, and Italian players in December 2025 alone.​ Annualized estimate: 14+ million transactions processed through anonymous open banking gateways to unlicensed offshore casinos. III. The “Fake Fiat” Bridge: ChainValley & The VASP Exploit Some casinos, like Spinbara (Spinbara1.com) utilize (additionally) a more deceptive technique known as “Crypto-on-Ramp Laundering” via the Polish VASP ChainValley (app.chainvalley.pro). The Deception: Players are prompted to make a “bank deposit.” In reality, they are redirected to ChainValley to purchase USDT or BTC, which is instantly transferred to the casino. Regulatory Loophole: ChainValley exploits the Polish VASP Registry, which has been criticized by European regulators for its low barrier to entry. By operating under a “Virtual Asset” license, they process fiat-to-crypto flows that the player believes are simple fiat deposits. Volume: Over 217,000 visits in December 2025. The 5-minute average stay duration strongly correlates with the time required to complete a 3D-Secure bank transfer and a crypto-on-ramp purchase. IV. The utPay Shutdown: A MiCA Success Story? As previously reported, utPay (app.utpay.io) was a major player in this ecosystem, handling 610,000 visits in December. The suspension of their crypto services in January 2026, citing MiCA (Regulation EU 2023/1114), is a significant event. Analysis: It is highly probable that the Bank of Lithuania intervened after identifying utPay’s role as a facilitator for high-risk gambling. Under MiCA, VASPs face significantly higher scrutiny regarding their “Merchant Base.” A provider whose traffic is 80% gambling-related (as our data suggests) would likely fail the “fit and proper” test required for a MiCA-compliant CASP license. V. Compliance Assessment & Red Flags This multi-layered architecture is designed to bypass the “Gambling Merchant Category Code” (MCC 7995). By using Open Banking: Merchant Identity is Hidden: The bank sees a transfer to “TransactGrid” or “ChainValley,” not “WinBay Casino.” No Chargeback Protection: Unlike card payments, bank-to-bank transfers via these gateways offer players zero protection, making them the preferred method for predatory offshore operators. Call to Action for Players & Insiders FinTelegram is actively mapping the bank accounts used by TransactGrid, BankLayer, and ChainValley. Have you made a deposit to these sites? Check your bank statement. What was the name of the recipient? Insiders: Do you have information on the beneficial owners of the TransactGrid or PayByBank domains? Submit your evidence anonymously via Whistle42.com. Help us protect the European financial system from shadow banking. Share Information via Whistle42

ING has appointed Alexander Critien as global head of FM rates and nonlinear trading. The newly created role will see Critien lead ING’s global FM rates and nonlinear trading platform, working closely with regional trading teams, technology partners, quantitative functions and other key stakeholders. Based out of London, Critien is set to report to Niall Carton, global head of FM trading, who said: “[Critien’s] deep expertise in nonlinear markets, combined with his leadership in quantitative innovation, will be invaluable as we continue to strengthen our global rates offering at ING.” Critien brings nearly two decades of experience in rates options trading to his new role and joins ING after having spent his entire career at JPMorgan based out of London and Paris.  He joined JP Morgan in 2006 as an analyst and progressed through the ranks to managing director, most recently serving as head of EMEA rates options trading, where he was desk head and risk owner for the business. Read more – ING appoints new global head of eFI trading Critien holds strong expertise infront office technology, quantitative tooling within rates options, and has also worked extensively in volatility products across currencies, including EUR, GBP and CHF. Commenting on his appointment, Critien said, “I’m pleased to join ING and work with teams globally to strengthen our rates and nonlinear offering for clients. It’s a strong platform with great potential, and I look forward to contributing to its continued progress for our clients.” The post JP Morgan EMEA rates options trading head joins ING in newly created role   appeared first on The TRADE.

Bitpanda Technology Solutions (BTS) has announced a strategic partnership with Ribbon Plc to launch a digital asset investment offering for the UK market, as financial institutions increasingly look to embed crypto services into broader product roadmaps without building infrastructure in-house. Under the agreement, Bitpanda will provide “secure, end-to-end infrastructure covering trading, custody and execution,” enabling Ribbon to roll out crypto investment functionality to UK users through a fully integrated stack. The partnership reflects a wider industry shift toward infrastructure-as-a-service models, where regulated brands seek turnkey solutions that can support custody, liquidity, compliance workflows and scaling demands. The companies said the offering will include crypto buy and sell functionality, staking, swaps, savings plans, open-loop crypto transfers and omnibus custody. Bitpanda’s infrastructure and liquidity will power pricing and execution across “more than 600+ crypto assets,” with deployment designed to scale in line with Ribbon’s product roadmap. Infrastructure Deal Targets Full-Stack Crypto Services for UK Market The Bitpanda-Ribbon partnership is positioned as an institutional-grade infrastructure deployment rather than a simple brokerage integration. Bitpanda will provide end-to-end coverage including execution and custody, two areas that typically create the largest regulatory and operational hurdles for fintech firms entering crypto. By outsourcing the core crypto stack to Bitpanda Technology Solutions, Ribbon can focus on distribution, customer acquisition and its broader financial services ecosystem, while relying on Bitpanda’s liquidity and operational maturity to support competitive pricing and reliability. This model is increasingly common in Europe, where fintech firms want to offer crypto but avoid the cost and regulatory complexity of building custody and execution layers internally. The inclusion of staking, swaps and savings plans suggests the partnership is designed to go beyond basic spot trading. In particular, open-loop crypto transfers and omnibus custody point to a product strategy aimed at broader crypto utility and portfolio management, rather than a purely speculative trading feature. Takeaway This is a full-stack crypto infrastructure deal, not a simple “add crypto” feature. Bitpanda is positioning itself as the behind-the-scenes rails for UK-facing fintechs that want trading, staking and custody without building their own stack. Bitpanda Says Institutions Want Scale, Resilience and Long-Term Support Bitpanda framed the partnership as a sign of changing institutional expectations. Rather than treating crypto as an add-on product, financial institutions increasingly want infrastructure that can support long-term roadmaps, high reliability and scalable rollout. Nadeem Ladki, Global Head of Bitpanda Technology Solutions, said the partnership reflects that shift in priorities. “This partnership reflects how institutional expectations around digital assets are evolving. Financial institutions are increasingly looking for infrastructure partners that can support long-term product strategies with scale, resilience and operational maturity,” Ladki said. The emphasis on resilience and operational maturity is notable as crypto infrastructure providers compete to win partnerships with regulated institutions. In this market, uptime, custody controls, liquidity quality and risk management are often more important than flashy consumer features—especially as regulators increase scrutiny over how crypto services are offered to retail clients. Takeaway Bitpanda is selling “infrastructure maturity” as its differentiator. The message: institutions don’t want experimental crypto rails—they want scalable, resilient systems that can sit inside long-term regulated product strategies. Ribbon Targets Crypto as Part of Financial Inclusion Strategy Ribbon Plc positioned the partnership within a broader mission: serving global economic migrants with cross-border financial services. Rather than marketing crypto as a speculative asset class, Ribbon’s statement ties the offering to mobility, inclusion and international life-building—an angle that could resonate in the UK market, where migrant workers and cross-border families often face friction in banking, remittances and access to investment tools. Ashesh Jani, Co-Founder and CEO of Ribbon Plc, said the company aims to build a trusted platform that supports migrants moving across borders, combining regulation and technology. “At Ribbon, our focus is on building a trusted financial platform that serves the needs of global economic migrants,” Jani said. “By combining strong regulatory foundations with scalable technology and responsible innovation, we are creating a financial ecosystem that enables people to move, work, and build their lives across borders with confidence.” Jani also framed the Bitpanda partnership as part of a long-term infrastructure strategy rather than a short-term product launch. “Our ambition is not simply to offer products, but to partner with trusted institutions such as Bitpanda, to offer long-term financial infrastructure that supports inclusion, mobility, and sustainable economic participation,” he said. For Bitpanda, the deal strengthens its footprint in the UK market via partnerships rather than direct-to-consumer expansion. For Ribbon, it accelerates the launch of crypto investment features without requiring the firm to build trading and custody rails itself—potentially shortening time-to-market while maintaining a focus on regulated delivery. Takeaway Ribbon is positioning crypto investment as part of a cross-border inclusion strategy, not just trading. If executed well, this approach could differentiate it from fintechs that treat crypto as a standalone speculative product.