Iress today announced that it has signed a multi-year partnership with UAE-based multi-asset trading platform BitDelta Pro, further extending its trading and market data capabilities across high-growth international markets.The partnership will see BitDelta Pro adopt Iress’ full trading and market data suite, including ViewPoint, Iress Pro, IOS+, FIX connectivity and APIs, supporting its expansion into equities and CFDs. BitDelta Pro will also integrate Iress’ API and FIX infrastructure to connect front-end trading systems with back-office operations, enabling scalable multi-asset execution.Iress Managing Director - Asia, Jacq Jeremiah, said: “BitDelta Pro is an exciting and fast-growing business. We’re pleased to support their expansion into equities and CFDs with robust, scalable technology and deep trading and market data capabilities.“This partnership is part of Iress’ continued global trading and market data expansion strategy across high-growth markets and reflects strong alignment between our respective businesses.“Our collaboration combines Iress’ global trading platform, extensive market data coverage, and award winning trading technology with BitDelta Pro’s strong regional presence, client relationships and local market expertise.”BitDelta Group CEO, Dr. Demetrios Zamboglou, said Iress was selected for its reliability and support. “As we expand into equities and CFDs, we need a technology partner that can deliver institutional-grade infrastructure with flexibility at the front-end. Iress stands out for its reliability, market data depth and hands-on support.“Through this partnership, traders and institutions across the globe will benefit from access to institutional-grade trading technology and market data, delivered with local expertise and support. This combination strengthens our ability to scale a truly global multi-asset offering”

Puro.earth, the world’s leading market infrastructure provider for engineered carbon dioxide removal (CDR), today announced that Frontier, an advance market commitment to buy $1.8B of permanent carbon removal between 2022 and 2040, has approved Puro.earth's Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) 2025 methodology for use by Frontier suppliers. It is the second Puro.earth methodology to earn Frontier's approval, following Frontier's 2024 approval of Puro.earth's Geologically Stored Carbon methodology. This approval means that Frontier suppliers can use this methodology to certify ERW credits as part of Frontier commitments. It recognises the close collaboration between Puro.earth and the scientific community on Puro.earth’s updated 2025 ERW methodology to ensure rigorous, accountable delivery The ERW 2025 methodology brought a significant update to Puro.earth's approach to certifying ERW projects, and was developed in collaboration with experts from academia, industry, and the non-profit sector. Key updates included more detailed quantification approaches - requiring suppliers to combine two independent measurement methods for greater reliability - alongside clearer sampling requirements, refined accounting for carbon losses, and a new framework for managing measurement uncertainty. Puro.earth’s ERW methodology approval follows Frontier's approval of Puro.earth's Geologically Stored Carbon methodology in 2024, subject to two conditions: for direct air capture (DAC) projects, suppliers must also comply with Frontier's clean energy procurement principles; for BECCS projects, approval currently applies only to projects with minimal net new biomass use. Puro.earth was designated as a Leading Credit Issuer by Frontier in April 2025, reinforcing Puro.earth's position as the market infrastructure of choice for suppliers pursuing high-quality engineered carbon removal. Puro.earth received ICVCM Carbon Crediting Programme eligibility in 2025. "Our ERW 2025 methodology underwent rigorous review by the scientific community, and Frontier's approval is a strong signal that the bar we've set meets the most demanding procurement standards in the market for this pathway," said Jan-Willem Bode, President of Puro.earth. "Together with the approval of our Geologically Stored Carbon methodology, this reflects the breadth and quality of the infrastructure Puro.earth provides across the engineered CDR sector."

For the first time, investors and market participants can access a single, real-time source of prices and trading activity across the UK bond market, following the launch of its bond consolidated tape, operated by ETS Connect UK. Until now, data on bond trades was scattered across multiple sources, making it difficult to get a clear and complete picture of market activity. The new service brings it all together in one place. The launch builds on changes to the UK's bond market transparency rules that came into force in December 2025. Those changes have already made a real difference. The share of corporate bond trades reported in real time rose from under 5% to over 75%, and for government bonds from around 30% to approximately 80%. In some smaller parts of the market, real-time reporting increased more than 50-fold. The consolidated tape is the final step, giving users a single, comprehensive view of all that data. The UK is the first country outside North America to launch a consolidated tape for bonds. Simon Walls, executive director of markets at the FCA, said: 'Good markets run on good information. Today's launch of a consolidated tape gives investors a clear, reliable and comprehensive view of UK bond trading for the first time. The UK is a global leader in fixed income issuance and trading, and this is another important delivery in enhancing the competitiveness of the UK as a leading centre of finance.' The service launches with 98% market coverage of in-scope bond trading. The FCA will supervise ETS Connect UK throughout its 5-year contract to ensure data quality and reliability. Background The service covers post-trade transparency data for bonds admitted to trading on UK venues. Exchange-traded notes (ETNs) and exchange-traded commodities (ETCs) are excluded.  ETS Connect UKLink is external  was appointed following a competitive two-stage tender process launched in March 2025.  A legal challenge to the contract award was discontinued by Ediphy in May 2026. The service operates under a 5-year contract, supervised by the FCA against standards on data quality, completeness and timeliness. The FCA is also working at pace to deliver a consolidated tape for equities, choosing to start with bonds following consultations with market participants. The launch forms part of a wider programme to improve transparency, data quality and access across UK markets and builds upon the delivery of the near-50 measures set out in January 2025 to drive growth.  David Raw, Managing Director for Markets, UK Finance, said: 'UK Finance welcomes today’s milestone launch of the bond consolidated tape. As a leading global centre for bond markets, the UK stands to benefit significantly from this development. Our members have championed this consolidated tape which will strengthen bond markets by enhancing transparency, efficiency and liquidity. We stand ready to support the FCA with the future launch of an equity consolidated tape, an equally vital strand for UK capital markets.'  Bryan Pascoe, chief executive of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA), said: 'ICMA welcomes the launch of the UK’s first bond consolidated tape. We have long supported the introduction of a consolidated tape as an accessible and affordable source of post‑trade data. It will support improved execution assessment, richer analytics and broader participation across UK bond markets. ICMA is very pleased to have contributed actively throughout the consultation and implementation processes and we look forward to continuing to participate as an observer member of the ETS Connect UK Consultative Committee.' Victoria Webster, Managing Director – Fixed Income at Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME), said: 'We welcome the UK bond consolidated tape as a major step for market transparency and access. It can improve price discovery, support liquidity and strengthen efficiency. With high-quality, usable data, it could become a cornerstone of a more transparent, efficient and globally competitive bond market.' Hugo Gordon, Head of Capital Markets at the Investment Association, said: 'The Investment Association welcomes the launch of the bond consolidated tape, a significant moment in the development of UK capital markets. This tape will enhance transparency and liquidity, and increase the ability of a wide range of bond investors to access the data they need to inform their investment decisions. We look forward to continuing to work with the FCA ahead of the future launch of the equity and ETF tape.'

As the index enters its 22nd year, two further companies – BTV Vier Länder Bank AG and Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG – have qualified for inclusion in the VÖNIX VBV Austrian Sustainability Index. All existing VÖNIX members continue to meet the criteria for inclusion in the index. This is the result of the annual review of the index’s composition, based on the sustainability analysis carried out by rfu research in accordance with the set of rules. The changes take effect today. The index tracks Austrian-listed companies that are leading the way in corporate sustainability. The 24 VÖNIX members for 2026/2027: Agrana Beteiligungs-AG Oberbank AG AMAG Austria Metall AG Österreichische Post AG AT&S Austria Tech.&Systemtech. Palfinger AG BKS Bank AG Raiffeisen Bank International AG BTV Vier Länder Bank AG Rosenbauer International AG Burgenland Holding AG Telekom Austria AG CA Immobilien Anlagen AG UBM Development AG Erste Group Bank AG UNIQA Insurance Group AG EVN AG VERBUND AG Kapsch TrafficCom AG VIENNA INSURANCE GROUP AG Lenzing AG Wienerberger AG Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG Zumtobel Group AG “For over two decades, the VÖNIX has been raising the profile of sustainability on the Austrian capital market and has established itself as an important benchmark for responsible investments. The expansion of the index’s members shows that sustainable business practices are continuing to gain importance on the domestic capital market – and form an important foundation for long-term economic success,” says Andreas Zakostelsky, Chair of the VÖNIX Advisory Board and Director General of the VBV. “Mayr-Melnhof Karton, is a leading manufacturer of cartonboard packaging made from recycled materials and certified virgin fibre. BTV Vier Länder Bank is characterised by a growing proportion of environmental and social investment and lending products and also pursues a sustainability strategy in its tourism division,” explains Reinhard Friesenbichler, Managing Director at rfu research. About the VÖNIX The VBV Austrian Sustainability Index (VÖNIX) was launched in 2005 as a price index weighted by free-float capitalisation. The selection universe comprises all companies listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange in the upper market segments with sufficient free float and liquidity. Leading players in the Austrian capital market contribute their expertise to enable the ongoing management of the index and the sustainability analysis. These partners are the VBV-Vorsorgekasse, Raiffeisen Nachhaltigkeits-Initiative and Schoellerbank Invest AG. rfu research is responsible for the sustainability analysis, while Wiener Börse AG is responsible for index management, ongoing calculation and publication. Full details are available at voenix.at.

A delegation headed by Mr. Abi Ajayi, Head of Primary Markets for the Middle East and Africa at LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group), and the accompanying delegation discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and exchange expertise between the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and the Amman Stock Exchange (ASE). They also explored mechanisms for promoting the investment opportunities available at the ASE and encouraging investors in the United Kingdom to take advantage of them, including necessary arrangements to hold Jordan Day in cooperation with London Stock Exchange. During the meeting, the CEO of the ASE Mazen Wathaifi reviewed the ASE key performance indicators. He noted that, despite the challenges and exceptional circumstances experienced across the region and the world, the ASE achieved outstanding results and record-breaking figures. These achievements were supported by growing confidence in the national economy and the attractiveness of Jordan’s investment environment, as well as positive economic indicators that reflected the resilience of the national economy, its ability to adapt to changing conditions, and its capacity to overcome challenges. Wathaifi added that the continuous improvements to the investment environment, supported by government incentives for economic sectors, the implementation of projects under the Economic Modernization Vision, and the launch of several major strategic projects, have had a direct positive impact on the performance of the ASE and its listed companies. As a result, the ASE ranked first in the region and thirteenth globally in terms of growth in its General Index ASEGI. In addition, the companies listed on the ASE achieved the second-highest profits in their history indicating that there are significant and important investment opportunities at the ASE.   He also highlighted the ASE’s ongoing efforts to develop its regulatory framework and digital services, as well as to implement the latest standards and best practices in order to enhance its competitiveness and attractiveness to investors. He noted that Jordan’s capital market enjoys an abdicate legislative and technical infrastructure that aligns with the latest international standards and best practices, particularly in the areas of trading, regulations, financial services, disclosure requirements, clearing and settlement systems, and investor protection. Mr. Abi Ajayi, Head of Primary Markets for the Middle East and Africa at the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), said, "Jordan’s economy demonstrates strong fundamentals—anchored by a dynamic private sector, deep entrepreneurial talent, and a clear commitment to reform. At the London Stock Exchange, we see a real opportunity to partner with the Amman Stock Exchange to support Jordan in scaling its most promising companies by connecting them to deeper pools of international capital and enhancing global investor visibility.”

Founded in 1966 as “Production des Automobiles Citroën Iranienne”, SAIPA was renamed in 1975, marking a major step in its evolution toward independent industrial development. The company later reached another milestone with its listing on Tehran Securities Exchange, reinforcing its financial standing and corporate transparency. In recognition of SAIPA’s 30-year presence alongside TSE, a commemorative listing icon was presented to the automaker’s CEO by Dr. Mahmoud Goudarzi, the CEO of TSE With an extensive supply chain, a nationwide service network, more than 80 subsidiary companies and nearly 40,000 employees, SAIPA plays a central role in the Iranian automotive market. The company works with over 1,000 suppliers across the country and has an annual production capacity of 950,000 vehicles. Currently, 26 companies in “Motor Vehicles and Auto Parts” industry are listed at TSE and SAIPA, with a market capitalization of IRR 930 trillion, holds the second-place ranking and plays a key role as a market driver on TSE. The ceremony, which was accompanied by a media Q&A session, provided an opportunity for closer interaction between listed issuers and capital market participants. During the event, journalists held discussions with SAIPA’s senior executives regarding the company’s performance, development plans and future outlook.

Click here to download Tehran Securities Exchange's weekly report.

Tehran Securities Exchange (TSE) officially announced the successful completion of the underwriting process for "Rahbord Energy Farda Project Investment Fund”, traded under the ticker "Solar" on Saturday, 20 June 2026. The fund successfully raised approximately IRR 998 billion to bolster renewable energy infrastructure. The underwriting phase saw robust participation from the retail market, with over 5,000 individual investors contributing to the fund. By facilitating this specialized financing, the fund aims to bridge the infrastructure gap in the local clean energy sector. Expected outcomes include increased clean power generation and job creation throughout the renewable energy supply chain. This milestone aligns with TSE’s broader strategic focus on sustainability over the last two years. TSE has taken a proactive role in promoting corporate sustainability reporting, encouraging listed companies to integrate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards into their business models. Leveraging increased transparency and accountability, the Exchange seeks to further institutionalize sustainable practices and attract more capital toward environmentally responsible ventures, positioning the market as a key driver of Iran’s green economic transition. Specifically, the fund’s proceeds will be utilized to construct two solar power plants in South Eastern Sistan & Baluchestan province, with a total capacity of 40 MW. Each plant will have an approximate capacity of 20 MW and is slated for construction in the cities of Mirjaveh and Khash.

A total turnover of 3.075 billion shares worth ₦254.614 billion in 287,157 deals was traded this week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 4.964 billion shares valued at ₦207.521 billion that exchanged hands last week in 235,966 deals. Click here for full details.

The following is the weekly trading summary for DFM Regulated Short Sell Transactions for the abovementioned period. ** No RSS Trades for the period from 16th June 2026 to 19th June 2026. For further information on RSS, please check the DFM Market Rules Module Three Membership, Trading, And Derivatives Rules & Operational Model and Procedures for Implementation of Regulated Short Selling available at  http://www.dfm.ae/the-exchange/regulation/market-rules This Dubai Financial Market Announcement will be available on the website at  https://www.dfm.ae/the-exchange/news-disclosures/market-announcements

Click here to download Malawi Stock Exchange weekly summary report.

The biopharmaceutical industry has seen a recovery in funding through 2026, following a prolonged downturn that limited access to capital across the sector. This recovery includes investment increasingly concentrated in later-stage, lower risk assets rather than early-stage innovation, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform. According to GlobalData’s State of the Biopharmaceutical Industry 2026 (Mid-Year Update), the most notable recovery has occurred in M&A deals, as big pharma aim to replenish their pipelines ahead of the upcoming patent cliff. The recent high-value transactions include Eli Lilly’s acquisition of Centessa Pharmaceuticals and Sun Pharmaceutical’s acquisition of Organon, valued at $7.8 billion and $11.75 billion, respectively. A similar trend is also seen across other funding routes. The biopharmaceutical IPO market has reopened, supported by the completion of larger offerings such as Kailera Therapeutics ($718.8 million) and Generate Biomedicines ($400 million), while venture financing deals have favored later-stage rounds over early discovery and preclinical investment. George El-Helou, Pharma Strategic Intelligence Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Following years of market volatility, investors and acquirers have shown a clear preference for assets with reduced development risk. While the biotech funding thaw is real, allocation is hyper-selective; capital is strictly flowing to late-stage assets with clear clinical proof of concept, leaving early-stage platforms stranded in a highly constrained financing environment.” This selectivity is most evident at the earliest stages of development where companies have fewer funding alternatives. A temporary lapse in the US SBIR/STTR program’s authorization between October 2025 and April 2026 also disrupted government grants, an important non-dilutive funding source for early stage biotechs. Although the program has since been reauthorized, the interruption added to the pressure facing this part of the sector. El-Helou adds: “While the focus on later-stage assets is understandable, continued underinvestment in early-stage assets presents a long-term risk to the industry’s pipeline. The late-stage assets that investors are competing for rely on early-stage research that was funded years ago, and this early-stage activity must continue to be supported to enhance innovation.” El-Helou concludes: “As the funding environment continues to recover, companies that can generate later-stage, lower-risk assets are expected to be best positioned to attract investment. Early-stage companies are increasingly turning to industry partnerships to secure the capital needed to advance their pipelines. With collaborative models now viewed as the most favored funding approach across the industry, these partnerships are likely to play a central role in sustaining early-stage innovation.”

The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has today published a consultation on the internal model approach to market risk (IMA), which represents the final piece of Basel 3.1’s implementation in the UK. Under Basel 3.1’s market risk rules – often referred to as the Fundamental Review of the Trading Book – banks calculate how much capital they must hold against potential losses from trading activities. This comes either through the standardised approach, which is simpler, but typically has higher capital requirements, or by developing their own internal models, which are typically used by larger firms with extensive trading operations, including international banks. The PRA delayed implementing its IMA rules to provide time to consider the UK’s alignment to other major trading jurisdictions, taking into account the PRA’s competitiveness and growth objective given the very international nature of this part of banks’ activities. Today’s consultation proposes several targeted changes to support international alignment and proportionality, including: Extending the monitoring period for the profit and loss attribution test from one year to three, to provide enough time for the PRA to gather data to confirm the appropriate calibration of the test before it could apply to calculating capital; Adjusting the PRA’s treatment of activity that has limited trading data to include a more targeted approach to identifying risks that cannot be modelled. This will allow more modelling where appropriate, delivering a more risk-sensitive capital framework; Reducing barriers to transitioning to full IMA approval by adjusting calculations for firms who use a mix of the internal models and standardised approaches, preventing a scenario where capital requirements could rise as firms move gradually on to IMA; and Introducing a number of operational simplifications and amendments to make the operation of the IMA more proportionate. Sam Woods, Deputy Governor for Prudential Regulation and Chief Executive Officer of the PRA, said:  “These rules mark the very last piece of the reform programme agreed between the UK and other major jurisdictions following the global financial crisis. We’ve allowed some extra time to implement this last set of rules in order to be able to take account of how they are being implemented elsewhere – today’s proposals do that, while ensuring that trading activities by banks in the UK are appropriately capitalised.”  The PRA intends to implement its adjustments to the IMA on its previously-announced implementation date of 1 January 2028. No other changes are being proposed and all other rules come into force in January 2027, as previously planned.  The PRA’s upcoming implementation of Basel 3.1 will build upon extensive work already done to support the UK’s economic growth while maintaining financial stability. This includes: The Financial Policy Committee’s recent capital review, which cut the benchmark for capital requirements in the financial sector from 14% to 13%; Simplifying capital requirements for smaller firms through its Strong and Simple framework for small domestically focused lenders;  Increasing thresholds for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) requirements and Resolvability Assessment Framework reporting, focusing the full resolvability regime on the largest and most complex firms while supporting growth and competitiveness for smaller banks. Background Read the full consultation.  Read the PRA’s final Basel 3.1 rules.  

In November 2025, 38 central counterparties (‘CCPs’) from across the world, together with clearing members, conducted a coordinated fire drill exercise simulating the failure of a hypothetical common participant. Known as the CCP Global International Default Simulation (CIDS), the exercise aimed to promote preparedness and coordination across jurisdictions.  ESMA participated in the lead authorities’ group together with Bundesbank, BaFin, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the Bank of England. The group advised on the design of the exercise, monitored its execution, surveyed participants to draw lessons learned and inform design improvements for future exercises.  The report published today by the lead authorities summarises the 2025 exercise outcomes and sets out feedback from participating clearing members and clients, alongside the observations and recommendations of the lead authorities. The report follows ESMA’s 2023 report on the Global CCP fire drill.  The report highlights several areas where lead authorities expect further progress in the next iteration of the exercise:  Encourage industry-led progress to reduce fragmentation in procedures and communication conventions employed by CCPs, and promote greater use of portal-based solutions.  Support more realistic testing of porting arrangements to better reflect operational conditions.  Consider implementing a voluntary “market stress overlay” module with a coherent cross-CCP macro stress scenario as to fully test operational capacity and constraints under stressed but plausible market conditions.  Global fire‑drills strengthen the collective understanding of default management processes and improve operational readiness across the financial system, reinforcing the value of these exercises as a core component of system‑wide resilience. 

The outstanding balance in commercial paper programs on the MARF rose to 6.331 billion euros at the end of May, 16.3% higher than at the end of the previous year BME’s fixed-income market, MARF, has admitted to listing a new Commercial Paper Program from Saturn Group, the parent company of Culmia, for an amount of 50 million euros. The commercial paper issued under this program will have nominal values of 100,000 euros. Banca March is the Registered Adviser for the issue and the Lead Arranger for the operation. Banca March itself and Kutxabank Investment are the dealers for the issue. For its part, Cuatrecasas has been the legal adviser and the credit rating agency EthiFinance has provided a solvency report on the issuer. Saturn Group is a Spanish real estate company specializing in (i) the development, promotion, and commercialization of residential housing; (ii) the land development and (iii) the management of developments for third parties in a co-investment scheme. The Group’s activities encompass the full value chain of residential projects, including the identification and acquisition of land, urban planning, architectural design, construction oversight, marketing, and sales, as well as the management of residential assets for rental schemes. Saturn Group operates across key urban and metropolitan areas in Spain, addressing diverse housing needs with a focus on quality, customer service, and responsible development practices. The MARF has 160 national and international issuing companies. At the end of May, the outstanding balance in commercial paper programs was 6.331 billion, representing an increase of 16.3% compared with the end of the previous year. There are 80 corporate and securitized commercial paper programs currently in force on this BME market, according to figures at the end of May.  You can consult all the information about the MARF on its website.

CCP Global has submitted a response to the US Basel III Endgame re-proposals. To read the response, please follow this link.

The operational synergy will allow issuers and investors to benefit from a true bridge between traditional finance and on-chain instruments. Seturion, the pan-European settlement platform for tokenized assets of Boerse Stuttgart Group, Weltix S.p.A. (“Weltix”) and Real House S.r.l., owner of the BlockInvest platform (“BlockInvest”), today announced a strategic collaboration to build the first integrated end-to-end infrastructure for the issuance, settlement and trading of DLT-based financial instruments in Italy. The collaboration combines three complementary regulated components: the technological platform developed by BlockInvest for the tokenization of financial instruments, the DLT register operated by Weltix as DLT Register Manager authorized by Consob under the Italian FinTech Decree, and the pan-European settlement platform of Seturion, capable of handling both on-chain payments and central bank money. Europe has developed strong capabilities for issuing tokenized securities, but the settlement layer remains fragmented. This partnership is a direct response to that gap, positioning Italy as a model for integrated digital capital markets infrastructure at European scale. The partnership responds to growing demand from banks, intermediaries, corporate issuers and institutional investors for issuance and settlement solutions for tokenized financial instruments that are fully regulated, interoperable at European level, and integrable within existing workflows. The architecture envisaged by the parties allows an issuer to: structure and issue tokenized financial instruments through the BlockInvest platform register such instruments and manage their circulation through the DLT register operated by Weltix, in full compliance with Italian and European regulatory frameworks handle transaction settlement through Seturion’s platform, with the flexibility of settling in central bank money or on-chain cash make those instruments operationally eligible for MTF and OTC trading environments, while enabling direct access to Boerse Stuttgart Group’s trading venues and other European trading venues connected to Seturion The architecture is designed to support a broad range of instruments. The collaboration is open to additional participants, including banks, trading venues and other market players. “We are delighted to partner with Weltix and Blockinvest for the Italian market. Together, we are advancing our pan-European settlement platform in Italy, one of the most dynamic European markets for the tokenization of financial instruments. We offer Italian issuers and investors the entire value chain in one regulated architecture, from issuance to settlement. This is a concrete step towards a European infrastructure for digital capital markets,” said Sven Wilke, Deputy CEO & CGO, Seturion. “Italian banks tell us that the value of tokenization lies in redefining the entire lifecycle of a financial instrument, removing the frictions of today’s infrastructure. By combining Weltix’s regulatory perimeter, BlockInvest’s technology and Seturion’s settlement infrastructure, we can offer the market a complete, fully regulated solution that dramatically reduces time to market and streamlines management across the entire value chain. This is exactly the kind of partnership that turns tokenization from a promise into a working product for investors,” said Antonio Chiarello, CEO & Co-Founder, Weltix S.p.A. "While Europe has proven its ability to issue digital assets under progressive legal frameworks, the lack of an integrated, secure and compliant settlement layer has remained the missing link for institutional scaling. This partnership directly solves that bottleneck. By combining BlockInvest's orchestration platform with a robust, regulated settlement layer, we are building a seamless, end-to-end corridor, a turnkey highway for banks and corporates to move assets and capital fluidly across European borders. One block at a time," said Lorenzo Rigatti, Founder & CEO, Blockinvest.

SpaceX has agreed to acquire Anysphere, the company behind the AI coding tool Cursor, in a $60 billion all-stock transaction. The announcement arrives just days after SpaceX’s debut on the Nasdaq in the biggest initial public offering (IPO) ever, which lifted its market capitalization beyond $2 trillion. The scale and timing of the deal highlight the company’s growing ambitions in artificial intelligence (AI) and place it on a more direct collision course with established leaders in the space, according to GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform. Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The deal stands out as Elon Musk’s most significant AI wager to date. The transaction’s size reflects how AI platforms are increasingly viewed as strategically vital assets, and that SpaceX appears ready to leverage its post-IPO equity firepower to buy best-in-class capabilities.” Although $60 billion is a striking number, it represents only a small portion of SpaceX’s post-IPO valuation. This reinforces a clear strategy – use an elevated share price as acquisition currency – when the stock is higher, fewer shares are needed to fund major deals. Cursor has quickly become a renowned AI coding product. At the same time, SpaceX’s AI arm, xAI, has trailed competitors in coding capabilities. The acquisition is positioned as a direct move to narrow that gap by combining Cursor’s capabilities with xAI and Grok, sharpening SpaceX’s competitive standing against rivals such as OpenAI and Anthropic. Bose concludes: “The post-IPO momentum may accelerate into an acquisition spree and this high-value transaction sets the tone for more M&A to follow. With its expanded post-IPO scale and rising stock price, SpaceX is well positioned to pursue major strategic acquisitions using equity rather than relying on cash reserves or debt financing.”

The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission today issued a joint request for public comment on potential opportunities to further update, clarify, and harmonize certain derivatives product definitions and interpretive issues. The request for comment is intended to support the Commissions’ ongoing evaluation of whether current regulatory definitions, interpretations, and jurisdictional frameworks appropriately reflect evolving market structures, financial products, and trading practices. “Clarification is long overdue on Title VII definitional issues, including event-based products. Through good-faith cooperation efforts, we can create a level playing field where established firms and new entrants alike can compete and innovate on equal footing regardless of whether they’re registered with the SEC or CFTC,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. “Today’s joint request for public comment presents an opportunity to address longstanding ambiguities within Title VII of Dodd-Frank that have stifled fair competition and responsible innovation,” said CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig. “I appreciate the partnership of the SEC and Chairman Atkins as we work together to further clarify jurisdictional lines and enhance cooperation between our agencies.” The joint request for comment seeks input on topics including: Definitions relating to swaps and security-based swaps, including the scope of certain exclusions from the swap definition.  Treatment of mixed swaps  Treatment of novel or emerging products Jurisdictional and interpretive questions Potential areas in need of greater clarity regarding regulatory definitional lines Potential areas for alternative compliance The SEC and CFTC encourage the public to provide input on these topics, as identified in the agencies’ request for comment. The public comment period will remain open for 60 days following publication of the request for comment in the Federal Register. Resources Joint Request for Comment Submit Comments

The Securities and Exchange Commission and Commodity Futures Trading Commission today issued a joint request for public comment on potential opportunities to harmonize, modernize, and streamline data reporting requirements in their regulation of the security-based swap and swap markets, respectively. “Extensive data collection, if not appropriately calibrated, can hinder, rather than enhance, understanding and accountability,” said SEC Chairman Paul S. Atkins. “Working closely with the CFTC, we can ensure that we are collecting the data necessary to meet statutory objectives under a harmonized reporting regime. I welcome feedback on how we can improve our security-based swap data reporting regime in a manner that protects the integrity of the information and lowers costs.” “I’m proud to be working alongside SEC Chairman Atkins to streamline and harmonize swap data reporting for registrants in accordance with our ongoing efforts to foster interagency cooperation,” said CFTC Chairman Michael S. Selig. “I look forward to hearing from market participants about the ways we can cut red tape and reduce costs, while still collecting the data we need to conduct our market oversight responsibilities.” The request for comment is intended to assist the agencies in evaluating whether changes to the design, scope, and structure of security-based swap and swap data reporting requirements would lead to greater alignment between their respective reporting frameworks. The SEC and CFTC seek input to enhance market transparency, reduce unnecessary operational complexity, promote data quality, and improve regulatory oversight while preserving the distinct statutory mandates of each agency under the Dodd-Frank Act. The joint request for comment seeks input on the following topics: Harmonization across frameworks Transparency and data quality Operational complexity Standardized identifiers and reference data Implementation considerations The SEC and CFTC encourage the public to provide input on the operational, technological, and policy implications of these topics identified in the agencies’ request for comment. The public comment period will remain open for 60 days following publication of the request for comment in the Federal Register. Resources Joint Request for Comment Submit Comments