The digital bank now employs around 600 staff in the North East and said the move reinforces its long-term commitment to the region.  The new multi-million-pound office is designed to support Atom’s hybrid working model and its pioneering four-day working week. Chief Executive Mark Mullen said: “Our move to the Pattern Shop isn’t just a change of address; it’s a bold statement about our future and our belief in the North East.” The Grade II-listed Pattern Shop, once home to Robert Stephenson & Co., has been restored into a low-carbon, tech-enabled workspace blending industrial heritage with modern design. The relocation is part of Atom’s strategy to expand sustainably while nurturing local talent.  The company is recruiting across engineering, data, and customer support, and continues to invest in regional education through its Early Careers Programme, Atom Futures Fund, and partnerships with Durham University. “This is hundreds of well-paying jobs being brought into the heart of our city,” said Cllr Karen Kilgour, Leader of Newcastle City Council, praising Atom’s contribution to local growth and innovation. The post Atom Bank Moves Headquarters to Newcastle appeared first on LeapRate.

Set to debut in 2026, Roughrider Coin will operate on Fiserv’s digital asset platform, aiming to modernise interbank transactions, enhance global payments, and encourage merchant adoption across the state.  The coin will be accessible to North Dakota’s banks and credit unions, helping them navigate what officials described as a “new financial frontier.” “As one of the first states to issue our own stablecoin backed by real money, North Dakota is taking a cutting-edge approach to creating a secure and efficient financial ecosystem,” said Governor Kelly Armstrong. The initiative builds on Fiserv’s existing infrastructure, which supports 10,000 financial institutions and six million merchant locations, processing over 90 billion transactions annually.  Roughrider Coin will leverage the company’s FIUSD stablecoin platform, ensuring interoperability and efficiency across digital payment systems. “We’re bringing together the reliability of traditional finance and the innovation of blockchain,” said Takis Georgakopoulos, Fiserv’s Chief Operating Officer. The coin was named in honour of Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders and will aim to increase bank-to-bank transactions, encourage global money movement, and drive merchant adoption. The post North Dakota Partners with Fiserv to Launch State-Backed ‘Roughrider Coin’ appeared first on LeapRate.

The investment marks a major move in PayPay’s evolution from a cashless payments app into a broader digital financial platform. The two companies plan to integrate services that will allow users to buy cryptocurrencies directly within the Binance app using PayPay Money, and to withdraw funds back into PayPay accounts.  The collaboration aims to combine Binance’s digital asset expertise with PayPay’s vast domestic user base to make crypto trading more accessible to everyday consumers in Japan. “Through its continued evolution from a cashless payments business into a digital financial platform, PayPay will strive to deliver new value to users while contributing to the advancement of Japan’s financial infrastructure,” the company said in a statement. The partnership also signals a growing convergence between Japan’s fintech and cryptocurrency sectors, as regulators and financial institutions push for innovation within secure and compliant frameworks.  The move reinforces PayPay’s ambition to become a one-stop digital finance platform, supporting payments, investments, and crypto services through its ecosystem. The post PayPay Takes 40% Stake in Binance Japan to Expand Digital Finance Offering appeared first on LeapRate.

HSBC currently owns about 63% of Hang Seng and plans to acquire the remaining shares at HK$155 per share, representing a 33% premium over the bank’s 30-day average price of HK$116.50.  If approved, Hang Seng would become a wholly owned subsidiary of HSBC Asia Pacific and be delisted from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. “Our offer is an exciting opportunity to grow both Hang Seng and HSBC,” said Georges Elhedery, HSBC Group Chief Executive.  “We will preserve Hang Seng’s brand, heritage, distinct customer proposition and a branch network, while investing to unlock new strengths in products, services, and technology to deliver more choice and innovation for customers.” Elhedery said the proposal aligns with HSBC’s strategy to consolidate leadership in key growth markets and reflects its long-term commitment to Hong Kong as a global financial centre and gateway to mainland China. The transaction will require approval from Hang Seng shareholders and sanction by the Hong Kong High Court.  If successful, HSBC said the integration would strengthen its presence in Hong Kong and drive greater value for customers and shareholders alike. The post HSBC Proposes to Privatise Hang Seng Bank in HK$106 Billion Deal appeared first on LeapRate.

Pedro Rodeia joins as Group Executive, Australia Retail; Christine Palmer becomes Group Chief Risk Officer; and Donald Patra assumes the role of Group Chief Information Officer. All three will report to Chief Executive Officer Nuno Matos. “I am very pleased to appoint three world-class executives to these critical roles,” Matos said.  “The deep experience they each bring will ensure ANZ will deliver better outcomes for our customers, further strengthen our risk management capabilities and continue to build best-in-class technology.” Rodeia, a former Senior Partner at McKinsey & Co., has more than 30 years’ global experience in retail banking and has advised Australian banks for over a decade. He will start on 17 November 2025. Palmer joins from Santander UK, where she served as Chief Risk Officer since 2020, bringing extensive experience in governance and enterprise risk management. She begins on 1 December 2025. Patra, who most recently served as CIO for HSBC UK and Europe, brings over 30 years in financial technology leadership, having driven global digital transformation and AI initiatives across multiple regions. He starts on 24 November 2025. The post ANZ Names 3 New Executives appeared first on LeapRate.

The acquired firm will be renamed Mitrade Markets Pty Ltd, marking Mitrade’s fifth licence globally. The move strengthens Mitrade’s long-term growth strategy across Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, as it seeks to capture rising retail participation in emerging markets.  Mitrade noted that trading activity in regions such as MENA and LATAM has been increasing, reflecting growing demand for mobile-first trading platforms. “In a volatile macroeconomic climate, building resilient infrastructure across licensed jurisdictions is how we scale sustainably,” said Kevin Lai, Vice President of Mitrade.  “This acquisition forms part of a broader strategy to promote inclusivity by expanding access to credible, regulated brokers across regions like LATAM and MENA.” Mitrade already holds licences from ASIC in Australia, CIMA in the Cayman Islands, FSC in Mauritius, and CySEC in Cyprus.  The new FSCA licence will allow the broker to offer seamless access to over 800 financial instruments, including forex, indices, commodities, ETFs, and shares, while enhancing regulatory oversight and local market credibility. The acquisition underscores Mitrade’s aim to position itself as a trusted, multi-region trading provider offering secure, intuitive platforms to global investors. The post Mitrade Expands with South African Licence Acquisition appeared first on LeapRate.

Despite the absence of official data from the US labor market, investors maintain a mildly positive sentiment as private sector indicators show rather a consolidation of hiring and new payrolls, than their growth or decline. That hasn’t boosted volatility, and markets in general kept the momentum, with S&P 500 closing the week in green. Bitcoin has rallied and established a new all-time high at around $125000, while Crude oil has slided down to almost $60. The new decision of OPEC+ on Sunday, Oct 5th, was to modestly increase the production, which might be considered as a soft outcome for Crude oil, as one of the options was to increase it twice from the current level. That is still a bearish factor, along with the latest development about Hamas-Israeli talks in Egypt. The general warning from the US president Donald Trump to Hamas made the markets wobble, with Nasdaq closing the day in red, and VIX having grown to above 16, which is still quite far from any real volatility. Crude oil futures stayed in a bearish direction despite all concerning factors. Traders will look forward to the end of the government shutdown this week and the news from Israeli-Hamas talks.  Among important economic publications, traders will look forward to the FOMC minutes publication on Wednesday and Michigan consumer sentiment index on Friday. Now, let’s go through basic scenarios for Crude oil and S&P500 index for the upcoming week. USOIL Crude oil moves down accelerating the momentum near the bottom of the 20-day Bollinger Bands. The next possible support would be located around the $59-60 area, as the breakout of the $60 area may trigger some short selling and liquidations of leveraged long positions. As the market enters the highly volatile seasonal period, we might observe wide swings in both directions after completion of the mentioned target. USOIL, daily chart : Source, Exness.com S&P500   The S&P500 index is positioned above the upper line of the Bollinger Bands (20) indicator, showing weakening momentum. Market breadth is slowly decreasing, as the tech sector has got under pressure on Friday. That might be a normal sector rotation mechanism within a bullish market, or a precursor of a wider correction. Anyways, the bullish trend might persist, but upside breakouts might be vulnerable to profit taking and corrections as the upside rally reaches the plateau. US500. Source: Exness.com The post Oil is pushed down as OPEC+ raises production appeared first on LeapRate.

The company said the integration consolidates Finalto’s previously fragmented compliance tools into a single platform, designed to improve the detection of suspicious activity, enhance reporting accuracy, and streamline compliance operations.  The system will also strengthen Finalto’s adherence to MiFID II regulations, while reducing the operational workload for its compliance teams. Finalto said its decision was driven by the reliability and comprehensive functionality of eflow’s technology, which supports large-scale regulatory operations and automates complex workflows.  The platform enables the firm to consolidate multiple data files into one workflow, improving efficiency and providing better visibility across its trading activity. “As a market leader serving clients worldwide and providing liquidity in thousands of financial markets, Finalto is strengthening its surveillance and execution oversight with eflow’s cloud-based platform,” said Paul Groves, CEO of Finalto.  He added that it delivers “advanced trade surveillance and analytics with robust MiFID II controls and comprehensive records.” Ben Parker, CEO of eflow Global, said Finalto’s global reach and operational sophistication make it a natural fit for eflow’s technology.  “By consolidating all of Finalto’s trade surveillance and best execution processes into a single, integrated platform, we’re helping the firm manage vast amounts of data with precision and ensure compliance with stringent regulatory requirements,” Parker said. The post Finalto Adopts eflow Global Technology to Boost Trade Surveillance and Compliance appeared first on LeapRate.

The company explained that the move enables global businesses to send, receive and convert pesos without routing through the U.S. dollar, reducing transaction fees by up to 90 percent and settlement times from days to under an hour. Despite being Latin America’s third-largest economy, Colombia’s foreign exchange market has long been hampered by inefficiencies and complex regulations.  OpenFX said its proprietary payment rails will “free companies from the constraints of outdated market structure.” “Colombia is in the midst of a remarkable digital transformation,” said Prabhakar Reddy, Founder and CEO of OpenFX. “The country’s global ambitions deserve a financial network that supports innovation.” The expansion marks OpenFX’s fourth entry into Latin America this year, following launches in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. The fintech, backed by a USD 23 million Accel-led funding round, has processed more than USD 16 billion in annualised cross-border volume. The new infrastructure offers 24/7 availability, real-time APIs, and advanced settlement technology for transparency and compliance.  OpenFX said the addition of the peso strengthens its mission to modernise cross-border finance and eliminate costly intermediaries in emerging markets. The post OpenFX Adds Colombian Peso to Cross-Border Payments Network appeared first on LeapRate.

The service, unveiled in San Jose, gives small merchants the ability to host and manage digital ads directly through their PayPal Merchant Portal, creating new income streams at no upfront cost.  PayPal said businesses can integrate an SDK within minutes and start earning ad revenue from non-competing brands. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but they’ve been locked out of the retail media revolution,” said Mark Grether, Senior Vice President and General Manager of PayPal Ads. “PayPal Ads Manager changes that equation entirely.” The tool is said to leverage PayPal’s 25 years of transaction data, allowing advertisers to target high-purchase intent shoppers based on real buying behaviour rather than browsing history.  Small businesses can also use AI-powered creative tools to design ad campaigns and manage cross-channel promotions across PayPal’s network and social media. Retail media has become one of the fastest-growing segments in digital advertising, but participation has been largely limited to large retailers. PayPal’s move aims to democratise access to this multibillion-dollar market. PayPal Ads Manager will launch in early 2026 in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom and Germany.  The post PayPal Launches Ads Manager to Help Small Businesses Tap Retail Media Boom appeared first on LeapRate.

Hoornweg, who previously served as Co-Head of CIB, will continue overseeing markets in the Americas, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.  Oversight of ASEAN and South Asia will transition to Judy Hsu, who will retain her roles as CEO of Wealth and Retail Banking and Head of Greater China and North Asia. Hoornweg has over 30 years of experience in global banking. He joined Standard Chartered in 2017 as Global Head of Financial Markets, leading key businesses across fixed income, currencies and commodities.  He previously held senior roles at Brevan Howard, UBS and Morgan Stanley. Meanwhile, Kaushal’s long tenure included major leadership roles across Africa, the Middle East and Asia, where he spearheaded digital banking initiatives and expanded the bank’s regional footprint, including in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Morocco. “I would like to thank Sunil for his significant contribution to the Group over nearly three decades,” said Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive.  “I likewise wish to congratulate Roberto, who has played a significant part in CIB’s growth in recent years, on stepping into the CEO role as we continue to deliver our cross-border strategy.” The post Standard Chartered Names Roberto Hoornweg CEO of Corporate & Investment Banking appeared first on LeapRate.

The collaboration will initially introduce contracts for fat-filled milk powder and high-protein whey, before expanding to other dairy products.  The instruments will be available on StoneX Plus, allowing users to trade directly using Expana’s benchmarks and gain greater insight into market pricing and volatility. “This collaboration marks a major milestone for the dairy industry,” said Spencer Wicks, CEO of Expana.  “By combining Expana’s independent IOSCO-assured benchmarks with StoneX’s unmatched leadership in OTC and futures dairy markets, we are building the tools that will underpin more effective and transparent dairy risk management for years to come.” Liam Fenton, Global Head of Dairy & Food Group at StoneX, said the partnership will provide clients with reliable, independent benchmarks to improve liquidity and pricing visibility. The firms said the new offering supports a more efficient global dairy market, helping producers, processors, and investors hedge against price fluctuations amid rising demand and volatile commodity costs. The post StoneX and Expana to Launch OTC Dairy Derivatives appeared first on LeapRate.

As part of the deal, ICE will become the exclusive global distributor of Polymarket’s event-driven data, providing institutional investors with new sentiment indicators on global events, from politics to markets and sport.  The companies also plan to collaborate on tokenisation initiatives to expand blockchain-based market applications. “Our investment blends ICE, the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, which was founded in 1792, with a forward-thinking, revolutionary company pioneering change within the Decentralized Finance space,” said Jeffrey Sprecher, ICE Chair and CEO. Polymarket’s founder Shayne Coplan said the partnership “marks a major step in bringing prediction markets into the financial mainstream”, combining ICE’s institutional credibility with Polymarket’s innovative consumer platform. Founded in 2020, Polymarket enables users to trade on the probability of future events via blockchain-based smart contracts.  The platform has become known for its accuracy and user engagement, recently securing partnerships with X and Stocktwits. ICE said the cash investment would not materially impact its 2025 financial results and will discuss the deal in detail during its upcoming earnings call on 30 October 2025. The post ICE Invests $2 Billion in Polymarket appeared first on LeapRate.

According to FINRA’s Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, the violations occurred between January 2022 and September 2025.  Synovus reportedly failed to maintain a supervisory system capable of detecting electronic signature forgery, resulting in more than 100 customers’ signatures being forged across over 150 documents and over 500 forged employee signatures.  The misconduct is said to have left the firm with “hundreds of inaccurate books and records.” The regulator said Synovus breached several key rules, including FINRA Rules 3110, 4511, and 2010, as well as Section 17(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Exchange Act Rule 17a-3, which require firms to maintain accurate books and records. FINRA added that the firm failed to investigate red flags or implement adequate controls, noting that its written supervisory procedures did not address e-signatures until April 2024.  The problem was uncovered only after operations staff noticed irregularities in September 2023. Synovus later confirmed that all affected customers had authorised the transactions and implemented new safeguards. The firm consented to the sanctions without admitting or denying FINRA’s findings. The regulator said the case underscores the importance of robust oversight for digital documentation and electronic authentication processes in the securities industry. The post FINRA Fines Synovus Securities $315,000 appeared first on LeapRate.

The licence enables BitGo MENA to offer spot trading in thousands of digital assets and stablecoins through its integrated OTC trading desk and electronic trading platform.  The company said clients will gain aggregated access to liquidity from leading market makers and exchanges, benefiting from competitive pricing, fast execution, and institutional-grade security. “Receiving our broker-dealer licence from VARA is a milestone for BitGo MENA and a testament to both our commitment to compliance and the strength of Dubai’s progressive regulatory environment,” said Ben Choy, General Manager of BitGo MENA.  “This approval allows us to serve institutional clients with greater scale, confidence, and integrity, while also underscoring the accelerating momentum within Dubai’s digital asset ecosystem.” Nick Coombs, Managing Director of MENA Sales, said the milestone “empowers us to offer institutional-grade trading services, seamlessly integrated with our VARA-regulated and insured custody infrastructure.”  He added that clients would have access to AED and USD trading, local banking facilities, and “a tailored, high-performance trading experience for the MENA region.” BitGo said the move reinforces its commitment to security and compliance, aligning with VARA’s mission to foster transparency, market integrity, and sustainable growth in Dubai’s digital asset economy. The post BitGo Wins VARA Broker-Dealer Licence For Regulated Institutional Crypto Trading in Dubai appeared first on LeapRate.

The collaboration integrates Finery Markets’ liquidity and infrastructure technology into B2TRADER, giving clients direct access to institutional-grade spot liquidity from top-tier providers.  The integration is said to allow anonymous trading, efficient credit intermediation and streamlined post-trade settlement, which the firm says delivers higher reliability and execution quality in digital asset markets. “We selected Finery Markets for its proven ability to power institutional-grade operations,” said Arthur Azizov, CEO and founder of B2BROKER. “This partnership enhances our capacity to deliver deep OTC spot liquidity and efficient execution, ensuring clients operate in a high-performance, secure environment and expand faster with confidence.” The partnership comes as global institutional OTC trading continues to grow rapidly.  According to B2BROKER, global OTC volumes rose 106 percent in 2024, with stablecoin transactions up 147 percent, driven by exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and regulated access products. B2TRADER’s new “plug-and-trade” solution allows brokers and exchanges to offer crypto trading almost instantly, with access to hundreds of crypto pairs and the flexibility to add new instruments within 24 hours. Konstantin Shulga, CEO and co-founder of Finery Markets, said the partnership “provides the technology that empowers institutions to lead in the crypto space.”  The post B2BROKER Partners With Finery Markets to Boost Institutional Crypto Trading appeared first on LeapRate.

The move is seen as a way to increase competition in Australia’s public markets, expanding access to initial public offerings (IPOs), dual-listed entities and new investment opportunities for local investors. ASIC said the decision supports its commitment to promote a more dynamic and competitive listing environment.  “Australia’s capital markets are strong and resilient, but they must continue to adapt to evolving global market dynamics and meet the future needs of our economy,” said ASIC Chair Joe Longo.  “This move will provide more choice for companies to list in Australia, build more links to offshore markets and create more options for investors, which is good news for the Australian economy.” Cboe, formerly known as Chi-X Australia, was launched in 2011 as an alternative trading venue for ASX-listed securities and was acquired by Cboe Global Markets in 2021.  It currently handles about 20 percent of Australia’s equity market turnover, representing nearly $2 billion in trades daily. With ASIC’s approval, Cboe joins the ASX, National Stock Exchange of Australia (NSX) and Sydney Stock Exchange (SSX) as one of four licensed markets able to list securities, a development expected to enhance innovation, efficiency and competition across the Australian capital markets. The post ASIC Approves Cboe Listing Licence, Increasing Competition With ASX appeared first on LeapRate.

The deal will integrate Macro Hive’s AI-powered data analytics and strategy capabilities across BGC’s Rates and FX markets, enhancing its global broking and execution platform for institutional clients.  Macro Hive’s co-founders, Bilal Hafeez and Andrew Simon, will join BGC to help drive innovation and accelerate the integration of analytics within the firm’s trading infrastructure. “Adding Macro Hive to our suite of institutional services enhances our platform with tech-forward insights and proven expertise, setting a new standard for agency services,” said Richard Leighton, Senior Managing Director at BGC Group. Hafeez said the acquisition would allow Macro Hive to deliver its research and analytics to a broader client base.  “Our mission has always been to deliver innovative, AI-driven insights and strategies that empower institutional investors and corporates to make better-informed decisions,” he said. “By combining our expertise with BGC’s global platform, we can deliver unmatched client solutions.” Based in New York and listed on Nasdaq, BGC Group provides marketplace, data, and financial technology services across multiple asset classes, including fixed income, foreign exchange, energy, and equities.  The firm also operates the FMX Futures Exchange, part of its expanding technology and data infrastructure portfolio. The post BGC Group Acquires Macro Hive to Bolster AI-Driven Market Analytics appeared first on LeapRate.

Broadridge said in a press release on Tuesday that the agreement will see SFP Group implement Broadridge’s fully integrated, front-to-back SaaS platform, covering trade order and execution management, portfolio and risk management, compliance, middle-office operations, and regulatory reporting.  The rollout also includes Broadridge’s SWIFT services and trade settlement monitoring, with performance measurement and portfolio simulation supported by Confluence’s Revolution platform. “Technology plays a vital role in our strategic roadmap as we continue to scale our award-winning asset management business,” said Nicolas Di Maggio, CEO of Swiss Finance & Property AG.  He added that Broadridge’s platform would “strengthen operational resilience, and smarter, more agile decision-making,” aligning the firm’s infrastructure with its long-term growth and regulatory goals. The new system is expected to deliver seamless integration between Broadridge’s trade blotter and execution tools, creating a unified experience for traders and portfolio managers.  Broadridge added that enhanced connectivity to the SIX Swiss Exchange and BX Swiss will improve settlement efficiency, while automated trade and transaction reporting aims to eliminate manual work and reduce compliance risks. Mike Sleightholme, President of Broadridge International, said the partnership highlights “growing demand from global asset managers for scalable, future-ready technology.” SFP Group said the upgrade follows a multi-year evaluation aimed at replacing legacy systems to boost transparency, reduce manual processes, and support continued business growth. The post Swiss Finance & Property Group Adopts Broadridge Platform to Modernise Investment Operations appeared first on LeapRate.

The launch allows Schroders to tap into SIX’s extensive distribution network and investor base, which includes both institutional and retail investors across Switzerland.  SIX, one of the first European exchanges to introduce an ETF segment in 2000 and to list active ETFs in 2011, described the move as further diversification of its active ETF offering. Johanna Kyrklund, Group Chief Investment Officer at Schroders, said: “Schroders is bringing more than 220 years of active investment expertise into European active ETFs for the first time. In today’s dynamic market environment, access to market-leading active management expertise is crucial.” Schroders’ entry into Switzerland expands its active ETF footprint, building on earlier launches in Australia and the U.S., where it partnered with Hartford Funds.  Meagen Burnett, Chief Financial Officer at Schroders, said the development “demonstrates our ability to harness the scale of Schroders’ investment and operating platforms to enhance the distribution access points for existing and new clients.” With Schroders’ addition, SIX now hosts 34 ETF issuers and 2,098 ETFs. ETF trading turnover at SIX has reached CHF 94.4 billion so far this year, up nearly 66% from the same period in 2024. The post Schroders Joins SIX Swiss Exchange as New ETF Issuer appeared first on LeapRate.