The GBP/USD chart shows that the pound climbed above 1.3560 today, reaching its highest level since September 2025. This upward momentum in the pound may be largely influenced by expectations of a tighter monetary policy from the Bank of England in 2026. Such expectations appear reasonable, given that inflation has consistently stayed above 3% since April 2025. At the same time, market participants may be cautious about the potential impact of US actions in Venezuela. This has encouraged a shift of capital into other currencies, contributing to a relative weakening of the US dollar. GBP/USD Technical Analysis In December, GBP/USD established an ascending channel (highlighted in blue), which continues to be relevant as we move through January: The sharp rise from point A demonstrates clear buyer dominance. The pair has now moved into the upper half of the channel, signalling continued bullish momentum. The decline seen at the end of December, which created a resistance trendline (shown in red), appears to have concluded. Bulls have successfully regained control, resuming the upward trend by finding support at the lower boundary of the channel. However, attention should be paid to the RSI on the GBP/USD chart: a bearish divergence is evident between peaks B and C, which could indicate a potential slowdown in the uptrend. Based on this, the market may be susceptible to a corrective move. Should this scenario unfold, GBP/USD could dip towards 1.3505, a level likely to provide support given the prior strength of buyers during the breakout above the resistance line and the channel’s median. FXOpen offers spreads from 0.0 pips and commissions from $1.50 per lot (additional fees may apply). Enjoy trading on MT4, MT5, TickTrader or TradingView trading platforms! The FXOpen App is a dedicated mobile application designed to give traders full control of their accounts anytime, anywhere. This article represents the opinion of the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand only. It is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, or recommendation with respect to products and services provided by the Companies operating under the FXOpen brand, nor is it to be considered financial advice.  

What the agreement actually covers Crypto.com has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Changer.ae, an Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM)–regulated virtual asset service provider, to explore the expansion of regulated digital asset services across the United Arab Emirates. The MoU is not a product launch or a binding commercial rollout. Instead, it outlines areas of cooperation that will move forward only after receiving the necessary regulatory approvals. Central among those is the potential integration of Crypto.com’s institutional infrastructure to support liquidity and improve crypto-to-fiat conversion services offered by Changer. The companies will also assess additional use cases tied to regulated custody and digital asset infrastructure, with a focus on operating within the UAE’s existing regulatory perimeter rather than around it. Why this matters in the UAE market The UAE has become one of the few jurisdictions where crypto regulation is not only clearly defined but actively used as a competitive advantage. Frameworks established by Abu Dhabi Global Market and Dubai’s VARA have created a structured path for exchanges, custodians, and service providers to operate under institutional-grade standards. In that context, partnerships like this one are less about branding and more about plumbing. Crypto-fiat conversion remains a friction point for users and businesses, particularly when compliance, liquidity, and local banking access are involved. Regulated entities that can reduce that friction without triggering regulatory risk are in demand. By working with a locally authorised platform like Changer, Crypto.com gains a regulated entry point into UAE-specific workflows. For Changer, access to Crypto.com’s global infrastructure could support scale without compromising local compliance requirements. Investor Takeaway This is infrastructure-focused, not retail hype. The value is in regulated crypto-fiat flow, not new tokens or trading features. How this fits Crypto.com’s regional strategy Crypto.com has spent the past several years prioritizing regulatory approvals and local partnerships over rapid, lightly regulated expansion. In the Middle East, that approach has translated into a preference for jurisdictions like the UAE, where digital asset rules are explicit and enforcement is predictable. Executives from Crypto.com framed the partnership as part of a broader effort to align with the UAE’s policy direction, which emphasizes innovation alongside oversight. The repeated emphasis on “regulated” services is deliberate. Institutional users in the region increasingly require counterparties that can demonstrate both local authorization and global compliance standards. For Changer, the partnership reinforces its positioning as a compliant, ADGM-authorised platform focused on custody, wallets, and fiat access — areas that tend to generate steady, lower-risk revenue compared to pure trading. What happens next — and what could slow it down Any concrete rollout will depend on regulatory clearance. MoUs are common in the UAE digital asset sector and should be read as intent rather than execution. Integration timelines, product scope, and commercial terms remain undefined. That said, the direction is clear. Abu Dhabi Global Market continues to attract crypto firms looking for a jurisdiction that supports institutional-grade activity without regulatory ambiguity. Partnerships that stay within that framework are more likely to progress than those attempting to stretch it. For the broader market, the deal reflects a maturing phase in crypto’s regional development. Growth is increasingly coming from infrastructure, compliance, and fiat connectivity rather than speculative trading volume. Investor Takeaway UAE crypto growth is shifting toward regulated rails and custody. Platforms aligned with that shift are better positioned for durable, institutional-driven demand.

Broadridge Financial Solutions has completed its acquisition of Acolin, a European specialist in cross-border fund distribution and regulatory services, strengthening its ability to support asset managers as they expand internationally. The deal builds on Broadridge’s existing funds, issuer, and data-driven solutions business, adding Acolin’s established distribution and compliance infrastructure across Europe. The combination is designed to simplify how asset managers register, distribute, and maintain investment funds across multiple jurisdictions. With regulatory complexity increasing and distribution becoming more fragmented across borders, the acquisition positions Broadridge to offer a more integrated, end-to-end solution spanning the entire fund lifecycle. Expanding Cross-Border Distribution Capabilities Acolin brings a strong European footprint to Broadridge’s platform. The Zurich-based firm serves more than 350 clients and provides access to over 3,000 distributors across more than 30 countries, supporting fund registrations, legal representation, and ongoing compliance. By combining Acolin’s distribution and regulatory technology with Broadridge’s analytics and investor communications, asset managers can centralize oversight of fund launches and cross-border operations. This integration aims to reduce friction, shorten time to market, and improve scalability for global fund strategies. Michael Tae, Group President of Funds, Issuer, and Data-driven Solutions at Broadridge, said: “The combination of Acolin's proven distribution and compliance technology with our existing analytics and investor communications will allow Broadridge to deliver more extensive regulatory and fund compliance services across the fund lifecycle from creation and registration to ongoing distribution.” Data-Driven Fund Lifecycle Management The acquisition also strengthens Broadridge’s data-driven approach to fund management. By unifying regulatory data, distributor access, and investor communications, asset managers gain clearer visibility into where and how their products are distributed. This centralized model is intended to help firms align product development with regional demand, regulatory requirements, and distribution opportunities. As fund structures grow more complex, the ability to manage compliance and reporting at scale becomes a critical differentiator. “Together, our capabilities will let asset managers centrally manage the lifecycle of fund launches and enable them to create the right products, at the right time, and for the right markets,” Tae added. Strategic Fit for a Global Fintech Platform For Broadridge, the acquisition reinforces its role as a core infrastructure provider to the global asset management industry. The firm already underpins trillions of dollars in daily trading activity and processes billions of communications each year across equities, fixed income, and other securities. Adding Acolin’s cross-border expertise enhances Broadridge’s ability to serve asset managers operating in increasingly international and regulated environments, particularly in Europe, where compliance and distribution requirements vary widely by jurisdiction. As asset managers continue to pursue growth beyond their home markets, Broadridge’s expanded platform is positioned to support that expansion with integrated technology, regulatory coverage, and data-driven insight across the full fund distribution value chain.