STARTRADER has launched a refreshed brand identity as it seeks to strengthen its position in the global brokerage market and reinforce its long-standing focus on trust and client relationships. The firm said the repositioning introduces a cleaner, more minimal design direction aligned with its new tagline, “Built on Trust. Driven by Growth.”  The company said its updated visual identity features calmer colour palettes and simplified compositions aimed at creating a more confident and client-centric experience. According to STARTRADER, the rebrand reflects a broader shift in its mission and vision, with greater emphasis on accessibility, transparency and long-term partnerships.  The firm said the updated image aligns closely with ongoing improvements to its product offering, noting that growth must remain “grounded in client needs, confidence and consistency.” Internally, the changes are designed to give teams a clearer framework for delivering consistent interactions across departments. STARTRADER said staff play a “central role” in bringing the brand evolution to life. The updated identity is expected to roll out across digital platforms, communications, sponsorships, and client and partner engagements throughout the year.  STARTRADER added that the rebrand marks the beginning of a wider evolution the company expects to build on as it moves further into 2026. The post STARTRADER Unveils New Brand Identity appeared first on LeapRate.

VSI Securities, formerly known as Venecredit Securities, has been censured and fined $20,000 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority after the firm failed for years to disclose its own disciplinary history in key regulatory documents. According to a settlement published by FINRA, VSI failed to include required information in its customer relationship summary, known as Form CRS, from June 2020 until August 2025.  Regulators said the firm omitted mandatory disclosures about its legal and disciplinary history, despite rules requiring full transparency for retail investors. FINRA said VSI “willfully violated” Section 17(a)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act and Exchange Act Rule 17a-14, as well as FINRA Rule 2010, by filing and delivering Forms CRS that excluded legally required information.  The regulator noted that Form CRS must clearly answer whether a firm or its financial professionals have reportable legal or disciplinary history, and must include specific headings and “conversation starters” for clients. VSI initially filed its Form CRS in April 2020 but failed to respond “Yes” to the disciplinary-history question, even though prior disclosures existed. Subsequent amendments in 2023 and 2025 continued to omit a proper response, with the firm incorrectly stating that neither the firm nor associated individuals had any disclosures. The firm corrected the document only in August 2025 and re-delivered it to all customers. VSI, which has one office in Miami and seven registered representatives, agreed to the sanctions without admitting or denying the findings. The post FINRA Fines VSI Securities for Failing to Disclose Disciplinary History appeared first on LeapRate.

FINRA has fined Penserra Securities, LLC $40,000 and issued a censure after the broker-dealer sent around 41,000 inaccurate trade confirmations to institutional clients over a two-year period. According to the regulator’s Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, the firm sent confirmations between May 2022 and May 2024 that either displayed an average price when trades were executed at a single price, or failed to indicate that quoted prices were averages for multiple executions.  FINRA said the errors breached Exchange Act Rule 10b-10 as well as FINRA Rules 2232 and 2010. The regulator noted that Penserra had received written warnings in 2020 and 2022 over similar issues but failed to implement sufficient corrective measures. Around 38,000 inaccurate confirmations involved multiple-price trades where Penserra’s systems incorrectly generated single-execution data, omitting required average-price disclosures.  A further 3,000 confirmations, relating to single-execution trades, falsely suggested multiple executions due to legacy system codes. FINRA added that Penserra also violated supervisory requirements under Rule 3110 by failing to maintain adequate written procedures and oversight to ensure confirmation accuracy.  It claimed the firm’s supervisory framework did not sufficiently cover different trading platforms or ensure broad, detailed reviews. Penserra has since updated its systems, implemented new order-entry processes and provided staff training, according to the filing. The post Penserra Securities Fined Over Thousands of Inaccurate Trade Confirmations appeared first on LeapRate.

Mogo Inc. has rebranded as Orion Digital Corp., marking what the company described as its transition into a founder-led, multi-engine digital finance platform spanning wealth management, payments and digital assets.  The company’s shares will begin trading under the ticker ORIO on Nasdaq and the Toronto Stock Exchange from 2 January 2026. Orion Digital believes the new name reflects its evolution into a business built on recurring revenues, global infrastructure and disciplined capital allocation. It now operates across three core areas: Intelligent Investing, Carta Worldwide and its Bitcoin Treasury. Co-founder and president Greg Feller stated that “Orion Digital reflects who we are now and where we’re going,” citing years of restructuring into high-leverage businesses aligned under a unified strategy.  Orion Digital continues to build its Bitcoin reserves after becoming one of the first Nasdaq-listed companies to adopt Bitcoin as part of its corporate treasury in 2020. Co-founder and chief executive David Feller noted that the long-term goal is “to build durable businesses that create lasting value.” The firm emphasised that its founders have not sold shares in more than 20 years, underscoring what it describes as enduring alignment with shareholders. The post Mogo Renamed Orion Digital in Shift to Multi-Engine Finance Platform appeared first on LeapRate.

TradingView has expanded its market coverage with the launch of Euronext Milan futures data, giving traders access to a wider set of derivatives instruments from one of Europe’s major exchange operators. The integration enables users to track futures linked to Italian stocks, indices and bonds. TradingView said the update will help investors deepen their analysis of price action, risk management and strategy development, with real-time data available through market subscriptions and delayed data accessible to all users via its Supercharts interface. Euronext operates exchanges in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan, Dublin, Lisbon and Oslo, offering trading, clearing and listing services across equities, derivatives, ETFs, commodities and bonds. TradingView said the addition of Milan futures strengthens its role as a global hub for multi-asset market data. The update also includes access to expired contracts, allowing traders to review historical price behaviour, backtest strategies and assess long-term trends.  To access the contracts, users can search for symbols within the platform, select the Futures tab and filter for Italy. The post TradingView Adds Euronext Milan Futures to Platform appeared first on LeapRate.

Doo Group has expanded its presence in Hong Kong after revealing that its subsidiary, Doo Money Lender Limited, has secured a Money Lenders Licence issued by the Licensing Court of the Hong Kong Companies Registry.  The licence, numbered 1151/2025, grants the company formal approval to operate a full range of money-lending services in compliance with local regulation. Doo Money Lender Limited, established in November 2024, forms part of Doo Group’s payment and exchange division, Doo Payment.  The company has built a specialist team focused on delivering flexible lending solutions for both retail and corporate clients. Its newly granted licence allows it to offer unsecured personal loans, property mortgages and customised corporate financing across the Hong Kong market. The subsidiary said that adherence to Hong Kong’s Money Lenders Ordinance ensures transparency and legality across its credit products. Doo Group added that the regulatory approval enhances the safety and privacy protections available to borrowers while strengthening confidence in its wider financial offering. Doo Group plans to integrate the lending business with its existing global operations in brokerage, wealth management and payments, creating what it describes as a more coherent, one-stop financial ecosystem for clients’ investment, working-capital and asset-management needs. The post Doo Group Subsidiary Secures Hong Kong Money Lender Licence appeared first on LeapRate.

SogoTrade has agreed to pay a $75,000 fine and accept a censure after the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority found the online brokerage had failed to maintain adequate market-access risk controls and supervisory procedures for several years. The settlement, outlined in a Letter of Acceptance, Waiver and Consent, relates to failures dating from January 2018. FINRA said SogoTrade did not establish or document controls designed to prevent erroneous orders, in violation of U.S. securities laws and FINRA rules.  It also claimed the broker did not conduct required annual reviews of its market-access controls or obtain compliant chief-executive certifications between 2018 and 2024. According to FINRA, SogoTrade’s systems for blocking orders that exceeded appropriate price or size limits were not reasonably designed and lacked documented rationale.  Its single-order quantity and notional-value thresholds were set too high to prevent erroneous trades, and for much of the period, certain controls applied only to low-touch electronic orders rather than higher-touch trades submitted through its desk. FINRA also found the firm did not maintain adequate written supervisory procedures describing its controls. Under the settlement, SogoTrade must certify within 60 days that it has remediated the failures and implemented a supervisory system designed to meet regulatory requirements. FINRA may request further evidence of remediation. The firm, which has been a member since 1986, did not admit or deny the findings but agreed not to contest them.  The post FINRA Fines SogoTrade $75,000 appeared first on LeapRate.

Mastercard released its SpendingPule report on December 23, revealing that U.S. retail sales rose 3.9 per cent year-on-year during the holiday trading period as shoppers combined online browsing with in-store purchases.  According to the preliminary data from Mastercard, the figures, covering 1 November to 21 December and excluding automotive sales, showed e-commerce rose 7.4 per cent while in-store spending increased 2.9 per cent.  Mastercard said consumers shopped early, made use of promotions and continued to seek convenience. Michelle Meyer, chief economist at Mastercard Economics Institute, said shoppers “demonstrated flexibility and confidence”, blending channels to secure value. The data showed apparel spending climbed 7.8 per cent, supported by seasonal deals and colder weather. Online apparel sales rose 8.5 per cent, while in-store spending increased 7.0 per cent. Jewellery sales were up 1.6 per cent. Dining also remained a significant part of holiday activity, with restaurant spending rising 5.2 per cent as consumers prioritised shared experiences and social gatherings. Mastercard highlighted that artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping retail behaviour. Its AI Enthusiasm Index suggests the United States is a global leader in AI adoption, influencing areas such as personalised recommendations and inventory management.  The company said deeper integration of AI is likely to make shopping “even more seamless and experiential”. With several days still remaining in the season when the data were compiled, Mastercard said the trends pointed to a continued shift toward omnichannel shopping and experience-led spending. The post Mastercard Says U.S. Holiday Sales Rose 3.9% as Shoppers Blend Online and High-Street Spending appeared first on LeapRate.

Belgravia Hartford Capital has signed a non-binding letter of intent with DelphX Capital Markets to collaborate on the first commercial QCS transaction, the Canadian investment issuer said on Monday. Under the proposed arrangement, Belgravia is expected to become the inaugural corporate purchaser of a QCS collateralised put option, a structure designed to protect corporate bitcoin treasury holdings.  The transaction remains subject to definitive documentation, regulatory approval and market conditions, and the companies cautioned that there is no assurance it will be completed. Belgravia is also expected to provide advisory and structuring support for the planned launch of QCS products, including programme documentation, compliance processes and coordination with the designated placement agent.  The LOI is non-binding except for confidentiality, regulatory and disclosure provisions and may be terminated at any time. DelphX develops structured products through its vehicle Quantem LLC, enabling broker-dealers to offer new private placement securities.  Its collateralised put options are designed to provide secured protection against bond-rating downgrades or losses on cryptocurrency holdings. Its collateralised reference notes allow investors to assume capped downgrade or crypto-loss exposure in return for enhanced yields.  All instruments are fully collateralised and held in custody by U.S. Bank. Belgravia said its investment strategy focuses on cryptocurrencies, artificial intelligence, media and digital-streaming opportunities. It invests across public and private companies but warned that its holdings are high-risk and may expose shareholders to volatility and losses. The post Belgravia Hartford Signs LOI to Support DelphX’s First Crypto-Linked QCS Transaction appeared first on LeapRate.

GSTechnologies announced on Monday that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Finferno, a Poland-registered Virtual Asset Service Provider, as the fintech group seeks to accelerate the expansion of its digital asset operations across Central Europe.  The deal, funded entirely from existing cash resources, involves the purchase of Finferno’s entire issued share capital for an undisclosed sum. The company said the acquisition will support the growth of its GS Fintech division, which focuses on digital asset exchange and wealth-management services.  It is also expected to enable GST to pilot new products and services in Poland, a market the group views as increasingly attractive due to strong economic growth forecasts and rising cryptocurrency adoption. GST described the acquisition as a strategic move to strengthen its presence in regions where digital-asset uptake is expanding rapidly. The company said Poland and wider Central Europe offer significant long-term opportunities, reflecting both consumer adoption trends and a supportive operating environment. Tone Goh, Chairman of GST, said he was “very pleased to be announcing the acquisition of Finferno, which will add to GST’s growing digital asset capabilities.”  He added that the transaction aligns with plans to grow the group’s international footprint in markets with strong potential, adding that Poland and Central Europe “offer attractive opportunities” for investment. The post GSTechnologies to Acquire Polish Virtual Asset Service Provider Finferno appeared first on LeapRate.

BGC Group reaffirmed its revenue and pre-tax Adjusted Earnings guidance for the final quarter of 2025, maintaining the outlook first issued alongside its financial results on 6 November.  The company said its forecasts for the three months to 31 December remain unchanged, with details available in its earlier release. In its Q3 earnings release, BGC said it expects revenue for Q4 to be between $720 million and $770 million, above the $572.3 million reported in Q4 2024.  Meanwhile, the company expects Q4 2025 pre-tax adjusted earnings to be between $152.5 million and $167.5 million, above the $129.5 million reported in Q4 last year.  The update reiterated BGC’s reliance on several non-GAAP performance metrics that the group uses to assess underlying operating trends. These include pre- and post-tax Adjusted Earnings, Adjusted EBITDA, Liquidity and Constant Currency revenue comparisons.  BGC also highlighted its use of Constant Currency reporting to strip out the impact of FX volatility on period-to-period comparisons, particularly given the company’s exposure to euro and sterling revenues. The group said these measures should be viewed as supplementary to GAAP results rather than replacements. The post BGC Reaffirms Fourth-Quarter 2025 Outlook appeared first on LeapRate.