“The data is what matters,” said Brendan Callan, CEO of TRADU, referring to how execution quality and flow analysis are reshaping broker–liquidity provider relationships.At the Finance Magnates London Summit 2025, Callan spoke in an interview with Finance Magnates, conducted by Jonathan Fine, about the firm’s strategic priorities for 2026 and his critical view of the fast-growing funded trading segment.Speaking after winning the summit’s first prop trading debate, Callan discussed the distinction between traditional proprietary trading and challenge-based funded models, the evolving role of data in liquidity relationships, and TRADU's plans to expand its global listed products offering.TRADU is a multi-asset broker and trading platform offering CFDs and real-stock investing in one ecosystem. It is backed by the Stratos Group and Jefferies Financial Group and regulated in several jurisdictions including an EU and UK.Funded Trading Models Under Scrutiny Calllan drew a clear distinction between established proprietary trading firms and what is commonly referred to as the funded trading or “challenge” industry. “There’s prop trading and then there’s the challenge in the funded industry,” Callan said, adding that he does not consider challenge-based funded accounts equivalent to traditional proprietary trading. He stressed that his criticism is not aimed at professional proprietary traders, but at business models built around repeated evaluations rather than long-term trading performance. “I don’t like the name, of course — not the actual proprietary traders, the master geniuses — the funded accounts,” he said. TRADU, Callan confirmed, does not plan to enter the funded trading space. Expanding Global Market Access in 2026 Looking ahead, Callan highlighted a major expansion of TRADU's listed products business as a core focus for 2026. “We have a big upgrade coming in the new year for our listed products offering,” he said. Currently offering US equities, TRADU plans to broaden its coverage in the first half of next year to include Canada, Japan, the UK, Europe, and Australia. The expansion will also extend beyond equities to include options, ETFs, and bonds. “We’ll be offering the equities as well as options, ETFs, and bonds,” Callan said, describing the rollout as the firm’s next major milestone.Liquidity Relationships in a Data-Driven Environment Operating under the FXCM Pro brand, TRADU provides execution and clearing services across FX, CFDs, and listed markets, working with hedge funds, brokers, and institutional clients. Callan addressed ongoing industry discussions around automation, execution analytics, and the role of human relationships in liquidity provision. “The data is what matters,” he said. While emphasising the continued importance of relationships with liquidity providers, Callan noted that LPs are ultimately focused on flow quality and execution metrics. “At the end of the day, their concern — rightfully so — is going to be the type of flow that we’re externalising,” he said, pointing to the importance of attribution, markouts, and execution analysis. According to Callan, successful liquidity management increasingly depends on combining strong partnerships with rigorous data-driven oversight. A Cautious Message for the Industry Concluding the discussion, Callan returned to the message that defined his position during the prop trading debate. “Beware prop trading, beware funded accounts,” he said. He added that the industry should remain critical of models that prioritise marketing narratives over sustainable trading outcomes. “Let’s not try to perpetuate this nonsense,” Callan said, referring to practices he believes do not meaningfully support traders or the broader market. Despite his scepticism, Callan praised the broader industry dialogue at FMLS and highlighted the value of debate in addressing structural issues. “I think that’s a format that you should stick with,” he said of the debate, calling it engaging and beneficial for industry discussion. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

Payop, a global payment service provider powering alternative payments for online businesses, today announced the appointment of Natalia Lukianova as Chief Operating Officer (COO). Lukianova will oversee risk and compliance, operational efficiency, data-driven decision-making, financial oversight, and partner management. “Operational excellence is how we protect conversion for our merchants,” said Anastasiia Semenkova, CEO of Payop. “Natalia brings a builder’s mindset and a track record of scaling high-performing teams. She’ll help us deliver faster decisions, sharper SLAs, and a better experience for every merchant.”“I’m excited to focus on the things merchants feel immediately – quicker onboarding, clearer communication, and fewer payment hiccups,” said Nataliia Lukianova, COO of Payop. “My priority is simple: make every step from integration to reconciliation effortless and transparent.”About Nataliia LukianovaNataliia Lukianova joined Payop in September 2022 as an Operations Manager. She has 6 years of experience in payments and fintech operations, covering risk and compliance, operational efficiency, data-driven decision-making, financial oversight, and partner management. Lukianova graduated from the Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman with a Bachelor's degree in Management and Administration.Later, she completed advanced training at the Academy of Financial Monitoring under the program on the prevention and counteraction of legalisation (laundering) of criminal proceeds, terrorist financing and financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. She also holds the ACAMS as a certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist. About PayopPayop https://payop.com/ is a global payment service provider helping online businesses accept and optimise alternative payments across markets. With 200+ local methods, 100+ currencies, and coverage in 170+ countries, Payop focuses on conversion, reliability, and transparent operations. PSP offers a wide selection of payment methods: Pay by Bank, regional bank transfers, cash vouchers, e-wallets and crypto payments. All integrated through a single API with real-time transaction tracking and advanced anti-fraud tools. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Pepperstone CEO Tamas Szabo recently sounded an alarm many brokers quietly share: taking down typosquatted domains has become an almost daily task. Even after securing more than a hundred domain variations, new lookalikes still appear fast enough to occupy an entire fraud team, he said. Typosquatting is not a scam in itself, but one of the most common entry points used by scammers — a technical tactic that enables phishing, impersonation and broader fraud schemes.And this is not an isolated Pepperstone problem — it’s an industry-wide escalation. Brokers across the market report a sharp rise in brand impersonation through lookalike domains, driven by AI-assisted cloning, and the near-zero cost of registering new domains. What used to be an occasional nuisance has become a continuous operational threat. The scale of the issue is visible in the numbers. “Today, our team identifies new suspicious domains almost every week. Three or four years ago, these cases were sporadic,” said Shawn Young, Chief Analyst at MEXC Research. Pepperstone reports similar patterns. According to Sarah Rockett, Legal Counsel at the broker, the firm now uncovers one to three typosquatted websites every week, underscoring how persistent and systemic these attacks have become. The growing frustration across the industry is also directed at the domain ecosystem itself. In a recent LinkedIn poll shared by Szabo, 97% of 102 respondents said registrars should do more to block cybersquatters — reflecting a sentiment widely echoed in compliance and legal teams. Against this backdrop, the mechanics of typosquatting matter less for their simplicity and more for their scalability. One mistyped letter or deceptive variation is enough to redirect a trader to a cloned login, a fake app, or a phishing funnel built to harvest credentials at industrial speed. That dynamic explains why certain industries, brokers in particular, are disproportionately exposed.Why Brokers Are the Perfect TargetTyposquatting affects every sector, but not equally. According to IBM research, in 2023, over 20% of all brands impersonated through this technic belong to financial services, second only to IT and far ahead of retail, telecom, or transportation.This pattern is confirmed by fresh industry data. According to a 2023–2024 report by Akamai, more than 36% of all traffic to typosquatted domains targets financial institutions, making finance the most abused sector online.This imbalance is not accidental. The structure of the brokerage business puts them at the forefront of this never-ending war. Here are factors that amplify the risk:Money. Brokers hold exactly what typosquatters want: client funds and account credentials. The financial upside per victim is significantly higher than in most other sectors.Trust. A broker’s entire value proposition rests on trust, and typosquatters leverage that trust against the broker. No need to persuade anyone to send money to a stranger: they intercept users who are already trying to reach the brand. Traders come pre-sold.Complexity. The digital-first model brokers rely on also introduces friction and confusion. When users land on a page with a slightly misspelt address, they often see no visible difference from the legitimate site. New users can hardly distinguish between official onboarding steps and fake ones, making cloned login pages or phishing prompts significantly more effective.A recent LinkedIn example illustrates how blurred the lines can become: an affiliate openly described running multiple landing pages under lookalike broker domains to capture traffic by building a funnel nearly identical to the real thing. He claims that he has over 40 domains under one broker’s name.What Are the Consequences for Clients and Brokers?For clients, the damage is immediate. Many victims genuinely believe they are interacting with their broker until their credentials are stolen or their accounts drained. In most cases, funds are unrecoverable, because they interacted with typosquatters instead of regulated and reputable entities.For brokers, however, the stakes are even higher. One fraudulent domain can trigger cascading damage across multiple fronts.The Cost SpiralTyposquatting generates continuous operational costs. Fraud teams must investigate incidents, escalate takedown requests, work with registrars, review evidence, and communicate with impacted customers. Legal teams are often required for UDRP filings or coordination with law enforcement.Young describes the workload clearly: “Each case requires anywhere from a few hours to several days of operational effort, depending on the registrar’s response time and the sophistication of the attack.”Crypto exchanges are, of course, not immune to the risk. Bitget’s security team reports facing these incidents daily, noting that modern impersonation campaigns often expand beyond typosquatted domains to include hijacked social media accounts, fake apps, and spoofed SMS messages.Trust ErosionOnce a victim interacts with a fake site, the financial and reputational damage is pinned to the real broker, not the scammer — few users will stop to analyse whether a typo in the address bar was to blame. That erosion of trust is far harder to repair than any technical breach.Pepperstone underscores that reputational harm outweighs all other consequences. According to Rockett, “The reputational damage is the most significant consequence. When the public is defrauded through impersonation sites, they often contact us believing the activity was carried out by us.” She adds that this not only undermines client trust but also burdens the team with investigations and support for individuals who may have already lost funds.Revenue LeakageStanislav Galandzovskyi, acquisition and growth expert in fintech who worked with brands such as NAGA and Zilch, highlighted a major hidden cost: “Some brokers assume traders will click their organic results anyway. But when typosquatters bid on your brand, your real site may not even appear on the first screen.This means they can hijack not only organic searches but also paid traffic - diverting advertising budgets into fraudulent funnels and driving up CPC for the real brand.Beyond lost traffic, typosquatting incidents trigger broad internal disruption. Fraud, compliance, marketing, support, legal and IT security teams are often pulled into emergency response, halting projects and stretching resources across the organisation.Regulatory FrictionEven when brokers are the victims, typosquatting incidents often trigger additional scrutiny. Firms must demonstrate that they took “reasonable steps” to protect clients producing documentation, internal procedures, and evidence of proactive brand protection. At the same time, regulatory tools remain largely reactive by design. Warnings and blacklists usually appear only after investors have already been targeted. CySEC Chair Dr. George Theocharides has acknowledged this limitation openly: “No matter what regulators do, there will always be someone who finds new ways to deceive investors.” This creates a structural gap: brokers are expected to prevent damage in real time, while enforcement mechanisms inevitably lag behind fast-moving typosquatting campaigns.What to Do? A Survival Guide for Brokers and TradersTyposquatting isn’t something a broker can eliminate entirely, but it can be managed. Effective protection requires a combination of proactive controls, monitoring, legal readiness, and clear communication.Proactive domain registrationRegistrations of common misspellings and alternative extensions reduce easily exploitable opportunities. According to Galandzovskyi, this is one of the tools available for brokers. He mentioned one company that bought over 600 domains to reduce impersonation risks - a costly but effective measure.Branded search campaigns also act as a defensive layer, keeping the official site above fraudulent ads - a small cost compared to the impact of impersonation.Continuous Monitoring and Fast TakedownsPepperstone’s legal team notes that the main bottleneck often comes not from registrar responsiveness but from the legal thresholds embedded in the domain ecosystem. The firm now outsources takedowns to a third-party provider simply because of volume. “Registrars are generally responsive, but they aren’t required to take action without a court order or a UDRP complaint,” said Rockett, “This is why we go to hosting providers first.” While many hosting providers cooperate, Rockett notes that some ignore takedown requests or operate in jurisdictions without DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act)-style laws, forcing brokers into slow and costly UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) proceedings.Modern tools help by tracking new domain registrations and detecting lookalikes early, but Pepperstone stresses that human reporting remains essential: employees and clients still identify a large share of fraudulent sites. Early Detection Signals and the Limits of External Alerts Technology alone is not enough. Marketing teams increasingly act as an early-warning layer. As Galandzovskyi notes, search-monitoring platforms often reveal impersonation attempts before domains even go live: “If CPC suddenly spikes and CTR drops, it may signal someone is bidding on your brand - often attackers.” He argues that the biggest mistake is reacting only after an incident has already begun, rather than monitoring brand mentions and cloned pages continuously. Regulators help but are inherently reactive. They publish alerts on clone firms almost daily, yet these lists appear only after users have already been targeted, which is why brokers cannot rely on regulatory notices alone and must maintain real-time internal monitoring. Client communication and education Both MEXC and Bitget stress that proactive client education - highlighting common phishing patterns, pointing customers to verified channels, and reinforcing safe login habits - significantly reduces successful attacks. Many firms now maintain verification hubs where users can check domains, emails, or social accounts, and some implement anti-phishing codes in every official email. Ignoring negative reviews or scam complaints is risky: both app stores and clients may interpret silence as acknowledgment or even complicity. Consistent, transparent communication remains one of the strongest defences brokers can deploy.​ This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

With the launch of Discover, a unified market intelligence hub, PrimeXBT is aligning itself with a broader industry trend toward building all-in-one trading ecosystems rather than standalone execution platforms. The new feature brings real-time pricing, technical analysis, and an economic calendar directly into the trading interface. The approach reflects a wider shift among brokers to embed research tools in-platform, reducing reliance on external services and keeping traders within a single environment. Available on both web and mobile, Discover combines three core components: live pricing across tradable assets, technical trade ideas powered by third-party provider Trading Central, and a macroeconomic calendar that tracks upcoming releases alongside volatility indicators. How Discover Is Structured Trading Central supplies PrimeXBT’s technical analysis layer, including bullish and bearish scenarios, price targets, and pivot levels. PrimeXBT has disclosed that it does not guarantee the performance of these trade ideas, a standard compliance approach when using third-party research providers. The economic calendar covers major global releases, displaying forecasts, historical data, and realised figures, while the Markets section offers a real-time overview of price movements and 24-hour changes across asset classes.A Broader Industry Shift Toward In-Platform Research Rather than positioning research as a separate workflow, PrimeXBT is integrating it into the trading experience itself — a move increasingly seen across the brokerage sector. Interactive Brokers, for example, offers Trading Central-powered ideas and economic insights within its Client Portal, allowing traders to move from analysis to execution without leaving the platform. AvaTrade integrates technical analysis, trading ideas, and a country-filtered economic calendar into its interface. The common goal across these implementations is not to replace external research tools entirely, but to minimise friction — reducing the need for traders to jump between charts, calendars, and execution platforms. Retention as the Strategic Driver For brokers, the motivation goes beyond convenience. Integrating research tools directly into the trading environment is increasingly seen as a retention strategy. When analysis, trade ideas, and macro context live inside the platform, traders are less likely to rely on third-party tools that can weaken platform loyalty. For introducing brokers and affiliates, this tighter integration can also translate into longer session times and more consistent client activity. In this sense, PrimeXBT’s move fits into a wider trend often described as the “amazonification” of financial platforms: expanding adjacent functionality to turn trading venues into self-contained ecosystems rather than single-purpose execution tools. PrimeXBT operates in more than 150 countries and offers forex, CFDs on indices, commodities and equities, crypto futures, and spot crypto trading through its proprietary PXTrader platform and MetaTrader 5. Funding is supported in both fiat and cryptocurrencies. This article was written by Tanya Chepkova at www.financemagnates.com.

CFI Financial has gone live with eKey for Business in Bahrain through an integration with Beyon Connect. The company recently launched in the Kingdom and becomes “the first investment platform” in Bahrain to use eKey for Business, also known as EKEY-B.Bahrain's First eKey Investment OnboardingEKEY-B is the national biometric digital identity and electronic know-your-customer platform for the private sector. It was developed by Beyon Connect in cooperation with the Information & eGovernment Authority. The platform forms part of Bahrain’s eKey 2.0 programme, which is intended to extend “passwordless, and consent-based digital identity services” from the public sector to private companies.Yaseen Alsamerrai, CFI Country Chief Executive Officer in Bahrain, said the company was “pleased to embrace eKey for business” and that the integration supports a “fast, secure, and intuitive trading experience.”Biometric onboarding meets Central Bank complianceThrough the integration, CFI Financial now provides a fully digital onboarding process using 3D facial biometrics. The process removes passwords, one-time passcodes, and manual document uploads. The companies said the onboarding process is designed to be secure and simple for new clients, relying on Bahrain’s national digital identity infrastructure.CFI said the system supports compliance with the Central Bank of Bahrain’s KYC requirements and aligns with the Personal Data Protection Law. Christopher Hild, Chief Executive Officer of Beyon Connect, said the adoption reflects “the growing momentum behind Bahrain’s digital identity ecosystem.” Beyon Connect delivers eKey for Business on behalf of the Information & eGovernment Authority. The service remains a central element of the eKey 2.0 framework, which applies across both public and private sectors.Q3 Trading Activity Shows GrowthAlongside its eKey rollout in Bahrain, CFI Financial reported increased trading activity in the third quarter of 2025. The group’s trading volume reached USD 1.55 trillion, up 3% from the previous quarter and 54% higher than the same period last year, with September accounting for USD 625 billion. Active clients rose 28% year-on-year, and funded accounts increased 27% compared with 2024.The group expanded operations in Bahrain and Colombia and maintained brand visibility through ambassador programs. CFI also partnered with Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi as its Official Online Trading Partner. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Swissquote is looking for a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to run its South African operations, a role that will focus on expanding the bank's network of wealth managers and institutional clients across the region.Jan De Schepper, who leads digital banking app Yuh and serves as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for Swissquote Group, announced the opening on LinkedIn, calling Cape Town "one of my favorite cities". The position reports to the local board of directors and works closely with executive management in Switzerland.The Swiss bank wants someone with a background in digital banking and offshore solutions who can grow its institutional and B2B2C business. Swissquote operates its South African subsidiary as a commercial hub while booking all client accounts in Switzerland.Regional Hub for Offshore BankingSwissquote entered South Africa in March 2024 by acquiring Optimatrade Investment Partners, a Cape Town company that had worked as an introducer broker for more than ten years. The deal gave Swissquote a Financial Sector Conduct Authority license and a local presence to serve clients looking to move assets offshore.Michael Hunziker currently serves as Director and Head of South Africa at the subsidiary. De Shepper told FinanceMagnates.com: “It has always been the plan that Michael Hunziker will leave the company after a transition period of at least three years (planned for Q1 2027)."“Now is the time to start planning his succession carefully to ensure that the new CEO benefits from a long introduction phase. Internal candidates are favored.”Brokers Pile Into South African MarketThe recruitment drive comes as multiple brokers expand their presence in South Africa. Exness opened a regional hub in Cape Town in November 2025, with co-founder and CEO Petr Valov saying the company sees "immense potential in Sub-Saharan Africa." Capital.com applied for a South African license in December 2025 as part of its global expansion strategy, while EBC Financial received FSCA approval last November.Not everyone is betting on the market. IG Group exited South Africa in May 2025, closing domestic accounts while allowing South Africans to keep accounts under offshore entities. The moves highlight how brokers are splitting on whether to serve clients through local licenses or offshore structures.Institutional Growth TargetsThe new CEO will be tasked with building relationships with wealth managers, family offices, and professional investor networks. Swissquote wants to position itself as the go-to provider for South Africans diversifying assets internationally.South Africa's digital banking market ranks second globally on Oliver Wyman's index, ahead of the UK and Germany. The country scores particularly high in end-to-end sales capabilities, though banks there still lag in areas like robo-advisory services.Swissquote posted record results in the first half of 2025, with net revenue hitting CHF 358.2 million and pre-tax profit reaching CHF 185 million. The bank has been expanding aggressively, recently taking full ownership of Yuh after buying out PostFinance's stake.The article was updated on Jan. 12 at 1125 CET to include a comment from the CMO on the future of the company's current branch Director. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

ATFX Connect has released the Q1 2026 edition of Institutional Edge, its institutional insights publication, examining the forces shaping global markets as investors enter a year defined by heightened volatility, policy divergence, and shifting currency dynamics. The edition is designed to support institutional decision-making by translating complex macro developments into practical considerations for risk management, positioning, and execution.What Institutional Investors Can Gain from This EditionThe latest edition of Institutional Edge provides institutional clients with:Actionable insights and clear frameworks to navigate FX volatility and currency riskStrategic guidance on managing the US dollar’s growing influence across asset classesExpert analysis covering equities, FX pairs, precious metals, and energy marketsBuilding on these benefits, the publication opens with a Global Market Outlook that highlights key macro risks, including debt sustainability, trade friction, and currency realignment. It offers practical guidance on managing exposure and execution quality in an environment where the US dollar remains a major driver of volatility.Commenting on the macro environment shaping markets in Q1 2026, Professor Trevor Williams, Consultant Economist at ATFX Connect, said:“As we enter Q1 2026, global growth is expected to hover around 3%, but challenges remain. Advanced economies are slowing, long-term yields are stubbornly high, and global debt levels continue to rise. With exchange rate volatility and trade frictions adding to the uncertainty, the key question is—how will investors balance easing policies, debt management, and shifting currencies in the months ahead?”The edition also features expert insights across major asset classes, covering US and European stock indices, key FX pairs such as EURUSD and GBPUSD, precious metals like gold & silver, and energy markets with crude oil. These insights combine macroeconomic context with technical and tactical perspectives relevant to professional investors. Institutional Edge reflects ATFX Connect’s commitment to delivering timely, institutional-grade market solutions through multi-asset prime brokerage and Prime of Prime services, supporting clients navigating fast-changing global markets.This Q1 2026 edition of Institutional Edge is now available to institutional and professional investors worldwide via the ATFX Connect website: ATFX Connect Institutional Edge Q1 2026.About ATFX ConnectATFX Connect is a trading name of AT Global Markets (UK) Limited (authorised and regulated by the FCA), AT Global Markets (Australia) Pty Limited (authorised and regulated by ASIC), and AT Global Financial Services (HK) Limited (authorised and regulated by the SFC). Connect is the Institutional arm of the wider ATFX Group.ATFX Connect offersInstitutional and Professional traders an extensive range of services for both Agency PB and Margin accounts, provides bespoke aggregated liquidity in Spot FX, NDFs, indices, Commodities and Precious metals to a wide range of institutional clients from hedge funds, Tier 1 and regional banks, high net worth investors, asset managers, family offices and other brokers. ATFX Connect's liquidity pool is constructed from Tier 1 banks and non-bank providers that it has partnered with, trading in both sweepable and full amount forms. Agency PB Clients can connect via direct FIX API, external technology solutions or via our own trading platform. For margin clients, ATFX Connect provides market access via the group's MT4/MT5 platform and provides a bridge solution for those who wish to connect via FIX API.For further information on ATFX Connect, please visit ATFX Connect website https://www.atfxconnect.com. This article was written by FM Contributors at www.financemagnates.com.

Advanced Markets (UK) Limited, the FCA-regulated subsidiary of the broader Advanced Markets Group, posted a 52% revenue jump in 2024 but saw profits flatline, according to unaudited financial statements filed with Companies House.Advanced Markets UK Revenue Climbs 52% as Margins TightenThe UK subsidiary of the fintech firm reported turnover of £2.75 million (approximately $3.5 million) for the year ended December 31, 2024, up from £1.81 million in 2023. Net profit held nearly steady at £152,551, down just 0.6% from the prior year's £153,470.The stagnant profit picture came despite the strong revenue growth, as cost of sales climbed to £2.55 million from £1.66 million, a 54% increase that outpaced revenue gains. However, tax expense jumped to £51,288 in 2024 from £12,521 in 2023, eating into pre-tax profit of £203,839. The company generated £6,318 in interest income during the year, down from £11,669 in 2023.Diverging Financial PerformanceThe 2024 results show a different trajectory from the previous year, when Advanced Markets UK saw profits drop 69% despite a revenue surge to $2.26 million in 2023. That year marked a period of adjustment as the company scaled its UK operations.Advanced Markets has been building out its UK presence, including hiring Oksana Remez from Finalto in December 2024 to oversee global sales strategy and lead business development efforts. The appointment signaled the company's intent to expand its UK footprint even as it trimmed headcount elsewhere in the operation.The company's balance sheet shows total assets of £19.08 million at year-end 2024, up from £13.21 million in 2023. Cash holdings nearly quadrupled to £3.85 million from £1.06 million, while debtors rose to £15.23 million from £12.15 million. Trade creditors increased to £16.99 million from £11.28 million.Advanced Markets UK filed the accounts under the small companies regime, exempting them from a formal audit under section 477 of the Companies Act 2006. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Gold price surged to a new all-time high of $4,568.36 per troy ounce today (Monday), January 12, 2026, rising 1.28% as investors fled to safe haven assets amid an unprecedented crisis at the Federal Reserve. Silver outperformed with a dramatic 4.54% surge to $83.58, extending its extraordinary rally that has seen the white metal gain 181.78% over the past year. The precious metals surge came after federal prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell, raising alarming questions about central bank independence and triggering a flight to safety across global markets.In this article, I explain why gold prices are rising and what is driving the recent gains in silver. I analyze the XAU/USD and XAG/USD charts and examine how high gold and silver could climb in 2026, based on expert forecasts.Why Gold Is Surging? Fed Independence CrisisGold surged to a new all-time high of $4,563.61 per ounce on Monday, January 12, 2026, rising more than 1% as spot prices hit their first record high of the year. The rally was propelled by safe-haven demand following an unprecedented development: federal prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.Powell revealed Sunday evening that the U.S. Department of Justice had issued subpoenas to the Federal Reserve and threatened a criminal indictment related to his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee in June 2025 concerning a $2.5 billion renovation of the Fed's Washington, DC headquarters. In a remarkable video statement, Powell characterized the investigation as a "pretext" stemming from his ongoing conflict with the Trump administration over interest rates."The threat of criminal charges arises from the Federal Reserve determining interest rates based on our best judgment of what serves the public, rather than aligning with the President's preferences," Powell stated in his late Sunday announcement. In the meantime, silver rocketed 4.54% to $83.58 per troy ounce.In response to the dynamic growth of precious metals, retail trading firms, including CFD brokers, are reacting. Some are raising the available leverage, while others are warning against excessive volatility. Gold Technical Analysis: $5,000 Next TargetAs a result of the above, gold is entering the price discovery phase again. However, today's close above the previous ATH will be crucial. This will be confirmation that gold is ready to continue climbing northward.How high? Technical analysis does not provide us with a crystal ball. However, using Fibonacci extensions, we see that the potential level for further growth coincides with the $5,000 threshold, where the 100% extension falls. Many large financial institutions also mention this level in their analyses and forecasts.As I show on my chart, the October peak around $4,360 and the 50-day exponential moving average (50 EMA) around $4,255 per ounce will serve as important support levels.At the same time, according to my technical analysis, bulls will only have reasons for concern after a decline below $3,730 per ounce, where the 200-day exponential moving average (200 EMA) currently sits. This would be a signal for me that we are returning to a downtrend and a stronger correction will take place.However, the current enthusiasm suggests that this scenario is very far from being realized.Key Gold Technical LevelsCurrent structure:Current price: $4,568 (new ATH, price discovery phase)Next target: $5,000 (100% Fibonacci extension)Support 1: $4,360 (October 2025 peak)Support 2: $4,255 (50-day EMA)Critical support: $3,730 (200-day EMA - bearish invalidation)Trend status: Bullish until break below 200 EMASilver Technical Analysis: $88 Target as Metal Outperforms GoldSilver's chart is rising even more strongly than gold, gaining over 5% on Monday and testing levels above $84 per ounce, slightly exceeding the peaks reached on December 29. the same day when gold reached its previous highs. Some time ago, I stretched the Fibonacci extension grid on silver's uptrend from April to the October peaks at $54 per ounce, followed by the corrective decline that lasted for the next 2 weeks. It indicated a 100% Fibonacci extension around $72. This target has already been achieved with a significant surplus.The next target level is the 161.8% extension, which falls a few dollars above current levels, around $88 per ounce. However, some experts have a much more bullish view on silver forecasts relative to the US dollar.The only thing I would consider dangerous on the chart is the price running away from the main moving averages. The 50 EMA is located around $64, and the 200 EMA around just $48, which shows how dynamic the recent uptrend has been.It's worth reminding that in 2025, silver gained 150%, and just since the beginning of this year, it's already up another 17%—equivalent to what the S&P 500 gained over the last 12 months.Key Silver Technical LevelsCurrent structure:Current price: $83.58 (exceeding December 29 highs)Next target: $88 (161.8% Fibonacci extension)Previous target: $72 (100% Fibonacci - exceeded)Support 1: $64 (50-day EMA - significantly below)Support 2: $48 (200-day EMA - shows trend strength)2025 performance: +150%2026 YTD: +17% (matches S&P 500's entire 2025 gain)Warning: Large distance from moving averages suggests overextension riskOver the past month, silver's price has risen 30.50%, and is up 181.78% compared to one year ago. This extraordinary performance reflects both safe haven demand and robust industrial fundamentals.Expert Gold Price Predictions: $5,000-$6,000 TargetsMajor financial institutions and expert analysts have released updated gold price forecasts for 2026, with most clustering around the $5,000 level that my Fibonacci analysis targets.Realistic Scenario: $5,000 Per OunceBogusz Kasowski, professional trader and founder of Surowcowe.info, explains: "Realistic perspective for gold is around $5,000 per ounce, driven by central banks, Federal Reserve, and individual investors."Rafał Rak, leader of communication at InstaForex, notes that "banks have been modest so far and talked about $5,000. Goldman Sachs and other large institutions as well, but I think they may change recommendations higher."Extreme Scenario: $6,000+ Per OunceThe most aggressive forecast relates to potential geopolitical escalation around Greenland. Kasowski explains: "In such a case, $6,000 would be the absolute minimum, because we would have a reshuffling of the entire policy that has functioned since the 1940s."The scenario envisions President Trump's administration taking military action to acquire Greenland from Denmark. "What does this mean in practice? NATO collapse. This would be an attack on an allied state, Denmark, a NATO and European Union member," Kasowski warns.Greenland holds strategic significance on the missile route between Russia, China, and the United States, is rich in rare earth metals, and controls the Northern Route—a year-round trade corridor maintained by atomic icebreakers enabling China-Russia cooperation."Either you take the money we want to pay you, or we'll enter anyway. This is a situation that will push gold prices up because it would be a total destruction of order when the United States enters the territory of a semi-autonomous NATO state," Kasowski adds.Major Bank Gold ForecastsGoldman Sachs predicts gold will reach approximately $4,900 per ounce by the end of 2026, supported by continued central bank purchases. JP Morgan Private Bank analysts are more optimistic, forecasting an average price of $5,055 in the fourth quarter of 2026, with potential peaks reaching $5,200-$5,300 per ounce.Deutsche Bank raised its average 2026 gold price forecast from $4,000 to $4,450 per ounce, citing continued diversification of reserves by central banks and stabilizing demand from investors. Bank of America estimates the average 2026 gold price at $4,538 per ounce, assuming central bank and investor purchases averaging approximately 566 tons quarterly.For retail traders, the challenge is less about identifying the target and more about execution: sizing, drawdown tolerance, and timing entries in volatile conditions. These execution-level questions are increasingly being addressed in live environments, including trader-focused sessions at Dubai’s Trading Festival, where strategies are dissected beyond headline price targets.Silver Price Prediction: Robert Kiyosaki's $200-$500 Targets"Rich Dad Poor Dad" author Robert Kiyosaki has been vocal about silver's potential, issuing a series of predictions as the metal rocketed toward $80 in late December.On December 29, as silver approached $80, Kiyosaki posted on social media: "SILVER BREAKS $80.00. $200 NEXT?" The bold prediction came just before a brief correction that validated his earlier caution.SILVER BREAKS $ 80.00$200 NEXt ?— Robert Kiyosaki (@theRealKiyosaki) December 28, 2025Two days earlier, on December 28, Kiyosaki had warned followers about "FOMO Fear of Missing Out MANIA" and advised patience: "If you are planning on investing in silver be patient. Wait for a crash then GO or NO." The subsequent pullback from $83 to $70 vindicated that warning, though prices quickly recovered.Kiyosaki has previously predicted silver would reach $500 from $100 within a year, representing a 5x return for investors who positioned themselves correctly.Expert Silver OutlookRak from InstaForex explains: "Silver can rise more than gold this year, especially since the growth parity hasn't been filled yet and governments haven't stockpiled silver" like they have with gold. This creates significant catch-up potential.Bogusz Kasowski addresses concerns about market manipulation following exchange margin requirement increases: "We had a reduction from the $83 peak to $70, everyone screamed it was the end of silver and the bull market. But if the price rises 60%, then corrects 15%, we still have plus 45%."The manipulation attempt on the American exchange, which raised collateral requirements for silver, failed to trigger a market collapse. Kasowski notes the correction was brief, with silver quickly recovering to new highs.You may also like my previous articles on silver and gold price predictions:FAQ: Why Gold and Silver Are SurgingWhy is gold surging today?Gold surged to $4,568 all-time high on January 12, 2026, driven by criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jay Powell raising independence concerns, geopolitical tensions (Iran military operations, Greenland crisis), and safe haven demand. According to my technical analysis, gold entered price discovery phase targeting $5,000 (100% Fibonacci extension) with support at $4,360 and $4,255.Why is silver surging more than gold?Silver gained 5% to $83.58 on January 12, 2026, outperforming gold's 1.6% rise. According to my analysis, silver targets $88 (161.8% Fibonacci extension) after gaining 150% in 2025 and 17% in 2026 YTD. matching S&P 500's entire 2025 gain. How high can gold go in 2026?According to my technical analysis using Fibonacci extensions, gold targets $5,000 (100% extension). Expert predictions: Goldman Sachs $4,900, JP Morgan $5,055-$5,300, realistic consensus $5,000 driven by central bank buying (566 tons/quarter) and Fed cuts. Extreme Greenland escalation scenario could push gold to $6,000+ per Kasowski analysis from Surowcowe.info.How high can silver go in 2026?According to my chart analysis, silver's next target is $88 (161.8% Fibonacci extension) from current $83.58 levels. Robert Kiyosaki predicts $200 near-term and $500 long-term. Experts note silver has upside potential versus gold given governments haven't stockpiled silver like gold, plus strong industrial demand fundamentals supporting structural deficit.What is gold price prediction for 2026?Major bank forecasts cluster around $4,900-$5,300: Goldman Sachs $4,900 year-end, JP Morgan $5,055 Q4 average with $5,200-$5,300 peak potential, Deutsche Bank $4,450 annual average, Bank of America $4,538. Realistic expert consensus $5,000 based on central bank buying and Fed policy. Extreme geopolitical scenario targets $6,000+.What is silver price prediction for 2026?According to my technical analysis, immediate target $88 (161.8% Fibonacci extension). Robert Kiyosaki forecasts $200 next milestone, previously predicted $500 from $100 within a year. Experts expect silver to outperform gold due to industrial demand growth (AI data centers, solar panels), market deficit, and lower institutional ownership creating catch-up trade potential.For real-time gold and silver analysis as prices target $5,000 and $88 respectively, follow me on X (Twitter) @ChmielDk. I provide technical breakdowns, Fibonacci projections, institutional forecasts, and trading insights on precious metals and crypto markets. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Plus500 (LSE: PLUS) reported approximately half of its OTC revenue in 2025 came from customers who have been trading on the platform for more than five years, doubling the 24 percent share recorded three years earlier.The disclosure appeared in the company's year-end trading update today (Monday) and marks a rare public metric for a CFD broker, an industry historically questioned over short customer lifecycles and churn. The London-listed fintech posted revenue of roughly $792 million and EBITDA of around $348 million for the year ended December 31, both ahead of Bloomberg consensus estimates of $757.7 million and $345.8 million respectively.Three years ago, customers trading for more than five years contributed just under a quarter of OTC revenue. By last year, that figure had climbed to 50 percent.Customer Base Shrinks, But Quality ImprovesPlus500 onboarded about 104,500 new customers during 2025, down from 118,010 the prior year. Active customers declined slightly to approximately 242,000 from 254,138 in 2024. However, the company's average user acquisition cost fell by more than 10 percent year-over-year.The company ended the year with cash balances of roughly $800 million and no debt, after distributing about $380 million to shareholders through dividends and buybacks. Plus500 allocated $200 million to share repurchase programs during the year, bringing total shareholder returns to $365 million.On a constant currency basis, Plus500's EBITDA for 2025 was approximately 8 percent higher than the prior year. The company maintained an EBITDA margin of around 44 percent.Two B2B Deals in US Futures SpacePlus500 secured clearing partner status for the CME Group and FanDuel prediction market platform, which went live last month. The fintech will provide brokerage execution and clearing services for FanDuel Prediction Markets, operating as the infrastructure layer behind event-based contracts targeting US retail customers.The arrangement with CME and FanDuel followed an October partnership with Topstep, a Chicago-based trading education and evaluation platform. Under that deal, Plus500 acts as the exclusive provider of clearing and technology infrastructure for Topstep Brokerage.Both partnerships position Plus500 as a B2B infrastructure provider in the US futures market, an area the company has targeted for expansion. The broker is a clearing member of CME Group Exchanges and Kalshi Exchange.Geographic Expansion ContinuesPlus500 secured new regulatory licenses in the UAE and Canada during 2025 and received authorization from the Colombian Financial Superintendence to establish a representative office, marking the company's first entry into Latin America. The group now holds 16 regulatory licenses globally.The broker previously became a clearing member of ICE Clear Europe, allowing it to offer access to European energy and carbon derivatives markets. Plus500 plans to publish its full preliminary results for 2025 on February 9. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Coinbase appears to be launching its services under its Cyprus-regulated entity, as its website has recently gone live and shows “perpetual-style and traditional expiry futures contracts” as part of the offering.Coinbase Puts Its MiFID II Licence to UseFinanceMagnates.com reported early last year that the American crypto exchange obtained a MiFID II licence by acquiring the Cyprus-regulated unit of BUX, which was offering contracts for differences (CFDs) to retail customers.The licence allows Coinbase to offer over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives across the European Economic Area.It has also closed all BUX Cyprus accounts.Although Coinbase obtained the MiFID II licence in 2024, it has not yet launched any services under the regulated framework. While the website of its Cyprus unit is now live, the exchange has yet to make any formal announcement.The offerings under the Cyprus-regulated entity will include perpetual and traditional futures contracts, as well as nano-sized futures contracts. The platform will offer leverage of up to 10x on perpetual contracts.At launch, the platform is expected to offer a total of 31 derivatives, including a mix of perpetual and traditional contracts, as shown on the website. It will offer derivatives linked to popular cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, and XRP, as well as memecoins, including SHIB and DOGE.The markets will be open around the clock; however, they will be closed every Friday from 21:00 to 22:00 CET, with an additional three-hour maintenance window each quarter.FinanceMagnates.com approached Coinbase for details about its European offerings, but had not received a response at the time of publication.Crypto Exchanges’ Interest in the European Derivatives MarketMeanwhile, Coinbase is not the only crypto exchange targeting European traders with crypto derivatives. Kraken also acquired a Cyprus-based firm and launched crypto derivatives under a MiFID II licence last year. Other crypto firms that have obtained a European crypto licence include Crypto.com and OKX. Gemini is also seeking the same licence from Malta.Although these exchanges currently appear to be focused on crypto futures and perpetual contracts, the licence also allows them to offer CFDs to their users. This article was written by Arnab Shome at www.financemagnates.com.

Tennessee's Sports Wagering Council sent formal cease-and-desist letters last week to Kalshi, Polymarket, and Crypto.com, accusing the platforms of running unlicensed sports wagering operations disguised as event contracts.The orders require the companies to stop offering sports-related contracts to state residents, void all pending contracts, and issue full refunds by January 31.Tennessee Orders Kalshi, Polymarket, Crypto.com to Stop Sports BettingExecutive Director Mary Beth Thomas wrote in the letters that the platforms' sports event contracts fail to meet state consumer protection requirements and pose "an immediate and significant threat to the public interest of Tennessee". All three companies operate as designated contract markets registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), but Tennessee regulators say federal registration doesn't exempt them from state gambling licensing requirements.Under the state's Sports Gaming Act, any entity accepting wagers on sporting events must hold a Tennessee-issued license. None of the three platforms has obtained one. The council warned that continued operations could trigger civil penalties starting at $10,000 for a first violation and climbing to $25,000 for subsequent offenses. The state also threatened criminal referrals for aggravated gambling promotion, which carries felony charges under Tennessee law.Prediction Markets Face Growing State ResistanceTennessee joins at least 10 other states that have taken action against prediction market platforms over the past year. Nevada, Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, Montana, and Ohio previously sent cease-and-desist orders to Kalshi. A federal court in Nevada ruled in November that sports event contracts qualify as gambling, stripping away the platforms' argument that CFTC registration provides federal protection from state enforcement.Connecticut issued similar orders in December to Robinhood, Kalshi, and Crypto.com, becoming the tenth state to challenge the platforms. Wisconsin's Ho-Chunk Nation also sued Kalshi and Robinhood in August, claiming the platforms violated federal gaming laws and tribal sovereignty.The Tennessee order appears to be the first state-level enforcement action specifically targeting Polymarket. The platform re-entered the U.S. market last year after acquiring derivatives exchange QCX for $112 million and currently offers only sports-related contracts to American users.Federal vs State Authority Battle IntensifiesThe platforms maintain that CFTC oversight as designated contract markets allows them to operate nationwide regardless of state gambling restrictions. Kalshi has filed federal lawsuits challenging cease-and-desist orders, arguing states lack authority over federally regulated derivatives exchanges. Crypto.com took Nevada to court in June over similar restrictions, claiming the state improperly blocked its federally regulated contracts.State officials counter that prediction markets drain tax revenue from licensed sportsbooks while bypassing consumer protections like age verification, responsible gaming protocols, and anti-money laundering measures. Tennessee currently licenses 12 sports betting operators and collected taxes on over $305 million in July 2025 wagers alone. Thomas has said unlicensed offshore and unregulated platforms account for roughly 30% of missing state tax revenue.What Happens Next?Tennessee's deadline gives the platforms three weeks to comply or face escalating financial penalties and potential criminal prosecution. Legal experts expect Kalshi to file a federal lawsuit challenging the order, following the company's pattern in other states. The CFTC recently advised its registered exchanges and clearing organizations to account for state regulatory actions with appropriate contingency planning and risk management procedures. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Elon Musk’s X is planning to add a Smart Cashtags feature for cryptocurrencies next month, which could allow users to buy and sell crypto directly from the social media platform. However, details about the in-app trading feature remain unclear.You may also like: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Moved $1 Billion Through UK Crypto ExchangesAnother Step Towards Making Crypto MainstreamIn an X post yesterday (Sunday), the social media platform’s Head of Product, Nikita Bier, revealed that Smart Cashtags would allow X users to “specify the exact asset (or smart contract) when posting a ticker.”“From the timeline, users will be able to tap them to see their real-time price, along with all mentions of that asset,” he added.The social media platform is aiming for a public release of this new feature next month.X is the best source for financial news -- and hundreds of billions of dollars are deployed based on things people read here.We are building Smart Cashtags that allow you to specify the exact asset (or smart contract) when posting a ticker. From Timeline, users will be able to… pic.twitter.com/nFtuA2ISqJ— Nikita Bier (@nikitabier) January 11, 2026Although Bier did not mention anything about in-app trading, a screenshot of the Smart Cashtag shared by him included buy and sell buttons. However, it remains unclear how in-app trading on X would work, including whether trades would be routed to a third-party crypto exchange.X has about 700 million active users worldwide. A direct crypto trading feature on the platform could make crypto more accessible to a large user base. However, localisation and infrastructure challenges remain unclear.[#highlighted-links#] Re-Purpose of an Old FeatureThe Cashtag feature on X is not new. The platform first added this feature in December 2022 to show price charts for Bitcoin, Ether, and other top stocks and exchange-traded funds. The feature was initially introduced in partnership with TradingView and later with eToro to add price charts and additional data.The latest announcement of Smart Cashtags appears to be another step in Musk’s plan to turn X into an all-in-one app, where financial services will play a key role. The platform has also secured money transmission licences in about two dozen US states, but has yet to launch any payment-related features.In mid-last year, media reports suggested that X was preparing to roll out trading and payment features as part of a broader push into financial services. As part of this plan, X intends to introduce X Money, a digital wallet and peer-to-peer payment service. The platform is expected to launch first in the United States, with Visa as its initial partner. This article was written by Arnab Shome at www.financemagnates.com.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) shifted roughly $1 billion in cryptocurrency through two exchanges registered in the United Kingdom between 2023 and 2025, according to blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, which published its findings this week.The platforms, Zedcex and Zedxion, processed transfers that enabled the sanctioned military organization to move funds across borders despite Western financial restrictions. TRM's analysis found IRGC-linked activity represented 56% of total volume across both exchanges during the period examined.How Britain's Crypto Exchanges Became Iran's Sanctions Workaround"The $1 billion figure over two years demonstrates that digital currencies are becoming a financial channel for Iran's shadow banking apparatus," Miad Maleki, a former US Treasury official who worked on Iran sanctions efforts, told the Washington Post.Transaction flows tied to the Revolutionary Guard jumped from approximately $24 million in 2023 to $619 million in 2024, when they accounted for 87% of all activity on the platforms. Volume dropped to around $410 million in 2025 as non-IRGC transactions increased.The exchanges operated as a single business despite maintaining separate UK corporate registrations, TRM researchers determined. Nearly all transfers moved through Tether's USDT stablecoin on the Tron blockchain, a combination offering deep liquidity and low transaction costs.Tether has previously taken proactive steps to align with US sanctions policies, freezing dozens of wallets linked to illicit activities. The company told the Washington Post it "takes any allegation involving terrorist financing extremely seriously" and maintains a zero-tolerance policy, investing heavily in monitoring tools and working closely with law enforcement.Israeli authorities had previously flagged many of the wallet addresses involved. The National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing issued an administrative seizure order in September 2025, designating 187 wallet addresses as IRGC property. Tether subsequently blocklisted many of these wallets.Financier With Sanctions History Linked to OperationsCorporate filings connect the exchanges to Babak Zanjani, an Iranian businessman whom US and EU authorities sanctioned in 2013 for helping Iran sell oil on global markets during earlier restrictions. Those sanctions were lifted in 2016 as part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear agreement.Zanjani was convicted in Iran of embezzling more than $2 billion from the National Iranian Oil Company and sentenced to death. After repaying the funds, his sentence was commuted in 2024 and he was released from prison, the Washington Post reported.UK records show someone named Babak Morteza, matching Zanjani's birth date information, served as director of Zedxion Exchange Ltd after its May 2021 incorporation. Zedcex Exchange Ltd was established in mid-2022, using the same virtual office address and successor director. Both companies filed dormant accounts through June 2025, reporting no active trading operations in the UK.Direct Transfers to Houthi FinancierBlockchain records show more than $10 million moving directly from wallets attributed to both Zedcex and the IRGC to addresses controlled by Sa'id Ahmad Muhammad al-Jamal, a Yemeni businessman whom US Treasury sanctioned in 2021 for smuggling Iranian fuel to fund Yemen's Houthis, according to the Washington Post.The pattern resembles activities at Russia's Garantex exchange, which US authorities sanctioned in August 2025 for processing more than $100 million in illicit transactions, and North Korean entities using crypto for weapons programs.TRM's on-chain analysis also showed funds originating from Zedcex-linked infrastructure reaching several of Iran's largest domestic cryptocurrency exchanges, including Nobitex, Wallex, and Aban Tether. Nobitex suffered an $82 million cyberattack in June 2025 claimed by an Israeli-linked hacking group.Snir Levi, founder of Israeli crypto analysis firm Nominis, told the Washington Post that an initial analysis by his firm based on the same public data also found the exchanges were used by the Iranian military organization, linking at least $150 million in IRGC transactions."Iranian-linked actors, including sanctioned military organizations, appear to be testing more persistent crypto infrastructure," said Ari Redbord, global head of policy at TRM Labs.The UK Treasury's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation declined to comment, as did Iran's mission to the United Nations and the exchanges themselves. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

Bitcoin (BTC) trades at $90,605 today (Sunday), January 11, 2026, attempting a modest 0.24% rebound after experiencing five consecutive days of declines. The world's largest cryptocurrency remains trapped in a prolonged consolidation pattern, down approximately 28% from its October 2025 all-time high of $126,198. While many investors ask why Bitcoin is going down, the answer lies in critical technical breakdowns that point toward significantly lower prices ahead. Potentially $68,000 to $74,000 according to my weekly chart analysis.In this article, I explain why Bitcoin is falling and why it could drop by another 25%. Check out my technical analysis of the BTC/USDT chart, based on more than a decade of experience as a trader and analyst.Why Bitcoin Is Falling? Weekly Chart Technical BreakdownBitcoin has experienced five consecutive days of declines and during Sunday’s session attempted a modest 0.3% rebound, changing hands at just under $91,000. On the daily chart, we remain in the same consolidation and nothing particularly interesting is happening.For a fresh perspective, I decided to look at a slightly broader interval, namely the weekly chart, which brings interesting observations from a technical analysis point of view.As I show on the weekly chart, we see exactly the same consolidation pattern and support zone defined by April 2025 lows between $78,000 and $74,000. As a reminder, $74,000 is my bearish target that I have mentioned many times in recent weeks, where I expect reaccumulation after weak hands are shaken out and a return to growth.However, the weekly chart reveals that this $74,000 zone could significantly expand when looking at local peaks drawn from March to July 2024. According to my analysis, the $68,000 level particularly catches my attention, representing the July 2024 highs, which currently coincides with the 200-week exponential moving average, which price last tested nearly three years ago. Breaking above it was the official start of the uptrend that pushed Bitcoin's price from $23,000 to $123,000.The fact that we dropped below the 50-week moving average for the first time since October 2023 also gives much to think about and suggests that price may again head toward the longer-term 200-week average I mentioned. This would expand my bearish target nominally by $6,000, meaning Bitcoin could fall 25% from current levels to test the $68,000 zone.Read more about Bitcoin here:BTC Key Technical LevelsCurrent structure:Current price: $90,605 (modest Sunday bounce)50-week MA: Broken for first time since October 2023200-day MA: $106,421 (significantly above current price)Year low: $74,437 (April 2025 support)Downside targets:Primary target: $74,000 (April 2025 lows, initial reaccumulation zone)Extended target: $68,000 (July 2024 highs + 200-week EMA confluence)Potential decline: 25% from current $90,605 levelsSupport zone expansion: March-July 2024 local peaks create $68K-$78K bandThe 200-week exponential moving average represents a critical historical support level. Three years ago, when Bitcoin reclaimed this moving average, it marked the beginning of a massive rally from bear market lows around $23,000 all the way to the October 2025 all-time high of $126,198. Major corrections typically revisit these long-term moving averages to reset sentiment and create sustainable foundations for the next bull phase.If you found this Bitcoin technical analysis valuable, follow me on X (Twitter) @ChmielDk for real-time market updates, in-depth crypto analysis, and trading insights. Crypto Influencers Back $64K-$68K Bitcoin PredictionsMy weekly chart analysis showing $68,000-$74,000 downside targets isn't an isolated bearish view. Several prominent crypto influencers and traders have recently published remarkably similar predictions, creating an emerging consensus around major support in the mid-to-high $60,000 range.James Wynn published a prescient call on December 17, 2025: "$67,000 $BTC. 200 day moving average on the weekly there. Said it since $120k. That's the next major support channel. You have to hit them to have that 'flush' / 'reset'. - Wynn"$67,000 $BTC 200 day moving average on the weekly there. Said it since $120k. That's the next major support channel. You have to hit them to have that 'flush' / 'reset'. - Wynn— James Wynn (@JamesWynnReal) December 17, 2025His $67,000 target aligns almost perfectly with my $68,000 extended support zone at the 200-week EMA. Brannigan Barrett also provided detailed bearish analysis on January 8, 2026, noting current price action weakness: "BTC price action continues with weak efforts to bounce. This is not a market to be long. As I mentioned last year, $68k is likely to be tested. This is the 24' election breakout. Sentiment remains sour and is confirmed by the markets inability to bounce, despite being oversold."BTC price action continues with weak efforts to bounce. This is not a market to be long. As I mentioned last year. $68k is likely to be tested. This is the 24' election breakout. Sentiment remains sour and is confirmed by the markets inability to bounce-despite being oversold.… pic.twitter.com/6XlKUbWvyp— Brannigan Barrett (@Trader_Bran) January 8, 2026Barrett's $68,000 target matches my extended support analysis precisely, referencing the 2024 election breakout level that now serves as major historical support. His timeline suggests several more weeks of consolidation before the eventual breakdown toward $68,000.Perhaps the most detailed bearish roadmap comes from coko.nad, who outlined a multi-stage decline scenario on January 5, 2026: "Now, changed my mind about Bitcoin. I am now expecting $98K - $99K. Then hard crash to $77K. Horizontal and no-vol phase between $77K - $83K. Then, drop to $64K - $66K. Here is 1.5-2 month plan."Why Bitcoin Can Fall Further? Fundamental HeadwindsBeyond technical analysis, several fundamental factors support the thesis that Bitcoin is going down and has further to decline before bottoming.Macro Environment Remains ChallengingDespite the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates by 175 basis points cumulatively over 2024-2025, bringing the target range to 3.50-3.75%, monetary conditions remain restrictive for risk assets. The dollar has strengthened against major currencies, creating headwinds for dollar-denominated assets like Bitcoin. Equity markets show stretched valuations with ongoing concerns about artificial intelligence investment sustainability, factors that typically pressure Bitcoin given its high correlation to risk-on assets.Market Structure DeteriorationInstitutional forecasts showing BTC hitting only $150K in 2026 reflect growing caution among sophisticated market participants. Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) companies that accumulated massive Bitcoin holdings during 2024-2025 have largely exhausted their buying power as valuations became unsupportive of additional capital raises.Technical Necessity of Deeper CorrectionFrom a pure technical perspective, Bitcoin's failure to test the 200-week EMA for nearly three years represents an anomaly. Historically, major bull markets experience periodic corrections to long-term moving averages that serve as "trend separators" between bull and bear market conditions.How Low Can Bitcoin Go? $68K-$74K Target ZoneAccording to my technical analysis, Bitcoin's downside targets break into two distinct levels:Primary target: $74,000Represents April 2025 yearly lows last tested during spring correctionInitial reaccumulation zone where weak hands begin capitulating17.5% decline from current $90,605 levelsFirst major test of whether buyers defend 2025 lowsExtended target: $68,000July 2024 local highs now serving as supportCoincides with 200-week exponential moving average (untested for three years)Historical significance as launchpad for $23,000-$123,000 rally24.9% decline from current levels (25% round-number correction)Likely triggers maximum capitulation and final flushAs I show on the weekly chart, the $68,000 level represents convergence of multiple technical factors: July 2024 resistance-turned-support, the critical 200-week EMA, and March-July 2024 consolidation peaks. This confluence creates a high-probability zone for trend reversal after capitulation.What Happens at $68K-$74K Support?Based on historical precedent and market cycle dynamics, the expected scenario at major support involves:Phase 1 - Initial test ($74,000): Brief stabilization as some buyers defend April 2025 lows, followed by breakdown as selling pressure overwhelms demandPhase 2 - Acceleration ($74K → $68K): Rapid decline as stop-losses trigger and leveraged positions liquidate, creating panic sellingPhase 3 - Capitulation ($68,000): Maximum fear and weak hand exits at 200-week EMA, creating classic "V-bottom" or extended base formationPhase 4 - Reaccumulation: Institutional buyers and long-term holders accumulate aggressively at attractive valuations, absorbing selling pressurePhase 5 - Recovery: Return to growth as technical structure improves, moving averages reclaim, and momentum shifts bullishThis process typically takes several weeks to months, suggesting Q1 2026 correction followed by Q2 2026 reaccumulation and potential Q3-Q4 2026 return to all-time high territory.FAQ: Why Bitcoin Is Going DownWhy is Bitcoin going down today?Bitcoin is declining due to breakdown below the 50-week moving average for the first time since October 2023, weak bounce attempts despite oversold conditions, and technical targeting of the 200-week EMA at $68,000. According to my weekly chart analysis, current consolidation suggests continuation toward $68,000-$74,000 support zone where reaccumulation is expected.How low can Bitcoin go in 2026?According to my technical analysis, Bitcoin targets $74,000 (April 2025 lows) with extended support at $68,000 (July 2024 highs + 200-week EMA), representing potential 25% decline from current $90,605 levels. coko.nad predicts even lower targets of $64,000-$66,000 in 1.5-2 month scenario, while James Wynn targets $67,000 and Brannigan Barrett expects $68,000 test.Will Bitcoin crash to $60,000?My primary targets are $74,000 and $68,000 based on weekly chart support confluence and 200-week EMA location. coko.nad's $64,000-$66,000 scenario represents deeper extension beyond 200-week EMA but remains within historical correction ranges. Sub-$60,000 would require breakdown of all major 2024 support levels, which seems unlikely based on current technical structure.When will Bitcoin stop falling?According to my analysis, significant support and reaccumulation expected at $68,000-$74,000 zone where 200-week EMA and April 2025/July 2024 historical levels converge. Brannigan Barrett suggests "continue consolidation range between 80-94k for a few more weeks" before breakdown, while coko.nad outlines 1.5-2 month timeline to final lows. Expect capitulation and reversal in Q1 2026.Is this a Bitcoin bear market?Breaking below 50-week MA (first since October 2023) signals correction phase rather than full bear market. According to my weekly chart analysis, testing 200-week EMA at $68,000 is necessary for trend reset and healthy market structure. Expect reaccumulation at major support before growth resumes, similar to historical patterns where 200-week EMA tests marked bottoms before major rallies. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

IG Group veteran Adam Blemings departsThe new year has begun with fresh movement in the executive ranks. IG Group’s Trading Director, Adam Blemings, left the London-listed broker after nearly two decades. He stepped down as 2025 drew to a close, ending a long tenure that saw him become one of the company’s most experienced trading leaders.Blemings said his IG career concluded “just shy of the 20-year milestone,” reflecting on the period as “a hell of a ride” and expressing gratitude for the many talented people he worked with over the years. He added that many former colleagues have become friends, underscoring the strong personal and professional ties built during his time at the broker.Learn more about Adam Blemings' exit from IG.Ex-FCA associate Bruno Almeida joins Sucden FinancialAt the same time, Sucden Financial appointed Bruno Almeida as its new Chief Financial Officer. Almeida joined the multi-asset broker in 2024 as director of regulatory and financial risks — a role the firm created specifically for him.Before joining Sucden, he oversaw finance operations for the UK, Middle East, and Africa region at FNZ Group. CEO Marc Bailey said Almeida has already made a strong impact at Sucden Financial, particularly through his work enhancing the company’s capital and liquidity risk management systems and processes. Show more about Bruno Almeida's transition to Sucden Financial.CFI appoints ex-Hantec CTO as senior tech advisorCFI Financial Group has named veteran FX technologist Michael O’Sullivan as its new Senior Technology Advisor, strengthening its technology leadership as the company fine-tunes its multi-region trading infrastructure.Based in Dubai, the broker brings in O’Sullivan following his extensive experience in senior roles within the retail FX and CFD space. He will focus on enhancing operational efficiency and supporting the group’s regional technology framework across the markets where CFI delivers its trading services.Display more about CFI's appointment of ex-Hantec CTO as senior tech advisor.Karen King joins BMLLElsewhere, BMLL Technologies appointed Karen King as its new Head of Sales for the Asia Pacific region. Based in Hong Kong, King will focus on building BMLL’s client base across the region and guiding the company’s growth strategy in Asian markets.The hire comes just two months after Nordic Capital acquired BMLL, in a transaction that also involved existing minority shareholder Optiver.Disclose more about Karen King's move to BMLL.Ex-B2C2 sales exec joins RobinhoodLastly, Zeke Vince joined Robinhood as Global Head of Business Development for Institutional Crypto. His appointment signals the company’s continued push to strengthen its position in digital assets and attract more institutional clients to its growing crypto business.The move follows Robinhood’s strong financial performance last year, when it reported quarterly revenue of $1.01 billion—well above market expectations. Crypto trading was a key driver of that growth, generating $358 million in revenue and surpassing the firm’s options segment.Highlight more about Zeke Vince's transition to Robinhood. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Google allows ads for prediction marketsThe calendar has flipped to 2026 and markets have wasted no time in setting a new tone. Google will allow prediction market ads in the U.S. only for firms under federal oversight, drawing a clear line between CFTC-regulated event contracts and binary options, which will remain banned. Under the new rules, regulatory status becomes the key condition for accessing Google’s advertising inventory. However, Google is not positioning itself as a financial regulator.FundingTicks faces backlash over rule changeIn the prop trading space, Futures prop trading platform FundingTicks recently faced intense criticism from traders on social media after reportedly introducing a minimum one-minute trade hold time and applying the change retroactively to existing accounts. Many users say the shift disrupted active strategies such as scalping and argue that altering rules after trades were placed created confusion and losses.Silence!!!! No never, in fact I’m someone who paid out more than 220M US-Dollars, all without glimpse of an eye and while putting my traders always first and in heart. Am I always right? Ofc not, is my job as the CEO the easiest and simplest as yall think in a tweet?? NO!!…— Khaled (@Khldfx) December 23, 2025However, In response to the uproar, CEO Khaled issued a detailed message defending the firm’s record, saying he has paid out more than US$220 million and has always put traders first.Prop firm Match tracked $325M in 2025 trader payoutsProp firm payouts to traders in 2025 are widely debated, but Prop Firm Match estimates that firms collectively paid out nearly 325 million dollars over the year.The figures come from the site’s own payout tracker, which compiles self-reported data from prop trading companies. According to the tracker, Dubai-based FundedNext led the field with almost 108 million dollars in payouts.FundingPips and FundedNext Futures, the futures-focused arm of FundedNext, followed with about 97 million dollars and 46 million dollars in payouts to traders, respectively.Does the Kraken–Deutsche Börse pact simplify crypto?In the crypto space, Kraken’s partnership with Deutsche Börse is expected to deliver new products and services spanning trading, custody, settlement, collateral management and tokenized assets, and could act as a model for similar alliances in future.We just announced a groundbreaking partnership with Deutsche Börse Group to bring TradFi & crypto closer than ever.FX via 360T is phase one. Derivatives, enhanced liquidity, Embed, & xStocks are next.Institutional access is getting a serious upgrade.https://t.co/rtunQkmtyn— Kraken (@krakenfx) December 4, 2025The agreement between the US-based cryptocurrency exchange and the Frankfurt-headquartered exchange and market infrastructure group is designed to strip out costs, delays and other frictions that have discouraged clients from moving between fiat and crypto.Doo Group rebrands UK and South Africa unitsMeanwhile, brokers are kicking off the year by overhauling their brands. Doo Group rebranded its South Africa and United Kingdom brands to RKX after previously renaming its prime services arm from Doo Prime to D Prime.According to Companies House filings, the UK-registered entity formerly known as Doo Clearing has been renamed RKX Financial. The broker has also updated the new trading name with the Financial Conduct Authority, aligning its regulatory records with the fresh branding.Silver trading at CFD broker ZXCM jumps 300% At the same time, ZX Capital Markets (ZXCM), a contracts for difference broker launched in 2023, says about 70 per cent of its 100 billion dollar trading volume in 2025 came from gold. The firm also reports that client demand for silver trading surged by roughly 300 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year. Gold gained around 60 to 65 per cent over 2025, while silver rose by about 140 to 150 per cent, making it one of the strongest-performing major commodities in that period. Those sharp moves appear to have drawn more traders into both metals on the ZXCM platform.IG offers cash interestIG plans to raise the interest rate it pays on uninvested cash for new clients and scrap quarterly inactivity fees on its investment accounts. The changes are aimed at making its platform more attractive to retail investors who hold idle balances. Rival platforms have rolled out similar incentives, including interest on idle cash, yields on uninvested funds and the removal of inactivity fees. Together, these moves highlight a broader push by brokers to win and retain clients by offering better returns on cash and more competitive account pricing.Exante’s UK unit halts new client onboarding and depositsThis week, another UK broker quietly hit pause on new money flowing into its local entity. LHCM, the UK-regulated brand of Exante Group, suspended onboarding new clients and stopped accepting deposits from existing clients, describing the move as voluntary and made in agreement with the Financial Conduct Authority.The firm said the suspension covers arrangements involving client money or assets under the client assets regime, title transfer collateral arrangements, delivery versus payment transactions and matched principal transactions, among others. The restrictions effectively limit how the UK entity can handle client funds and trading activity for the time being.Saxo Hong Kong finedIn Hong Kong, Securities and Futures Commission reprimanded and fined Saxo Bank’s local unit HK$4 million (about US$514,000) for offering 32 cryptocurrency products to retail investors that were intended only for professional clients. The regulator said Saxo Capital Markets HK breached licensing requirements by allowing retail traders access to unauthorized virtual asset products through its online platform. The penalty follows the Danish bank’s decision to close its Hong Kong office and cease operations in the city about a year ago, as part of a shift in focus toward its Singapore hub. The SFC emphasized that Saxo’s actions exposed retail investors to products beyond their risk tolerance, underscoring regulatory scrutiny on crypto-related offerings in Hong Kong’s tightly supervised market.FX firms find value in sportsLastly, there’s a significant gap in forex services for sports clubs, as highlighted by the £22 million English Premier League teams reportedly lost in FX fees during the last player transfer window. This inefficiency has created opportunities for forex and payments companies such as Airwallex and Corpay to step in, offering specialized FX solutions while striking distinctive promotional partnerships with football and other sports teams. Traditionally, sports sponsorships have served as a major marketing tool for financial services firms. However, payments providers are now taking these collaborations further by integrating practical services into their deals—streamlining cross-border payments and minimising currency losses for clubs involved in international transactions. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Trump said he does not intend to pardon Sam Bankman-Fried, who is serving a 25-year sentence for fraud tied to the collapse of crypto exchange FTX. In an interview with the New York Times, the President linked that position to a broader refusal to intervene in a series of other high-profile cases, including those involving Sean “Diddy” Combs and Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.Trump’s comments land at a sensitive moment for Bankman-Fried, who has tried to reshape his public image with a media tour that emphasized Republican-friendly themes. The effort has not translated into direct influence at the White House, even though Trump has cast himself as a supporter of the digital asset industry and has launched his own crypto ventures.Selective with Crypto ClemencyTrump’s decision not to help Bankman-Fried stands in contrast with his past use of clemency in the crypto ecosystem. The president has already pardoned former Binance CEO Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and the co-founders of derivatives platform BitMEX, intervening in cases that many in the industry followed closely.Those moves built an image of a president willing to challenge parts of the U.S. enforcement stance on digital assets. The refusal to extend the same treatment to Bankman-Fried hints at a distinction between figures Trump views as innovators caught in regulatory crossfire and those tied to large-scale fraud against customers. Even within crypto, that difference matters: it signals that some high-profile defendants will remain politically toxic, despite broader overtures to the sector.SBF Clemency Bid Fails in WashingtonBankman-Fried’s legal and personal network has not shifted the calculus in Washington. His parents, former Stanford Law School professors Barbara Fried and Joseph Bankman, reportedly engaged lawyers and other figures connected to Trump’s orbit as they explored a possible path to clemency.Read more: Sam Bankman-Fried Could Be Released from Prison Four Years EarlierTrump used the interview to sketch a broader framework for his pardons. Alongside Bankman-Fried and Combs, he said he does not intend to extend clemency to former New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez or to Nicolás Maduro, who faces U.S. narco-terrorism charges after his recent capture.The president has shown a very different approach in other international cases. He recently pardoned former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández for importing cocaine into the United States, a decision that Bankman-Fried has publicly praised on X. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.

Thomas Peterffy, Founder and Chairman of Interactive Brokers, appeared on CNBC to discuss prediction markets and their differences from long-term investing.The segment began by replaying an earlier discussion in which it was noted, “most of them, the more they play, will lose money,” and added that prediction markets are “not the same as investing in the stock market.” Peterffy was invited to offer his perspective and disagreed with these points.Serious Questions, Not Celebrities: Peterffy ExplainsPeterffy explained that his interest in prediction-style questions began about ten years ago as an educational tool. He described the approach as asking “yes or no questions” to illustrate the probabilistic nature of future events, aiming to help customers understand uncertainty.He acknowledged that some markets have shifted toward less serious topics, noting that “some people picked up on this idea” and created questions about celebrities. However, he emphasized that the core intent was to focus on economic and climate indicators, which he described as “very, very serious questions.”49.5% Profit Rate Shows Market EfficiencyAccording to Peterffy, prediction markets can help form a consensus view about the future and serve as a hedging mechanism. He compared the risk of outcomes going to zero with options trading, saying that “options can go to zero” without making them invalid trading tools.Interactive Brokers has expanded into prediction markets in recent years. Brown questioned whether demand for bets on topics such as climate outcomes or awards would ever rival traditional investing. Peterffy responded that in prediction markets, “49.5% of the people make money and 50.5% of the people lose money,” noting that such balance does not undermine the usefulness of the market.Prediction Markets Require Regulation Oversight, GuidanceThe discussion also covered regulation and misuse. Brown raised concerns about betting on military actions and potential insider activity. Peterffy said the Commodity Futures Trading Commission requires surveillance for manipulation and insider information and that questions about “war or military action” are “supposed to be prohibited.”Despite these concerns, Peterffy expressed optimism about growth. He said he believes these markets will become “much, much larger,” arguing that they address “all the questions about our future.” Brown agreed on their informational value but emphasized the distinction between long-term investment and sequential betting markets. This article was written by Tareq Sikder at www.financemagnates.com.

Ripple has secured a key regulatory approval in the UK that lets its local subsidiary offer regulated payment services, while the country moves toward a full licensing regime for crypto assets. The decision gives Ripple a clearer base in one of the world’s major financial centres. The Financial Conduct Authority granted Ripple Markets UK an Electronic Money Institution registration and listed the firm under the UK’s Money Laundering Regulations, according to the regulator’s register. EMI status allows a company to issue electronic money and provide payment services, which could play into Ripple’s plans around its dollar stablecoin, Ripple USD (RLUSD), if the firm decides to deploy it in the UK.What the FCA ApprovedThe new approvals add to Ripple’s attempts to build a more regulated profile in large markets while policymakers debate how to treat crypto and stablecoins.EMI and MLR registrations also signal that the firm has met baseline standards on governance, capital, and anti-money laundering controls that the FCA applies to payments and crypto asset businesses. Despite the EMI registration, Ripple Markets UK must operate under strict conditions until the FCA signs off on any broader crypto activity.You may also like: How Ripple Pulled Off the Year’s Biggest Crypto Raise While XRP Tumbled 40%FCA records state that Ripple Markets UK cannot run or support crypto ATMs, serve retail clients, or appoint agents and distributors without prior written consent from the regulator.The firm also faces limits on its core e-money services. The FCA has barred the company from issuing electronic money or providing payment services to consumers, micro-enterprises, or charities at this stage, effectively narrowing the permission set to more institutional or wholesale use until further approvals arrive.JUST IN: ?? Ripple obtains registration with the Financial Conduct Authority through its UK subsidiary. pic.twitter.com/9HR7SW0fPO— Whale Insider (@WhaleInsider) January 9, 2026UK’s Crypto Licensing TimelineRipple’s approval lands as the UK sets out a timetable for bringing more crypto activity inside the Financial Services and Markets Act regime.Under the FCA’s plan, firms registered only under the Money Laundering Regulations will need to apply for full FSMA authorization to conduct new regulated crypto asset business before a new framework starts in October 2027.The application window is expected to open in September 2026, and there will be no automatic conversion from existing MLR or payments permissions into the new crypto licenses. The regulatory progress in London comes as Ripple’s leadership signals that it has no immediate plans to list its shares. Ripple Labs president Monica Long recently said the company intends to stay private for now, repeating her position from November after a fundraising round that valued the firm at about 40 billion dollars.The choice to remain private suggests Ripple will continue to rely on private capital and regulatory approvals rather than public markets as it scales its payments and crypto infrastructure. This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.