News

SEBI, India’s market regulator, is taking strong action to protect retail investors from significant losses in the equity derivatives market. Here’s a breakdown of what that entails:
What “stricter rules to curb speculative trading” means:
* Equity Derivatives: These are financial contracts whose value is derived from an underlying stock or stock…[Read more]

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is set to implement significant changes to the regulation of commodity derivatives, a move that will further differentiate the UK’s approach from that of Europe, according to Carolyn Jackson, a partner at Katten. These changes, detailed in a policy statement issued in February 2025, are scheduled to come…[Read more]

Video courtesy of Escrow.com

Video courtesy of Escrow.com

Standard Chartered Bank has entered into a significant agreement with CCIL IFSC Limited, a subsidiary of the Clearing Corporation of India Limited (CCIL), to act as the settlement bank for CCIL IFSC’s Foreign Exchange Settlement System (FCSS) at GIFT City. This collaboration is a crucial step towards establishing a seamless and real-time US dollar…[Read more]

The European Central Bank (ECB) is taking significant steps to integrate distributed ledger technology (DLT) into its financial infrastructure by enabling the settlement of DLT transactions with central bank money. This move aims to modernize Europe’s financial system and address the existing limitations for DLT adoption.
Two-pronged Approach:
The…[Read more]

Vietnam is actively pursuing an upgrade of its stock market from frontier to emerging status, with optimism from government officials that this could be achieved by September 2025. This initiative is in line with the Prime Minister’s Decision No. 1726/QD-TTg dated December 29, 2023.
Key Efforts and Progress:
* Improved Legal Framework: The State…[Read more]

Key organizations within the payments industry have voiced strong support for the federal government’s initiative to eliminate paper checks for disbursements. Nacha (the governing body of the ACH network), The Bank Policy Institute, The Clearing House Association, and the Consumer Bankers Association have all submitted comments to the Treasury…[Read more]

As the federal government’s September 30, 2025 deadline to eliminate paper checks approaches, several key organizations are publicly supporting this initiative, viewing it as an opportunity to modernize payment systems, reduce fraud, and potentially expand their own business.
Executive Order 14247, “Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank…[Read more]

The European Central Bank (ECB) is pursuing a two-track strategy to integrate Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) into wholesale central bank settlements, with the “Appia” track focusing on a long-term, integrated ecosystem.
Appia: A Long-Term Vision
Appia is designed to develop an “integrated ecosystem in Europe that also facilitates safe and…[Read more]

The European Central Bank (ECB) has announced a significant two-track plan to integrate distributed ledger technology (DLT) into its financial system, aiming to modernize payment and securities settlement using central bank money.
Pontes: The Short-Term Solution
The first track, named Pontes, will establish a short-term solution by connecting…[Read more]

Video courtesy of ABN-AMRO

Video courtesy of ABN-AMRO

Common findings regarding information frictions in over-the-counter (OTC) markets:
* Reduced Asset Creation, Trading Volume, and Welfare: Information asymmetries, where some parties have more or better information than others, fundamentally hinder efficient market operation. In OTC markets, the lack of transparency about counterparty valuations…[Read more]

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is indeed exploring the possibility of allowing 24/7 trading in the derivatives markets it regulates. This initiative is largely driven by the demands of digital asset traders, who operate in a global, continuous market.
However, this potential shift is facing significant pushback from various…[Read more]

Bruce Markets has recently secured a strategic investment round from prominent financial industry leaders, including Apex Fintech Solutions, Fidelity Investments, Nasdaq Ventures, NH Investment and Securities, PEAK6 Investments, Robinhood, tastytrade, and Webull. The exact amount of capital raised in this recent funding round has not been…[Read more]

On June 17, 2025, the European Commission released proposed amendments to the EU Securitisation Regulation (EUSR). These proposals are highly anticipated and follow the Joint Committee of the European Supervisory Authorities’ report from March 2025, which aimed to assist the Commission in developing these changes.
These proposed amendments,…[Read more]

Dinari has made headlines as the first firm to secure a license to offer tokenized stocks to U.S. traders. This is a significant development in the world of blockchain-based finance, as it opens the door for a new way to trade traditional securities.
Here’s a breakdown of what this means:
* First-of-its-kind approval: Dinari’s subsidiary obtained…[Read more]

Video courtesy of IPO-VID In Patrick’s Opinion

Video courtesy of IPO-VID In Patrick’s Opinion

Bakkt, a digital asset platform, is making a significant strategic shift towards a “pure-play crypto infrastructure company” with a focus on a crypto treasury playbook. This pivot includes plans to allocate capital into Bitcoin and other digital assets as part of its broader corporate and treasury strategy. To support this initiative, Bakkt is…[Read more]

The shift towards cleared repo environments is drawing significant insights from the established practices of bilateral repo and the clearing of OTC derivatives. This evolution aims to enhance operational efficiency and mitigate risk in the repo market, both in the US and globally, where non-mandatory cleared repo is gaining traction.
Here’s a…[Read more]

While stock markets appear to be largely unperturbed by the current global landscape of geopolitical and economic instability—including ongoing conflicts, trade tariffs, pervasive uncertainty, and a decelerating world economy—this upheaval is indeed manifesting in the fundamental underpinnings of the global financial system.
The most evident exp…[Read more]