The upgrade of Ethereum started its journey in December 2020 with Beacon Chain’s launch.
Analysts believe that a smooth transition from proof-of-work to proof-of-stake will inspire other networks to ‘go green’.
Analysis
With the launch of Beacon Chain in December 2020, Ethereum 2.0 officially started its shift from energy-consuming proof-of-work to a more efficient and improved proof-of-stake. According to Vitalik Buterin, the Co-Founder of Ethereum, the network upgrade will solve several current challenges including high transaction fees. Buterin said that Ethereum 2.0 will be more environment-friendly.
The crypto community showed immense support for ETH’s network upgrade. Since the launch of Beacon Chain, more than 12.7 million ETH coins have been staked under the deposit contract of Ethereum 2.0, nearly 10% of the circulating supply of ETH. However, with the number of Ethereum addresses in losses at an all-time high of 34.96 million, several questions have emerged regarding the Ethereum 2.0 optimism.
Glassnode.com
“While we don't yet know the full consequences of the transition the Ethereum network is on (and has been on for now quite a while), we need to understand that it's not a binary process. Until sharding is fully implemented, we will not see too significant of a decrease in network transaction fees, which will keep the network relatively siloed,” Brian Pasfield, the Chief Technology Officer at Fringe Finance told Finance Magnates.
The Merge
In a recent virtual summit, Vitalik Buterin said that the ‘Ethereum Merge’ will likely happen by August this year. In a Tweet earlier this week, Tim Beiko, one of the core developers of Ethereum, mentioned that Ropsten, Ethereum’s longest-lived PoW test net, is moving to Proof of Stake.
“Unfortunately, the transition hasn’t been smooth so far, since the merge has been delayed. That means that proof of stake won’t go live until the fall and staking withdrawals won’t start until spring or summer 2023 hopefully,” commented Styliana Charalambous, the Head of Investments & Market Research at Pure.
Staking Contract
While Charalambous highlighted the rising popularity of the Ethereum 2.0 deposit contract due to attractive returns, she mentioned that the contract is not the best opportunity for people who have a limited supply.
Styliana Charalambous, the Head of Investments & Market Research at Pure.
“The main reason why many people would want to invest in Ether is to obtain the APR, or annual percentage rate, which can range from 6% to 15%. With the minimum need of 32 ETH, you may expect to earn anywhere between 2 and 5 ETH at current prices. You must continue to do so until the Ethereum 2.0 protocol is released, which could be years away. Staking Ethereum for Ethereum 2.0 will not be a realistic alternative for people who have a restricted amount of ETH or utilize it regularly,” she said.
Tackling Energy Issues
One of the biggest changes that Ethereum’s network upgrade will bring to the ETH ecosystem is a significant reduction in energy usage, an issue that received severe criticism in the past. Moreover, Ethereum 2.0 will have the ability to handle way more transactions than the current Proof-of-work driven network.
Ethereum.org
“The switch to PoS will get rid of the high computational requirements of the PoW model, making Ethereum a more environmentally sustainable network. But, less energy consumption is not the only change Ethereum 2.0 will bring about. The final transition to Ethereum 2.0 coming this year is supposed to use 99 percent less energy, allow the network to scale, and potentially help it reach 100,000 transactions per second,” Charalambous said.
“It is safe to say that a full transition to PoS will remove most of the 'climate change' stigma from the network. It's not unlikely that this angle could be leveraged by crypto projects to start branding themselves as 'green' or 'fully clean', attracting new audiences and on-chain projects,” Pasfield explained.
Impact on Ethereum’s Price
While the full potential of ETH’s network upgrade will be realized after the implementation of all due technical developments, the ETH 2.0 optimism has already started impacting its price and weekly institutional flows. Joaquim Matinero Tor, a Blockchain Associate at Roca Junyent, believes that a successful transition will drive the price of Ethereum to above $3,000.
Joaquim Matinero Tor, Blockchain Associate at Roca Junyent.
"A successful Ethereum network upgrade could potentially make ETH more affordable for users to mint and develop products. The overall impact would be positive and the price could rise above $ 3,000,” Tor said.
With the launch of Beacon Chain in December 2020, Ethereum 2.0 officially started its shift from energy-consuming proof-of-work to a more efficient and improved proof-of-stake. According to Vitalik Buterin, the Co-Founder of Ethereum, the network upgrade will solve several current challenges including high transaction fees. Buterin said that Ethereum 2.0 will be more environment-friendly.
The crypto community showed immense support for ETH’s network upgrade. Since the launch of Beacon Chain, more than 12.7 million ETH coins have been staked under the deposit contract of Ethereum 2.0, nearly 10% of the circulating supply of ETH. However, with the number of Ethereum addresses in losses at an all-time high of 34.96 million, several questions have emerged regarding the Ethereum 2.0 optimism.
Glassnode.com
“While we don't yet know the full consequences of the transition the Ethereum network is on (and has been on for now quite a while), we need to understand that it's not a binary process. Until sharding is fully implemented, we will not see too significant of a decrease in network transaction fees, which will keep the network relatively siloed,” Brian Pasfield, the Chief Technology Officer at Fringe Finance told Finance Magnates.
The Merge
In a recent virtual summit, Vitalik Buterin said that the ‘Ethereum Merge’ will likely happen by August this year. In a Tweet earlier this week, Tim Beiko, one of the core developers of Ethereum, mentioned that Ropsten, Ethereum’s longest-lived PoW test net, is moving to Proof of Stake.
“Unfortunately, the transition hasn’t been smooth so far, since the merge has been delayed. That means that proof of stake won’t go live until the fall and staking withdrawals won’t start until spring or summer 2023 hopefully,” commented Styliana Charalambous, the Head of Investments & Market Research at Pure.
Staking Contract
While Charalambous highlighted the rising popularity of the Ethereum 2.0 deposit contract due to attractive returns, she mentioned that the contract is not the best opportunity for people who have a limited supply.
Styliana Charalambous, the Head of Investments & Market Research at Pure.
“The main reason why many people would want to invest in Ether is to obtain the APR, or annual percentage rate, which can range from 6% to 15%. With the minimum need of 32 ETH, you may expect to earn anywhere between 2 and 5 ETH at current prices. You must continue to do so until the Ethereum 2.0 protocol is released, which could be years away. Staking Ethereum for Ethereum 2.0 will not be a realistic alternative for people who have a restricted amount of ETH or utilize it regularly,” she said.
Tackling Energy Issues
One of the biggest changes that Ethereum’s network upgrade will bring to the ETH ecosystem is a significant reduction in energy usage, an issue that received severe criticism in the past. Moreover, Ethereum 2.0 will have the ability to handle way more transactions than the current Proof-of-work driven network.
Ethereum.org
“The switch to PoS will get rid of the high computational requirements of the PoW model, making Ethereum a more environmentally sustainable network. But, less energy consumption is not the only change Ethereum 2.0 will bring about. The final transition to Ethereum 2.0 coming this year is supposed to use 99 percent less energy, allow the network to scale, and potentially help it reach 100,000 transactions per second,” Charalambous said.
“It is safe to say that a full transition to PoS will remove most of the 'climate change' stigma from the network. It's not unlikely that this angle could be leveraged by crypto projects to start branding themselves as 'green' or 'fully clean', attracting new audiences and on-chain projects,” Pasfield explained.
Impact on Ethereum’s Price
While the full potential of ETH’s network upgrade will be realized after the implementation of all due technical developments, the ETH 2.0 optimism has already started impacting its price and weekly institutional flows. Joaquim Matinero Tor, a Blockchain Associate at Roca Junyent, believes that a successful transition will drive the price of Ethereum to above $3,000.
Joaquim Matinero Tor, Blockchain Associate at Roca Junyent.
"A successful Ethereum network upgrade could potentially make ETH more affordable for users to mint and develop products. The overall impact would be positive and the price could rise above $ 3,000,” Tor said.
Bilal Jafar holds an MBA in Finance. In a professional career of more than 8 years, Jafar covered the evolution of FX, Cryptocurrencies, and Fintech. He started his career as a financial markets analyst and worked in different positions in the global media sector. Jafar writes about diverse topics within FX, Crypto, and the financial technology market.
Binance Junior Puts Crypto in Young Hands, but Keeps the Wallet with Mom and Dad
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
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As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
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Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy.
This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions.
Attendees will hear:
-Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business?
-Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’?
-How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next?
-Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention?
Speakers:
-Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT
-John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue
-Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets
-Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i
-Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy.
This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions.
Attendees will hear:
-Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business?
-Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’?
-How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next?
-Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention?
Speakers:
-Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT
-John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue
-Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets
-Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i
-Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
