A blockchain proof of concept announced via the firm's LOFT innovation hub.
Source: ConsenSys
John Hancock Financial today announced that its Lab of Forward Thinking (LOFT) has entered into a collaborative tri-party synergy with app developer ConsenSys and full-stack infrastructure developer BlockApps STRATO, for an Ethereum Blockchain proof of concept (PoC) solution aimed at enhancing the on-boarding of new wealth management clients, according to a joint press release.
As one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., John Hancock also caters to wealth management clients with financial services products, and is a subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation - a name that it does business under outside of the US - and which has nearly a trillion dollars in assets under management (AuM of $935 billion as of December 31, 2015) and operations across Asia, Canada and the United States. Manulife Financial is listed on multiple exchanges including the NYSE under ticker MFC.
The news follows nearly a year after the company launched the LOFT facility in Boston, featuring a 6,500 square-foot office space located in the Seaport area in the city's 'innovation district', which was established in order to develop FinTech and related endeavors such as the one announced today.
Launched via LOFT hub
"Our goal is to simplify and enhance the customer experience when they first begin doing business with us. In the wealth management business this involves not only satisfying customers, but regulatory and legal aspects as well," said Ace Moghimi, Assistant Vice President and Head of Innovation, North America, for John Hancock/Manulife, commenting in the official press release.
Igor Lilic Source: LinkedIn
Igor Lilic, Principal Technical Lead of ConsenSys Enterprise, added in the announcement: "The LOFT group is a model example of innovation within the enterprise: bright, enthusiastic teams tasked with understanding new technologies and who aren't afraid of getting their hands dirty by building prototypes. We are incredibly enthusiastic about John Hancock's commitment to the blockchain ecosystem and we look forward to continued collaboration as LOFT builds smart contract based platforms."
Mr. Lilic was previously a developer at OANDA earlier in his career in 2009, in addition to a number of related prior and subsequent roles within financial services as well as blockchain-related positions. He has been in his current role with ConsenSys for just over nine months already, according to information in a public LinkedIn profile.
Commenting in the press release, Kieren James-Lubin, Chief Product Officer of BlockApps, said: "LOFT is just that - an organization focused around forward thinking. They are building the technical knowhow and internal stakeholder support that will allow John Hancock to be a disruptor rather than a disruptee as the blockchain revolution materializes. We are extremely enthusiastic about our partnership with LOFT."
Finance Magnates is proud to present its inaugural TLV Conference, to be held on the 29th of June. Apart from the invaluable networking opportunities, the agenda is packed with panels, masterclasses and keynote speeches geared towards the subject of fintech. Industry leaders will be discussing subjects such as marketing automation, cybersecurity, financial regulation and cryptocurrencies, with a focus on the booming Israeli fintech scene. In keeping with this, there will also be a fintech spotlight session in which a lineup of firms will each have four minutes to pitch their exciting products, culminating in an award presented to the most promising.
John Hancock Financial today announced that its Lab of Forward Thinking (LOFT) has entered into a collaborative tri-party synergy with app developer ConsenSys and full-stack infrastructure developer BlockApps STRATO, for an Ethereum Blockchain proof of concept (PoC) solution aimed at enhancing the on-boarding of new wealth management clients, according to a joint press release.
As one of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., John Hancock also caters to wealth management clients with financial services products, and is a subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation - a name that it does business under outside of the US - and which has nearly a trillion dollars in assets under management (AuM of $935 billion as of December 31, 2015) and operations across Asia, Canada and the United States. Manulife Financial is listed on multiple exchanges including the NYSE under ticker MFC.
The news follows nearly a year after the company launched the LOFT facility in Boston, featuring a 6,500 square-foot office space located in the Seaport area in the city's 'innovation district', which was established in order to develop FinTech and related endeavors such as the one announced today.
Launched via LOFT hub
"Our goal is to simplify and enhance the customer experience when they first begin doing business with us. In the wealth management business this involves not only satisfying customers, but regulatory and legal aspects as well," said Ace Moghimi, Assistant Vice President and Head of Innovation, North America, for John Hancock/Manulife, commenting in the official press release.
Igor Lilic Source: LinkedIn
Igor Lilic, Principal Technical Lead of ConsenSys Enterprise, added in the announcement: "The LOFT group is a model example of innovation within the enterprise: bright, enthusiastic teams tasked with understanding new technologies and who aren't afraid of getting their hands dirty by building prototypes. We are incredibly enthusiastic about John Hancock's commitment to the blockchain ecosystem and we look forward to continued collaboration as LOFT builds smart contract based platforms."
Mr. Lilic was previously a developer at OANDA earlier in his career in 2009, in addition to a number of related prior and subsequent roles within financial services as well as blockchain-related positions. He has been in his current role with ConsenSys for just over nine months already, according to information in a public LinkedIn profile.
Commenting in the press release, Kieren James-Lubin, Chief Product Officer of BlockApps, said: "LOFT is just that - an organization focused around forward thinking. They are building the technical knowhow and internal stakeholder support that will allow John Hancock to be a disruptor rather than a disruptee as the blockchain revolution materializes. We are extremely enthusiastic about our partnership with LOFT."
Finance Magnates is proud to present its inaugural TLV Conference, to be held on the 29th of June. Apart from the invaluable networking opportunities, the agenda is packed with panels, masterclasses and keynote speeches geared towards the subject of fintech. Industry leaders will be discussing subjects such as marketing automation, cybersecurity, financial regulation and cryptocurrencies, with a focus on the booming Israeli fintech scene. In keeping with this, there will also be a fintech spotlight session in which a lineup of firms will each have four minutes to pitch their exciting products, culminating in an award presented to the most promising.
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We close with a practical question: how retail investors can actually use AI without falling into common traps.
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We start with Dor’s reaction to the Summit and then move to broker growth and the quick wins brokers often overlook. Dor shares where he sees “blue ocean” growth across Asian markets and how local client behaviour shapes demand.
We also discuss the rollout of AI across investment research. Dor gives real examples of how automation and human judgment meet at Bridgewise — including moments when analysts corrected AI output, and times when AI prevented an error.
We close with a practical question: how retail investors can actually use AI without falling into common traps.
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This is Brendan at his frankest — sharp, grounded, and very clear about what changes are overdue.
Brendan Callan joined us fresh off the Summit’s most anticipated debate: “Is Prop Trading Good for the Industry?” Brendan argued against the motion — and the audience voted him the winner.
In this interview, Brendan explains the reasoning behind his position. He walks through the message he believes many firms avoid: that the current prop trading model is too dependent on fees, too loose on risk, and too confusing for retail audiences.
We discuss why he thinks the model grew fast, why it may run into walls, and what he believes is needed for a cleaner, more responsible version of prop trading.
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🔹In this wide-ranging discussion, Elina shares insights on:
🔹What winning a Finance Magnates award means for credibility and reputation
🔹How broker demand for stability and reliability is driving rapid growth
🔹The launch of a new trade server enabling flexible front-end integrations
🔹Why ultra-low latency must be proven with data, not buzzwords
🔹Common mistakes brokers make when scaling globally
🔹Educating the industry through a newly launched Dealers Academy
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👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #BestConnectivity #TradingTechnology #UltraLowLatency #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview
Recorded live at FMLS:25 London, this executive interview features Elina Pedersen, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following her company’s win for Best Connectivity 2025.
🔹In this wide-ranging discussion, Elina shares insights on:
🔹What winning a Finance Magnates award means for credibility and reputation
🔹How broker demand for stability and reliability is driving rapid growth
🔹The launch of a new trade server enabling flexible front-end integrations
🔹Why ultra-low latency must be proven with data, not buzzwords
🔹Common mistakes brokers make when scaling globally
🔹Educating the industry through a newly launched Dealers Academy
🔹Where AI fits into trading infrastructure and where it doesn’t
Elina explains why resilient back-end infrastructure, deep client partnerships, and disciplined focus are critical for brokers looking to scale sustainably in today’s competitive market.
🏆 Award Highlight: Best Connectivity 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #BestConnectivity #TradingTechnology #UltraLowLatency #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview
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Watch the full review to see whether Blueberry’s trading setup aligns with your experience level, strategy, and risk tolerance.
📣 Stay up to date with the latest in finance and trading. Follow Finance Magnates for industry news, insights, and global event coverage.
Connect with us:
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#Blueberry #BlueberryMarkets #BrokerReview #ForexBroker #CFDTrading #OnlineTrading #FinanceMagnates #TradingPlatforms #MarketInsights
In this video, we take an in-depth look at @BlueberryMarketsForex , a forex and CFD broker operating since 2016, offering access to multiple trading platforms, over 1,000 instruments, and flexible account types for different trading styles.
We break down Blueberry’s regulatory structure, including its Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), as well as its authorisation and registrations in other jurisdictions. The review also covers supported platforms such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, Blueberry.X, and web-based trading.
You’ll learn about available instruments across forex, commodities, indices, share CFDs, and crypto CFDs, along with leverage options, minimum and maximum trade sizes, and how Blueberry structures its Standard and Raw accounts.
We also explain spreads, commissions, swap rates, swap-free account availability, funding and withdrawal methods, processing times, and what traders can expect from customer support and additional services.
Watch the full review to see whether Blueberry’s trading setup aligns with your experience level, strategy, and risk tolerance.
📣 Stay up to date with the latest in finance and trading. Follow Finance Magnates for industry news, insights, and global event coverage.
Connect with us:
🔗 LinkedIn: /financemagnates
👍 Facebook: /financemagnates
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financemagnates
🐦 X: https://x.com/financemagnates
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/financemagnates
▶️ YouTube: /@financemagnates_official
#Blueberry #BlueberryMarkets #BrokerReview #ForexBroker #CFDTrading #OnlineTrading #FinanceMagnates #TradingPlatforms #MarketInsights
Exness CMO Alfonso Cardalda on Cape Town office launch, Africa growth, and marketing strategy
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- Managing growth across emerging markets
👉 Watch the full interview for fundamental insights into the future of trading in Africa.
#Exness #Forex #Trading #SouthAfrica #CapeTown #Finance #FinanceMagnates
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Filmed during the grand opening of Exness’s new Cape Town office, Alfonso sits down with Andrea Badiola Mateos from Finance Magnates to discuss:
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- What makes their trading product stand out
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- The role of local influencers
- Managing growth across emerging markets
👉 Watch the full interview for fundamental insights into the future of trading in Africa.
#Exness #Forex #Trading #SouthAfrica #CapeTown #Finance #FinanceMagnates
