This week’s selection of our editors’ favourite stories and reading recommendations.
Finance Magnates
The Italian Job may go down as one of the better known heist and bank robbery movies, but for the purpose of our article, “The Panama Job"....or better still, “The Bank Robber” may be somewhat more appropriate as we begin this week’s edition of “What We Are Reading” with Victor Golovtchenko’s favourite story of the week.
The Bank Robber
Anyone who is curious about how wealthy individuals have been dodging taxes and where the Mossack Fonseca story started
Victor Golovtchenko Senior Editor
should pour themselves a cup of tea, sit down, relax and read through New Yorker’s vast story on the matter that is worthy of a motion picture titled “The Bank Robber”.
The leak caused by HSBC’s employee Herve Falciani has been dwarfed by the Panama paper, but he was the one who might have inspired a whole movement with the internet even pronouncing him dead because of what he helped expose. The New Yorker’s Patrick Radden Keefe brings us the complete story, full of twists and turns.
Even if your preference is for a mind-stirring, psychological thriller, we’re sure you’ll agree that was worth the read!
On the subject of psychology, that takes us onto Sylwester Majewski’s favourite read of the week.
Intuition: It’s More than a Feeling
A few days ago I stumbled upon an article on human intuition. It confirms what I have felt was true for a long time. It was just this ‘gut feeling’ I had. As it occurs, intuition actually can be measured, which not only confirms it exists, but opens a whole new
Sylwester Majewski Chief Analyst
area of study.
Psychological scientists Galang Lufityanto, Chris Donkin, and Joel Pearson recently published their findings in the journal of Psychological Science in April. They designed an experiment in which participants were exposed to emotional images outside of their conscious awareness. It was discovered that even when people were unaware of the images, they were still able to use information from the images to make more confident and accurate decisions.
What is interesting for me is that it adds another angle to an ongoing debate which exists in the trading environment. Debate on whether discretionary trading really works. Fans of automated and quantitative trading methods rather doubt it. Their arguments are louder these days as this form of trading has also become a great marketing flywheel for the brokerage industry. However those who do trade on their own have always had different beliefs.
Finally, editor Steven Hatzakis tells us about an article that caught his eye this week.
An article that I came across this week was from HiveArena founder Jongjin Choi after the original version of the article was
Steven Hatzakis Editor
translated into English and posted by Jobbatical on Medium.com. It concerns the startup scene in a country that boasts the fastest internet speeds in the world - South Korea.
The seven minute read highlighted how it’s not just perks and monetary rewards that are needed to foster globalized synergies and innovation to make Korea an attractive financial hub, as there are more places in Asia that are culturally diverse and cheaper to operate in.
A need for more friendly visa programs for foreigners looking to do business in the country was also pinpointed by the author, so visitors could setup corporations.
The article also implied that changes must be made, if places like Japan and Korea - which are more expensive for firms to operate in Asia - are to compete with other ASEAN countries, in terms of attracting startups including Fintech firms.
On behalf of the contributing editors at Finance Magnates, we hope you found these reading suggestions interesting and read-worthy. Feel free to share your views in the comment section and any recommendations of your own.
The Italian Job may go down as one of the better known heist and bank robbery movies, but for the purpose of our article, “The Panama Job"....or better still, “The Bank Robber” may be somewhat more appropriate as we begin this week’s edition of “What We Are Reading” with Victor Golovtchenko’s favourite story of the week.
The Bank Robber
Anyone who is curious about how wealthy individuals have been dodging taxes and where the Mossack Fonseca story started
Victor Golovtchenko Senior Editor
should pour themselves a cup of tea, sit down, relax and read through New Yorker’s vast story on the matter that is worthy of a motion picture titled “The Bank Robber”.
The leak caused by HSBC’s employee Herve Falciani has been dwarfed by the Panama paper, but he was the one who might have inspired a whole movement with the internet even pronouncing him dead because of what he helped expose. The New Yorker’s Patrick Radden Keefe brings us the complete story, full of twists and turns.
Even if your preference is for a mind-stirring, psychological thriller, we’re sure you’ll agree that was worth the read!
On the subject of psychology, that takes us onto Sylwester Majewski’s favourite read of the week.
Intuition: It’s More than a Feeling
A few days ago I stumbled upon an article on human intuition. It confirms what I have felt was true for a long time. It was just this ‘gut feeling’ I had. As it occurs, intuition actually can be measured, which not only confirms it exists, but opens a whole new
Sylwester Majewski Chief Analyst
area of study.
Psychological scientists Galang Lufityanto, Chris Donkin, and Joel Pearson recently published their findings in the journal of Psychological Science in April. They designed an experiment in which participants were exposed to emotional images outside of their conscious awareness. It was discovered that even when people were unaware of the images, they were still able to use information from the images to make more confident and accurate decisions.
What is interesting for me is that it adds another angle to an ongoing debate which exists in the trading environment. Debate on whether discretionary trading really works. Fans of automated and quantitative trading methods rather doubt it. Their arguments are louder these days as this form of trading has also become a great marketing flywheel for the brokerage industry. However those who do trade on their own have always had different beliefs.
Finally, editor Steven Hatzakis tells us about an article that caught his eye this week.
An article that I came across this week was from HiveArena founder Jongjin Choi after the original version of the article was
Steven Hatzakis Editor
translated into English and posted by Jobbatical on Medium.com. It concerns the startup scene in a country that boasts the fastest internet speeds in the world - South Korea.
The seven minute read highlighted how it’s not just perks and monetary rewards that are needed to foster globalized synergies and innovation to make Korea an attractive financial hub, as there are more places in Asia that are culturally diverse and cheaper to operate in.
A need for more friendly visa programs for foreigners looking to do business in the country was also pinpointed by the author, so visitors could setup corporations.
The article also implied that changes must be made, if places like Japan and Korea - which are more expensive for firms to operate in Asia - are to compete with other ASEAN countries, in terms of attracting startups including Fintech firms.
On behalf of the contributing editors at Finance Magnates, we hope you found these reading suggestions interesting and read-worthy. Feel free to share your views in the comment section and any recommendations of your own.
iFOREX Adds Saudi and South Korean Equity CFDs as IPO Is Delayed
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
