Also, ClearBank broadens its Board; ABN Amro sells a stake in EMS to Fiserv.
Read today's FX/CFDs, crypto and fintech sectors' dynamic news.
SEC Halts Zera Financial's Alleged Ponzi Scheme
The US
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has obtained an emergency court order
to stop an alleged Ponzi-like scheme run by Zera Financial LLC and its owner,
Luis A. Romero. The scheme reportedly raised over $2.2 million from
approximately 170 investors. According to the SEC's complaint, Zera and Romero
promised investors 3% monthly returns, translating to over 36% annual returns,
on investments as low as $500. They also falsely claimed that the investments
were FDIC-insured.
The SEC
alleges that Zera and Romero had no significant business operations other than
raising funds from investors and making Ponzi-like payments. Romero is accused
of misusing investor funds for personal expenses, including an electric truck
and tropical fish, as well as depositing large sums into various cryptocurrency
accounts.
FCA Issues Warnings against
Unauthorized Firms
The
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a number of warnings against several
unauthorized firms this week. These include GBG Limited, GainGround, and Asset
Flow Traders. All three firms are not registered or authorized by the FCA and
have been targeting people in the UK.
The
warnings serve as a cautionary note for individuals and investors to be wary of
dealing with these unauthorized firms. The FCA regularly updates a list of
such firms and individuals to protect the public from potential scams and
fraudulent activities.
ClearBank Group Holdings
Expands Board for Global Growth
Richard Anderson
ClearBank
Group Holdings has announced the appointment of four new non-executive
directors as it gears up for international expansion. The new appointees
include Peter Herbert as the Group Chair, Tim Wade as the Senior Independent Director,
Richard Anderson as the Group Chair of the Risk Committee, and Susanne Hannestad as a Non-Executive Director.
The new
board members bring a wealth of experience in banking, payments, and business
transformation. Peter Herbert previously served as the Chair for the Bank of Ireland (UK) and Zopa Bank. Tim Wade has senior management experience
with Royal Bank of Canada Europe Ltd and Virgin Money PLC. Richard Anderson and
Susanne Hannestad also bring specialized skills in risk management and global
operations, respectively.
The appointments are expected to significantly
contribute to ClearBank's international growth plans over the next year.
FIA Tech Opens Atlantis
Platform to Buyside Market
FIA Tech, a
leading technology provider in the futures industry, has expanded its Atlantis
settlement platform to include buyside market participants. The platform, which
processes over 170 million trades annually, will now allow clients to manage
execution brokerage payments directly. The first buyside participant to join
Atlantis is a multi-billion dollar, multi-strategy hedge fund.
Atlantis
streamlines the calculation, invoicing, and payment of brokerage fees, offering
high rates of automation and integrated workflows. The platform currently has
45 institutions settling across 34 clearing houses globally. Nick Solinger, the President and CEO of FIA Tech, stated that firms using Atlantis have seen up to
99% automated settlement rates and have doubled or tripled the productivity of
their brokerage payables and receivables teams.
ABN Amro Sells Stake in
EMS to Fiserv
Finance Magnates
ABN Amro
has sold its 49% stake in digital payments business EMS to Fiserv. The
Netherlands-based EMS provides technology for processing payments between
merchants and customers and has a client base spanning 25 markets.
The sale
comes after ABN Amro concluded that EMS would be better served by being wholly
owned by Fiserv. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Fiserv had
previously owned 51% of EMS and has now acquired the remaining stake.
Federal Court Orders
Provide Capital to Produce Documents
The Federal
Court has ordered Provide Capital to produce documents it had failed to supply in advance as part of an ongoing investigation by the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission (ASIC). The court noted that there had been a history of delay and
obfuscation on the part of Provide Capital in complying with the notice.
Provide
Capital must produce the documents within 28 days, including unredacted copies
of previously redacted documents. The court emphasized that any confidentiality
obligations must yield to statutory requirements.
Seoul Aims to Become
Fintech Powerhouse
Seoul plans
to invest five trillion won ($3.7 billion) to transform the city into a global
fintech hub. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon made the announcement during the opening
ceremony of Seoul Fintech Week 2023. The Seoul Vision 2030 Fund will channel
the investment over the next four years.
Mayor Oh
stated that the current economic challenges offer new opportunities for Seoul,
which aspires to be among the top five financial cities in the world. The city plans to secure a 50,000-square-meter space in Yeouido, Seoul's financial
district, to nurture a fintech ecosystem and rebrand the city as a digital
financial hub.
SEC Halts Zera Financial's Alleged Ponzi Scheme
The US
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has obtained an emergency court order
to stop an alleged Ponzi-like scheme run by Zera Financial LLC and its owner,
Luis A. Romero. The scheme reportedly raised over $2.2 million from
approximately 170 investors. According to the SEC's complaint, Zera and Romero
promised investors 3% monthly returns, translating to over 36% annual returns,
on investments as low as $500. They also falsely claimed that the investments
were FDIC-insured.
The SEC
alleges that Zera and Romero had no significant business operations other than
raising funds from investors and making Ponzi-like payments. Romero is accused
of misusing investor funds for personal expenses, including an electric truck
and tropical fish, as well as depositing large sums into various cryptocurrency
accounts.
FCA Issues Warnings against
Unauthorized Firms
The
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has issued a number of warnings against several
unauthorized firms this week. These include GBG Limited, GainGround, and Asset
Flow Traders. All three firms are not registered or authorized by the FCA and
have been targeting people in the UK.
The
warnings serve as a cautionary note for individuals and investors to be wary of
dealing with these unauthorized firms. The FCA regularly updates a list of
such firms and individuals to protect the public from potential scams and
fraudulent activities.
ClearBank Group Holdings
Expands Board for Global Growth
Richard Anderson
ClearBank
Group Holdings has announced the appointment of four new non-executive
directors as it gears up for international expansion. The new appointees
include Peter Herbert as the Group Chair, Tim Wade as the Senior Independent Director,
Richard Anderson as the Group Chair of the Risk Committee, and Susanne Hannestad as a Non-Executive Director.
The new
board members bring a wealth of experience in banking, payments, and business
transformation. Peter Herbert previously served as the Chair for the Bank of Ireland (UK) and Zopa Bank. Tim Wade has senior management experience
with Royal Bank of Canada Europe Ltd and Virgin Money PLC. Richard Anderson and
Susanne Hannestad also bring specialized skills in risk management and global
operations, respectively.
The appointments are expected to significantly
contribute to ClearBank's international growth plans over the next year.
FIA Tech Opens Atlantis
Platform to Buyside Market
FIA Tech, a
leading technology provider in the futures industry, has expanded its Atlantis
settlement platform to include buyside market participants. The platform, which
processes over 170 million trades annually, will now allow clients to manage
execution brokerage payments directly. The first buyside participant to join
Atlantis is a multi-billion dollar, multi-strategy hedge fund.
Atlantis
streamlines the calculation, invoicing, and payment of brokerage fees, offering
high rates of automation and integrated workflows. The platform currently has
45 institutions settling across 34 clearing houses globally. Nick Solinger, the President and CEO of FIA Tech, stated that firms using Atlantis have seen up to
99% automated settlement rates and have doubled or tripled the productivity of
their brokerage payables and receivables teams.
ABN Amro Sells Stake in
EMS to Fiserv
Finance Magnates
ABN Amro
has sold its 49% stake in digital payments business EMS to Fiserv. The
Netherlands-based EMS provides technology for processing payments between
merchants and customers and has a client base spanning 25 markets.
The sale
comes after ABN Amro concluded that EMS would be better served by being wholly
owned by Fiserv. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Fiserv had
previously owned 51% of EMS and has now acquired the remaining stake.
Federal Court Orders
Provide Capital to Produce Documents
The Federal
Court has ordered Provide Capital to produce documents it had failed to supply in advance as part of an ongoing investigation by the Australian Securities and
Investments Commission (ASIC). The court noted that there had been a history of delay and
obfuscation on the part of Provide Capital in complying with the notice.
Provide
Capital must produce the documents within 28 days, including unredacted copies
of previously redacted documents. The court emphasized that any confidentiality
obligations must yield to statutory requirements.
Seoul Aims to Become
Fintech Powerhouse
Seoul plans
to invest five trillion won ($3.7 billion) to transform the city into a global
fintech hub. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon made the announcement during the opening
ceremony of Seoul Fintech Week 2023. The Seoul Vision 2030 Fund will channel
the investment over the next four years.
Mayor Oh
stated that the current economic challenges offer new opportunities for Seoul,
which aspires to be among the top five financial cities in the world. The city plans to secure a 50,000-square-meter space in Yeouido, Seoul's financial
district, to nurture a fintech ecosystem and rebrand the city as a digital
financial hub.
From “Unrealistically Good” To “Cesspool Of Gamesmanship”: How 40 Minutes Changed Minds On Prop Trading
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
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
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
🐦 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
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
