The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has announced the appointment of Louise Unger to its executive leadership team. Unger will take on the Executive Director for Response and Enforcement role, bringing with her a wealth of experience in financial services law and regulation. FMA Strengthens Team with Appointment of Executive Director Unger is transitioning from her position as General Manager of the Credit branch at the Commerce Commission. In her previous role, she was pivotal in overseeing the implementation of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act, and she played a key role in the ..read more

Interactive Brokers (Nasdaq: IBKR) has expanded its offerings in Japan by adding contracts for differences (CFDs) instruments. Announced yesterday, Japanese traders now have access to US CFDs and global stocks. CFDs on Interactive Brokers Japan The US-headquartered broker operates in Japan through a local entity. In addition to CFDs, the platform already offers global stocks, options, and futures to traders in East Asian countries. CFDs are over-the-counter derivatives that enable leveraged trading, allowing traders to assume long or short positions. These sophisticated products are favoured b ..read more

The cryptocurrency market surged in value from $1 trillion to $2.5 trillion from October 2023 to March 2024. This boost was driven by institutional interest and venture capital funding in the sector. Bybit and Treehouse Finance recently highlighted these findings in a report dubbed the "2024 Institutional Industry Report". The study covered derivatives, challenger chains, and the resurgence of venture capital. Optimism in the Derivatives Market According to the report, there is a positive sentiment in the derivatives market. Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) exhibited a notable call premium des ..read more

In terms of artificial intelligence (AI), prompt engineering is the key, almost the be all and end all of the whole thing. Understanding this, and the tools at your disposal, is vital to unlocking the full potential of AI. Regular readers will know that this is part of an ongoing series. Here, you can find the first, second, third and fourth articles in the series. If you haven’t already, go read those first. But, essentially, I’m a professional written content creator who’s been tasked with exploring an online prompt engineering course and reporting back. The course can be found in the first ..read more

The Bitcoin halving, an important event written into the cryptocurrency's code, is two days away. This event, which occurs roughly every four years, reduces the rewards for Bitcoin miners by half. The cryptocurrency community is abuzz with anticipation ahead of the halving, especially given recent developments such as the approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs and improved crypto regulations. Understanding Bitcoin Halving The 2024 halving is expected to have ripple effects throughout the entire financial system as retail investors gain exposure to Bitcoin through ETFs. This could result in increased cr ..read more

Loukia Matsia has announced her new role as the Head of Compliance and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) at NAGA. Matsia shared her excitement about this career move on LinkedIn earlier today (Wednesday). Compliance Experience Preceding NAGA Appointment Prior to her appointment at NAGA, Matsia held several key positions showcasing her expertise and experience in compliance and AML management. She spent a considerable period at Tickmill Europe Ltd, where she served as the Head of Compliance and AML for nearly four years. During her tenure, Matsia played a pivotal role in managing compliance operation ..read more

A chorus of voices, from A-list celebrities to Nobel laureate economists, recently delivered a potent message to the G20: the global financial system is out of tune with the pressing issues of our time. The open letter, timed to coincide with the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, called for a Bretton Woods moment 2.0 – a complete overhaul designed to tackle the crippling debt burden on developing nations, accelerate progress on climate change, and finally unlock the UN's ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We must wake up to the fact that if any one part of our global ecosystem ..read more

In the bustling marketplaces of India, a silent war is being waged. Not with weapons and soldiers, but with pixels and algorithms. The battlefield? The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a digital payment system that has revolutionized how Indians transact. But a shadow looms over this success story – the dominance of two tech giants: PhonePe and Google Pay. These two titans control a staggering 86% of UPI transactions, raising concerns about a lack of competition and stifling innovation. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), the governing body of UPI, is feeling the heat. Lawmaker ..read more

The recent introduction of Kraken Wallet has marked an advancement in cryptocurrency adoption. This self-custodial wallet is engineered to streamline on-chain transactions. Kraken Wallet emphasizes simplicity, security, and functionality, with the overarching goal of broadening accessibility to decentralized finance. Access to Decentralized Finance: Wallet's User-Centric Design Regardless of whether individuals are Kraken clients or not, the multichain Kraken Wallet serves as a conduit to the decentralized financial ecosystem. Emphasizing privacy and security, it enables users to maintain cust ..read more

Roobet, the pioneering entertainment brand and one of the world’s fastest-growing crypto casinos, has today launched a brand-new game in collaboration with its Chief Ganjaroo Officer and entertainment legend Snoop Dogg. Available exclusively on Roobet, the game, titled ‘Snoop’s High Rollers’, is the latest product of the groundbreaking partnership between Snoop Dogg and Roobet as they continue to push the boundaries of digital entertainment. Snoop’s High Rollers is the second game to emerge from their exclusive partnership, this time with Gaming Corps lending their world-leading expertise in i ..read more