The week saw brokers pursue acquisitions, regulatory
approvals and expansion into new markets while adapting to evolving
regulations. Authorities in Europe and Australia stepped up oversight, as firms
also accelerated AI adoption and platform upgrades to strengthen their
competitive positions.
IG Group asked shareholders to approve
a new Jersey-incorporated holding company while reporting an 18% rise in
first-half revenue to about £643 million.
Breon Corcoran, CEO, IG Group
The proposal forms part of the
strategic review launched in March and is intended to provide greater financial
flexibility for a business that now generates around two-thirds of its revenue
outside the UK.
The company said its London Stock Exchange listing, UK tax
residency and London operations would remain unchanged. IG also confirmed an
organisational overhaul, merging its regional consumer businesses into a single
division led by Michael Healy.
Meanwhile, the group reaffirmed its upgraded
full-year guidance despite much of its reported customer growth reflecting
recent acquisitions rather than organic expansion.
J. Safra Sarasin Completes Takeover of Saxo Bank
Bank J. Safra Sarasin agreed to acquire founder Kim
Fournais’ remaining indirect 28.69% stake in Saxo Holding AG, completing
its move to full ownership of Saxo Bank. The transaction follows the Swiss
banking group’s acquisition of more than 70% of the business in 2025 and
remains subject to regulatory approval.
J. Safra Sarasin Increases Its Stake in Saxo: Just months after completing its majority acquisition of Saxo Holding, Bank J. Safra Sarasin has moved to acquire the remaining stake held by founder Kim Fournais, making it the sole sharehol… https://t.co/OKxTgl42Mi
— finews.ch (@finews_ch) July 6, 2026
Saxo Bank said it will continue
operating as an independent entity while benefiting from the financial backing
of its new parent. Fournais will remain Chairman of the Board, providing
continuity for clients and employees. The company also said it expects to
report its strongest first-half financial performance on record, driven by
continued growth in client numbers and assets under management.
Trade Nation Launches European Business Through Portugal
Luis Dos Santos, CEO of Portugal at Trade Nation (Photo: LinkedIn)
Trade Nation formally entered the European Union by launching
regulated services through a new Portuguese entity authorised by the
Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários.
The licence enables the broker to
passport CFD products across the EU, covering forex, indices, commodities,
shares and bonds through its proprietary platforms, TradingView and MetaTrader
4.
The move follows the opening of its Lisbon office last year and supports the
company’s broader international expansion strategy. Trade Nation has also been
consolidating its business following the integration of TD365 into its main
brand and rebuilding its senior management team, while its UK business has
returned to profitability after several years of losses.
Coinbase Expands UK Business Beyond Cryptocurrency
Coinbase received UK
authorisation allowing it to offer traditional investment services
alongside its existing cryptocurrency business. The approval enables
institutional clients to access derivatives, including crypto, equity and
commodity perpetual futures, while retail customers will be able to trade
equities on the platform for the first time.
The expansion follows the
company’s earlier launch of regulated derivatives across Europe under its
Cyprus MiFID II licence. Coinbase said the new authorisation supports its
strategy of building a unified financial platform combining crypto trading with
equities, derivatives, payments, savings and borrowing products ahead of the
UK’s planned crypto regulatory regime in 2027.
Today marks our biggest ever expansion of Coinbase UK’s product suite.
We’ve now secured an investment services authorisation in the UK, enabling us to soon offer both equities and derivatives.
Another step to bringing the everything exchange worldwide. pic.twitter.com/sns3IGRHHM
— Coinbase 🛡️ (@coinbase) July 7, 2026
ASIC Cancels Trive Australia’s Financial Services Licence
Australia’s corporate regulator cancelled the
financial services licence of Trive’s local subsidiary after determining it
was no longer conducting financial services business. The broker stopped
onboarding new Australian clients in April 2025 before operations ceased
entirely, leading to the licence cancellation on 1 July after 14 years.
The
decision follows ASIC’s broader review of the country’s CFD industry, which
identified widespread compliance deficiencies among brokers. The regulator
previously said more than 38,000 retail traders received around AU$40 million
in refunds following the review.
ASIC also reported that Australian retail CFD
traders collectively lost more than AU$458 million during 2024, reinforcing its
continued focus on the sector.
eToro Adds AI Investing Tools as IC Markets Prepares
Website Migration
Yoni Assia, the CEO of eToro
Elsewhere, platform development remained a priority as eToro
and IC Markets announced separate technology updates. eToro
introduced a redesigned mobile application centred on its AI assistant,
Tori, alongside new active trading tools, AI-powered portfolios, desktop
trading capabilities and expanded crypto self-custody services.
The company
also unveiled refreshed branding featuring a new logo and tagline. Separately,
IC Markets confirmed it will migrate its website from icmarkets.com to ic.com
as part of a wider branding initiative. The broker said temporary service
interruptions may occur during the migration but advised that client accounts
and partner referral links would remain unaffected.
Governance, Rather Than New Rules, Seen as Key to AI
Trading
Artificial intelligence continued to feature prominently
across the brokerage industry, prompting
renewed debate over regulation. In an opinion piece for Finance Magnates,
it was argued that AI-powered trading products should generally be governed
under existing financial services rules rather than through a new AI-specific
regulatory framework.
The focus, the article suggested, should remain on
governance, operational resilience and accountability instead of the underlying
technology. As brokers introduce conversational trading interfaces and
AI-assisted execution tools, firms were urged to ensure robust audit trails,
clear client permissions and effective risk controls.
The distinction between
execution tools and products providing investment advice was identified as a
key regulatory consideration.
Tradeify Outlines Growth Strategy as Futures Prop Trading
Expands
Tradeify’s founders said the
futures prop trading firm has grown sevenfold over the past year to more than
100,000 active traders, positioning it among the sector’s fastest-growing
firms. During an interview with Finance Magnates, the company outlined
plans to expand through a newly launched introducing broker business, broader
multi-asset offerings and prediction markets.
The founders also explained why
Tradeify abandoned subscription-based evaluation accounts in favour of one-time
payments after internal data showed little impact on revenue.
Alongside growth
initiatives, the firm highlighted fraud prevention as its biggest operational
challenge and said artificial intelligence now plays an increasing role in
detecting suspicious trading activity and improving customer support.
Organic Short-Form Video Gains Ground in Financial
Marketing
Another opinion piece examined how organic
short-form video is reshaping marketing strategies across financial services.
The article argued that platforms such as Instagram Reels and TikTok can
deliver significantly greater reach than traditional paid press or advertising
at a lower cost, particularly for business-to-consumer brands.
While paid media
remains valuable for credibility and search visibility, organic content was
presented as an increasingly important channel for customer acquisition and
long-term audience engagement.
The piece suggested many financial firms
continue to underinvest in creator-led and founder-driven content despite
growing evidence that organic social media generates stronger engagement and
better returns than conventional digital advertising.
Industry Faces Pressure on Fees, Financial Education and
Workforce Skills
Separately, this week’s Market
Watch column highlighted several broader industry trends. New research from
investment consultancy bfinance pointed to continued pressure on active asset
management fees, although pricing benefits remain uneven across different
markets and investor groups.
The column also revisited concerns surrounding
financial influencers, arguing that improving financial education and stronger
platform oversight may prove more effective than regulating content creators
directly. Meanwhile, a survey by the CFA Institute found communication,
collaboration and other soft skills are increasingly valued by finance
employers.
Management respondents ranked these attributes ahead of artificial
intelligence capabilities when assessing career progression and leadership
potential.
LATEST: ⚡ MiCA-compliant euro stablecoins grew 128% in market cap to $673.9M in the year before Europe’s MiCA transition period ended, according to Decta. pic.twitter.com/DHPQwoFNxS
— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) July 7, 2026
EU Lawmakers Turn Attention to DeFi, Staking and
Tokenised Assets
Rounding out the week’s developments, European
lawmakers signalled that further crypto regulation could follow shortly
after the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) became fully applicable.
The European Parliament called on the European Commission to examine whether
decentralised finance, staking, lending, NFTs and tokenised assets require
additional oversight under existing financial market rules. The report also
expressed stronger support for regulated euro-denominated stablecoins as part
of Europe’s broader competitiveness strategy.
For brokers, fintechs and
institutional firms, the review indicates that areas currently outside MiCA’s
scope may become the next focus of EU regulatory policy as digital asset
markets continue to evolve.
The week saw brokers pursue acquisitions, regulatory
approvals and expansion into new markets while adapting to evolving
regulations. Authorities in Europe and Australia stepped up oversight, as firms
also accelerated AI adoption and platform upgrades to strengthen their
competitive positions.
IG Group asked shareholders to approve
a new Jersey-incorporated holding company while reporting an 18% rise in
first-half revenue to about £643 million.
Breon Corcoran, CEO, IG Group
The proposal forms part of the
strategic review launched in March and is intended to provide greater financial
flexibility for a business that now generates around two-thirds of its revenue
outside the UK.
The company said its London Stock Exchange listing, UK tax
residency and London operations would remain unchanged. IG also confirmed an
organisational overhaul, merging its regional consumer businesses into a single
division led by Michael Healy.
Meanwhile, the group reaffirmed its upgraded
full-year guidance despite much of its reported customer growth reflecting
recent acquisitions rather than organic expansion.
J. Safra Sarasin Completes Takeover of Saxo Bank
Bank J. Safra Sarasin agreed to acquire founder Kim
Fournais’ remaining indirect 28.69% stake in Saxo Holding AG, completing
its move to full ownership of Saxo Bank. The transaction follows the Swiss
banking group’s acquisition of more than 70% of the business in 2025 and
remains subject to regulatory approval.
J. Safra Sarasin Increases Its Stake in Saxo: Just months after completing its majority acquisition of Saxo Holding, Bank J. Safra Sarasin has moved to acquire the remaining stake held by founder Kim Fournais, making it the sole sharehol… https://t.co/OKxTgl42Mi
— finews.ch (@finews_ch) July 6, 2026
Saxo Bank said it will continue
operating as an independent entity while benefiting from the financial backing
of its new parent. Fournais will remain Chairman of the Board, providing
continuity for clients and employees. The company also said it expects to
report its strongest first-half financial performance on record, driven by
continued growth in client numbers and assets under management.
Trade Nation Launches European Business Through Portugal
Luis Dos Santos, CEO of Portugal at Trade Nation (Photo: LinkedIn)
Trade Nation formally entered the European Union by launching
regulated services through a new Portuguese entity authorised by the
Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários.
The licence enables the broker to
passport CFD products across the EU, covering forex, indices, commodities,
shares and bonds through its proprietary platforms, TradingView and MetaTrader
4.
The move follows the opening of its Lisbon office last year and supports the
company’s broader international expansion strategy. Trade Nation has also been
consolidating its business following the integration of TD365 into its main
brand and rebuilding its senior management team, while its UK business has
returned to profitability after several years of losses.
Coinbase Expands UK Business Beyond Cryptocurrency
Coinbase received UK
authorisation allowing it to offer traditional investment services
alongside its existing cryptocurrency business. The approval enables
institutional clients to access derivatives, including crypto, equity and
commodity perpetual futures, while retail customers will be able to trade
equities on the platform for the first time.
The expansion follows the
company’s earlier launch of regulated derivatives across Europe under its
Cyprus MiFID II licence. Coinbase said the new authorisation supports its
strategy of building a unified financial platform combining crypto trading with
equities, derivatives, payments, savings and borrowing products ahead of the
UK’s planned crypto regulatory regime in 2027.
Today marks our biggest ever expansion of Coinbase UK’s product suite.
We’ve now secured an investment services authorisation in the UK, enabling us to soon offer both equities and derivatives.
Another step to bringing the everything exchange worldwide. pic.twitter.com/sns3IGRHHM
— Coinbase 🛡️ (@coinbase) July 7, 2026
ASIC Cancels Trive Australia’s Financial Services Licence
Australia’s corporate regulator cancelled the
financial services licence of Trive’s local subsidiary after determining it
was no longer conducting financial services business. The broker stopped
onboarding new Australian clients in April 2025 before operations ceased
entirely, leading to the licence cancellation on 1 July after 14 years.
The
decision follows ASIC’s broader review of the country’s CFD industry, which
identified widespread compliance deficiencies among brokers. The regulator
previously said more than 38,000 retail traders received around AU$40 million
in refunds following the review.
ASIC also reported that Australian retail CFD
traders collectively lost more than AU$458 million during 2024, reinforcing its
continued focus on the sector.
eToro Adds AI Investing Tools as IC Markets Prepares
Website Migration
Yoni Assia, the CEO of eToro
Elsewhere, platform development remained a priority as eToro
and IC Markets announced separate technology updates. eToro
introduced a redesigned mobile application centred on its AI assistant,
Tori, alongside new active trading tools, AI-powered portfolios, desktop
trading capabilities and expanded crypto self-custody services.
The company
also unveiled refreshed branding featuring a new logo and tagline. Separately,
IC Markets confirmed it will migrate its website from icmarkets.com to ic.com
as part of a wider branding initiative. The broker said temporary service
interruptions may occur during the migration but advised that client accounts
and partner referral links would remain unaffected.
Governance, Rather Than New Rules, Seen as Key to AI
Trading
Artificial intelligence continued to feature prominently
across the brokerage industry, prompting
renewed debate over regulation. In an opinion piece for Finance Magnates,
it was argued that AI-powered trading products should generally be governed
under existing financial services rules rather than through a new AI-specific
regulatory framework.
The focus, the article suggested, should remain on
governance, operational resilience and accountability instead of the underlying
technology. As brokers introduce conversational trading interfaces and
AI-assisted execution tools, firms were urged to ensure robust audit trails,
clear client permissions and effective risk controls.
The distinction between
execution tools and products providing investment advice was identified as a
key regulatory consideration.
Tradeify Outlines Growth Strategy as Futures Prop Trading
Expands
Tradeify’s founders said the
futures prop trading firm has grown sevenfold over the past year to more than
100,000 active traders, positioning it among the sector’s fastest-growing
firms. During an interview with Finance Magnates, the company outlined
plans to expand through a newly launched introducing broker business, broader
multi-asset offerings and prediction markets.
The founders also explained why
Tradeify abandoned subscription-based evaluation accounts in favour of one-time
payments after internal data showed little impact on revenue.
Alongside growth
initiatives, the firm highlighted fraud prevention as its biggest operational
challenge and said artificial intelligence now plays an increasing role in
detecting suspicious trading activity and improving customer support.
Organic Short-Form Video Gains Ground in Financial
Marketing
Another opinion piece examined how organic
short-form video is reshaping marketing strategies across financial services.
The article argued that platforms such as Instagram Reels and TikTok can
deliver significantly greater reach than traditional paid press or advertising
at a lower cost, particularly for business-to-consumer brands.
While paid media
remains valuable for credibility and search visibility, organic content was
presented as an increasingly important channel for customer acquisition and
long-term audience engagement.
The piece suggested many financial firms
continue to underinvest in creator-led and founder-driven content despite
growing evidence that organic social media generates stronger engagement and
better returns than conventional digital advertising.
Industry Faces Pressure on Fees, Financial Education and
Workforce Skills
Separately, this week’s Market
Watch column highlighted several broader industry trends. New research from
investment consultancy bfinance pointed to continued pressure on active asset
management fees, although pricing benefits remain uneven across different
markets and investor groups.
The column also revisited concerns surrounding
financial influencers, arguing that improving financial education and stronger
platform oversight may prove more effective than regulating content creators
directly. Meanwhile, a survey by the CFA Institute found communication,
collaboration and other soft skills are increasingly valued by finance
employers.
Management respondents ranked these attributes ahead of artificial
intelligence capabilities when assessing career progression and leadership
potential.
LATEST: ⚡ MiCA-compliant euro stablecoins grew 128% in market cap to $673.9M in the year before Europe’s MiCA transition period ended, according to Decta. pic.twitter.com/DHPQwoFNxS
— CoinMarketCap (@CoinMarketCap) July 7, 2026
EU Lawmakers Turn Attention to DeFi, Staking and
Tokenised Assets
Rounding out the week’s developments, European
lawmakers signalled that further crypto regulation could follow shortly
after the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) became fully applicable.
The European Parliament called on the European Commission to examine whether
decentralised finance, staking, lending, NFTs and tokenised assets require
additional oversight under existing financial market rules. The report also
expressed stronger support for regulated euro-denominated stablecoins as part
of Europe’s broader competitiveness strategy.
For brokers, fintechs and
institutional firms, the review indicates that areas currently outside MiCA’s
scope may become the next focus of EU regulatory policy as digital asset
markets continue to evolve.
