Reading Time: 5 minutes In February 2021, Tesla announced that it had purchased $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin. This decision was part of a broader strategy to diversify its cash holdings and ensure more flexibility. More recently, major corporations like MicroStrategy have been making headlines by investing parts of their financial reserves in cryptocurrencies. Read more…
Reading Time: 5 minutes The significance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in investment decisions has grown exponentially. Investors are increasingly recognizing that companies committed to sustainable practices tend to outperform those that are not. Understanding the elements that comprise ESG is crucial for investors aiming to make informed decisions that align with Read more…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Illustration of various design elements with the title ‘Why Every Design Needs a UX Review’ and the Studio iX logo, highlighting the importance of user experience (UX) review in design.
Reading Time: 3 minutes The US securities trading industry recently transitioned to a T+1 settlement cycle from T+2, marking a significant change aimed at increasing market efficiency and reducing risk. Canada transitioned to the T+1 settlement cycle for equity and long-term debt market trades on May 27, 2024, ahead of the US market. The Read more…
Reading Time: 4 minutes The capital markets have always been a lucrative target for cybercriminals, and the past few years have only intensified these threats. A stark reminder of this vulnerability was the ransomware attack on CNA Financial Corporation in March 2021, one of the largest insurance companies in the United States. This incident, Read more…
Reading Time: 5 minutes The capital markets industry is facing disruptions from ongoing regulatory changes, higher interest rates, and geopolitical tensions, among other things. In 2023, the SEC has reported a 15% increase in enforcement actions, while FINRA has seen a 20% rise in fines related to trading practices; highlighting increased regulatory scrutiny. To Read more…
Reading Time: 5 minutes Open banking is rapidly reshaping the financial landscape, shifting the monopoly of financial data from traditional banks to a more inclusive ecosystem. A financial technology practice that allows third-party financial service providers to access consumer banking, transactional, and other financial data from banks and non-bank financial institutions, open banking uses Read more…
Reading Time: 3 minutes On last week’s edition of TradersMagazine’s Tech Tuesday, I read the interview with Mike O’Rourke, Head of AI and Emerging Technology at Nasdaq. Packed with great insight, I found his forward-thinking stance on AI particularly interesting because, as early as 2016, he identified its potential and proactively built a center Read more…
Reading Time: 3 minutes Social learning suggests that people learn from one another through observation, imitation, and modeling. It has emerged as a powerful educational tool in the FinTech sector, particularly in trading, where community interactions and shared experiences are vital for skill acquisition. Examining how various elements of these platforms influence user behavior, Read more…
Reading Time: 4 minutes The dynamic nature of capital markets today brings a host of post-trade processing challenges, from increased costs and margin pressures to more stringent risk, compliance demands, and regulatory interventions. Right from trade confirmation to clearing and settlement, post-trade processes often suffer from high complexity and error rates, directly impacting transaction Read more…
Reading Time: 5 minutes Blockchain technology shows considerable potential in reshaping the finance industry, offering new pathways for innovation and efficiency. As financial systems evolve towards more digitized and decentralized frameworks, there is a growing interest in solutions that are secure, transparent, and efficient. Many FinTech companies are exploring the capabilities of blockchain to Read more…
Reading Time: 5 minutes Bitcoin halving events are a core part of its protocol, designed to control the supply of coins gradually approaching the total cap of 21 million. As we explore the significance of Bitcoin halvings, their mechanics, and the potential outcomes of the most recent one, it becomes clear that these events Read more…