The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has issued a staff statement clarifying that many forms of liquid staking do not fall under its securities laws, provided providers act as passive agents without management discretion over user assets. This guidance delivers long-awaited legal relief for the $67 billion liquid staking sector, including major players like Lido and Rocket Pool. While not a formal rule, the statement signals the SEC's willingness to take a lighter regulatory approach for staking structures that mirror custodial arrangements, but internal debate within the agency remains fierce, with some commissioners expressing concern over perceived regulatory loopholes. The move has been welcomed by DeFi markets, although price spikes in related tokens were short-lived.
Source: FinanceFeeds
2. UK Company Directors to Face Mandatory ID Checks in Sweeping Corporate Reform
Starting November 2025, UK company directors and significant shareholders will be legally required to verify their identities with Companies House or risk deregistration. The new measure, part of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, is designed to combat fraud by cleaning up company data and increasing transparency for more than 6 million business stakeholders. While government ministers say the policy will protect UK business integrity, experts note a 12-month phased rollout leaves a window for illicit actors, and some fear the verification process could introduce friction for legitimate directors. The changes come amid rising industry expectations for stronger anti-money-laundering enforcement.
Source: Finance Magnates
3. IG Group’s UK Subsidiaries Deliver Profit Growth, Signal Industry Turnaround
Three of IG Group's core subsidiaries reported strong revenue and profit growth for the 2025 fiscal year, reflecting a 25% surge in group-level net profit to £380 million. IG Markets, IG Index, and IG Trading and Investments each posted profit increases and contributed significant dividends to the parent company, highlighting both effective cost-cutting and the recovery of active trader numbers. The group's positive results contrast with a tougher 2023 and come as IG expands its product offering into crypto derivatives, despite ongoing regulatory scrutiny, particularly in Australia. The industry sees these results as confirmation that the UK leveraged trading market, while contracting in user base, is increasing in trader satisfaction and activity per client.
Source: Finance Magnates
4. XTB to Reimburse Hacked Clients, Mandates Rollout of Two-Factor Authentication
Leading retail investment app XTB will refund all clients affected by recent cyberattacks after a high-profile Polish hacking case resulted in the loss of $38,000 and gained widespread media coverage. The company revealed that only 0.017% of users were affected and that none had enabled two-factor authentication (2FA) at the time. XTB is accelerating mandatory 2FA rollouts for all users and claims the financial impact will be immaterial for the group. Amid rising cybersecurity threats in financial services, XTB’s proactive approach underscores the growing pressure on fintech providers to prioritize client protections and prevent reputational damage from targeted cyber frauds.
Source: Finance Magnates
5. SEC and CFTC Jointly Advance 'Project Crypto' to Modernize U.S. Digital Asset Regulation
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) are collaborating on ‘Project Crypto’, an initiative designed to streamline and rationalize digital asset oversight in the face of growing calls for regulatory clarity. The project aims to reform the current patchwork of guidance and overlapping rules by introducing distinct regulatory frameworks for different types of tokens, exchanges, and market participants. The move follows years of industry complaints about slow innovation adoption and costly compliance burdens due to ambiguity, with both agencies now seeking to balance consumer protection with capital formation and fintech competitiveness.
Source: FinanceFeeds
6. UK Reclaims CFD Brokers as Crypto Regulation Loosens and New FCA Licenses Granted
After years of consolidation, the UK’s contracts-for-difference (CFD) brokerage market is seeing a resurgence, with new FCA licenses issued to firms like Ultima Markets and Moneta Markets. This reversal coincides with a more open posture from UK regulators, who now permit retail access to crypto exchange-traded notes and show signs of supporting broader retail crypto access in the future. Market analysts point to improved client satisfaction, higher trading activity, and regulatory clarity as drivers enabling the return of brokers and innovation in retail trading products, even as the FCA maintains a ban on crypto derivatives for now.
Source: Finance Magnates
7. TP ICAP Reports Robust H1 Earnings, Launches New £30M Buyback as Global Broking Surges
Interdealer broker TP ICAP reported £1.22 billion in revenue and £130 million in net earnings for the first half of 2025, launching its fifth £30 million buyback program. The group’s core Global Broking division saw a 12% revenue increase, and the Liquidnet and Parameta Solutions businesses posted robust growth, offsetting weaker energy and commodity revenues. TP ICAP’s management maintains a confident outlook for the remainder of the year as ongoing geopolitical volatility supports trading volumes. The continued capital returns and diversification strategy underscore TP ICAP’s position as a bellwether for global market infrastructure firms.
Source: Finance Magnates
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