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CFTC alleges Cash FX raised $950 million in forex Ponzi scheme

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission sued Cash FX Group and four associated defendants, alleging they collected more than $950 million through a multilevel-marketing scheme presented as a forex trading operation. The complaint says participants lost at least $406 million and alleges that new deposits funded fictitious returns; the court has not determined the claims. The CFTC is seeking restitution, penalties and permanent trading and registration bans.

What changed Earlier regulatory warnings concerned missing authorisation. The CFTC case introduces Ponzi-scheme allegations that those warnings did not establish.

Why it matters For participants, the lawsuit offers a potential route to restitution, not a confirmed recovery; the regulator is also seeking to prevent the defendants from returning to regulated trading.

What to watch next Whether the CFTC establishes its allegations remains unresolved.

Revolut wins approval to acquire Argentine bank, targeting 2027 launch

Argentina’s central bank approved Revolut’s acquisition of Banco Cetelem from BNP Paribas Personal Finance, though the transaction still needs to close and the bank must meet capital, operational and regulatory requirements before serving customers. Revolut plans a commercial launch in 2027, according to the report, and says more than 150,000 people have joined its local waiting list. The purchase price and planned capital investment were not disclosed.

Why it matters Revolut will largely need to persuade already-banked customers to switch or add another provider, rather than rely on unmet demand for a first account.

What to watch next Closing and the remaining capital, operational and regulatory requirements are the next gates before customers can use the bank.

EBA urges EU to bring crypto lending and borrowing into MiCA rules

In a response to the European Commission’s MiCA review consultation, the European Banking Authority called for analysis of adding crypto borrowing and lending to regulated services and setting requirements for firms facilitating access to DeFi lending. The EBA also raised possible suitability tests and leverage caps, while saying consumers may lack clear information on fees, yields and collateral changes. The consultation closes on 30 September; the EBA’s recommendations do not bind the Commission.

Why it matters Crypto borrowers could face eligibility checks or leverage limits if these ideas become rules. The consumer-protection issue is concrete: users may lack adequate information about borrowing costs and changing collateral demands.

What to watch next Responses close at 23:59 CEST on 30 September 2026. That is an evidence-submission deadline, not the date new lending rules take effect.

Anthropic commits $11.6 billion to Akamai cloud capacity in deal with equity warrant

Anthropic has committed $11.6 billion over seven years for Akamai cloud services, primarily for CPU workloads, and received a warrant that could represent about 5% of Akamai’s common stock if the relationship expands. Akamai estimates it will need about $5.5 billion in capital spending to support the initial commitment, with meaningful service revenue expected to begin later. Additional purchases could take the potential commercial relationship to about $20 billion, according to the report.

Why it matters For Akamai shareholders, the contract creates a spending-before-revenue burden: the company expects $1.7 billion of additional capex in 2026 without an accompanying increase in that year’s revenue guidance.

What to watch next Akamai’s reported delivery milestones are initial revenue of $150 million–$300 million in 2027 and a roughly $1.7 billion annual contracted run rate by the end of 2028; these remain expectations, not realised sales.

Brent rises 3.4% as Hormuz negotiations unfold, while traders see little chance of normal traffic by month-end

Brent settled at $106.60 a barrel on 24 September, up 3.4%, as traders weighed supply risks and Reuters reporting on discussions between U.S. and Iranian negotiators about a phased agreement involving the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Iranian official said the strait would remain closed until Iran’s conditions were met, according to Reuters. Polymarket’s contract put the chance of normal Hormuz traffic by 30 September at 0.25% on 25 September, using a definition based on a seven-day average of at least 60 transit calls.

What changed Crude had risen as much as about 5% on supply fears before reports of a phased agreement helped pull prices back from session highs.

Why it matters For users of this market signal, the near-zero September odds concern sustained shipping recovery—not simply a deal announcement or a few tankers passing through. Conflating those outcomes would misread what is being priced.

What to watch next The measurable unresolved question is whether IMF PortWatch records a seven-day average of at least 60 Hormuz transit calls before the contract deadline; diplomatic progress alone would not satisfy it.

Prediction markets put October Fed rate hike odds near two-thirds

Polymarket priced a 25-basis-point Federal Reserve hike in October at about 67% on Friday, while putting the chance of no rate cuts in 2026 at 97%. New York Fed President John Williams said another increase by year-end may be appropriate but did not endorse the October meeting, according to the report. Strong August business-equipment orders and rising household inflation expectations also featured in the market’s reassessment.

What changed Household inflation expectations rose from 4.0% to 4.6% even as consumer sentiment weakened, giving policymakers a mixed backdrop rather than an unambiguously strong economy.

Why it matters Treasury investors face a broader repricing than the betting odds alone suggest: the 10-year yield reached its highest level since 2007 after a sharp two-session rise.

What to watch next The October 27–28 meeting is the next decision point. Whether incoming data justify another increase remains open; Williams did not commit to that meeting.

Strategy asks shareholders to approve daily dividends on four preferred stocks

Strategy’s board proposed daily dividend record dates for its preferred stocks STRC, STRD, STRF and STRK, with shareholders scheduled to vote at a virtual meeting on 28 October. The proposal would not raise dividend rates or total regular dividend obligations; declared dividends would be paid on the following business day. Strategy says the change aims to support price stability, liquidity and demand for the securities, which it uses as part of its bitcoin financing platform.

What changed STRC shareholders approved a shift from monthly to semi-monthly payments in June; the new proposal would shorten the interval again, subject to approval.

Why it matters Preferred holders would receive the same underlying dividend economics more frequently, rather than a higher payout. The proposal changes cash-distribution timing, not the stated return.

What to watch next Shareholders are scheduled to vote on 28 October; adoption is not yet confirmed.