(The Trump team is moving fast to get its cabinet nominees in order, and Paul Atkins, a former SEC commissioner under President George W. Bush, has been tapped to head the SEC. If Atkins wins the approval of the U.S. Senate, he will succeed Gary Gensler, who steps down on Inauguration Day. FTF News asked… Read More >>
Clear Street U.K. Launches & Joins LME
Clear Street has launched Clear Street U.K. in London, the first major step by the maker of cloud-native securities transaction services to expand beyond North America, officials say. Clear Street’s product suite includes offerings for financing, derivatives products, execution services, and futures clearing. Following approval by the U.K. regulator Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Clear Street… Read More >>
SEC Chair Gensler to Step Down January 20
Gary Gensler will not be filling out his term as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as he will be stepping down as its 33rd Chair effective at Noon on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, according to an SEC announcement With the onset of the second Trump administration, Gensler was never expected to… Read More >>
ESMA Sets Target Date for E.U.’s T+1 Move
The European Union’s head regulator and supervisor, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), has set a definitive target date of Oct. 11, 2027, for the bloc’s highly anticipated transition to a T+1 settlement cycle. The announcement of the transition date is part of ESMA’s final report on shortening the settlement cycle, which includes the… Read More >>
Liquidnet Launches Liquidity-Seeking Algorithm
Agency execution specialist Liquidnet has released in the U.S. a new algorithm for its equities platform. Dubbed SmartDark, the algorithm is intended to help institutional traders prioritize “routing to venues with larger execution sizes and better price stability,” officials say. “SmartDark incorporates a variety of yield and quality metrics to give traders an optimal blend… Read More >>
ACA Group Acquires FINOP Consulting
Governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) solutions provider ACA Group hopes to bolster the FINRA and SEC compliance services it offers to broker-dealers via the acquisition of FINOP Consulting, an outsourcer for broker-dealers, officials say. Officials declined to provide the financial terms of the acquisition. FINOP Consulting offers financial operations services “that ensure a broker-dealer’s financial… Read More >>
A Glimpse at Gary Gensler’s Legacy
With the second Trump administration coming to power in January, Gary Gensler, chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), is unlikely to be a part of the new team. During the campaign, Trump stated that he would replace Gensler. In fact, multiple media outlets have recently reported that Trump’s transition team is searching for a replacement… Read More >>
SEC Revises ‘Living Wills’ for Clearinghouses
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is revising the “living will” for covered clearing agencies (CCAs) through rule amendments and a new rule —approved late last month — all intended to boost the resilience, recovery, and wind-down planning for CCAs, officials say. “CCAs are registered clearing agencies that act as central counterparties, meaning that they… Read More >>
E.U. Task Force Urges CSDR Adjustment for T+1
European capital markets firms are navigating a long list of regulatory changes required to enable a smooth transition to a shortened, T+1 settlement cycle, likely in 2027 and in coordination with the UK. The European T+1 Industry Task Force, comprised of 21 trade associations, outlined these regulatory changes in a recent work paper — “High-level… Read More >>
Election Results Will Impact Firms’ Sanctions Compliance
While not one of the top issues during the U.S. presidential and Congressional elections, it’s clear that two different sanctions compliance policy paths have emerged and only one will prevail on Election Day. It’s also clear that a new sanctions problem is stirring with Russia, namely its evasion of the price cap economic sanctions imposed… Read More >>
