Unraveling of the prop agency Funded Unicorn
How far-reaching are the implications of failure in danger dealing with for prop buying and selling companies? The closure of Funded Unicorn, considered one of Germany’s high prop buying and selling companies, uncovered weaknesses within the agency’s danger administration.
The agency used the much-respected A-book mannequin to position all of the dangers available on the market, but it surely didn’t work. The corporate’s collapse has now raised doubts concerning the mannequin’s practicability.
“As you recognize, all of our funded merchants have been mirrored 1:1 with actual firm capital,” the corporate instructed its customers. “This process was a part of our clear and honest mannequin. Nevertheless it was exactly this strategy that finally introduced us to our knees.”
Tokenized inventory frenzy
And even because the prop buying and selling trade rethinks its technique, tokenized shares appear to be the brand new development, particularly within the crypto area. Early this week, two main crypto exchanges, Kraken and Bybit, unveiled their listings of tokenized U.S. shares simply two hours aside.
BREAKING: Wall Avenue is formally onchain.
xStocks are actually stay on Kraken ❎60 U.S. equities tokenized and tradable 24/5. Extra coming quickly.
We’re not ready for the longer term. We’re constructing it.👇https://t.co/iKu44ZiwZN
Not accessible within the U.S. or to U.S. individuals. Geo… pic.twitter.com/FjOsxDJ9se
— Kraken Change (@krakenfx) June 30, 2025
Robinhood additionally joined the adoption of tokenized shares, together with these of OpenAI and SpaceX. The announcement pushed the corporate’s inventory 12% on Monday to an all-time excessive.
However past the hype, what added worth do tokenized shares carry? Though they’ve an a variety of benefits—24-hour markets, quick settlement, small ticket sizes, and international entry—laws stay an impediment.
However at the same time as tokenized shares acquire momentum, the variety of energetic UK leverage merchants has declined barely, however general engagement is rising.
In keeping with Funding Developments’ 2025 UK Leverage Buying and selling Report, the variety of merchants dropped to 167,000, down from 173,000 a yr earlier. Nevertheless, dormancy charges fell to their lowest degree in 5 years.
XS.com opens new Kuwait workplace
Elsewhere, XS.com expanded additional into the Center East by opening its first workplace in Kuwait. The contracts for variations (CFDs) dealer entered the Gulf nation through a partnership with NVEST, a subsidiary of Development Group and Al Wataniya Group.
Kuwait has a inhabitants of 4.8 million however exhibits sturdy demand for retail buying and selling. In keeping with Boursa Kuwait, retail traders made up 38 p.c of the whole traded worth in 2024.
CFD dealer GTC is constructing a tower in Dubai
Additionally increasing within the Gulf area, the brokerage agency GTC has formally begun development on its new regional headquarters in Dubai, dubbed GTC Towers.
In keeping with the corporate, the upcoming GTC Tower is reportedly deliberate as a purpose-built facility. It’s going to function the primary workplace for the dealer’s operations within the area.
Saxo Australia set to rebrand
Additionally this week, Saxo Financial institution’s Australian unit introduced plans to rebrand below its new proprietor, as deliberate throughout its sale earlier this yr. The corporate will formally change its identify to Totality on 11 August 2025.
Johannesburg-based DMA, a expertise supplier for monetary advisers and wealth managers, acquired a majority stake in Saxo Australia. The sale got here as Saxo reviewed its technique within the Asia-Pacific area to help progress, whereas DMA ready to launch its companies within the Australian market.
eToro secures credit score facility
eToro has secured a $250 million revolving credit score facility from a syndicate of main international banks. The brand new facility is a three-year senior unsecured credit score line.
The credit score line was reportedly organized by Citi, Financial institution Hapoalim, Financial institution Leumi, Deutsche Financial institution, Goldman Sachs, Mizuho Financial institution, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Company, and UBS.
FxPro enters crypto
Within the crypto area, FxPro is establishing a crypto buying and selling desk, marking a shift past its current FX and CFD enterprise. The transfer was revealed by a job posting for a Senior Crypto Supervisor based mostly in Cyprus, which the corporate printed this week.
The dealer, which has supplied crypto CFDs since 2021, is now getting ready to construct an in-house desk devoted to crypto buying and selling operations. This asset class has not too long ago been attracting extra FX and CFD brokers, together with Hantec Markets.
Swiss regulator pressures Swissquote
On the identical time, Swissquote got here below stress from Switzerland’s monetary regulator to enhance its dealing with of suspicious exercise following a pointy rise in fraud makes an attempt and cyber assaults.
Finma issued the warning earlier this yr, citing a necessity for stronger controls amid a rising wave of impersonation scams and information threats.
Revolut faces competitors
Lastly, within the fintech area, Zopa launched present accounts to battle Revolut and Monzo within the UK, whereas Airwallex sharpens its international edge with recent licenses and growth sprees.
Zopa Financial institution, the UK-based digital lender that’s been steadily evolving since its P2P lending days, is moving into the ring with the large boys. The transfer positions Zopa as a full-service neobank, now providing all the pieces from financial savings and bank cards to auto loans and banking.
Unraveling of the prop agency Funded Unicorn
How far-reaching are the implications of failure in danger dealing with for prop buying and selling companies? The closure of Funded Unicorn, considered one of Germany’s high prop buying and selling companies, uncovered weaknesses within the agency’s danger administration.
The agency used the much-respected A-book mannequin to position all of the dangers available on the market, but it surely didn’t work. The corporate’s collapse has now raised doubts concerning the mannequin’s practicability.
“As you recognize, all of our funded merchants have been mirrored 1:1 with actual firm capital,” the corporate instructed its customers. “This process was a part of our clear and honest mannequin. Nevertheless it was exactly this strategy that finally introduced us to our knees.”
Tokenized inventory frenzy
And even because the prop buying and selling trade rethinks its technique, tokenized shares appear to be the brand new development, particularly within the crypto area. Early this week, two main crypto exchanges, Kraken and Bybit, unveiled their listings of tokenized U.S. shares simply two hours aside.
BREAKING: Wall Avenue is formally onchain.
xStocks are actually stay on Kraken ❎60 U.S. equities tokenized and tradable 24/5. Extra coming quickly.
We’re not ready for the longer term. We’re constructing it.👇https://t.co/iKu44ZiwZN
Not accessible within the U.S. or to U.S. individuals. Geo… pic.twitter.com/FjOsxDJ9se
— Kraken Change (@krakenfx) June 30, 2025
Robinhood additionally joined the adoption of tokenized shares, together with these of OpenAI and SpaceX. The announcement pushed the corporate’s inventory 12% on Monday to an all-time excessive.
However past the hype, what added worth do tokenized shares carry? Though they’ve an a variety of benefits—24-hour markets, quick settlement, small ticket sizes, and international entry—laws stay an impediment.
However at the same time as tokenized shares acquire momentum, the variety of energetic UK leverage merchants has declined barely, however general engagement is rising.
In keeping with Funding Developments’ 2025 UK Leverage Buying and selling Report, the variety of merchants dropped to 167,000, down from 173,000 a yr earlier. Nevertheless, dormancy charges fell to their lowest degree in 5 years.
XS.com opens new Kuwait workplace
Elsewhere, XS.com expanded additional into the Center East by opening its first workplace in Kuwait. The contracts for variations (CFDs) dealer entered the Gulf nation through a partnership with NVEST, a subsidiary of Development Group and Al Wataniya Group.
Kuwait has a inhabitants of 4.8 million however exhibits sturdy demand for retail buying and selling. In keeping with Boursa Kuwait, retail traders made up 38 p.c of the whole traded worth in 2024.
CFD dealer GTC is constructing a tower in Dubai
Additionally increasing within the Gulf area, the brokerage agency GTC has formally begun development on its new regional headquarters in Dubai, dubbed GTC Towers.
In keeping with the corporate, the upcoming GTC Tower is reportedly deliberate as a purpose-built facility. It’s going to function the primary workplace for the dealer’s operations within the area.
Saxo Australia set to rebrand
Additionally this week, Saxo Financial institution’s Australian unit introduced plans to rebrand below its new proprietor, as deliberate throughout its sale earlier this yr. The corporate will formally change its identify to Totality on 11 August 2025.
Johannesburg-based DMA, a expertise supplier for monetary advisers and wealth managers, acquired a majority stake in Saxo Australia. The sale got here as Saxo reviewed its technique within the Asia-Pacific area to help progress, whereas DMA ready to launch its companies within the Australian market.
eToro secures credit score facility
eToro has secured a $250 million revolving credit score facility from a syndicate of main international banks. The brand new facility is a three-year senior unsecured credit score line.
The credit score line was reportedly organized by Citi, Financial institution Hapoalim, Financial institution Leumi, Deutsche Financial institution, Goldman Sachs, Mizuho Financial institution, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Company, and UBS.
FxPro enters crypto
Within the crypto area, FxPro is establishing a crypto buying and selling desk, marking a shift past its current FX and CFD enterprise. The transfer was revealed by a job posting for a Senior Crypto Supervisor based mostly in Cyprus, which the corporate printed this week.
The dealer, which has supplied crypto CFDs since 2021, is now getting ready to construct an in-house desk devoted to crypto buying and selling operations. This asset class has not too long ago been attracting extra FX and CFD brokers, together with Hantec Markets.
Swiss regulator pressures Swissquote
On the identical time, Swissquote got here below stress from Switzerland’s monetary regulator to enhance its dealing with of suspicious exercise following a pointy rise in fraud makes an attempt and cyber assaults.
Finma issued the warning earlier this yr, citing a necessity for stronger controls amid a rising wave of impersonation scams and information threats.
Revolut faces competitors
Lastly, within the fintech area, Zopa launched present accounts to battle Revolut and Monzo within the UK, whereas Airwallex sharpens its international edge with recent licenses and growth sprees.
Zopa Financial institution, the UK-based digital lender that’s been steadily evolving since its P2P lending days, is moving into the ring with the large boys. The transfer positions Zopa as a full-service neobank, now providing all the pieces from financial savings and bank cards to auto loans and banking.