Weekly Finance Briefing: Brokerage pullbacks, tighter oversight, and big AI bets
Doo Group pares back in Limassol
Doo Group's brokerage arm, Doo Prime, appears set to vacate one of its two Limassol offices within two weeks after staff reductions. The group said it is realigning its operational structure and thanked team members for their work over the years.
For counterparties and vendors, expect contact changes and potential shifts in service coverage. If you have open projects or pending integrations, get written confirmation on timelines and points of contact.
FCA spotlights £75M retail losses tied to finfluencer promos
The UK FCA reported that over 90,000 retail investors lost roughly £75 million at a single firm promoted by online finfluencers. These promotions often push offshore schemes via copy trading, managed accounts, or paid tips.
The regulator says it has blocked 1,600 websites, removed 50 apps, and targeted more than 1,500 finfluencers. If you run performance marketing or affiliate programs, tighten approval, disclosures, and record-keeping now. The FCA's latest Annual Report is a useful pulse check on enforcement priorities.
XTB rethinks Brazil as Q3 earnings soften
XTB is reassessing its Brazil push less than a year after authorization, pointing to protectionist measures in the local brokerage sector. The firm has not launched operations and is weighing the option of stepping back from the market.
Third-quarter performance weakened: net profit fell 74% year-on-year to PLN 53.2m (from PLN 203.8m), while revenue declined 20.1% to PLN 375.8m on lower profitability per CFD lot. For firms eyeing LATAM, plan for long approval cycles, high localized costs, and a strong on-the-ground compliance setup.
Bank of England warns on AI concentration risk
The Bank of England cautioned that surging AI-linked valuations echo patterns seen during the dot-com period, despite strong top-line growth at many firms. Heavy investor concentration in AI names raises the chance of sharp repricing if sentiment turns.
The BoE also flagged broader financial-stability risks, including US credit defaults and the fast expansion of private credit. Risk teams should stress test equity and credit books for AI factor shocks and liquidity squeezes.
CySEC pulls certification registers after impersonation scams
CySEC suspended public access to its certification registers after discovering scammers were using real professionals' published details to mislead investors. Impersonation risk is rising as credential data circulates online.
Front-office and ops should verify counterparties through direct employer channels and add step-up checks for third-party advisers. Treat screenshots and PDFs as untrusted until verified independently.
Executive move: Alaa Kriedy to lead Optimal Traders MENA
Optimal Traders appointed Alaa Kriedy as CEO for MENA, signaling an expansion drive for the proprietary trading firm. With 20+ years in financial services, he has led initiatives across business development, operations, and partnerships in the region.
Expect more hiring and local partnerships as prop firms chase order flow and talent in Gulf markets.
Bybit to halt new registrations in Japan
Bybit will stop onboarding new users in Japan from 31 October 2025, covering both residents and nationals. Existing users remain unaffected for now.
The move aligns with tighter oversight from Japan's FSA and the market's emphasis on licensed activity. Crypto teams serving Japan should reassess licensing status, KYC flows, and token listing policies.
NVIDIA-Nokia: $1B AI tie-up lifts both stocks
NVIDIA will invest $1 billion in Nokia and partner on AI networking, boosting both shares. Investors are betting telecom infrastructure will be essential to the next phase of AI demand.
NVIDIA's market cap moved closer to $5 trillion after new product announcements at its GTC event, reflecting ongoing appetite for AI hardware. For allocators, the question is sizing: keep exposure disciplined while tracking capex cycles at hyperscalers and carriers.
Amazon pops 13% on earnings beat and cost cuts
Amazon posted EPS of $1.95 on $180.2B revenue, beating estimates of $1.58 and $177.8B. AWS delivered $33B revenue, up 20% year over year, its fastest growth since 2022.
The company also plans to trim up to 30,000 corporate roles, roughly 10% of that workforce segment. Investors read it as renewed cost control heading into the holiday quarter.
What this means for finance teams
- Brokerage coverage: Confirm service continuity with Doo Prime and update operational contacts. Reassess counterparty risk where teams are shrinking.
- Marketing risk: If you use affiliates, lock down scripts, claims, and geo-targeting. Maintain audit trails given the FCA's stance.
- Brazil strategy: Budget for higher friction. Build local compliance and banking relationships before committing material spend.
- AI concentration: Cap position sizes, run drawdown scenarios, and map cross-asset exposures tied to AI narratives.
- Identity fraud: Add verification steps for advisers and portfolio managers-don't rely on public registers alone.
- Crypto in Japan: Update client onboarding playbooks and comms ahead of Bybit's cut-off, and monitor FSA guidance.
- Skills: As AI spending scales, give teams practical training on tools used in finance. See curated options here: AI tools for finance.
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