The Auditing Standards Board (ASB), a standard-setting body of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants AICPA), has voted to invite public comment on proposed updates to US attestation standards. The ASB will specifically seek input on sustainability-related information and other emerging assurance areas. The organisation has not yet fixed the length of the consultation, but the comment period will run for at least 120 days from the date of publication. The planned revisions are intended ...

Tradeweb Markets (NasdaqGS:TW) Q4 2025 Earnings call February 05, 2026 09:30 AM ET Company ParticipantsAshley Serrao - Head of Treasury, FP&A, and Investor RelationsBilly Hult - CEOCraig Siegenthaler - Managing Director and North American Head of Diversified FinancialsSara Furber - CFOSimon Clinch - Managing Director and leads Financials ResearchConference Call ParticipantsAlex Kramm - Managing Director and Senior Equity Research AnalystAlexander Blostein - Managing Director and Senior Equity AnalystBradley ...

BBVA, Spain’s second-largest bank, joined the Qivalis consortium, bringing the European stablecoin project to twelve member banks. BBVA now sits alongside BNP Paribas, UniCredit, ING, CaixaBank, Raiffeisen Bank International, SEB, Danske Bank, KBC, Banca Sella, DekaBank, and DZ BANK in the Amsterdam-based venture. These institutions are building what they hope becomes a credible euro alternative to Tether and Circle‘s dominance. Those two US issuers control $256 billion in stablecoin market value, accord ...

This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter. As artificial intelligence reshapes banking, small lenders know they can’t ignore the technology, said BNY’s head of community banking, Shofiur Razzaque. “There's skepticism around the controls: ‘How do I keep us safe?’ There’s no skepticism around, ‘We need to do this; otherwise, we’re in trouble,’” Razzaque said. Last September, the New York City-based bank laun ...

Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds in the US recorded strong net inflows on Feb. 2, while the asset’s price hovers below the $80,000. According to data from SoSoValue, spot BTC ETFs saw a net inflow of $561.9 million, led by FBTC and IBIT’s $153.3 million and $142 million inflows. These products saw a net outflow of $1.61 billion in January. However, spot Ethereum ETFs continued their selloff with a net outflow of $2.86 million on the same day, SoSoValue data shows. Bitcoin’s inflows came as it fell b ...

Futu Holdings (FUTU) Incorporating capital market strength; upgrade to Buy FUTU 12m Price Target: $213.39 Price: $162.57 Upside: 31.3% We upgrade FUTU to Buy from Neutral, with our revised 12m target price of US$213.39 implying 29% upside. Our upgrade reflects the positive capital market outlook from GS Asia and US strategists (see here and here) and a re-evaluation of FUTU's new client growth and turnover rate. We believe FUTU's strong product and market competitiveness will support stable growth in client ...

Nomura, a Japanese brokerage with around $153 trillion in client assets, says it has “reduced its positions in cryptocurrencies” after its crypto arm suffered unspecified losses in the third quarter. The firm confirmed that it is reducing risk at its Europe-based crypto subsidiary Laser Digital, which handles its cryptocurrency trading operations. The comments came from Nomura’s chief financial officer Hiroyuki Moriuchi, according to Bloomberg Japan. Nomura’s “commitment to digital asset-related busines ...

ALT5 Sigma Corporation (ALTS) is a dynamic fintech and biotech firm, aiming to revolutionize digital assets and health care. It offers blockchain-powered platforms like ALT5 Prime, an over-the-counter trading system for digital assets, and ALT5 Pay, a crypto payment gateway for seamless merchant transactions. In biotech, it develops non-opioid therapies, such as JAN101 for pain relief in arterial disease and JAN123 for chronic pain syndromes. Founded in 1976 and originally named JanOne until 2024, the co ...

Group 1: Federal Reserve Nomination - President Trump has nominated Kevin Worsh to replace Jerome Powell as Fed chair, pending Senate confirmation [1] - Senator Tom Tillis supports Worsh's qualifications but opposes any Fed nominee's confirmation until the DOJ's investigation into Powell is resolved [1][3] - Congressman Ryan Stile believes Worsh will uphold the Fed's dual mandate of full employment and stable prices [2] Group 2: Government Shutdown - A temporary government shutdown is imminent, with a conference call scheduled for House GOP members to discuss responses [4][5] - Concerns arise over the Senate's potential amendments to legislation that has already passed the House, which could complicate the shutdown resolution [6][10] - The Senate is urged to pass the House-approved legislation to avoid a partial federal government shutdown [7][10] Group 3: Clarity Act - The Clarity Act is advancing in the Senate, but there are concerns about its potential failure during the full vote [11] - The House passed the Clarity Act with broad bipartisan support, but the Senate is struggling with amendments [12] - The legislation aims to ensure the U.S. remains a leader in the digital assets sector [13][14] Group 4: Insider Trading Legislation - Congressman Kevin Hearn's stock sale raises questions about insider trading among Congress members [15][16] - A proposed Stop Insider Trading Act aims to prevent Congress members from trading stocks, requiring advance notice for any sales [17] - The legislation has garnered strong bipartisan support and is expected to move to the House floor soon [18] Group 5: Market Sentiment - There is growing caution among investors regarding AI spending, leading to a widening divide between software and semiconductor stocks [19]

Core Insights - Increased volatility, supportive U.S. economic policies, higher acceptance of digital assets, and retail trading growth are shaping the future of exchanges [1] - Coinbase Global Inc. (COIN) is positioned to benefit from market volatility and rising digital asset valuations, while Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) is set to grow through a solid portfolio and risk management services [1][2] Coinbase (COIN) - Coinbase is leveraging President Trump's pro-crypto stance and aims to transform into an "everything exchange" offering a wide range of financial services [3] - The company has expanded its product ecosystem, including enabling Solana on its Base network, launching Shiba Inu futures, and introducing new products like prediction markets and tokenized equities [4] - Coinbase's growth strategy includes a focus on its Base Layer 2 blockchain and stablecoins to enhance crypto adoption and reduce costs [5] - Mergers and acquisitions are key to Coinbase's strategy, with ten acquisitions in 2026, including The Clearing Company, to strengthen its prediction market presence [6] - Despite facing margin pressure from high operating costs, Coinbase's expanding ecosystem and improving regulatory environment support a positive long-term growth outlook [7] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COIN's 2026 revenues indicates an 11.6% year-over-year increase, with EPS expected to grow by 27.3% [14] - COIN shares have decreased by 42.1% over the past six months, trading at a forward P/E multiple of 34.4, lower than its three-year median of 46.1 [16][17] Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) - ICE offers a comprehensive suite of products and risk management services, supported by strategic acquisitions that enhance its offerings [8][12] - The company is well-positioned to benefit from the digitization of the U.S. residential mortgage market and is expanding its mortgage business through the integration of Ellie Mae [10] - ICE maintains a strong global data services platform, with expected growth in data revenue driven by market activity and performance in its index business [11] - The company has a solid track record of acquisitions that have contributed to growth and expense synergies, supported by a strong balance sheet [12] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ICE's 2026 revenues implies a 6.1% increase, with EPS expected to grow by 9.4% [14] - ICE shares have increased by 19.7% in the past six months, trading at a forward P/E multiple of 23.5, higher than its three-year median of 22 [16][17] Conclusion - Coinbase is diversifying its revenue base through trading fees, staking, custodial services, and derivatives, aiming to be a one-stop destination for digital asset trading [18] - ICE is poised for growth through its strong portfolio, risk management services, strategic acquisitions, and impressive dividend history, having doubled its dividends in the last six years [19]