Markets - Long Reads, News, Articles & Research: Finextra

UK’s Leeds Reforms set stage for global fintech leadership by 2035

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

UK’s Leeds Reforms set stage for global fintech leadership by 2035

Last week UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves unveiled the first-ever Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness sector plan and her aim to make the UK “the number one destination for financial services businesses by 2035, attracting inward investment and creating good skilled jobs across the UK.” Fueling fintech innovation, talent and scale-up support...

21 July 2025 /markets

Why and how America’s midsize cities are leading the way in business payments

Scott Hamilton Contributing Editor at Finextra Research

Why and how America’s midsize cities are leading the way in business payments

“Go West (or maybe, Go South instead), young business!” is an appropriate hallmark slogan for post-pandemic small business payment and general population trends. Even if the US and its communities large and small have changed substantially - and the economic and political environment is dramatically different than in the days of this original quot...

14 July 2025 /markets

How Ireland is shaping the circular future of European fintech

Chloé Wade VP International Financial Services UK at IDA Ireland

How Ireland is shaping the circular future of European fintech

As Europe’s digital finance ecosystem matures, innovation alone is not enough to ensure scalability, future growth and longevity. Regulation, customer expectations, user experience (UX), and social responsibility are raising the bar for all companies, including in financial services and amongst fintech firms. Firms capable of balancing growth with...

10 July 2025 /markets

The UK needs to embrace ecosystem collaboration to boost fintech

Heather Xiao Founder and CEO at Horizon Zero Ltd

The UK needs to embrace ecosystem collaboration to boost fintech

At recent Innovate Finance Global Summit in London, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered a powerful message that underscored the country’s position as a global fintech leader, and the critical role of innovation in shaping its economic future. It was both a celebration of progress and a call to action. As she noted, the UK attracted $3.6 billion ...

27 May 2025 /markets

Trump’s first 100 days: Have his accomplishments matched his promises?

Scott Hamilton Contributing Editor at Finextra Research

Trump’s first 100 days: Have his accomplishments matched his promises?

While many news organisations are taking wider views of the situation, we chose to narrow our focus to financial services industry impacts as much as possible in this view on US President Trump’s first 100 days. We explored, through extensive research across a wide political and economic spectrum, how well his pre-election promises reflect the tar...

30 April 2025 /markets

T+1 in practice: What the industry has learned

Richard Robinson Chair at ISITC

T+1 in practice: What the industry has learned

When the U.S. officially transitioned to T+1 settlement last May, the headlines painted it as a sweeping modernisation effort — faster, leaner, and more liquid markets. In many ways, that was accurate. Broker-to-broker transactions became more efficient, capital was freed up, and the theoretical reduction in settlement risk became a tangible o...

25 April 2025 /markets

Canada’s 2025 federal election and the fintech frontier: Risks and reforms

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

Canada’s 2025 federal election and the fintech frontier: Risks and reforms

As Canada’s federal election approaches on 28 April 2025, the financial services sector could be standing at a pivotal juncture. The BBC reported a record-breaking early voter turnout with 7.3 million Canadians casting their ballots a week ahead of election day. Polling has suggested that Liberal former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor M...

24 April 2025 /markets

Hamish Monk Senior Reporter at Finextra

How to leverage T+0 settlement

In February 2025 it was announced that the European Union (EU) will switch to single-day settlement (known as T+1) of stock and bond trades by 2027. Settlement is the act of transferring securities and funds between buyers and sellers after a trade is executed. The shorter the settlement cycle, the faster investors have access. This is just on...

15 April 2025 /markets

To Tariff or Not To Tariff: Feeling the shockwaves of a looming trade war

Dominique Dierks Senior Content Manager at Finextra

To Tariff or Not To Tariff: Feeling the shockwaves of a looming trade war

The first three months of President Trump’s second term in the White House have been turbulent to say the least. Most concerning for economists, financial markets, and international trade industries have been the whirlwind of tariffs. The ‘will he, won’t he’ back and forth on announced – and then paused – tariffs have left the global community ree...

11 April 2025 /markets

Trump's Liberation Day and its impact on fintech

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

Trump's Liberation Day and its impact on fintech

Stocks are now in major decline after US President Donald Trump announced tariffs on at least 10% across all countries. Those that have a high trade deficit with the US have been impacted the most; China, for instance, will face a 54% tariff and will prepare countermeasures. According to Trump, Liberation Day on 2 April 2025 was the day the US s...

03 April 2025 /markets

Hamish Monk Senior Reporter at Finextra

What is T+0 settlement?

In February 2025 it was announced that the EU will switch to single-day settlement – otherwise known as ‘T+1 settlement’ – of stock and bond trades in 2027. So what does this mean and why is it important? ‘T+0 settlement’ refers to a same-day settlement in stock markets; T+1 refers to a settlement in the stock market that takes a maxim...

25 March 2025 /markets

Germany elections: What Friedrich Merz’s win means for fintech

Madhvi Sonia Head of Content at Finextra

Germany elections: What Friedrich Merz’s win means for fintech

Friedrich Merz’s fiscally conservative Christian Democratic Party (CDU/CSU) won Germany’s national election this month, citing promises of uniting Europe amid challenges from Russia and the US, as well as a coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats to stabilise economic issues. A coalition with right-wing party AfD would also be possible, bu...

24 February 2025 /markets

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