Investors and fintech professionals following iFX EXPO International 2026 now have access to a series of recorded interviews that go well beyond the conference floor, covering stablecoins, real-world asset tokenisation, prop trading regulation, and the rising cost of operating out of Cyprus.
Finance Magnates recorded the sessions live in Limassol, Cyprus, as part of a media partnership with the expo. Six executives sat down with the Finance Magnates News Team, each covering a theme with direct implications for brokers, platform builders, and retail investors watching the fintech space.
OpenPayd’s Nasdaq Plans and the Stablecoin Question
The session most likely to catch ISA investors’ attention featured Lux Thiagarajah, Chief Commercial Officer at OpenPayd, discussing stablecoins (digital tokens pegged to a fiat currency, designed to hold a stable value) and cross-border payment infrastructure.
The context matters here. OpenPayd filed a Form F-4 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on 29 June 2026, initiating a SPAC merger (a deal where a listed shell company acquires a private firm to take it public) with Titan Acquisition Corp, which trades on Nasdaq under the ticker TACH. The combined company is expected to list on Nasdaq under the ticker OP, subject to Titan shareholder approval, the registration becoming effective, and Nasdaq’s own listing approval.
According to FinTech Futures, the transaction values OpenPayd at a pro forma equity valuation of $1.145 billion and is expected to generate up to $276 million in gross proceeds (the total raised before fees and costs). The deal is anticipated to close in Q4 2026, with the company focused on scaling US operations and expanding its regulatory capabilities.
Thiagarajah’s interview touched on whether stablecoins could complement or replace parts of today’s payment rails, the importance of interoperability between traditional finance and digital assets, and how artificial intelligence is being applied across financial services.
Binance, MiCA Deadlines, and What They Mean for Digital Asset Investors
Anton Golub of RWA Labs addressed real-world asset tokenisation and, notably, Binance’s efforts to obtain a licence under the EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets regulation (MiCA), the framework that standardises crypto oversight across EU member states.
The backdrop is instructive. Binance applied for a MiCA licence in Greece through a new local subsidiary, working with the Hellenic Capital Market Commission. At the time of the application, publicly available European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) data showed Greece had not yet issued a single MiCA licence for a crypto-asset service provider.
That application did not resolve in time. Binance confirmed on its official blog that it would restrict services for EU users after determining it would not hold a MiCA licence by the 1 July 2026 deadline. The exchange said it was confident of securing authorisation in another EU member state in the coming months and that user funds remain safe. For retail investors holding crypto on Binance from the EU, the service restrictions are a live concern until that authorisation is confirmed.
Golub’s discussion covered the liquidity and regulatory challenges surrounding tokenised assets more broadly, and what ongoing MiCA implementation means for long-term growth in the digital asset space.
Cyprus Licence Costs and Prop Trading Pressures
Two other sessions addressed structural shifts that affect where and how financial firms operate. Charles Savva of Savva & Associates discussed the increasing cost of obtaining a Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) licence, issued by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) under MiFID II.
A CIF licence grants passporting rights (the ability to offer regulated services across all 30 EU and EEA member states without additional local licences), which explains why Cyprus attracts so many fintech and brokerage firms. According to Spencer West, minimum capital requirements range from €75,000 for lighter-touch firms not holding client funds up to €750,000 for those dealing on own account or underwriting on a firm commitment basis.
Beyond capital, Zitadelle AG’s 2026 overview of CIF licensing identifies three compliance layers that have added cost since early 2025: DORA digital resilience obligations (mandatory from January 2025), the MiCA Article 60 pathway for CIF holders adding crypto-asset services, and a new EU sanctions compliance framework. Savva’s interview covered those pressures directly, alongside the common mistakes firms make when relocating to Cyprus.
On prop trading (where firms fund traders using the firm’s own capital rather than client money), FundedNext co-founder Syed Abdullah Galib discussed payout transparency and the trend of prop firms expanding into regulated brokerage services as competition intensifies.
The remaining sessions covered prediction markets (Max Finn of Blackbridge Investment Swiss examined whether they can move beyond sports betting into mainstream financial products) and investing infrastructure (Salim Sebbata of GTN explained how API-first platforms and embedded finance are reshaping how investment services are built).
The full series is available on the Finance Magnates YouTube channel, with further episodes planned at industry events later in 2026. For retail investors tracking digital assets, fintech regulation, or the direction of online brokerage, the OpenPayd Nasdaq timeline and the Binance MiCA resolution are the two threads worth monitoring most closely into Q4.
