The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has granted no-action relief for fully collateralized event contracts, easing swap data reporting and recordkeeping requirements for designated contract markets and derivatives clearing organizations. This move comes as prediction markets face legal challenges at the state level and highlights the need for clear regulatory guidelines as platforms such as Kalshi continue to grow rapidly.

US regulators' proposed changes to capital rules aimed at allowing cross-netting between repo and derivatives exposures under the standardized approach for counterparty credit risk may fall short of delivering meaningful relief, according to industry participants. The framework could still overstate exposures and limit hedging benefits, particularly as the US prepares to expand Treasury repo clearing mandates, they say.

ASX has appointed Euronext global head of derivatives and post-trade Anthony Attia as its new chief executive, with a start date of Sept. 1, following a global search after the departure of Helen Lofthouse. The appointment comes as the exchange operator advances a long-delayed clearing and settlement system overhaul and broader risk and governance reforms amid increased regulatory scrutiny and regional competition.

Polymarket has reported a 9% decrease in trading volume, the first decline in eight months, attributed to a technical overhaul aimed at improving transaction speeds. While Polymarket's volume fell to $10.3 billion in April, Kalshi saw a 13% increase to $14.8 billion. Polymarket has faced challenges such as outages and delayed launches, but its valuation has risen to $15 billion.

TMX Group CEO John McKenzie said the planned combination with Cboe Global Markets will reduce infrastructure and data costs while expanding the exchange operator's reach into Australia and strengthening Canada's capital markets. He said the "hyper-regional" strategy leverages TMX's niche strengths in listings and resources while adding global scale, with regulatory engagement already underway in Canada and Australia. McKenzie added that the deal is intended to preserve competition while improving connectivity and liquidity across venues.

The Singapore Exchange saw a 1% year-over-year increase in derivatives trading volume in April, reaching 30.2 million contracts. The growth was driven by a 19% rise in FX futures volume, particularly in INR/USD and USD/CNH contracts. However, equity index futures volume dropped 5%, with notable declines in FTSE China A50 and Nikkei 225 futures. Energy segment trading volume rose 38%.

Citadel has reportedly told key quantitative researchers in its Hong Kong office to relocate or leave, with some moving to Singapore or Miami as the hedge fund shifts its global team structure amid geopolitical and data-security concerns. The reported changes highlight growing pressure on US financial firms operating in Hong Kong as US-China tensions and access to AI tools reshape regional trading hubs.

Crude and fuel flows through the Strait of Hormuz fell about 30% year over year to 14.6 million barrels per day in the first quarter of 2026, according to the US Energy Information Administration, as the Iran conflict disrupted a key global energy chokepoint. The decline has contributed to a surge in Brent crude prices and higher fuel and inflation readings, while trade has partially shifted to alternative routes such as the Panama Canal and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Michael Selig said the agency is considering new rules to govern AI in trading and financial advice as usage expands across financial markets. He said regulators are particularly focused on autonomous and chatbot-style systems that can execute trades or provide guidance without traditional intermediaries, raising oversight and consumer protection concerns.

The International Organization of Securities Commissions has re-elected Jean-Paul Servais as chair for a third term. Servais is also chair of the Belgian Financial Services and Markets Authority.