INFINOX in advanced talks to acquire AdmiralsStarting with our exclusive story, INFINOX is in advanced talks to acquire Admirals, Finance Magnates has learned. Company representative confirmed that discussions over a potential deal are ongoing. The representative noted that no transaction has been finalized and that any agreement would still depend on signing definitive documents, meeting customary closing conditions, and obtaining the necessary regulatory approvals. It also remains unclear how much of Admirals’ business would be included in the potential acquisition. Finance Magnates reached out to Admirals for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication. According to Admirals’ 2025 annual report, the group operates eight licensed entities across multiple jurisdictions, including Estonia, the United Kingdom, Cyprus, Jordan, Kenya, and Seychelles, with its headquarters based in Estonia.Avatrade eyes FXCM operator amid crypto exchange interestMeanwhile, AvaTrade made an offer to acquire Stratos, the operator of FXCM and Tradu, from Jefferies Financial Group, according to Finance Magnates Intelligence. A crypto exchange is also reportedly interested and has submitted a competing bid. This follows earlier reports that Jefferies is considering selling Stratos, which runs the two CFD brands. The financial terms of both offers have not been disclosed, and AvaTrade has not confirmed the status of the deal. The reported deal would see AvaTrade acquire most of the Stratos business, excluding FXCM Bullion Limited, a Hong Kong-based affiliate that serves clients in China and Hong Kong. The eventual buyer would gain control of the FXCM brand, which remains well known in the CFD industry, as well as Tradu, a newer brand that has yet to gain significant traction.Capital.com enters South AfricaBrokers are expanding their operations. Capital.com entered the South African market after securing two local licences: an Over-the-Counter Derivatives Provider (ODP) licence and a Category 1 Financial Services Provider (FSP) authorisation. Finance Magnates previously reported that the broker had applied for a licence in the country. The ODP licence allows Capital.com to operate as a market maker, while the FSP licence covers marketing and promotional activities. The move is part of Capital.com’s broader global expansion. The broker has applied for licences in Japan and Turkey and has hired local CEOs in Brazil and Chile, indicating plans to grow in those markets. It is also establishing a presence in Bahrain and Azerbaijan, and job postings suggest it is seeking a licence in Singapore, although the company has not publicly outlined its expansion strategy.XTB targets Germany as CEO vows higher spending than at homeXTB will spend more on marketing in Germany than in its home market of Poland this year, CEO Omar Arnaout said. The move comes as the Warsaw-listed broker expands into Germany, the home market of Trade Republic, which entered Poland in September 2025 with more than 10 million customers across 18 European markets and around €150 billion in assets. Speaking to Bankier.pl, Arnaout said the higher spending in Germany is aimed at building brand recognition in a market where XTB is still relatively unknown. He noted that the budget remains below the levels spent by larger global competitors, as both firms expand into each other’s core markets.AI agents vs trading apps: who wins?Over the past two months, brokers have increasingly started allowing traders to connect their platforms directly to AI agents. Major players like eToro, ThinkMarkets, IG Group Australia, and Robinhood have all introduced AI-driven features, from agent-based portfolios to fully integrated trading assistants. At the same time, key infrastructure providers are stepping in. Spotware, for example, launched its own AI integration for cTrader in May, signaling that this shift is gaining traction across the industry.According to Spotware CEO Ilia Iarovitcyn, AI agents are set to become the main way traders interact with markets. Rather than replacing trading apps entirely, these apps will take on a more supporting role, focused on execution and data, while AI handles the user interaction. As traders spend more time within AI-driven environments, the importance of traditional, feature-heavy trading platforms may begin to decline. Even MetaQuotes is now preparing to follow this trend.Charging extra for bridge access ‘not fair,’ says Spotware CEOSpotware is stepping up its competition with MetaQuotes by focusing on how brokers are charged for trading infrastructure. The company has launched cBridge, a standalone liquidity bridge that connects brokers to multiple liquidity providers across platforms. Unlike some competitors, Spotware says it will not charge brokers based on trading volume. CEO Ilia Iarovitcyn argues that this kind of access should be standard and not an added cost. He also noted that basic liquidity is now only a small part of what brokers need. Most of the value today comes from advanced tools like risk management, fast execution, and real-time analytics built on aggregated data.Europe’s crypto market after July 1As of July 1, Europe’s crypto market is entering a new phase under MiCA, with stricter rules now fully in force across all 30 EEA countries. The transition period has ended, meaning firms that were previously operating under older national regulations must now be fully licensed or stop offering services. Regulators have made it clear there will be no extensions, and companies without approval must either move clients to authorised providers or shut down. Authorities in countries like France and the Netherlands are already preparing to enforce these rules. This shift is already reshaping the market. Major players like Binance still lack EU authorisation, while Tether’s USDT has been removed from several regulated platforms. Although around 200 firms have secured licences under MiCA, only a small group—about 14—are approved to run crypto trading platforms at scale. As a result, much of the previous market structure no longer fits within the new regulatory framework.Executive moves of the week: INGOT Brokers, Capital.comIn the executive move roundup, INGOT Brokers has appointed veteran FX and CFDsexecutive Nidal Abdel Hadi as a Strategy Consultant, bringing in a Dubai-basedindustry figure to support its regional growth and business strategy. AbdelHadi joins the firm after more than 20 years in trading and brokerage,including consecutive CEO roles at CFI’s Dubai arm and CMS Financial.Mariia Erokhina has joined Capital.com as Vice President ofIT Operations, according to a LinkedIn post on Monday.Tune in to the Finance Magnates Daily Brief!This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.