Tech and data
China relaxes QFII limits amid calls for capital controls
FX regulator lowers the ‘lock-up’ period, during which foreign investors must wait before repatriating funds, from one year to three months, as analysts warn of renminbi devaluation
FCA expands accountability to HFT traders
New rules published by the UK watchdog aim to strengthen individual accountability in the financial industry
FXCM study underlines segregated pricing advantages
Retail clients gain better or equal prices than on interbank and futures platforms more than 90% of the time
Renminbi direct payments make inroads in Middle East
The Chinese currency ranks first when the UAE and Qatar make direct payments to China and Hong Kong
China's central bank explores digital currencies
The PBoC is studying the possibility, alongside a team of researchers, major financial institutions and advisory bodies
Abacas issues first asset-backed coin on bitcoin blockchain
The exchange, launched in June 2015, allows managers to exchange assets without owning them
R3 connects 11 banks via distributed ledger
The firms complete mock trades in a series of experiments that could determine blockchain's application in the finance industry
New Change FX provides mid-market rate data to RBS
The information provides RBS customers with an independent way to measure the cost of their trades
XTX Markets retains Chris Knight to lead Apac push
Knight's firm, Market Partners, will start working with XTX in late January
Renminbi slides to five-year low as FX reserves fall
China's reserves fell $108 billion in December as the People's Bank of China continues to intervene in the market
Parker FX: currency funds up in November
Following a lacklustre October, the index was back in the black
2016 will be the year of the great liquidity unbundling
Regulation and the highly specialised nature of FX will lead to more partnerships, says Zar Amrolia, co-chief of XTX Markets
2016: the year Europe moves towards a regulated market
MiFid II, last look and the first Fed rate hike in nearly a decade will be key influences
More contraction in PB and market-making ahead
Banks' retrenchment from market-making and credit provision will be key themes
Transparency and control will be key goals in 2016
OMS provider Barracuda FX's chief executive says more needs to be done to prepare for the new regulatory landscape
R3 concludes membership round, adding 12 more banks
The number of banks participating in the blockchain project rises to 42 since its September launch
MiFid II delay gives market participants more preparation time
They should use the extra time wisely, says expert
Banks move towards active compliance
Banks are taking a less passive approach and striving to spot wrongdoing early on
Dangerfield appointed interim CTO at FXecosystem
Matt Dangerfield brings 19 years of ultra-low latency experience to the connectivity provider
Renminbi payments double between China and Japan
But while the Chinese currency is booming, trading volumes in the wider FX market fell in November
FXecosystem shaves 2 milliseconds off London-New York round-trip
The connectivity provider for the FX industry reduces latency further between the two cities
Culture Wars: how long can David keep saving Goliath?
As the FX market mulls over the implications of FEMR, Ed Eger, chief executive of Oanda, argues why smaller players can no longer be the fall guys for the unethical behaviour of major institutions
Grand redesign
Non-bank market-makers are increasingly being viewed as serious players as they set about building customer franchises amid a wide-scale bank pull-back
IMF approves renminbi's inclusion in SDR basket
The move puts the renminbi on course to achieve reserve currency status