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LSEG Stock Soars 4% to 9,796p After Microsoft AI Deal Targets £1 Billion Revenue Surge

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London Stock Exchange Group plc (LSEG), the financial data dynamo in the FTSE 100, gave the market a boost during the midday today by revealing a multi-year partnership with Microsoft to incorporate AI-driven analytics within its trading platforms, and blockbuster post-quarter data revenue results. The shares rose consistently, which strengthened the shift that LSEG has made to high-margin information services in the context of an unprecedented run of the FTSE.

AI Partnership and Data Boom Drive 4% Share Gain

The headline deal of LSEG with Microsoft to integrate Azure cloud AI to predict market demands and detect fraud in real-time is expected to lift the PS1 billion in subscription revenues by 2028. In line with this, the group revealed that its data and analytics revenue has increased by 12% to PS450 million in the last period due to the increasing demand for ESG indicators and crypto derivatives feeds.

The two catalysts catapulted LSEG shares (LSE: LSEG) by 4.2% to 9,796p, the highest since July, and PS2.5 bn to its PS60 bn worth. The turnover was 120% above the norms; the quant funds of Citadel to Two Sigma made buys, attracted by the 22x forward P/E, a premium that was justified by 15% annual earnings compounding.

This momentum is a continuation of LSEG’s 28% YTD red tape, at the expense of the FTSE 20%. With the 2021 merger of Refinitiv and LSEG, data is the new oil, and LSEG is the refinery that is on fire, according to the jostling of analysts, as the group establishes its crown in global finance plumbing.

FTSE 100 Tests 9850 Barrier on Tech-Finance Fusion

The FTSE 100, which was closing the 9,756 yesterday, was trading at 9,820 in the middle of the day, and the rise of Sage Group and Darktrace, supported by LSEG, by 1.5-2. The 10% weighting of the index tech and services block offsets energy lulls with BP falling 0.3% on delay jitters in the OPEC.

Continental markets sneezed: DAX leapt 0.1% in the wake of auto strikes, CAC 40 sat motionless. The gains of 0.2 per cent to $1.305 are a boost to the multinationals by Sterling, and BoE swap odds are at 88 per cent, November trim hold. LSEG and its flair resonates with Rolls-Royce engineering zing, AstraZeneca pharma punch and serves as a tactical orchestrator with the diversified ascent of FTSE.

However, dark clouds loom: US CPI tomorrow may shock yields, and CBI retail surveys may signal consumer pinch.

Microsoft Tie-Up Supercharges Information Dominance

The masterstroke of LSEG sees the capitalisation of the 400,000 client base of Refinitiv with AI to reduce latencies in FX and equities trading. The upgrades of workspace platforms will deliver 20% user retention rates, and FTSE Russell index licensing influx 8% on passive funds.

The vision of the CEO, David Schwimmer, provides PS2 billion in technology capital expenditure by the year 2027, which is a 25% margin as opposed to the 15% legacy exchange margins. The international operations generate 70% of the revenues post-Brexit, and Asia has increased by 18% on the Shanghai-Hong Kong routes.

Valued at 8x EV/sales, LSEG can tempt growth lovers, and PS500 million of buybacks were announced. Synergy jackpot, cry adherents, since the cash flow is doubled to PS1.8 billion in the course of its work.

Direction: Artificial Intelligence Sails

Through 2026, LSEG plans 10% revenue growth, which depends on AI implementation and M&A initiatives such as boutique data shops. Boosters: regulatory waivers of digital assets. Brakes? Technology, Cyber attacks and antitrust investigations might cut 5% expansion.

The bull targets were 10,500p, which is equivalent to a 7% upsurge, and 15 brokers unanimously had a ‘buy’ call. Visionaries postulate: “The silicon upgrade of the City.

Software Spotlight Sage Shadows

FTSE software stalwart Sage (LSE: SGE) was up 2.1% on cloud migration news, but is lost in the AI thingamabob parade, its PS60 billion weight outmuscling PS15 billion Sage. They are allies, and they energise the digital vanguard of FTSE.

World Sights: CPI Cliffhanger, Tariff Tremors

As the days of October 31 pass, the FTSE futures are at 9,850, where they are monitoring US inflation and tariff teases by Trump. The leap spotlights at LSEG are a testament to the technological revival of finance, attracting gambling in the insatiable abundance of data.

Pi Network (PI) Steady at $0.45: 10M Mainnet Migrations Done, Pi Commerce Hits 500K Merchants, $50M Dev Grants

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Unless stated otherwise, October 31, 2025 – Pi Network, the mobile-mined cryptocurrency that has drawn millions of users, moves closer to its much-anticipated mainnet upgrade and moves PI token trading to complete decentralisation.

In a crypto market that is losing more than $200 billion in market capitalisation overnight, PI is fighting gravity at approximately $0.45, supported by developer achievements and a user base that is expanding to the tune of 60 million and above. With Bitcoin at the back of the neck at the support level of 108,000, the grassroots movement behind Pi makes it a low-profile hit in the altcoin market.

PI Price Update: Stabilised Gain in the Wider Market Uncertainty

The token of PI has sailed through the turbulent seas, as it has shifted by 24 hours between $0.42 and 0.48 on the OKX and Huobi exchanges. The volume of the trade increased by 28% to $45 million, and this reflects the rising liquidity as wallets move to the open mainnet with the KYC-enabled holders.

With a market capitalisation of around 3.2 billion dollars, PI has an RSI of 62, which indicates weak positive pressure, whereas the 200-day moving average at 0.38 means that the company has a strong foundation.

This strength is very different compared to sector-wide liquidations of more than $300 million, in which meme coins and Layer-1 challengers collapsed. The non-technical users attracted by the unique mobile mining model proposed by Pi, where no special hardware was needed, still keep growing, with 1.2 million active wallets per day.

Technical projections are looking at breaking out to above $0.50 as long as the migration volumes are maintained, which would initiate an upward move to as high as 0.70 by mid-November.

Mainnet Migration Streak: 10 Million Wallets Verified, Full Launch Imminent

The highlight of October: Pi Network reached 10 million KYC-verified migrations to its open mainnet, which is a major milestone that enables complete trading and deploying dApps to its network.

The migration is in beta and has moved fast, with more than 70% of Pioneers on-chain. The stage also removes the transfer constraints of the closed mainne,t allowing free PI flow between wallets and exchanges.

The update comes with zk-SNARKs to accomplish privacy-enhancing transactions and a decoupled consensus layer, which can be scaled to 100,000 TPS. Not a launch but a liberation of the Pi economy, proclaim community heads.

There are early adopters who report a frictionless integration with Ethereum and Solana, which preconditions cross-chain integrations of DeFi. By the time the mainnet has gone live (Q1 2026), a deluge of utility-driven demand is estimated, and PI will have become an ecosystem fuel rather than a speculative asset.

Pi Commerce Rollout: The Real World Utility Passes Centre Stage

The commerce ecosystem of Pi had gone bang on October 15 with the release of the merchant toolkit of Pi Chain, which enabled businesses to accept PI payments through the QR code and the NFC tap.

More than 500,000 Pioneers have registered as vendors, between e-commerce stores in the US and street food stalls in Southeast Asia, who process $2.5 million of monthly volume.

It is a peer-to-peer marketplace based on the Stellar Consensus Protocol of Pi and with fees reduced to less than 0.1% and incentives of mining bonuses on transactions. Shopify and WooCommerce integrations have been the frenzy of adoption, with case studies reporting 40% revenue increases of small merchants.

Since PI pays fiat using alliances with local payment gateways, it is finding a niche in emerging markets where remittances and micro-payments take control. The analysts rejoice that this is the killer app of Pi that can transform passive miners into active spenders.

Developer Grants Ignite Innovation: dApps and NFTs 50M Fund

To give the fire more fuel, on October 20, Pi Network announced a pilot initiative that provided a set of 100 grants to developers in DeFi, gaming, and socialFi, totalling $50 million.

Grants go as low as 10,000 seed financing and up to 500,000 dollars in polished prototypes and are rated on scalability and use of impact. Some of the initial beneficiaries are a PI-supported digital art NFT marketplace and a yield farming protocol with an APY of 15% on staked PI.

Pi SDK version 2.0 makes it easier to build dApps in drag-and-drop and pre-built wallets. The submissions to the Hackathon are being flooded before the December deadline, with victors getting the prime listing on the Pi Browser.

This rush of builders has the potential to spawn viral apps which resemble the initial ecosystem boom of Solana and will lead to natural PI demand. In the community, prototypes abound: AI-based yield optimiser, gamified learning, paying tips to PI, etc.

Community Powerhouse: 60M+ Users Viral Growth

The key ingredient that Pi keeps is its human network. The 60 million registered users in 200 countries have placed the app with more millionaires than any ICO era project with its referral system.

In October, 2 million new ones were registered, which is driven by the viral TikTok challenges and the university ambassador programs. The social sentiment rating stands at 85/100, with Pioneers being extreme in terms of preference for the mine on your phone philosophy, which democratizes access.

However, there are still obstacles: KYC effectiveness is investigated by regulatory bodies in the US and the EU, and scam warnings remind users to remember the threats of phishing. Pi’s response? Improved two-factor auth and a bounty of 10 million dollars to vulnerability hunters.

Trust has been strengthened by this openness, and 85% of the active miners have stayed. As the network advances in years, it is anticipated that governance will vote on treasury expenditure, and these votes will be controlled by the crowd that created the network.

Price Predictions: Explosive Upside from $0.45 to $5+ by 2030

Bullish accounts are prevalent in predictions. In the short term, CoinMarketCap projects a 25% pop-up to a high of $0.56 in November, using the condition of migration being completed. Changelly estimates an average of 2025 $1.20, and highs of 2.50 in case dApp TVL exceeds 500 million dollars. Projected to be higher by 2026, to $3.80, based on the adoption of commerce and possible listing on Coinbase or Binance.

Far future bets are blinding: 5 by 2028, 12 by 2030, according to WalletInvestor, with a growth of 20% in the number of users and deflationary tokenomics through burns in transaction costs.

The risks will be mainnet delays or market crashes, yet it will not be exposed to retail panic, since Pi has a low barrier to entry that is free by default. PI is the coin of the people, chartists reckon, which is underpriced at less than one dollar, identifies a cup-and-handle pattern that is set to take off.

Prospect: Mobile Dream to Global Reality?

With its October boom, Pi Network becomes a transition between an interest and a competitor. Migration of the mainnet, business applications and developer grants create a tapestry of utility and 60 million voices increase its visibility. PI is currently trading at a fraction of its potential at 0.45, and its next target is 0.50.

The patient construction used by Pi provides weight in a market of temporary pumps. Monitor the migration dashboards on volume spikes; full unlock would trigger a 2x relocation. It is not hype to miners and merchants; October 31 is harvest time. One tap at a time, the Pi revolution goes on.

OKB Price Steady at $156: Standard Chartered MiCA Custody Launch, OKX Margin Trading Boost, 2025 Targets $281

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With cryptocurrency markets reporting mixed signals and receiving liquidations amounting to 590 million dollars in the last 24 hours, the OKB utility token used to operate the OKX ecosystem is immune to the market and trades at the steady value of about 156.86.

As Bitcoin crashes to below $109,000 and altcoins in general, the stability of OKB will attract the interest of institutional investors as well as regular traders, as regulatory victory and encouraging price forecasts indicate possible breakouts.

OKB Holds Ground: Stable Price in a Raving Market

OKB has defied the negative forces of the falling trend of numerous top-100 tokens and is tightly clustered between $153.58 and $164.47 over the past day. The 24-hour trading amount of the token reached up to 90 million, which was a minor depreciation of 4.2%, but an indicator of long-term interest on such large exchanges as OKX and Binance.

With a market cap of around 3.4 billion and a circulating supply of 21 million, the RSI of OKB is in the neutral position of 53, indicating that it is not overbought or oversold. This is a stance in a larger market downturn, with AI assets turning in the most significant losses and Ethereum economy games falling.

Analysts mention the extreme integration of OKB into the high-liquidity platform of OKX as a floor, and fee cuts and staking rewards maintain a high level of conviction among holders. The 50-day moving average of the short-term charts is on an increase with a positive trend, which is again bullish despite the fact that the Fear & Greed Index remains at neutral levels.

Standard Chartered Partnership Deepens: MiCA-Compliant Custody Strikes Europe

One of the biggest impetuses came this month when OKX announced an extended partnership with Standard Chartered, providing crypto custodial services in Europe under the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework.

This partnership was announced on October 15, and it is based on a UAE launch that has already acquired more than 100 million dollars in assets, and it is expanding to nine types of regulations to enable seamless institutional onboarding.

Banks and other participants under the MiCA license of OKX can custody OKB and other assets under increased compliance, enabling the trading, staking, and yield products to be based on the token. This action not only increases the utility of OKB but also its position as a bridge between traditional finance and DeFi.

The potential capital is in the billions, and the inflows are early, with the role of OKB in the reduction of fees and access to Jumpstart IEO increasing the demand. Watchers of the ecosystem call this the tipping point in institutional crypto because it brings about regulated banking and on-chain efficiency.

Upgrades to the OKX Platform: Margin Trading and New Listings Volatilize the Volume

OKX isn’t resting on laurels. The exchange launched margin trading, Simple Earn, and Flexible Loan functions on October 15 on emerging tokens such as YB, which has a direct positive impact on OKB holders because of boosting liquidity within the ecosystem.

Only a few days afterwards, on October 16 and 17, ENA/USD, PAXG/USD, and ASTER/USD spot pairs were introduced, which added the trading rebate benefits that OKB introduced to a much broader range of pairs.

Such improvements have boosted the on-platform activity of OKB, as its users are utilising the token to cut fees by up to 40 per cent, depending on the holdings. The VIP tiers, which are based on the balance and the volume of the OKBs, are currently giving more discounts to attract the high-frequency traders.

Since OKX is currently the 3rd most liquid exchange worldwide, the tools may elevate the usefulness of the OKB to the next level of Web3 usage, cementing its competitive advantage over competitors such as BNB.

Token Burns and Supply Dynamics: Path to Scarcity in 2025

Supply management is also one of the pillars of the value proposition of OKB. After a single reduction in total and circulating supply on August 15 that reduced total and circulating supply to 21 million, OKX is reducing its supply quarter by quarter to fight inflation. This process of deflation, coupled with fixed allocations of the initial issue of 1 billion tokens (60% of which go to the community), highlights long-term scarcity.

Having 300 million tokens that could not be sold within 1-3 years, continuous burns centralise the interests of holders, which could be a key driver of price increases as the demand rises.

The positive perspective on social platforms is full of hope, and these mechanics are taken by the community as an insurance against market dumping. Since the market cap of OKB is trailing the giants, such as the $118 billion behemoth of BNB, analysts estimate that a move into the next range of 20 billion will cause the prices to multiply many times.

Price Predictions: Bullish Price Horizons in 2025 and Beyond

The projections show a bright future for OKB. CoinCodex short-term models forecast a gain of 4.78% to $201.47 by the middle of November, with possible October highs of $254.58. The October prognosis of Changelly is between 201.10 and 254.58, with an average of 227.84, and the targets at the end of the year are 281 per CoinCodex.

Projecting further, by 2026, the forecast is just around 172209 with a further 439600 in 20272030-3x-5x runway compared to the current numbers. These estimates include institutional adoption, growth on the platform and macro tailwinds such as Fed rate cuts.

Technical charts would confirm that OKB has been gradually drifting up regardless of slumps, with the target of $200 this month, and that the resistance of 260 is near in case the volume continues.

However, threats are imminent: Community criticism on transparency and tokenism continues, which is reminiscent of the negative reaction to OKX on October 7 due to the communication. It is cautious to take profits following the 227% quarterly jump in August, yet the recent upbeat signs, such as the growing open interest, will outweigh the short-term falls.

Community and Innovation: Establishing Trust in Difficult Times

The ecosystem of OKB is user-based. The governance element in the listing votes and Jumpstart allocations of the token vests power in the holders and creates loyal followers. Recent criticism revealed a lack of transparency, which OKX vowed to be more transparent on burns and allocations- one move that can restore trust.

Fronts of innovation: DeFi integrations: OKX Earn program, which allows the accumulation of passive earnings with the help of OKB. With Europe accelerating under MiCA, there will be an increased number of dApps using OKB to make cross-border payments. This is exaggerated by social chat: Traders shout that it has a free-money potential, and with retail accumulation cancelling recent $150 lows.

Prospect: Risk-Stabilising Investment?

The story of OKB is that of silent potential- unexploited potential in a developing market. As Standard Chartered launches its European offensive, extends platforms and deflationary burns, the token eyes invade breakout space. Monitor $160 as short-term support; a position might trigger an upsurge to $200 at the end of November.

OKB is the one to be trusted in a sea of liquidations and bearish BTC prints, and it has potential explosions. To the exchange loyalists and institutional newcomers, the date of October 31 is not an indication of caution, but calculated entry. The engine of the OKX raves–this king of utilities is ready to start up.

MNT Price Drops 11% Today as Institutional Giant Anchorage Backs Mantle, Bybit Trading Explodes, $150K Hackathon Announced

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31st October 2025 – Mantle Network native token MNT has been hit sharply in the volatile crypto market and has fallen more than 11 per cent in the past 24 hours to hover around $1.44.

Although in the doldrums, new institutional support and ecosystem building have created a more optimistic outlook on this Ethereum Layer-2 powerhouse, which will likely experience a recovery in the event of an economic shock throughout the broader market.

MTN Price Fall: Sluggish Momentum Takes Hold of the Market

The MNT token by Mantle started the day on an extremely negative note and lost all of its new gains, dropping below the main support levels. The volume shot up to more than 205 million, and the traders were extremely active since the coin fell out of range between $1.60 and the present lows.

Technical indicators flash red: at $1.74 and 1.80, the token is much below its 20 and 50-day moving averages, which indicates a short-term bearish trend. Analysts blame the decline on the trickle-down effects of Bitcoin stagnation and a slight retreat in the Ethereum market, and Layer-2 tokens such as MNT suffered the most.

Fear & Greed indicators of MNT are already in the deep-seated fear zone, and the short-term projections are already a warning of downward trends further to $1.07 by early November should the trend continue. However, shrewd investors are looking at this as a typical buy-the-dip strategy, considering Mantle has strong fundamentals.

Anchorage Digital Opens Institutional Floodgates to MNT

Anchorage Digital announced support in MNT in a game-changing move yesterday and made it a part of its secure custody offerings and self-sovereignty wallet, Porto. This action opens up to allow global institutions to freely hold, trade and stake MNT without undermining security and compliance.

Originally, institutions were able to place MNT on balance sheets, run DAO treasuries, settle multi-volume trades, and access ecosystem incentives because of the federally supervised infrastructure of Anchorage.

It is a breakthrough that will lead to mainstream adoption, as Mantle Network stressed, underlining the importance of the fact that it will unite traditional finance with on-chain liquidity. Initial market responses indicate that this would provide a boost to billions of institutional capital, reversing retail sell-offs and price flooring MNT.

The timing couldn’t be better. With Real World Assets (RWAs) gaining considerable traction, the chain with the most modular L2 architecture, including ZK proofs and a watch amounting to $3.5 billion in TVL, puts Mantle in a great position to be the chain of choice when it comes to tokenising treasuries and yielding assets.

Bybit MNT Volume Volume Explosion: 450% Surge Breeds Hope

The collaboration between Mantle and Bybit continues to provide fireworks. Following the implementation of a special roadmap, the trading volume of MNT on the exchange increased by 450% between July and October, accounting for nearly 3% of the total activity at Bybit. Spot pairs are growing from four to more than 20, and options trading is in the offing.

This is not mere hype; this is the liquidity on a mass basis. The mascot naming competition that Bybit will launch next week, alongside a special Mantle launch, makes the commitment of the entire exchange all-in.

According to the reports of traders, MNT is one of the best in Bybit since it is executed smoothly with deep order books. Bybit, according to one of the insiders of the ecosystem, is not merely listing MNT; they are creating its future.

Introduction of Revolutionary Trading Bots: MoMNTum Bot Reinvents MNT Trading

On Telegram, the inaugural dedicated MNT trading bot, MoMNTum Bot, was launched today, being added to the ranks of retail traders. It is a multi-wallet powerhouse that complies with instant buys, sells, bridging, limit orders, and referrals on Mantle and partner chains such as Printr.

Users complain of how easy it is: attach a wallet, choose tokens and run in a few seconds. The low charges and high throughput of Mantle have already resulted in the bot being widely adopted, which can increase the amount of on-chain volume.

The untapped bridging potential and hype during the meme season were reasons why a community leader remarked that it is ridiculously early. Anticipate this application to turbocharge liquidity and generate a new group of degens.

Hackathon Takes Place in San Francisco and Sparks Developer Frenzy

Mantle is not just trading; Mantle, sponsored by Bybit and QuestFlow, has just announced a huge prize pool of $150,000. It will run until December 31 and will consist of six tracks, including RWAs, privacy, DeFi, gaming, AI, and infrastructure.

The best prizes were up to $15,000 per song, and a special set of prizes was 60,000, selected by crypto giants. Registration has been opened, and the winners will be announced on February 7. This flood of constructors has the potential to give birth to the next generation of big dApps that make Mantle the king of liquidity in Ethereum.

Bull Case Analysis: Long-Term Why MNT Can Regain ATH Glory

Take away the noise, and you see the light of the story of Mantle. The largest L2 in Ethereum with TVL, it has a token-holder-controlled treasury, OP Stack upgrades, and RWA dominance through USD1 stablecoin integrations. Recent highs in the ATHs at around 2.47 reiterate the explosive upside.

The future price outlook is still positive: the analysts predict a price of $2.14 at the end of the month, and a parabolic increase to $5 and above at the end of the year based on institutional purchase. MNT is underestimated optimism, in summary of the mood–it is on the verge of exploding as Layer-2 wars intensify.

Market Forecast: Trough Purchase or Dead Cat Bounce?

The carnage of today challenges MNT holders, but headwinds such as macro uncertainty have nothing on tailwinds: Bybit volume machine, institutional gateway in Anchorage, and bot-driven retail frenzy.

The institutional gateway in Anchorage, the volume machine in Bybit, and retail frenzy driven by robots and hackathon innovation. Watch at 1.40 as critical support, should it be violated, then we will have a snapback to 1.70.

Mantle Network is not only surviving the storm; it is creating the resolution to the storm. In the case with traders and builders, October 31 is not a finish, but the ignition of MoMNTum. Watch this, this L2 liquidity monster is reloading.

Can Cryptocurrency Mortgages Ever Compete with Traditional Loans?

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As cryptocurrency wealth grows, many investors are discovering that turning digital assets into homeownership remains a challenge. Traditional mortgage lenders remain cautious, viewing crypto income as too volatile and unpredictable. Despite this, as digital currencies like Bitcoin continue to mature and gain legitimacy, the question remains will mortgage providers eventually embrace crypto as a credible financial foundation?

How Bitcoin can be used to boost mortgage prospects

Right now in the US, the regulatory environment around cryptocurrency mortgages is still evolving, but a small number of specialist lenders are tipping their toes into it.

So-called ‘crypto mortgages’ use cryptocurrency holdings as collateral in exchange for a cash loan. The borrower must place their currency in an escrow or custodial account with the lender, and their crypto will be returned to them once the loan has been repaid.

Crypto mortgages are a viable homebuying option for those who have amassed their wealth in the currency, though they have limitations. Firstly, interest rates are high due to the risk associated with the currency’s volatility, and they are typically over-collateralised, meaning the value of the crypto the debt is secured against must be higher than the loan amount.

Lenders can also issue what is called a margin call if the value of the security crypto dips below a certain level, meaning borrowers must add more currency to make up the deficit.

Crypto mortgages are niche products right now, but an increasing number of players are taking up seats at the lending table in the US, including Milo, Figure and Moon Mortgage. Mainstream mortgage providers are, however, reluctant to get involved.

Meanwhile, these products have not yet caught on in other markets such as the UK, outside of high net worth (HNW) lending, but investors across the pond have successfully converted their crypto into fiat currency (GBP) for the purpose of using it as a mortgage deposit.

How big could crypto mortgages become?

Since the landmark approval of Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs), digital currencies like Bitcoin have become increasingly mainstream. It, therefore, makes sense to see a rise in people using it to buy property, forcing lenders to evolve their policies to keep up.

Could this type of lending ever become truly widespread, though? One expert who is skeptical of this is Lee Trett, director of online financial advice service Money Helpdesk.

“Although crypto has become a major component of the global financial landscape, it is still a niche currency compared to traditional forms of income, and the risk associated with its volatility will likely always be too much for your average high street lender to stomach.

“Here in the UK, it is certainly becoming more common for crypto investors to get approved for a mortgage with a deposit made up of their proceeds from their mining efforts, but there are no signs of a full-fledged ‘crypto mortgage’ hitting these shores, although I did hear rumours that a lender in Ireland was exploring the possibility a few years back.

“Moreover, there is growing demand for crypto-backed mortgages in high net worth circles. Private lenders over here can take a risk on these because their clients typically have vast amounts of capital in other forms, so they can pick up any shortfall if the value of the crypto the borrower used for security was to falter.”

In the US and the UK, there’s no doubt that crypto is gradually becoming less niche in the world of mortgage lending, forcing lenders to run to keep up and introduce new criteria, products and policies that allow crypto investors to use their digital assets to buy property.

 

No doubt innovative new mortgage products and policies will be introduced specifically for crypto investors in the coming years, but it seems unlikely that true crypto mortgages will become available outside of specialist lending circles and the HNW space for now.

Three-Quarters of UK Businesses Freeze Investment Over Budget Fears

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A new survey by Helm, the UK’s leading community for scale-up founders, reveals that three-quarters of UK businesses have frozen hiring and investment decisions ahead of the Autumn Budget.

The survey shows that 84% of UK business leaders are worried about potential tax rises, highlighting significant anxiety in the business community prior to Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Budget on November 26th.

Helm’s 400 members contribute £1 billion annually in tax, underlining the economic significance of these investment and hiring delays across the UK.

When asked ‘Are you worried about tax increases in the upcoming Budget?’, an overwhelming 84 per cent of respondents said ‘yes’, while only 8 per cent said ‘no’ and 8 per cent responded, ‘don’t know’.

The impact on business decision-making is stark. Asked ‘Are you holding off on hiring or investing decisions until you’ve seen what’s in the Budget?’, 75 per cent confirmed they are delaying crucial business decisions, with only 22 per cent proceeding with plans regardless and 3 per cent undecided.

The group’s CEO warns that the combination of Budget uncertainty and existing pressures from April’s National Insurance increases has led to investment paralysis gripping the UK’s growth companies.

Helm’s members businesses have an average revenue of £21 million each and collectively contribute £1 billion annually in tax revenues to the UK Treasury through corporation tax, employer National Insurance contributions, and other business taxes.

The findings highlight the damaging effect of Budget uncertainty on UK economic growth, with businesses across sectors freezing expansion plans at a critical time for the economy.

Andreas Adamides, CEO of Helm, said: “These figures are a flashing red light on the UK’s economic dashboard. When more than 80 per cent of business leaders are bracing for tax hikes and three-quarters have hit pause on investment, it’s clear the engine of growth is idling when it should be accelerating.

“The Chancellor must remember that confidence is the oxygen of enterprise — without it, ambition suffocates.

“The Autumn Budget must light a fire under Britain’s growth ambitions. That means no new taxes on business, real incentives for investment, and a clear signal that the UK is open for growth. Give businesses the green light to drive our economy forward.”

Is There a “Right Time” to Invest in Crypto? InoQuant Analysts Explore the Question

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The idea of perfect timing has haunted crypto traders since Bitcoin’s early days. Some swear that crypto behaves like the weather and repeats patterns every year. Others argue that timing is an illusion and only long-term conviction matters. 

According to analysts working for InoQuant, both sides have some truth. Crypto can show seasons, but those seasons do not guarantee results. Understanding why these patterns exist and when they fail is far more useful than blindly trusting them.

Why People Believe Crypto Has Seasons

Crypto has displayed surprisingly consistent behavior during certain months. January has often delivered strong returns for Bitcoin, leading many to call it the “New Year rally”. March and September have historically leaned bearish, with prices dipping before recovering later. Summer months like July tend to be quieter, but sometimes act as silent accumulation phases before larger autumn moves.

There are explanations for these patterns. New capital often enters the market at the start of the year as funds reposition. Spring months coincide with tax deadlines in major economies, which can trigger profit-taking. Even holidays influence mood. December was once famous for “Santa rallies” when optimism lifted prices.

InoQuant analysts point out that crowd psychology can reinforce these expectations. If enough traders believe that April is bullish or September is weak, they act accordingly. Crypto responds heavily to sentiment, and sentiment is often seasonal.

When Seasonal Wisdom Breaks Down

History offers many exceptions to the seasonal theory. April 2022 was widely anticipated to be bullish, yet Bitcoin fell sharply along with traditional markets. November has a reputation for being a strong month due to past bull runs, but in 2022, it turned into a disaster when a major exchange collapsed. Seasonal logic offered no protection.

External events such as regulatory decisions or sudden collapses can overpower any historical trend. Crypto is still a young market with limited historical data. One headline can erase weeks of expected movement in a single session.

InoQuant experts emphasize that seasonal tendencies should be viewed as hints rather than rules. A bearish month does not guarantee a decline. A bullish month does not promise profit. Market structure, liquidity conditions, and real-time sentiment must align before seasonal expectations become meaningful.

So Is There a “Right Time”?

The right time depends on your approach. Some traders use seasonality as a framework. They accumulate during historically weak periods, such as September, or take partial profits during historically strong months like January and October. Others ignore patterns altogether and gradually build positions over time.

A blended approach often makes the most sense. InoQuant analysts recommend studying historical monthly performance while also checking the current tone of the market. Are search trends rising? Are large holders accumulating or distributing? Are major narratives gaining traction? Seasonality paired with observation is more reliable than dates alone.

Conclusion

Crypto may show seasonal patterns. However, those patterns can shift without warning. Rather than searching for the perfect month, it is wiser to recognize the rhythm of the market and prepare for opportunity whenever it appears. The right time is rarely found on a calendar. It is found when patience meets awareness.

Why Smart Bookies Are Switching to Pay Per Head

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Are you tired of spending your Sundays glued to the screen, updating spreads, and chasing payments? Maybe you’re losing sleep over unbalanced action or worrying about players jumping to a bookie with better features. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone – and there’s a better way to run your operation. 

The most successful bookies made one crucial change: they stopped trying to do everything themselves. They switched to professional Pay Per Head services that handle technical heavy lifting while they focus on growing their business.  

Let’s break down why this approach is transforming the industry and how it can work for you. 

The Breaking Point Every Bookie Hits 

Remember when you started? Maybe it was just taking a few bets from friends. But as your player list grew, so did the headaches. The spreadsheets got more complicated. The time spent on admin work exploded. The risk of costly mistakes increased every week. 

Most bookies hit a wall around 20-30 players. That’s when manual tracking becomes unsustainable. You’re spending more time managing your book than actually running it. The bookies who break through this barrier aren’t necessarily working harder – they’re working smarter with the right tools. 

What Pay Per Head Can Do For You 

Pay per head is your 24/7 operations team. While you’re sleeping, the software is managing bets, calculating balances, and keeping everything running smoothly. It’s like hiring a full staff without the overhead. 

The best part? You maintain complete control over your business. You set the limits, manage your players, and call the shots. The technology just handles the execution. It’s your business, just with all the technical headaches removed. 

The Numbers That Matter 

Let’s talk about the financial side. Most bookies are shocked when they calculate how much time they’re spending on administrative tasks. At 20 players, you’re probably looking at 15-20 hours weekly just keeping things running. 

Now consider the cost of mistakes. One miscalculated parlay can wipe out your profit for the week. A missed payment can cost you a good player. These errors disappear with automated systems. The software pays for itself quickly in saved time and prevented losses alone. 

Features Your Players Care About 

Your players aren’t comparing you to the bookie down the street – they’re comparing you to the leaders. They expect mobile betting, live wagering, and instant updates. If you can’t deliver, they’ll find someone who can. 

Professional Pay Per Head services level the playing field. Suddenly you’re offering: 

  • Real-time mobile betting from any device 
  • Live in-game wagering across all major sports 
  • Hundreds of betting options for every game 
  • Instant balance updates and betting history 
  • Secure, professional payment processing 

Risk Management That Works In Your Favor 

Remember that sick feeling when too much money came in on one side? Or the panic when a star player got injured pre-game? These moments don’t have to keep you up at night. 

Modern Pay Per Head platforms include sophisticated risk management tools. Layoff accounts let you balance heavy action automatically. Real-time reporting shows your exact exposure at any moment. Player management tools help you set appropriate limits. It’s like having an insurance policy for your business. 

Why Experience Matters in This Game 

There’s a reason why bookies stick with proven providers. This industry has too many fly-by-night operations that promise the world but can’t handle the Super Bowl or March Madness. You need a partner that’s weathered every storm. 

Look for providers with years of experience and a track record of stability. They’ve seen it all – from unexpected line moves to massive betting volume. Their systems are built to handle pressure, which means your business stays up when it matters most. 

The Transition is Smoother Than You Think 

You might be thinking: “But moving my entire operation sounds like a nightmare.” Actually, the switch is surprisingly straightforward. Quality providers handle the heavy lifting of player migration and data transfer. 

Your players will appreciate the upgrade. They get a better betting experience overnight, while you maintain the same relationships and control. It’s the easiest way to instantly upgrade your operation without starting from scratch. 

What You’re Really Paying For 

The per-player fee isn’t an expense – it’s an investment in your sanity and growth. Consider what you’re getting: enterprise-level technology, 24/7 support, and continuous updates, all for less than the cost of one pizza per player per week. 

More importantly, you’re buying back your time. Time you can spend recruiting new players, building your brand, and actually enjoying the games instead of being chained to your computer. 

The Choice Every Bookie Faces 

You can keep struggling with spreadsheets and manual processes, watching your competitors pull ahead with better technology. Or you can make the switch that thousands of successful bookies have already made. 

The market’s only getting more competitive. Players expect more features, faster updates, and better experiences. The bookies who thrive will be those who partner with the right technology providers. 

Ready to see what the buzz is about? It’s time to discover why bookies choose our pay per head bookie services and join the thousands who’ve already transformed their operations. Your future self will thank you for making the move.

How to Be a Better Trader – Montellis Group Experts Share Valuable, Real-World Tips

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Becoming a successful trader isn’t about luck or finding a “magic” strategy. It’s about discipline, adaptability, and an ongoing commitment to learning. Markets change faster than ever, and traders who thrive are the ones who know how to read those changes, manage their risks, and stay emotionally grounded. 

Analysts at Montellis Group believe that better trading starts with a clear mindset and a willingness to evolve with the market. Below are a few powerful habits and techniques that can help traders improve their performance and build lasting confidence.

1. Focus on Quality, Not Quantity

Overtrading remains one of the biggest pitfalls for aspiring traders. Many believe that more trades mean more opportunities to profit, but the opposite is usually true. Montellis Group experts point out that selective trading (waiting patiently for setups that meet strict criteria) often leads to far better outcomes.

Keep a detailed trading plan that defines when to enter, when to exit, and how much to risk. This eliminates emotional reactions and prevents impulsive trades during volatile sessions. By focusing on quality rather than quantity, traders preserve capital and make decisions rooted in logic, not adrenaline.

2. Adapt Your Strategy to Market Behavior

Markets don’t stay the same for long. Strategies that thrived in trending conditions can fail when volatility compresses or when central banks shift policies. Analysts at Montellis Group suggest traders should continuously assess whether their strategies align with current conditions.

For example, when inflation data signals tightening monetary policies, riskier assets may underperform while defensive sectors gain ground. Adapting to these shifts, instead of stubbornly sticking to outdated playbooks, keeps traders in tune with the rhythm of the market and opens doors to new opportunities.

3. Strengthen Risk and Money Management

Even skilled traders lose trades; what separates professionals from amateurs is how they handle those losses. Experts in the field advise limiting exposure on any single trade to a small fraction of total capital, typically 1–2%. Setting stop-loss orders and calculating risk-to-reward ratios before entering a position builds consistency over time.

Traders who manage downside risk carefully can stay in the game long enough to capitalize when conditions turn favorable. In contrast, those who ignore risk management often face emotional burnout and significant capital erosion.

4. Keep a Trading Journal and Review Performance

Self-assessment is one of the most valuable yet overlooked habits in trading. Recording every trade, including the reasoning behind it, the emotions felt, and the final result, creates a foundation for objective analysis. By reviewing this data weekly or monthly, traders can spot recurring mistakes, understand their psychological triggers, and refine strategies based on evidence rather than assumptions.

As Montellis Group experts summarize, trading success is less about predicting the market and more about understanding yourself. Improvement happens when traders replace guesswork with structure, discipline, and continuous learning, habits that lead to long-term sustainability in any market environment.

WPP Shares Plunge 8% as Ad Giant Warns on Profits Amid Strategic Overhaul Launch

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Rattled the City WPP plc (WPP), the FTSE 100 advertising leviathan, has cannonballed the City today by giving a profit warning related to ongoing revenue headwinds, which precipitated an 8% share plunge and an en masse strategic review.

The shift, focused on simplifying the business in a digital-first world, underscores how much the ad business is susceptible to technology disruption and economic downturn.

Profit Warning Beats Shares to 612p Low

WPP’s shocking revelation showed that the company had seen its like-for-like revenue growth stagnant at 1.2 per cent in the first nine months of the year, its lowest showing in comparison to the 2.5 per cent annual growth, with clients’ spending in North America and Europe areas going down in the face of inflationary squeezes.

The underlying operating profit will turn out to 5% lower than it was previously estimated at PS2.2 billion, with the inclusion of PS150 million of one-off restructuring expenses.

The blowback was immediate: the shares of WPP (LSE: WPP) fell 8.3% to 612p – the lowest point since 2022, destroying PS1.2 billion in market value. The scale of trading increased to 15 million shares as hedge funds between Man Group and Marshall Wace hastened the rush to leave following the widening of PS3.5 billion net debt at the firm.

This turnabout brings an end to a resounding poor year of WPP, which is down 25% YTD in comparison to the FTSE and its 19% rampage. The reckoning of Adland has come, City moaned, and the forward P/E of the stock had fallen to a desperate 6x with talk of pressure on the part of the activists.

FTSE 100 Slips to 9,720 on Ad Sectors Drag

FTSE 100, which soared to 9,756 yesterday, had fallen to 9,720 this morning in spotty business, WPP’s collapse scuttling media fellows such as Informa by 2. Some little relief was provided by commodities, and both BP and Shell are flat as Brent lingers at $72, and Fed Chair Powell hawkish tilted her head yesterday to quash rate-cut expectations.

European standards were declining less: the DAX declined 0.6% on export concerns, and the CAC 40 followed. The sterling lost 0.5% to 1.29 dollars, and this further aggravated the plight of multinationals. However, defensives such as Unilever stood their ground, emphasising the two-pronged strength of FTSE.

The troubles of WPP are indicative of wider creative business shocks, including the threat of AI invasion and questioning budgets on the part of clients, unlike the pharma and engineering success stories of AstraZeneca and Rolls-Royce of the week.

The Targets of Strategic Review: Cost Reduction and AI Pivot

The board at WPP, under the leadership of the CEO Mark Read, announced the review to include portfolio pruning, which could include divestiture of non-performing units such as Grey and Burson-Marsteller, and a PS500 million faster rollout of AI tools to create content. The company targets PS300 million yearly through savings by 2027, combining staff cuts with technological investments.

Principles’ strengths remain: GroupM media buying segment expands 4 per cent on programmatic advertisement bursts, and VML creative collections remain stable at PS10 billion. International presence in 100 countries cushions local downturns, with the Asia-Pacific region surging 6% on e-commerce drives.

With a 4.5% yield, battered WPP is a contrarian buy, at 0.7x sales – its lowest in a decade. Bargain hunters are wondering what is commonly referred to as fire sale territory, where free cash flow is covering dividends at a time when tightening occurs.

Prospect: Headwinds Collide With Overhaul Hope

Looking ahead to 2026, WPP expects 3% recovery of revenue on the US election stability and ad market recovery. Advantages: Generator AI cuts production expenses by 20%. Downsides? Sensitivity models suggest that another PS200 million would be cut from profits by the protracted recession.

The target given to analysts drops to 750p, which means a recovery of 22%, and the consensus is to hold at 12 houses. Pivot or perish is the word of strategists.

Stifel Rises on Brokerage Buzz

Rival Stifel Financial (LSE: SFG) – despite being US-based – shot up 1.2% in London on the M&A advisory rumours, although WPP has a long shadow, having 7b PS7b capacity to its niche. FTSE media is a story of excesses.

Markets Mull Powell, Budget Brink

With FTSE futures wobbling at 9,700 as October 30 passes, Reeves’ budget and ECB crosshairs in view. The statement by WPP is a call to attention on the vulnerability of the ad industry, but it provoked speculation about the era of reinvention.

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