In this episode of the ACI UK podcast series, the focus shifts to the darker side of FX market history - exploring the scandals, shocks, and regulatory responses that have reshaped the industry over the past two decades. Hosts Kim Myers and Noel Singh are joined by Katharine Leaman (Leaman Crellin, former FCA) and Colin Lambert (The Full FX) for a candid discussion on misconduct, market failures, and the evolution of oversight.

The conversation begins with the infamous Forex Cartel scandal, unpacking how informal information-sharing between traders escalated into one of the industry’s most high-profile cases - and why its legal handling remains controversial. From there, the discussion broadens to rogue trading incidents, highlighting how weak internal controls and ignored warning signs allowed losses to spiral out of control.

The episode also examines major market shocks, including the Swiss National Bank’s sudden removal of the EUR/CHF peg, and how both human behaviour and algorithmic trading amplified the fallout. These events serve as a backdrop for a deeper look at how regulation has evolved—from individual accountability regimes like SMCR to the introduction of the FX Global Code as a principles-based framework for restoring trust.

Looking forward, the guests explore emerging risks in an increasingly automated and AI-driven market, as well as the ongoing tension between regulation, innovation, and market efficiency. With a blend of real-world examples, sharp analysis, and industry perspective, this episode offers a grounded view of how the FX market has learned—sometimes painfully - to police itself.

Thanks to LSEG FX & Trade Treasury Payments for supporting this episode.

In this episode of the ACI UK podcast series, the conversation dives into the evolution of the FX market through the lens of prime brokerage and its critical role in shaping today’s trading landscape. Host Noel Singh and co-host Kim Myers are joined by industry veterans Kate Lowe (Euroclear) and Jeremy Smart (XTX Markets) for a detailed exploration of how FX prime brokerage enabled the rise of high-frequency trading (HFT) and transformed both institutional and retail markets.

The discussion breaks down complex concepts - from what prime brokerage does, to how HFT firms emerged and scaled - while offering first-hand insights from those who witnessed the market’s rapid expansion in the early 2000s. The episode also examines the technological innovations that made this growth possible, including automation, straight-through processing, and platforms like Triana that revolutionised trade reconciliation and operational efficiency.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how shrinking margins, data access, and infrastructure improvements reshaped the economics of FX trading, as well as how key events - such as the Swiss National Bank shock—exposed vulnerabilities in the system and forced structural change.

Blending technical insight with personal stories from inside the industry, this episode offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the forces that turned FX into one of the most electronic and competitive markets in the world - and where it may be heading next.

Thank you to LSEG FX and Trade Treasury Payments for sponsoring this episode.

Huge thanks to LSEG FX and Trade Treasury Payments for supporting this episode.

In this episode of the ACI UK podcast series, the focus turns to one of the most transformative shifts in FX market history: the rise of single dealer and multi dealer trading platforms. Hosts Noel Singh and Kim Myers are joined by industry pioneers Jeff Feig (former Global Head of FX at Citi) and Mark Suter (Digital Vega) to unpack how electronic trading reshaped the competitive landscape.

The discussion traces the journey from phone-based dealing and early electronic systems to the emergence of bank-owned platforms like Velocity, Autobahn, and BARX, alongside multi-dealer venues such as FXall and Currenex. Through candid reflections, the guests explore how strategic decisions, internal resistance, and technological innovation determined which institutions thrived—and which fell behind.

Listeners get a rare inside view of the challenges banks faced when transitioning to electronic trading, including early losses from “toxic flow,” the tension between manual traders and automated systems, and the importance of speed, data, and user experience. The episode also highlights the role of prime brokerage and infrastructure providers like Triana in enabling scale, as well as the unintended consequences of opening markets to non-bank participants.

Looking ahead, the conversation shifts toward the next frontier of innovation—questioning whether blockchain and tokenisation could fundamentally reshape settlement and market structure, just as electronic trading once did.

Blending war stories, strategic insight, and forward-looking thinking, this episode captures a pivotal era in FX—and the mindset required to survive it.

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