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Exness takes center stage at iFX EXPO Dubai 2026 as an Elite Sponsor

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Exness takes center stage at iFX EXPO Dubai 2026 as an Elite Sponsor

Exness, the global multi-asset CFD broker and liquidity provider, announced its role as an Elite Sponsor at the prestigious iFX EXPO Dubai 2026. Taking place from 10–12 February 2026. The event is the number one gathering in the online trading industry and is the largest of its kind in the MENA region. Over three days, iFX EXPO Dubai serves as the global benchmark platform for networking, ideation, and business expansion, bringing together key players from the online trading and fintech ecosystem.

As an Elite Sponsor, Exness will take center stage at iFX EXPO Dubai 2026, offering a platform for attendees to connect, collaborate, and exchange insights. Exness will also contribute key insights through two panel discussions focused on critical industry developments and major trends shaping the sector:

“Wolves of the web: Who’s running the pack in 2026?” – Alfonso Cardalda, Exness CMO, will join other leading executives to explore what sets successful brokers apart. The panel will examine strategies for scaling platforms, engaging high-value clients, and converting trading volume into profit. These discussions will highlight how a small segment of active retail traders generates over half of the region’s total trading volume, and how community-driven promotion, platform enhancements, and engagement loops can turn casual traders into loyal clients while keeping churn low.

“Your biggest risk is the one you ignored: Identifying the silent killers” – Peter Plester, head of B2B sales at Exness, will take part in this candid session on hidden operational risks in the online trading industry. Panelists will dissect real failure cases, from liquidity gaps to technology vulnerabilities, exploring why early warning signs are often overlooked. The session will also cover crisis management strategies and frameworks for building resilient brokerages to safeguard performance and future growth.

Peter Plester expressed: “The conversation in our industry is shifting. It’s no longer just about growth or innovation in isolation, but about how trading infrastructure actually behaves when markets are under pressure. iFX EXPO is one of the few forums where these harder, more operational questions are discussed openly, and that’s why being part of it allows us to engage in these discussions and help shape the future of our industry.”

About Exness

Founded in 2008, Exness is a global multi-asset broker with the mission to reshape the online trading industry. Since its inception, the company’s goal has been to create the ultimate trading experience through large-scale investment in technology and infrastructure. Their fresh approach resonates with traders worldwide, growing Exness into one of the most prominent retail brokers in the sector. With a strong balance sheet, Exness now brings its deep liquidity offering to brokers and other financial institutions.

US Seizes $400M In Bitcoin, Assets Tied To Helix Mixer

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US Seizes $400M In Bitcoin, Assets Tied To Helix Mixer

The U.S. government has taken full legal ownership of more than $400 million in seized cryptocurrency, cash, and real estate tied to Helix, once one of the most widely used bitcoin mixing services on the darknet.

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., entered a final order of forfeiture on Jan. 21, transferring the assets to the government following the conviction of Helix operator Larry Dean Harmon. The forfeiture includes thousands of bitcoin, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, and an Ohio mansion purchased during the peak of Helix’s operation.

Helix functioned as a cryptocurrency mixer, pooling and rerouting bitcoin transactions to obscure their origins and destinations. 

Prosecutors say the service was built to serve darknet drug markets and was directly integrated into their withdrawal systems through an application programming interface.

Court records show Helix processed roughly 354,468 bitcoin between 2014 and 2017, worth about $300 million at the time. Investigators traced tens of millions of dollars from major darknet marketplaces through the service. Harmon took a cut of each transaction as operating fees.

Harmon pleaded guilty in August 2021 to conspiracy to commit money laundering. After years of delays, he was sentenced in November 2024 to three years in prison, followed by supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit seized assets and pay a forfeiture money judgment.

Authorities say Helix worked alongside Grams, a darknet search engine Harmon also operated, which helped users locate illicit marketplaces. Together, the services formed part of the financial infrastructure underpinning darknet drug trade during that period.

Cash, an Ohio mansion, and millions of dollars in bitcoin

Among the forfeited assets is a 4,099-square-foot home in Akron, Ohio, purchased by Harmon and his wife in 2016 for $680,000. Automated estimates place its current value between $780,000 and $950,000, according to reporting from Realtor.com.

The property sits on a 1.21-acre lot and includes multiple fireplaces, a backyard fire pit, and a whirlpool tub. Federal officials say the home will be sold at auction by the Internal Revenue Service.

In addition to the real estate, prosecutors reportedly seized more than $325,000 in cash and approximately 4,500 bitcoin, according to Realtor.com, now valued at roughly $355 million at current prices.

“This case shows that the darknet is not a safe haven for criminal activity,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement, adding that law enforcement will continue to pursue cyber-enabled financial crimes.

Harmon was reportedly released from prison in December 2025 through an early release program after completing drug rehabilitation. 

He has said he plans to restart a legitimate bitcoin education business and is seeking new housing following the forfeiture.

White House Officials Met with Crypto, Banking Reps to Discuss Stablecoins

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White House Officials Met with Crypto, Banking Reps to Discuss Stablecoins

Officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration met with representatives from the cryptocurrency and banking industry to discuss how to address stablecoin yield in the market structure bill under consideration in the Senate.

In a Monday X post, The Digital Chamber, a crypto advocacy organization, said its CEO, Cody Carbone, and others had met at the White House to discuss provisions within the Digital Asset Market Clarity (CLARITY) Act, for which a markup was postponed by the Senate Banking Committee in January. Among the issues lawmakers are expected to address before returning to markup were tokenized equities, decentralized finance, ethics for elected officials investing in crypto, and stablecoin rewards.

“Today’s meeting at the White House was exactly the kind of progress needed to find a resolution to one of the biggest issues blocking next steps in market structure legislative progress,” said Carbone, adding:

“We […] are optimistic that as we continue to dive into the policy details, a fair playing field can be created for digital assets in the US.”

Source: The Digital Chamber

White House crypto adviser Patrick Witt described the Monday meeting as “constructive, fact-based” and “solutions-oriented,” saying he was “confident” representatives and officials would reach a solution soon. Others in attendance included representatives from the Crypto Council for Innovation, American Bankers Association, and the Blockchain Association.

Related: UAE firm bought 49% of Trump-linked crypto startup for $500M: WSJ

The meeting took place as a partial US government shutdown entered its third day, after lawmakers were unable to reach a deal on a funding bill. Many Democrats have demanded changes to immigration enforcement policies after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol actions in US cities, including Minneapolis.

Market structure moving forward in Senate

The Senate Agriculture Committee passed its version of the market structure bill last week without any Democratic support, who raised objections to elected officials holding digital assets.

Both the Senate Banking Committee, which is handling how the US Securities and Exchange Commission will oversee digital assets, and the Agriculture Committee, which is handling efforts with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, will likely need to combine their bills before the full chamber can hold a floor vote.