This was one of the busiest weeks for sports related sponsorships and brand ambassador deals – an increasingly popular tool for FX and CFDs brokers – with a number of well-known names in the worlds of tennis, football and basketball hooking up with various CFDs brokers.

There were also a number of senior executive moves seen in the FX and CFDs sector this week, including a new CEO for trading platform company TradeLocker, former TigerWit CEO Tim Hughes finding a new home in the industry, and Crypto.com naming an experienced industry executive as its new Cyprus CEO.

Some of the most read and commented-on FX/CFD industry news stories to appear over the past seven days on FNG included:

Top FX and CFDs industry news stories this week

CFI welcomes Maria Sharapova as Global Brand Ambassador. CFI, a global leading online trading provider, is proud to announce a landmark partnership with Maria Sharapova. The five-time Grand Slam champion, Olympic medalist, and globally respected entrepreneur will serve as the Group’s new Global Brand Ambassador, alongside Lewis Hamilton. Sharapova joins CFI in a multi-year agreement that reflects a shared dedication to excellence, discipline, and international impact.

EC Markets becomes Official Global Partner of Liverpool FC. Iconic EPL club Liverpool FC and leading Retail FX and CFDs broker EC Markets have announced that they have entered a multi-year global partnership, which will see EC Markets become an official global partner of the Reds. The new partnership will also include significant branding opportunities at Anfield, with pitchside LED displays and digital advertising boards seen by 504 million TV viewers per season.

CFDs broker TMGM becomes official sponsor of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. Australia based Retail FX and CFDs broker TMGM has announced that it has inked an agreement to become an Official Partner of the Brooklyn Nets basketball club, for the upcoming 2025-26 season. While TMGM isn’t licensed to operate in the US, the growing popularity of NBA Basketball globally, and especially in the Far East, was likely a motivator for the deal.

Indian Tribes sue Kalshi, Robinhood for illegal sports gambling. Three federally recognized Indian Tribes, the Blue Lake Rancheria, the Chicken Ranch Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians, and the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians have filed a lawsuit against Kalshi and Robinhood. The Tribes Complaint alleges that, contrary to Kalshi’s assertions, Kalshi is engaging in sport gambling as defined by the IGRA and the Tribes’ Compacts, Procedures, and Ordinances.

Tickmill expands to Oman via ProTrade partnership. Leading Retail FX and CFDs broker Tickmill has announced the expansion of its services in Oman, in collaboration with its strategic partner, ProTrade Investments. The new operation in Muscat will serve as a regional hub, offering localized support, education, and expertise to clients in Oman and surrounding markets.

Top FX industry executive moves this week

❑ IG alum Dom Bradley named CEO of trading platform provider TradeLocker.

❑ Hantec Markets hires Tim Hughes (ex TigerWit) and Vivek Mehta (INFINOX) as CSO, CTO.

❑ Exclusive: Stonefort Securities Head of Sales Ahtesham Amin Syed moves to Accuindex.

❑ Exclusive: HFM hires Hantec exec Murilo de Oliveira as Brazil Country Manager.

❑ Exclusive: Former LegacyFX CEO Michael Floros named GM of Crypto.com Cyprus.

❑ Exclusive: Trive UK compliance head Mustafa Sahin departs.

❑ smartTrade Technologies hires Christophe Montane as CCO.

❑ LMAX hires Copper.co exec Ilya Khazen to head cross-asset sales.