What brought down the websites (and certain other online operations) of a number of leading Retail FX and CFD brokers mid-week?

Which new crypto exchange being set up by former FXCM/Jefferies executives received an investment from leading Japan based online broker GMO-Z.com?

Which financial content provider received an investment from eToro, as part of a Seedrs crowdfunding round?

What’s new in Devexperts’ newly released DXtrade XT platform, beyond adding fractional trading?

Answers to these questions, and a whole lot more, appeared first or exclusively this past week at FNG. Some of the most read and commented-on FX industry news stories to appear over the past seven days on FNG included:

Several Forex brokers report tech issues. A number of online trading companies, including FOREX.com Japan, OANDA Japan and eToro have experienced tech disruptions today. Fortunately, the problems did not last long but nevertheless caused the discontent of traders. None of the companies elaborated on the cause of the problems. All brokers apologised for the inconvenience and noted that they value their customers’ understanding in this matter. However FNG readers helped sort things out in the article comments.

Exclusive: GMO-Z.com invests in institutional crypto platform Crossover Markets. FNG Exclusive… FNG has learned that Japanese Retail FX and crypto trading giant GMO-Z.com has made an investment in newly-formed institutional crypto platform Crossover Markets. The investment was made via GMO-Z.com Trust Company, GMO’s New York regulated Stablecoin issuer. GMO Z.com is the online trading arm of GMO Internet Inc. (TYO:9449).

eToro invests in Seedrs round of financial content startup CityFALCON. London and Malta based fintech CityFALCON has announced that it has closed an equity fundraising campaign on Seedrs of £1.65 million (USD $2 million), to scale up the business and bring more insightful products to market faster. CityFALCON added that social trading focused online broker eToro took a small position in the company. eToro is a client and powers its News tab with CityFALCON content, providing users with a quality contextual newsfeed to inform investment decisions and increase engagement.

Devexperts releases DXtrade XT platform including fractional trading. Trading platforms provider Devexperts has announced the public release of DXtrade XT, an out-of-the-box trading platform for exchange-traded instruments: stocks (whole, in fractional or notional shares), options, mutual funds, and fixed income (bonds). The platform is now available to brokers from across the globe, looking to provide their traders with access to US-listed securities. DXtrade XT offers modern and uncluttered web and mobile platforms that are suitable for both professional and novice traders.

Top FX industry executive moves reported at FNG this week included:

❑ Exclusive: Philip Frijs replaces Johannes Rovsing as CEO of Saxo Bank Nordic.

❑ Exclusive: GMI hires TIO Markets exec Chantelle Lea as Head of Marketing.

❑ Exclusive: Catherine Gallagher leaves CMC Markets for Head Of Commercial at Hedgehog.

❑ Exclusive: CFI hires BDSwiss exec Loukia Christoforou to head Project Management.

❑ IG Group appoints John-Paul Crutchley as Global Head of Strategic Finance and IR.

❑ TP ICAP appoints Daniel Fields as CEO of its Global Broking division.