Shield Advances Archive Modernization with Tiering and Migration Enhancements

Shield has updated its archive platform with a set of enhancements aimed at addressing a long-standing operational problem for financial institutions: how to modernise legacy communications archives without introducing migration risk, increasing storage costs or weakening compliance controls.

This latest release focuses on three areas – storage optimisation, large-scale migration and expanded governance – reflecting the practical constraints firms face as data volumes grow and regulatory expectations around record-keeping tighten.

At a technical level, the introduction of intelligent storage tiering signals a more granular approach to managing retained communications data. Frequently accessed records remain immediately searchable, while less active data is shifted to lower-cost storage tiers without losing metadata visibility or regulatory accessibility. The model is designed to reduce long-term retention costs while maintaining readiness for audit and investigation, including alignment with requirements such as SEC Rule 17a-4, CFTC, FINRA and MiFID II.

Migration remains a primary blocker to archive modernisation, particularly where firms face risks around data loss, broken lineage and evidentiary gaps. Shield positions its approach around enterprise-scale transfer with built-in validation and reconciliation to preserve completeness and auditability. The platform supports multi-petabyte migrations across legacy and modern environments, with deployments cited at over 9 petabytes and tens of billions of records migrated across multiple systems. Processing throughput is designed to operate at industrial scale, enabling firms to execute migration programmes within defined timelines rather than prolonged, multi-year transitions. Post-migration, data is maintained as a consistent and defensible record, supporting downstream compliance, audit and investigative workflows.

“Archive modernization has been constrained by migration risk, rising long-term costs, and limited control over data,” said Ofir Shabtai, CTO, Shield. “Shield Archive removes these barriers with a connected, AI-enabled data layer – combining proven large-scale migration with more efficient retention and enhanced governance controls that give compliance and legal teams greater visibility, control, and confidence in their data.”

Alongside storage and migration, the update expands governance and legal hold capabilities. This includes greater visibility into preserved data, bulk policy management and self-service controls for legal holds – features intended to reduce operational friction and improve responsiveness during investigations. AI-driven functionality is also introduced to support faster identification and assessment of relevant records.

These enhancements sit on top of a cloud-native architecture with immutable, write-once-read-many (WORM) storage, policy-driven retention and full auditability across the data lifecycle. The emphasis on single-tenant deployment and data accessibility reflects continued regulatory focus on control, traceability and evidentiary integrity.

The update builds on Shield’s positioning in digital communications governance and archiving, where archive platforms are increasingly expected to function as more than passive storage. As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and data volumes expand, the archive is becoming a foundational layer for surveillance, investigation and AI-driven analysis – rather than simply a system of record.

SmartTrade Launches Agentic Copilot with MCP-Enabled Sovereign AI Architecture

SmartTrade Technologies has launched smartTrade Agentic Copilot (STAC), a significant upgrade to its AI-enabled trading and payments ecosystem. The new system introduces an MCP-enabled Sovereign AI architecture that allows banks to deploy advanced agentic AI technology whilst maintaining strict security, compliance and latency requirements. Built on three core principles: full client segregation; guaranteed data privacy with zero leakage to public models; and open-standard Model Context Protocol governance, the system ensures each AI stack operates within a secure, private perimeter unique to each client.

The platform extends beyond the first-generation smartCopilot’s natural language analytics capabilities to encompass all solution modules and workflows. Key features include conversational interrogation of algorithmic decisions, human-approved machine learning recommendations for pricing optimisation, autonomous monitoring of business signals such as client churn risk and liquidity imbalances, and integrated access to smartTrade’s knowledge base for reference data management.

Developed by smartTrade Advanced Innovation Labs and hosted on MetaCloud, the system leverages Equinix infrastructure and AWS tools including Amazon Bedrock to deliver a production-ready, fully isolated foundation for financial institutions.

T-REX Network and Zama Partner to Integrate Privacy Encryption into Tokenised Asset Infrastructure

T-REX Network, a multi-chain orchestration layer for real-world assets (RWAs), has partnered with Zama to integrate Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) into the T-REX Ledger. This collaboration aims to resolve a primary barrier to institutional blockchain adoption: the lack of data privacy on public ledgers. By using Zama’s FHE technology, the T-REX Ledger will allow smart contracts to process data without decrypting it, ensuring that sensitive investor information and trading strategies remain confidential while benefiting from public infrastructure.

The initiative is supported by Apex Group, which services $3.5 trillion in assets and has committed to using the T-REX Ledger as its default infrastructure. The group has set a target of $100 billion in tokenised assets by June 2027. The project builds upon the ERC-3643 standard, which currently secures $32 billion in assets. By combining this standard with native confidentiality, the partnership provides a scalable, compliant, and privacy-preserving foundation designed to move regulated financial markets on chain.

The T-REX Ledger operates as a neutral Layer 2 blockchain, acting as a single source of truth for digital securities across multiple chains. This integration allows financial institutions to move away from isolated private blockchains toward interoperable public networks without compromising operational security. The partnership represents a significant step in establishing confidentiality as a core component of institutional financial infrastructure, rather than an optional feature.

NYSE and Securitize Partner to Develop Tokenised Securities Infrastructure

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), a subsidiary of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc., has entered into a collaboration with Securitize to advance the development of tokenised securities markets. Under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Securitize has been named the first digital transfer agent eligible to mint blockchain-native securities for corporate and ETF issuers on the NYSE’s forthcoming Digital Trading Platform.

The partnership focuses on establishing regulatory, operational, and technological standards for institutional-grade tokenisation. As a premier design partner, Securitize will assist in developing a digital transfer agent program designed to support on-chain settlement. This initiative aims to define how transfer agent infrastructure maintains official ownership records and manages corporate actions while ensuring tokenised assets meet the rigorous standards of traditional financial markets.

In addition to its role as a transfer agent, Securitize Markets is expected to join the Digital Trading Platform as a broker-dealer participant. This broader collaboration is intended to strengthen the market structure for issuer-sponsored tokenised securities, leveraging Securitize’s experience as an SEC-registered platform to integrate blockchain technology with global capital markets.

NetApp Unveils NVIDIA-based Software Stack to Manage Data for AI

NetApp has launched its AI Data Engine platform to manage enterprise data for artificial intelligence.

The software stack integrates with NVIDIA reference designs to create a unified metadata catalogue for global data estates. The system identifies and governs unstructured data by analysing file content in place to enrich metadata without moving files.

“Despite massive investments and market pressures to leverage AI for improved productivity and enhanced business decision making, data challenges are bottlenecking projects before they even reach production,” said Syam Nair, chief product officer at the data infrastructure company.

“To take back control of their data, customers need a mature enterprise-grade data platform that was designed disaggregated and intelligent from the beginning so that storage, services, and control scale independently without lock-in.”

The initial release begins this month for select partners, with broad availability scheduled for early summer across various cloud and on-premises environments.

Informatica Expands Microsoft Fabric Tie-Up

Informatica has deepened its integration with Microsoft Fabric and launched a new Swiss data pod.

The update provides general availability for the Intelligent Data Management Cloud to support Microsoft Fabric Open Mirroring. This integration enables customers to synchronise data from over 300 enterprise sources into mirrored databases with one click.

Embedding this support helps organisations streamline ingestion while ensuring data is governed and ready for analytics, the company said.

“As organisations are accelerating their AI and analytics initiatives, they require trusted context to succeed,” said Krish Vitaldevara, chief product officer at Informatica. “By embedding support for Microsoft Fabric Open Mirroring directly into IDMC, we are helping customers streamline ingestion from more than 300 enterprise sources while helping to ensure data is governed, high quality, and ready for analytics and AI at scale.”

A Switzerland-based infrastructure to support European data residency, sovereignty and local regulatory requirements has also been created.

MAS Launches MindForge Toolkit, Expands BuildFin.ai Collaboration on AI Risk

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has operationalised its approach to artificial intelligence (AI) governance in financial services, publishing a new AI Risk Management Toolkit developed through industry collaboration under Project MindForge. The initiative brings together 24 banks, insurers and capital markets firms, reflecting a coordinated effort to translate high-level AI principles into practical implementation frameworks.

At the centre of the release is an AI Risk Management Operationalisation Handbook, designed to provide firms with actionable guidance on embedding AI risk controls across both traditional and emerging use cases, including generative and agentic AI. The toolkit focuses on how institutions can implement and evidence existing risk management expectations in production environments.

The handbook is structured around four core areas aligned with MAS’ proposed AI risk management guidelines. These include governance and oversight, where firms are expected to define clear accountability for AI systems; risk management practices, including use-case identification and materiality assessment; lifecycle controls spanning development through deployment and monitoring; and a set of organisational enablers, such as data infrastructure and internal capabilities required to sustain responsible AI adoption.

Accompanying the handbook is a set of industry case studies, offering insight into how financial institutions are approaching AI deployment in practice. These examples highlight the operational challenges associated with scaling AI safely, particularly as firms move beyond experimental use cases into business-critical applications. They also reflect the growing need to integrate AI governance into existing risk and compliance frameworks rather than treating it as a standalone discipline.

The publication comes as MAS continues to review feedback on its earlier consultation on AI risk management guidelines, suggesting that supervisory expectations in this area are still evolving. In this context, the toolkit can be seen as an intermediary step—bridging policy intent and operational execution—while allowing both regulators and firms to iterate on best practices.

MAS has indicated that the handbook will be updated over time as industry adoption matures and supervisory expectations become more defined. This iterative approach recognises the pace of change in AI technologies, particularly with the emergence of more autonomous and agent-based systems that introduce new categories of model and conduct risk.

To support ongoing development, MAS will establish an industry workgroup under its BuildFin.ai initiative, bringing together MindForge participants and additional stakeholders. The group is expected to focus on developing implementation resources, sharing practical experience, and advancing approaches to managing risks associated with newer AI paradigms.

Commenting on the initiative, Kenneth Gay, Chief FinTech Officer at MAS, said: “The development of the MindForge AI Risk Management Toolkit, including the release of the Operationalisation Handbook, marks a major step forward in our journey to ensure the responsible adoption of AI in finance. We are committed to fostering a culture of continuous engagement and strengthening of AI governance and risk management practices across the industry. The BuildFin.ai programme also serves as a foundation for our next phase of collaboration in AI risk management, to bolster the safe adoption of AI across the financial industry.”

Taken together, the toolkit and associated industry collaboration point to a shift towards more collaborative, governance-led approaches to AI. As deployment extends across front-to-back workflows, the ability to operationalise risk controls, and evidence their effectiveness to supervisors become core conditions for deploying AI safely and credibly at scale.

Parameta Solutions Partners with Surperformance to Expand Access to Interest Rate Swap Indices

Parameta Solutions, the Data & Analytics division of TP ICAP Group, has partnered with Surperformance to broaden global access to its EUR and USD Interest Rate Swap Indices through Zonebourse.com and Marketscreener.com. The indices provide daily snapshots of interest rate swap markets and are used by banks, insurers and asset managers for pricing, hedging, portfolio analysis and risk management.

Built on transaction data from TP ICAP’s interdealer broker desks, the indices use a robust methodology to deliver an 11am fixing. Originally launched with Société Générale as anchor client, they have been adopted by major European and US banks and approved by leading insurance companies. The partnership with Surperformance provides a neutral distribution infrastructure that enhances visibility and accessibility for both institutional and retail market participants.

Investec Joins BPX as First Member of Digital Securities Marketplace

BPX, the UK FCA-authorised institutional venue for issuing, trading and lending traditional and tokenised alternative assets, has announced that Investec has become the first member of its digital securities marketplace. This milestone marks the beginning of institutional participation as BPX moves towards live market operations, with additional institutions progressing through onboarding.

Investec will connect to BPX through its electronic trading platform ZebrA-X, which provides clients with a single point of access to multiple trading venues and liquidity pools. The integration will enable Investec’s clients to access BPX’s securities marketplace through a unified electronic environment whilst maintaining familiar trading workflows. BPX is among a select group of firms admitted to the joint Bank of England and FCA Digital Securities Sandbox, where it is developing infrastructure to support digital assets and helping to lay the foundations for a more efficient, transparent and digitally native market structure.

Derive.xyz Integrates with Haruko to Enhance Institutional Risk Management

Derive.xyz, the on-chain options exchange, has integrated with Haruko, a global provider of institutional digital assets technology. This partnership aims to strengthen risk and portfolio management capabilities for institutional clients by providing real-time insights into trading activity, portfolio positions and market exposure.

Through the integration, Derive clients can now use Haruko’s platform to consolidate data from Derive alongside other venues, offering a unified, institutional-grade view of their digital asset portfolios. The platform provides advanced pricing, risk analytics and performance reporting. Derive operates a hybrid market structure combining a central orderbook with an institutional RFQ system, portfolio margining and cross-asset collateral, enabling professional traders to execute complex derivatives strategies with capital efficiency whilst maintaining the transparency and self-custody benefits of on-chain settlement.