Swiss Firms Linked into GLEIF for Due Diligence Ease

Due diligence processes involving Swiss companies is anticipated to become easier with the integration of the Alpine nation’s corporate identification codes with Legal Entity Identifiers (LEI).

A direct URL link will be added to the LEI records of entities listed within Switzerland’s standardised business identification number (UID) register. The Global Legal Identifier Foundation (GLEIF), which issues LEIs, said this would enable “easy one-click access to each entity’s official verified registration data and associated documentation on the UID register website”.

The link-in initiative would make processes such as know your customer and know your supplier easier, GLEIF said.

AXA, Ardea Implement SimCorp Services for Portfolio and Risk Management

Global insurance giant AXA is to deploy financial technology provider SimCorp’s SimCorp One platform alongside SimCorp Managed Business Services to aid in its portfolio- and risk-management operations.

The combination of the two services will give the France-based insurer a “real-time, consolidated view of positions across all entities in the group”, said SimCorp.

Similarly, Australian fixed-income asset manager Ardea Investment Management has integrated SimCorp One into its tech stack.

AXA Selects SimCorp One to Enhance Global Investment Oversight and Risk Management

SimCorp has announced that AXA will implement the SimCorp One platform along with its Business Services to strengthen investment monitoring and financial risk management across AXA’s global insurance operations. The platform will provide AXA’s teams with a real-time, consolidated view of positions across entities, reducing operational friction and enabling scalable investment oversight.

SimCorp One is designed to meet key challenges in the insurance sector, including complex regulatory demands and the need for integrated technology supporting both public and private market strategies. AXA will benefit from continuous platform updates, advanced data management, and SimCorp’s expertise in the insurance industry. The Axioma analytics suite, part of SimCorp One, will further support AXA in optimising portfolio risk exposure. Additionally, SimCorp’s Business Services will ensure consistent data delivery and asset servicing across all of AXA’s investments.

CLS Launches Redesigned CLSClearedFX with LCH ForexClear as First CCP Participant

CLS has announced the launch of its redesigned CLSClearedFX service, with LCH ForexClear becoming the first central counterparty (CCP) to go live. CLSClearedFX is a payment-versus-payment settlement service that enables CCPs and their clearing members to reduce settlement risk for cleared FX and derivative trades.

The updated service builds on CLS’s existing CLSSettlement platform, allowing CCPs to directly submit bilateral settlement instructions on behalf of members. This integration provides operational efficiencies, enhanced risk mitigation, and improved liquidity through a consolidated settlement model. LCH ForexClear’s successful transition means its cleared deliverable FX contracts are now settled within the main CLSSettlement session, removing the need for separate workflows and funding streams, thus lowering overall settlement costs.

UBS and LSEG Form Long-Term Partnership to Advance Data and Analytics Capabilities

UBS Group AG and the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) have entered a multi-year strategic partnership that will see UBS implement LSEG’s full range of data and analytics solutions across its global operations. The agreement is aligned with UBS’s broader strategic growth plans and integration objectives, aiming to generate cost synergies and boost operational efficiency.

Through the consolidation of data infrastructure and improvements in data governance, cataloguing, and access, UBS will strengthen its ability to respond to changing client needs. The partnership also provides UBS with access to LSEG Workspace’s next-generation features, including AI-powered modelling tools, cloud-native analytics, and integration with Microsoft platforms. These tools are expected to enhance innovation and data-driven decision-making throughout the bank’s operations.

Novata Teams With Microsoft on Private Markets ESG Data

Novata is to collaborate with Microsoft to scale its private-market ESG data offering. The two companies plan to develop artificial intelligence tools to simplify data collection and reporting, and give smaller companies climate reporting tools.

ICE Integrates NatureAlpha Biodiversity Data

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) has integrated biodiversity data from start-up NatureAlpha. The new feed, NatureAlpha’s Glovers 2.0, will be integrated into ICE’s ICE Climate Analytics Platform.

RepRisk Feeds Business Conduct Data into BlackRock’s Aladdin to Bolster ESG Oversight

Reputational risk specialist RepRisk has integrated its AI driven dataset—covering 100?+ risk factors across 400,000?+ public and private entities—into BlackRock’s Aladdin investment platform. The link gives portfolio managers real-time “outside in” alerts on corporate misconduct directly inside their trading and risk workflows.

“We are proud to serve the global asset management and asset owner community through BlackRock’s Aladdin® platform with RepRisk’s global standard for business conduct data, increasing performance and peace of mind,” said CEO Philipp?Aeby.

“We’re excited to expand our collaboration with RepRisk and provide our clients with access to comprehensive business conduct data,” commented Bernadette Rivosecchi, Managing Director and Head of Aladdin Sustainability. She continued, “The integration of RepRisk’s data into the Aladdin® platform expands the coverage of companies – especially in private markets – and risk factors, enabling our clients to make more informed investment decisions.”

The move complements RepRisk’s existing presence on BlackRock’s eFront platform for alternatives and tightens ESG surveillance amid rising regulatory scrutiny.

Nasdaq Verafin Pilots Agentic AI AML-Workers

Nasdaq’s anti financial crime arm, Verafin, is piloting a set of agentic AI ‘digital workers’ designed to handle the labour-intensive parts of anti money laundering (AML) compliance – tasks such as clearing false positive sanctions alerts and performing routine enhanced due diligence (EDD) reviews.

Financial crime teams remain under heavy pressure. In a survey of more than 200 industry professionals, Verafin found that threequarters of respondents had hired more staff over the past year, yet almost half still felt short of the resources and technology needed to keep pace with regulators. Automating low risk, high volume work promises a way to redeploy scarce human investigators to the complex cases that matter most.

What the AI Workers Do

• Sanctions screening agent: Reviews alert queues, fully documents low risk false positives, and escalates genuine matches for human follow up.
• EDD analyst: Automates scheduled customer risk reviews, closing straightforward low risk cases and flagging those that warrant deeper scrutiny.

Nasdaq’s anti financial crime arm, Verafin, is piloting a set of agentic AI ‘digital workers’ designed to handle the labour-intensive parts of anti money laundering (AML) compliance – tasks such as clearing false positive sanctions alerts and performing routine enhanced due diligence (EDD) reviews.

Financial crime teams remain under heavy pressure. In a survey of more than 200 industry professionals, Verafin found that threequarters of respondents had hired more staff over the past year, yet almost half still felt short of the resources and technology needed to keep pace with regulators. Automating low risk, high volume work promises a way to redeploy scarce human investigators to the complex cases that matter most.

What the AI Workers Do

• Sanctions screening agent: Reviews alert queues, fully documents low risk false positives, and escalates genuine matches for human follow up.
• EDD analyst: Automates scheduled customer risk reviews, closing straightforward low risk cases and flagging those that warrant deeper scrutiny.

Both tools are in beta, with a broader rollout expected later in the year.

Regulators have signalled growing tolerance for responsible AI deployment in compliance, provided firms maintain robust oversight. Independent AML consultants note that digital co-workers can cut investigation times but caution that firms will need clear audit trails if decisions are challenged.

Rob Norris, Verafin’s head of product, framed the initiative as a way to let compliance teams focus on “the important work of tackling serious financial crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, and other facets of organized crime.”

If the beta proves reliable, banks could see a double benefit: reduced operational spend on routine alert handling and faster escalation of true risk, a combination some analysts say is essential as sanctions regimes and criminal typologies rapidly evolve. Both tools are in beta, with a broader rollout expected later in the year.

Regulators have signalled growing tolerance for responsible AI deployment in compliance, provided firms maintain robust oversight. Independent AML consultants note that digital co-workers can cut investigation times but caution that firms will need clear audit trails if decisions are challenged.

Rob Norris, Verafin’s head of product, framed the initiative as a way to let compliance teams focus on “the important work of tackling serious financial crimes such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, and other facets of organized crime.”

If the beta proves reliable, banks could see a double benefit: reduced operational spend on routine alert handling and faster escalation of true risk, a combination some analysts say is essential as sanctions regimes and criminal typologies rapidly evolve.

Bloomberg Widens Leveraged Loans Indices

Bloomberg Indices’ leveraged loans gauges have been expanded. The Bloomberg European Leveraged Loan Index and the Bloomberg Global Leveraged Loan Index complement the US benchmark that was launched last year.

The indices are built on Bloomberg’s own evaluated pricing engine, BVAL, and include about 100 sub-indices, giving investors more granular visibility.