Business briefing — October 26, 2026.

Plus500 lifts 2026 outlook after Q3 revenue rises 11%

Plus500 reported third-quarter revenue of $203.2 million, up 11% year over year, and EBITDA of $88.4 million, up 7%. The company now expects full-year 2026 revenue and EBITDA to exceed market expectations of $837.6 million and $358.0 million, respectively; it added 28,747 customers during the quarter while average acquisition cost fell 14%.

What changed Management moved from saying trading was in line with expectations earlier in October to forecasting full-year revenue and EBITDA above market expectations.

Why it matters For Plus500 shareholders, revenue growth is not translating proportionately into earnings growth: nine-month EBITDA rose just 3% against 11% revenue growth.

What to watch next A US multi-asset app is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027; the planned Hedge acquisition would supply securities capabilities beyond Plus500’s existing derivatives operations.

Coinbase sets October 30 deadline to convert 14 stablecoins for EEA retail customers

Coinbase says it will convert remaining balances of 14 stablecoins held by European Economic Area retail customers on October 30, 2026, into USDC where suitable or another supported asset at prevailing market rates. Customers can withdraw the affected holdings before the cutoff, which is Coinbase’s platform deadline rather than a universal EU deadline. The company warned that conversions may have tax consequences under national rules.

What changed Buying, selling and voluntary conversion are already restricted; Coinbase’s next step is automatic conversion of balances left after the withdrawal window.

Why it matters Affected customers may face tax consequences without choosing to trade. In Germany, receiving a replacement token may also restart the applicable one-year holding period.

What to watch next October 30 is the withdrawal cutoff. Coinbase also warns that later deposits of affected tokens will not be credited, and recovery is not guaranteed.

Five Japan-regulated FX brokers confirm unauthorized trades after server-host breach

OANDA Securities and FXTF joined AvaTrade Japan, Gaitame Finest and Dukascopy Japan in reporting unauthorized trades on some client accounts, linked to MetaTrader credentials taken from servers rented through GMO Internet Group. The brokers said their own systems showed no signs of a breach, and none disclosed how many accounts were affected. GMO said it will reimburse confirmed realized losses and fees, while excluding market losses and lost profits.

What changed OANDA’s disclosure escalated from potentially exposed logins on Thursday to confirmed unauthorized trades on Monday; optional passkeys are now set to become compulsory.

Why it matters Affected traders have a reimbursement route even if their broker declines a refund, but GMO’s exclusions mean compensation does not cover every claimed economic consequence.

What to watch next GMO says it will publish claim instructions by November 6. The number of affected client accounts remains undisclosed.

CoinDCX confirms $15.99 million USDT loss tied to failed wallet-sweeping system

India-based exchange CoinDCX said an automated service failed to move deposits from old wallets compromised in a 2025 breach, allowing 15.99 million USDT to accumulate before funds were transferred out. The company said it absorbed the loss and that customer balances and active trading systems were unaffected. CoinDCX has not said how long the sweeping service was down or how the transfers were carried out.

What changed CoinDCX moved from rejecting reports of a new loss to acknowledging that deposits had accumulated in retired wallets because its sweeping process failed.

Why it matters CoinDCX, rather than customer account holders, says it bore the loss. The incident shows that continuing to accept deposits into compromised legacy addresses left the exchange financially exposed.

What to watch next The duration of the outage and the method used to extract the funds remain unresolved, limiting assessment of whether the underlying weakness has been contained.

UK FCA says DeFi labels alone will not exempt crypto businesses from regulation

The FCA’s consultations propose assessing crypto businesses by their activities, control and applicable legal exclusions, rather than accepting claims of decentralization at face value. The regulator says identifiable operators carrying out regulated activities may need authorization, while some technical services could qualify for exclusions. The consultations close November 18, with final DeFi guidance expected in January 2027 and the expanded UK regime scheduled to take effect on October 25, 2027.

Why it matters Businesses operating DeFi services may face authorization and compliance obligations where identifiable parties retain control; decentralized branding alone does not remove that exposure.

What to watch next Consultation responses are due November 18, with final DeFi guidance expected—not guaranteed—in January 2027.