US CFTC Fines Ikon Global Markets for Inadequate Recordkeeping

The US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has filed and settled charges against Ikon Global Markets. The company stopped operating in the US after the increased regulatory scrutiny of the Dodd Frank act wreaked havoc amongst Forex Forex Foreign exchange or forex is the act of converting one nation’s currency into another nation’s currency (that possesses a different currency); for example, the converting of British Pounds into US Dollars, and vice versa. The exchange of currencies can be done over a physical counter, such as at a Bureau de Change, or over the internet via broker platforms, where currency speculation takes place, known as forex trading.The foreign exchange market, by its very nature, is the world’s largest tradi Foreign exchange or forex is the act of converting one nation’s currency into another nation’s currency (that possesses a different currency); for example, the converting of British Pounds into US Dollars, and vice versa. The exchange of currencies can be done over a physical counter, such as at a Bureau de Change, or over the internet via broker platforms, where currency speculation takes place, known as forex trading.The foreign exchange market, by its very nature, is the world’s largest tradi Read this Term dealers.

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Ikon Global Markets is said to have failed to keep adequate records for several thousand gold trades. The Exchange for Physical (EFP) trades were entered into by the brokerage and were sent to the NASDAQ OMX Futures Exchange, however the company failed to produce records of the transactions.

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The civil monetary penalty that settles the charges for Ikon Global Markets is $200,000. The firm is also required to cease and desist from further violations of regulations and to withdraw and never reapply for CFTC registration.

The company has already been complying with the latter part of the settlement due to its early exit from the US market several years ago.

According to the order filed by the CFTC, a proprietary account of Ikon entered into thousands of gold transactions with one of its customers between the dates 9.02.12 and 12.09.12.

The trades were reported to the NASDAQ OMX Futures Exchange. The transactions involved a privately negotiated and simultaneous exchange of a position in spot gold.

The regulator issued a subpoena to the brokerage to produce records of the trade in 2015. The brokerage provided daily records reflecting the end of day positions in futures contracts, but failed to produce the EFP transactions.

EFP transactions enable traders to avoid exposure to intraday market execution. The transaction is converting between futures and either ETFs or baskets of the underlying asset. Traders can suit their positions to meet leverage, capital, tax and Liquidity Liquidity The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent The term liquidity refers to the process, speed, and ease of which a given asset or security can be converted into cash. Notably, liquidity surmises a retention in market price, with the most liquid assets representing cash.The most liquid asset of all is cash itself.· In economics, liquidity is defined by how efficiently and quickly an asset can be converted into usable cash without materially affecting its market price. · Nothing is more liquid than cash, while other assets represent Read this Term requirements.

In 2016, the CFTC issued a second subpoena, identifying seven specific EFP transactions. The company produced some records, however failed to provide certain documents. In February this year, the CFTC asked the company to produce the records once more with a final date of March 17th 2017, which the brokerage failed to do, resulting in the action taken by the US regulator.

Finance Magnates reached out to the company for comment on the matter, however at the time of publication no official response has been received.

Yesterday Finance Magnates reported on Ikon Global Markets being intertwined in a legal case filed by a group of investors in a Greek Ponzi scheme. The perpetrator of the scheme has not been affiliated with the company, with the plaintiffs seeking damages against the brokerage instead. Similar action in UK courts failed.

Commenting to Finance Magnates, a company representative stated that the changes are false and that the firm will seek to vacate the court case.