The most read stories in the past seven days from our news desk.
The week started with Financial Conduct Authority-regulated issuer Otala.Markets expanding European investors' access to prediction-based exposures, by linking listed securities to selected Kalshi event markets. The products will be deployed via certificates or notes while the payoff will depend on the outcome of the underlying events.
Prediction markets represent an emerging asset class with clear relevance to both institutional and retail investors - Lorenzo Calcagni, Otala.Markets
"Prediction markets represent an emerging asset class with clear relevance to both institutional and retail investors," Lorenzo Calcagni, executive director at Otala.Markets told SRP.
Initially, the issuer will launch securities linked to Kalshi markets on US Federal Reserve rate decisions, with Euronext Italy expected to serve as the listing venue.
Market and people
In Germany Deka group reported a strong performance in H1 2026, with certificates sales reached €8.9 billion and outstanding certificate volumes hit €21.5 billion. Its net financial income grew from €188.8m in H1 2025 to €220.6m in the first half of this year, while demand for certificates remained the key driver.
Dutch wealth manager Van Lanschot Kempen launched its third capital protected note in 2026. The six-year product offers 100% participation in a basket of 13 software companies, including major technology names like Microsoft. Software is the third wave after artificial intelligence and European autonomy that issued by the wealth manager with capital protection and structural growth themes.
In the meantime, US investment bank Goldman Sachs launched a new index strategy within Nationwide’s New Heights Select fixed indexed annuity (FIA) suite, that combines Capital Group’s American Funds Growth Fund of America with a 15% volatility-control mechanism. The move follows Nationwide and Annexus’ introduction of an FIA strategy linked to an actively managed mutual fund.
S&P Dow Jones Indices and digital asset market data provider Kaiko consolidated their cryptocurrency index businesses under a S&P Kaiko Digital Asset Indices brand. The suite brings together more than 4,000 digital asset reference rates and indices, with applications across ETFs, derivatives and structured products.
The French bank Société Générale is intensifying its fixed income, currencies and commodities strategy across Apac to meet increasingly strong demand for customised income solutions. The bank continues to see growth potential in the region's expanding wealth market and is investing in automation, rates-linked products and regional distribution. To strengthen its regional global markets franchise, the bank appointed Tomoyuki Sasai to a new position as head of global markets, Japan.
Canadian bank RBC Capital Markets appointed Laurent Van Hollemeersch as global head of equity structured products trading and global co-head of equity quantitative investment solutions (QIS) trading. The appointment forms part of the bank's broader effort to strengthen its global structured products and QIS franchise through a series of senior hires.
French bank Crédit Agricole CIB was also active on the recruitment front with the appointment of Nicolas Vix as senior regional officer for Apac. Based in Hong Kong, Vix will oversee the bank’s regional franchise, strengthen relationships with corporate and financial institution clients, and support the continued expansion of the bank's business across the region.
Market reviews
SRP analysed the 2026 interim results of five major structured products distributors in Belgium. The Belgian market shows a significant growth in terms of the sales volume, which nearly doubled from a year earlier, up from €1.6 billion to about €3.2 billion. Belfius, BNP Paribas Fortis, Crelan, ING Belgium and KBC are among the top five distributors that contributed 96% of market share.
In the second and final part of SRP's review of FX-linked structured products, Apac remained the dominant market for FX-linked structured products in 2025, generating nearly US$800 billion in issuance and far surpassing activity in Emea and the Americas.
Products and regulation
South Korean securities firms Mirae Asset Securities and NH Investment & Securities launched new equity-linked structured products tied to major global indices and domestic technology stocks. The offerings reflect increasing investor appetite for equity-linked investments in the region.
SRP reviewed a range of structured products across the world with strike dates between 30 August and 5 September this year, including offerings linked to defence-related themes and diversified equity strategies.
Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission announced the introduction of enhanced disclosure requirements for authorised funds with exposure to private credit and private equity assets. The new guidance aims to improve transparency and risk disclosure, with funds exceeding certain exposure thresholds likely to be classified as complex products.
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