Fresh off the plane from Cyprus and still sporting a bit of sunburn, I wanted to share some reflections from this year’s IFX Expo. The event offered a great balance between meaningful networking and focused business discussions.

Despite travelling in from Spain, the heat in Limassol held strong, well into the 30s. Inside, the expo space was more compact than in previous years, and that worked in its favour. The smaller footprint meant fewer empty handshakes and more impactful, honest conversations. I caught up with valued partners, customers, and service providers, all who brought unique perspectives to a rapidly shifting landscape.

Here are the three key themes that stood out to me:

1. Gamification in Prop Trading –

Prop firms are taking recruitment and performance management to a whole new level. From trader leaderboards to real-time performance feedback, gamification is reshaping how firms attract and assess talent.

The upside?  Efficient scalability, stronger data, and a younger, digitally native trader base.

The risk? Overtrading, addictive UX, and regulatory pushback. Authorities across the UK, EU, North America, and Australia are all starting to scrutinise how trading platforms are designed. The challenge will be building systems that engage without exploiting.

The winners will be those who build performance-driven models that still respect boundaries.

2. AFT Regulations –

Visa and Mastercard are tightening rules around Account Funding Transactions, and forex is firmly in scope.

Merchants will need to adapt quickly or face operational and regulatory friction.

What does this mean for you?

• You need to confirm AFT support with your acquiring partners
• Your platforms must be ready to handle detailed sender and recipient data
• Your teams need to be educated on how to remain compliant
• And your risk profiles need to be constantly monitored and updated

AFT compliance is no longer optional. Get ahead now, sit still, and you're exposed.

Check out our blog on AFT Regulations for more information.

3. Reputation Matters -

One thing was clear in every corridor conversation this industry may be vast, but it's incredibly tight knit.

People move between firms, names stick, and how you operate gets talked about. I heard it firsthand. The companies gaining traction are those that show up prepared, act responsibly, and collaborate well across the ecosystem.

In short being known for being dependable is an important factor and something that we embrace at Axcess.

IFX Cyprus was well worth the trip. It struck the right balance commercial but not too corporate, compact but not crowded. Beyond the heat, and the parties, it was the quality of discussion that stood out most.

If you're in the trading or payments space and not already adapting to these trends, one of the team or I would be happy to speak to you.

Thanks again to the many who made time to catch up, and to the sun for reminding me not to underestimate Cypriot weather.