The Hidden Costs of Manual Trader Compensation: What Broker-Dealer CFOs Need to Know in 2026
Manual, spreadsheet-driven trader compensation creates hidden costs, errors, delays, disputes, and poor visibility, that erode margins and frustrate teams. In 2026, CFOs need automated, flexible systems delivering real-time insights, auditability, and accurate payouts. Modern platforms transform compensation from an operational burden into a strategic tool for performance, transparency, and profitability.
Castine Launches AI-Powered Tools Across Its Full Platform – A First for Commission Management
Castine has launched AI capabilities embedded across its commission management platform for brokers and asset managers. The AI enhances broker reviews, research analysis, and invoice processing, reducing manual work and errors. Built to support, not replace, professional judgment, the tools improve productivity, transparency, and decision-making across research, payments, and evaluation workflows.
Research Payments in 2026: A Trading‑Desk Playbook for the EU, UK, and US
Research-payment rules are diverging across major markets. While the UK has introduced flexible joint-payment models under FCA reforms, the EU is cautiously opening its regime through the Listing Act. For global asset managers, this shift brings trading desks back into the center of research funding, execution strategy, and broker-relationship decisions.
Global CSA Outlook 2026 – Buy Side and Sell Side
The global CSA landscape in 2026 reflects growing alignment across the UK, EU, and U.S., reducing nearly a decade of fragmentation. Buy-side firms are adopting unified CSA frameworks to enhance governance, transparency, and efficiency, while sell-side brokers face strategic decisions on investing in CSA capabilities or risking competitive disadvantage.
Navigating Margin Compression in 2026: Why Active Managers Need Smarter Tools – Not Bigger Bills
Deloitte, EY and S&P warn of relentless fee compression and rising cost pressure in 2026. Yet firms still overspend on legacy terminals while using only a fraction of features. Discover why active managers need a smarter, leaner research hub and how Castine RMS unlocks major savings and efficiency gains.
What UK Heads of Trading & Dealing Teams Must Know About CSA Resurgence
The FCA marks a significant shift for UK buy-side trading desks, reopening the door to funding research through trading commissions after years of separation under MiFID II. With Commission Sharing Agreements once again permitted, Heads of Trading are being pulled back into decisions around research funding, broker engagement, and budget control. This change elevates trading’s role beyond execution, placing greater emphasis on governance, transparency, and commercial oversight. Firms that respond proactively can unlock stronger broker partnerships and better alignment between research spend and investment outcomes, while those that delay risk operational and compliance challenges in a rapidly evolving landscape.
How Castine’s RMS is Setting a New Industry Standard
As asset management grows more complex and data-driven, Castine LLC’s next-generation Research Management System (RMS) is redefining how investment teams operate. Enhanced by the 2025 acquisition of ResearchPool, Castine RMS centralizes research, data, and collaboration into a single, intelligent platform. With powerful data integration, flexible workflows, AI-driven insights, and seamless system connectivity, Castine RMS helps firms reduce silos, strengthen compliance, and turn research into measurable results.
Castine announces the completion of its ISO 27001 certification
Castine announces the completion of its ISO 27001 certification, reinforcing its commitment to best practices in information security and data protection. This internationally recognized standard demonstrates Castine’s robust governance, risk management, and proactive approach to safeguarding client data against evolving cyber-security threats.
Outsourcing Oversight: SEC Expectations and the Role of Due Diligence Software
This blog post appeared in Integrity Research’s Newsletter December 22, 2025. John McGough, Castine’s Head of Global Business Development is the author.
Investment Management: Embrace Data Automation, Staying Still is Not an Option
In today’s competitive market, automation is essential for active management firms to stay ahead. Many firms struggle with disorganized data and manual processes, diverting resources from high-impact strategies. Our Research Management Solution (RMS) offers seamless Microsoft Office integration, centralized data access, enhanced search, and AI-powered features, streamlining workflows and driving better investment outcomes.