In this video, I explore the infamous case of Nick Leeson, the rogue trader who single-handedly brought down Barings Bank, Britain's oldest merchant bank, in 1995. This shocking financial disaster reveals how one trader's hidden losses spiraled to $1.3 billion, destroying a 233-year-old institution that had survived both World Wars.

Learn how organizational weaknesses and poor supervision enabled this historic collapse. The video examines Leeson's background, prison sentence, and his remarkable post-prison transformation. Special focus on lessons for modern traders and financial institutions about addressing losses immediately rather than hiding them. I share Leeson's current perspective and how his story continues to influence risk management in global finance today.

 


Past performance is not indicative of future results. Trading forex carries a high level of risk, and may not be suitable for all investors. The high degree of leverage can work against you as well as for you. Before deciding to trade any such leveraged products you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite. The possibility exists that you could sustain a loss of some or all of your initial investment and therefore you should not invest money that you cannot afford to lose. You should be aware of all the risks associated with trading on margin, and seek advice from an independent financial advisor if you have any doubts.

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD extends gains toward 1.1400 after German sentiment data

EUR/USD extends gains toward 1.1400 after German sentiment data

EUR/USD stretches higher toward 1.1400 in the European session after upbeat German business sentiment data. The pair's solid uptick could also be linked to the latest leg down in the US Dollar as concerns re-emerge over Trump's tariff plans with China and Japan. 

EUR/USD News
GBP/USD holds firm near 1.3300 on intense US Dollar weakness

GBP/USD holds firm near 1.3300 on intense US Dollar weakness

GBP/USD rises further to test 1.3400 in European trading on Thursday, snapping a two-day losing streak. Uncertainty over US President Donald Trump's tariff plans returns and sends the US Dollar sharply lower across the board, suporting the pair. Mid-tier US data awaited. 

GBP/USD News
USD/JPY holds losses below 143.00 ahead of US-Japan trade talks

USD/JPY holds losses below 143.00 ahead of US-Japan trade talks

USD/JPY trades below 143.00, holding its correction from over a one-week top set on Wednesday. Uncertainty over the US-Japan tariff plans and the divergent BoJ-Fed policy expectations continue to offer a double-whammy to the pair amid a fresh bout of US Dollar selling. The US-Japan trade talks eyed. 

USD/JPY News

Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD extends gains toward 1.1400 after German sentiment data

EUR/USD extends gains toward 1.1400 after German sentiment data

EUR/USD stretches higher toward 1.1400 in the European session after upbeat German business sentiment data. The pair's solid uptick could also be linked to the latest leg down in the US Dollar as concerns re-emerge over Trump's tariff plans with China and Japan. 

EUR/USD News
GBP/USD holds firm near 1.3300 on intense US Dollar weakness

GBP/USD holds firm near 1.3300 on intense US Dollar weakness

GBP/USD rises further to test 1.3400 in European trading on Thursday, snapping a two-day losing streak. Uncertainty over US President Donald Trump's tariff plans returns and sends the US Dollar sharply lower across the board, suporting the pair. Mid-tier US data awaited. 

GBP/USD News
Gold price pushes back at selling pressure with Trump putting reciprocal tariffs back on the table

Gold price pushes back at selling pressure with Trump putting reciprocal tariffs back on the table

Gold price recovers from a two-day decline and traders around $3,335 now on Thursday after two days of firm selling pressure since it topped at $3,500 on Tuesday. President Trump released more comments from the Oval Office late Wednesday signaling that China may receive a new tariff rate in the next “two to three weeks”

Gold News
Bitcoin Price corrects as increased profit-taking offsets positive market sentiment

Bitcoin Price corrects as increased profit-taking offsets positive market sentiment

Bitcoin (BTC) is facing a slight correction, trading around $92,000 at the time of writing on Thursday after rallying 8.55% so far this week. Institutional demand remained strong as US spot Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) recorded an inflow of $916.91 million on Wednesday.

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Five fundamentals for the week: Traders confront the trade war, important surveys, key Fed speech

Five fundamentals for the week: Traders confront the trade war, important surveys, key Fed speech Premium

Will the US strike a trade deal with Japan? That would be positive progress. However, recent developments are not that positive, and there's only one certainty: headlines will dominate markets. Fresh US economic data is also of interest.

Read more

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What Are the 10 Fatal Mistakes Traders Make

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The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD

The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD

SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.

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