The retail trading industry saw developments across
regulation, market access, acquisitions and customer acquisition this week. IG
Group moved closer to offering prediction markets in the UK, while Plus500
agreed to buy a Brazilian broker as it continued expanding its multi-asset
business.
Google also revised its advertising policy for contracts for
difference in two markets, potentially reopening access to paid search
campaigns for eligible providers.
London’s trading industry is coming home!
Elsewhere, salary data highlighted differences between
financial centres, while Capital.com’s trading figures offered insight into
client behaviour. Prop trading, institutional access to prediction markets and
the economics of broker marketing also featured in the week’s developments.
In
digital assets, new figures highlighted the gap between the growth of tokenised
real-world asset ownership and the trading activity needed to support liquid
secondary markets.
FinTop Consulting’s 2026 salary surveys showed substantial
differences in compensation across Dubai, London and Cyprus. Dubai-based
Chief Compliance Officers can earn between $310,000 and $425,000 annually, with
the lower benchmark matching the upper salary benchmark for Chief Technology
Officers.
London Heads of Compliance can earn up to $251,000, while regulatory
specialists handling additional responsibilities command premiums of 10% to
20%.
Cyprus recorded annual salary growth of 14% across its
foreign exchange and fintech sectors, compared with approximately 4% across UAE
financial services. The figures point to differing compensation trends across
the three financial centres.
Dubai’s compliance salaries also exceed those
available for several commercial executive roles, although some technology and
risk positions can command higher maximum pay.
IG Applies for UK Gambling Licence to Offer Prediction
Markets
Breon Corcoran, CEO, IG Group
IG Group has applied for a UK
gambling licence to offer prediction markets covering sports, politics and
entertainment, with a launch planned for early 2027.
The application was
submitted through its London subsidiary, IG View Limited, which appears on the
Gambling Commission’s register under the trading name ig prediction markets.
The application remains pending, and the licence has not been granted.
The company also plans to introduce financial event
contracts for UK professional clients in the fourth quarter of 2026. Its
expansion follows an agreement to acquire US fantasy sports and prediction
markets operator Underdog for up to approximately $1.3 billion.
The deal is
expected to close in late 2026 or early 2027. IG’s plans would extend its
offering beyond conventional leveraged trading products.
Capital.com UAE Clients Trade $1 Trillion
Capital.com clients in the United Arab Emirates traded
$1.06 trillion during the first half of 2026, accounting for more than
two-fifths of the broker’s $2.45 trillion in total trading volume.
UAE trading
volume increased 27.7% from the second half of 2025, while closed trades rose
48% to 80.9 million, according to the broker’s H1 2026 Pulse Report.
However, only 18.3% of UAE trades had a stop-loss set, the
lowest proportion among seven markets covered. Germany recorded the highest
rate at 34.1%, followed by the Netherlands at 32.8%.
Across Capital.com, 22.4%
of closed trades carried a stop-loss set at entry. The report also found that
positions closed after a stop-loss trigger recorded 39% lower average losses,
although it described this as a correlation rather than proof of causation.
Hantec Trader Rebrands as RZR Funded
Hantec Trader, the proprietary trading business within the
Hantec Group, has
rebranded as RZR Funded and changed the name of its operating company from
Hantec Trader Limited to RZR Funded Limited. The firm said the change
establishes a separate identity for its prop trading operations as it prepares
for further development.
The business remains part of the Hantec Group and continues
to be powered by Hantec Markets Mauritius, the group’s retail broker arm
regulated by the Financial Services Commission.
RZR Funded Director Bashaar
Gokal said the company was expanding its executive team and preparing to
introduce new asset classes and trading tools. He added that existing traders
should not expect immediate operational changes as a result of the rebrand.
Google Reopens CFD Advertising in Denmark and Chile
Google has updated its policy on complex speculative
financial products to permit advertising for CFDs, rolling
spot forex and similar products in Denmark and Chile. The changes take
effect in October, although Google has not specified an exact date.
Advertisers in Denmark must hold the relevant authorisation
from the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority, while providers in Chile must
be registered with and authorised by the Financial Market Commission or the
Central Bank of Chile, depending on the products offered.
Advertisers must also
meet applicable local legal requirements and obtain Google certification. The
revised policy creates an opportunity for eligible brokers to advertise these
products through Google in both markets. Google said violations would trigger a
warning at least seven days before any account suspension.
Kalshi Targets Broker Distribution
Andy Ross, Head of Institutional at Kalshi
Kalshi
is seeking to expand access to its event contracts through brokerage platforms,
with liquidity central to its pitch to financial services firms. In an
interview with Finance Magnates, Andy Ross, the exchange’s Head of
Institutional, said connecting brokers to an existing venue allows them to
access a shared order book rather than build their own exchange and clearing
infrastructure.
Kalshi has already launched an API-based service with Apex
Fintech Solutions, allowing brokers to integrate its contracts into their
platforms. Tastytrade was the first broker to go live. Ross said firms
onboarding to or already trading on Kalshi collectively manage more than $1
trillion in assets.
The exchange is also preparing to launch perpetual futures
linked to foreign exchange markets and offers market data to firms that do not
trade its contracts directly.
Plus500 Agrees to Acquire Brazilian Broker Guru
Plus500 has conditionally agreed to acquire full
ownership of Guru Corretora de Títulos e Valores Mobiliários Ltd, a
regulated Brazilian broker-dealer.
David Zruia, CEO of Plus500
The London-listed group said the transaction
would be funded from its existing cash resources, which exceeded $860 million.
The acquisition gives Plus500 access to local licences from
Brazil’s Securities and Exchange Commission and Central Bank of Brazil.
These authorisations would allow it to expand its domestic offering to
Brazilian shares, futures, options and fixed-income securities.
Chief Executive
David Zruia said the deal provides the licences, local team and regulatory
framework needed to operate in the market. The agreement follows Plus500’s
acquisition of US broker-dealer Hedge, which is intended to support its planned
US multi-asset platform.
Brokers Face Pressure as CPA Rates Outpace Initial
Deposits
Customer acquisition costs are putting pressure on forex and
CFD brokers as cost-per-acquisition payments increasingly exceed clients’
initial deposits. Anish Lal, Chief Business Development Officer at BlackBull
Markets, noted that brokers
may pay $800 to acquire a client who makes an initial deposit of $400 to $500.
They must then rely on further deposits and trading activity over the following
six to 12 months to recover the expense. If the client leaves after one or two
months, the acquisition becomes loss-making.
Lal argued that brokers do not necessarily need to match the
highest CPA rates to attract introducing brokers. Faster reporting, reliable
monthly payments, dedicated support and stronger client retention can provide
alternatives to higher upfront payments.
CFD Brokers Are Reassessing Marketing Strategies as First
Deposits Fall
CFD brokers are facing declining numbers of first-time
depositors and rising acquisition costs, prompting some to reconsider their
marketing teams and external agencies. Alexandru Badea, Senior Regional
Director at NAGA, argued that changing
personnel may not solve the problem if companies continue relying on
incomplete data and outdated assumptions.
Advertising platforms such as Google, Meta, TikTok and
LinkedIn have changed their algorithms, affecting campaign performance. Badea
said brokers need to connect marketing information with onboarding,
verification, deposits and client retention to identify where potential
customers drop out.
Comparing acquisition sources by the quality and longevity
of the clients they generate can help distinguish inexpensive registrations
from valuable customers. The article emphasised data analysis over repeatedly
changing marketing teams.
Tokenised Real-World Assets Gain Holders but Struggle to
Generate Trading
Anndy Lian argues that tokenised
real-world assets continue to attract holders, but secondary-market
activity remains limited across much of the sector. Pantera Capital’s September
2026 report surveyed 671 tokenised assets worth a combined $331.8 billion.
Permissioned products accounted for 59% of market capitalisation but generated
just 0.2% of spot trading volume. More than half of the analysed market showed
no meaningful secondary trading activity.
Holder numbers are growing, with BNB Chain exceeding two
million RWA holder addresses in early October. However, only 29 of 110 major
tokenised products met basic thresholds for both liquidity and distribution.
Tokenised stocks recorded monthly turnover of 204.6%, compared with just 0.1%
for tokenised rate products. Lian highlights the need for market makers,
regulatory clarity and connected trading venues to support sustained activity.
The retail trading industry saw developments across
regulation, market access, acquisitions and customer acquisition this week. IG
Group moved closer to offering prediction markets in the UK, while Plus500
agreed to buy a Brazilian broker as it continued expanding its multi-asset
business.
Google also revised its advertising policy for contracts for
difference in two markets, potentially reopening access to paid search
campaigns for eligible providers.
London’s trading industry is coming home!
Elsewhere, salary data highlighted differences between
financial centres, while Capital.com’s trading figures offered insight into
client behaviour. Prop trading, institutional access to prediction markets and
the economics of broker marketing also featured in the week’s developments.
In
digital assets, new figures highlighted the gap between the growth of tokenised
real-world asset ownership and the trading activity needed to support liquid
secondary markets.
FinTop Consulting’s 2026 salary surveys showed substantial
differences in compensation across Dubai, London and Cyprus. Dubai-based
Chief Compliance Officers can earn between $310,000 and $425,000 annually, with
the lower benchmark matching the upper salary benchmark for Chief Technology
Officers.
London Heads of Compliance can earn up to $251,000, while regulatory
specialists handling additional responsibilities command premiums of 10% to
20%.
Cyprus recorded annual salary growth of 14% across its
foreign exchange and fintech sectors, compared with approximately 4% across UAE
financial services. The figures point to differing compensation trends across
the three financial centres.
Dubai’s compliance salaries also exceed those
available for several commercial executive roles, although some technology and
risk positions can command higher maximum pay.
IG Applies for UK Gambling Licence to Offer Prediction
Markets
Breon Corcoran, CEO, IG Group
IG Group has applied for a UK
gambling licence to offer prediction markets covering sports, politics and
entertainment, with a launch planned for early 2027.
The application was
submitted through its London subsidiary, IG View Limited, which appears on the
Gambling Commission’s register under the trading name ig prediction markets.
The application remains pending, and the licence has not been granted.
The company also plans to introduce financial event
contracts for UK professional clients in the fourth quarter of 2026. Its
expansion follows an agreement to acquire US fantasy sports and prediction
markets operator Underdog for up to approximately $1.3 billion.
The deal is
expected to close in late 2026 or early 2027. IG’s plans would extend its
offering beyond conventional leveraged trading products.
Capital.com UAE Clients Trade $1 Trillion
Capital.com clients in the United Arab Emirates traded
$1.06 trillion during the first half of 2026, accounting for more than
two-fifths of the broker’s $2.45 trillion in total trading volume.
UAE trading
volume increased 27.7% from the second half of 2025, while closed trades rose
48% to 80.9 million, according to the broker’s H1 2026 Pulse Report.
However, only 18.3% of UAE trades had a stop-loss set, the
lowest proportion among seven markets covered. Germany recorded the highest
rate at 34.1%, followed by the Netherlands at 32.8%.
Across Capital.com, 22.4%
of closed trades carried a stop-loss set at entry. The report also found that
positions closed after a stop-loss trigger recorded 39% lower average losses,
although it described this as a correlation rather than proof of causation.
Hantec Trader Rebrands as RZR Funded
Hantec Trader, the proprietary trading business within the
Hantec Group, has
rebranded as RZR Funded and changed the name of its operating company from
Hantec Trader Limited to RZR Funded Limited. The firm said the change
establishes a separate identity for its prop trading operations as it prepares
for further development.
The business remains part of the Hantec Group and continues
to be powered by Hantec Markets Mauritius, the group’s retail broker arm
regulated by the Financial Services Commission.
RZR Funded Director Bashaar
Gokal said the company was expanding its executive team and preparing to
introduce new asset classes and trading tools. He added that existing traders
should not expect immediate operational changes as a result of the rebrand.
Google Reopens CFD Advertising in Denmark and Chile
Google has updated its policy on complex speculative
financial products to permit advertising for CFDs, rolling
spot forex and similar products in Denmark and Chile. The changes take
effect in October, although Google has not specified an exact date.
Advertisers in Denmark must hold the relevant authorisation
from the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority, while providers in Chile must
be registered with and authorised by the Financial Market Commission or the
Central Bank of Chile, depending on the products offered.
Advertisers must also
meet applicable local legal requirements and obtain Google certification. The
revised policy creates an opportunity for eligible brokers to advertise these
products through Google in both markets. Google said violations would trigger a
warning at least seven days before any account suspension.
Kalshi Targets Broker Distribution
Andy Ross, Head of Institutional at Kalshi
Kalshi
is seeking to expand access to its event contracts through brokerage platforms,
with liquidity central to its pitch to financial services firms. In an
interview with Finance Magnates, Andy Ross, the exchange’s Head of
Institutional, said connecting brokers to an existing venue allows them to
access a shared order book rather than build their own exchange and clearing
infrastructure.
Kalshi has already launched an API-based service with Apex
Fintech Solutions, allowing brokers to integrate its contracts into their
platforms. Tastytrade was the first broker to go live. Ross said firms
onboarding to or already trading on Kalshi collectively manage more than $1
trillion in assets.
The exchange is also preparing to launch perpetual futures
linked to foreign exchange markets and offers market data to firms that do not
trade its contracts directly.
Plus500 Agrees to Acquire Brazilian Broker Guru
Plus500 has conditionally agreed to acquire full
ownership of Guru Corretora de Títulos e Valores Mobiliários Ltd, a
regulated Brazilian broker-dealer.
David Zruia, CEO of Plus500
The London-listed group said the transaction
would be funded from its existing cash resources, which exceeded $860 million.
The acquisition gives Plus500 access to local licences from
Brazil’s Securities and Exchange Commission and Central Bank of Brazil.
These authorisations would allow it to expand its domestic offering to
Brazilian shares, futures, options and fixed-income securities.
Chief Executive
David Zruia said the deal provides the licences, local team and regulatory
framework needed to operate in the market. The agreement follows Plus500’s
acquisition of US broker-dealer Hedge, which is intended to support its planned
US multi-asset platform.
Brokers Face Pressure as CPA Rates Outpace Initial
Deposits
Customer acquisition costs are putting pressure on forex and
CFD brokers as cost-per-acquisition payments increasingly exceed clients’
initial deposits. Anish Lal, Chief Business Development Officer at BlackBull
Markets, noted that brokers
may pay $800 to acquire a client who makes an initial deposit of $400 to $500.
They must then rely on further deposits and trading activity over the following
six to 12 months to recover the expense. If the client leaves after one or two
months, the acquisition becomes loss-making.
Lal argued that brokers do not necessarily need to match the
highest CPA rates to attract introducing brokers. Faster reporting, reliable
monthly payments, dedicated support and stronger client retention can provide
alternatives to higher upfront payments.
CFD Brokers Are Reassessing Marketing Strategies as First
Deposits Fall
CFD brokers are facing declining numbers of first-time
depositors and rising acquisition costs, prompting some to reconsider their
marketing teams and external agencies. Alexandru Badea, Senior Regional
Director at NAGA, argued that changing
personnel may not solve the problem if companies continue relying on
incomplete data and outdated assumptions.
Advertising platforms such as Google, Meta, TikTok and
LinkedIn have changed their algorithms, affecting campaign performance. Badea
said brokers need to connect marketing information with onboarding,
verification, deposits and client retention to identify where potential
customers drop out.
Comparing acquisition sources by the quality and longevity
of the clients they generate can help distinguish inexpensive registrations
from valuable customers. The article emphasised data analysis over repeatedly
changing marketing teams.
Tokenised Real-World Assets Gain Holders but Struggle to
Generate Trading
Anndy Lian argues that tokenised
real-world assets continue to attract holders, but secondary-market
activity remains limited across much of the sector. Pantera Capital’s September
2026 report surveyed 671 tokenised assets worth a combined $331.8 billion.
Permissioned products accounted for 59% of market capitalisation but generated
just 0.2% of spot trading volume. More than half of the analysed market showed
no meaningful secondary trading activity.
Holder numbers are growing, with BNB Chain exceeding two
million RWA holder addresses in early October. However, only 29 of 110 major
tokenised products met basic thresholds for both liquidity and distribution.
Tokenised stocks recorded monthly turnover of 204.6%, compared with just 0.1%
for tokenised rate products. Lian highlights the need for market makers,
regulatory clarity and connected trading venues to support sustained activity.
