IG Acquired Freetrade for £160 Million
Topping our weekly news roundup, IG Group acquired Freetrade, a commission-free investment platform, for £160 million in an effort to expand its services in the United Kingdom. According to an announcement this week, IG’s existing capital resources will reportedly fund the deal in cash.
Although the two firms have agreed on the acquisition, it is now pending regulatory approvals, which are expected to be granted by mid-2025. “This is a rare opportunity to strengthen IG’s UK trading and investment offering and broaden our target addressable market,” commented Breon Corcoran, the CEO of IG.
Plus500 Posts Strong Performance, Shares Hit Record Highs
Regarding financial performance, Plus500 ended 2024 with revenue of around $768 million and EBITDA of about $342 million. The figures were impressive as the broker highlighted its “strong financial and operational results [for 2024] with revenue meaningfully ahead of market expectations.”
However, based on its previous results, the broker generated revenue of $182.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, which is marginally lower than the $189.6 million achieved in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Its latest performance also fell short of the $187.3 million in revenue generated in the third quarter of last year.
Meanwhile, Plus500 will join the STOXX Europe 600 Index effective January 17, marking the latest step for the multi-asset trading platform provider. The announcement coincided with the company’s shares reaching 2,770 pence on the London Stock Exchange, establishing a new all-time high.
Source: Tradingview.com
Swissquote Also Posts Strong Financial Performance
Also registering good numbers, Swissquote reported its 2024 revenue to be approximately CHF 655 million, with pre-tax profit expected to exceed CHF 345 million. The company highlighted that the financial results are “better than anticipated.” The Swiss broker concluded the first half of 2024 with a revenue of CHF 316.9 million and a pre-tax profit of CHF 169.7 million.
The broker also ended 2023 with “record numbers,” generating CHF 530 million in revenue and CHF 255 million in pre-tax profit. Comparing those figures to the latest results, revenue increased by 23.5%, while pre-tax profit grew by 35.3%.
Capital.com Hits $1.7 Trillion Trading Volume
Capital.com reported substantial growth across its platform in 2024. Total trading volumes on the platform exceeded $1.7 trillion, representing a 33% increase compared to the previous year. This growth was accompanied by a notable rise in the number of trades executed, which increased by over 20%.
“Capital.com’s higher trading volumes and strong client engagement in 2024 marks a milestone in our evolution as a high-growth trading platform,” commented Christoforos Soutzis, the Chief Executive Officer of Capital.com Europe. The majority of trading volumes originated from clients in the Middle East and Europe.
Trading212 Starts Onboarding New Users in Germany
Elsewhere, FXFlat Bank, now under Trading 212, started offering commission-free trading services in Germany. With local regulation and full BaFin licensing, the company aims to offer a new approach to zero-commission trading for those seeking access to global markets without the usual fees.
According to a LinkedIn announcement by Trading 212, its expansion into Germany enables residents to access the benefits of commission-free trading through its BaFin-licensed broker, FXFlat Bank GmbH. Acquired by Trading 212 in 2024, FXFlat Bank now offers access to shares and ETFs from major global exchanges, including Xetra, NASDAQ, and NYSE, without any order execution, settlement, or account fees.
Equiti Group Focuses on Wealth Management
Global fintech ad trading technology provider Equiti plans to launch the Equiti Global Balanced Fund under its wealth management arm, Equiti Wealth. The firm reportedly received in-principle approval from the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority for this offering. With an entry point of just $1,000, the new platform is seeking to remove traditional barriers to investment.
According to the official announcement, it consolidates a wide array of professionally managed investment funds by enabling investors to take the first step toward building a secure financial future. By securing regulatory approval, Equiti Wealth aims to enhance the investment landscape through the new offering.
eToro Files for Nasdaq Listing with $5B IPO
Meanwhile, after years of ups and downs, eToro confidentially filed for an initial public offering in the US, targeting a valuation of over $5 billion, the Financial Times reported. If successful, the move could position the company as one of the few publicly traded companies offering crypto trading in the region, alongside giants like Coinbase and Robinhood.
This isn’t eToro’s first attempt to go public. In 2021, the platform planned a $10.4 billion SPAC merger but abandoned the effort due to challenging market conditions. Fast forward to 2023, eToro reportedly raised $250 million at a $3.5 billion valuation, signaling a rebound fueled by rising equity and cryptocurrency markets.
Copy Trading Brings up to 20% Trading Volume for CFD Brokers
Copy trading has generated 6 to 20% of brokerages’ trading volume in the last couple of years, according to Brokeree Solutions, a provider of copy trading technology. In 2024, brokers that run active copy trading campaigns and properly integrate them across other services generated 10 to 20% of their trading volume from copy trading.
However, Brokeree pointed out that the figures were calculated from the total trading volume and did not account for the share of different trading platforms. Copy trading was one of the trending services in the retail trading industry a few years ago, but recently, prop trading has attracted more attention.
Active DXtrade SaaS Accounts Tripled in 2024 to 1 Million
Devexperts revealed to Finance Magnates that the number of active accounts on its DXtrade SaaS platform reached approximately 1 million in 2024, three times the previous year’s total. However, this figure does not include the final numbers for December. Accounts on DXtrade SaaS indicate the platform’s usage by traders with contracts for differences (CFD) brokers and prop trading platforms.
Jon Light, Head of OTC Platform at Devexperts, Source: LinkedIn
“While some of our competitors have, in the past, held a dominant share of the market, the strength of DXtrade as a product and the flexibility we offer our clients have allowed us to grow organically as demand has naturally increased,” said Jon Light, Head of OTC Platform at Devexperts, in an interview with Finance Magnates.
Thailand Mulls Allowing Bitcoin ETF Listing
Elsewhere, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering allowing the listing of local Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), Bloomberg reported this week. The regulator’s Secretary-General, Pornanong Budsaratragoon, confirmed the move, saying the instrument would enable individuals and institutions to invest directly in cryptocurrency.
The regulator had already allowed One Asset Management (ONEAM) to launch a fund-of-fund Bitcoin ETF last June, offering exposure to overseas-listed Bitcoin ETFs. However, it only allowed investments from wealthy and institutional investors.
BitMEX Settles Legal Dispute with $100 Million Fine
A federal judge handed cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX a $100 million fine, bringing a years-long legal battle to a close. The penalty involved the firm’s guilty plea in 2022 for violating the US Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), a charge that revolved around its failure to implement sufficient Anti-Money Laundering (AML) protocols.
BitMEX’s insufficient AML measures were at the center of the case. Instead of following Know Your Customer (KYC) standards, the exchange required only email addresses from its users, a move the US Attorney’s office deemed a disregard for legal requirements. Interestingly, the US government pursued a $417 million penalty.
We’ve always made it a priority to stay fully transparent with our users.
In response to the sentence received by HDR Global Trading Limited (HDR) today, delivered by the U.S. Southern District Court, please see our blog announcement below.
A message to our users:… pic.twitter.com/zVyKt8lMbF
— BitMEX (@BitMEX) January 15, 2025
Robinhood Fined $45 Million for Recordkeeping Failures
Still, with regulatory enforcement, Robinhood agreed to pay $45 million in penalties to settle a range of charges brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including alleged violations of recordkeeping, among other issues. The penalty has been imposed on two Robinhood entities: Robinhood Securities will pay $33.5 million, while Robinhood Financial will pay $11.5 million.
According to the US regulator, Robinhood failed to investigate suspicious transactions, implement policies and procedures to prevent customers’ identity theft, address risks of cybersecurity threats, maintain and preserve electronic communications, maintain copies of core operational databases, and retain some of its communications with brokerage customers.
Australian BNPL Providers Must Obtain Credit Licence
On the regulatory front, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) mandated that Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platforms obtain credit licenses. Effective June 10, 2025, the credit license must authorize BNPL providers to engage in credit activities as credit providers, subject to transitional arrangements.
The new provision was announced today (Friday), as the National Credit Code was extended to Buy Now, Pay Later contracts following royal assent on December 10, 2024. Earlier, ASIC suggested it might issue “standalone” guidance for BNPL.
Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn Prepares for Take-Off
As Blue Origin launches New Glenn, its most ambitious rocket yet, Jeff Bezos revealed his vision for space—and sparked terrestrial debates. Jeff Bezos’ space dreams just got a whole lot closer to reality. Any minute now, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, an orbital-class behemoth, will make its maiden flight from Cape Canaveral.
The launch will showcase not just engineering brilliance but also the intense ambition driving Bezos’ venture to dominate space exploration alongside everything from fintech to retail, artificial intelligence (AI), and more.
Elon Musk Sued by the SEC
Lastly, the US Securities and Exchange Commission sued billionaire Elon Musk over his untimely disclosure of his purchase of 5% Twitter (now X) stock in 2022 before entirely buying the social media company. The case involves Musk’s untimely disclosure of his purchase of 5% of Twitter (now X) stock in 2022 before entirely buying the social media company.
SEC, three letter acronym, middle word is Elon’s
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 2, 2020
Under the SEC rules, someone buying more than a 5% stake in a company must declare it within 10 calendar days of the purchase, which was March 24, 2022, in Musk’s case. With the lawsuit, the SEC reportedly intends to penalize Musk and make him give up the profits he gained without disclosing the investment.
Until next week!
IG Acquired Freetrade for £160 Million
Topping our weekly news roundup, IG Group acquired Freetrade, a commission-free investment platform, for £160 million in an effort to expand its services in the United Kingdom. According to an announcement this week, IG’s existing capital resources will reportedly fund the deal in cash.
Although the two firms have agreed on the acquisition, it is now pending regulatory approvals, which are expected to be granted by mid-2025. “This is a rare opportunity to strengthen IG’s UK trading and investment offering and broaden our target addressable market,” commented Breon Corcoran, the CEO of IG.
Plus500 Posts Strong Performance, Shares Hit Record Highs
Regarding financial performance, Plus500 ended 2024 with revenue of around $768 million and EBITDA of about $342 million. The figures were impressive as the broker highlighted its “strong financial and operational results [for 2024] with revenue meaningfully ahead of market expectations.”
However, based on its previous results, the broker generated revenue of $182.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, which is marginally lower than the $189.6 million achieved in the corresponding quarter of the previous year. Its latest performance also fell short of the $187.3 million in revenue generated in the third quarter of last year.
Meanwhile, Plus500 will join the STOXX Europe 600 Index effective January 17, marking the latest step for the multi-asset trading platform provider. The announcement coincided with the company’s shares reaching 2,770 pence on the London Stock Exchange, establishing a new all-time high.
Source: Tradingview.com
Swissquote Also Posts Strong Financial Performance
Also registering good numbers, Swissquote reported its 2024 revenue to be approximately CHF 655 million, with pre-tax profit expected to exceed CHF 345 million. The company highlighted that the financial results are “better than anticipated.” The Swiss broker concluded the first half of 2024 with a revenue of CHF 316.9 million and a pre-tax profit of CHF 169.7 million.
The broker also ended 2023 with “record numbers,” generating CHF 530 million in revenue and CHF 255 million in pre-tax profit. Comparing those figures to the latest results, revenue increased by 23.5%, while pre-tax profit grew by 35.3%.
Capital.com Hits $1.7 Trillion Trading Volume
Capital.com reported substantial growth across its platform in 2024. Total trading volumes on the platform exceeded $1.7 trillion, representing a 33% increase compared to the previous year. This growth was accompanied by a notable rise in the number of trades executed, which increased by over 20%.
“Capital.com’s higher trading volumes and strong client engagement in 2024 marks a milestone in our evolution as a high-growth trading platform,” commented Christoforos Soutzis, the Chief Executive Officer of Capital.com Europe. The majority of trading volumes originated from clients in the Middle East and Europe.
Trading212 Starts Onboarding New Users in Germany
Elsewhere, FXFlat Bank, now under Trading 212, started offering commission-free trading services in Germany. With local regulation and full BaFin licensing, the company aims to offer a new approach to zero-commission trading for those seeking access to global markets without the usual fees.
According to a LinkedIn announcement by Trading 212, its expansion into Germany enables residents to access the benefits of commission-free trading through its BaFin-licensed broker, FXFlat Bank GmbH. Acquired by Trading 212 in 2024, FXFlat Bank now offers access to shares and ETFs from major global exchanges, including Xetra, NASDAQ, and NYSE, without any order execution, settlement, or account fees.
Equiti Group Focuses on Wealth Management
Global fintech ad trading technology provider Equiti plans to launch the Equiti Global Balanced Fund under its wealth management arm, Equiti Wealth. The firm reportedly received in-principle approval from the UAE’s Securities and Commodities Authority for this offering. With an entry point of just $1,000, the new platform is seeking to remove traditional barriers to investment.
According to the official announcement, it consolidates a wide array of professionally managed investment funds by enabling investors to take the first step toward building a secure financial future. By securing regulatory approval, Equiti Wealth aims to enhance the investment landscape through the new offering.
eToro Files for Nasdaq Listing with $5B IPO
Meanwhile, after years of ups and downs, eToro confidentially filed for an initial public offering in the US, targeting a valuation of over $5 billion, the Financial Times reported. If successful, the move could position the company as one of the few publicly traded companies offering crypto trading in the region, alongside giants like Coinbase and Robinhood.
This isn’t eToro’s first attempt to go public. In 2021, the platform planned a $10.4 billion SPAC merger but abandoned the effort due to challenging market conditions. Fast forward to 2023, eToro reportedly raised $250 million at a $3.5 billion valuation, signaling a rebound fueled by rising equity and cryptocurrency markets.
Copy Trading Brings up to 20% Trading Volume for CFD Brokers
Copy trading has generated 6 to 20% of brokerages’ trading volume in the last couple of years, according to Brokeree Solutions, a provider of copy trading technology. In 2024, brokers that run active copy trading campaigns and properly integrate them across other services generated 10 to 20% of their trading volume from copy trading.
However, Brokeree pointed out that the figures were calculated from the total trading volume and did not account for the share of different trading platforms. Copy trading was one of the trending services in the retail trading industry a few years ago, but recently, prop trading has attracted more attention.
Active DXtrade SaaS Accounts Tripled in 2024 to 1 Million
Devexperts revealed to Finance Magnates that the number of active accounts on its DXtrade SaaS platform reached approximately 1 million in 2024, three times the previous year’s total. However, this figure does not include the final numbers for December. Accounts on DXtrade SaaS indicate the platform’s usage by traders with contracts for differences (CFD) brokers and prop trading platforms.
Jon Light, Head of OTC Platform at Devexperts, Source: LinkedIn
“While some of our competitors have, in the past, held a dominant share of the market, the strength of DXtrade as a product and the flexibility we offer our clients have allowed us to grow organically as demand has naturally increased,” said Jon Light, Head of OTC Platform at Devexperts, in an interview with Finance Magnates.
Thailand Mulls Allowing Bitcoin ETF Listing
Elsewhere, Thailand’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is considering allowing the listing of local Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), Bloomberg reported this week. The regulator’s Secretary-General, Pornanong Budsaratragoon, confirmed the move, saying the instrument would enable individuals and institutions to invest directly in cryptocurrency.
The regulator had already allowed One Asset Management (ONEAM) to launch a fund-of-fund Bitcoin ETF last June, offering exposure to overseas-listed Bitcoin ETFs. However, it only allowed investments from wealthy and institutional investors.
BitMEX Settles Legal Dispute with $100 Million Fine
A federal judge handed cryptocurrency exchange BitMEX a $100 million fine, bringing a years-long legal battle to a close. The penalty involved the firm’s guilty plea in 2022 for violating the US Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), a charge that revolved around its failure to implement sufficient Anti-Money Laundering (AML) protocols.
BitMEX’s insufficient AML measures were at the center of the case. Instead of following Know Your Customer (KYC) standards, the exchange required only email addresses from its users, a move the US Attorney’s office deemed a disregard for legal requirements. Interestingly, the US government pursued a $417 million penalty.
We’ve always made it a priority to stay fully transparent with our users.
In response to the sentence received by HDR Global Trading Limited (HDR) today, delivered by the U.S. Southern District Court, please see our blog announcement below.
A message to our users:… pic.twitter.com/zVyKt8lMbF
— BitMEX (@BitMEX) January 15, 2025
Robinhood Fined $45 Million for Recordkeeping Failures
Still, with regulatory enforcement, Robinhood agreed to pay $45 million in penalties to settle a range of charges brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including alleged violations of recordkeeping, among other issues. The penalty has been imposed on two Robinhood entities: Robinhood Securities will pay $33.5 million, while Robinhood Financial will pay $11.5 million.
According to the US regulator, Robinhood failed to investigate suspicious transactions, implement policies and procedures to prevent customers’ identity theft, address risks of cybersecurity threats, maintain and preserve electronic communications, maintain copies of core operational databases, and retain some of its communications with brokerage customers.
Australian BNPL Providers Must Obtain Credit Licence
On the regulatory front, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) mandated that Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) platforms obtain credit licenses. Effective June 10, 2025, the credit license must authorize BNPL providers to engage in credit activities as credit providers, subject to transitional arrangements.
The new provision was announced today (Friday), as the National Credit Code was extended to Buy Now, Pay Later contracts following royal assent on December 10, 2024. Earlier, ASIC suggested it might issue “standalone” guidance for BNPL.
Jeff Bezos’ New Glenn Prepares for Take-Off
As Blue Origin launches New Glenn, its most ambitious rocket yet, Jeff Bezos revealed his vision for space—and sparked terrestrial debates. Jeff Bezos’ space dreams just got a whole lot closer to reality. Any minute now, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, an orbital-class behemoth, will make its maiden flight from Cape Canaveral.
The launch will showcase not just engineering brilliance but also the intense ambition driving Bezos’ venture to dominate space exploration alongside everything from fintech to retail, artificial intelligence (AI), and more.
Elon Musk Sued by the SEC
Lastly, the US Securities and Exchange Commission sued billionaire Elon Musk over his untimely disclosure of his purchase of 5% Twitter (now X) stock in 2022 before entirely buying the social media company. The case involves Musk’s untimely disclosure of his purchase of 5% of Twitter (now X) stock in 2022 before entirely buying the social media company.
SEC, three letter acronym, middle word is Elon’s
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 2, 2020
Under the SEC rules, someone buying more than a 5% stake in a company must declare it within 10 calendar days of the purchase, which was March 24, 2022, in Musk’s case. With the lawsuit, the SEC reportedly intends to penalize Musk and make him give up the profits he gained without disclosing the investment.
Until next week!
