Additionally, beyond Bitcoin, crypto markets, in general, are at the center of more attention than ever before. As a result, the DeFi ecosystem is burgeoning; Ethereum is making progress toward the launch of Eth2.0. If things continue along this trajectory, 2021 could be a very good year for cryptocurrency.
Recently, Finance Magnates sat down with Simon Peters, Market Analyst at eToro, to discuss recent market movements in the cryptocurrency space, as well as what the most important trends and moments of 2020 have been so far.
This is an excerpt that has been edited for clarity and length. To hear Finance Magnates’ full interview with Simon Peters, Market Analyst at eToro, visit us on Soundcloud or Youtube.
“The Recent Price Movement Has Been Pretty Astonishing, to Say the Least.”
We asked Peters about his unique approach to market analysis.
“I try to keep things as simple as possible,” Peters said. “There’s a lot of information out there; there are a lot of technical analysis strategies. Because I’m more ‘long-term’, I tend to look at the bigger picture and the higher time frames.”
We asked Peters what kinds of fundamental trends that he sees driving Bitcoin at the moment.
“The recent price movement has been pretty astonishing, to say the least,” he said. Why is it happening? “I think it stems indirectly from COVID. That’s been a big factor for crypto markets.”
“Where we saw the crash in March, we saw a big selloff that week, we learned about economies, especially in the US, going into lockdown,” and how Bitcoin reacts to that, Peters said.
“Now that we’ve got a better idea in terms of what governments and central banks are doing regarding stimulus to prop up these global economies, the ‘bitcoin as an inflation hedge’ narrative has grown in strength since then,” he continued. “We’ve seen not just institutional investors and retail investors go on board, but listed companies actually buy Bitcoin for this purpose as well.”
“With a Price Increase That Happens That Fast, You Always Have to Anticipate a Period of Consolidation or Correction.”
Therefore, in spite of the fact that BTC’s recent push to $20k has happened rather quickly, Peters believes that the speed of the move was “warranted to some degree.”
“What we are seeing is a growing trend where the amount of Bitcoin that’s being held in exchange wallets is decreasing as the demand for Bitcoin is increasing,” he said. “That warrants the price increase that we have seen.”
However, “with a price increase that happens that fast, you always have to anticipate a period of consolidation or correction, so I think that’s on the cards,” he said. Still, “the overall trend, given what we’ve seen with this increase in ‘holding mentality’ amongst investors...that just spells good news for the price of crypto overall in the years to come.”
While price increases may be the main source of hype around Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Peters believes that BTC actually has a much deeper value in terms of its potential benefits to society.
”Bitcoin Is the Natural Transition to the ‘New Money.’”
“You hear about Bitcoin being the ‘future of money’, and naturally you want to look at the history of money and how we’ve gotten to the state that we are in,” he said. “The more you look at the history of money, and how we’ve gone from the exchange of bars to gold coins, to dollars backed by gold, to what we have now, Bitcoin is the natural transition to the ‘new money.’”
“New money,” in this case, refers to a financial value system that is “peer-to-peer and has no central authority.”
Is another financial crisis on the horizon? “It could happen,” Peters said.
“If you look at stock markets and the amount of liquidity that’s being pumped into the system at the moment, you see stock prices going higher and higher, and some stock prices going even more volatile than Bitcoin this year, which is interesting to see,” he said. “How much higher can they keep going?”
“You have to ask yourself the question: when will we see a correction?” he said.
However, “whether this will turn into a full-blown financial crisis, we’ll have to, unfortunately, wait and see, but, if we do get to that situation, where there are restrictions on withdrawing cash and withdrawing money, that could present an opportunity for crypto. With crypto, you can freely move your money around, and no one can tell you what to do with it.”
“Bitcoin Has the Name; It’s the ‘Brand’ That People Associate the Crypto World With.”
Still, it is unclear whether this 'new money' will be Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. After all, Bitcoin’s scalability issues have caused it to take on more of a role as a sort of ‘digital gold’ than ‘digital cash’ that it may have originally been created to be. In other words, BTC is much more practical as an asset to buy and hold than to try to use for everyday purchases.
“At the moment, it seems that Bitcoin is a ‘store-of-value’, ‘inflation hedge’, or ‘digital gold’. That seems to be the direction it’s going in, especially in times like now when we’re seeing central bank inflation and traditional markets increasing the monetary supply,” he said.
“There seem to be more advocates in support of Bitcoin for those reasons, but I think that in time when volatility decreases, and we see things stabilize, it may be seen as more of a currency,” Peters explained, adding that second-layer solutions could be used to make Bitcoin more suitable for this purpose.
Of course, “there’s also an ongoing argument going for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) that says developing CBDCs negates the need for having a currency like Bitcoin. In some ways, you could argue that.”
However, “even though it’s technically a crypto asset, a CBDC could be highly centralized, and I think that if people do lose trust in the governmental financial system going forward, then it may just prompt the transition toward alternative assets.”
And Peters believes that “Bitcoin, more than any other currency at this time,” has the potential to be the alternative asset of choice.
“Bitcoin has the name; it’s the ‘brand’ that people associate the crypto world with,” he said.
Beyond Bitcoin
Peters said that beyond the Bitcoin world, as exciting as it has been in recent weeks, there is quite a lot of promising activity in the Ether space.
“What we’re seeing on Ethereum is quite exciting,” he said, specifically mentioning the progress that Ethereum has made toward launching Eth2.0.
Peters said that Eth2.0 will “enable more transactions” to run through the Ethereum network, and could also lower gas fees. In turn, this could improve Ethereum’s viability as the potential 'backbone' of the burgeoning decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.
Peters said that in spite of the fact that “there are similarities to the ICO wave we saw back in 2017,” this time around, “there are some really good projects out there.”
This is an excerpt. To hear Finance Magnates’ full interview with Simon Peters, Market Analyst at eToro, visit us on Soundcloud or Youtube.
Additionally, beyond Bitcoin, crypto markets, in general, are at the center of more attention than ever before. As a result, the DeFi ecosystem is burgeoning; Ethereum is making progress toward the launch of Eth2.0. If things continue along this trajectory, 2021 could be a very good year for cryptocurrency.
Recently, Finance Magnates sat down with Simon Peters, Market Analyst at eToro, to discuss recent market movements in the cryptocurrency space, as well as what the most important trends and moments of 2020 have been so far.
This is an excerpt that has been edited for clarity and length. To hear Finance Magnates’ full interview with Simon Peters, Market Analyst at eToro, visit us on Soundcloud or Youtube.
“The Recent Price Movement Has Been Pretty Astonishing, to Say the Least.”
We asked Peters about his unique approach to market analysis.
“I try to keep things as simple as possible,” Peters said. “There’s a lot of information out there; there are a lot of technical analysis strategies. Because I’m more ‘long-term’, I tend to look at the bigger picture and the higher time frames.”
We asked Peters what kinds of fundamental trends that he sees driving Bitcoin at the moment.
“The recent price movement has been pretty astonishing, to say the least,” he said. Why is it happening? “I think it stems indirectly from COVID. That’s been a big factor for crypto markets.”
“Where we saw the crash in March, we saw a big selloff that week, we learned about economies, especially in the US, going into lockdown,” and how Bitcoin reacts to that, Peters said.
“Now that we’ve got a better idea in terms of what governments and central banks are doing regarding stimulus to prop up these global economies, the ‘bitcoin as an inflation hedge’ narrative has grown in strength since then,” he continued. “We’ve seen not just institutional investors and retail investors go on board, but listed companies actually buy Bitcoin for this purpose as well.”
“With a Price Increase That Happens That Fast, You Always Have to Anticipate a Period of Consolidation or Correction.”
Therefore, in spite of the fact that BTC’s recent push to $20k has happened rather quickly, Peters believes that the speed of the move was “warranted to some degree.”
“What we are seeing is a growing trend where the amount of Bitcoin that’s being held in exchange wallets is decreasing as the demand for Bitcoin is increasing,” he said. “That warrants the price increase that we have seen.”
However, “with a price increase that happens that fast, you always have to anticipate a period of consolidation or correction, so I think that’s on the cards,” he said. Still, “the overall trend, given what we’ve seen with this increase in ‘holding mentality’ amongst investors...that just spells good news for the price of crypto overall in the years to come.”
While price increases may be the main source of hype around Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Peters believes that BTC actually has a much deeper value in terms of its potential benefits to society.
”Bitcoin Is the Natural Transition to the ‘New Money.’”
“You hear about Bitcoin being the ‘future of money’, and naturally you want to look at the history of money and how we’ve gotten to the state that we are in,” he said. “The more you look at the history of money, and how we’ve gone from the exchange of bars to gold coins, to dollars backed by gold, to what we have now, Bitcoin is the natural transition to the ‘new money.’”
“New money,” in this case, refers to a financial value system that is “peer-to-peer and has no central authority.”
Is another financial crisis on the horizon? “It could happen,” Peters said.
“If you look at stock markets and the amount of liquidity that’s being pumped into the system at the moment, you see stock prices going higher and higher, and some stock prices going even more volatile than Bitcoin this year, which is interesting to see,” he said. “How much higher can they keep going?”
“You have to ask yourself the question: when will we see a correction?” he said.
However, “whether this will turn into a full-blown financial crisis, we’ll have to, unfortunately, wait and see, but, if we do get to that situation, where there are restrictions on withdrawing cash and withdrawing money, that could present an opportunity for crypto. With crypto, you can freely move your money around, and no one can tell you what to do with it.”
“Bitcoin Has the Name; It’s the ‘Brand’ That People Associate the Crypto World With.”
Still, it is unclear whether this 'new money' will be Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. After all, Bitcoin’s scalability issues have caused it to take on more of a role as a sort of ‘digital gold’ than ‘digital cash’ that it may have originally been created to be. In other words, BTC is much more practical as an asset to buy and hold than to try to use for everyday purchases.
“At the moment, it seems that Bitcoin is a ‘store-of-value’, ‘inflation hedge’, or ‘digital gold’. That seems to be the direction it’s going in, especially in times like now when we’re seeing central bank inflation and traditional markets increasing the monetary supply,” he said.
“There seem to be more advocates in support of Bitcoin for those reasons, but I think that in time when volatility decreases, and we see things stabilize, it may be seen as more of a currency,” Peters explained, adding that second-layer solutions could be used to make Bitcoin more suitable for this purpose.
Of course, “there’s also an ongoing argument going for central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) that says developing CBDCs negates the need for having a currency like Bitcoin. In some ways, you could argue that.”
However, “even though it’s technically a crypto asset, a CBDC could be highly centralized, and I think that if people do lose trust in the governmental financial system going forward, then it may just prompt the transition toward alternative assets.”
And Peters believes that “Bitcoin, more than any other currency at this time,” has the potential to be the alternative asset of choice.
“Bitcoin has the name; it’s the ‘brand’ that people associate the crypto world with,” he said.
Beyond Bitcoin
Peters said that beyond the Bitcoin world, as exciting as it has been in recent weeks, there is quite a lot of promising activity in the Ether space.
“What we’re seeing on Ethereum is quite exciting,” he said, specifically mentioning the progress that Ethereum has made toward launching Eth2.0.
Peters said that Eth2.0 will “enable more transactions” to run through the Ethereum network, and could also lower gas fees. In turn, this could improve Ethereum’s viability as the potential 'backbone' of the burgeoning decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem.
Peters said that in spite of the fact that “there are similarities to the ICO wave we saw back in 2017,” this time around, “there are some really good projects out there.”
This is an excerpt. To hear Finance Magnates’ full interview with Simon Peters, Market Analyst at eToro, visit us on Soundcloud or Youtube.
Rachel is a self-taught crypto geek and a passionate writer. She believes in the power that the written word has to educate, connect and empower individuals to make positive and powerful financial choices. She is the Podcast Host and a Cryptocurrency Editor at Finance Magnates.
Schwab Aims Crypto Custody at Its $5 Trillion Advisor Channel by 2027
Featured Videos
Buy, Build or Both? Trading Tech for Brokers, Banks & Beyond
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Buy, Build or Both? Trading Tech for Brokers, Banks & Beyond
Buy, Build or Both? Trading Tech for Brokers, Banks & Beyond
For every feature and product, someone has to decide: build it in-house or buy from a vendor. In Singapore and across APAC, local banks and global players face the same question with very different constraints.
This session gathers heads of technology and e-trading to compare how client demand and cost structures shape their choices, and how long it actually takes to ship in each.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand view of how client feedback informs decision-making across different market participants.
Understanding pain points and benefits of working with 3rd party integrations at scale.
Insight into products and innovation banks’ retail and trading heads will look for in 2026.
For every feature and product, someone has to decide: build it in-house or buy from a vendor. In Singapore and across APAC, local banks and global players face the same question with very different constraints.
This session gathers heads of technology and e-trading to compare how client demand and cost structures shape their choices, and how long it actually takes to ship in each.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand view of how client feedback informs decision-making across different market participants.
Understanding pain points and benefits of working with 3rd party integrations at scale.
Insight into products and innovation banks’ retail and trading heads will look for in 2026.
For every feature and product, someone has to decide: build it in-house or buy from a vendor. In Singapore and across APAC, local banks and global players face the same question with very different constraints.
This session gathers heads of technology and e-trading to compare how client demand and cost structures shape their choices, and how long it actually takes to ship in each.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand view of how client feedback informs decision-making across different market participants.
Understanding pain points and benefits of working with 3rd party integrations at scale.
Insight into products and innovation banks’ retail and trading heads will look for in 2026.
For every feature and product, someone has to decide: build it in-house or buy from a vendor. In Singapore and across APAC, local banks and global players face the same question with very different constraints.
This session gathers heads of technology and e-trading to compare how client demand and cost structures shape their choices, and how long it actually takes to ship in each.
Attendees will walk away with:
First-hand view of how client feedback informs decision-making across different market participants.
Understanding pain points and benefits of working with 3rd party integrations at scale.
Insight into products and innovation banks’ retail and trading heads will look for in 2026.
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
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Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
