Investment infrastructure provider is expanding into the UK market, appointing Symmie Swil as UK General Manager.
The Berlin-based fintech processes over 2 million weekly investment orders and plans to triple this volume by year-end.
Investment
infrastructure provider Upvest is accelerating its UK expansion following
regulatory approval, appointing former Starling Bank executive Symmie Swil as
UK General Manager to lead its growth strategy in the region.
Upvest Expands to UK,
Names Former Starling Bank Executive as GM
The
Berlin-based fintech, which processes over 2 million investment orders weekly
across 20 markets, received Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approval in 2024
and aims to establish partnerships with three UK clients by year-end. The
company provides an Investment API that enables financial institutions to offer
investment products across ETFs, stocks, and mutual funds.
“The
UK has a strong legacy of financial innovation, yet there's still so much
untapped potential to empower individuals in taking control of their
wealth,” said Swil, who joins Upvest after previously scaling Starling
Bank's SME banking division. “Our solution makes it easy for any financial
institution—whether it's a fintech or a bank—to offer compelling and
affordable investment opportunities to their end users.”
Swil brings
nearly 20 years of financial sector experience to the role. During her tenure
at Starling Bank, she grew the SME customer base from 150,000 to 450,000
accounts and tripled deposits from £2 billion to £6 billion within 18 months.
Her career also includes serving as Deputy COO and Head of Business Operations
at Investec's Corporate and Investment Bank and most recently as COO at fintech
firm Finverity.
Targeting UK's Investment
Gap
Upvest
plans to establish a new UK headquarters in London's Shoreditch district and
expand its London-based team to approximately 50 employees in the coming
months, complementing its existing 200-person workforce across Europe.
The company
sees significant growth potential in the UK market, where an estimated 60% of
adults don't actively invest. Recent analysis suggests approximately 13 million
UK adults hold around £430 billion in cash that could be deployed in
investments—a gap that Upvest aims to address through its technology
infrastructure.
Martin Kassing, CEO and Co-Founder of Upvest
“Symmie
is the ideal person to lead our UK efforts,” said Martin Kassing, CEO of
Upvest. “With her unique combination of banking and fintech experience,
she has a deep understanding of our clients' objectives and the role technology
can play in achieving them.”
Expansion Plans
Beyond
growing its market presence, Upvest intends to enhance its product offerings
with additional localized tax and pension wrappers, including Individual
Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), along with
expanding into new asset classes such as derivatives, bonds, and European
Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs).
Founded in
2017, Upvest works with European financial institutions including N26, bunq,
Raisin, Plum, Shares, and Revolut. The company secured €100 million in Series C
funding led by Hedosophia and Sapphire Venture, with participation from
investors including Bessemer Venture Partners, BlackRock, and Earlybird.
The firm
anticipates tripling its current order rates by the end of the year as it
continues its European expansion and strengthens its UK presence.
Investment
infrastructure provider Upvest is accelerating its UK expansion following
regulatory approval, appointing former Starling Bank executive Symmie Swil as
UK General Manager to lead its growth strategy in the region.
Upvest Expands to UK,
Names Former Starling Bank Executive as GM
The
Berlin-based fintech, which processes over 2 million investment orders weekly
across 20 markets, received Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) approval in 2024
and aims to establish partnerships with three UK clients by year-end. The
company provides an Investment API that enables financial institutions to offer
investment products across ETFs, stocks, and mutual funds.
“The
UK has a strong legacy of financial innovation, yet there's still so much
untapped potential to empower individuals in taking control of their
wealth,” said Swil, who joins Upvest after previously scaling Starling
Bank's SME banking division. “Our solution makes it easy for any financial
institution—whether it's a fintech or a bank—to offer compelling and
affordable investment opportunities to their end users.”
Swil brings
nearly 20 years of financial sector experience to the role. During her tenure
at Starling Bank, she grew the SME customer base from 150,000 to 450,000
accounts and tripled deposits from £2 billion to £6 billion within 18 months.
Her career also includes serving as Deputy COO and Head of Business Operations
at Investec's Corporate and Investment Bank and most recently as COO at fintech
firm Finverity.
Targeting UK's Investment
Gap
Upvest
plans to establish a new UK headquarters in London's Shoreditch district and
expand its London-based team to approximately 50 employees in the coming
months, complementing its existing 200-person workforce across Europe.
The company
sees significant growth potential in the UK market, where an estimated 60% of
adults don't actively invest. Recent analysis suggests approximately 13 million
UK adults hold around £430 billion in cash that could be deployed in
investments—a gap that Upvest aims to address through its technology
infrastructure.
Martin Kassing, CEO and Co-Founder of Upvest
“Symmie
is the ideal person to lead our UK efforts,” said Martin Kassing, CEO of
Upvest. “With her unique combination of banking and fintech experience,
she has a deep understanding of our clients' objectives and the role technology
can play in achieving them.”
Expansion Plans
Beyond
growing its market presence, Upvest intends to enhance its product offerings
with additional localized tax and pension wrappers, including Individual
Savings Accounts (ISAs) and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs), along with
expanding into new asset classes such as derivatives, bonds, and European
Long-Term Investment Funds (ELTIFs).
Founded in
2017, Upvest works with European financial institutions including N26, bunq,
Raisin, Plum, Shares, and Revolut. The company secured €100 million in Series C
funding led by Hedosophia and Sapphire Venture, with participation from
investors including Bessemer Venture Partners, BlackRock, and Earlybird.
The firm
anticipates tripling its current order rates by the end of the year as it
continues its European expansion and strengthens its UK presence.
Damian's adventure with financial markets began at the Cracow University of Economics, where he obtained his MA in finance and accounting. Starting from the retail trader perspective, he collaborated with brokerage houses and financial portals in Poland as an independent editor and content manager. His adventure with Finance Magnates began in 2016, where he is working as a business intelligence analyst.
Retail Broker FXTRADING Appoints Institutional Veteran Adam Phillips as CEO
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
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-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
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As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
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Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy.
This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions.
Attendees will hear:
-Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business?
-Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’?
-How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next?
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Speakers:
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-John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue
-Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets
-Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i
-Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy.
This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions.
Attendees will hear:
-Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business?
-Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’?
-How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next?
-Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention?
Speakers:
-Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT
-John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue
-Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets
-Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i
-Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
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When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
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-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
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🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
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Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
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🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
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As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
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-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
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📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
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🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
