Exclusive: CFD Industry Surpasses 5M Accounts

Last year was a strong one for the CFD industry. The market continued to expand, though primarily in developing countries, as the EU and Australian markets are already saturated. We have reached a significant milestone.

We have been anticipating this for a long time. The latest Quarterly Intelligence Report for Q4 marks a breakthrough in key metrics. The total number of active accounts across the entire industry has surpassed the 5 million mark.

This result is remarkable, especially considering that just two years ago, there were only 3.9 million active accounts. The primary driver of this growth has been emerging markets, particularly in Asia. Large, densely populated countries with still-evolving regulations continue to provide opportunities for the industry.

As our Intelligence Report highlights, XTB ranked first among brokers in Q4 2024, with 555,000 active accounts. However, it is important to note that the numbers reported by the Polish broker also include non-CFD accounts, as the company does not disclose detailed figures for CFD accounts alone.

The obvious question that arises is: How much further can the CFD industry grow? While Asian markets still offer opportunities for brokers, we are observing a trend where firms are beginning to diversify their offerings. Many are expanding into other asset classes, such as shares and futures trading, which may suggest that they anticipate a slowdown in CFD industry expansion.

A major uncertainty remains the regulatory landscape in developing markets. Will increased regulation slow down the growth of CFD markets, or will it attract larger, well-regulated brokers? Additionally, while there is no news on this front yet, could the Trump administration potentially ease CFD-related restrictions in the U.S.?

Time will tell. In the meantime, the latest metrics on the CFD industry can be found in our Quarterly Intelligence Reports.