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Putting a Focus on Asia-Pacific and M&A Developments
Putting a Focus on Asia-Pacific and M&A Developments
Sunday,02/08/2015|07:00GMTby
Andy Traveller
The past week saw Finance Magnates' Tokyo Summit 2015 go off with a bang, an exploration of the NZ market, and M&A activities simmering.
Two of our top stories this week emanate from the Asia-Pacific region. In Japan, Finance Magnates successfully hosted its third annual Tokyo Summit, culminating with an Awards Ceremony. Heading further south across the Pacific, we also posted an exclusive interview with the Chief Executive of New Zealand’s sole registered markets operator and exchange, NZX Limited (NZX).
M&A activity also caught our attention, with the sales of both FastMatch and AvaTrade in the headlines.
This year’s event revolved around the theme, Global Innovation through Education.Throughout the day, over 800 leading industry professionals from Japan and around the world benefited from a range of features panels, influential industry speakers, exhibitions and world-class networking opportunities.
Further south, Tim Bennett, CEO of NZX, was upbeat about trading conditions down under in an exclusive interview with Finance Magnates. Mr. Bennett shared his optimism about New Zealand’s strong economic performance and the Kiwi exchange’s strategic direction and expanding portfolio.
The conversation covered the ongoing diversification of NZX’s business beyond traditional capital markets activities, its role and responsibility to help develop the trading eco-system in the country, the thawing out of retail participation in the market, and the island nation’s exposure to global events.
Of particular interest for potential investors was NZX’s acquisition of SuperLife, a large group superannuation provider, in December 2014, which boosts the company’s funds under management from approximately $400 million to over $1.6 billion, and ramps up its offering of ETFs for the New Zealand market.
Indeed, ever since FXCM made it public that they were selling their 35% stake in FastMatch, an order and quote-based FX ECN, it has led to talk that the entire FastMatch may be up for grabs, which looks to be very much the case.
The impending sale sits against a backdrop of acquisitions by exchange operators. Indeed, both Deutsche Bourse and BATS Global Markets have recently picked up FX ECN businesses, allowing the exchanges to immediately boost their offering of currency products as well as gain access to new client bases.
Accordingly, five exchange operators have emerged as potential buyers of FastMatch; the Nasdaq OMX, LSE, EUREX, LSE and SGX. Thus, while the FX ECN looks set to sell, its price remains to be seen, with industry estimates valuing the company around the $200 million mark.
Playtech Formalises AvaTrade Deal
The second M&A-themed story relates to Playtech’s acquisition of brokerage firm, AvaTrade. Playtech successfully completed a formality this week, gaining the unanimous approval of shareholders who voted on whether or not to accept the deal.
Only 6,323 shares were cast against the deal, accounting for only 0.01 percent of shareholders who have a say in the matter.
AvaTrade is seen as an access point to the lucrative Japanese retail online trading market. The target company holds an authorization by the Japanese Financial Services Authority (JFSA) permitting it to operate legally in the country that boasts the highest volumes of retail forex trading in the world.
Playtech could leverage the license that AvaTrade holds for its other brands – FXTrade and Plus 500 - should it choose to extend the reach of these companies in the country.
Two of our top stories this week emanate from the Asia-Pacific region. In Japan, Finance Magnates successfully hosted its third annual Tokyo Summit, culminating with an Awards Ceremony. Heading further south across the Pacific, we also posted an exclusive interview with the Chief Executive of New Zealand’s sole registered markets operator and exchange, NZX Limited (NZX).
M&A activity also caught our attention, with the sales of both FastMatch and AvaTrade in the headlines.
This year’s event revolved around the theme, Global Innovation through Education.Throughout the day, over 800 leading industry professionals from Japan and around the world benefited from a range of features panels, influential industry speakers, exhibitions and world-class networking opportunities.
Further south, Tim Bennett, CEO of NZX, was upbeat about trading conditions down under in an exclusive interview with Finance Magnates. Mr. Bennett shared his optimism about New Zealand’s strong economic performance and the Kiwi exchange’s strategic direction and expanding portfolio.
The conversation covered the ongoing diversification of NZX’s business beyond traditional capital markets activities, its role and responsibility to help develop the trading eco-system in the country, the thawing out of retail participation in the market, and the island nation’s exposure to global events.
Of particular interest for potential investors was NZX’s acquisition of SuperLife, a large group superannuation provider, in December 2014, which boosts the company’s funds under management from approximately $400 million to over $1.6 billion, and ramps up its offering of ETFs for the New Zealand market.
Indeed, ever since FXCM made it public that they were selling their 35% stake in FastMatch, an order and quote-based FX ECN, it has led to talk that the entire FastMatch may be up for grabs, which looks to be very much the case.
The impending sale sits against a backdrop of acquisitions by exchange operators. Indeed, both Deutsche Bourse and BATS Global Markets have recently picked up FX ECN businesses, allowing the exchanges to immediately boost their offering of currency products as well as gain access to new client bases.
Accordingly, five exchange operators have emerged as potential buyers of FastMatch; the Nasdaq OMX, LSE, EUREX, LSE and SGX. Thus, while the FX ECN looks set to sell, its price remains to be seen, with industry estimates valuing the company around the $200 million mark.
Playtech Formalises AvaTrade Deal
The second M&A-themed story relates to Playtech’s acquisition of brokerage firm, AvaTrade. Playtech successfully completed a formality this week, gaining the unanimous approval of shareholders who voted on whether or not to accept the deal.
Only 6,323 shares were cast against the deal, accounting for only 0.01 percent of shareholders who have a say in the matter.
AvaTrade is seen as an access point to the lucrative Japanese retail online trading market. The target company holds an authorization by the Japanese Financial Services Authority (JFSA) permitting it to operate legally in the country that boasts the highest volumes of retail forex trading in the world.
Playtech could leverage the license that AvaTrade holds for its other brands – FXTrade and Plus 500 - should it choose to extend the reach of these companies in the country.
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Most market post-mortems describe what happened to prices. Few describe what happened in the trading room while the position was open: the entry conviction, the moments that tested it, and the exit decision that closed the book.
This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
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-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
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This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
Attendees will walk away with:
-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
-Perspective on what the trade revealed about edge, risk tolerance, and when to hold through a position moving against you
-Clarity on what separates a well-built trade from a well-timed one
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This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
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-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
-Perspective on what the trade revealed about edge, risk tolerance, and when to hold through a position moving against you
-Clarity on what separates a well-built trade from a well-timed one
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This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
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-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
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-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
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As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
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-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
In this discussion, we will explore:
-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
In this discussion, we will explore:
-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
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-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
