FXCM's April trading volumes slide, quarterly trade volumes up YOY
Wednesday,09/05/2012|10:43GMTby
Adil Siddiqui
Recent unprecedented lack of volatility didn't skip the Forex market's flagship FXCM. Just like most other forex brokers FXCM too reports a steep drop in trading volume however on a bright side the number of accounts and total equity kept growing. Swissquote reported a 35% decrease in trading volumes few days ago.
Interesting to note that the biggest drop was in institutional volumes which is consistent with other reports of institutional brokers (except FXall), it seems that retail forex trading is less affected by lack of volatility than the institutional one.
First Quarter 2012 Highlights:
US GAAP revenues of $102.6 million, up 8% versus the same period in 2011
Adjusted Pro Forma EBITDA of $24.9 million, down 2% versus the same period in 2011
Adjusted Pro Forma net income of $12.5 million, down 9% versus the same period in 2011
Adjusted Pro Forma fully diluted earnings per share of $0.17, down 6% versus the same period in 2011
US GAAP net income of $2.9 million, up 4% versus the same period in 2011
US GAAP fully diluted earnings per share of $0.16, unchanged versus the same period in 2011
Customer equity of $1,136 million, up 47% from same period in 2011 and up 8% from December 2011
Active accounts of 171,296, up 22% from the same period in 2011 and up 5% from December 2011
FXCM a leading online provider of foreign exchange, or FX, trading and related services, today announced for the quarter ended March 31, 2012, revenues under US GAAP of $102.6 million, compared to $94.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2011, an increase of 8%. Adjusted Pro Forma EBITDA for the first quarter 2012 was $24.9 million, compared to $25.5 million for the first quarter 2011, a decrease of 2%. Adjusted Pro Forma Net Income was $12.5 million for the first quarter 2012, compared to $13.7 million for the first quarter 2011, a decrease of 9%. Adjusted Pro Forma fully diluted earnings per share for the first quarter 2012 of $0.17 on a fully exchanged, fully diluted basis, compared to $0.18 per share for the first quarter 2011, a decrease of 6%. U.S. GAAP net income was $2.9 million for the first quarter 2012, compared to $2.8 million for the first quarter 2011, an increase of 4%. U.S. GAAP earnings per share for the first quarter 2012 was unchanged at $0.16 per fully diluted Class A share, compared the first quarter 2011.
Adjusted Pro Forma results assume the conversion and exchange of all FXCM Holdings, LLC Units into FXCM Inc. Class A common stock, resulting in the elimination of the non-controlling interest and the corresponding adjustment to the entity's tax provision. In addition, Adjusted Pro Forma results eliminate certain non-recurring charges and certain equity based compensation expense.
"FXCM delivered strong growth in the quarter despite a weak trading environment in foreign exchange. Customer equity grew by 8% to $1.1 billion from year-end 2011 and is up 47% from March 2011. We achieved near record volumes in our retail business with over $985 billion in customer volume -- some $15.2 billion a day -- in part because of the strength in our Japanese business," said Drew Niv, Chief Executive Officer.
"Our institutional business had a near record with $398 billion in customer volume. We are most pleased with these results as we have begun to roll out our own internally developed institutional Trading Platform which we believe will make us more competitive in the very large institutional foreign exchange market."
FXCM's share price is currently trading at $10.64.
In addition, FXCM Inc. today announced certain key operating metrics for April 2012 for its retail and institutional foreign exchange business. Monthly activities included:
April 2012 Operating Metrics
Retail Trading Metrics
Retail customer trading volume of $248 billion in April 2012, 27% lower than March 2012 and 15% lower than April 2011.
Average retail customer trading volume per day of $11.8 billion in April 2012, 24% lower than March 2012 and 15% lower than April 2011.
An average of 324,813 retail client trades per day in April 2012, 18% lower than March 2012 and 1% higher than April 2011.
Tradeable accounts of 202,539 as of April 30, 2012, an increase of 2,407 or 1% from March 2012, and an increase of 36,391 or 22% from March 2011.
Institutional Trading Metrics
Institutional customer trading volume of $103 billion in April 2012, 36% lower than March 2012 and 65% higher than April 2011.
Average institutional trading volume per day of $4.9 billion in April 2012, 33% lower than March 2012 and 65% higher than April 2011.
An average of 13,608 institutional client trades per day in April 2012, 48% lower than March 2012 and 101% higher than April 2011.
"April was one of the lowest months of volatility in foreign currencies seen in the past five years and our operating metrics reflected that," continued Niv. "However, with the strong start to the year that we have seen in customer equity and account growth, we believe we are well positioned should the trading environment improve."
Recent unprecedented lack of volatility didn't skip the Forex market's flagship FXCM. Just like most other forex brokers FXCM too reports a steep drop in trading volume however on a bright side the number of accounts and total equity kept growing. Swissquote reported a 35% decrease in trading volumes few days ago.
Interesting to note that the biggest drop was in institutional volumes which is consistent with other reports of institutional brokers (except FXall), it seems that retail forex trading is less affected by lack of volatility than the institutional one.
First Quarter 2012 Highlights:
US GAAP revenues of $102.6 million, up 8% versus the same period in 2011
Adjusted Pro Forma EBITDA of $24.9 million, down 2% versus the same period in 2011
Adjusted Pro Forma net income of $12.5 million, down 9% versus the same period in 2011
Adjusted Pro Forma fully diluted earnings per share of $0.17, down 6% versus the same period in 2011
US GAAP net income of $2.9 million, up 4% versus the same period in 2011
US GAAP fully diluted earnings per share of $0.16, unchanged versus the same period in 2011
Customer equity of $1,136 million, up 47% from same period in 2011 and up 8% from December 2011
Active accounts of 171,296, up 22% from the same period in 2011 and up 5% from December 2011
FXCM a leading online provider of foreign exchange, or FX, trading and related services, today announced for the quarter ended March 31, 2012, revenues under US GAAP of $102.6 million, compared to $94.6 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2011, an increase of 8%. Adjusted Pro Forma EBITDA for the first quarter 2012 was $24.9 million, compared to $25.5 million for the first quarter 2011, a decrease of 2%. Adjusted Pro Forma Net Income was $12.5 million for the first quarter 2012, compared to $13.7 million for the first quarter 2011, a decrease of 9%. Adjusted Pro Forma fully diluted earnings per share for the first quarter 2012 of $0.17 on a fully exchanged, fully diluted basis, compared to $0.18 per share for the first quarter 2011, a decrease of 6%. U.S. GAAP net income was $2.9 million for the first quarter 2012, compared to $2.8 million for the first quarter 2011, an increase of 4%. U.S. GAAP earnings per share for the first quarter 2012 was unchanged at $0.16 per fully diluted Class A share, compared the first quarter 2011.
Adjusted Pro Forma results assume the conversion and exchange of all FXCM Holdings, LLC Units into FXCM Inc. Class A common stock, resulting in the elimination of the non-controlling interest and the corresponding adjustment to the entity's tax provision. In addition, Adjusted Pro Forma results eliminate certain non-recurring charges and certain equity based compensation expense.
"FXCM delivered strong growth in the quarter despite a weak trading environment in foreign exchange. Customer equity grew by 8% to $1.1 billion from year-end 2011 and is up 47% from March 2011. We achieved near record volumes in our retail business with over $985 billion in customer volume -- some $15.2 billion a day -- in part because of the strength in our Japanese business," said Drew Niv, Chief Executive Officer.
"Our institutional business had a near record with $398 billion in customer volume. We are most pleased with these results as we have begun to roll out our own internally developed institutional Trading Platform which we believe will make us more competitive in the very large institutional foreign exchange market."
FXCM's share price is currently trading at $10.64.
In addition, FXCM Inc. today announced certain key operating metrics for April 2012 for its retail and institutional foreign exchange business. Monthly activities included:
April 2012 Operating Metrics
Retail Trading Metrics
Retail customer trading volume of $248 billion in April 2012, 27% lower than March 2012 and 15% lower than April 2011.
Average retail customer trading volume per day of $11.8 billion in April 2012, 24% lower than March 2012 and 15% lower than April 2011.
An average of 324,813 retail client trades per day in April 2012, 18% lower than March 2012 and 1% higher than April 2011.
Tradeable accounts of 202,539 as of April 30, 2012, an increase of 2,407 or 1% from March 2012, and an increase of 36,391 or 22% from March 2011.
Institutional Trading Metrics
Institutional customer trading volume of $103 billion in April 2012, 36% lower than March 2012 and 65% higher than April 2011.
Average institutional trading volume per day of $4.9 billion in April 2012, 33% lower than March 2012 and 65% higher than April 2011.
An average of 13,608 institutional client trades per day in April 2012, 48% lower than March 2012 and 101% higher than April 2011.
"April was one of the lowest months of volatility in foreign currencies seen in the past five years and our operating metrics reflected that," continued Niv. "However, with the strong start to the year that we have seen in customer equity and account growth, we believe we are well positioned should the trading environment improve."
From “Unrealistically Good” To “Cesspool Of Gamesmanship”: How 40 Minutes Changed Minds On Prop Trading
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:
-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:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
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:
🔗 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
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
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
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:
-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
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
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
👍 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
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
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
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 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
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
