Financial markets are empowered by technology. Will virtual reality turn out to be the next step in retail trading evolution?
Finance Magnates
Depending on how virtual reality (VR) is defined, its history started a long time ago. Most observers of the scene agree that VR in the sense that we understand it today began to emerge sometime in the 1950s. However some elements of it can be found much earlier in history.
Already at the beginning of the last century, playwright Antonin Artaud was considering illusion and reality to be one and the same. In 1938 in a collection of essays, “Le Théâtre et son double”, he considered characters and objects in the theatre as "la réalité virtuelle" . Just a few years earlier, in 1935, Stanley G. Weinbaum in his short story "Pygmalion's Spectacles” described a goggle-based virtual reality system that displayed a holographic recording of fictional experiences.
More than 80 years later, two large FX brokers have introduced their own VR applications for trading. Japanese GMO Click Securities launched its product ‘GMO-FX VR Trade’ on the 31st of January 2017. Shortly after, on the 3rd of February, Swissquote Bank introduced its own solution. In both cases the trader is provided with access to a ‘virtual room’ and the ability to view it in 360 degrees. Is this how trading rooms will evolve?
VR in the financial industry is still a new phenomenon. But so was mobile trading 10 years ago, and for some brokers today it is as important a platform as traditional desktop applications.
It is simply too early to call. So when will we know if it has succeeded? The answer to this question is not only in the hands of the financial industry.
“No one will ever buy a VR headset for financial services. That’s why the future of this technology in the financial services is strongly tied with VR becoming a mainstream technology - otherwise it will always be a niche gadget.” -
Maciej Wolański, CTO and Head of R&D, Comarch Financial Services.
To learn more about VR trading and other hot topics, get the new Intelligence Report:
Depending on how virtual reality (VR) is defined, its history started a long time ago. Most observers of the scene agree that VR in the sense that we understand it today began to emerge sometime in the 1950s. However some elements of it can be found much earlier in history.
Already at the beginning of the last century, playwright Antonin Artaud was considering illusion and reality to be one and the same. In 1938 in a collection of essays, “Le Théâtre et son double”, he considered characters and objects in the theatre as "la réalité virtuelle" . Just a few years earlier, in 1935, Stanley G. Weinbaum in his short story "Pygmalion's Spectacles” described a goggle-based virtual reality system that displayed a holographic recording of fictional experiences.
More than 80 years later, two large FX brokers have introduced their own VR applications for trading. Japanese GMO Click Securities launched its product ‘GMO-FX VR Trade’ on the 31st of January 2017. Shortly after, on the 3rd of February, Swissquote Bank introduced its own solution. In both cases the trader is provided with access to a ‘virtual room’ and the ability to view it in 360 degrees. Is this how trading rooms will evolve?
VR in the financial industry is still a new phenomenon. But so was mobile trading 10 years ago, and for some brokers today it is as important a platform as traditional desktop applications.
It is simply too early to call. So when will we know if it has succeeded? The answer to this question is not only in the hands of the financial industry.
“No one will ever buy a VR headset for financial services. That’s why the future of this technology in the financial services is strongly tied with VR becoming a mainstream technology - otherwise it will always be a niche gadget.” -
Maciej Wolański, CTO and Head of R&D, Comarch Financial Services.
To learn more about VR trading and other hot topics, get the new Intelligence Report:
A graduate of the Warsaw School of Economics, Sylwester received an MA specializing in finance and banking. As Finance Magnates' research associate and STA certified analyst, he leaves no stone unturned. Sylwester is the previous minority partner of an NFA registered US forex broker, and since 2003, has participated in many forex projects.
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How FYNXT is Transforming Brokerages with Modular Tech | Executive Interview with Stephen Miles
How FYNXT is Transforming Brokerages with Modular Tech | Executive Interview with Stephen Miles
Join us for an exclusive interview with Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT, recorded live at FMLS:25. In this conversation, Stephen breaks down how modular brokerage technology is driving growth, retention, and efficiency across the brokerage industry.
Learn how FYNXT's unified yet modular platform is giving brokers a competitive edge—powering faster onboarding, increased trading volumes, and dramatically improved IB performance.
🔑 What You'll Learn in This Video:
- The biggest challenges brokerages face going into 2026
- Why FYNXT’s modular platform is outperforming in-house builds
- How automation is transforming IB channels
- The real ROI: 11x LTV increases and reduced acquisition costs
👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
#FYNXT #StephenMiles #FMLS2025 #BrokerageTechnology #ModularTech #FintechInterview #DigitalTransformation #FinancialMarkets #CROInterview #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #IndependentBrokers #FinanceLeaders
Join us for an exclusive interview with Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT, recorded live at FMLS:25. In this conversation, Stephen breaks down how modular brokerage technology is driving growth, retention, and efficiency across the brokerage industry.
Learn how FYNXT's unified yet modular platform is giving brokers a competitive edge—powering faster onboarding, increased trading volumes, and dramatically improved IB performance.
🔑 What You'll Learn in This Video:
- The biggest challenges brokerages face going into 2026
- Why FYNXT’s modular platform is outperforming in-house builds
- How automation is transforming IB channels
- The real ROI: 11x LTV increases and reduced acquisition costs
👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe.
#FYNXT #StephenMiles #FMLS2025 #BrokerageTechnology #ModularTech #FintechInterview #DigitalTransformation #FinancialMarkets #CROInterview #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #IndependentBrokers #FinanceLeaders
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
