In the second part of our sports sponsorship series, we discussed the financial terms.
Football main shirt sponsorship deals are the most expensive ones.
When it comes to financial terms of sports deals, very little information is available publicly. Primarily, neither the brokers nor sports clubs/personalities reveal the terms. Clubs collectively disclose their sponsorship earnings, and brands put them under marketing expenses. However, there are always industry expert estimations and leaked information.
To understand the costs of sports sponsorship deals, the anatomy of a sports deal must be known: How do these sponsorship deals work? What are the types of sports sponsorships? Or who is involved in closing these deals?
Types of Sports Deals
Sports sponsorships come in all shapes and sizes. A company can slap its branding on the players' jerseys, put its logo on the perimeter fence of the field, on the stadium's giant LEDs, and on every possible real estate with some visibility on cameras.
On the digital front, clubs can promote brokerage partners, and top players often directly endorse sponsor brands. Such promotions, though not top-tier deals, can be very effective: Real Madrid has 141 million followers on Instagram; FC Barcelona has 122 million; and Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have 67.3 million and 62.1 million, respectively. Other smaller football clubs also have tens of millions of social media followers. So, one branded post on these clubs' social media channels will attract the eyeballs of many football fans, mostly male, while retail traders are also predominantly male.
Many brokers are also tapping individual sports personalities. XTB is a prime example that has signed a former Spanish footballer, Iker Casillas, a UFC fighter, Conor McGregor and a few other martial arts celebrities as brand ambassadors. AvaTrade onboarded Usain Bolt, a famous track athlete and Olympic gold medalist. McGregor, Casillas, and Bolt now have 46.5 million, 20 million, and 12.6 million Instagram followers, respectively. Their branded posts would directly hit the eye of their fans and followers.
Also, there is exclusivity in these sports sponsorship deals. While there can only be one main shirt sponsor and one or two sleeve sponsors, some brokers become exclusive online trading partners of the sports teams.
"From a brand perspective, if it is an exclusive online trading partner, there can't be any other online trading partner. If you have global exclusivity, you, as a brand, are the only online trading partner of that club," explained Maximilian Schindler, a Senior Director at Sportfive, a sports marketing agency.
As already mentioned, brokers or sports clubs hardly reveal the financial terms of the deals. However, in more than a decade of such deals, the estimated costs are very clear. The range is wide and depends on factors like the popularity of the sports team and the type of the deal.
SportQuake CEO Matt House
"There's a massive range in the cost of sponsorship deals depending on the respective package and the rights procured as part of these deals. To give an extremely broad overview, packages range from $1 million for Global Partnership deals at top European challenger clubs to over $50 million for top-level, premium uniform positions at the Deloitte Money League's top clubs (e.g., Manchester United shirt sponsorship / Barcelona shirt sponsorship)," said Matt House, the CEO and Founder of SportQuake, a sports sponsorship agency specializing in football sponsorship.
Indeed, Emirates reportedly pays Real Madrid $50 million per year to remain its main shirt sponsor. Of course, Real Madrid is among the top European football clubs, and its sponsorship deal always costs a fortune. According to SportQuake, online brokers spent $125 million on football deals in the 2020-21 season.
Among the brokers, Plus500, which was initially the back-of-shirt sponsor and then the main shirt sponsor of Athletico Madrid, has spent about $13 million on offline advertising during 2017, according to its annual report, most of which probably went to the Spanish football club's pocket. According to other sources, the online trading platform paid approximately €17 million ($16.7 million) yearly to Athletico as the main shirt sponsor when the club competed in the top-tier European league.
Maximilian Schindler, Senior Director at Sportfive
Though the Plus500-Athletico deal looks expensive, Sportfive's Schindler argues it's still cost-efficient. "You just reach out to billions of billions of people, but still, compared to TV commercials, if you want to reach out to the same amount of people, it's cheaper. TV commercials of that scale would cost ten times more than such sports sponsorships. So it's always a very cost-efficient tool," he said.
The marketing budget of the Polish broker, XTB, which has signed several brand ambassadors, including UFC star McGregor and legendary Spanish goalie Casillas, went up to $25.1 million in 2022 from $7.9 million in the previous year. The multi-year agreement with McGregor will reportedly cost the broker tens of millions.
Of course, the money involved in sports deals depends on many things. The size and costs of sports sponsorships depend on the assets within the partnership (besides the club or event).
Schindler explained that some of the questions asked while fixing the price are: "Are LED boards included? Do you have cam carpets? What kind of social media appearances can you acquire? Do you have player appearances? What kind of hospitality package do you have?"
Oliver Kent, ZK Sports Founder and CEO
Deals in other globally popular spots also come at a premium price. The entry cost in F1 sponsorship starts from about $500,000, according to ZK Sports Founder and CEO, Oliver Kent, and that excludes the top three or four teams. Because of the high costs, the F1 teams allow shot duration sponsorships for one to three games in a "specific geographical audience that is important to that company."
Meanwhile, many brokers that sponsored football teams before are now promoting their brand with other niche sports. One example is ICM.com: it previously supported Fulham FC, Newcastle United FC, Nottingham Forest FC, and other deals in cycling and Formula One. The broker is currently the sponsor of the England Polo Team and the France SailGP team.
Shoaib Abedi, ICM.com's Founder and CEO
"As part of our dynamic growth strategy, we have decided to venture into new territories and expand our global reach. By diversifying our partnerships, we aim to increase exposure and tap into new market segments across the globe, beyond the realm of football," said ICM.com's Founder and CEO, Shoaib Abedi.
BDSwiss' CEO of the Middle East, Daniel Takieddine, agrees with this strategy, saying: "Niche sports like golf have less competition, an affluent demographic, and help with the brand association, in addition to networking opportunities – while I believe that these huge football deals that can cost millions of dollars could have this money spent in a more diverse and strategic way."
Daniel Takieddine, BDSwiss' Middle East CEO
The Crypto Boom
With the boom in the crypto industry over the past few years, deep-pocket crypto companies are showering money on sports. Crypto.com, a cryptocurrency exchange, has bought the naming rights of an indoor sports arena in Los Angeles and also the Miami Formula One Grand Prix. According to multiple reports, Crypto.com agreed to pay $700 million over 20 years for the LA stadium naming rights and spent another $100 million on the F1 team. Apart from these two prized sponsorships, Crypto.com inked several other sports deals.
Another company that matched Crypto.com in sports spending is the now-bankrupt FTX. The collapsed crypto exchange spent $135 million for the naming rights of the Miami Heat's home arena for 19 years, signed a $17.5 million deal to be the naming sponsor of UFC for ten years, sponsored MLB umpires' uniform, and Formula 1 racing team Mercedes-AMG Petronas. It also had endorsement partnerships with Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Angels ace/slugger Shohei Ohtani and Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry. All of these deals collapsed overnight with the bankruptcy filing of the exchange last November.
However, the FTX fiasco did not stop other crypto companies from entering sports. The crypto exchange, OKX has signed a significant deal with Manchester City; Bitget is sponsoring Juventus; and Coinbase is backing Borussia Dortmund. Additionally, two top present day footballers are also endorsing crypto exchange: Christiano Ronaldo signed a deal with Binance; and Lionel Messi became the brand ambassador of Bidget. OKX first became the training kit sponsor of Manchester City, but recently extended its partnership to be the sleeve sponsor in a new three-year agreement for $70 million.
How Do Brokers Approach Clubs?
Now, the question remains, how does a broker approach a sports sponsorship? Usually, an agency is involved in the entire process of sports sponsorships. They typically represent the clubs and handle all aspects of the deal, including the negotiation.
Many agencies also become exclusive partners of football clubs. In Germany, if a brand is interested in a partnership with Borussia Dortmund, Sportfive (the football club's exclusive agency) will always be involved. Last year, UEFA appointed a Swiss sports marketing agency, Team Marketing, as its marketing and sales partner for competitions between 2024 and 2027.
However, agencies' involvement may differ slightly in other countries or leagues where exclusive partnerships between agencies and clubs/associations are rare. Previously, popular clubs like Chelsea and Athletico Madrid hired external agencies like Sportfive to sell their most exclusive rights on a single mandate basis.
Another important aspect of sports sponsorship is due diligence, especially when closing deals with financial services companies. Multiple sports agencies which Finance Magnates talked to confirmed that for European partnerships, sports team representatives first check the license of brokers. Then, the due diligence process involves Googling the brand, checking the experiences of the users, and verifying the background of the management team. The last step is asking for the financial reports to check if they're valid or almost bankrupt.
"There are many examples of brands that have either folded soon after a deal has been struck, not behaved appropriately during the sponsorship term, etc.," Kent declared. "There are also examples of where the Rights Holders are very strict on who they do and don't allow to become a commercial partner of their organization."
Schindler likewise pointed out that the arduous processes make it challenging for new brokers to ink a sports deal. "If a broker doesn't have recognition in the market as a brand, it's definitely a little harder for it to enter into such sponsorships," he said.
Should Brokers Spend a Fortune in Sports Deals?
Sports deals are costly, there is no doubt about that. Still, brokers are not shying away from partnering with sports teams, sometimes even with big-ticket clubs and players. However, the strategy is changing. Many brokers are now focused on promoting their brands with local clubs for their influence over a niche audience. These deals cost less, and when strategized properly, can be very effective.
When it comes to financial terms of sports deals, very little information is available publicly. Primarily, neither the brokers nor sports clubs/personalities reveal the terms. Clubs collectively disclose their sponsorship earnings, and brands put them under marketing expenses. However, there are always industry expert estimations and leaked information.
To understand the costs of sports sponsorship deals, the anatomy of a sports deal must be known: How do these sponsorship deals work? What are the types of sports sponsorships? Or who is involved in closing these deals?
Types of Sports Deals
Sports sponsorships come in all shapes and sizes. A company can slap its branding on the players' jerseys, put its logo on the perimeter fence of the field, on the stadium's giant LEDs, and on every possible real estate with some visibility on cameras.
On the digital front, clubs can promote brokerage partners, and top players often directly endorse sponsor brands. Such promotions, though not top-tier deals, can be very effective: Real Madrid has 141 million followers on Instagram; FC Barcelona has 122 million; and Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have 67.3 million and 62.1 million, respectively. Other smaller football clubs also have tens of millions of social media followers. So, one branded post on these clubs' social media channels will attract the eyeballs of many football fans, mostly male, while retail traders are also predominantly male.
Many brokers are also tapping individual sports personalities. XTB is a prime example that has signed a former Spanish footballer, Iker Casillas, a UFC fighter, Conor McGregor and a few other martial arts celebrities as brand ambassadors. AvaTrade onboarded Usain Bolt, a famous track athlete and Olympic gold medalist. McGregor, Casillas, and Bolt now have 46.5 million, 20 million, and 12.6 million Instagram followers, respectively. Their branded posts would directly hit the eye of their fans and followers.
Also, there is exclusivity in these sports sponsorship deals. While there can only be one main shirt sponsor and one or two sleeve sponsors, some brokers become exclusive online trading partners of the sports teams.
"From a brand perspective, if it is an exclusive online trading partner, there can't be any other online trading partner. If you have global exclusivity, you, as a brand, are the only online trading partner of that club," explained Maximilian Schindler, a Senior Director at Sportfive, a sports marketing agency.
As already mentioned, brokers or sports clubs hardly reveal the financial terms of the deals. However, in more than a decade of such deals, the estimated costs are very clear. The range is wide and depends on factors like the popularity of the sports team and the type of the deal.
SportQuake CEO Matt House
"There's a massive range in the cost of sponsorship deals depending on the respective package and the rights procured as part of these deals. To give an extremely broad overview, packages range from $1 million for Global Partnership deals at top European challenger clubs to over $50 million for top-level, premium uniform positions at the Deloitte Money League's top clubs (e.g., Manchester United shirt sponsorship / Barcelona shirt sponsorship)," said Matt House, the CEO and Founder of SportQuake, a sports sponsorship agency specializing in football sponsorship.
Indeed, Emirates reportedly pays Real Madrid $50 million per year to remain its main shirt sponsor. Of course, Real Madrid is among the top European football clubs, and its sponsorship deal always costs a fortune. According to SportQuake, online brokers spent $125 million on football deals in the 2020-21 season.
Among the brokers, Plus500, which was initially the back-of-shirt sponsor and then the main shirt sponsor of Athletico Madrid, has spent about $13 million on offline advertising during 2017, according to its annual report, most of which probably went to the Spanish football club's pocket. According to other sources, the online trading platform paid approximately €17 million ($16.7 million) yearly to Athletico as the main shirt sponsor when the club competed in the top-tier European league.
Maximilian Schindler, Senior Director at Sportfive
Though the Plus500-Athletico deal looks expensive, Sportfive's Schindler argues it's still cost-efficient. "You just reach out to billions of billions of people, but still, compared to TV commercials, if you want to reach out to the same amount of people, it's cheaper. TV commercials of that scale would cost ten times more than such sports sponsorships. So it's always a very cost-efficient tool," he said.
The marketing budget of the Polish broker, XTB, which has signed several brand ambassadors, including UFC star McGregor and legendary Spanish goalie Casillas, went up to $25.1 million in 2022 from $7.9 million in the previous year. The multi-year agreement with McGregor will reportedly cost the broker tens of millions.
Of course, the money involved in sports deals depends on many things. The size and costs of sports sponsorships depend on the assets within the partnership (besides the club or event).
Schindler explained that some of the questions asked while fixing the price are: "Are LED boards included? Do you have cam carpets? What kind of social media appearances can you acquire? Do you have player appearances? What kind of hospitality package do you have?"
Oliver Kent, ZK Sports Founder and CEO
Deals in other globally popular spots also come at a premium price. The entry cost in F1 sponsorship starts from about $500,000, according to ZK Sports Founder and CEO, Oliver Kent, and that excludes the top three or four teams. Because of the high costs, the F1 teams allow shot duration sponsorships for one to three games in a "specific geographical audience that is important to that company."
Meanwhile, many brokers that sponsored football teams before are now promoting their brand with other niche sports. One example is ICM.com: it previously supported Fulham FC, Newcastle United FC, Nottingham Forest FC, and other deals in cycling and Formula One. The broker is currently the sponsor of the England Polo Team and the France SailGP team.
Shoaib Abedi, ICM.com's Founder and CEO
"As part of our dynamic growth strategy, we have decided to venture into new territories and expand our global reach. By diversifying our partnerships, we aim to increase exposure and tap into new market segments across the globe, beyond the realm of football," said ICM.com's Founder and CEO, Shoaib Abedi.
BDSwiss' CEO of the Middle East, Daniel Takieddine, agrees with this strategy, saying: "Niche sports like golf have less competition, an affluent demographic, and help with the brand association, in addition to networking opportunities – while I believe that these huge football deals that can cost millions of dollars could have this money spent in a more diverse and strategic way."
Daniel Takieddine, BDSwiss' Middle East CEO
The Crypto Boom
With the boom in the crypto industry over the past few years, deep-pocket crypto companies are showering money on sports. Crypto.com, a cryptocurrency exchange, has bought the naming rights of an indoor sports arena in Los Angeles and also the Miami Formula One Grand Prix. According to multiple reports, Crypto.com agreed to pay $700 million over 20 years for the LA stadium naming rights and spent another $100 million on the F1 team. Apart from these two prized sponsorships, Crypto.com inked several other sports deals.
Another company that matched Crypto.com in sports spending is the now-bankrupt FTX. The collapsed crypto exchange spent $135 million for the naming rights of the Miami Heat's home arena for 19 years, signed a $17.5 million deal to be the naming sponsor of UFC for ten years, sponsored MLB umpires' uniform, and Formula 1 racing team Mercedes-AMG Petronas. It also had endorsement partnerships with Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, Angels ace/slugger Shohei Ohtani and Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry. All of these deals collapsed overnight with the bankruptcy filing of the exchange last November.
However, the FTX fiasco did not stop other crypto companies from entering sports. The crypto exchange, OKX has signed a significant deal with Manchester City; Bitget is sponsoring Juventus; and Coinbase is backing Borussia Dortmund. Additionally, two top present day footballers are also endorsing crypto exchange: Christiano Ronaldo signed a deal with Binance; and Lionel Messi became the brand ambassador of Bidget. OKX first became the training kit sponsor of Manchester City, but recently extended its partnership to be the sleeve sponsor in a new three-year agreement for $70 million.
How Do Brokers Approach Clubs?
Now, the question remains, how does a broker approach a sports sponsorship? Usually, an agency is involved in the entire process of sports sponsorships. They typically represent the clubs and handle all aspects of the deal, including the negotiation.
Many agencies also become exclusive partners of football clubs. In Germany, if a brand is interested in a partnership with Borussia Dortmund, Sportfive (the football club's exclusive agency) will always be involved. Last year, UEFA appointed a Swiss sports marketing agency, Team Marketing, as its marketing and sales partner for competitions between 2024 and 2027.
However, agencies' involvement may differ slightly in other countries or leagues where exclusive partnerships between agencies and clubs/associations are rare. Previously, popular clubs like Chelsea and Athletico Madrid hired external agencies like Sportfive to sell their most exclusive rights on a single mandate basis.
Another important aspect of sports sponsorship is due diligence, especially when closing deals with financial services companies. Multiple sports agencies which Finance Magnates talked to confirmed that for European partnerships, sports team representatives first check the license of brokers. Then, the due diligence process involves Googling the brand, checking the experiences of the users, and verifying the background of the management team. The last step is asking for the financial reports to check if they're valid or almost bankrupt.
"There are many examples of brands that have either folded soon after a deal has been struck, not behaved appropriately during the sponsorship term, etc.," Kent declared. "There are also examples of where the Rights Holders are very strict on who they do and don't allow to become a commercial partner of their organization."
Schindler likewise pointed out that the arduous processes make it challenging for new brokers to ink a sports deal. "If a broker doesn't have recognition in the market as a brand, it's definitely a little harder for it to enter into such sponsorships," he said.
Should Brokers Spend a Fortune in Sports Deals?
Sports deals are costly, there is no doubt about that. Still, brokers are not shying away from partnering with sports teams, sometimes even with big-ticket clubs and players. However, the strategy is changing. Many brokers are now focused on promoting their brands with local clubs for their influence over a niche audience. These deals cost less, and when strategized properly, can be very effective.
Arnab Shome is an electronics engineer-turned-financial editor. He holds a Bachelor of Technology from the National Institute of Technology, Agartala. He entered the retail trading industry about a decade ago, covering the cryptocurrency market for Finance Magnates, and later expanded his coverage to include forex and CFDs as well.
His work at Finance Magnates includes C-level interviews, data-driven analysis, opinion pieces, and scoops of industry exclusives. He also contributes to Finance Magnates’ quarterly industry report.
Area of coverage:
1. CFD broker-related news
2. Industry-related Regulatory updates and developments
3. New retail trading trends
4. Prop trading industry updates
5. Executive interviews
Education:
Bachelor of Technology - National Institute of Technology, Agartala (India)
FXBO Adds IDWise KYC And AML Tools To Broker CRM Stack
Featured Videos
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
Regulation Roundup: Setup, Compliance, and Hidden Costs of Entry
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
As Singapore's capital-intensive requirements leave only a few retail brokers active in the city-state, there are many opportunities to be made in and around.
This session gathers regulators, advisors, and operators who have set up across multiple APAC jurisdictions to break down figures, what's working, what's breaking, and what's next.
Attendees will walk away with:
Survey of capital thresholds and other requirements across regions in APAC
Nuanced understanding of Singapore's role in the retail trading space
Glimpse into parallel developments in digital assets and RWA
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
Rails for Growth: 'Payments as Infrastructure' for Financial Superapps
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
For fintechs who try to capture the retail investment crowd, payments can be a game-changer from user experience to back-office plumbing.
This session brings together builders from across the payment ecosystem to examine how new rails are altering the way capital moves in APAC and beyond.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of how stablecoins, on-chain settlement, and tokenised money are being used in live institutional workflows today
Understanding of what MAS initiatives like Project Orchid and Project Bloom signal for the future of digital money in Singapore's capital markets
Insight into how mobile-first fund platforms and digital distribution channels are pulling payment infrastructure closer to the point of investment
Perspective on the compliance and custody challenges firms face when payments, trading, and settlement converge on the same rails
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
From Rewards to Retention: The 5 Loyalty Program Mistakes Brokers Need To Avoid (Case Study)
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Acquisition is getting more expensive. Most brokers already know that. The harder question is what happens after the client funds the account.
This session looks at how broker loyalty programmes are moving from “nice-to-have rewards” into a serious retention layer inside the client portal.
In this session, Desmond Leong, CEO of Returning.AI, will break down the practical mechanics behind high-performing broker loyalty programmes: what to reward, what not to reward, how onshore and offshore entities need different incentive structures, what belongs in the rewards store, and how brokers can recycle reward budgets back into trading value instead of letting them disappear as pure cost.
The talk will cover common mistakes brokers make when launching loyalty programmes, including copying retail-style rewards, ignoring jurisdictional constraints, over-relying on bonuses, failing to connect rewards to lifecycle stages, and measuring vanity engagement instead of retention, LTV, CAC payback, deposits, and active trading behaviour.
Attendees will leave with a clear do-and-don’t framework they can use to pressure-test their own loyalty strategy.
Why loyalty is no longer a “nice-to-have” marketing feature for brokers
The building blocks of any loyalty program and what they mean: points, tiers, missions, stores, leaderboards, boosters, and cashback-style mechanics
Understanding of how key regulators read loyalty incentives and where the compliance lines are
What should go in the rewards store, and what quietly destroys ROI
How trading credits, rebates, VIP perks, education, and service benefits can recycle value back into the brokerage
The 5 mistakes brokers should avoid when building or buying a loyalty programme
Real figures from a live deployment: what moved in daily activity, tier progression, and trader spend
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
Stablecoins from Experimentation to Implementation
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
With over $300 billion in stablecoins now in circulation and APAC regulators moving from frameworks to enforcement, the conversation has shifted.
Held in partnership with 8Circle, this session brings together the builders of new payment rails and the institutions putting them to work.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which stablecoin use cases have cleared proof of concept and are now operating at scale in APAC
Understanding of what the MAS Payment Services Act and Hong Kong's fiat stablecoin licensing regime mean for brokers and payment providers in practice
Insight into the infrastructure gaps firms most commonly underestimate before going live
Perspective on where the next wave of adoption is heading and what existing systems need to accommodate
Overfunded or Underregulated? The APAC Prop Trading Story
Overfunded or Underregulated? The APAC Prop Trading Story
Overfunded or Underregulated? The APAC Prop Trading Story
Overfunded or Underregulated? The APAC Prop Trading Story
Overfunded or Underregulated? The APAC Prop Trading Story
Overfunded or Underregulated? The APAC Prop Trading Story
APAC now accounts for nearly half of global prop firm sign-up growth, with emerging markets pulling away from established hubs. The pass rates, however, tell a different story.
This session brings together prop firms, regional brokers, and specialists to examine where the APAC growth story holds and where it doesn't.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which APAC markets are generating real funded trader volume versus registration noise, and why that gap matters more than the headline figures
Understanding of how mobile-first acquisition funnels and grey-market legacies complicate KYC, payout infrastructure, and regulatory standing across jurisdictions
Insight into how India, Vietnam, and Singapore are each handling the shift from offshore leverage workarounds to licensed operations
Perspective on whether the low-barrier, high-volume prop model can survive regional professionalization without hollowing out its core audience
APAC now accounts for nearly half of global prop firm sign-up growth, with emerging markets pulling away from established hubs. The pass rates, however, tell a different story.
This session brings together prop firms, regional brokers, and specialists to examine where the APAC growth story holds and where it doesn't.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which APAC markets are generating real funded trader volume versus registration noise, and why that gap matters more than the headline figures
Understanding of how mobile-first acquisition funnels and grey-market legacies complicate KYC, payout infrastructure, and regulatory standing across jurisdictions
Insight into how India, Vietnam, and Singapore are each handling the shift from offshore leverage workarounds to licensed operations
Perspective on whether the low-barrier, high-volume prop model can survive regional professionalization without hollowing out its core audience
APAC now accounts for nearly half of global prop firm sign-up growth, with emerging markets pulling away from established hubs. The pass rates, however, tell a different story.
This session brings together prop firms, regional brokers, and specialists to examine where the APAC growth story holds and where it doesn't.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which APAC markets are generating real funded trader volume versus registration noise, and why that gap matters more than the headline figures
Understanding of how mobile-first acquisition funnels and grey-market legacies complicate KYC, payout infrastructure, and regulatory standing across jurisdictions
Insight into how India, Vietnam, and Singapore are each handling the shift from offshore leverage workarounds to licensed operations
Perspective on whether the low-barrier, high-volume prop model can survive regional professionalization without hollowing out its core audience
APAC now accounts for nearly half of global prop firm sign-up growth, with emerging markets pulling away from established hubs. The pass rates, however, tell a different story.
This session brings together prop firms, regional brokers, and specialists to examine where the APAC growth story holds and where it doesn't.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which APAC markets are generating real funded trader volume versus registration noise, and why that gap matters more than the headline figures
Understanding of how mobile-first acquisition funnels and grey-market legacies complicate KYC, payout infrastructure, and regulatory standing across jurisdictions
Insight into how India, Vietnam, and Singapore are each handling the shift from offshore leverage workarounds to licensed operations
Perspective on whether the low-barrier, high-volume prop model can survive regional professionalization without hollowing out its core audience
APAC now accounts for nearly half of global prop firm sign-up growth, with emerging markets pulling away from established hubs. The pass rates, however, tell a different story.
This session brings together prop firms, regional brokers, and specialists to examine where the APAC growth story holds and where it doesn't.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which APAC markets are generating real funded trader volume versus registration noise, and why that gap matters more than the headline figures
Understanding of how mobile-first acquisition funnels and grey-market legacies complicate KYC, payout infrastructure, and regulatory standing across jurisdictions
Insight into how India, Vietnam, and Singapore are each handling the shift from offshore leverage workarounds to licensed operations
Perspective on whether the low-barrier, high-volume prop model can survive regional professionalization without hollowing out its core audience
APAC now accounts for nearly half of global prop firm sign-up growth, with emerging markets pulling away from established hubs. The pass rates, however, tell a different story.
This session brings together prop firms, regional brokers, and specialists to examine where the APAC growth story holds and where it doesn't.
Attendees will walk away with:
A clear view of which APAC markets are generating real funded trader volume versus registration noise, and why that gap matters more than the headline figures
Understanding of how mobile-first acquisition funnels and grey-market legacies complicate KYC, payout infrastructure, and regulatory standing across jurisdictions
Insight into how India, Vietnam, and Singapore are each handling the shift from offshore leverage workarounds to licensed operations
Perspective on whether the low-barrier, high-volume prop model can survive regional professionalization without hollowing out its core audience
