275,000 Britons placed one or more leverage trades (up 92% from pre-pandemic levels)
The average UK CFD traders credited over $7,000 to their account each month
The City of London is not only the heart of European Finance but also global finance. London on the map of the Forex market is one of the most important hubs, which every day processes transactions worth trillions of pounds. In addition to the thriving professional industry, retail trading is developing very actively, mainly based on Contracts for Difference (CFDs).
The UK is the birthplace of spread-betting (a leveraged product very similar to CFDs). Last year around 275,000 people traded at least one of these instruments in the UK, putting the UK at the forefront of the retail industry.
Finance Magnates Intelligence has x-rayed the local market, looking at investor structure, average deposits flowing into accounts and the most prominent operating brokers.
The UK Is the World's 5th Largest Economy
Great Britain is the fifth-largest national economy in the world measured by nominal gross domestic product (GDP), constituting 3.3% of world GDP. The UK is also one of the world's top five exporters.
Historical fun fact: In the 18th century, Great Britain was the first country to start the process of industrialization. Thanks to the expansive growth of its colonial empire, it accounted for 10% of global GDP at that time.
Just as the UK economy is one of the largest globally, the national currency, the pound sterling, is one of the most important reserve currencies. It is second only to the US dollar, the euro, and the Japanese yen.
According to the Bank of England's latest triennial report on the FX market, daily foreign exchange trading volumes in London stood at $2.41 trillion in April 2020. A similar report published a year earlier by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) showed that London and the UK as a whole was (like in previous years) the most important foreign exchange centre in the world, clearly ahead of the US, Hong Kong and Singapore, among others.
*Because two currencies are involved in each transaction, the sum of the percentage shares of individual currencies totals 200 instead of 100 per cent.
FCA: One of the Most Important Regulators in the FX and CFD Industry
Did you know that one of the first central banks was opened in the UK (the Bank of England)? The islanders have a very long tradition regarding legislation and regulation of financial markets. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is responsible for regulating the retail derivatives industry, among other things, was created based on their tradition.
Although the FCA was only established in 2013, it draws on a long-standing tradition of the Financial Services Authority (FSA). It is currently responsible for regulating around 51,000 financial firms operating in the UK. Among them are many retail brokers that represent the top of the FX/CFD industry in retail volumes.
275,000 Traders after Pandemic. UK Is the Largest CFD Market in Europe
Lorenzo Vignati
The UK leverage trading market has grown the most over the past 12 months, reclaiming its position as the largest surveyed by Investment Trends. According to Lorenzo Vignati, Associate Research Director at the company, the 12 months to May 2021 saw 275,000 Britons place one or more leverage trades (up 92% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019).
The average UK trader is 44 years old, but newer markets attract younger investors. As a result, the average is moving towards the mid-30s.
"Globally, we see that UK and German traders tend to be the most inclined to trade a wide range of underlying instruments (3.5 on average). Even before the oil prices rose to the highest level since 2012, 52% of traders in the UK already had exposure to commodities through their spread bets or CFD trades. The recent crisis and market instability could result in key drivers for strong participation," Vignati added.
These figures are confirmed by Alayna Francis, Global Head of Media Relations at IG Group. Currently, the broker has a global client base of 400,000, which is a significant increase from the 178,500 it reported in fiscal 2019. The group's latest financial report, presenting preliminary results for H1 of FY22, shows that in the aggregate, the UK market dominated the company's business. Both in terms of the number of customers and revenue generated.
Alayna Francis, Global Head of Media Relations at IG Group
Alayna Francis says Brexit has not had a more apparent impact on changing the UK's FX and CFD industry landscape. However, the covid-19 pandemic had a clear effect on everyday trading activity.
"We believe the pandemic was an accelerator of the existing trends of use of online trading and self-directed investing. The market has doubled in size in the last two years due to several factors related to the pandemic: market volatility, working from home, constant news flow and increasing access to market information and news," Francis commented.
Michael Hewson, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets
Finance
Magnates also spoke to CMC Markets Chief Analyst Michael Hewson. As he states, "The
pandemic saw a surge in interest in trading across the board, not just in FX,
but across asset class, as low interest rates and furlough money prompted a
surge of interest in DIY investing and trading.”
“Trading
activity generally increases when volatility starts to rise as clients take
advantage of the big swings in price action which opens new trading
opportunities. This has resulted in increased trading activity,” Hewson added, referring
to the armed conflict in Ukraine.
$7 Thousand a Month. This Is the Average Amount Deposited by the UK CFD Traders
Data released by cPattern shows that in 2021 (data available for January to November), the average UK CFD traders credited over $7,000 to their account each month. During the same period, the average withdrawal was almost half that amount at $3,800.
Additionally, a first-time deposit (FTD) is high, with over $1,000 for the reported period. This is similar to another highly developed retail CFD market, Australia. Only novice traders from Singapore are spending more. In their case, the FDT last year ranked at $1,700.
The data distribution for individual months does not indicate any clear seasonality in terms of average deposits and withdrawals. Over consecutive months the values were very close to each other. The median confirms this for monthly deposits and withdrawals, which amounted to $7,300 and $3,500, respectively.
However, a more significant divergence can be seen in the FTD metric. Median stood clearly below the average for the period from January to November 2021 at $700.
The City of London is not only the heart of European Finance but also global finance. London on the map of the Forex market is one of the most important hubs, which every day processes transactions worth trillions of pounds. In addition to the thriving professional industry, retail trading is developing very actively, mainly based on Contracts for Difference (CFDs).
The UK is the birthplace of spread-betting (a leveraged product very similar to CFDs). Last year around 275,000 people traded at least one of these instruments in the UK, putting the UK at the forefront of the retail industry.
Finance Magnates Intelligence has x-rayed the local market, looking at investor structure, average deposits flowing into accounts and the most prominent operating brokers.
The UK Is the World's 5th Largest Economy
Great Britain is the fifth-largest national economy in the world measured by nominal gross domestic product (GDP), constituting 3.3% of world GDP. The UK is also one of the world's top five exporters.
Historical fun fact: In the 18th century, Great Britain was the first country to start the process of industrialization. Thanks to the expansive growth of its colonial empire, it accounted for 10% of global GDP at that time.
Just as the UK economy is one of the largest globally, the national currency, the pound sterling, is one of the most important reserve currencies. It is second only to the US dollar, the euro, and the Japanese yen.
According to the Bank of England's latest triennial report on the FX market, daily foreign exchange trading volumes in London stood at $2.41 trillion in April 2020. A similar report published a year earlier by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) showed that London and the UK as a whole was (like in previous years) the most important foreign exchange centre in the world, clearly ahead of the US, Hong Kong and Singapore, among others.
*Because two currencies are involved in each transaction, the sum of the percentage shares of individual currencies totals 200 instead of 100 per cent.
FCA: One of the Most Important Regulators in the FX and CFD Industry
Did you know that one of the first central banks was opened in the UK (the Bank of England)? The islanders have a very long tradition regarding legislation and regulation of financial markets. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is responsible for regulating the retail derivatives industry, among other things, was created based on their tradition.
Although the FCA was only established in 2013, it draws on a long-standing tradition of the Financial Services Authority (FSA). It is currently responsible for regulating around 51,000 financial firms operating in the UK. Among them are many retail brokers that represent the top of the FX/CFD industry in retail volumes.
275,000 Traders after Pandemic. UK Is the Largest CFD Market in Europe
Lorenzo Vignati
The UK leverage trading market has grown the most over the past 12 months, reclaiming its position as the largest surveyed by Investment Trends. According to Lorenzo Vignati, Associate Research Director at the company, the 12 months to May 2021 saw 275,000 Britons place one or more leverage trades (up 92% from pre-pandemic levels in 2019).
The average UK trader is 44 years old, but newer markets attract younger investors. As a result, the average is moving towards the mid-30s.
"Globally, we see that UK and German traders tend to be the most inclined to trade a wide range of underlying instruments (3.5 on average). Even before the oil prices rose to the highest level since 2012, 52% of traders in the UK already had exposure to commodities through their spread bets or CFD trades. The recent crisis and market instability could result in key drivers for strong participation," Vignati added.
These figures are confirmed by Alayna Francis, Global Head of Media Relations at IG Group. Currently, the broker has a global client base of 400,000, which is a significant increase from the 178,500 it reported in fiscal 2019. The group's latest financial report, presenting preliminary results for H1 of FY22, shows that in the aggregate, the UK market dominated the company's business. Both in terms of the number of customers and revenue generated.
Alayna Francis, Global Head of Media Relations at IG Group
Alayna Francis says Brexit has not had a more apparent impact on changing the UK's FX and CFD industry landscape. However, the covid-19 pandemic had a clear effect on everyday trading activity.
"We believe the pandemic was an accelerator of the existing trends of use of online trading and self-directed investing. The market has doubled in size in the last two years due to several factors related to the pandemic: market volatility, working from home, constant news flow and increasing access to market information and news," Francis commented.
Michael Hewson, Chief Market Analyst at CMC Markets
Finance
Magnates also spoke to CMC Markets Chief Analyst Michael Hewson. As he states, "The
pandemic saw a surge in interest in trading across the board, not just in FX,
but across asset class, as low interest rates and furlough money prompted a
surge of interest in DIY investing and trading.”
“Trading
activity generally increases when volatility starts to rise as clients take
advantage of the big swings in price action which opens new trading
opportunities. This has resulted in increased trading activity,” Hewson added, referring
to the armed conflict in Ukraine.
$7 Thousand a Month. This Is the Average Amount Deposited by the UK CFD Traders
Data released by cPattern shows that in 2021 (data available for January to November), the average UK CFD traders credited over $7,000 to their account each month. During the same period, the average withdrawal was almost half that amount at $3,800.
Additionally, a first-time deposit (FTD) is high, with over $1,000 for the reported period. This is similar to another highly developed retail CFD market, Australia. Only novice traders from Singapore are spending more. In their case, the FDT last year ranked at $1,700.
The data distribution for individual months does not indicate any clear seasonality in terms of average deposits and withdrawals. Over consecutive months the values were very close to each other. The median confirms this for monthly deposits and withdrawals, which amounted to $7,300 and $3,500, respectively.
However, a more significant divergence can be seen in the FTD metric. Median stood clearly below the average for the period from January to November 2021 at $700.
Damian's adventure with financial markets began at the Cracow University of Economics, where he obtained his MA in finance and accounting. Starting from the retail trader perspective, he collaborated with brokerage houses and financial portals in Poland as an independent editor and content manager. His adventure with Finance Magnates began in 2016, where he is working as a business intelligence analyst.
Virtu Financial’s Trading Income Jumps 34% in 2025 amid Market Volatility
Hannah Hill on Innovation, Branding & Award-Winning Technology | Executive Interview | AXI
Hannah Hill on Innovation, Branding & Award-Winning Technology | Executive Interview | AXI
Recorded live at FMLS:25, this executive interview features Hannah Hill, Head of Brand and Sponsorship at AXI, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following AXI’s win for Most Innovative Broker of the Year 2025.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Hannah shares insights on:
🔹What winning the Finance Magnates award means for AXI’s credibility and innovation
🔹How the launch of AXI Select, the capital allocation program, is redefining industry standards
🔹The development and rollout of the AXI trading app across multiple markets
🔹Driving brand evolution alongside technological advancements
🔹Encouraging and recognizing teams behind the scenes
🔹The role of marketing, content, and social media in building product awareness
Hannah explains why standout products, strategic branding, and a focus on innovation are key to growing visibility and staying ahead in a competitive brokerage landscape.
🏆 Award Highlight: Most Innovative Broker of the Year 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #MostInnovativeBroker #TradingTechnology #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview #AXI
Recorded live at FMLS:25, this executive interview features Hannah Hill, Head of Brand and Sponsorship at AXI, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following AXI’s win for Most Innovative Broker of the Year 2025.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Hannah shares insights on:
🔹What winning the Finance Magnates award means for AXI’s credibility and innovation
🔹How the launch of AXI Select, the capital allocation program, is redefining industry standards
🔹The development and rollout of the AXI trading app across multiple markets
🔹Driving brand evolution alongside technological advancements
🔹Encouraging and recognizing teams behind the scenes
🔹The role of marketing, content, and social media in building product awareness
Hannah explains why standout products, strategic branding, and a focus on innovation are key to growing visibility and staying ahead in a competitive brokerage landscape.
🏆 Award Highlight: Most Innovative Broker of the Year 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #MostInnovativeBroker #TradingTechnology #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview #AXI
Executive Interview | Dor Eligula | Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, BridgeWise | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Dor Eligula | Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer, BridgeWise | FMLS:25
In this session, Jonathan Fine form Ultimate Group speaks with Dor Eligula from Bridgewise, a fast-growing AI-powered research and analytics firm supporting brokers and exchanges worldwide.
We start with Dor’s reaction to the Summit and then move to broker growth and the quick wins brokers often overlook. Dor shares where he sees “blue ocean” growth across Asian markets and how local client behaviour shapes demand.
We also discuss the rollout of AI across investment research. Dor gives real examples of how automation and human judgment meet at Bridgewise — including moments when analysts corrected AI output, and times when AI prevented an error.
We close with a practical question: how retail investors can actually use AI without falling into common traps.
In this session, Jonathan Fine form Ultimate Group speaks with Dor Eligula from Bridgewise, a fast-growing AI-powered research and analytics firm supporting brokers and exchanges worldwide.
We start with Dor’s reaction to the Summit and then move to broker growth and the quick wins brokers often overlook. Dor shares where he sees “blue ocean” growth across Asian markets and how local client behaviour shapes demand.
We also discuss the rollout of AI across investment research. Dor gives real examples of how automation and human judgment meet at Bridgewise — including moments when analysts corrected AI output, and times when AI prevented an error.
We close with a practical question: how retail investors can actually use AI without falling into common traps.
Brendan Callan joined us fresh off the Summit’s most anticipated debate: “Is Prop Trading Good for the Industry?” Brendan argued against the motion — and the audience voted him the winner.
In this interview, Brendan explains the reasoning behind his position. He walks through the message he believes many firms avoid: that the current prop trading model is too dependent on fees, too loose on risk, and too confusing for retail audiences.
We discuss why he thinks the model grew fast, why it may run into walls, and what he believes is needed for a cleaner, more responsible version of prop trading.
This is Brendan at his frankest — sharp, grounded, and very clear about what changes are overdue.
Brendan Callan joined us fresh off the Summit’s most anticipated debate: “Is Prop Trading Good for the Industry?” Brendan argued against the motion — and the audience voted him the winner.
In this interview, Brendan explains the reasoning behind his position. He walks through the message he believes many firms avoid: that the current prop trading model is too dependent on fees, too loose on risk, and too confusing for retail audiences.
We discuss why he thinks the model grew fast, why it may run into walls, and what he believes is needed for a cleaner, more responsible version of prop trading.
This is Brendan at his frankest — sharp, grounded, and very clear about what changes are overdue.
Elina Pedersen on Growth, Stability & Ultra-Low Latency | Executive Interview | Your Bourse
Elina Pedersen on Growth, Stability & Ultra-Low Latency | Executive Interview | Your Bourse
Recorded live at FMLS:25 London, this executive interview features Elina Pedersen, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following her company’s win for Best Connectivity 2025.
🔹In this wide-ranging discussion, Elina shares insights on:
🔹What winning a Finance Magnates award means for credibility and reputation
🔹How broker demand for stability and reliability is driving rapid growth
🔹The launch of a new trade server enabling flexible front-end integrations
🔹Why ultra-low latency must be proven with data, not buzzwords
🔹Common mistakes brokers make when scaling globally
🔹Educating the industry through a newly launched Dealers Academy
🔹Where AI fits into trading infrastructure and where it doesn’t
Elina explains why resilient back-end infrastructure, deep client partnerships, and disciplined focus are critical for brokers looking to scale sustainably in today’s competitive market.
🏆 Award Highlight: Best Connectivity 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #BestConnectivity #TradingTechnology #UltraLowLatency #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview
Recorded live at FMLS:25 London, this executive interview features Elina Pedersen, in conversation with Finance Magnates, following her company’s win for Best Connectivity 2025.
🔹In this wide-ranging discussion, Elina shares insights on:
🔹What winning a Finance Magnates award means for credibility and reputation
🔹How broker demand for stability and reliability is driving rapid growth
🔹The launch of a new trade server enabling flexible front-end integrations
🔹Why ultra-low latency must be proven with data, not buzzwords
🔹Common mistakes brokers make when scaling globally
🔹Educating the industry through a newly launched Dealers Academy
🔹Where AI fits into trading infrastructure and where it doesn’t
Elina explains why resilient back-end infrastructure, deep client partnerships, and disciplined focus are critical for brokers looking to scale sustainably in today’s competitive market.
🏆 Award Highlight: Best Connectivity 2025
👉 Subscribe to Finance Magnates for more executive interviews, industry insights, and exclusive coverage from the world’s leading financial events.
#FMLS25 #FinanceMagnates #BestConnectivity #TradingTechnology #UltraLowLatency #FinTech #Brokerage #ExecutiveInterview
In this video, we take an in-depth look at @BlueberryMarketsForex , a forex and CFD broker operating since 2016, offering access to multiple trading platforms, over 1,000 instruments, and flexible account types for different trading styles.
We break down Blueberry’s regulatory structure, including its Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), as well as its authorisation and registrations in other jurisdictions. The review also covers supported platforms such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, Blueberry.X, and web-based trading.
You’ll learn about available instruments across forex, commodities, indices, share CFDs, and crypto CFDs, along with leverage options, minimum and maximum trade sizes, and how Blueberry structures its Standard and Raw accounts.
We also explain spreads, commissions, swap rates, swap-free account availability, funding and withdrawal methods, processing times, and what traders can expect from customer support and additional services.
Watch the full review to see whether Blueberry’s trading setup aligns with your experience level, strategy, and risk tolerance.
📣 Stay up to date with the latest in finance and trading. Follow Finance Magnates for industry news, insights, and global event coverage.
Connect with us:
🔗 LinkedIn: /financemagnates
👍 Facebook: /financemagnates
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financemagnates
🐦 X: https://x.com/financemagnates
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/financemagnates
▶️ YouTube: /@financemagnates_official
#Blueberry #BlueberryMarkets #BrokerReview #ForexBroker #CFDTrading #OnlineTrading #FinanceMagnates #TradingPlatforms #MarketInsights
In this video, we take an in-depth look at @BlueberryMarketsForex , a forex and CFD broker operating since 2016, offering access to multiple trading platforms, over 1,000 instruments, and flexible account types for different trading styles.
We break down Blueberry’s regulatory structure, including its Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), as well as its authorisation and registrations in other jurisdictions. The review also covers supported platforms such as MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, Blueberry.X, and web-based trading.
You’ll learn about available instruments across forex, commodities, indices, share CFDs, and crypto CFDs, along with leverage options, minimum and maximum trade sizes, and how Blueberry structures its Standard and Raw accounts.
We also explain spreads, commissions, swap rates, swap-free account availability, funding and withdrawal methods, processing times, and what traders can expect from customer support and additional services.
Watch the full review to see whether Blueberry’s trading setup aligns with your experience level, strategy, and risk tolerance.
📣 Stay up to date with the latest in finance and trading. Follow Finance Magnates for industry news, insights, and global event coverage.
Connect with us:
🔗 LinkedIn: /financemagnates
👍 Facebook: /financemagnates
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/financemagnates
🐦 X: https://x.com/financemagnates
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/tag/financemagnates
▶️ YouTube: /@financemagnates_official
#Blueberry #BlueberryMarkets #BrokerReview #ForexBroker #CFDTrading #OnlineTrading #FinanceMagnates #TradingPlatforms #MarketInsights
