Weekly Update: CFD Industry Exceeds 5M Accounts, Plus500 Eyes Further US Expansion

CFD Industry Exceeds 5 Million Accounts

Starting off our weekly news round-up, we highlight a key milestone in the CFD space. Last year, the industry posted strong results as the market continued to expand, though primarily in developing countries, as the EU and Australian markets are already saturated.

According to the latest Finance Magnates Quarterly Intelligence Report, the fourth quarter also marked a breakthrough in key metrics. The total number of active accounts across the industry has surpassed 5 million. As our Intelligence Report highlights, XTB leads among brokers in Q4 2024, with 555,000 active accounts.

However, it is important to note that the numbers reported by the Polish broker also include non-CFD accounts, as the company does not disclose detailed figures for CFD accounts alone.

Plus500's Number of New Users Surges 2024

Meanwhile, Plus500 released its full-year results for 2024, highlighting revenue of $768.3 million, a 6% increase from the previous year. The firm disclosed new shareholder returns totaling $200 million. The financial services provider saw an expansion in its customer base, with new customer numbers increasing to 118,010, up 30% from 2023.

The company's annual financial report indicates an EBITDA of $342.3 million with a 45% margin, compared to 47% in 2023. Earnings per share reached $3.57, representing a 13% increase from the previous year. This confirms the trading update published in the first half of January, where the company stated that its revenue and EBITDA had exceeded “market expectations.”

At the same time, the broker is eying further expansion in North America and Asia. Plus500 entered the United States futures market in 2021, and the region has now become “strategically important” and “represents a multi-year growth opportunity.” The Israeli broker also expects “a sizeable earnings opportunity [in the US] in the medium to long-term for both the B2B and B2C businesses.”

oneZero Acquires Autochartist

Still with the retail trading space, the trading technology provider oneZero Financial Systems announced its acquisition of Autochartist, a market analytics firm specializing in automated financial content generation, this week.

“The acquisition of Autochartist represents a significant milestone for oneZero,” said Andrew Ralich, CEO and Co-Founder of oneZero. “It underscores our commitment to delivering industry-first technology solutions, powered by data intelligence, that deliver unique value for our clients and foster loyalty with their customers.”

XTB Obtains License in Latin America

Also expanding its reach, XTB obtained a securities agent license from Chile's Financial Market Commission. The approval allows the Warsaw-listed financial technology to offer Chilean investors access to international stocks, ETFs, and derivatives through its digital trading platform.

The company expects to begin onboarding its first Chilean clients within the first half of 2025. The move comes as XTB, which currently serves over 1.36 million customers globally, seeks to expand beyond its European core markets.

Doo Group Expands in Cyprus

Elsewhere, Doo Group, which obtained a Cyprus license late last year, opened a new office in Limassol, the financial hub of the Mediterranean island. This appears to be the broker's second office on the island, as the address differs from the one registered with the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).

The broker also highlighted that about 80 employees are working from this new office space. Doo Group obtained the Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) license last September, according to the regulatory register, but announced it publicly in November.

Recently, Doo posted its lowest monthly trading volume since June 2024, with January figures reaching $107.01 billion. The results were attributed to seasonal factors and market adjustments that impacted trading activity, including Donald Trump's return to the Oval Office.

Brokers Focus More on Enhancing Services in Low Volatile Market

Low market volatility might not be a great environment for FX brokers, but for reasons relating to cost and risk, in particular, they almost unanimously reject the suggestion that the answer is simply to offer more exotic products.

Currency volatility has increased over the last six months. The Deutsche Bank Currency Volatility Index started this week at 8.16, compared to 5.97 in early July 2024. But traders will no doubt be looking back fondly to the 12-month period from April 2022 when the index reached the heady heights of 13.44.

“The Knee on Crypto's Neck is Lifting”: Michael Hidden Road's Higgins

This week, we also spoke to Michael Higgins, International CEO of Hidden Road, on crypto regulations. “The crypto industry has been held back by regulatory ambiguity, with a knee on its neck for the last four years. But that's about to change,” declares Michael Higgins, International CEO of Hidden Road, in an interview with Finance Magnates.

BIG BREAKING 🤯 🤯 🤯 🤯 🤯 🤯

🇪🇺👀 Ten firms are currently approved to issue stablecoins in the EU under the supranational organization’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulatory framework — Tether is left out.🤣 #XRP $RLUSD Could Grow Because Tether Isn’t Allowed in EU’s… pic.twitter.com/9InnPKKjwc

— 𝕏aif🇮🇳|🇺🇸 (@Xaif_Crypto) February 20, 2025

The multi-asset prime broker and clearing firm recently secured a license under Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation in the Netherlands, marking a significant step in its strategy to establish regulated infrastructure for institutional crypto trading globally.

BitGo Expands Support for Institutions

Still, with the crypto exchanges, BitGo, known for offering crypto custody solutions, expanded its services with the launch of an over-the-counter (OTC) trading desk specifically targeting institutions to trade cryptocurrencies.

Interestingly, the platform revealed that it has been operating the OTC desk in stealth since early 2024 and has already processed “billions in trading volume.” It has also built a lending book of over $150 million. The OTC desk offers around-the-clock service and lists more than 250 digital assets. It also provides trading services with both spot and derivative instruments, along with lending services and yield-generating products.

We're formally unveiling @BitGo's OTC Trading desk, which offers 24/7 spot, derivative and lending liquidity to all of our institutional clients globally.

Our edge: Trade while your assets remain in segregated qualified custody and post-trade settle. No "prefunding" required. https://t.co/CyEKm2TTo2

— Matt Ballensweig (@mtballensweig) February 18, 2025

Robinhood Expands to Asia

Also expanding geographically: Robinhood is targeting the Asian market, now setting its sights on Singapore as a base for its activities in the region. The trading platform plans to introduce crypto products in the country once it finalizes its $200 million acquisition of crypto exchange Bitstamp, a deal that was announced last year, Bloomberg reported.

The fintech giant’s acquisition of Bitstamp isn’t just about growth but could be a strategic move to secure crucial regulatory licenses. Bitstamp obtained an in-principle license from the Monetary Authority of Singapore last year, which positions it to obtain a full Major Payment Institution license.

CySEC Approves eToro's European Arm

eToro, a global trading and investing platform, announced that its European subsidiary, eToro (Europe) Ltd, was granted a permit by the Cyprus Securities Exchange Commission (CySEC). This new permit allows eToro to operate within the legal framework of Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), which regulates the crypto market and provides a clear set of rules for trading cryptocurrencies.

"We welcome the introduction of MiCA and are proud that with the permit granted by CySEC, we are able to provide cryptoasset services to our users across the EU. We believe that the regulatory clarity and uniform market rules provided by MiCA will foster greater crypto adoption across Europe while ensuring consumers are fully aware of any associated risks," Avi Sela, Chief Operating Officer of regulation at eToro, said.

Solana and XRP Prices Plunged This Week

Lastly, market turbulence hits Solana and XRP as scandals and regulatory uncertainties shake investor confidence. Solana (SOL) has had a rough start to 2025, plunging more than 40% in just a month. What is the primary driver behind this decline? A perfect storm of political scandals, market sell-offs, and the lingering volatility of meme coins.

Pi Network's Open Mainnet is live, allowing external trading of Pi Coin; major exchanges are listing it, but skepticism persists due to transparency issues. Major players like OKX and Bitget have already jumped on the bandwagon, listing Pi Coin and offering enticing promotions to woo traders. As Pi Coin steps into the limelight, potential investors are urged to conduct due diligence before investing.