Finance Magnates recently interviewed 26 Degrees’ Group CCO, James Alexander, to learn about the demand for Pairs CFDs.
“The Japanese market specifically has shown a keen interest and is a strategic focus for us.”
A cake box with 26 Degrees branding at the rebranding launch party, Photo: 26 Degrees
“Currently, over 20% of our global brokerage client base is either offering or in the process of releasing Pairs CFDs,” said 26 Degrees’ Group Chief Commercial Officer, James Alexander, to Finance Magnates following his company’s recent launch of Gold Pairs CFDs. He added: “That’s a significant number, and we expect it to become even more prominent in 2025 and beyond.”
“We Expect to See Demand Continue to Grow”
Alexander compared the demand for these instruments to the roll-out of Equity CFDs via API in 2017 and 2018. “Back then, very few broker clients offered Equity CFDs; now, the vast majority of major brokers have some form of Equity CFD offering,” he said. “In our opinion, Pairs CFDs will be no different.”
James Alexander, 26 Degrees’ Group Chief Commercial Officer
26 Degrees, previously known as Invast Global, launched Pairs CFDs last July, enabling the trading of index vs. index, commodity vs. commodity, or equity vs. equity, similar to forex pairs. Although the concept of such an instrument was not new, it was the first company to launch it.
“Interest since we launched Pairs CFDs has been strong, and we expect demand to keep growing as more brokers understand the simplicity of Pairs and bring this unique product to market for their own clients,” Alexander commented.
“Any initial hesitation around the introduction of Pairs as a new product quickly fades once the simplicity, benefits, and implementation process are clearly laid out—a process we’ve already guided many brokers through,” he added.
“The US 100 vs Japan 225 Has Been the Most Popular”
According to 26 Degrees, these new products provide traders with a simpler and more efficient trading experience than traditional instruments, featuring a single price ratio between the two assets. This ratio adjusts according to changes in the assets’ prices, allowing traders to manage risk through a single trade rather than two separate positions.
Additionally, these Pairs CFDs can be structured to increase or reduce volatility, depending on the instruments' correlation. According to the company, they also offer greater margin efficiency than trading each asset separately with two positions.
Revealing the most popular Pairs, Alexander said: “Among the Indices-focused Pairs, the US 100 vs Japan 225 has been the most popular, while on the Equity CFD Pairs side, Nvidia vs Oracle has attracted the most trader interest. Given the recent volatility in both the Japanese Index and Nvidia over recent months, it is unsurprising that these two Pairs have taken the top spots.”
“Since we first began discussing Pairs CFDs with clients, we’ve seen strong interest in Gold-related pairs, which has only intensified with Gold’s recent rally,” added Alexander. “We are expecting a lot of interest in the newly released US 100 vs XAU Pair with the upcoming U.S. election, so these rankings may shift in the coming weeks.”
Notably, Gold has consistently been one of the top-traded instruments. Alexander also highlighted that his company is “seeing continued growth in Equity Index volumes globally,” and the new Gold Pairs CFDs will combine these assets.
“The Retail Market in Japan Is Expanding”
Elaborating on the geographical demand for Pairs CFDs, Alexander said: “The Japanese market specifically has shown a keen interest and is a strategic focus for us.” He added: “This is evident with the number of Pairs we offer against the Japan 225 Index and, more recently, the Japan 2000 Index in Osaka.”
“The retail market in Japan is expanding to include a much broader range of instruments and asset classes,” he continued. “Although USD/JPY remains a dominant focus for traders in Japan (much like XAU does globally), we feel that a broader diversification of available instruments is hugely beneficial for both traders and the brokers that serve them.”
“Interestingly, we’ve noticed distinct regional preferences for certain types of Pairs,” he explained. “For instance, Japanese brokers have shown a keen interest in Index CFD Pairs, brokers in APAC have shown a stronger focus on Equity CFD Pairs, and Commodity Pairs, particularly those focused on Oil, are especially popular among brokers in the MENA region.”
Meanwhile, Finance Magnates earlier reported that 26 Degrees is considering to surrender its regulatory license in Cyprus. However, it is planning to keep its Limassol office open as a supporting branch for its international activities.
“Currently, over 20% of our global brokerage client base is either offering or in the process of releasing Pairs CFDs,” said 26 Degrees’ Group Chief Commercial Officer, James Alexander, to Finance Magnates following his company’s recent launch of Gold Pairs CFDs. He added: “That’s a significant number, and we expect it to become even more prominent in 2025 and beyond.”
“We Expect to See Demand Continue to Grow”
Alexander compared the demand for these instruments to the roll-out of Equity CFDs via API in 2017 and 2018. “Back then, very few broker clients offered Equity CFDs; now, the vast majority of major brokers have some form of Equity CFD offering,” he said. “In our opinion, Pairs CFDs will be no different.”
James Alexander, 26 Degrees’ Group Chief Commercial Officer
26 Degrees, previously known as Invast Global, launched Pairs CFDs last July, enabling the trading of index vs. index, commodity vs. commodity, or equity vs. equity, similar to forex pairs. Although the concept of such an instrument was not new, it was the first company to launch it.
“Interest since we launched Pairs CFDs has been strong, and we expect demand to keep growing as more brokers understand the simplicity of Pairs and bring this unique product to market for their own clients,” Alexander commented.
“Any initial hesitation around the introduction of Pairs as a new product quickly fades once the simplicity, benefits, and implementation process are clearly laid out—a process we’ve already guided many brokers through,” he added.
“The US 100 vs Japan 225 Has Been the Most Popular”
According to 26 Degrees, these new products provide traders with a simpler and more efficient trading experience than traditional instruments, featuring a single price ratio between the two assets. This ratio adjusts according to changes in the assets’ prices, allowing traders to manage risk through a single trade rather than two separate positions.
Additionally, these Pairs CFDs can be structured to increase or reduce volatility, depending on the instruments' correlation. According to the company, they also offer greater margin efficiency than trading each asset separately with two positions.
Revealing the most popular Pairs, Alexander said: “Among the Indices-focused Pairs, the US 100 vs Japan 225 has been the most popular, while on the Equity CFD Pairs side, Nvidia vs Oracle has attracted the most trader interest. Given the recent volatility in both the Japanese Index and Nvidia over recent months, it is unsurprising that these two Pairs have taken the top spots.”
“Since we first began discussing Pairs CFDs with clients, we’ve seen strong interest in Gold-related pairs, which has only intensified with Gold’s recent rally,” added Alexander. “We are expecting a lot of interest in the newly released US 100 vs XAU Pair with the upcoming U.S. election, so these rankings may shift in the coming weeks.”
Notably, Gold has consistently been one of the top-traded instruments. Alexander also highlighted that his company is “seeing continued growth in Equity Index volumes globally,” and the new Gold Pairs CFDs will combine these assets.
“The Retail Market in Japan Is Expanding”
Elaborating on the geographical demand for Pairs CFDs, Alexander said: “The Japanese market specifically has shown a keen interest and is a strategic focus for us.” He added: “This is evident with the number of Pairs we offer against the Japan 225 Index and, more recently, the Japan 2000 Index in Osaka.”
“The retail market in Japan is expanding to include a much broader range of instruments and asset classes,” he continued. “Although USD/JPY remains a dominant focus for traders in Japan (much like XAU does globally), we feel that a broader diversification of available instruments is hugely beneficial for both traders and the brokers that serve them.”
“Interestingly, we’ve noticed distinct regional preferences for certain types of Pairs,” he explained. “For instance, Japanese brokers have shown a keen interest in Index CFD Pairs, brokers in APAC have shown a stronger focus on Equity CFD Pairs, and Commodity Pairs, particularly those focused on Oil, are especially popular among brokers in the MENA region.”
Meanwhile, Finance Magnates earlier reported that 26 Degrees is considering to surrender its regulatory license in Cyprus. However, it is planning to keep its Limassol office open as a supporting branch for its international activities.
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)
MetaTrader 5 Brokers Gain Direct Access to Vantage Liquidity via MetaQuotes’ Ultency
FP Markets Winner Spotlight 🏆 | Global Broker of the Year 2025 #Trading #Broker #Innovation #Shorts
FP Markets Winner Spotlight 🏆 | Global Broker of the Year 2025 #Trading #Broker #Innovation #Shorts
FP Markets takes the spotlight as Global Broker of the Year 2025 at the Finance Magnates Awards.
Martin Stoilov, Head of Client Experience, shares that trust, innovation, and people played a key role in the company’s success, supported by a strong foundation of integrity and client-centricity.
Following this milestone, FP Markets continues to focus on growth, technology investment, and its core values of transparency and excellence.
👉 Be part of FM Awards 2026: https://awards.financemagnates.com/#nominate
FP Markets takes the spotlight as Global Broker of the Year 2025 at the Finance Magnates Awards.
Martin Stoilov, Head of Client Experience, shares that trust, innovation, and people played a key role in the company’s success, supported by a strong foundation of integrity and client-centricity.
Following this milestone, FP Markets continues to focus on growth, technology investment, and its core values of transparency and excellence.
👉 Be part of FM Awards 2026: https://awards.financemagnates.com/#nominate
In this video, we review @HolaPrimeMarketsOfficial, a multi-asset forex and CFDs broker offering different account types, trading platforms, and flexible trading conditions.
We cover the broker’s overall offering, including account options, trading environment, platforms like MT4 and MT5, and additional services such as managed accounts and fast withdrawals.
Watch the full video to see if Hola Prime Markets fits your trading needs.
📣 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
#HolaPrime #ForexBroker #CFDTrading #FinanceMagnates #Trading #Forex #BrokerReview
In this video, we review @HolaPrimeMarketsOfficial, a multi-asset forex and CFDs broker offering different account types, trading platforms, and flexible trading conditions.
We cover the broker’s overall offering, including account options, trading environment, platforms like MT4 and MT5, and additional services such as managed accounts and fast withdrawals.
Watch the full video to see if Hola Prime Markets fits your trading needs.
📣 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
#HolaPrime #ForexBroker #CFDTrading #FinanceMagnates #Trading #Forex #BrokerReview
Hola Prime Review: What You Need to Know | Full Breakdown by Finance Magnates
Hola Prime Review: What You Need to Know | Full Breakdown by Finance Magnates
In this video, we review @HolaPrime_Global, a proprietary trading firm offering evaluation programs and performance-based payouts in simulated market environments.
We cover how the challenge model works, including account types, profit splits (up to 95%), trading rules, and what it takes to reach a funded account. You’ll also learn about available platforms like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and more, along with insights into payouts, support, and trading conditions.
Watch the full video to see if Hola Prime fits your trading style.
📣 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
#HolaPrime #PropFirm #Trading #FinanceMagnates #Forex #FuturesTrading #TradingReview #PropFirmReview
In this video, we review @HolaPrime_Global, a proprietary trading firm offering evaluation programs and performance-based payouts in simulated market environments.
We cover how the challenge model works, including account types, profit splits (up to 95%), trading rules, and what it takes to reach a funded account. You’ll also learn about available platforms like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and more, along with insights into payouts, support, and trading conditions.
Watch the full video to see if Hola Prime fits your trading style.
📣 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
#HolaPrime #PropFirm #Trading #FinanceMagnates #Forex #FuturesTrading #TradingReview #PropFirmReview
Axi Winner Spotlight 🏆 | Global Most Innovative Broker 2025 #Innovation #Trading #Fintech #Broker
Axi Winner Spotlight 🏆 | Global Most Innovative Broker 2025 #Innovation #Trading #Fintech #Broker
Axi takes the spotlight at the Finance Magnates Awards, winning Global Most Innovative Broker 2025.
Olivia Xenofontos and Ivanna Openko share how the team will feel: proud, motivated, and ready to keep delivering.
They also describe the night as well-organized, focused, and enjoyable for all.
👉 Be part of FM Awards 2026.
Axi takes the spotlight at the Finance Magnates Awards, winning Global Most Innovative Broker 2025.
Olivia Xenofontos and Ivanna Openko share how the team will feel: proud, motivated, and ready to keep delivering.
They also describe the night as well-organized, focused, and enjoyable for all.
👉 Be part of FM Awards 2026.
Recognition that matters.
Built on transparency.
Driven by the industry.
The Finance Magnates Awards 2026.
Nominations are now open.
🔗 https://awards.financemagnates.com/?utm_source=SM&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=recognition-matters
Recognition that matters.
Built on transparency.
Driven by the industry.
The Finance Magnates Awards 2026.
Nominations are now open.
🔗 https://awards.financemagnates.com/?utm_source=SM&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=recognition-matters