If a device or platform is still making money, do we need to fix or change it?
Bloomberg
Everyone has heard the phrase 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it', basically meaning that if something is performing adequately, then there's no real reason to tweak it. Wise words, if we're talking about inventions like the hammer or the wheel, which are both simple enough to have reached some level of perfection in their design.
In my line of work, I've had the good fortune to experience the online trading industry from many perspectives. I've been on the client side as a trader. I've been the middleman shuttling clients between brokers. I've also gained intimate knowledge of the inner workings of online brokerages.
Finally, I've been able to bring all the things I've learned in these other roles to my current one as a technology and service provider. I believe that innovation is all about not waiting for something to break before improving on it. Don't misunderstand me though, it's not about newness for the sake of newness, either. It's about good timing and creating the conditions that attract a much larger customer base, regardless of what the industry is.
By Can: The Coca-Cola Jetijonez
When Coca-Cola brought New Coke to the market in 1985, it was the mother of all failures. But when Apple brought us the now iconic iPod back in 2001, it dominated even though the market was already flooded with excellent MP3 players. Why?
Because old Coke wasn't broke and it wasn't time to fix it and because the iPod did it better from both an aesthetic and user experience point of view. It caught the wave as the music industry was changing and it it made digital music as accessible to children as to their grandmothers.
Incidentally, Coca-Cola learned its lesson. Twenty years later Coke Zero came out after we had already re-evaluated our collective sugar intake as a culture, not just from a dieting point of view. Nowadays, how many people do you still see sipping from those old red cans?
Bringing Trading to the Masses
MT4 was such a landmark in online trading that almost everything to be released in its wake has been derivative of it in some way. How many platforms have you seen that look just like it? That function like a cheap copy of it?
In my experience, UX is a buzzword that gets thrown around conference tables with no reference to what those two letters are actually supposed to signify. When people in our industry talk about UX, what they really mean is just how it looks rather than connecting it to the user and their experience.
UX design is both an art and a science and if you look at some of the interfaces that have changed the world in the last decade or so (FaceBook-2004, YouTube-2005, Twitter-2006, the iPhone-2007), they have all succeeded because they were informed by deep understanding of users and their motivations. This is precisely what's not being done when it comes to the design of trading platforms.
Most people who learn to trade on MT4 don't ever want to use anything else. It's a tremendous achievement in software engineering, which has served as one of the pillars of our industry. So why change it? It's not broken right? No, I don't believe it is.
But MT4 was created for an entirely different kind of trader, not the kind that most brokerages are trying to target today and definitely not the kind that they're failing to retain. Online trading, like all of the four technologies mentioned above, has gone mainstream, but our trading platforms haven't.
What most newbie traders get is a platform that feels as though it was made for someone else, whether its MT4 or one of its derivatives. If anyone took the time to do some research before repeating the existing formula, they'd discover that most beginners feel completely daunted by the software that they're expected to trade on.
What's required now more than ever, is a re-imagining of the trading platform, not from the perspective of the Bloomberg Terminal, but from that of the app interface or from the idea of trading as a lifestyle product.
Bloomberg
It should provide the user with the support and confirmations that all of our other modern user interfaces do, whether it's our favorite social media venues or the home screens of our mobile devices. It should provide information, education, handy hints and suggestions, it should help us to connect the dots and it should somehow tie us to the broader trading community, even if social trading is not on the agenda.
Think about all the features of the interfaces you use every day. They may not seem earth-shattering to you anymore, but they contribute to why you use them. They serve to make you feel supported, understood and part of something bigger than yourself. Now ask yourself how many such features you offer to your traders. The LiveChat pop-up window on your homepage doesn't count.
In Conclusion
Why do most people use the filters and basic editing functions on their Instagram, rather than exporting their photos into Photoshop? Photoshop is way more powerful right? It's because those filters do the trick and make average snaps look pretty amazing. Why do iPads outsell gaming PCs? Aren't the latter superior machines?
Yes, by far, but our parents aren't going to learn to use them to look up their old friends now are they? I believe that our industry is maxing-out on the type of client for whom MT4 can be a gateway into the world of online trading. As with all mass adoption movements, there's a crowd of potential clients out there, who far outnumber our current customer bases, and who are just waiting for someone to make online trading speak to them.
I'm sure we'll see many MySpaces as the industry catches up and attempts to reach them, but eventually, someone's going to come up with a FaceBook and then there will be a new thing for everyone to copy. Just some food for thought.
This article was written by Ran Cohen, founder and CEO of Traders Education.
Everyone has heard the phrase 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it', basically meaning that if something is performing adequately, then there's no real reason to tweak it. Wise words, if we're talking about inventions like the hammer or the wheel, which are both simple enough to have reached some level of perfection in their design.
In my line of work, I've had the good fortune to experience the online trading industry from many perspectives. I've been on the client side as a trader. I've been the middleman shuttling clients between brokers. I've also gained intimate knowledge of the inner workings of online brokerages.
Finally, I've been able to bring all the things I've learned in these other roles to my current one as a technology and service provider. I believe that innovation is all about not waiting for something to break before improving on it. Don't misunderstand me though, it's not about newness for the sake of newness, either. It's about good timing and creating the conditions that attract a much larger customer base, regardless of what the industry is.
By Can: The Coca-Cola Jetijonez
When Coca-Cola brought New Coke to the market in 1985, it was the mother of all failures. But when Apple brought us the now iconic iPod back in 2001, it dominated even though the market was already flooded with excellent MP3 players. Why?
Because old Coke wasn't broke and it wasn't time to fix it and because the iPod did it better from both an aesthetic and user experience point of view. It caught the wave as the music industry was changing and it it made digital music as accessible to children as to their grandmothers.
Incidentally, Coca-Cola learned its lesson. Twenty years later Coke Zero came out after we had already re-evaluated our collective sugar intake as a culture, not just from a dieting point of view. Nowadays, how many people do you still see sipping from those old red cans?
Bringing Trading to the Masses
MT4 was such a landmark in online trading that almost everything to be released in its wake has been derivative of it in some way. How many platforms have you seen that look just like it? That function like a cheap copy of it?
In my experience, UX is a buzzword that gets thrown around conference tables with no reference to what those two letters are actually supposed to signify. When people in our industry talk about UX, what they really mean is just how it looks rather than connecting it to the user and their experience.
UX design is both an art and a science and if you look at some of the interfaces that have changed the world in the last decade or so (FaceBook-2004, YouTube-2005, Twitter-2006, the iPhone-2007), they have all succeeded because they were informed by deep understanding of users and their motivations. This is precisely what's not being done when it comes to the design of trading platforms.
Most people who learn to trade on MT4 don't ever want to use anything else. It's a tremendous achievement in software engineering, which has served as one of the pillars of our industry. So why change it? It's not broken right? No, I don't believe it is.
But MT4 was created for an entirely different kind of trader, not the kind that most brokerages are trying to target today and definitely not the kind that they're failing to retain. Online trading, like all of the four technologies mentioned above, has gone mainstream, but our trading platforms haven't.
What most newbie traders get is a platform that feels as though it was made for someone else, whether its MT4 or one of its derivatives. If anyone took the time to do some research before repeating the existing formula, they'd discover that most beginners feel completely daunted by the software that they're expected to trade on.
What's required now more than ever, is a re-imagining of the trading platform, not from the perspective of the Bloomberg Terminal, but from that of the app interface or from the idea of trading as a lifestyle product.
Bloomberg
It should provide the user with the support and confirmations that all of our other modern user interfaces do, whether it's our favorite social media venues or the home screens of our mobile devices. It should provide information, education, handy hints and suggestions, it should help us to connect the dots and it should somehow tie us to the broader trading community, even if social trading is not on the agenda.
Think about all the features of the interfaces you use every day. They may not seem earth-shattering to you anymore, but they contribute to why you use them. They serve to make you feel supported, understood and part of something bigger than yourself. Now ask yourself how many such features you offer to your traders. The LiveChat pop-up window on your homepage doesn't count.
In Conclusion
Why do most people use the filters and basic editing functions on their Instagram, rather than exporting their photos into Photoshop? Photoshop is way more powerful right? It's because those filters do the trick and make average snaps look pretty amazing. Why do iPads outsell gaming PCs? Aren't the latter superior machines?
Yes, by far, but our parents aren't going to learn to use them to look up their old friends now are they? I believe that our industry is maxing-out on the type of client for whom MT4 can be a gateway into the world of online trading. As with all mass adoption movements, there's a crowd of potential clients out there, who far outnumber our current customer bases, and who are just waiting for someone to make online trading speak to them.
I'm sure we'll see many MySpaces as the industry catches up and attempts to reach them, but eventually, someone's going to come up with a FaceBook and then there will be a new thing for everyone to copy. Just some food for thought.
This article was written by Ran Cohen, founder and CEO of Traders Education.
Panda Trading Systems Marks Its 20th Year as a Diamond Sponsor of iFX EXPO 2026
Featured Videos
FM Daily Brief – 9 June 2026
FM Daily Brief – 9 June 2026
FM Daily Brief – 9 June 2026
FM Daily Brief – 9 June 2026
Today’s Tuesday, the 9th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: eToro’s customer assets climbed back above $20 billion, Prop trading model in prediction markets, and Leverate launched a new AI assistant for brokers and traders.
Today’s Tuesday, the 9th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: eToro’s customer assets climbed back above $20 billion, Prop trading model in prediction markets, and Leverate launched a new AI assistant for brokers and traders.
Today’s Tuesday, the 9th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: eToro’s customer assets climbed back above $20 billion, Prop trading model in prediction markets, and Leverate launched a new AI assistant for brokers and traders.
Today’s Tuesday, the 9th of June 2026, and these are our main stories: eToro’s customer assets climbed back above $20 billion, Prop trading model in prediction markets, and Leverate launched a new AI assistant for brokers and traders.
War Stories: Lessons from 20 Years in Markets (the pain, the pitfalls and the profits)
War Stories: Lessons from 20 Years in Markets (the pain, the pitfalls and the profits)
War Stories: Lessons from 20 Years in Markets (the pain, the pitfalls and the profits)
War Stories: Lessons from 20 Years in Markets (the pain, the pitfalls and the profits)
War Stories: Lessons from 20 Years in Markets (the pain, the pitfalls and the profits)
War Stories: Lessons from 20 Years in Markets (the pain, the pitfalls and the profits)
The trades that taught me the most aren't the ones that worked. They're the ones that didn't — or the ones I almost caught and didn't have the nerve to ride. In this session, I'll tell you about the Brexit miss, the SNB shocker that nearly handed me a 5400% return, the BoJ surprise that punched me in the gut, and a few wins along the way. Each story carries a lesson, but the lessons aren't the point. Everyone who trades long enough collects a portfolio of moments like these; what separates the people who stay in the game is what they do with them.
The trades that taught me the most aren't the ones that worked. They're the ones that didn't — or the ones I almost caught and didn't have the nerve to ride. In this session, I'll tell you about the Brexit miss, the SNB shocker that nearly handed me a 5400% return, the BoJ surprise that punched me in the gut, and a few wins along the way. Each story carries a lesson, but the lessons aren't the point. Everyone who trades long enough collects a portfolio of moments like these; what separates the people who stay in the game is what they do with them.
The trades that taught me the most aren't the ones that worked. They're the ones that didn't — or the ones I almost caught and didn't have the nerve to ride. In this session, I'll tell you about the Brexit miss, the SNB shocker that nearly handed me a 5400% return, the BoJ surprise that punched me in the gut, and a few wins along the way. Each story carries a lesson, but the lessons aren't the point. Everyone who trades long enough collects a portfolio of moments like these; what separates the people who stay in the game is what they do with them.
The trades that taught me the most aren't the ones that worked. They're the ones that didn't — or the ones I almost caught and didn't have the nerve to ride. In this session, I'll tell you about the Brexit miss, the SNB shocker that nearly handed me a 5400% return, the BoJ surprise that punched me in the gut, and a few wins along the way. Each story carries a lesson, but the lessons aren't the point. Everyone who trades long enough collects a portfolio of moments like these; what separates the people who stay in the game is what they do with them.
The trades that taught me the most aren't the ones that worked. They're the ones that didn't — or the ones I almost caught and didn't have the nerve to ride. In this session, I'll tell you about the Brexit miss, the SNB shocker that nearly handed me a 5400% return, the BoJ surprise that punched me in the gut, and a few wins along the way. Each story carries a lesson, but the lessons aren't the point. Everyone who trades long enough collects a portfolio of moments like these; what separates the people who stay in the game is what they do with them.
The trades that taught me the most aren't the ones that worked. They're the ones that didn't — or the ones I almost caught and didn't have the nerve to ride. In this session, I'll tell you about the Brexit miss, the SNB shocker that nearly handed me a 5400% return, the BoJ surprise that punched me in the gut, and a few wins along the way. Each story carries a lesson, but the lessons aren't the point. Everyone who trades long enough collects a portfolio of moments like these; what separates the people who stay in the game is what they do with them.
The Engine and the Fuel: How AI & Data Drives African Future
The Engine and the Fuel: How AI & Data Drives African Future
The Engine and the Fuel: How AI & Data Drives African Future
The Engine and the Fuel: How AI & Data Drives African Future
The Engine and the Fuel: How AI & Data Drives African Future
The Engine and the Fuel: How AI & Data Drives African Future
If AI is the engine, data is the fuel. Without quality, accessible data, AI cannot work well; and without the right mindset, data remains just numbers instead of insight. In this session, leading experts will explore how AI and data are democratizing opportunities for businesses and personal growth. Discover practical ways to make AI accessible today, anticipate its transformative impact on African markets, and learn actionable steps to prepare for what's next. Let's talk about:
-How AI and data drive business efficiency and innovation in trading and fintech
-AI tools to elevate trading or business strategies
-How to access and maximise the power of data and AI
-Emerging AI and data trends in Africa and their economic ripple effects
If AI is the engine, data is the fuel. Without quality, accessible data, AI cannot work well; and without the right mindset, data remains just numbers instead of insight. In this session, leading experts will explore how AI and data are democratizing opportunities for businesses and personal growth. Discover practical ways to make AI accessible today, anticipate its transformative impact on African markets, and learn actionable steps to prepare for what's next. Let's talk about:
-How AI and data drive business efficiency and innovation in trading and fintech
-AI tools to elevate trading or business strategies
-How to access and maximise the power of data and AI
-Emerging AI and data trends in Africa and their economic ripple effects
If AI is the engine, data is the fuel. Without quality, accessible data, AI cannot work well; and without the right mindset, data remains just numbers instead of insight. In this session, leading experts will explore how AI and data are democratizing opportunities for businesses and personal growth. Discover practical ways to make AI accessible today, anticipate its transformative impact on African markets, and learn actionable steps to prepare for what's next. Let's talk about:
-How AI and data drive business efficiency and innovation in trading and fintech
-AI tools to elevate trading or business strategies
-How to access and maximise the power of data and AI
-Emerging AI and data trends in Africa and their economic ripple effects
If AI is the engine, data is the fuel. Without quality, accessible data, AI cannot work well; and without the right mindset, data remains just numbers instead of insight. In this session, leading experts will explore how AI and data are democratizing opportunities for businesses and personal growth. Discover practical ways to make AI accessible today, anticipate its transformative impact on African markets, and learn actionable steps to prepare for what's next. Let's talk about:
-How AI and data drive business efficiency and innovation in trading and fintech
-AI tools to elevate trading or business strategies
-How to access and maximise the power of data and AI
-Emerging AI and data trends in Africa and their economic ripple effects
If AI is the engine, data is the fuel. Without quality, accessible data, AI cannot work well; and without the right mindset, data remains just numbers instead of insight. In this session, leading experts will explore how AI and data are democratizing opportunities for businesses and personal growth. Discover practical ways to make AI accessible today, anticipate its transformative impact on African markets, and learn actionable steps to prepare for what's next. Let's talk about:
-How AI and data drive business efficiency and innovation in trading and fintech
-AI tools to elevate trading or business strategies
-How to access and maximise the power of data and AI
-Emerging AI and data trends in Africa and their economic ripple effects
If AI is the engine, data is the fuel. Without quality, accessible data, AI cannot work well; and without the right mindset, data remains just numbers instead of insight. In this session, leading experts will explore how AI and data are democratizing opportunities for businesses and personal growth. Discover practical ways to make AI accessible today, anticipate its transformative impact on African markets, and learn actionable steps to prepare for what's next. Let's talk about:
-How AI and data drive business efficiency and innovation in trading and fintech
-AI tools to elevate trading or business strategies
-How to access and maximise the power of data and AI
-Emerging AI and data trends in Africa and their economic ripple effects
Inside My Best Trade with Jimmy Moyaha
Inside My Best Trade with Jimmy Moyaha
Inside My Best Trade with Jimmy Moyaha
Inside My Best Trade with Jimmy Moyaha
Inside My Best Trade with Jimmy Moyaha
Inside My Best Trade with Jimmy Moyaha
Most market post-mortems describe what happened to prices. Few describe what happened in the trading room while the position was open: the entry conviction, the moments that tested it, and the exit decision that closed the book.
This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
Attendees will walk away with:
-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
-Perspective on what the trade revealed about edge, risk tolerance, and when to hold through a position moving against you
-Clarity on what separates a well-built trade from a well-timed one
Most market post-mortems describe what happened to prices. Few describe what happened in the trading room while the position was open: the entry conviction, the moments that tested it, and the exit decision that closed the book.
This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
Attendees will walk away with:
-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
-Perspective on what the trade revealed about edge, risk tolerance, and when to hold through a position moving against you
-Clarity on what separates a well-built trade from a well-timed one
Most market post-mortems describe what happened to prices. Few describe what happened in the trading room while the position was open: the entry conviction, the moments that tested it, and the exit decision that closed the book.
This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
Attendees will walk away with:
-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
-Perspective on what the trade revealed about edge, risk tolerance, and when to hold through a position moving against you
-Clarity on what separates a well-built trade from a well-timed one
Most market post-mortems describe what happened to prices. Few describe what happened in the trading room while the position was open: the entry conviction, the moments that tested it, and the exit decision that closed the book.
This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
Attendees will walk away with:
-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
-Perspective on what the trade revealed about edge, risk tolerance, and when to hold through a position moving against you
-Clarity on what separates a well-built trade from a well-timed one
Most market post-mortems describe what happened to prices. Few describe what happened in the trading room while the position was open: the entry conviction, the moments that tested it, and the exit decision that closed the book.
This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
Attendees will walk away with:
-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
-Perspective on what the trade revealed about edge, risk tolerance, and when to hold through a position moving against you
-Clarity on what separates a well-built trade from a well-timed one
Most market post-mortems describe what happened to prices. Few describe what happened in the trading room while the position was open: the entry conviction, the moments that tested it, and the exit decision that closed the book.
This session brings one seasoned trader to the stage for an unfiltered account of the position that still defines how they think about markets.
Attendees will walk away with:
-A first-hand account of how a conviction trade is built, from thesis and entry through position management and exit
-Understanding of what turns a market observation into a live position, and what holds it when conditions shift
-Insight into how timing, execution quality, and market structure shaped the final result
-Perspective on what the trade revealed about edge, risk tolerance, and when to hold through a position moving against you
-Clarity on what separates a well-built trade from a well-timed one
Agentic Inequality: Democratizing Financial Access Through AI & Blockchain
Agentic Inequality: Democratizing Financial Access Through AI & Blockchain
Agentic Inequality: Democratizing Financial Access Through AI & Blockchain
Agentic Inequality: Democratizing Financial Access Through AI & Blockchain
Agentic Inequality: Democratizing Financial Access Through AI & Blockchain
Agentic Inequality: Democratizing Financial Access Through AI & Blockchain
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
In this discussion, we will explore:
-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
In this discussion, we will explore:
-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
In this discussion, we will explore:
-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
In this discussion, we will explore:
-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
In this discussion, we will explore:
-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
As crypto and CFD trading continue to expand across Africa, access to advanced tools and market insights remains uneven. This session explores how AI and blockchain can bridge that gap by empowering informal traders and underserved communities to participate more effectively in digital financial markets. The discussion will focus on practical applications of technology to improve accessibility, education, and investment outcomes in both formal and informal sectors.
In this discussion, we will explore:
-The role of AI in democratizing access to trading tools, insights, and strategy development
-How crypto and blockchain can enable broader participation beyond traditional financial systems
-Addressing access barriers: infrastructure, education, and affordability in underserved communities
-Opportunities for brokers and platforms to tap into the informal trading economy
