Press Release

Saxo Bank welcomes ESMA’s measures in relation to margin trading

Saxo Bank, the leading fintech specialist focused on multi-asset trading and investing, strongly welcomes ESMA’s recently announced measures  in relation to the provision of CFDs to retail clients. The measures include caps on leverage which Saxo Bank considers fair and proportionate. Saxo Bank expects these measures to be positive for clients and result in a more level playing field among EU providers offering margin trading, which will in turn move the competitive focus away from leverage and towards the quality of platform, price, product and service.

Commenting on ESMA’s measures, Kim Fournais, founder and CEO, Saxo Bank, said:

“Saxo strongly welcomes and supports the measures set forth by ESMA and believes that consistent, harmonised regulation at a European level will be positive for clients and the industry as a whole. Through these measures, ESMA is creating better alignment between leverage levels and market conditions which is very important and we find the proposed caps on leverage fair and proportionate.

We have made a clear strategic decision not to compete on high leverage which puts us in a good position to maintain and grow our business in this new regulatory environment.

CFDs and FX instruments have a number of uses for traders, such as allowing them to trade the full global macro cycle and hedge their market exposure in a flexible and efficient way. However, with excessive leverage, the risks of trading these products can outweigh the benefits. It is important to note that this is a leverage problem – not a product problem. Responsible caps on leverage are therefore key to consumer protection.

Our approach and business model clearly show that running a profitable business and being a responsible market participant are not mutually exclusive. For the benefit of its long-term survival, the industry should welcome the move away from competition on leverage and embrace competition on quality of platform, price, product and service”

“Some argue that more prudent consumer protection will lead to increased activity from unlicensed providers from outside of the EU. Such activities should be the remit of the police and relevant authorities. This is however an entirely separate issue and not in, our opinion, a valid argument against firm and fair regulation” added Fournais.

 

As one of the first signatories of the FX Global Code of Conduct in 2017, Saxo Bank also decided to publish an Enhanced Disclosure and withdraw from the UK CFD and Association. Saxo Bank’s aim is to continuously be at the forefront of driving transparency, integrity and trust in the sector.  

Please reach out to press@saxobank.com

At Saxo we believe that when you invest, you unlock a new curiosity for the world around you. As a provider of multi-asset trading and investment solutions, Saxo’s purpose is to Get Curious People Invested in the World. We are committed to enabling our clients to make more of their money. Saxo was founded in Copenhagen, Denmark in 1992 with a clear vision: to make the global financial markets accessible for more people. In 1998, Saxo launched one of the first online trading platforms in Europe, providing professional-grade tools and easy access to global financial markets for anyone who wanted to invest. 

Today, Saxo is an international award-winning investment firm for investors and traders who are serious about making more of their money. As a well-capitalised and profitable Fintech, Saxo is a fully licensed bank under the supervision of the Danish FSA, holding broker and banking licenses in multiple jurisdictions. As one of the earliest fintechs in the world, Saxo continues to invest heavily into our technology. Saxo’s clients and partners enjoy broad access to global capital markets across asset classes on our industry-leading platforms. Our open banking technology also powers more than 200 financial institutions as partners by boosting the investment experience they can offer their clients. Keeping our headquarters in Copenhagen, Saxo has more than 2,500 professionals in financial centres around the world including London, Singapore, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Zurich, Dubai and Tokyo.

For more information, please visit: www.home.saxo 

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