Africa’s trading sector stands at a crossroads. As global
markets race ahead with multi-asset platforms and futures trading, African
markets remain constrained by regulatory ambiguity, low financial literacy, and
limited infrastructure.
That was the dominant sentiment at the Finance Magnates
Africa Summit 2025 panel titled “Futures and the Future of Multi-Asset Trading”
— a frank, forward-looking discussion on what’s needed to unlock the
continent’s trading potential.
Moderated by Zain Vawda of MarketPulse by OANDA, the panel
featured Moonika Jurgenfeldt, Equiti, Zihaad Israfil, CFI Financial, Tammy Da
Costa, Independent Analyst, and James Bruce, Independent Trader, all offering
divergent yet complementary perspectives on the state of play.
A Market in Transition, but Not Yet Ready
The conversation opened with a shared frustration over the
regulatory uncertainty facing brokers and traders
across African jurisdictions.
“The regulatory landscape in South Africa has been quite
erratic,” the panel noted. “We see frequent changes in regulations on short
notice, making it hard for brokers to convince shareholders to invest.”
Drawing a contrast with more mature markets, they added: “In
the UAE, regulation is detailed and clear. In Africa, we’re still catching up,
especially in understanding how markets and brokerages work.”
The panel pointed to futures trading in the U.S. as a model:
“In America, futures are regulated under one body, the CME, which provides
stability. Many traders have moved from CFDs to futures because of the clearer
regulatory framework.”
The panel also highlighted pricing transparency as a key
advantage. “With futures, you have one price across exchanges, unlike CFDs where
prices can vary between brokers.”
Yet enthusiasm for futures was met with realism. “Do we have
demand for futures in Africa? Highly questionable,” the panel acknowledged
bluntly. “Education, higher margin requirements , and accessibility are
barriers. I don’t think there’s a single futures provider in Africa yet.”
Multi-Asset Platforms: Rising Interest, Rising
Expectations
While futures adoption remains nascent, appetite for broader
trading options is rising sharply among retail clients. “Traders today are more
informed and curious,” the panel observed. “They want access to a wider range
of products—indices, futures, crypto—all on one
platform.”
The view was reinforced with the point that “clients don’t
want to be boxed into one asset class. Diversification is key, especially in
volatile markets.”
But access doesn’t guarantee success. As one panelist
warned, platforms offering more products without adequate education risk
overwhelming new traders. “Many beginners enter the markets with naivety,
thinking they can make quick money. Proper education is needed to set realistic
expectations.”
Bridging the Gap with Education
Across the board, panelists agreed: education remains
Africa’s most urgent trading challenge. Unlike regions such as the Middle East, where
traders tend to have larger account sizes and more formal exposure, African
retail participants often enter markets with little financial grounding.
“In Africa, we focus on broader financial literacy—not just
trading but also investing, entrepreneurship, and saving,” the panel explained.
Panelists cited local efforts such as podcasts and workshops to improve public
understanding of markets and build more sustainable engagement.
Technology, AI and Human Judgment
As in most financial conversations today, AI emerged as a
focal point. Brokers are already deploying AI in client services and
operations, and its use in strategy development is on the horizon. “In the next
6 to 18 months, we’ll see AI-driven
tools for traders, helping with strategies and risk management,” the panel
predicted.
Yet most agreed AI remains limited when it comes to nuance
and context. “AI lacks the discretion to react to real-time events like
political announcements. Human judgment is still irreplaceable,” the panel
noted.
You may find it interesting at FinanceMagnates.com: “Prop
Trading Rules Aren’t to Trap but to Protect Capital”: FMAS:25 Panel Dissects
Growing Sector.
In terms of trading approaches, the panel split between
technical and fundamental philosophies.
From an analyst’s perspective, “Start with long-term charts.
Fundamentals eventually align with trends, but technicals help spot
opportunities faster.” A pragmatic view followed: “Find what works for you.
Markets change, what works today might not tomorrow. Stick to your plan and
scale up gradually.”
A Cautious Roadmap for the Future
Looking ahead, panelists agreed that while the continent
shows promise, structural foundations must be laid before widespread futures
adoption or AI-driven trading can truly take root.
“Africa’s trading scene is still in its early days,” the
panel concluded, noting that “futures may gain traction, but education and
regulation must improve first.” The outlook remained cautious, with the view
that “as technology advances, opportunities will grow, but we’re not there
yet.”
Summing up the sentiment, the panel reflected: “I’ll go
where the money is. If futures take off in Africa, I’ll adapt. For now, I’m
sticking with what works.”
A Continent Poised, but Not Yet Positioned
The discussion revealed a market that is simultaneously
brimming with potential and shackled by practical hurdles. As African traders
demand more diversified platforms and sophisticated products, regulators and
educators will need to move in tandem to support responsible growth.
As the panel put it, “Diversification isn’t just a buzzword;
it’s a strategy to build resilient portfolios in unpredictable markets.”
For now, the journey continues. But with dialogue,
education, and innovation, Africa’s trading landscape may yet find its footing
on the global stage.
Africa’s trading sector stands at a crossroads. As global
markets race ahead with multi-asset platforms and futures trading, African
markets remain constrained by regulatory ambiguity, low financial literacy, and
limited infrastructure.
That was the dominant sentiment at the Finance Magnates
Africa Summit 2025 panel titled “Futures and the Future of Multi-Asset Trading”
— a frank, forward-looking discussion on what’s needed to unlock the
continent’s trading potential.
Moderated by Zain Vawda of MarketPulse by OANDA, the panel
featured Moonika Jurgenfeldt, Equiti, Zihaad Israfil, CFI Financial, Tammy Da
Costa, Independent Analyst, and James Bruce, Independent Trader, all offering
divergent yet complementary perspectives on the state of play.
A Market in Transition, but Not Yet Ready
The conversation opened with a shared frustration over the
regulatory uncertainty facing brokers and traders
across African jurisdictions.
“The regulatory landscape in South Africa has been quite
erratic,” the panel noted. “We see frequent changes in regulations on short
notice, making it hard for brokers to convince shareholders to invest.”
Drawing a contrast with more mature markets, they added: “In
the UAE, regulation is detailed and clear. In Africa, we’re still catching up,
especially in understanding how markets and brokerages work.”
The panel pointed to futures trading in the U.S. as a model:
“In America, futures are regulated under one body, the CME, which provides
stability. Many traders have moved from CFDs to futures because of the clearer
regulatory framework.”
The panel also highlighted pricing transparency as a key
advantage. “With futures, you have one price across exchanges, unlike CFDs where
prices can vary between brokers.”
Yet enthusiasm for futures was met with realism. “Do we have
demand for futures in Africa? Highly questionable,” the panel acknowledged
bluntly. “Education, higher margin requirements , and accessibility are
barriers. I don’t think there’s a single futures provider in Africa yet.”
Multi-Asset Platforms: Rising Interest, Rising
Expectations
While futures adoption remains nascent, appetite for broader
trading options is rising sharply among retail clients. “Traders today are more
informed and curious,” the panel observed. “They want access to a wider range
of products—indices, futures, crypto—all on one
platform.”
The view was reinforced with the point that “clients don’t
want to be boxed into one asset class. Diversification is key, especially in
volatile markets.”
But access doesn’t guarantee success. As one panelist
warned, platforms offering more products without adequate education risk
overwhelming new traders. “Many beginners enter the markets with naivety,
thinking they can make quick money. Proper education is needed to set realistic
expectations.”
Bridging the Gap with Education
Across the board, panelists agreed: education remains
Africa’s most urgent trading challenge. Unlike regions such as the Middle East, where
traders tend to have larger account sizes and more formal exposure, African
retail participants often enter markets with little financial grounding.
“In Africa, we focus on broader financial literacy—not just
trading but also investing, entrepreneurship, and saving,” the panel explained.
Panelists cited local efforts such as podcasts and workshops to improve public
understanding of markets and build more sustainable engagement.
Technology, AI and Human Judgment
As in most financial conversations today, AI emerged as a
focal point. Brokers are already deploying AI in client services and
operations, and its use in strategy development is on the horizon. “In the next
6 to 18 months, we’ll see AI-driven
tools for traders, helping with strategies and risk management,” the panel
predicted.
Yet most agreed AI remains limited when it comes to nuance
and context. “AI lacks the discretion to react to real-time events like
political announcements. Human judgment is still irreplaceable,” the panel
noted.
You may find it interesting at FinanceMagnates.com: “Prop
Trading Rules Aren’t to Trap but to Protect Capital”: FMAS:25 Panel Dissects
Growing Sector.
In terms of trading approaches, the panel split between
technical and fundamental philosophies.
From an analyst’s perspective, “Start with long-term charts.
Fundamentals eventually align with trends, but technicals help spot
opportunities faster.” A pragmatic view followed: “Find what works for you.
Markets change, what works today might not tomorrow. Stick to your plan and
scale up gradually.”
A Cautious Roadmap for the Future
Looking ahead, panelists agreed that while the continent
shows promise, structural foundations must be laid before widespread futures
adoption or AI-driven trading can truly take root.
“Africa’s trading scene is still in its early days,” the
panel concluded, noting that “futures may gain traction, but education and
regulation must improve first.” The outlook remained cautious, with the view
that “as technology advances, opportunities will grow, but we’re not there
yet.”
Summing up the sentiment, the panel reflected: “I’ll go
where the money is. If futures take off in Africa, I’ll adapt. For now, I’m
sticking with what works.”
A Continent Poised, but Not Yet Positioned
The discussion revealed a market that is simultaneously
brimming with potential and shackled by practical hurdles. As African traders
demand more diversified platforms and sophisticated products, regulators and
educators will need to move in tandem to support responsible growth.
As the panel put it, “Diversification isn’t just a buzzword;
it’s a strategy to build resilient portfolios in unpredictable markets.”
For now, the journey continues. But with dialogue,
education, and innovation, Africa’s trading landscape may yet find its footing
on the global stage.
This post is originally published on FINANCEMAGNATES.
