Muscat: The Omani market has shown positive reception in retail electronic trading and the investors desire for more investments for CFDs in currencies, cryptos, metals, stocks and indices has been rising steadily, according to an industry expert.
“The Sultanate is and an appealing market for us and this is something that reflects in the promising potential of the market not only here in Oman but also our growth plans in the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, Wael Makarem Financial Markets Strategists Lead at Exness, said in an exclusive interview with Times of Oman.
Wael spoke about online trading, investments in a broad array of financial instruments, contract for difference (CFDs), and a whole range of protective features of Exness that is designed to enhance predictability in the markets and support more calculated decision-making.
Excerpts from the interview:
Tell us about Exness
Exness is the largest retail broker in the world, with monthly trading volumes of up to $4.8 trillion, since October 2023, and serving a community of over 700,000 active monthly traders. It was formed in 2008, during the retail brokerage boom, with a mission to redefine the way traders access markets. Since our inception, we have offered a highly scientific approach to trading, within a highly ethical framework. Our risk appetite, coupled with our willingness to commit capital to clients, has enabled us to create better-than-market trading conditions.
Do you have plans to open an Oman GCC office?
At Exness, we have a strong global presence with offices in strategic locations such as Cyprus, the UK, and South Africa and are backed by numerous licenses. We will keep an eye on the country’s developments, and we will pursue a local licence as soon as the landscape allows it.
What is the response from Oman and GCC for online investments?
The response to online trading from both Oman and the broader GCC region has been overwhelmingly positive. With the sector experiencing significant growth and Oman advancing at a notable pace, we are expecting the GCC to assume a leading position in the financial markets landscape.
What are the services your company provides?
We are a specialist in retail electronic trading and provide contract for difference (CFDs) in currencies, cryptos, metals, stocks and indices. With this wide-ranging suite of assets spanning various markets, our goal is to ensure our clients have access to a broad array of financial instruments.
But our stand-out features go beyond simply granting access to the markets. We offer better-than-market conditions with stable and ultra-low spreads, even during volatile times, and near-zero trade execution. In addition, with our client-centric approach, we ensure that our clients have access to round-the-clock support and assistance for any issues they may have.
What advice does your company provide to investors?
It is important to clarify that as an online brokerage, we do not act as financial advisors. Traders should always make informed decisions and study the markets carefully, as well as use the series of tools that we offer on our proprietary Exness terminal and Trade mobile app, and the MT4 and MT5 platforms.
Exness also offers a range of protective features designed to enhance predictability in the markets and support more calculated decision-making. A stand-out among these features is our Stop Out Protection, which gives trades more leeway to recover from high market volatility and sudden price hiccups.
What products are being offered for investments?
We offer a broad range of financial assets, including CFDs on major and minor currency pairs, precious metals like gold, and energies, which are popular in the region, as well as a variety of crypto CFDs and an array of stocks and indices from the world’s leading markets.
Our goal is to cater to the preferences and strategies of our clients while also providing them with options to diversify their portfolios.
What are the risks involved in online trading?
While online trading offers significant opportunities for profit, it also exposes traders to a variety of risks influenced by global dynamics, including political, economic, and technical variables. These challenges highlight the importance of selecting a reliable and trustworthy broker, not just one that provides access to the markets but also offers essential features that help them safeguard their investments and portfolios.
Once a suitable broker is chosen, leveraging their analysis tools and protective features can greatly enhance their experience in the markets and even make it more predictable. There are a number of tools that can be instrumental in navigating the complexities of the financial markets more effectively.
Are there sufficient regulatory checks to curb fraudulent trading?
Yes, Exness operates under strict regulatory oversight from multiple regional financial authorities, ensuring a trading environment that is secure, transparent, and fair. We always ensure that we adhere to stringent regulations from leading financial authorities, including South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority, Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority, and Seychelles’ Financial Services Authority. Our regulatory framework includes rigorous standards for operational conduct, client fund protection, and market fairness.
As a leading ethical broker, we are committed to upholding these standards, providing our clients with a platform where they can focus on their trading endeavors with confidence.
What was the company’s expectation from attending the recent Smart Vision Forum in Muscat?
Our association with Smart Vision is both longstanding and mutually beneficial, spanning several years of productive collaboration. The most recent iteration of the Smart Vision Forum in Oman was a testament to the consistent excellence we have come to expect from these engagements. Our participation in the event in Muscat received an overwhelmingly positive response from the Omani audience, further affirming the critical role that such high-calibre professional events play in advancing the industry’s development both regionally and specifically within Oman.
