Intro:

iFX EXPO Asia 2017 just finished up on February the 23rd, 2017 (the event was between the 21st – 23rd of this month) in Hong Kong, China, at the Exhibition and Convention Center. This year marked the expo’s 10th anniversary, the expo of which has gained a 300% increase in attendees since it’s inception.

The event brings in top Industry experts with key insights, and provides top business networking opportunities, according to the iFX Expo main page.

An astounding 2,500 – 3,250 attendees (according to different sources), and over 80 exhibitors & sponsors attended the iFX Expo this year. Topics which were covered ranged from hot technology trends in the trading arena today, understanding the effects of BREXIT in Europe & Asia, and learning about the challenges & opportunities for brokers in China, among other topics.

Details:

There were around 47 speakers this year, including DinarDirham’s CTO & Co-Founder Arai Ezzra, who made his presentation on the third day about how blockchain technology helped make DinarDirham’s digital gold a reality, and what the company can do for potential customers. Ezzra was also part of the 1:00pm Panel discussion on day three, which was focused on helping retail brokers thrive in the Chinese ecosystem.

First Day:

The first day of the conference kicked off at 8:00pm with a welcome party and badge pickup at the Frites Belgium on Tap in Wan Chai – a tradition for the iFX Expo. It was an excellent networking opportunity and a great night.

Second Day:

The real meat and bones of the conference started on the second day. A highlight of the day was the 10:45 Panel titled: Technology of FX and Beyond, which spoke on exciting trends in the trading industry today. It also asked the questions of if the Asian market has need in this area, and if Western hubs can provide solutions. Speakers on the large panel included: Itai Damti, Co-founder & CEO APAC at Leverate, Maor Lahav, Co-Founder & COO at Panda Trading Systems, Andrew Ralich, CEO and Co-Founder at OneZero Financial Systems, Paul G Smith, Chief Executive Officer at Mobile Trading Partners, Kurt vom Scheidt, Global Head of Foreign Exchange, Saxo Bank Group at SAXO Bank, Nir Yaffe, VP Products at SpotOption, and Stanislav Efremov, Chief Operational Officer at ICM Capital.

Another highlight of day 2 was a workshop by Dean Wu, Senior Manager at MetaQuotes, who gave exciting insights into the new ‘MetaTrader 5’. The workshop was conducted in Chinese. Just before lunch, another panel commenced, titled: Marketing In China, The Secrets Exposed. The panel discussed how brokers can thrive in China, the differences between local & international brands, and the driving force for performance in Asian markets. Speakers included: Natalia Hunik, Global Head of Sales at Advanced Markets and Fortex Inc., Rosiva Merrylin, Senior Business Development Manager at FXPRIMUS, Morten Fillipsen, Head of Asia at Media Group Worldwide, Ryan Liew, Director of Business Development at Call Levels, and Thomas Glucksmann, Head of Marketing at Gatecoin.

The rest of the second day consisted of two more panels, several workshops by respected leaders, and a keynote session by Bobby Lee, CEO and co-founder at BTCC, who presented on the real story of Bitcoin in China.

The day finished off with an official night party at 9:00pm for badge and invitation holders only, which went late into the night. Hailed as “a night to be remembered”, it was held at the Ophelia Club in Wan Chai.

Day Three:

After roaming the expo floors, guests started day three with a panel, titled: The Value Of Regulation In An Unregulated Market. The panel explained the benefits to brokers of obtaining a trading license in Asia. It went into detail of the current state of affairs in mainland China, and gave advise on the best timing, price, and jurisdiction for retail FX brokers in Asia. Speakers included: Eugenio Accongiagioco, CEO at APAC, Simon Stephen, Managing Partner at Charterprime, and Quinn Perrott, Owner at TRAction Fintech.

The keynote session of the day was titled: Risk Management And Portfolio Optimization For Chinese Investors, and was conducted by Phan Vee Leung, Founder at TrackRecord, and Leng Hoe Lon, Co-founder at Shentilium Technologies.

Other than the normal tech and trade platform workshops which were scheduled throughout the day, all of which were good, there were two workshops that stood out as being different than usual. One was by Cameron Kim, Business Development Asia at Hello-Group, entitled: How The Internet And Affiliation Systems Revolutionised The Diamond Industry. In it, Kim talked about how the internet has revolutionized the diamond industry to a “global digital stage”.

The second workshop, by Peter Rosenstreich, Head of Market Strategy at Swissquote Bank, was titled: FX Markets During A Trump Presidency. In this workshop, Rosenstreich talked about how he saw the profound effects and changes in the market under a Trump administration, including on G10 and EM currencies. He shared how shifts in US policy should drive long-term volatility and redefine long-term investment themes.

The event ended at 4:00pm with the closing of the expo doors.

Conclusion:

The 10th anniversary of the iFX Expo was a conference to remember, and we certainly look forward to next year’s gathering. There was a huge selection of new Fintech companies and spokesmen/women sharing their innovations, insights, and perspectives. DinarDirham was pleased to take part in such a prestigious event. For more information on the workshops, panels, keynotes, and speakers this year, please visit: https://www.ifxexpo.com/.



Thank you for reading,

Have a wonderful rest of the week,

The DinarDirham team.

Photos – Arai Ezzra’s Workshop and Panel Session:



Resources:

https://www.ifxexpo.com/

https://www.hkcec.com/en/centrepoint/event-preview/ifx-expo-asia-hong-kong-2017

http://financefeeds.com/ifx-expo-asia-2017/

https://www.expocheck.com/en/expos/68354-ifx-expo-asia-international-financial-trade-show

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-fintech-company-lean-takes-065300026.html