MultiBank Exchange Group was established in 2005 in California, USA. Since its launch it has evolved into one of the largest financial institutions worldwide, with a current paid up capital of over USD 322 million. It is regulated by the FCA in the UK, ASIC in Australia, the FSC in the British Virgin Islands and by the Tianjin Financial Government in China. Finance Magnates sat down with the chairman of the group to discuss the state of the industry and his company's direction.
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What is your view on the recent issues happening in the market, particularly regarding withdrawal of FXCM from the US?
That’s actually a very important subject that I wanted to discuss. What’s clear is we’re in the middle of an industry consolidation caused by increased and more stringent regulation. It’s reshaping the financial derivatives industry worldwide. And it’s doing something very simple and extremely important- namely, bringing greater transparency and increased security of funds for institutional and retail traders alike. I fully support the recent measures taken by the regulators in the UK, the US and Australia. However, I wish to emphasis that in relation to the stringent regulations and utterly essential consolidation, we are beyond the beginning, but nowhere near the end. The road is still long.
We understand from your previous interviewthat your ECN group had a possible relationship with IKON Finance and other companies that have been affected by the recent events. Have any of these recent events resonated with MultiBank Exchange Group?
I’ve been in this business for 25 years, and our group has been operational since 2005. During this time, we have used more than 80 prime brokers and Liquidity providers comprising of bank and non-bank exchange participants. Our compliance departments take the utmost measures when choosing our exchange members.
in relation to the stringent regulations and utterly essential consolidation, we are beyond the beginning, but nowhere near the end
We never had a relationship with FXCM or Pepperstone. However, we did previously have a relationship with IKON Finance, but this was utterly terminated in early 2016 when we restructured our group and changed our name to MultiBank Exchange Group. So I am pleased to inform you that we have not been affected whatsoever by these recent events.
What has MultiBank Exchange Group been up to since the launch of MultiBank Exchange technology?
We had just recently had our company’s annual gala dinner in Hong Kong, at the sidelines of the iFX Expo, to celebrate the increased regulation and the success and great achievements MultiBank Exchange Group has made in 2016.
Naser Taher, Chairman of Multibank Exchange Group
It is significant to note that large forex banks have been losing customers and institutional businesses to ECNs and exchanges in terms of cash flow during the course of the last few years. MultiBank Exchange Group, being the market leader in the field of ECNs and exchanges, has benefited substantially from the migration of these customers and institutions from the big banks to us. Business is leaving them and coming to us every single day.
During 2016, MultiBank Exchange Group customers and partners traded over $1 trillion in foreign exchange trading and financial derivative products, which is a nice measure of how much our customers love our technology and pricing, as it is $4 billion per day.
Where are you heading in 2017?
Being one of the largest companies in the industry with a first class security of funds and Risk Management systems and a paid up capital of over $322 million, and offices spread around the globe, we are achieving great things and making great progress in our core markets. We have expanded our operations with new branches in California in the US, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Shenzhen in China and Ho Chi Ming City in Vietnam.
we’re in the middle of an industry consolidation caused by increased and more stringent regulation
We are now in the process of establishing our new branches in Poland and Portugal with further expansion schemes in Uruguay and Brazil.
We believe 2017 will be a very exciting year for us as well, as we continue our expansion plan further in Asia while also focusing on our European and worldwide markets.
Please tell us about yourself.
I have 28 years of experience in the financial and commercial industries worldwide. I worked with many of the major global financial institutions such as BNP Paribas, Barclays, UBS, Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse as an expert in the fields of e-commerce, foreign exchange, electronic banking systems and raising finance. I held a number of prominent positions worldwide such as the Head of the Irish Stock Exchange Development Project in Asia, the Vice President of the Chinese Banking and Entrepreneur Association, Honorary Financial Advisor to the Chinese Financial Government in Tianjin and Shenzhen, Senior Counselor to the Board of Tradition Group of Companies, the Head of IFX PLC China Development Project and the Chairman of Air Via.
Amongst my accomplishments, I had the expertise to establish the first private airline company in Eastern Europe; I was able to raise finance in the order of $20 billion and made submissions to the UK House of Lords in relation to UCP 500 & 600 in commercial law.
I now devote myself fully to performing an IPO for MultiBank Exchange Group in Hong Kong estimated at $4.5 billion. I am also in the process of establishing a charitable organization to assist the refugees during these turbulent political times.
