LeapRate Exclusive… LeapRate has learned that Japanese online and FX trading giant GMO Financial Holdings (TYO:7177) has invested an additional £2 million (USD $2.8 million) of capital into its FCA regulated UK subsidiary, GMO-Z.com Trade UK Limited, which operates the Z.com Trade brand.
GMO is the world’s largest Retail FX broker, mainly based on its leading market share in its home Japanese FX market, where it averages nearly $1 trillion on trading volumes each month.
Z.com Trade has been ramping up its presence in the UK online trading market over the past several months. The company recently added Neteller and Trustly payment options, upped leverage on major FX pairs trading to 200x, added deposits via China UnionPay Mobile Banking, and upgraded its execution engine, adding CFDs.
GMO’s UK arm posted a £1.8 million loss for Fiscal 2017 (year ended March 31, 2017), mainly start-up costs as it prepared to fully launch the FCA licensed operation. Since launch, including the most recent £2 million investment, GMO has put £11 million of capital into the UK business.
GMO paid $6.8 million to purchase the z.com domain name in 2014, rebranding its global retail forex operation to the rare one-letter domain while launching an FCA-regulated London-based operation at around the time.