Fazzaco Weekly Digest: R.J. O’Brien Taps Mark Phelps; Saxo Markets Launches Pricing Plans in Singapore; Amana Capital’s Ziad Melhem to Step down

Take a look at the latest happenings in this week's news digest from around the forex and fintech industry. Here are some of the top headlines from this past week.

1. R.J. O’Brien Taps Mark Phelps as New Managing Director, EMEA for Its UK Affiliate​

R.J. O' Brien & Associates (RJO), the oldest and largest independent futures brokerage and clearing firm in the US, announced on Monday the appointment of Mark Phelps as Managing Director, EMEA for its London-based affiliate, R.J. O' Brien Limited (RJO Limited).

Phelps will operate out of London for the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and report to RJO Chairman and CEO Gerald Corcoran. He is a nearly 25-year veteran of the futures markets in Europe and globally.

2. Saxo Markets Launches Pricing Plans in Singapore​

Saxo Markets, the online trading and investment specialist, today announced that it has launched pricing plans for clients in Singapore, making Saxo the first in the investment and brokerage space to offer bundle packages for investors. Singapore is also the first international market where Saxo is rolling out its pricing plans, with more markets to follow in the future.

The pricing plans are open to all new clients in Singapore, and will be made available to existing clients in the coming months. New clients who sign up now can enjoy the Gold plan for free until 31 March 2022, plus SGD88 extra commission credit as a welcome bonus.

3. Amana Capital’s Chief Business Development Officer Ziad Melhem to Step down​

Amana Capital, a specialist in online trading providing institutional and retail clients with direct access to the global financial markets, announced today that Ziad Melhem, its Chief Business Development Officer, will step down at the end of the year to pursue personal interests.

Melhem has been with the broker for over 8 years, where he was CMO from December 2013 to January 2017, then was named as Chief Business Development Officer. He has been serving GoldenHill as CEO since 2009. Besides, his position included Senior Consultant at AM Financials between 2009 to 2012.

4. eToro Adds 65 New Stocks and ETFs to Its Offering

Fazzaco learned that eToro, an Israeli social trading and multi-asset brokerage company, has added 65 new stocks and ETFs to its offering, bringing the total number of assets offered on the platform to well over 3,000.

eToro notes that Zero Commission applies to all these newly added trading instruments for traders in regions where Zero Commission is offered. Zero Commission means that no additional fees will be charged or added to the raw market spread on traders' stocks & ETFs positions. There are also no limits on commission-free positions and traders can buy fractional shares.

5. MetaQuotes to Release New MT4 Build​

Fazzaco learned that MetaQuotes, a leading developer of software applications for financial markets, plans to release a new MetaTrader (MT4) build.

The preceding build of MT4 was released on July 23, 2021. That version provided error fixes and platform stability improvements.

6. eToro Money is Now Available in the UK

eToro, a leading social trading provider, has announced the launch of eToro Money, a whole new way to manage funds, in the UK.

According to the official press release, eToro Money seamlessly connects to users' eToro investment account allowing them to instantly deposit and withdraw funds. Moreover, they can store and manage fiat and cryptocurrency funds in a single account.

7. BDSwiss Hires Sophie Squillacioti as Head of Asia​

Fazzaco learned that BDSwiss, a multi-regulated FX and CFDs broker, has hired Sophie Squillacioti as the company's new Head of Asia.

As seen on her LinkedIn profile, Sophie joined BDSwiss from BlackBull Markets, where she worked as Managing Director. Prior to BlackBull Markets, she worked as Managing Director, Country Head for Greater China at Halifax Investment Services Limited. Additionally, she also held senior positions at companies like ACM Group PLC and City Index.