From a major rebranding exercise to upheavals in the Asian markets throughout the year, it was a busy 2021 for global multi-asset liquidity provider and prime brokerage Finalto.
Today, we are in conversation with Alex Yap, Head of Institutional Sales for Asia at Finalto on what his expectations are for 2022.
How has 2021 treated you and Finalto?
In general, we’ve done pretty well this year, despite the spread of the Delta variant during the first half of 2021.
Without the luxury of travelling and meeting clients face-to-face, we’ve had to adapt quickly to new ways to connect with our clients.
Our strong customer relationships and Finalto’s branding helped us grow even during this difficult year.
I think it has been a good test for all of us, teaching us to respond to changes with agility and innovation. At this point, we’re more equipped than ever to continue on our growth path.
Where does Finalto see itself in the financial markets of the Asia-Pacific region?
Asia is a very diverse market. Not only does the level of sophistication differ from country to country, the needs and preferences also vary significantly.
But, Finalto is a very strong brand, with a revolutionary 360 suite or what we like to call a “solution in a box.” It is highly customisable, offering multi-asset capabilities to our clients.
Despite our marketing not being too aggressive last year, we were able to garner clients through our flexible pay-as-you-go subscription model, with customised pricing and product delivery.
This is a solution we have tailored specifically to offer powerful features, that our clients in Asia have yet to fully discover. So, for 2022, it is key for us to communicate the advantages we offer.
This includes a complete end-to-end platform, with front-end and back-office administration capabilities, robust trading and pricing tools and cutting-edge connectivity.
With our pay-as-you-go model, clients can either choose the full suite or select from individual components to enhance their current capabilities.
For instance, ClearVision is a leading tech solution for institutional investors worldwide and is gaining popularity among proprietary trading firms and brokers focused on global growth.
Its various components include the ClearPro trading platform for professional traders, the ClearWeb cloud-based trading platform, the ClearMobile mobile trading platform and FIX Connectivity for custom needs.
How are the needs of fintech firms and traders in Asia different from the other regions where you offer your services?
As I mentioned before, this is a very diversified market. The level of tech sophistication in the region ranges from novice to very advanced levels. So, Finalto 360 is the ideal tool to cater to such diverse needs.
Fintech is still in its nascent stages in many parts of Asia and the sector is still trying to establish a strong footing.
Then we have the huge cultural and language differences. To serve clients from Singapore as efficiently as those from Thailand or Indonesia, we need to provide localised services.
With a pan-Asian team, we understand the way they run their business across these different nations and what they need.
We can offer services and support in the language they prefer through Finalto 360. This is where we have an edge in the market.
With Finalto 360, we offer our clients a turnkey trading system based on a set of 5 cutting-edge modules developed by highly experienced industry experts, which offers complete support and scales with the client’s business.
