CFI Financial achieves record $5.34 trillion trading volume in first half of 2026
Dubai-based CFI Financial Group reported its strongest half-year performance on record, with trading volumes reaching $5.34 trillion in H1 2026, driven by sustained client engagement and expansion across multiple regulated markets.
Record Trading Performance
CFI Financial Group recorded trading volumes of $5.34 trillion during the first six months of 2026, marking the strongest half-year performance in the company's history as client activity surged across its global trading platforms.
The Dubai-headquartered brokerage, which traces its origins to Credit Financier Invest SAL founded in Beirut in 1998, delivered a second-quarter trading volume of $3.03 trillion. This represented a 31 per cent increase from the first quarter and a 101 per cent rise compared to the same period in 2025.
The performance reflects substantial growth from the $1.03 trillion in quarterly trading volumes the company reported in Q3 2024, demonstrating accelerated momentum over the past 18 months. CFI's results align with broader industry trends, as the global online trading platform market continues to expand, valued at approximately $12-13 billion in 2026 with projected growth rates of 7.5-8.9 per cent annually, driven by increased retail investor participation.
Client Activity and Platform Engagement
Active clients increased by 8.4 per cent year-on-year, while the number of trades executed reached 42.47 million during Q2 2026, up 74 per cent compared to the previous year. The vast majority of trading activity occurred via mobile platforms, reflecting an industry-wide shift toward mobile-first trading that has expanded the retail investor base globally through zero-commission models and user-friendly applications.
Trading activity remained diversified across asset classes, with metals leading demand, followed by increased activity in equity indices. The diversification across multiple product categories contributed to the resilience of the Group's business model during the quarter.
Geographic and Product Expansion
CFI secured regulatory authorization in Brazil during the quarter, entering a market where the Central Bank implemented comprehensive cryptocurrency and virtual asset regulations in February 2026. The new framework, established through Resolutions 519, 520, and 521, requires Virtual Asset Service Providers to obtain formal authorization with minimum capital requirements ranging from R$10.8 million to R$37.2 million, creating stringent entry standards for market participants.
In the UAE, CFI introduced local stock trading services, operating within a regulatory environment transformed by new capital markets legislation that took effect on January 1, 2026. The reforms replaced the Securities and Commodities Authority with the Capital Market Authority and established Federal Decree-Laws No. 32 and 33 of 2025, bringing virtual assets within federal regulatory oversight and aligning the country's capital markets framework with global standards.
The company also broadened its Bahrain operations to include regulated digital asset products following regulatory approval. Bahrain has maintained a comprehensive crypto-asset regulatory framework since 2019 under the Crypto-Asset Module in Volume 6 of the Central Bank of Bahrain Rulebook, establishing itself as a pioneer in Middle East cryptocurrency regulation and the first GCC banking regulator to finalize such regulations.
Operational Infrastructure and Recognition
CFI currently operates through 15 regulated entities with a workforce of over 700 employees representing 48 nationalities. The company's Global Technology Center in Malaysia has expanded its engineering, product and technology capabilities supporting international operations.
The Group earned recognition as one of the 2026 Best Workplaces in the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain by Great Place To Work Middle East, placing among the top 30 organizations across three regional lists. This marked the third consecutive year CFI received Great Place To Work Certification across three continents. The company also received World Finance Forex Awards recognizing it as Most Transparent FX Broker 2026 and Best Mobile Trading App 2026.
Ziad Melhem, CEO of CFI Financial Group, stated that the performance reflects sustained client trust and partner relationships across the company's operating markets. He emphasized the organization's continued focus on investing in personnel, technology and infrastructure to maintain service standards.
CFI plans to continue expanding into new markets and broadening its product offerings during the second half of 2026, with ongoing investment in platform capabilities and supporting infrastructure.
