Meet Deriv - Proud Elite Sponsor at iFX EXPO International 2024

Aggelos Armenatzoglou, Head of Dealing at Deriv, gives an insider’s view into the company as it hits 25 years and how it is getting set to redefine the fintech industry landscape.

iFX EXPO: Tell us a bit about your company. When was it founded? Where are you based?

Aggelos Armenatzoglou: Deriv is a globally-recognised online trading firm, offering comprehensive trading services across retail and institutional markets. Our roots go back to 1999, the very early days of the fintech industry's evolution. Over the last 25 years, we have built a strong, multinational company with over 20 offices worldwide and more than 1,300 employees.

As a large, global organisation with diverse financial offerings, we operate under a multi-regulated framework in multiple jurisdictions. We provide our 2.5 million clients worldwide with accessible and award winning trading services across a number of different platforms. In short, our mission is to make trading easily accessible to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Driving this innovation at Deriv is an in-house team of leading mathematicians, quantitative analysts, and financial experts. They drive the evolution of our products, building advanced financial solutions for the future of online trading. To bring their ideas to fruition, we have a burgeoning team of talented developers across multiple departments.

To address and tackle liquidity challenges,? we launched Deriv Prime , the institutional arm of Deriv offering comprehensive multi-asset liquidity solutions for a diverse range of clients.

The Deriv Prime team primarily operates from our Limassol office in Cyprus, which has become a key hub for the fintech industry. We began operations in the country in 2020, and our success in the region has been near-instant. We have been recognised as the fourth-best workplace in the country by Great Place to Work (GPTW).?

Deriv’s global reach and innovative services align seamlessly with the growing demands of the fintech industry.

iFX EXPO: Tell us more about Deriv Prime. What sets your offering apart from the competition?

Aggelos Armenatzoglou: In an industry where competitive offerings are essential, Deriv Prime stands out for a number of reasons; addressing key client challenges and offering solutions to tackle market dynamics. Our international reach provides broad market coverage, making us a reliable partner for traders worldwide.

Our extensive counterparty network grants access to diverse liquidity pools across international markets, ensuring clients can confidently trade across borders. This breadth enables traders and institutions to execute large orders with minimal slippage, reducing execution costs and maintaining strategy integrity. Our Forex liquidity pool offers tight spreads and deep order books, allowing? clients to seamlessly trade large volumes across major, minor, and exotic currency pairs.

Deriv Prime leverages low-latency technology and advanced connectivity to global markets, ensuring rapid execution and real-time data feeds. This is vital for navigating rapid market movements and mitigating risks, especially for clients deploying high-frequency trading strategies.

We also understand that no two clients are alike, so Deriv Prime services can be tailored to suit different needs, depending on the client. Our flexibility extends from pricing and dedicated streams right through to risk management tools so we can be sure that our clients have all the resources necessary for success in the trading industry.

Finally, we pride ourselves on transparency in pricing and execution, offering competitive spreads and clear pricing models, eliminating hidden fees. With stringent risk management practices and consistent communication, we ensure clients have clarity regarding costs, execution processes, and potential risks. This proactive communication minimises surprises, allowing for consistent strategy execution and management. By addressing these critical areas, we empower clients to manage their liquidity needs efficiently, maintain strategy integrity, and succeed in competitive markets.

iFX EXPO: Who from your team will be at the event?

Aggelos Armenatzoglou: Apart from the Cyprus-based core Deriv Prime team, which includes Debbie Georgiou and me, we are excited to have Derek Swift, Head of Payments, and Geo Nicolaidis, Director and Head of Office, Cyprus from the ?Deriv Group management team, attend the iFX EXPO International 2024.

iFX EXPO: Do you have news or releases coming out that you would like to share?

Aggelos Armenatzoglou: This expo comes at a significant phase of our own evolution as a company. We celebrate our 25th year in the fintech industry this year and recently announced a notable leadership development. Rakshit Choudhary has been named the Co-CEO of Deriv, a position he will hold along with Deriv founder Jean-Yves Sireau. Rakshit has been at the firm for 14 years and has overseen key developments during his time here. He was previously the COO. This strategy supports our belief that a co-leadership model brings complementary strengths and expertise to the table, allowing the company to benefit from diverse perspectives and skills, as well as a division of labour that leads to more effective management and innovation, minimising potential biases.?

Our focus is sharply on how we will take the company into another successful 25 years, and we believe that our new, shared leadership model is the right strategy to help us navigate future challenges successfully.

Technology and innovation have always been at the forefront of Deriv’s mission. These are interesting times for the fintech industry with rapid advancements in technology.

As we look ahead, we plan to add more innovative products to our rich portfolio. We understand that trading is not a one-size-fits-all, and we are making all efforts to make trading accessible to anyone, anywhere.

As a flourishing fintech hub, Cyprus will continue to be an essential part of Deriv’s operations as we get ready for another exciting 25 years in the industry.

iFX EXPO: As one of our Exhibitors and Sponsors, what would you say is the highlight of iFX EXPO events for you?

Aggelos Armenatzoglou: We value iFX EXPO events for their unique ability to bring together top financial service organisations and the opportunity it gives to nurture both existing and new relationships. The dynamic panel discussions and industry insights featured at every iFX EXPO event further enhance these opportunities, offering valuable perspectives on industry trends and challenges. By participating in iFX EXPO events, Deriv continues to expand its global reach, reinforcing its role as a leading service provider in diverse markets worldwide.

You can meet Deriv - Proud Elite Sponsor at iFX EXPO International 2024 at Booth Number 1.