Trading 212
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial services |
| Predecessor | Avus Capital Group |
| Founded | 2004 in Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Founders | Ivan Ashminov and Borislav Nedialkov |
| Headquarters | , |
Number of locations | 6 offices (2025) |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Forex, stocks, contract for difference |
| Services | Stockbroker, Electronic trading platform |
| AUM | 25 billion £ |
Number of employees | 1,100 (2025) |
| Website | www |
Trading 212 is a British-Bulgarian financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It operates an electronic trading platform that enables trading in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and contracts for difference (CFDs).[1] The company also provides debit cards and other banking services, as well as a financial news website.[2][1]
Trading 212 serves clients worldwide, with operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific region.[3][4] As of 2025 the company reports having over 2.5 million registered users.[5]
History
[edit]Trading 212 was founded in Bulgaria in 2004 under the name Avus Capital.[6] Initially, the company specialized in forex trading and developed proprietary trading software.[7]
The company later expanded its product offerings and geographic reach, establishing a presence in several regulatory jurisdictions. An establishment of operations in the United Kingdom led to the relocation of its headquarters to London.[8] In February 2021, Trading 212 was reported to be the most downloaded mobile application in the United Kingdom.[9]
In 2023, following Brexit, Trading 212 announced plans to reorganize its client accounts. This reorganization involved transferring certain EU clients from its UK entity to a newly established Cyprus entity, while the Bulgarian entity also planned transfers to either the Cyprus or UK entity.[6]
In 2024, the company introduced a debit card and acquired FXFlat Bank GmbH, a multi-asset broker based in Germany and regulated by BaFin.[2][10]
Business model
[edit]Trading 212 operates a commission‐free model for its stock trading services, meaning that clients are not charged commissions or custody fees for holding assets on the platform.[11] The company derives revenue primarily through currency conversion fees when transactions are conducted in a currency different from the account’s base currency, and through participation in a collateralized stock lending program.[4]
Regarding its contracts for difference (CFD) products, Trading 212 initially employed a spread‐based revenue model. Between January 2021 and May 2021, the company generated revenue from the difference between the prices offered to clients and the hedging prices established via a back-to-back hedging arrangement with an affiliated entity. In May 2021, Trading 212 discontinued this internal hedging arrangement and subsequently adopted a risk management strategy whereby exposures were hedged externally with third parties.[12]
Regulations
[edit]Trading 212 is regulated in multiple jurisdictions. It is authorized by the United Kingdom's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA),[13] the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC),[14][10] and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Trading 212 2025 Company Profile: Valuation, Funding & Investors". pitchbook.com. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ a b "Trading 212 Rolls Out New Debit Card, Offering 0.5% Cashback Reinvestment". FinanceFeeds. 2025-01-22. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "Trading 212 Company Overview, Contact Details & Competitors". leadiq.com. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ a b c Segal, Gerald (2024-10-08). "Trading 212 Group profits drop 35% in 2023, launches Australia branch". FX News Group. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "Trading 212 review: read this before you start". Curvo. 2025-02-05.
- ^ a b "Trading 212 Parts Ways With Co-founder Borislav Nedialkov". FinanceFeeds. 2023-02-03. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "Exclusive: Bulgarian FX Broker Trading 212 Aka Avus Capital Lands UK Authorization | Finance Magnates". financemagnates.com. 2014-10-10. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "Is Trading 212 Safe? A Detailed Review of Security & Risks". theinvestorscentre.co.uk. 2025-01-27. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "Why the GameStop Frenzy Is Mostly a Made in U.S.A. Drama". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 2021-02-03. Retrieved 2025-03-22.
- ^ a b "Trading 212 Expands With Acquisition Of Germany's FXFlat Bank". FinanceFeeds. 2024-08-15. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "Trading 212 Hits The Headlines With No-commission Physical Equities - But Who Is Booking The Trades? We Investigate". FinanceFeeds. 2017-06-26. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "Trading 212 Profit Halves Amid Revenue Slump". FinanceFeeds. 2023-10-11. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "NewRegister". register.fca.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-03-18.
- ^ "Trading 212's Crypto Business Gets CySEC License". FinanceFeeds. 2024-06-18. Retrieved 2025-03-18.