Africa’s trading sector stands at a crossroads. As global markets race ahead with multi-asset platforms and futures trading, African markets remain constrained by regulatory ambiguity, low financial literacy, and limited infrastructure.

That was the dominant sentiment at the Finance Magnates Africa Summit 2025 panel titled “Futures and the Future of Multi-Asset Trading” — a frank, forward-looking discussion on what’s needed to unlock the continent’s trading potential.

Moderated by Zain Vawda of MarketPulse by OANDA, the panel featured Moonika Jurgenfeldt, Equiti, Zihaad Israfil, CFI Financial, Tammy Da Costa, Independent Analyst, and James Bruce, Independent Trader, all offering divergent yet complementary perspectives on the state of play.

A Market in Transition, but Not Yet Ready

The conversation opened with a shared frustration over the regulatory uncertainty facing brokers and traders across African jurisdictions.

“The regulatory landscape in South Africa has been quite erratic,” the panel noted. “We see frequent changes in regulations on short notice, making it hard for brokers to convince shareholders to invest.”

Drawing a contrast with more mature markets, they added: “In the UAE, regulation is detailed and clear. In Africa, we’re still catching up, especially in understanding how markets and brokerages work.”

The panel pointed to futures trading in the U.S. as a model: “In America, futures are regulated under one body, the CME, which provides stability. Many traders have moved from CFDs to futures because of the clearer regulatory framework.”

The panel also highlighted pricing transparency as a key advantage. “With futures, you have one price across exchanges, unlike CFDs where prices can vary between brokers.”

Yet enthusiasm for futures was met with realism. “Do we have demand for futures in Africa? Highly questionable,” the panel acknowledged bluntly. “Education, higher margin requirements, and accessibility are barriers. I don’t think there’s a single futures provider in Africa yet.”

Multi-Asset Platforms: Rising Interest, Rising Expectations

While futures adoption remains nascent, appetite for broader trading options is rising sharply among retail clients. “Traders today are more informed and curious,” the panel observed. “They want access to a wider range of products—indices, futures, crypto—all on one platform.”

The view was reinforced with the point that “clients don’t want to be boxed into one asset class. Diversification is key, especially in volatile markets.”

But access doesn’t guarantee success. As one panelist warned, platforms offering more products without adequate education risk overwhelming new traders. “Many beginners enter the markets with naivety, thinking they can make quick money. Proper education is needed to set realistic expectations.”

Bridging the Gap with Education

Across the board, panelists agreed: education remains Africa’s most urgent trading challenge. Unlike regions such as the Middle East, where traders tend to have larger account sizes and more formal exposure, African retail participants often enter markets with little financial grounding.

“In Africa, we focus on broader financial literacy—not just trading but also investing, entrepreneurship, and saving,” the panel explained. Panelists cited local efforts such as podcasts and workshops to improve public understanding of markets and build more sustainable engagement.

Technology, AI and Human Judgment

As in most financial conversations today, AI emerged as a focal point. Brokers are already deploying AI in client services and operations, and its use in strategy development is on the horizon. “In the next 6 to 18 months, we’ll see AI-driven tools for traders, helping with strategies and risk management,” the panel predicted.

Yet most agreed AI remains limited when it comes to nuance and context. “AI lacks the discretion to react to real-time events like political announcements. Human judgment is still irreplaceable,” the panel noted.

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In terms of trading approaches, the panel split between technical and fundamental philosophies.

From an analyst’s perspective, “Start with long-term charts. Fundamentals eventually align with trends, but technicals help spot opportunities faster.” A pragmatic view followed: “Find what works for you. Markets change, what works today might not tomorrow. Stick to your plan and scale up gradually.”

A Cautious Roadmap for the Future

Looking ahead, panelists agreed that while the continent shows promise, structural foundations must be laid before widespread futures adoption or AI-driven trading can truly take root.

“Africa’s trading scene is still in its early days,” the panel concluded, noting that “futures may gain traction, but education and regulation must improve first.” The outlook remained cautious, with the view that “as technology advances, opportunities will grow, but we’re not there yet.”

Summing up the sentiment, the panel reflected: “I’ll go where the money is. If futures take off in Africa, I’ll adapt. For now, I’m sticking with what works.”

A Continent Poised, but Not Yet Positioned

The discussion revealed a market that is simultaneously brimming with potential and shackled by practical hurdles. As African traders demand more diversified platforms and sophisticated products, regulators and educators will need to move in tandem to support responsible growth.

As the panel put it, “Diversification isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a strategy to build resilient portfolios in unpredictable markets.”

For now, the journey continues. But with dialogue, education, and innovation, Africa’s trading landscape may yet find its footing on the global stage.