Yoni Assia, CEO of eToro, an online brokerage that offers cryptocurrency and stock trading, said that the platform's cryptocurrency trading volume increased by more than 500% in November compared with the same period in 2023, indicating that retail investors are bullish.
"Every time Bitcoin hits a new all-time high, we see a significant increase in customer engagement," Assia said in an interview on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Financial Week.
eToro first listed Bitcoin as a tradable asset 10 years ago. Since then, eToro has expanded the number of tokens on its platform to more than 120.
However, in September this year, the company reached a settlement with the US SEC for $1.5 million and agreed to remove all cryptocurrencies accessible to US customers except BTC, BCH and ETH. The SEC accused the company of operating as an unregistered broker and clearing agency.
Assia added that the settlement agreement does not prevent the company from listing assets in the United States again, especially if the incoming Trump administration relaxes cryptocurrency enforcement. He said: "The settlement agreement only stipulates that we stop trading, and we can restart trading depending on whether there are any clear regulatory changes."
In addition, investors of another online brokerage company Robinhood also flocked to the cryptocurrency market during the same period. The company said in a filing that platform trading volume increased by 400% from October to November. (DL News)
Previous news, eToro is working with Goldman Sachs Group to prepare for an initial public offering in the United States. eToro is considering going public as early as the second quarter, but this timetable may change. The company said its listing valuation may be higher than the $3.5 billion achieved in private financing last year. People familiar with the matter said that details such as the issuance time may change, and more banks may be added to the list. Previously, eToro tried to go public at a valuation of $10.4 billion by merging with a special purpose acquisition company led by serial trader Betsy Cohen. Both parties agreed to terminate the transaction in 2022.