Q&A with Dany Mawas, CEO & Co-Founder of Fortress Core Connect

FNG: Dany, thanks for joining us. With your background straddling both the retail and B2B sides of the trading industry, what inspired the launch of Fortress Core? What industry gap did you see that motivated you to create this company?

Dany: Thank you for having me. Fortress Core was born out of necessity. Having worked extensively on both the retail brokerage and institutional sides of the industry, we identified a clear fragmentation in the B2B trading infrastructure space, especially across emerging markets like Africa. Most service providers either lacked local relevance or were too rigid in their offerings. We launched Fortress Core to solve this, by creating a one-stop ecosystem that delivers Tier-1 liquidity, institutional-grade infrastructure, B2B & B2C advisory services, and full regulatory alignment through a single, adaptable platform.

FNG: Fortress Core has positioned itself as a specialised B2B partner for brokers and regulated financial institutions. What are your key areas of focus in terms of services and geographic expansion?

Dany: Our focus is threefold: infrastructure, liquidity, and market expertise. On the tech side, we provide access to reliable & renowned institutional service providers, allowing brokers to deploy flexible, multi-asset solutions & risk management services. On the liquidity side, our exclusive partnership with ATFX Connect gives us the ability to deliver deep, ultra-competitive and reliable Tier-1 pricing across FX, commodities, indices, and equities for onshore and international markets. Lastly, we support our B2B Clients through regulatory infrastructure by offering local turnkey onboarding solutions in South Africa, and offshore markets with expansion plans underway in Europe, the UAE and LATAM. Our market expertise is unmatched which definitely attracts players to consult with Fortress Core on their B2B & B2C operations and business needs. While our home base is Africa, we are very much building a global gateway from here outward.

FNG: The liquidity and institutional tech space is increasingly competitive, with several well-funded players. How does Fortress Core plan to stand out as the go-to infrastructure partner for brokers and asset managers?

Dany: We’re not just another aggregator or tech vendor. What sets Fortress Core apart is our modular, flexible, client-first approach. We tailor every solution from trading platforms to tech infrastructures around our client’s growth model. Our liquidity solutions powered by ATFX Connect ensures that our partners get institutional-grade pricing that isn’t diluted through third-party chains. Combine that with regional market, operational and compliance expertise, fast onboarding, and access to strategic tools like Centroid’s risk engine, or Fair Trading Technology’s back-end systems, and we become more than a vendor: we become a long-term growth partner for any player taking their operational and electronic trading needs seriously.

FNG: You’ve mentioned in other forums the importance of local regulatory alignment and infrastructure. How central is compliance to your service model, and how do you see regulation evolving in the regions you target?

Dany: Regulatory infrastructure is at the heart of what we do. We understand that for brokers and asset managers to scale sustainably, they need more than just technology or good pricing;  they need legal and regulatory credibility. That’s why we’ve embedded regulatory onboarding solutions into our service offering, removing traditional barriers to market entry. As for the future, we’re actively monitoring developments in the UAE, Europe, and LATAM, where we plan to replicate this model in the incoming weeks. As the global regulatory tide rises, we see Fortress Core as a regulatory enabler.

FNG: With growing interest in prop trading firms over more traditional business models such as brokerages and asset managers, is Fortress Core adapting its offering to this emerging client profile? Are you seeing a rise in demand from this segment?

Dany: Absolutely. The rise of prop trading over more traditional business models is reshaping the market. A vast majority of these firms need institutional execution, and reliable back-end systems but without the overhead of traditional infrastructure. That’s where we come in by offering execution via our ATFX Connect liquidity, and plug-and-play access to well-established & reliable risk management tools and back-office solutions. We’ve onboarded a few prop trading firms in the past few months, and the demand keeps growing. Our ecosystem is designed to be lean, fast, and scalable which is ideal for firms that want to launch quickly without compromising on institutional quality and reliability.

FNG: What role do partnerships (e.g., with tech providers, liquidity venues, or exchanges) play in your business strategy? Can we expect any announcements in the near future?

Dany: Strategic partnerships are central to our growth strategy. Our recent integrations with reputable providers demonstrate our commitment to delivering robust, end-to-end solutions that are both scalable and cost-efficient. And we’re just getting started. We’re currently finalising our expansion into Europe and the GCC, alongside new collaborations in the crypto, payments, and regtech sectors that will further strengthen our ecosystem. Stay tuned!

FNG: Fortress Core has built strong traction quite quickly, which is not surprising knowing your track record. What’s next on your roadmap for the next 6–12 months? Any new products, milestones, or regional launches we should watch out for?

Dany: The next six months will be focused on scaling our global footprint and deepening our local presence. We’re actively in the process of securing new regulatory licenses and operations across Europe, the GCC, and LATAM; regions where demand for institutional-grade infrastructure and liquidity is growing rapidly. In parallel, we’re launching several new entities under Fortress Core Connect’s group of companies, enabling us to operate more effectively within the local frameworks of the markets we serve. Our mission remains clear: to bridge local ambition with global standards.