FNG Exclusive Interview… The increasing demand for crypto and DeFi is driving growth at Gold-i. Tom Higgins, CEO, Gold-i highlights the company’s latest developments in a conversation with FNG, including its recent partnerships and expansion of its global team.

FNG: Hi Tom, thanks for joining us today. There’s been a lot of momentum at Gold-i recently. What’s driving it?

Tom: Since we announced our integration with Hyperliquid – the first DeFi exchange integration into our MatrixNET ultra low latency liquidity management and distribution platform – we have had a surge of interest. This has particularly been from large brokers wanting access to Hyperliquid as well as from major exchanges wanting to integrate with us.

Hyperliquid opens up significant opportunities for brokers and trading firms. It is a gamechanger as it enables traditional asset products, such as futures, to be traded 24/7 on the blockchain via its digital asset exchange. It is very easy to add other instruments on to it, too. However, accessing Hyperliquid is not simple from a technical perspective. We have used our expertise to convert its complex APIs into standard FIX and WebSocket APIs, enabling clients to connect seamlessly to Hyperliquid through virtually any order management system or trading platform.

In recent months, we have also made a number of  other key integrations into MatrixNET, including Crypto.com – one of the world’s largest and most secure cryptocurrency platforms – and Scope Prime’s digital asset CFD liquidity. These integrations give our clients greater choice, deeper liquidity and increased capacity.

Our partnership-driven approach is also a major growth driver. We focus on what we do best and collaborate with specialists in other areas to deliver a complete solution to clients. For example, in the prop trading space – one of our fastest-growing market segments – we’ve partnered with CLEO, the first trading platform built specifically for crypto and CFD prop firm traders, and integrated MatrixNET into it so that prop firms can have a complete solution including liquidity management and a front-end platform. Additionally, we have integrated our Visual Edge risk management tool into Devexperts’ DXtrade multi-asset platform. This gives users a powerful risk layer for monitoring exposure, identifying toxic flow, and responding in real-time, without needing to switch systems.

FNG: Is Gold-i now largely focused on the crypto industry as opposed to FX?

Tom: Not at all.

FX remains the backbone of our business –  our liquidity management platform, with ultra low latency (sub miliseconds), our MAMs for MT4 and MT5, risk management tools and MetaTrader plugins are used by FX brokers worldwide. However, the crypto side of our business – and the industry – is getting more attention as there is far more innovation happening in this sector.

Volatility in FX is keeping FX markets active but FX brokers are planning ahead for when volatility calms down and volumes drop. They recognise that in order to grow, they need to add other products and asset classes to their portfolio – and this is where we can really help them, through our crypto liquidity management offering and access to Hyperliquid.

FNG: You recently went to DAS New York. What were the key trends that stood out for you?

Tom: The most noticeable trend was how widely accepted digital assets are by the institutional community including banks, brokers, sovereign wealth funds and asset managers. I have seen the ratio of what I call  ‘the crypto bros versus the suits’ change dramatically over the last few years. Originally, the crypto events I attended were dominated by ‘crypto bros’, with only about 10% of ‘suits’, but now those figures have completely reversed, a reflection of significant institutional adoption and serious interest in embracing crypto and de-fi opportunities.

Importantly, sentiment at DAS New York was very positive, despite market downturns. There was a clear understanding that volatility is part of any asset class cycle. The mood was confident, forward-looking and highly engaged. There’s a growing sense that digital assets are becoming a permanent and integral part of the global financial ecosystem.

FNG: Is 24/7 trading proving to be a barrier for FX brokers looking to expand into cryptos?

Tom: It is a common concern, but largely a misconception about how much of a change this involves. Many brokers wrongly assume they need full 24/7 staffing across all business functions. In reality, a lean, well-structured setup is sufficient to support round-the-clock trading. FX brokers need their system to work 24/7, some technical support and a small operational team to assist clients when needed. This means that brokers can enter the crypto space without significantly increasing operational overheads, whilst benefiting from increased client activity and additional revenue opportunities.

FNG: How would you sum up your recent growth and future growth plans?

Tom: We now have more staff than ever before. We have a full support and account management offering in Australia, have expanded our team in Asia, and have strengthened our development team with new hires in the UK.

Digital assets is obviously a growth driver, alongside the rapidly expanding prop trading sector, while FX remains a stable and important part of our business. Looking ahead, a potential growth area for us is prediction markets. No one knows how this will play out but I suspect it will spill over into the crypto world and the retail broker environment. If complex integrations are required to enable brokers to unlock new opportunities, we are ideally placed to help them. In fact, this is an area where Gold-i excels.