By Correspondent
The inaugural Africa Forex Trading Expo 2026 opened Thursday at the Sarit Expo Centre with industry leaders declaring that Africa is increasingly becoming a significant player in global financial markets.
The two-day event has brought together hundreds of forex traders, brokers, fintech innovators, payment service providers and financial educators under the theme “Smart Money, Smart Africa; The Future of Forex & Digital Trading.”
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Zack Kiratu, Director of Azelia Expo Ltd, said the gathering marks a major step in positioning Africa at the centre of the evolving digital finance ecosystem.
“We are opening a gateway to the future of finance in Africa,” Kiratu said in his remarks. “Across this continent, something extraordinary is happening. Millions of young, tech-savvy Africans are entering the global financial markets.”
He noted that rapid fintech innovation, expanding digital payments and a growing generation of technology-driven entrepreneurs are helping shape new financial systems across the continent.
“Africa is no longer just a market to watch,” he added. “Africa is a market to build with, a market to invest in, and a market that will help define the future of global finance.”
One of the key discussions during the first day focused on the growing influence of mobile technology in forex trading. Panelists in a session titled “Mobile Trading & Africa’s Digital Leap” explored how the increasing penetration of smartphones is allowing more Africans to access international trading platforms.
Panelist Ali highlighted the accessibility that mobile trading provides.
“The most amazing thing about trading is that we all have equal opportunities and you can do it from anywhere,” he said.
However, Sheila, speaking on the importance of payments infrastructure, warned that strong financial rails remain critical to the success of digital trading platforms.
“You can build the best trading app in the world, but if your users cannot easily deposit, withdraw or refund funds from their wallets, then it is of no use,” she said, emphasizing the role of payment service providers in enabling seamless financial transactions.
The expo’s keynote address was delivered by Joao Campos of Empire FX, who discussed how trading platforms should be designed around real human behaviour.
Campos shared insights from developing the company’s retail trading platform, EFX Lite, arguing that technology design strongly influences trading decisions.
“People don’t make decisions rationally. They respond to design,” he told participants, noting that responsible platform design can help traders develop more disciplined strategies rather than making impulsive decisions.
Other sessions focused on the macroeconomic forces influencing currency markets. During a panel on monetary policy shifts and their cross-border impact, speaker Christine explained how global interest rate changes drive capital flows in forex markets.
“When interest rates increase, it usually means higher returns, and money tends to flow where those higher returns exist,” she said.
Panelist Nick added that investors also pursue safer yields and opportunities such as the carry trade, which significantly influences currency movements.
Another highly anticipated discussion examined the growing relationship between traditional forex markets and the cryptocurrency ecosystem. In a panel titled “Crypto, Forex & Stablecoins: Competition or Convergence?”, experts agreed that integration between the two sectors is likely to define the future of digital trading.
Vincent pointed to stablecoins as a potential bridge between traditional finance and decentralized systems, saying they could support more standardized and global trading environments.
Meanwhile, Joseph stressed that users ultimately prioritize speed and convenience over the underlying technology.
“In 10 years, or even right now, users don’t care about the technology underneath,” he said. “What they care about is whether money can move instantly.”
Alongside the panel discussions, the first day featured practical masterclasses and workshops aimed at improving traders’ skills. Sessions covered topics such as copy trading, scaling a forex trading business and the growing role of artificial intelligence in trading strategies.
Industry experts from Xelans Markets and Empire FX also led sessions on broker selection, professional accreditation and responsible trading practices.
The day concluded with an invitation-only gala dinner hosted by Empire FX, bringing together more than 250 industry leaders, sponsors and VIP guests for networking and strategic discussions.
The expo continues Friday with additional sessions including “From Guesswork to Strategy: How Beginners Can Build a Trading System,” “Women Shaping the Forex, Crypto & Fintech Industry,” and “Trading Rails of Africa: The Fintech & PSP Infrastructure Powering FX Payments.”
Reflecting on the opening day, Kiratu said the conversations emerging from the expo could shape the future of forex and fintech across the continent.
“The conversations that begin here at Africa Forex Trading Expo have the power to influence the next chapter of forex and fintech across Africa,” he said.
