iFOREX has expanded its trading platform to include CFDs on shares from 13 Saudi Arabian companies across the energy, technology, and finance sectors, alongside South Korean equities. The move, announced December 18, 2025, positions the Cyprus-based broker to capitalize on emerging opportunities in two of the world’s fastest-evolving markets.
Sunday Trading Opens New Windows
One distinctive advantage of this expansion lies in the Saudi Exchange’s operating schedule. The Saudi bourse runs from Sunday to Thursday, enabling iFOREX clients to trade Saudi stocks on Sundays when most global markets remain closed. This timing creates unique opportunities for traders seeking to diversify their portfolios with exposure to Middle Eastern equities while Western markets are offline.
The strategic timing of this launch extends beyond calendar convenience. The expansion coincides with Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to attract foreign investment and liberalize its $2.6 trillion stock market. These regulatory shifts signal the Kingdom’s commitment to opening its capital markets to international participants, a trend iFOREX appears positioned to leverage.
Betting on Regulatory Tailwinds
Itai Sadeh, CEO of iFOREX, framed the expansion as both opportunistic and forward-thinking. The company anticipates significant regulatory changes in Saudi Arabia that will further open these markets to international investors, according to Sadeh’s statement. By establishing early access to these markets through CFD products, iFOREX aims to give its global client base first-mover advantages as these regulatory barriers continue to fall.
The broker’s expansion into Saudi and South Korean markets reflects a calculated bet on economic transformation in regions experiencing rapid modernization and capital market development. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plan and South Korea’s position as a technology and manufacturing powerhouse make both markets attractive for investors seeking exposure beyond traditional Western equities.
Delayed IPO Adds Complexity
The product expansion arrives during a transitional period for iFOREX. The company has delayed its planned London Stock Exchange IPO due to a routine compliance inspection by the British Virgin Islands regulator. The review, disclosed in registration documents, is reportedly nearing completion, though no revised timeline for the public offering has been announced.
This isn’t the first delay for the IPO plans. Earlier in 2025, iFOREX had indicated intentions to list by late June, but those plans never materialized. The company’s financial performance has faced headwinds in recent years, with trading income declining significantly between 2022 and 2024, according to previously reported financial documents. Despite these challenges, the firm continues to invest in product expansion and market diversification.
Building European Visibility
Parallel to its product expansion, iFOREX has been strengthening its brand presence in European markets through sports sponsorships. The company became the official back-of-shirt sponsor for Hungarian champions Ferencvárosi TC, complementing existing deals with PSV Eindhoven and Polish club Lech Poznań. These partnerships represent a significant marketing investment in regions where the company operates under its European entity, regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission.
The regulatory framework supporting this expansion is worth noting. iFOREX Europe operates under CySEC license number 143/11 and provides services throughout the European Economic Area, excluding Belgium, through MiFID passporting arrangements. The broader iFOREX Group also maintains regulatory authorization from the Financial Services Commission in the British Virgin Islands.
Navigating a Competitive Landscape
The CFD broker landscape has become increasingly crowded and competitive, with providers fighting for market share through tighter spreads and expanded product offerings. iFOREX’s decision to add exposure to emerging Asian and Middle Eastern markets reflects this competitive pressure. Rather than competing solely on pricing in saturated markets, the broker is differentiating through geographic breadth.
Founded in 1996, iFOREX operates a proprietary online and mobile trading platform that now provides access to over 870 financial instruments spanning forex, commodities, indices, stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies across 159 countries. The addition of Saudi and South Korean equity CFDs expands this already substantial offering, though the company faces the ongoing challenge of converting breadth into sustainable revenue growth.
The Saudi market expansion, in particular, taps into a region where CFD trading is gaining traction among retail investors. While Saudi Arabia’s Capital Market Authority regulates domestic markets, many Saudi traders access CFDs through internationally regulated brokers like iFOREX, creating opportunities for firms willing to navigate the regulatory and cultural nuances of the region.
As iFOREX navigates its delayed IPO process while simultaneously expanding its product suite, the company’s trajectory illustrates the complex dynamics facing mid-tier CFD brokers. Success will depend not just on adding markets and instruments, but on converting that expanded access into profitable, engaged client relationships in an increasingly competitive industry where leverage, spreads, and execution quality matter as much as geographic reach.
