Key Takeaways
- • Jason Hughes, General Manager at IC, told the iFX EXPO Asia 2026 audience in Hong Kong that brokers should not let crypto attention divert investment from the markets clients continue to trade.
- • Hughes framed the priority as ensuring clients can access the markets they want to trade, backed by reliable infrastructure and consistent execution standards, rather than choosing between traditional and digital assets.
- • The panel "From Bitcoin to Bullion: Where Is the Real Revenue?" questioned the commercial case for new digital products when gold, precious metals and major FX pairs still attract established trading activity.
- • Panel discussion also covered the operational challenges of 24/7 trading, including liquidity provision and execution quality.
Summary
Jason Hughes, General Manager at IC, argued that brokers should not let the growing attention on cryptocurrencies distract them from the markets their clients continue to trade, according to the original report. Speaking at iFX EXPO Asia 2026 in Hong Kong, Hughes took part in a panel titled "From Bitcoin to Bullion: Where Is the Real Revenue?" that examined whether digital assets are delivering on their commercial promise or whether established markets such as gold, precious metals and major FX pairs remain the backbone of the brokerage business.
The panel addressed a question facing brokers across Asia and beyond: where firms should direct their next round of investment as client demand, trading technology and market conditions change. Hughes said, "For brokers, the priority is not choosing between traditional and digital assets. It is ensuring clients can access the markets they want to trade, supported by reliable infrastructure and consistent execution standards." The discussion acknowledged that digital assets have opened new opportunities but raised doubts about the commercial case for new products when established instruments continue to attract trading volume.
The panel also examined the challenges of 24/7 trading, from liquidity provision to execution quality, and the implications for brokers expanding product offerings. Hughes framed the broader issue as how firms balance innovation with the fundamentals of their business, noting that the long-term value of new products depends on client demand and the infrastructure needed to support trading.
Hughes also participated in a separate session on the commercial value of sports partnerships, drawing on IC's involvement in motorsport and esports. He said, "The value of a sports partnership goes beyond visibility," and argued that while brand awareness matters, its direct commercial impact is difficult to isolate, so engagement with business partners and relationship-building are also important measures for IC.
The panel addressed a question facing brokers across Asia and beyond: where firms should direct their next round of investment as client demand, trading technology and market conditions change. Hughes said, "For brokers, the priority is not choosing between traditional and digital assets. It is ensuring clients can access the markets they want to trade, supported by reliable infrastructure and consistent execution standards." The discussion acknowledged that digital assets have opened new opportunities but raised doubts about the commercial case for new products when established instruments continue to attract trading volume.
The panel also examined the challenges of 24/7 trading, from liquidity provision to execution quality, and the implications for brokers expanding product offerings. Hughes framed the broader issue as how firms balance innovation with the fundamentals of their business, noting that the long-term value of new products depends on client demand and the infrastructure needed to support trading.
Hughes also participated in a separate session on the commercial value of sports partnerships, drawing on IC's involvement in motorsport and esports. He said, "The value of a sports partnership goes beyond visibility," and argued that while brand awareness matters, its direct commercial impact is difficult to isolate, so engagement with business partners and relationship-building are also important measures for IC.
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