Plus500 (LSE:PLUS) has conditionally agreed to acquire Hedge Capital Markets Inc., a US broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), as part of its expansion into the US securities trading market.
The proposed all-cash acquisition will provide Plus500 with access to the SEC-regulated securities segment, complementing its existing US operations in futures and prediction markets, which operate under Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulation.
Founded in 2021, Hedge Capital Markets provides brokerage services focused on US retail investors trading equities and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The acquisition is intended to add securities trading capabilities to Plus500’s existing US product offering.
The transaction remains conditional, and financial terms were not disclosed in the supplied announcement.
Plus500 said the acquisition will be funded from its existing cash resources. The group reported cash reserves exceeding $860 million as of 30 June 2026, providing the funding source for the proposed purchase.
Alongside the acquisition, Plus500 is establishing a new operational hub in New York to support its US expansion. The office will complement the group’s existing Chicago operations, which serve its futures and other regulated trading activities.
The company intends to combine Hedge’s securities brokerage capabilities and regulatory registrations with its proprietary trading technology to develop an integrated multi-asset platform for US customers.
Plus500 is targeting the first quarter of 2027 for the launch of the new platform, which it describes as a trading super-app.
The proposed service is intended to provide access to multiple asset classes through a single platform, incorporating securities trading alongside the group’s existing futures and prediction markets activities.
Management said the planned platform forms part of its strategy to expand the range of financial products available to US retail customers and increase engagement across its trading services.
The acquisition would extend Plus500’s regulatory presence in the United States beyond its existing CFTC-regulated operations into the SEC-regulated securities market.
Hedge’s existing brokerage infrastructure and experience in equities and ETF trading are expected to support the development of the new service, while Plus500 plans to provide the underlying technology and platform integration.
The group operates proprietary trading systems across several international markets and intends to apply these capabilities to its expanded US operations.
Plus500 said the acquisition and planned platform launch are designed to broaden its addressable customer market and create additional opportunities to generate revenue from a wider range of financial products.
The New York office will provide an additional operational base as the company develops its US securities offering and prepares for the proposed 2027 launch.
Completion of the Hedge acquisition remains subject to the conditions attached to the agreement. The planned trading platform launch is also dependent on the completion of the transaction and the company’s subsequent integration and development activities.
About Plus500
Plus500 is a London-listed financial technology group that develops and operates proprietary online trading platforms for retail and institutional customers.
The company provides access to a range of financial instruments, including over-the-counter contracts for difference (CFDs), share dealing, futures and options on futures.
Its platforms cover more than 2,500 underlying instruments across asset classes including equities, stock indices, commodities, exchange-traded funds, foreign exchange and cryptocurrencies.
Plus500 operates in more than 60 countries and holds regulatory licences in several jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and Japan.
The group’s trading platforms are available through web browsers and applications for iOS, Android and Windows devices.
Plus500 has been listed on the London Stock Exchange since 2013 and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 and STOXX Europe 600 indices.
The company continues to develop its multi-asset trading operations, including its US futures business and planned expansion into SEC-regulated securities brokerage services.
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