Global Institutional Trading Trends: Key Priorities for H2 2025

June 2025

Following a series of senior-level meetings across Cyprus, London, and Dubai, GCEX has gathered valuable insight into what institutional clients now consider essential from their trading partners. From regulatory transparency to execution performance, the expectations of hedge funds, asset managers, brokers, and family offices are evolving—and becoming increasingly aligned across jurisdictions.

In this article, we outline the most critical institutional trading trends of 2025, supported by search behaviour and discussions with decision-makers across multiple regions.

Across all three jurisdictions—Europe, the UK, and the UAE—professional market participants consistently raised concerns about conflicts of interest in execution. Many institutions are now actively moving away from trading relationships with market makers or internalising counterparties. These models, where the liquidity provider may have an economic interest opposite that of the client, are increasingly viewed as incompatible with institutional fiduciary responsibilities and regulatory scrutiny.

At GCEX, our model is deliberately structured to eliminate these conflicts. We do not engage in market making, we do not internalise flow, and we do not operate proprietary trading books. Our execution is sourced solely from Tier 1 liquidity providers, including major banks and regulated digital asset venues. This model aligns with the expectations of the Tier 1 regulators, which prioritise market integrity, client protection, and transparency.

Institutions searching for terms such as “non-conflicted liquidity provider for institutional trading” or “Tier 1 liquidity no internalisation” are doing more than comparing spread quotes—they are screening for regulatory alignment and execution neutrality.

From Spread to Strategy: The Rise of Total Transaction Cost Analysis (TTCA)

Execution quality is no longer judged solely by headline spreads. In today’s institutional environment, clients are increasingly deploying Total Transaction Cost Analysis (TTCA) frameworks to measure the all-in cost of their trading activity. This includes slippage, market impact, latency, and post-trade settlement risks, across FX, digital assets, and commodities.

GCEX is fully aligned with this trend. Our platform architecture supports this, allowing clients to analyse execution in real-time and in post-trade reporting formats. We enable professional traders to benchmark execution quality, optimise liquidity sourcing, and ultimately retain more alpha—all within a regulatory-compliant environment. This is particularly relevant for regulated entities, where demonstrating best execution is a core obligation, or where execution quality must be substantiated for digital asset transactions.

Dubai’s Institutional Market Maturity: Growth Despite Geopolitical Headwinds

Despite volatility in the broader Middle East, Dubai remains a strategic growth market for institutional trading. The city continues to benefit from the clarity and credibility of VARA’s regulatory framework, particularly as other jurisdictions take a more fragmented approach to digital asset oversight.

Conversations with UAE-based brokers, asset managers, and professional traders reinforce the demand for professional-grade digital and traditional asset infrastructure. Clients are increasingly searching for VARA-regulated broker-dealers providing liquidity, highlighting the critical role regulation plays in vendor selection.

Multi-Asset Execution Infrastructure: Navigating Market Volatility with Confidence

The past month has seen significant shifts across major asset classes. Bitcoin surged past $106,000, supported by institutional inflows and a reduction in geopolitical risk. Ethereum and other major digital assets followed suit, with positive sentiment driving trading volumes. In traditional markets, a weakening US dollar, a decline in oil prices, and stabilisation in gold all pointed to a risk-on environment with inflationary concerns receding.

For institutions managing multi-asset portfolios, access to reliable and regulated liquidity is crucial. GCEX offers deep Tier 1 liquidity across FX, crypto, and commodities, with execution sourced from leading Tier 1 providers. Our infrastructure is designed for institutions seeking a single, compliant access point for trading multiple asset classes.

Why GCEX is the Partner of Choice for Regulated Institutional Trading

GCEX’s core proposition is built on three non-negotiables: regulatory compliance, we do not run risk, and institutional-grade infrastructure. We are authorised and regulated by multiple jurisdictions. Our clients benefit from access to Tier 1 liquidity across FX, digital assets, and commodities, without conflicts of interest or hidden risk exposure.

We provide:

• Tier 1 liquidity

• Access to trusted custody partners and trading infrastructure

• FIX connectivity, a proprietary trading platform and a white-label platform  ("Broker in a Box" or “Crypto in a Box”) 

• 24/7 global support from an experienced, senior team

See the Difference.

Experience a Compliant, Tier 1 Trading Solution.

If your institution is re-evaluating its execution strategy or expanding into digital assets, we invite you to discover what makes GCEX a leading prime brokerage for institutional and professional clients.

Schedule a demo today and speak with our team about your trading and regulatory requirements.