Major Forex Acquisitions in 2012
FXCM Becomes a Major Institutional Forex Player by Purchasing the UK Based Lucid Markets (mid-2012)
FXCM purchased a 50% share of the UK company Lucid Markets. Lucid Markets is an institutional Forex company (market maker). In 2011, Lucid reported volumes of $13.4 trillion, and that makes Lucid a key player in the institutional Forex business. Furthermore, Lucid reported in 2011 EBITDA of over $110 million. So the price of $176 million for a 50% share that FXCM has paid to buy Lucid Markets seems more than fair for FXCM.
Tadawul FX was purchased and now Become Liquid Markets (November 2012)
Tadawul FX Forex Broker announced in November 2012 that it was purchased by Liquid Markets. As the company has stated, the key change during the transition to becoming Liquid Markets is the improvement of executions. The new company after taking advantage of the tier liquidity capabilities of Liquid Markets will be able to provide trading features such as direct market execution and five decimal trading. The next stage for the new company is to open an office in London.