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Equiti Group has expanded its physical footprint in the United Arab Emirates by opening a second walk-in branch in Al Ain, located on Hamdan Bin Mohammad Street. This expansion follows the recent launch of its first storefront in Sharjah earlier this month. The company operates under Equiti Securities Currencies Brokers, which holds licenses from the UAE Capital Market Authority (CMA) to provide local retail support alongside its digital platforms.
The Middle East has become an increasingly vital growth region for retail online brokers, with companies like Capital.com reporting that the region accounts for 60% of their total platform volume. Equiti’s physical branch model aims to build trust through face-to-face consultation, mirroring similar brick-and-mortar storefront strategies implemented by international brokers like Futu in Asia.
Despite expanding its retail operations in the Gulf region, Equiti’s UK entity recently faced headwinds, including a 24% drop in net trading revenue and a temporary pause on onboarding medium and high-risk clients. Market participants will be watching how the broker balances its aggressive MENA regional growth with tighter regulatory and risk standards in European jurisdictions.
