The traditional brokerage model is under fire to perpetuate a system that often works against the interests of retail traders. A leading industry figure is challenging the status quo, highlighting the deep-rooted misalignment between broker profits and client outcomes. At the heart of the critique lies the widespread use of deceptive practices—such as hidden markups, B-book execution, and payment-for-order-flow—that erode trader profitability. The speaker calls out the misleading nature of so-called “zero-commission” models, arguing they still leave clients vulnerable to indirect costs like slippage, widened spreads, and unnecessary tools that cloud transparency.
Driven by first-hand experience in institutional trading, this new vision for brokerage aims to eliminate unnecessary intermediaries, lower structural costs, and create a truly zero-cost environment. A new platform has emerged to prove this model, boasting the removal of 16 common fees and focusing on client-aligned growth rather than transactional churn. With its foundation in direct market access, custom-built infrastructure, and treasury-based revenue, this approach suggests a sustainable path forward—one where both traders and brokers win only when the account grows. As industry pressure mounts, the broader CFD ecosystem may be forced to rethink its reliance on extractive revenue models.