For the year of 2019, the futures exchange plans to enhance its products and services in order to expand its investor base in major cities across Thailand through digital marketing and education and boosting trading liquidity.

Rinjai Chakornpipat, Managing Director at TFEX, commented: “In 2018 TFEX recorded growth in both trading volume and investor base. Stock Futures and SET50 Futures gained the most popularity, dominating 94 percent of the total trading volume in 2018, as investors utilized the products as an alternative investment to enhance returns and manage risks amid the volatile stock market in 2018. TFEX’s trading accounts at end-2018 rose by 15 percent or 21,947 accounts from a year earlier to 168,506.”

“Last year TFEX has collaborated with members on education and marketing for investors as well as enhanced trading liquidity through market making program. In addition, TFEX rolled out Gold Online Futures;  coordinating with clearing house to accept securities as collateral; and promoting cooperation on rubber futures between rubber entrepreneurs and TFEX members,” Rinjai added.

Stock Futures was the most active in 2018 on TFEX, representing 53 percent of the total trading volume, followed by SET50 Futures at 41 percent, Gold Futures at 4 percent and others making up for 2 percent. Retail investors accounted for 51 percent of market participants trading on TFEX, followed by institutional investors at 36 percent, and foreign investors at 13 percent. Open interest by the end of the year was of 2,440,223 contracts.

The exchange aims to boost trading liquidity of the existing products, particularly in SET50 Futures, SET50 Options, and Stock Futures. Additionally, TFEX intends to enhance USD Futures and RSS3D Futures’ delivery services, add more underlying stocks for Equity Futures and look into extending trading hours of Currency and Gold Futures.