Sky Links Capital said it expects client trading volume in gold spot to climb 30% and gold futures to rise 27.5% in the first half of 2026 versus the second half of 2025, the broker disclosed in a platform update today (Monday). The Dubai-based firm did not provide the underlying dollar figures behind those percentages, leaving the scale of the activity unclear.Singapore Summit: Meet the largest APAC brokers you know (and those you still don't!)Sky Links Capital Forecasts 30% Gold Volume Jump for H1 2026The broker, founded in mid-2024 by former BDSwiss MENA chief executive Daniel Takieddine, also projects gold spot growth of 25% in the second quarter of 2026 versus the first quarter, and gold futures growth of 30% over the same period. The figures come from internal platform data and current run-rate assumptions, the company said, with the second quarter only one month old."Gold volume is a useful proxy for how clients behave when risk is front of mind," said Daniel Takieddine, co-founder and chief executive of Sky Links Capital Group."In periods of heightened volatility, trading activity often concentrates in a small number of highly liquid markets."Sky Links Capital described gold spot as the largest share of activity on its platform, followed by gold futures and EUR/USD. For historical context, the firm said gold spot volume rose 18.8% between the first and second halves of 2025. None of those figures arrived with the absolute volume base they refer to.Competitors Disclose Trillions in Q1 VolumesThe lack of absolute numbers stands out against a wave of broker disclosures over the past two weeks, most measured in trillions of dollars. CFI Financial Group reported $2.3 trillion in trading volume for the first quarter of 2026, up 11% quarter on quarter and 81% year on year, with 2025 full-year volume reaching $6.4 trillion. EC Markets posted $5.13 trillion for the same period, while Capital.com reported $1.27 trillion.CFD broker ACCM also leaned on gold to drive its Q1 numbers, posting $2.14 trillion in total volume with gold accounting for 91% of CFD activity. Within ACCM's data, gold trading reached $1.09 trillion in March alone, with the broker disclosing both the share and the dollar figure. Capital.com offered similar granularity, noting January was its busiest month with around $502 billion in volume and that gold accounted for 59% of the month's activity.Other brokers have also put numbers on the table. Hantec Markets reported Q1 volume of $1.2 trillion, while Startrader said it processed $3.1 trillion in the first three months of the year. Gold Backdrop Has Cooled Since the January PeakThe metal driving these volume disclosures has been one of the most volatile assets of 2026 so far. Spot gold pushed to a record intraday level above $5,500 per ounce in late January, with the World Gold Council placing the historical high at $5,405 and an intraday peak near $5,589 on January 28. Prices have since pulled back toward the $4,600 area amid hawkish Federal Reserve signaling and dollar strength, as reported by FinanceMagnates.com last week.Despite the correction, gold remains the dominant retail trading instrument across CFD brokers. Industry data has shown gold contracts accounting for as much as 80% to 90% of metals CFD volumes at some firms during the rally, a concentration that has reshaped how brokers manage liquidity and risk on a single instrument.Equity Desk ActivationAlongside the volume update, Sky Links Capital said it has activated a Dedicated Equity Desk for professional and sophisticated investors, offering execution in cash equities and equity CFDs subject to instrument availability and applicable rules. The firm holds a Category 5 license from the UAE Securities and Commodities Authority, secured in early 2025, alongside entities registered in Mauritius and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Takieddine launched the broker in mid-2024 after leading BDSwiss in the MENA region, and incorporated a Dubai International Financial Centre holding company last year."Sustained engagement comes from clarity and reliability, especially when markets are noisy," said Apollo Irungbam, head of marketing at Sky Links Capital. "Clients want a stable operating model, plain-language support, and execution workflows that match how they trade across markets."The broader retail FX and CFD industry now has 7.42 million active accounts, according to FM Intelligence data, with named-broker volume comparisons available across the group. This article was written by Damian Chmiel at www.financemagnates.com.

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