CFI Financial Group is a global brokerage founded in Beirut in 2015 as part of Credit Financier Invest SAL(est. 1998), later relocating its headquarters to Dubai in 2017. The group operates through multiple regulated entities across jurisdictions including including in the UK, UAE, Cyprus, Jordan, South Africa, and Egypt, and also operates in several lightly regulated markets. CFI offers trading in stocks, forex, commodities, indices, ETFs, and CFDs.
CFI Financial Group was established in Beirut, Lebanon, in 2015 by Hisham Mansour and Eduardo Fakhoury as part of the international expansion of Credit Financier Invest SAL, originally founded in 1998.[1]
In 2017, the company's headquarters relocated to Dubai to strengthen its presence in the Middle East.[2]
In 2018, CFI expanded to Jordan, becoming one of the first international brokerage groups to acquire both local and international licenses from the Jordan Securities Commission (JSC).[3] In the same year, CFI opened its UK office in London.[4]
CFI reported trading volumes of $1.03 trillion in Q3 2024.[10] In February 2025, CFI opened an office in Baku after acquiring AzFinance Investment Company in Azerbaijan.[11][12]
In June 2025, the group appointed Ziad Melhem as Group CEO, co-founders Hisham Mansour and Eduardo Fakhoury became chairman and vice chairman, respectively.[13]
In July 2025, CFI's subsidiary in Bahrain was granted a Category 2 Investment Business Firm license by the Central Bank of Bahrain.[14] In October 2025, CFI opened an office in Manama.[15]
In January 2026, Finance Magnates reported that CFI ended Q4 2025 with about $2.07 trillion in trading volume and total 2025 trading volume of $6.4 trillion.[16]
As of January 2024, the group held twelve regulatory licenses, including authorisations in the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Cyprus, Jordan, South Africa, and Egypt.[7] The group operates through multiple entities, including in offshore or lightly regulated jurisdictions such as Vanuatu and Seychelles.[18]
Marketing
In 2023, the group partnered with the King Hussein Cancer Foundation and Center to fund a new medical unit dedicated to underprivileged patients. It also introduced a client donation initiative, matching contributions made from trading activities to further support the foundation.[19]
In April 2025, CFI was named "Official Online Trading Partner" of the 2025 EuroLeague Final Four.[24] In July 2025, Finance Magnates reported that CFI became the official online trading partner of Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.[25] Also in July 2025, CFI announced a partnership with the Egyptian Basketball Federation.[26]
The company has faced criticism over these sponsorships due to its association with Dubai, a jurisdiction frequently scrutinized for human rights abuses, including restrictions on freedom of speech, discrimination against women, and criminalization of same-sex relationships.[29]
Controversy
Prior to obtaining licensing in the European Union, CFI had offered cross-border investment services without local authorization. In October 2016, Italy's financial regulator, CONSOB, issued a warning that CFI was operating without the required license to provide investment services to Italian residents. This notice was subsequently distributed among other European financial regulators.[30]
In May 2022, the group's Cyprus branch was fined €150,000 by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) for breaches of anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing rules.[31]
In September 2025, Oman's Financial Services Authority (FSA) revoked the license of CFI Financial LLC, citing non-compliance with anti-money laundering requirements and exceeding the scope of the license by marketing non-Omani securities without authorization.[32][33]
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