CFD Brokers Expand Trading Menus From Romanian Shares to Leveraged ETFs

Interactive Brokers and Saxo Bank Securities Japan both widened their trading menus on Thursday, with the former adding Romanian stocks on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) and the latter listing 116 ETFs in Japan. The moves show brokers competing to consolidate more assets in a single account by expanding geographically and by product type.

Interactive Brokers said eligible clients can trade Romanian equities through the same mobile, web and desktop accounts used for its other markets, which span more than 170 venues. The formal announcement followed a July 23 report from Romania Insider that BVB securities had already appeared on the platform. IBKR's published pricing lists a 0.28% commission with a RON 10 minimum and 0.1% annual custody on RON-denominated positions.

BVB's chief executive, Remus Vulpescu, said in the announcement: "Every new gateway matters." The Bucharest exchange enters the rollout after a strong year: its BET index gained 46.2% in 2025 and the BET-TR total return index rose 55.2%, according to BVB's annual report. NAGA has offered direct access to Romanian shares since March 2025, when it described itself as the first global retail broker to do so.

In Japan, Saxo Bank Securities added 116 ETFs spanning broad markets, individual companies, leveraged strategies and option-based income. The list includes the Direxion Daily COIN Bull 2X ETF, targeting twice Coinbase's daily move; the Direxion Daily MSCI South Korea Bull 3X ETF; and two products targeting twice the daily performance of SpaceX: the GraniteShares 2x Long SpaceX Daily ETF and the Leverage Shares 2X Long SPCX Daily ETF. Saxo noted the daily-return nature of those objectives. Some of the new funds support options trading, though the announcement didn't specify how many. Other additions track AI, humanoid robotics, blockchain, aerospace and defense, memory semiconductors and covered-call strategies, plus the SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF and Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF, both options-eligible.

Brokers have been expanding through different ownership and distribution structures. Gemini started commission-free trading in thousands of US-listed securities on July 7, with Apex Clearing as custodian and clearing broker and Nasdaq providing real-time data. Bitget's Stock+ product, launched June 22, settles through regulated US brokers and gives users ownership of underlying shares. Plus500 began offering 24/5 CFDs on selected shares and ETFs on June 23, without ownership or voting rights. Webull, also on June 23, let accredited investors buy interests in private-company SPVs through Monark Markets, capped at 99 eligible investors per vehicle.

Interactive Brokers has also added national venues recently, opening Korea Exchange-listed equities in May and South Korea's Nextrade alternative trading system in June. Availability remains conditional: BVB trading is limited to eligible IBKR clients, and the Saxo ETF expansion applies to its Japanese unit.