At the start of this week ATFX announced that it had launched a strategic partnership with Fortress Core Connect, a new introducing broker that specialises in the institutional market in South Africa and the wider African region.
To find out what Fortress Core Connect is up to and what the firm has planned with ATFX, we spoke to the company’s Co-Founder Dany Mawas.
Could you tell us about Fortress Core Connect, its founding principles, and how it serves African financial markets?
Fortress Core Connect emerged from recognising a critical gap in Africa’s institutional trading landscape: The need for a reliable connector between local regulated entities and global financial infrastructure.
As a pure B2B introducing broker, we enable financial institutions across Africa to access institutional-grade trading technology and premium liquidity while maintaining FSCA compliance. Our distinctive intermediary model means we never execute trades, hold client funds or act as an ODP Provider (Over-the-Counter Derivative Provider). Instead, we exclusively connect regulated institutional clients with a top-tier liquidity provider and well-established technology vendors.
Our groundbreaking partnership with ATFX Connect, a multi-regulated liquidity provider, locally licensed as an ODP Provider in South Africa offering tier 1 bank & non-bank liquidity and Prime of Prime services makes Fortress Core a go-to African gateway to regulated global markets.
Our comprehensive offering includes liquidity solutions from our exclusive ODP-regulated partner ATFX Connect, white-label trading systems, regulatory guidance, and institutional risk management solutions.
How does Fortress Core Connect’s B2B introducing broker model differentiate it from traditional brokers in the African market?
Fortress Core distinguishes itself through a pure B2B introducing broker model, fundamentally different from traditional brokers who execute trades directly and manage client funds. This business approach ensures we never compete with our B2B clients for end-users, instead functioning solely as a trusted intermediary connecting regulated African financial institutions with global liquidity andF technology providers.
Our B2B clients can concentrate on their core business activities while we manage the intricate aspects of liquidity access, technology integration, and regulatory compliance on their behalf. The essential advantage we offer is assisting African financial institutions to enhance their market offerings without assuming the significant operational responsibilities and costs typically associated with global market access.
What specific regulatory challenges do African financial institutions face, and how does Fortress Core Connect address these through its services?
African financial institutions navigate a complex regulatory landscape with significant regional variations. In South Africa, the FSCA imposes strict ODP licensing requirements, which can create substantial barriers for some local institutions seeking global market access with world-class execution services.
These institutions also face challenges with cross-border compliance, capital requirements, risk management implementation, and keeping current with evolving international standards. Fortress Core provides solutions through access to ATFX Connect. Our team brings extensive experience in South African regulatory navigation, enabling us to guide B2B clients through compliance complexities while maintaining operational efficiency and getting access to world-class B2B liquidity and technology solutions.
Could you elaborate on the white-label solutions Fortress Core Connect offers and how they benefit different types of regulated financial service providers?
Fortress Core provides fully customisable white-label systems for regulated market participants launching brokerages or upgrading trading infrastructure. For CFD Brokers, we deliver comprehensive solutions with branded trading platforms across all interfaces, integrated back-office systems, customised onboarding processes, sophisticated risk management tools, and seamless API connectivity that creates a scalable ecosystem.
Asset Managers benefit from our multi-asset portfolio management systems, customisable client reporting tools, streamlined fund administration interfaces, advanced performance analytics, and automated regulatory reporting functionality.
Other regulated FSPs receive tailored technology stacks, real-time compliance monitoring, comprehensive client communication tools, and powerful data analytics solutions, all designed for seamless integration. The distinctive advantage of our white-label offering lies in its effortless customisation and comprehensive nature, providing clients with turnkey solutions that preserve brand identity, if not enhance it, while delivering institutional-grade functionality, significantly reducing time-to-market and development costs.
