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Decisive factors: Octa carried out a global survey about brokers’ red flags
Every experienced trader knows a handful of tell-tale signs indicating an unreliable broker. This awareness can come from personal experience, common sense, or secondhand accounts. In any case, these red flags define traders’ choices. They are essential knowledge for those starting their journey in the financial markets or seeking an opportunity to engage with a new broker.
As a trusted broker focusing on building long-term, mutually beneficial client relations, Octa regularly researches traders’ behaviours. Here’s what traders think about brokers’ red flags.
Realistic expectations
First and foremost, Octa’s survey revealed a strong interest in brokers’ promises. It turns out traders are highly unappreciative of murky, evasive, and overly optimistic messages. This kind of false assurance and misleading self-positioning on the part of a broker can turn them off even before their trading journey begins.
When asked about major red flags in brokers’ advertising and positioning, South African and Malaysian traders indicated the most concern about companies that promise easy and unrealistic gains: 62% and 60%, respectively. 36% of Indonesian traders also said this type of misrepresentation was enough to scare them off.
Guaranteed profits declared by the broker are also a major red flag for traders in various regions. This is especially true about South Africa, where 40% of survey participants said they wouldn’t engage with a broker promising bulletproof positive outcomes.
Chart manipulations: a universal red flag
Unsurprisingly, more than half of the respondents in all countries indicated that trading chart manipulations like creating artificial gaps or manipulating candlesticks would be a major concern and would most probably lead to saying goodbye to a broker, regardless of other factors.
There is almost no discrepancy between different survey countries regarding this red flag: between 54% and 61% of traders stay away from brokers that allow such malpractices.
As a regulated and trusted broker, Octa works with independent, third-party liquidity providers to offer its clients non-distorted market prices. Octa also provides access to historical chart data so that traders can verify that the broker’s prices align with actual market conditions and that there were no chart manipulations or price slippages at any given time.
Fast withdrawals as a recognised sign of reliability
A surprisingly high percentage of participants said they had encountered serious fund withdrawal issues in their trading careers. As many as 27% of respondents in South Africa indicated they had had this problem at some point in their trading journey.
21% of Indonesian and 19% of Malaysian traders also had insoluble problems with the cash withdrawal process when engaging with various financial brokers. Nigerian traders were less exposed to this negative side of the trading experience, with only 14% reporting unsolved withdrawal issues.
Octa recommends testing a broker first-hand and forming your own opinion instead of mindlessly believing optimistic promises. Among other advantages, the broker offers a fast and efficient withdrawal procedure that can easily be tested by any trader who engages with Octa, regardless of the country.
High fees can be a deal-breaker
When asked what broker’s flaw is most likely to stop them from becoming the broker’s client, most survey participants highlighted the following two main reasons:
- high spreads and hidden trading commissions (from 29% in South Africa to 39% in Indonesia)
- slow, non-transparent, or unfavourable cash withdrawal procedures and rules (from 13% to 29%, depending on the country).
These results show that traders highly value full transparency and fair trading conditions in addition to fast and efficient withdrawals. Indeed, when it comes to intraday trading, high spreads or hidden fees can turn a profitable trading session into a losing one. Such an outcome can come as a shock to a trader if the real-life commissions and fees differ from those indicated by a broker in terms and conditions.
Wrong moves
The Octa’s survey was not limited to brokers’ red flags and made a foray into traders’ self-reflection. When asked what trading mistakes led them to significant losses, survey participants indicated the following reasons as the most prevalent:
- trading when affected by strong emotions
- forgetting about management tools
- placing orders intuitively, without any specific strategy in mind
- executing strategies without trying them on the demo account first.
Other reasons for making bad trading decisions include trading when feeling fatigued. Overall, it is safe to say that emotional behaviours are among the most dangerous negative factors affecting traders’ performance.
The research established that Indonesian, Malaysian, South African, and Nigerian traders prefer to work with brokers that provide a sense of security and transparency. They look for clear, predictable, and honest procedures that avoid hidden fees or complex withdrawal conditions, which can help establish long-term relationships with brokers based on mutual respect and clarity.
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Disclaimer: Trading involves risks and may not be suitable for all investors. Use your expertise wisely and evaluate all associated risks before making an investment decision.
Hashtag: #Octa
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Octa
Octa is an international CFD broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services used by clients from 180 countries who have opened more than 52 million trading accounts. To help its clients reach their investment goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools.
The company is involved in a comprehensive network of charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local communities.
In Southeast Asia, Octa received the ‘Best Trading Platform Malaysia 2024’ and the ‘Most Reliable Broker Asia 2023’ awards from Brands and Business Magazine and International Global Forex Awards, respectively.
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Over 60 Innovations presented by Hong Kong Innovation & Invention Go-Global at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions 2025
10+ conceptual inventions from student teams of primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong were exhibited for the first time at the top international exhibition
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 13 April 2025 – The Hong Kong Innovation and Invention(HKII), a project organised by the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association (HKEA), presented over 60 innovations by around 30 local innovation and technology companies and student teams of primary and secondary schools at the 50th Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions(IEIG), from April 9 to 13 Central European Time.
The “Hong Kong Innovation and Invention Exhibition” exhibition area is located at Booth A57 in Hall 1, covering 80 square meters. Organised by the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association(HKEA) and sponsored by the Innovation and Technology Commission, the project aims to provide the local innovation and technology industry free international exchange opportunities, bring Hong Kong innovation and technology products onto the top global exhibition, connect to multinational businesses and users, and tell good stories about Hong Kong’s innovation and technology to the world.
The “Hong Kong Innovation and Invention Exhibition” presents Hong Kong innovations and inventions covering six categories: Smart City, Smart Finance, Health Technologies and Medicine, Smart Transportation and Smart Industry, and a newly added Youth class for young inventors below 18 years old. Innovation and technology products on display include:
| Smart City: Hong Kong Centre for Logistics Robotics developed the Tumbler Inspection Ball (TIB) Robot, an innovative product for underground sewage tunnel inspections. It can collect interior information in harsh environments over long distances. It overcomes the challenges of inspecting confined underground spaces while capturing clear 360-degree high-definition videos.
Inspired by Tumbler, TIB can avoid capsizing by moving through the water flow. It incorporates advanced multi-sensor fusion techniques and AI while providing high-quality video. TIB can inspect sewage drainage tunnels and decked rainwater ditches, check stability of the nullah and waterside embankment, and survey on the river ecosystem and hydrology state |
| Smart Finance: Hong Kong Industrial Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Centre (FLAIR) developed the WISIO, a groundbreaking no-code online solution for
training, serving, and deploying various industry focused AI vision models, lowering the entry barrier of vision inspection project. WISIO offers one-click data integration, auto-labelling, intuitive model management, and real-time analytics, empowering users with no domain knowledge to simplify their workflows, increase productivity, and unlock new insights and business values from AI-driven applications. |
| Health Technologies and Medicine: Focusing on developing immunoassay technology, Elleon Biotech developed PhenoDot the next generation of immunoassay product. It enables simultaneous detection of both cell surface and secretion markers in a single assay for faster, cheaper, and more accurate phenotyping.
Future applications of PhenoDot include drug binding evaluation and development, cell selection for cloning, antibody generation, and immunotherapy, and diagnostic applications such as cancer marker detection. |
| Smart Transportation: Logistics and Supply Chain MultiTech R&D Centre‘s E-lock helps to reduce duplicate inspection on the same shipment by both Customs authorities at the boundaries, streamlining the clearance process.
E-lock has been deployed in 78 clearance points in Guangdong, Hunan, Fujian province and Macao of the Mainland China. Together with the 13 clearance points in Hong Kong, the Scheme provides the trade with over 1000 routes for conveying transhipment cargo across the boundaries. |
| Smart Industry: BioLogiQ, a global provider of innovative plant-based material solutions, invented plant-based & sustainable materials and products. These products are expected to reduce the accumulation of plastic pollution in oceans and on the planet, carbon footprint and micro-plastics in the environment. Consumers don’t have to compromise on product experience for sustainability. |
| Y – Youth (Below 18 years old): A student team of St. Paul’s Co-Educational College Primary School proposed X-Chair, a conceptual explorer chair.
X-Chair is a high-tech wheelchair integrating AI navigation, all-terrain adaptability, and eco-friendly energy, enabling users to move freely in cities, outdoor environments, and extreme terrains. With an intelligent suspension and track wheel system, gyroscopes and AI algorithms to ensure stability, X-Chair can move over stairs, grass, and snow smoothly. |
“2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the HKEA, and the second year to host the HKII project”, said Alice Lai, Vice Chairman of HKEA and Project Convenor of HKII. ” For decades, Hong Kong has benefited from a robust I&T ecosystem. However, one of the challenges is the limited stage to showcase innovations to the global business community. Through organising HKII, we are committed to raising the international profile of Hong Kong start-ups, products and inventors by providing them free access to top international trade shows like the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, creating more collaboration opportunities for export and overseas collaboration.”
“On the 50th anniversary of IEIG this year, we are delighted to see innovative inventions from Hong Kong participating in the exhibition, especially innovative ideas from youth joining for the first time, bringing a different global invention experience to our visitors,” said Caroline Simonet, Director of the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions. “We wish Hong Kong start-ups could seize the opportunity to find potential buyers and investors from around the world at the world’s top international invention fair.”
“As a biotech start-up, it is not an easy job to promote expert-focused foundational technologies and products. We need to meet biomedical experts from all over the world to explain our research,” said Daniel Sherlock-Yip, founding member of Elleon Biotech, an exhibiting startup. “Participating in the IEIG is a great opportunity for marketing. Through the HKII, we have successfully connected to a number of European and American scientific research and biomedical institutions at the exhibition.”
“Students from participating schools were thrilled to travel from Hong Kong to Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in this world-class I&T exhibition across half the planet,” said Ho Lai Sing, founder of Star Club Scientist Education, who liaises with young inventors from various primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong with HKII. “Participating in HKII to reach global audiences is a valuable and inspiring experience for students. It will encourage students to step up their STEAM studies to the next level and gain a clearer mind for their studying, career and entrepreneurial planning in the future”
Hashtag: #HongKongExportersAssociation
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About “Hong Kong Innovation & Invention” (HKII)
“Hong Kong Innovation & Invention” (HKII), organized by the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association (HKEA) and sponsored by the Innovation and Technology Commission (ITC) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is an initiative dedicated to showcasing and promoting Hong Kong’s immense potential in innovation and technology (I&T) to a global audience. The Project aims to facilitate collaboration within the industry and cultivate a vibrant I&T culture among the general public.
For more details on the Project, visit 
https://hk-ii.com
About Hong Kong Exporters’ Association (HKEA)
Founded in May 1955, the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association (HKEA) is a non-profit making trade association registered under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance. The Association’s mission is to develop Hong kong as a trading hub for exporters, dedicating its efforts to serve and add value for the exporter community.
*Disclaimer: Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material/event (or by members of the project team) do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Innovation and Technology Commission or the Vetting Committee of the General Support Programme of the Innovation and Technology Fund.
Media OutReach
OPPO Unveils Agentic AI Initiative at Google Cloud Next 2025, Showcasing Innovations and Leadership in AI Experiences
“OPPO’s focus has always been on the user, and our goal is very clear: to lead innovation in AI experience and provide the best experience,” stated Jason Liao, President of the OPPO Research Institute. “We are continuously enhancing AI experiences through strategic collaborations with partners like Google Cloud, aiming to deliver Agentic AI capabilities to OPPO users.”
At Google Cloud Next 2025, OPPO showcased AI Search, a powerful system-level AI tool in collaboration with Google Cloud, which empowers users to efficiently search and retrieve complex multimodal document information using natural language queries. Furthermore, OPPO highlighted its significant advancements and innovative features across AI Productivity, AI Creativity, and AI Imaging.
Looking ahead, OPPO is actively exploring the next phase of Agentic AI experiences, with a focus on creating personalized and intelligent user experience.
OPPO is developing a new user knowledge system to serve as a centralized repository for user data, addressing the challenge of information fragmentation on mobile devices. It is designed to learn and adapt from user activities, interests, data, and memories, to provide highly personalized AI experiences, driving progress towards a future vision of intelligent, AI-driven operating systems.
Leveraging cutting-edge innovation and a steadfast commitment to enhancing user experience, OPPO is collaborating with key partners like Google Cloud to accelerate the development and adoption of AI technology, ultimately redefining the daily experience of AI across devices and services. By the end of 2025, OPPO aspires to empower nearly 100 million users worldwide to harness the transformative potential of OPPO AI.
Hashtag: #OPPO
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About OPPO
OPPO is a leading global smart device brand. Since the launch of its first mobile phone – “Smiley Face” – in 2008, OPPO has been in relentless pursuit of the perfect synergy of aesthetic satisfaction and innovative technology. Today, OPPO provides a wide range of smart devices spearheaded by the Find and Reno series. Beyond devices, OPPO also provides its users with ColorOS operating system and internet services. OPPO has footprints in more than 70 countries and regions, with more than 40,000 employees dedicated to creating a better life for customers around the world.
Media OutReach
HKPC Launches “The Cradle – Going Global Service Centre” Partners with Three National Innovation Centres Achieves Three Early Going Global Success Cases
Empowering Enterprises in Global Expansion and Reinforcing Hong Kong’s Position as an International Innovation and Technology Hub
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 April 2025 – The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) officially launched “The Cradle – Going Global Service Centre” (The Cradle) today, supported by the Zhongguancun Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation Centre, the National Innovation Centre par Excellence (NICE), and the Greater Bay Area National Centre of Technology Innovation. The Cradle will assist enterprises in expanding into international markets. The launch coincided with the “Enterprises Going Global Conference”, which gathered over 500 leaders from government, industry, academia, research and investment sectors to explore internationalisation strategies and global market opportunities.
Located at the HKPC Building, The Cradle offers one-stop professional support for Hong Kong and mainland tech innovation enterprises, including international standards alignment, product localisation and internationalisation support, intellectual property management and protection, and overseas regulatory compliance. It is designed to empower more Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises succeed in the global market.
This year’s Government Work Report from the “Two Sessions” emphasised Hong Kong should “deepen international exchanges and cooperation”. With the distinctive advantages of “One Country, Two Systems“, enjoying strong support of the Motherland and being closely connected to the world, Hong Kong serves as an ideal launchpad for both Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises to pilot new products and business models before entering international markets. Leveraging HKPC’s technical expertise and international networks, The Cradle will enable enterprises to navigate global standards and enhance their international competitiveness.
To mark its launch, The Cradle is showcasing three early Going Global success cases from UISEE Technology (Beijing) Ltd, Beijing Tashan Technology Co., Ltd, and Beijing Yunji Technology Co., Ltd. Drawing on HKPC’s extensive experience in standards testing, applied R&D, scenario-based deployment, and smart manufacturing, The Cradle will also leverage Hong Kong’s strengths in intellectual property protection, supply chain management, trade finance, and ESG to support enterprise upgrades in smart manufacturing, green transformation, and digitalisation. HKPC will join hands with its partners to explore new global opportunities for enterprises and forge a comprehensive support network for going global.
The “Enterprises Going Global Conference” and the inauguration ceremony of “The Cradle” were officiated by Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, and Hon Sunny TAN, Chairman of the Hong Kong Productivity Council.
In his opening remarks, Professor SUN Dong, JP, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry of the HKSAR Government, stated: “The country has been vigorously advancing technology development in recent years, with a growing number of tech enterprises emerging and seeking new breakthroughs and business opportunities. As global competition intensifies, going global has become a key development strategy for enterprises. With our unique position as an international financial and trading hub, Hong Kong is accelerating the development into an international I&T centre and is well-placed to serve as a launch pad for enterprises. The establishment of The Cradle – Going Global Service Centre will enhance cross-regional collaboration, accelerate the integration of technology and industry, and support more enterprises in expanding globally through Hong Kong. This further reinforces Hong Kong’s status as an international I&T hub.”
Hon Sunny TAN, Chairman of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, stated in his welcome remark, “HKPC has long been committed to driving new industrialisation and supporting enterprise transformation and upgrading. In alignment with the national innovation-driven development strategy, we are collaborating with three major innovation hubs — in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area — which together serve tens of thousands of enterprises. Over the past decade, HKPC has completed over 1,400 smart projects in the Greater Bay Area, and launched the ‘9+3+1 Development Plan’ to establish service bases and R&D centres, empowering SMEs to expand globally with high quality. As economies in the Global South continue to rise, we look forward to working across sectors through ‘The Cradle’ to forge a strong and sustainable outbound ecosystem for both Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises.”
Mr Zhang Kai, Executive Deputy General Manager of the Zhongguancun Beijing-Hong Kong-Macao Youth Innovation Centre highlighted the significance of The Cradle’s establishment as a major milestone. He said that this initiative will provide Beijing’s technology enterprises with comprehensive internationalization support to accelerate the global deployment of cutting-edge innovations. He added that his team anticipate strengthening its collaboration with HKPC to enhance cross-border partnerships, develop high-potential projects, and empower Beijing-based companies to succeed internationally.
Professor LIU Qing, Director of National Innovation Center par Excellence (NICE) said, “National Innovation Centre par Excellence（NICE）has always been committed to building an open and integrated innovation ecosystem to facilitate the globalization of enterprises, manifested by nurturing numerous joint innovation centres, internationally competitive R&D platforms, and project companies. Looking forward, we will continue to deepen our cooperation with HKPC, taking full benefits of Hong Kong’s regional advantages offered through Cradle, to help the Yangtze Delta enterprises overcoming the bottlenecks of global expansion. We will further leverage the industrial and innovation advantages of the Yangtze Delta, and work together with HKPC to create a new paradigm of ‘Yangtze Delta Cultivation + Hong Kong Services + Global Market’, so as to promote more enterprises to go global.”
Mr Wang Debao, Deputy Director of the Greater Bay Area National Centre of Technology Innovation stated that The Cradle leverages the international platform advantages of HKPC to provide the whole chain support for enterprises from technical verification to overseas implementation, serving as a critical bridge for their global expansion. The Greater Bay Area National Center of Technology Innovation will actively deepen collaboration with major innovation hubs, assisting mainland enterprises in overcoming technical barriers and challenges in international markets, and accelerating the high-quality development and global application of new quality productivity achievements.
Enterprises Going Global Conference Explores Global Innovation Opportunities
The Enterprises Going Global Conference featured in-depth discussions with leading industry speakers on global market trends, technology innovation, and policy-capital synergy. Key topics included global expansion strategies, overcoming internationalisation challenges, and leveraging professional services, technology collaboration, and regulatory frameworks to support sustainable global growth.
Hashtag: #HKPC
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC)
The Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC) is a multi-disciplinary organisation established by statute in 1967, to promote productivity excellence through relentless drive of world-class advanced technologies and innovative service offerings to support Hong Kong enterprises. As a nationwide leader in innovative, market-driven research and development (R&D) internationally, specialising in leading technologies and all-rounded manufacturing services, HKPC promotes new industrialisation in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area and facilitates the development of new productive forces, leveraging innovation and technology (I&T), as well as bolstering Hong Kong to be an international innovation and technology centre and a smart city. The Council offers comprehensive innovative solutions for Hong Kong industries and enterprises, enabling them to achieve resources and productivity utilisation, effectiveness and cost reduction, and enhance competitiveness in both local and overseas marketplace. The Council partners and collaborates with local industries and enterprises and world-class R&D institutes to develop applied technology solutions for value creation. It also benefits a variety of sectors through product innovation, technology transfer, and commercialisation, bringing enormous business opportunities ahead. HKPC’s world-class R&D achievements have been widely recognised over the years, winning an array of local and overseas accolades.
In addition, HKPC offers SMEs and startups immediate and timely assistance in coping with the ever-changing business environment and strengthens talent nurturing and Hong Kong’s competitiveness with FutureSkills training for enterprises and academia to enhance digital capabilities and STEM competencies.
For more information, please visit: www.hkpc.org
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