SICO Financial Brokerage

What SICO Financial Brokerage does

SICO Financial Brokerage LLC (operating as SICO Invest L.L.C., previously Securities & Investment Company UAE) is a privately held Abu Dhabi-based brokerage firm founded in 2012. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SICO (Securities & Investment Company), a Bahrain-licensed wholesale bank that manages over USD 7.4 billion in assets under management across the GCC. The firm is licensed by the Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) — including compliance with SCA Rule No. 67 for online trading — and is also regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) for DIFC operations. Its customer base spans institutional and retail clients in the GCC and MENA regions across both B2C and B2B (DMA) relationships.

The company's core technology comprises the SICO Online Trading Portal (web) and the Borsat desktop trading application, providing execution across three UAE venues: Abu Dhabi Exchange (ADX), Dubai Financial Market (DFM), and NASDAQ Dubai. Direct Market Access (DMA) is offered through Reuters and Bloomberg connectivity, enabling global brokers to route orders electronically to DFM and NASDAQ Dubai. The firm is one of only 11 SCA-licensed margin trading providers in the UAE and has been accredited by DFM as a market maker and liquidity provider for DFM-listed companies. Backed by SICO Group's research division — established in 1995 and covering over 90% of GCC major equities across 75 companies in 12 sectors with macro coverage of all six GCC countries — the platform layers in GCC Stock Coverage, GCC Morning Call, Strategic Outlook Reports, Bahrain Daily, and dedicated Investment Advisory services.

SICO Invest's revenue model is transaction-led, with brokerage commissions on multi-exchange execution as the core stream, supplemented by margin trading interest income, market making and liquidity provision economics on DFM, and professional services revenue from research and advisory. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and operates within SCA-regulated commission structures. Distribution is split between self-serve digital channels (web portal and Borsat desktop) for retail and high-net-worth individuals, and direct enterprise sales of DMA services and execution relationships for institutional and global broker clients. The firm markets primarily through earned media — broadcast interviews with executive leadership on Al Arabiya, CNBC Arabiya, Sky News Arabia, and Dubai TV — plus regulatory press releases around licensing milestones.

Name

SICO Financial Brokerage

Legal name

SICO Financial Brokerage LLC

Website

https://sicouae.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SICO Financial Brokerage (SICO Invest) is an Abu Dhabi-based, SCA-licensed brokerage offering equity execution across ADX, DFM, and NASDAQ Dubai, alongside margin trading, market making, and GCC research services for institutional and retail clients across the GCC and MENA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Securities Brokerage

NAICS

Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231), Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation (52315)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200)

akta.pro primary industry

Independent Broker-Dealers (Retail Network) (FSAAAAAC)

Keywords

• Equity brokerage services
• Online trading platform
• Margin trading services
• Market making liquidity
• Investment research advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Abu Dhabi

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions: Commission-based brokerage fees from executing equity trades across Abu Dhabi Exchange, Dubai Financial Market, and NASDAQ Dubai for institutional and retail clients.
2. Margin Trading: Interest income generated from margin lending products licensed by ESCA/SCA, among only 11 licensed brokers in the UAE.
3. Research & Advisory Services: Tailored insights and advisory services provided to help clients make informed investment decisions, adding value to brokerage relationships.
4. Market Making & Liquidity Services: Accredited by Dubai Financial Market as a market maker and liquidity provider for DFM-listed companies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SICO Financial Brokerage (operating as SICO Invest L.L.C.) is an Abu Dhabi-based, SCA-licensed brokerage firm providing execution across the Abu Dhabi Exchange (ADX), Dubai Financial Market (DFM), and NASDAQ Dubai through a web trading portal, a desktop application (Borsat), and Direct Market Access via Reuters and Bloomberg. The firm offers equities, derivatives, fixed income, and SCA-licensed margin trading to institutional and retail clients across the GCC and MENA, supported by SICO Group's GCC equity research covering over 90% of major regional equities.

Product overview

SICO Financial Brokerage (SICO Invest LLC) is an Abu Dhabi-based investment firm offering a comprehensive trading and research platform. The core offering consists of the SICO Online Trading Portal and Desktop Trading Application (Borsat) for execution across ADX, DFM, and NASDAQ Dubai. The firm provides trading services in UAE Equities, UAE & Saudi Equity Derivatives, UAE Fixed Income, and Margin Trading. Supporting these trading capabilities is a research division providing GCC Stock Coverage & Recommendations, GCC Morning Call, Strategic Outlook Reports, Equities Research, and Investment Advice services. The platform targets institutional and retail clients across the GCC and MENA regions, backed by the research expertise of SICO Group covering over 90% of GCC major equities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SICO Online Trading Portal Web-based trading portal providing seamless trading capabilities across Abu Dhabi Exchange (ADX), Dubai Financial Market (DFM), and NASDAQ Dubai for both institutional and retail clients.
• Desktop Trading Application (Borsat) Professional desktop trading application providing deep insight into regional markets with advanced charting and execution capabilities for active traders.
• UAE Equities Brokerage Equity trading services for UAE-listed securities across Abu Dhabi Exchange, Dubai Financial Market, and NASDAQ Dubai.
• UAE & Saudi Equity Derivatives Derivatives trading services covering equity derivatives for UAE and Saudi Arabian markets.
• UAE Fixed Income Fixed income trading services for UAE debt instruments and securities.
• Margin Trading Leveraged trading product allowing clients to trade with borrowed funds, licensed by SCA and among only 11 brokers in the UAE authorized to offer margin trading.
• Market Maker and Liquidity Provider Services Market making and liquidity provision services for companies listed on the Dubai Financial Market, creating dynamic two-way markets to enhance liquidity.
• Direct Market Access (DMA) Service Direct Market Access (DMA) service enabling global brokers to directly trade on UAE exchanges via Reuters and Bloomberg electronic trading infrastructure.
• GCC Stock Coverage & Recommendations Research product providing coverage and investment recommendations for stocks across the GCC region, covering over 75 companies in 12 key regional sectors.
• GCC Morning Call Daily market intelligence report providing overnight developments and pre-market insights for GCC markets.
• Company & Sector Reports In-depth company and sector research reports across the GCC region.
• GCC Strategic Outlook Reports Long-term strategic analysis covering GCC economies and market positioning across key sectors.
• Investment Advice Specialized advisory services providing investment recommendations and tailored insights to help clients navigate financial markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• Founded 2012, steadily growing and gaining significant market share in UAE
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Dubai Financial Market (DFM) — Market MakingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 September 2018SICO BSC (c) accredited by DFM as a market maker and liquidity provider for DFM-listed companies, helping create dynamic two-way markets that enhance liquidity and benefit investors.
• Nasdaq DubaicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 March 2017SICO Invest LLC became a Member of Nasdaq Dubai to trade equities, providing clients with new investment opportunities on the rapidly expanding international exchange. 36 brokers are connected to Nasdaq Dubai as Members.
• Dubai Financial Market (DFM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2015Dubai Financial Market accredited Securities & Investment Company UAE (SICO) for Direct Market Access (DMA), enabling global brokers to directly trade on the market via electronic internet trading. This was the 10th DMA service provider on DFM.
• Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (ESCA/SCA)coreOthers · 9 December 2013SICO Invest LLC was granted a margin trading license by ESCA (now SCA) following extensive audit and full regulatory compliance. SICO is among only 11 brokers in the UAE licensed to provide margin trading products.
• SICO Group (Parent Company)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSICO Invest is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SICO (Securities & Investment Company), a premier Bahrain-based wholesale bank with USD 7.4 billion in AUM. The partnership provides SICO Invest with institutional research expertise, brand credibility, and a full suite of investment banking solutions including asset management, brokerage, corporate finance, and market making.
• SICO CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSICO Capital is a majority-owned subsidiary of SICO, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, offering dealing (as principal and agent), asset management, advisory & arranging, underwriting, and custody services. Licensed by the Saudi CMA. SAR 60.0 million paid-up capital, operating since 2009.
• Abu Dhabi Exchange (ADX)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSICO Invest provides seamless trading capabilities across Abu Dhabi Exchange, one of the three major exchanges in the UAE.
• Reuters and BloombergsupportingTechnology or IntegrationSICO Invest offers online trading and Direct Market Access execution through Reuters and Bloomberg platforms, enabling professional-grade trading infrastructure.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• First Abu Dhabi Bank Securities (FAB Securities): UAE-licensed broker-dealer providing trading on ADX/DFM/Nasdaq Dubai with research, margin lending, and institutional execution. Closely comparable to SICO Invest as a domestic UAE broker serving both institutional and retail clients.
• Emirates NBD Securities: Brokerage arm of Emirates NBD offering UAE equity trading, margin financing, and online trading portals across ADX/DFM. Directly competes with SICO Invest in the UAE brokerage market with similar product set.
• Al Ramz Capital: UAE-licensed investment firm providing brokerage, market making, and corporate finance across ADX and DFM. Comparable niche competitor with similar market-making activity on DFM.
• SHUAA Capital: UAE-based financial services firm offering brokerage, investment banking, and asset management. Comparable as a domestic full-service broker competing for institutional UAE mandates.
• Mashreq Securities: Brokerage arm of Mashreqbank offering online trading and margin financing on UAE exchanges. Direct competitor in retail and institutional UAE brokerage with similar online trading capabilities.
• EFG Hermes: Leading MENA-focused investment bank and broker with UAE presence offering brokerage, research, and asset management. Comparable regional broker with deeper product breadth competing for institutional GCC flow.

Regional players

• Arqaam Capital: Dubai-headquartered investment bank with brokerage, research, and asset management operations across MENA. Comparable regional broker, though predominantly serves institutional clients across the broader MENA region.
• SNB Capital (formerly NCB Capital): Saudi Arabia's largest asset manager and broker with brokerage and research operations. Comparable in GCC brokerage and research, but primarily Saudi-focused rather than UAE-focused.
• Markaz (Kuwait Financial Centre): Kuwait-based investment bank and asset manager offering brokerage and research across GCC markets. Comparable regional peer with similar institutional research and asset management offerings.
• Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC): Kuwait-based wholesale investment bank owned by GCC governments offering asset management, brokerage, and investment banking. Comparable regional peer serving institutional GCC clients across multiple markets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sicobank
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sico-financial-brokerage

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SICO Financial Brokerage