This article first appeared in Capital, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on June 16, 2025 - June 22, 2025
SINCE its launch in February last year, Moomoo Securities Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Moomoo Malaysia) has made waves with aggressive giveaways — from shares of Apple Inc to Nvidia Corp and now Gamuda Bhd — to attract first-time users.
But having notched up over 500,000 sign-ups in under a year, the online trading platform and brokerage services provider is now shifting gears. Its ambition is to become a lasting force in Malaysia’s investing landscape.
Moomoo Malaysia CEO Ivan Mok says the group aims to be a key driver in advancing financial technology (fintech) infrastructure, enhancing market efficiency and fostering greater local participation in Malaysia’s capital markets.
“Five years from now, we envision Moomoo Malaysia as an indispensable part of the country’s investment landscape — bridging the gap between technology, education and global investing opportunities to help Malaysians build a stronger financial future,” he tells The Edge in an email interview.
According to him, Moomoo Malaysia’s goal is to enable more Malaysians to take control of their financial future while elevating the visibility of the country’s capital market on the global stage by connecting millions of users worldwide, driving increased liquidity and positioning Malaysia as a thriving investment hub.
Moomoo is a financial information and trading app offered by Moomoo Technologies Inc, which is ultimately backed by Futu Holdings Ltd, a Nasdaq-listed fintech giant with a market capitalisation of US$10.87 billion (RM46 billion). Locally, investment products and services available through the moomoo app are offered through Moomoo Securities Malaysia, better known as Moomoo Malaysia.
In its latest promotion campaign, new customers can potentially receive a welcome pack worth up to RM2,200. It includes RM100 cash rewards, a total of RM1,700 Nvidia fractional share reward and extra rewards of RM400 Gamuda stocks — once specific conditions are met.
Nevertheless, Mok points out that Moomoo Malaysia’s approach to the Malaysian market has “consistently extended beyond promotional campaigns”.
While these initiatives have been effective entry points, he believes the ongoing investor activity and retention are predominantly driven by its core strengths, namely seamless accessibility to global markets, comprehensive investor tools and resources, and meaningful community engagement.
“The effectiveness of our promotional campaigns is best measured not merely by immediate growth but by the subsequent investor engagement and community interactions that follow. We’ve observed, consistently, that informed and empowered investors become long-term platform advocates,” he explains.
Mok brings over 25 years of experience in financial products trading and professional services to Moomoo Malaysia. Previously, he was CEO of Moomoo Singapore, which became the city state’s number one brokerage firm under his watch.
Looking forward, says Mok, promotional strategies will continue to be carefully integrated into Moomoo Malaysia’s broader mission of empowering investors.
“But our primary commitment remains in delivering innovative technology, real-time data, equitable access to professional-grade analytical tools and resources and educational experiences that genuinely equip Malaysians to make confident and informed financial decisions,” he stresses.
Mok notes that since launching Moomoo Malaysia on Feb 27, 2024, the company has seen rapid growth, acquiring over half a million users in less than a year. It has quickly risen to the top of the online brokerage industry, securing pole position in Malaysia by trading app downloads and daily active users (DAU).
“In the fourth quarter of 2024, we experienced high double-digit growth in client assets, underscoring strong engagement and growing trust in our platform. This significant performance mirrors our success in other markets like Singapore, driven by technological innovation, targeted localisation and proactive investor education,” he elaborates.
Mok says Moomoo Malaysia has focused heavily on technology-driven differentiation, providing Malaysian investors access to advanced yet user-friendly digital tools — such as institutional-grade analytics and free real-time data — previously unavailable to the broader retail investor segment.
Meanwhile, the company also tailored its product offerings and educational content to resonate with local investor preferences, financial literacy needs and market-specific demands.
Besides, Moomoo Malaysia emphasises its robust approach to investor education and community building. “This approach not only attracts first-time retail investors who value clear guidance and learning resources but also seasoned traders looking for sophisticated analysis and a community-driven trading experience.”
When comparing Malaysia to Moomoo’s other key markets, Mok observes that the adoption rate is notably rapid, supported by the country’s supportive regulatory environment, high mobile penetration rate and increasing digital financial literacy.
“Malaysian retail investors, similar to their peers in Singapore, have demonstrated exceptional receptivity to digital-first platforms,” he says.
Moreover, Moomoo Malaysia’s e-IPO subscription has seen “outstanding adoption” among local investors, emerging as its most popular feature, according to Mok. “As the first fully digitalised initial public offering (IPO) subscription process in Malaysia, Moomoo’s e-IPO significantly democratises the IPO experience — allowing everyday investors easy, transparent and direct access to investment opportunities traditionally reserved for institutional investors or high-net-worth individuals.”
Similarly, Moomoo Malaysia’s fractional shares offering has provided greater affordability and flexibility for local investors and especially among those who want to dip their toes into investing globally. “Fractional shares break down traditional cost barriers, enabling investors to participate in blue-chip and premium global stocks with minimal capital. Investors now easily diversify their portfolios across multiple high-value stocks,” says Mok.
He adds that Moomoo Malaysia fully intends to further expand its shariah-compliant product suite, guided by investor feedback and market needs. This will include exploring additional Islamic investment funds, structured products and potentially shariah-compliant trading options. “Our goal remains clear — to make Moomoo Malaysia the leading platform for comprehensive, accessible and inclusive investing, deeply attuned to the diverse preferences of Malaysian investors.”
Mok says in Malaysia’s increasingly dynamic brokerage landscape, Moomoo Malaysia’s differentiation is anchored in its technological strength and agility. “Leveraging scalable cutting-edge technology, we’ve quickly introduced sophisticated offerings like fully digital e-IPO subscriptions and US options trading — making us among the first platforms in Malaysia to offer direct digital access to these advanced investment tools.”
In fact, he says, Moomoo is one of the few technology-driven platforms in Malaysia holding a Capital Markets Services Licence (CMSL) from the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), ensuring stringent security and transparency standards. “Our goal at Moomoo Malaysia isn’t merely about offering a digital investment platform; we are actively expanding local investor participation, fostering financial literacy and setting new benchmarks for accessible and informed investing.
“At Moomoo Malaysia, our vision of becoming an ‘investment super app’ involves creating a dynamic and comprehensive platform that seamlessly integrates diverse financial products and advanced technological capabilities,” says Mok.
He adds that Malaysian investors can now have access to fractional shares, fully digital e-IPO subscriptions, US options trading and expanded investment opportunities via the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Singapore.
The group has seen strong uptake among Malaysian investors for access to global markets, particularly the US and China. “To date, one in every two Malaysian investors on our platform is actively engaged in these international markets, with notable interest in growth sectors like semiconductors, energy and manufacturing. This clearly highlights an evolving mindset among Malaysian investors, where international diversification is becoming central to their strategic approach,” Mok says.
Additionally, he observes that Malaysian investors are becoming increasingly sophisticated and opportunistic in timing their global investments. “For example, significant global events such as economic stimulus announcements or political developments have consistently led to noticeable surges in trading activity on our platform, demonstrating investors’ proactive approach to leveraging global market shifts.”
Mok acknowledges that being part of Futu Holdings also gives Moomoo Malaysia a unique advantage as it gets to bring world-class technology, deep market expertise and a globally trusted ecosystem to Malaysian investors.
“One of the biggest benefits of this is technology and innovation. Futu has built a cutting-edge trading infrastructure that powers millions of investors worldwide and we’re able to bring that same institutional-grade experience to Malaysia.
“Over the next five years, we aim to solidify our position as the go-to platform for both new and experienced investors,” he remarks.
Mok says Moomoo Malaysia has been experiencing strong and sustained growth, with double-digit quarter-on-quarter increases in both total users and paying clients. For instance, Malaysia contributed the highest number of new paying clients globally in 2Q2024, with a 168% year-on-year growth in this segment. “Client assets have more than doubled, a strong signal that investors trust our platform and see real value in what we offer. One year in, and we’re just getting started. We are excited to keep shaping the future of investing in Malaysia,” he concludes.
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