Saxo Bank Tops 1.5 Million Clients as Swiss Takeover Reshapes Its Future
What Is Driving Saxo Bank’s Latest Growth Milestone?
Saxo Bank now serves 1.5 million clients across its global platform, extending a trend that has reshaped the Copenhagen-headquartered firm into one of Europe’s largest multi-asset investment houses. The latest figure builds on the 1.4 million clients and EUR 118 billion in assets reported during the first half of 2025 as self-directed investing is rising across retail and wealth segments.
The expansion fits a broader pattern in Europe and Asia, where individual investors continue to shift toward platforms that offer direct access to global equities, ETFs, options, FX and listed derivatives. Saxo — a fully regulated Danish bank — has leaned on this demand by offering trading, investing and wealth-management features under a single umbrella for both retail and high-net-worth clients.
Founded in 1992 as Midas, the firm became an ahead adopter of online trading during a period when few retail investors had . It later rebranded as Saxo and built one of the sector’s first multi-asset platforms, setting the foundation for SaxoTrader and SaxoTraderGO — tools that have remained central to its identity through several market cycles.
Investor Takeaway
How Is Saxo’s New Ownership Shaping Its Next Chapter?
The client milestone arrives as Saxo undergoes one of the largegest changes in its history: a new controlling owner. In March 2025, Swiss wealth manager J. Safra Sarasin agreed to acquire 70% of the bank from Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and Finnish insurer Mandatum. The deal valued Saxo at EUR 1.6 billion — one of the largest cross-border brokerage transactions completed in Europe that year.
The sale ended Geely’s seven-year run that began in 2018 when the automaker moved into financial services alongside its industrial businesses. By 2024–2025, the group was exiting non-core assets to refocus on mobility, clearing the way for a purchaviewr with a diverse profile. J. Safra Sarasin, which manages over USD 250 billion, gains access to a modern trading and execution stack that can be integrated into its existing wealth network.
For Saxo, the move brings long-term capital backing from a global private-banking group and the prospect of deeper distribution across wealth clients. Co-founder Kim Fournais, who retains around 28% of the bank, remains in charge, keeping the technology-driven culture that defined Saxo’s rise intact during the transition.
Why Are Investors Turning Toward Multi-Asset Platforms?
Saxo’s growth sits within a broader change in investor behavior. Across Europe and Asia, retail users increasingly manage portfolios that mix equities, ETFs, options, FX and, in some cases, digital assets. The post-pandemic period accelerated this shift as households sought higher-yielding alternatives to traditional savings products.
Regulatory tightening over the past decade also assisted reshape the competitive landscape. European authorities introduced stricter rules around leverage, transparency, and client protection. These measures pushed fragileer offshore brokers out of mainstream markets and strengthened institutions operating under full .
Saxo, designated a in Denmark, benefited from that shift. Its structure — a European bank with — appeals to both active traders and conservative wealth portfolios that want diversified access without leaving regulated channels.
Investor Takeaway
What Comes Next for Saxo Bank?
Saxo enters this ownership transition with a larger client base, an expanding asset pool and a platform built around scale. The combination of Danish banking status, and Swiss private-bank support gives Saxo a wider runway to grow internationally — especially among wealth clients who want multi-asset access from a single platform.
The rise of self-direction across the investor base is likely to continue, and banks with broad product menus, well-capitalized operations and long-tested infrastructure stand to benefit. Saxo’s climb past 1.5 million clients captures both the rise of multi-asset retail investing and the bank’s tightening grip on a segment that is steadily moving away from old-style brokerage models.
