Valuable Capital Group's Steven Chou discusses GCC investor behavior, extended trading and future market access
New York, June 22
Valuable Capital Group, a comprehensive financial services provider with operations across Saudi Arabia and the UAE, announced that Chief Strategy Officer Steven Chou participated as a panelist at Nasdaq's 2026 Global Retail Executive Forum. This exclusive event brings together senior executives from leading retail brokerages, exchanges and market infrastructure providers to discuss how extended trading hours, new asset classes and evolving investor expectations are reshaping global retail investing.
Steven also serves as Chairman of Sahm Capital Financial Company in Saudi Arabia and Sahm Financial Limited in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). On a panel about infrastructure for a generation of always-on market participants, he addressed the opportunities and operational challenges of extended trading, continuous market access and the future of retail brokerage infrastructure.
He noted the natural time-zone alignment between the Gulf region and U.S. market hours as a key driver of engagement with U.S. equities, while pointing to rising demand for flexibility outside traditional sessions, particularly when investors need to respond promptly to market-moving events.
"The more important challenge is ensuring that customer support, risk management and investor education evolve alongside greater accessibility. As access expands, transparency becomes increasingly important. Investors need to understand both the opportunities and the risks involved."
Steven described VCGL's measured approach to expanded market access, leveraging Overnight Trading and Off-Market Orders to understand investor demand while maintaining disciplined execution standards. He emphasized that as trading expands across multiple sessions, brokerages must strengthen client service capabilities and risk management frameworks to address changing liquidity conditions and investor needs.
On infrastructure, Steven outlined VCGL's long-term strategy of building scalable, digital-first systems in Saudi Arabia and extending them across the wider GCC region. He also discussed the potential of digital assets and tokenization to reshape how investors access financial products globally, noting that innovation developed within clear regulatory frameworks can contribute to a more efficient and interconnected investment ecosystem.
Steven emphasized that regulatory compliance is not merely an operational requirement, but a core value embedded in VCGL's business philosophy. The group works closely with regulators across all jurisdictions in which it operates, and views proactive engagement with regulatory frameworks as essential to building sustainable, trustworthy financial services. "We believe that long-term growth in this industry is only possible when it is built on a foundation of integrity and compliance," he said. "That is not a constraint on innovation -- it is what makes innovation credible."
About Valuable Capital Group Limited
Valuable Capital Group Limited (VCGL) is a comprehensive financial services company that provides integrated, cross-market, and multi-asset global investment services to individuals and corporations. VCGL has set up licensed entities in Hong Kong SAR, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and UAE gaining worldwide recognition from millions of users.
About Sahm Capital Financial Company
Sahm Capital registered in Riyadh, holds full regulatory licenses from the Capital Market Authority (CMA) to provide Dealing, Advising, Custody, Arranging, and Managing Investments and Operating Funds Activities in the Securities Business services (License no. 22251-25). Sahm Capital has established itself as one of the fastest-growing members of the Saudi Exchange, leveraging proprietary technology and innovative financial solutions to deliver seamless, one-stop financial services. For more information, visit: www.sahmcapital.com
About Sahm Financial Limited
Sahm Financial Limited is a financial services firm based in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA). As the UAE entity of Valuable Capital Group Limited, operating under the Sahm brand, it is authorised to provide regulated investment services, supporting the firm's expansion across regional markets.
Through its licensed operations, Sahm Financial Limited contributes to Sahm's broader mission of delivering secure, transparent, and technology-driven investment solutions to investors across the Middle East. (ANI)
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This press release is issued through Arab Newswire () -- a press release distribution service for the Arab World, Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
— ANI
Reader Comments
Steven Chou's point about compliance being a foundation for innovation is spot on. Too many fintechs rush without proper risk management and later collapse. This measured approach is what the industry needs.
As an investor, I appreciate the focus on customer support and education. Many brokers offer 24/7 trading but don't guide users on risks. 👏 Hope Indian brokerages adopt similar standards.
Digital assets and tokenization are the future. If the GCC and India can collaborate on regulatory frameworks, we could see some amazing cross-border investment products. Just hope they don't over-regulate and kill innovation.
Good to see Indian-origin leaders driving global fintech. But I'd like to know how this benefits retail investors back home. Will we get access to US markets through these platforms with lower fees? That would be a game-changer.
"Integrity and compliance are not constraints but foundations for innovation" - finally someone in finance gets it! Too many crypto disasters happened because people skipped the boring compliance part. Let's hope this sets a trend.
Saudi Arabia is really positioning itself as a fintech hub. With Vision 2030 and all, this is smart. But I hope they also focus on financial literacy for new investors.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.