Sitting in the utmost concentration in front of screens, sometimes several, while monitoring prices, charts and news – that could sum up the working environment of a trader. The primary goal of this investor is to exploit short-term fluctuations in a security in order to realise a profit. The strategy can be geared towards both long and short prices. Things get especially interesting for traders on stock markets when the hectic pace increases and there are particularly sharp swings. In that regard there has been a lot to do over the last few weeks: US president Donald Trump’s about-turn on tariff policy at the start of April triggered a minor earthquake on the stock market, with traders particularly active even before the Republican’s historic tariff presentation in the Rose Garden in front of the White House.
At this point, the turnover statistics of the SIX Swiss Exchange speak for themselves. In the first quarter of 2025, the volume of leverage products traded there totalled almost CHFbn 1, nearly half as much again as in the first three months of the previous year (see graph). Leverage products are the preferred instruments of many traders because they offer a liquid opportunity to take short-term positions. Since these come in both long and short versions, there are no limits to the trade in terms of direction. Leonteq has expanded its product range almost simultaneously with the latest stock exchange turbulence and entered the market for leverage products. The Zurich fintech company now has more than 3,200 leverage products listed on the SIX.
That’s not all, however: in addition to the further expansion of the range of products on the most important Swiss trading centre, there are also plans to roll them out on the BX Swiss. Leonteq has prepared assiduously for the current expansion phase, having put together a team of leading industry experts years ago. Along with experienced IT specialists, they developed an ultramodern, automated retail flow platform that gives customers access to an extensive range of securitised leverage products. When it comes to quality, Leonteq is looking to set new standards again. The first of these is in relation to transparency. Users are given comprehensive information on products and underlyings in real time, while intuitive search and filter tools enable them to select the appropriate instrument for the circumstances. At the same time, customers operate in a safe, regulated environment with robust investor protection. It goes without saying, of course, that trading is all about the quality of the trade. This where Leonteq’s DNA comes in. Seamless market making – even for large volumes –, first-class risk management and efficient settlement have always been among the company’s core areas of expertise.
The product range, which is focused on mini futures and open-end warrants with knock-out, is not just of interest to the classic trader: these products can also be used to hedge a portfolio. Anyone invested in US equities, for instance, can use leverage instruments based on the S&P 500 index for this purpose. If the holdings are particularly geared towards the tech stocks on Wall Street, the Nasdaq-100 could be a better option as the underlying. Leonteq already offers some 460 leverage products on both US benchmarks. Almost half of them are short instruments that can play to their strengths to provide “home-made” insurance. Whether trading or hedging, determined investors should always be able to find the right solution on Leonteq's new platform. In the event that they cannot, there is a “product wishbox” which gives them the opportunity to add suggestions or ideas.
We look forward to answering all of your questions about our products and how they are traded. Please don't hesitate to get in touch! Phone: 058 800 11 11, email info@leonteq.com or contact us here.