By Andrew Morgan & Chris Hollands
Today’s financial markets demand precision, immediacy and adaptability. Yet, some day-to-day habits hold even the most skilled capital markets executives—traders, portfolio managers, and financial risk managers—back from reaching their full potential. If 2025 is the year you aim to streamline operations, reduce inefficiencies, and/or innovate your strategies, start by letting go of these five outdated habits and adopting some New Year’s resolutions.
Not only will this shift position you for greater success, but it will also allow you to stay competitive in the fast-evolving capital markets landscape.
Kick this habit: Avoiding AI and Automation
Relying solely on manual processes ignores one of the most valuable tools available today—AI-driven automation. AI excels at processing vast data sets for actionable insights, automating repetitive tasks, and ensuring compliance with complex regulations.
According to Coalition Greenwich, traders who leverage AI tools reduce manual workflows by up to 30%. By automating routine tasks—like trade routing, analysis, or responding to RFQs—executives can focus on strategy and alpha generation rather than wasting time on time-consuming operational work.
New year’s resolution: Future proof your trading desk with TradeSmart EMS. It is an AI incubator with multiple next-gen features including automated broker selection and AI-powered real-time analytics which set you up to quickly adopt innovative trading tools and strategies.
Kick this habit: Using Multiple Applications to Access Different Trading Venues
The habit of toggling between fragmented systems for equities, fixed income, derivatives, or crypto trading leads to inefficiency and errors, creates siloes, increases operational risk, and inflates the total cost of ownership.
Modern multi-asset trading solutions such as TradeSmart EMS provide everything within a single integrated platform, allowing for seamless transition between multiple venues and asset classes without sacrificing functionality.
EMS users saw an 18% improvement in execution times and significantly reduced operational costs, according to their in-house analytics teams. *
New year’s resolution: Invest in a comprehensive in multi-asset solution to consolidate your processes. Simplifier workflows lead to better decision-making and faster execution.
Kick this habit: Attempting to enter new markets without SaaS based technology
Expanding into a new market without revamping or upgrading your tech stack is a recipe for inefficiency and missed opportunities. Legacy systems, particularly those built on single-tenant applications, often lack the flexibility to support new market conditions or regulatory environments, resulting in longer implementation times and compliance risk.
New year’s resolution: Start using a SaaS solution pre-programmed with all relevant global regulatory frameworks and regional nuances so you can scale your operations compliantly and without delay.
Kick this habit: Pursuing a “digital transformation” strategy with your dated, single-tenant applications
Large enterprises often fall into the trap of relying on single-tenant applications or outdated IT departments that can’t keep up with modern demands. With these systems, scalability becomes costly, and upgrades require significant manual intervention, delaying the adoption of innovation.
By shifting to cloud-based, multi-tenant SaaS platforms, firms can achieve infinite scalability, real-time upgrades, and faster implementation—without the limitation of slow moving and scarce internal resources.
For example, shifting from an on-premise solution to a SaaS platform reduced an institution’s total cost of ownership by 40%and decreased installation timelines from 12 months to just 6 weeks. ** This agility is critical for staying competitive.
New year’s resolution: Partner with technology providers that offer SaaS solutions to eliminate hidden costs and increase deployment speeds. This ensures your infrastructure is always ahead of the curve.
Kick this habit: Entering Trades Manually
Manual trade entry isn’t just time-consuming—it’s risky. Errors and delays during manual input can lead to significant financial losses, tarnishing a firm’s reputation. Additionally, the markets demand speed and precision, which manual entry rarely provides.
Automated systems reduce error rates, ensure compliance, and provide real-time updates. With advanced trading platforms, traders can set rules to auto-route trades based on liquidity conditions, market trends, or algorithmic trading preferences.
New year’s resolution: Implement rule-based trade automation to optimize order execution and improve accuracy. TradeSmart EMS offers dynamic automated RFQ responding, ensuring you never miss an opportunity to secure the best price.
There’s Still Time to Reframe Your Strategy in 2025
If these habits sound familiar, know that there’s still time to recalibrate your approach. The best traders and portfolio managers actively seek new ways to evolve, replacing inefficiencies with innovative, tech-driven practices.
Looking to upgrade your trading strategy? Consider a SaaS solution like TradeSmart, designed to automate, to simplify, and to enhance trading workflows. Equip yourself with cutting-edge tools to eliminate inefficiencies once and for all.
Start preparing for your future success today!
