Longbridge Appoints Former moomoo Singapore CEO Gavin Chia to Lead Southeast Asia Expansion

Longbridge has appointed Gavin Chia as its Singapore and Regional CEO for Southeast Asia, effective 5 May 2026, marking a significant step in the company’s regional growth ambitions and strengthening its push into one of Asia’s most competitive digital brokerage markets.

Chia brings more than 18 years of experience in financial services and is widely recognised for helping build moomoo Singapore from a startup into one of Singapore’s leading retail brokerages. He also previously served as CEO of IG Singapore and Emerging Markets, where he oversaw growth, product expansion, and regional market development.

The appointment represents Longbridge’s most senior local hire to date and comes as the company consolidates several major developments in Singapore. These include securing a Capital Markets Services licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore and unveiling its first overseas physical location as part of a broader strategy to establish a stronger foothold in Southeast Asia.

Singapore’s digital brokerage industry has become increasingly competitive, with platforms such as Longbridge, moomoo, Tiger Brokers, and Webull vying for market share. Industry observers expect the next phase of competition to be driven largely by advancements in artificial intelligence, technological capabilities, and the ability to tailor services to local market conditions.

Longbridge’s decision to bring Chia onboard signals its intention to strengthen both its AI capabilities and regional localisation efforts. At the company, Chia will oversee operations, regulatory affairs, product localisation, and team development across Singapore and Southeast Asia.

Longbridge positions itself as an AI-first brokerage, embedding artificial intelligence across its investment research, trading assistance, and customer insights systems. The company also made headlines in 2025 after launching what it described as the world’s first U.S. stock options pre-market trading service, reinforcing its technology-driven approach to brokerage services.

A key part of Chia’s role will involve introducing these AI-powered tools and trading capabilities to Southeast Asian investors while ensuring they remain compliant with local regulatory frameworks and aligned with regional investor needs.

The appointment also builds on a series of strategic moves Longbridge has made in Singapore over the past six months. Long Bridge Securities Pte. Ltd. currently operates under a Capital Markets Services licence issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and also functions as an Exempt Financial Adviser.

On 30 April 2026, Longbridge announced the launch of Longbridge Cafe Singapore, located above Guoco Tower and Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Scheduled to open in September 2026, the cafe will become Longbridge’s first physical overseas location.