• NinjaTrader is the #1 retail futures trading platform in the United States and fully owned by Payward
  • The deal is a rare instance in which an independent Gulf private-markets firm structured a private credit transaction with a major US fintech-linked company

Manama, Bahrain – Gulf Partners Group ("GPG"), a management-led GCC private markets firm, together with Payward, the unified infrastructure platform and parent company of both NinjaTrader and digital asset platform Kraken, today announced the closing of a $100 million senior secured private credit facility for Chicago-headquartered NinjaTrader Group Holding, LLC ("NinjaTrader"), the leading retail futures trading platform in the United States and a wholly owned subsidiary of Payward. The facility will support NinjaTrader’s continued growth and operational expansion as it strengthens its leadership position in the U.S. retail futures market.

The landmark $100 million private credit facility for NinjaTrader marks GPG’s second transaction after its recent launch – and its first major transaction - it underscores Payward’s strategic expansion into the Gulf. NinjaTrader serves hundreds of thousands of retail futures traders across the United States and has established a leading position in a large and growing segment of the retail trading market. The transaction highlights the growing role of Gulf-based investment firms in originating and executing international private credit opportunities. It demonstrates GPG's ability to source and structure complex cross-border investments and provide GCC investors with access to high-quality international businesses.

Beyond the transaction itself, the facility marks the beginning of a broader strategic relationship between Payward and GPG. Drawing on a longstanding professional relationship between the respective management teams, the partnership aims to explore opportunities to connect Gulf investors with Kraken's expanding ecosystem of products and services. The parties expect the relationship to create a platform for future collaboration and investment opportunities across the region.

Commenting on the transaction, Mohammed Alqahtany, Co-CEO at GPG, said: "This transaction is a testament to what GPG was built to do, connect the Gulf to the world's most compelling investment opportunities, and do it at both a pace and to a standard that institutional investors expect." Waleed Abdulaziz, Chief Investment Officer at GPG, added: "Investors across the GCC are increasingly seeking access to institutional-grade private market opportunities – in the region and beyond. Our intention is to bridge that gap by providing access to carefully selected opportunities globally." Yousif Al Abdulla, Co-CEO at GPG, added: “This transaction reflects the quality of our relationships and execution capabilities we have built over many years. We see significant potential to continue connecting regional capital with high-quality investment opportunities internationally.”

Martin Franchi, CEO at NinjaTrader, said: “This facility reflects the confidence our partners have in NinjaTrader's business and trajectory. We have spent two decades building the leading futures platform in the United States, and with the right capital partners behind us, the next chapter is an exciting one.”

Arjun Sethi, Co-CEO of Payward and Kraken, said: “The Gulf moved early on digital assets and treated them as core infrastructure while much of the world watched. That is why we are building here, with partners who see it the same way. Securing VARA authorisation in Dubai was one step. This facility is another. NinjaTrader already leads US retail futures, and futures are the backbone of any serious market. This facility puts Gulf capital behind the platform and gives it room to scale in the market it leads. We are here for the long term, and there is a lot more Payward want to do in the region, through both Kraken and NinjaTrader.”

Gulf Partners Group is a GCC-focused private-markets investment firm active across private equity and private credit strategies. The firm targets investments of US$50 million to US$100 million and seeks to build a portfolio comprising approximately 75% GCC opportunities and 25% international investments.
 

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Media contact:


 

Gregor Riemann /
Malaika Hamid

Mithras Partners

gpg@mithras-partners.com  

   

About Gulf Partners Group

Gulf Partners Group (GPG) is an independent, management-led private markets investment firm founded by three GCC partners with more than 70 years of combined regional experience and backed by Arzan Capital. The firm invests across private equity, private credit, real estate special situations, and selective growth opportunities, targeting the middle-market segment across the GCC and select international markets. GPG is built to international institutional standards while bringing the local networks, regional fluency, and on-the-ground access that define its edge. The firm serves UHNW families, family offices, regional institutions, and sovereign wealth funds seeking differentiated access to GCC private markets.

For further information, please visit www.gulfpartnersgroup.com.

About Payward

Payward is a unified financial infrastructure platform advancing an open, global financial system. Through its product family — including Kraken, NinjaTrader and Payward Services — Payward serves clients in more than 190 countries and territories with crypto trading, derivatives, tokenized equities, staking, custody and B2B financial infrastructure. Founded in 2011, Kraken is one of the world's longest-standing and most secure crypto platforms.

For more information, visit www.payward.com and www.kraken.com.

About NinjaTrader Group

NinjaTrader Group is a global leader in retail futures and trading technology. Since 2003, NinjaTrader has been empowering a community of over 3.5 million traders with cutting-edge technology, ultra-low commissions, and world-class support. Our modern, cloud-based platform, available on desktop, web, and mobile, gives traders the freedom to seize market opportunities anytime, anywhere. NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC provides direct access to the futures markets, while NT Technologies delivers new tools, seamless NinjaTrader platform integration, and institutional-grade technology to support both individual prop traders and prop trading firms. For institutions, NinjaTrader Connect delivers a comprehensive suite of B2B solutions, providing advanced technology and financial infrastructure for technology providers.

For more information about NinjaTrader, please visit ninjatrader.com.