Ricardo Da Silva

Tech Enthusiast | Market Aficionado | Business History Buff | CEO Webull South Africa @WebullGlobal

Opinions are my own

[Business Insider Africa @BusInsiderSSA]

South Africa🇿🇦 has ranked among the countries projected to record the fastest billionaire growth globally over the next five years, according to Knight Frank’s Wealth Report 2026.

South Africa🇿🇦 is projected to see a 40% increase in billionaires, from 10 in 2026 to 14 by 2031, according to Knight Frank's Wealth Report.

The country ranks 13th globally in fastest-growing billionaire markets and remains Africa's largest private wealth hub.

South Africa🇿🇦 has the highest number of dollar millionaires in Africa, with around 41,100 individuals.

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

Sweet. Well done ZA.

[Global Statistics @Globalstats11]

Top 25 Friendliest Countries in the World 👫

1. 🇿🇦 South Africa
2. 🇬🇷 Greece
3. 🇭🇷 Croatia
4. 🇲🇽 Mexico
5. 🇸🇪 Sweden
6. 🇦🇺 Australia
7. 🇨🇦 Canada
8. 🇩🇪 Germany
9. 🇪🇪 Estonia
10. 🇧🇪 Belgium
11. 🇪🇸 Spain
12. 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
13. 🇮🇹 Italy
14. 🇯🇵 Japan
15. 🇺🇸 United States
16. 🇳🇱 Netherlands
17. 🇵🇹 Portugal
18. 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
19. 🇵🇱 Poland
20. 🇨🇭 Switzerland
21. 🇦🇹 Austria
22. 🇫🇷 France
23. 🇮🇪 Ireland
24. 🇭🇺 Hungary
25. 🇫🇮 Finland

Source: Remitly, as of last updated till 2024.

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

🍕 Bitcoin Pizza Day 🍕

On May 22, 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz made history by purchasing two pizzas for 10,000 BTC.

It was the first widely recognised real-world commercial transaction using Bitcoin.

Value then: ~$41
Value today: Hundreds of millions ~$765,710,617.50

One pizza order that changed history on this day!

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

Africa is just getting started. 🌍

[Webull @WebullGlobal]

Eight years of innovation, growth, and helping investors take control of their financial future.

We’re grateful for the trust our community has placed in us, and excited to continue building powerful tools that make investing more accessible, transparent, and effective.

Here’s to the next chapter.

Webull Financial LLC, Member SIPC, FINRA. Investing involves risk. More info at https://t.co/mvbh4EOJ4X

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

@Jez_Marchetta Send through to [email protected]

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

Question for finance Twitter:

What is the ONE thing Africa’s brokers and fintechs are getting wrong in 2026?

Next week I’m discussing this at FMAS with leaders from across the industry.

Could be:
- AI in brokers: useful or hype? 🤖
- Crypto / Stablecoin Regulation 🪙
- Client Trust, Experience vs Compliance🤝
- Trading & Investing culture in SA 📈
- Africa’s next growth market? 🌍

What should make the panel agenda?
Interested to hear your views 👇

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

Great recognition for the global team. Well deserved 👏

[Webull @WebullGlobal]

We're proud to share that Webull has been recognized on @Investopedia’s 2026 Best Online Brokers list, earning “Best for Low-Cost Options Trading.”
A reflection of Webull’s continued focus on delivering accessible tools and a streamlined trading experience for investors.

See the full list: https://t.co/uOX1FKkzLW

Webull Financial LLC. Member FINRA, SIPC. Investing involves risk. Options are not suitable for everyone. Losses can occur quickly. Review ODD at https://t.co/mvbh4EOJ4X

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

@mappyjj A little......

[Webull @WebullGlobal]

For this #FeatureFriday, explore where companies are headquartered across the U.S. with Map the Stocks and get a different perspective on market distribution, directly within the app.

Try it out for yourself!

Webull Financial LLC, Member SIPC, FINRA. Investing involves risk. More info at https://t.co/mvbh4EOJ4X.

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

@madlokovubiz1 Great movie!

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

Today I learnt that the first McDonald’s opened on this day in 1940.

What’s fascinating isn’t just that it became huge.

It’s HOW.
McDonald’s didn’t invent the hamburger.

It mastered:
- systems,
- consistency,
- speed,
- scale,
- and real estate.

Today:
- it serves ~69 million people daily,
- sells roughly 75 burgers every second.

One of the greatest business lessons ever might simply be this:

Small improvements, repeated consistently at scale, become massive over time.

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

South Africa’s unemployment rate just rose to 32.7%.

Youth unemployment is now above 60%. (expanded defn)

Those numbers are staggering.

Sometimes wonder if we’re still trying to solve a 2026 problem with a 1996 economic model.

The global economy is changing fast:

- AI is reshaping work,
- remote work is global,
- digital businesses scale quickly,
- creators become companies,
- small teams can now build massive products.

Meanwhile, many young South Africans are still being told the only path is:
school > CV > job application > hope.

That model alone is probably not enough anymore.
South Africa doesn’t just need more jobs.

We need:
- more builders,
- more digital entrepreneurs,
- more global thinking,
- more access to international markets,
and an environment where small businesses can grow fast without all the red tape.

The future economy may belong to countries that adapt quickest to the digital world.

Not just those with the biggest industries.

[@SAgovnews @SAgovnews]

The official unemployment rate has risen marginally by some 1.3 percentage points from 31.4% in the fourth quarter of 2025 to reach 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026.

This, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Tuesday.

“[There] was a decrease of 345 000 in the number of employed persons to 16.8 million, while there was an increase of 301 000 in the number of unemployed persons to 8.1 million compared with Q4: 2025 results.

“This resulted in a decrease of 44 000 [or -0,2%] in the labour force during the same period,” Stats SA said. https://t.co/hlilQLSc3F

#GovZAUpdates

[Webull @WebullGlobal]

With our new 12.0 mobile release, trading is always within reach.
Get quicker access to key actions with a floating widget designed to help you stay connected to the markets and respond in real time.

Try it out for yourself!

Webull Financial LLC, Member SIPC, FINRA. Investing involves risk. More info at https://t.co/mvbh4EOJ4X. Any securities mentioned or displayed are provided solely for educational purposes. This is not a recommendation, investment advice, or a solicitation for the purchase or sale of a security

[Ricardo Da Silva @TradersTextbook]

This morning I joined @MorningLiveSABC on SABC to talk about something I care deeply about, helping South Africans invest safely and avoid scams.
✅ Regulation matters.
✅ Your money must be protected.
✅ Transparency is essential.

Catch the fully segment here: https://t.co/LPROIbfudw

#WebullSouthAfrica #Investing #FinancialLiteracy #Fintech #Trading #MorningLive #OnlineTrading #MarketEducation

[Webull @WebullGlobal]

Yesterday we celebrated years of growth and innovation with our global community. Check out the highlights and watch the full ceremony on our @WebullGlobal YouTube page! @Nasdaq #Webull #NasdaqListed #Nasdaq

[Nasdaq Exchange @NasdaqExchange]

🎊 A big welcome to @NasdaqExchange, @WebullGlobal! 🎊

[Nasdaq Exchange @NasdaqExchange]

Welcoming @WebullGlobal to the @NasdaqExchange Opening Bell.