How Aliaksei Karavaichyk is putting Wall Street data in everyone’s pocket

Photo courtesy of Aliaksei Karavaichyk.

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When Aliaksei Karavaichyk was pursuing his master’s in economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, he had access to some of the most powerful financial tools in the world, the same platforms used by hedge funds and institutional traders. That’s where the idea was born – to democratize access to institutional-grade economic data.

“While studying, I often needed macroeconomic data for my research,” he recalls. “The university had access to the same resources as major hedge funds on Wall Street, but it made me realize how much retail traders were missing out.”

That realization became the seed for FX Economics, a mobile-first app that delivers institutional-grade economic data to everyday users, without the institutional price tag. For Aliaksei, the problem wasn’t just about access, but about usability. Professional platforms like Bloomberg Terminal can cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, making them far out of reach for most individuals, while existing public tools are often cluttered, desktop-first, or poorly optimized for mobile. “Everything available to retail users was either desktop-first or not built for someone who wants fast, clean access on their phone,” he says. With his economics background, Aliaksei knew exactly which data traders truly needed, and he saw an opportunity to deliver it in a simpler, more intuitive way.

Building FX Economics was a collaborative effort. Aliaksei led the product vision, defining what data to include, how it should be presented, and who the app was built for, while working with a small team handling backend, frontend, and UI/UX design. “It was a collaborative effort,” he says. “I focused on product and marketing while working closely with the technical team on execution.” This balance of vision and precision resulted in a product that is both powerful and easy to use.

The app was designed for a specific audience: retail traders, forex enthusiasts, economics students, and self-directed investors who want to stay informed about market-moving events. Yet as users began adopting the platform, Aliaksei noticed an unexpected pattern. “Not everyone uses the app to trade on events,” he explains. “Many actually use it to avoid trading on high-volatility days.” The app has seen strong adoption in financially sophisticated markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, as well as emerging markets like Indonesia, where access to professional tools is even more limited.

The response to FX Economics was immediate. Shortly after launch, it climbed to the top of the free App Store charts in Switzerland, signaling strong early demand. Today, the app has surpassed 31,000 downloads globally, with 22,200 on iOS and 8,800 on Android. Aliaksei credits part of this success to combining a well-positioned product with targeted growth strategies. “Beyond the product itself, I focused heavily on App Store Optimization and Apple Search Ads,” he says. “That combination made a big difference early on.” Traders and economics enthusiasts around the world have praised the app, noting its professional-quality economic data in their pockets.

Ensuring the data’s accuracy and timeliness was one of the biggest challenges in building FX Economics. “Economic data needs to be accurate and delivered on time,” Aliaksei says. “If it isn’t, it’s worse than useless.” That required long hours on backend infrastructure, with his co-founder working late nights to make sure the data was fast and reliable, a commitment that has become one of the app’s defining strengths.

FX Economics is part of a broader movement toward democratizing financial information. For years, institutional traders have held a clear advantage when it comes to market data. Aliaksei is changing that. “We’re not trying to replace institutional platforms,” he says. “We’re filling the gap for people those tools were never built for.”

Looking ahead, Aliaksei Karavaichyk is focused on adding context and intelligence to the data. The team is exploring AI integration to help users understand why certain economic events move the market, what the potential outcomes could be, and how it all works. “The data has always been there,” he says, “now we want to add the layer that turns it into genuine insight.”

What began as a graduate school observation has grown into a platform used by tens of thousands worldwide, helping retail traders and economics-minded individuals make smarter decisions. For Aliaksei Karavaichyk, the mission is clear: make financial data more accessible, understandable, and actionable for everyone, proving that sophisticated market tools don’t have to be exclusive.