In 2018, the founding of the holding company marked the beginning of the vision to become a leading stock and FX brokerage company for high-net-worth and retail clients in South Africa. With the granting of the brokerage license, the business was officially underway.

The year 2019 saw the founding of Crowdprop, a fractional property investment platform that was incorporated under ELA.

ELA also received approval as a treasury outsourced company from the Reserve Bank and started its journey as a leading Forex service provider.

In 2020, Crowdprop was granted approval as a public company, which solidified its go-to-market strategy.

ELA expanded its services by founding the crypto brokerage desk and service provider business.

The year 2021 marked the founding of Bitwealth, which offered a complete custody wallet and crypto OTC service. ELA started to bring all of its products together under one brand to create a recognized platform that stands out.

In 2022, ELA embarked on the vision of bringing all its products, including stocks, FX, crypto, and property, under one integrated platform with a recognisable brand.

The company also opened an office in the UAE, marking the beginning of its global footprint.

Finally, in 2023, 80eight was founded as the complete integrated platform for all of ELA's products. This new platform defined investment solutions for small business owners, advisors, and individuals in South Africa and beyond.