Digital Assets, DLT & Blockchain - A-Team https://a-teaminsight.com/category/digital-assets-dlt-blockchain/ Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:22:25 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://a-teaminsight.com/app/uploads/2018/08/favicon.png Digital Assets, DLT & Blockchain - A-Team https://a-teaminsight.com/category/digital-assets-dlt-blockchain/ 32 32 Post-Trade Evolution: Insights from OSTTRA’s Leadership on Industry Challenges https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/post-trade-evolution-insights-from-osttras-leadership-on-industry-challenges/?brand=tti Wed, 10 Jul 2024 10:22:25 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=69193 OSTTRA is a relatively new company formed in 2021 as a joint venture between CME Group and IHS Markit (now a wholly-owned subsidiary of S&P Global). It unites four businesses that have been central to post-trade evolution and innovation for over 25 years: MarkitServ, Traiana, TriOptima, and Reset. With 1,200 employees and eight global office...

The post Post-Trade Evolution: Insights from OSTTRA’s Leadership on Industry Challenges appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
OSTTRA is a relatively new company formed in 2021 as a joint venture between CME Group and IHS Markit (now a wholly-owned subsidiary of S&P Global). It unites four businesses that have been central to post-trade evolution and innovation for over 25 years: MarkitServ, Traiana, TriOptima, and Reset. With 1,200 employees and eight global office locations, OSTTRA now plays a critical role in supporting global financial markets by connecting thousands of counterparties on its multi-asset networks, underpinning the post-trade lifecycle from trade capture and portfolio optimisation to clearing and settlement.

Earlier this year, OSTTRA partnered with Baton Systems to launch a new FX PvP (Payment vs Payment) settlement service, aimed at mitigating bilateral settlement risk in FX markets. This initiative is part of OSTTRA’s broader strategy to enhance the market structure of OTC markets and reduce counterparty exposures.

TradingTech Insight sat down recently with Joanna Davies, Head of Trade Processing, and Steven French, Head of FX and Securities Product Strategy, to discuss how this and other OSTTRA initiatives are addressing some of today’s most pressing post-trade challenges.

TTI: Jo, what are some of the key trends and challenges you are seeing in the post-trade space, particularly with the transition to T+1 settlement?

JD: The realm of post-trade activities is no longer confined to the back office but is increasingly impacting front-office operations. This shift is evident in the transition to T+1 settlement, which has underscored the critical importance of efficient post-trade processes. Traditionally, areas such as liquidity management, credit risk, and liquidity provision were handled separately from post-trade operations. However, with the advent of automation in these domains, there is a growing convergence. The T+1 settlement initiative has illustrated the necessity for robust infrastructure and comprehensive risk management strategies. While there are differing views on the industry’s preparedness—whether it was a result of meticulous planning or the inherent flexibility of existing systems—the transition has undeniably focused attention on post-trade processes. Significant efforts have been dedicated to preparation, especially in managing settlement risk and liquidity provision. The integration of these functions into the front office highlights the evolving landscape where post-trade efficiency is paramount to overall financial operations.

TTI: Steve, where are the main areas of settlement risk, and how is OSTTRA helping the industry mitigate these risks?

SF: The significant daily risk of FX settlement outside of Continuous Linked Settlement (CLS) is a pressing concern, given the estimated daily exposure of $2.3 trillion settled outside the utility today. This substantial risk is particularly pronounced for emerging market currencies, which struggle due to the absence of a suitable settlement platform. The infrastructure and legal complexities required to establish such a platform are substantial, creating barriers to adoption.

Addressing this issue, OSTTRA, in collaboration with Baton Systems, has developed an innovative PvP (Payment vs Payment) settlement orchestration platform specifically targeting non-CLS currencies. The initial focus is on the Chinese yuan (CNH), with major banks such as HSBC and Wells Fargo already onboard. This platform aims to mitigate settlement risk by providing a structured and reliable solution for managing PvP settlement of these currencies, paving the way for broader participation and increased security in the settlement process. By targeting these high-risk areas first, OSTTRA and Baton Systems are setting the foundation for a more secure and efficient global settlement infrastructure.

TTI: What kind of appetite is there for such a new settlement infrastructure?

SF: There is a strong industry interest in reducing settlement risk, demonstrated by the active participation of multiple banks in discussions aimed at expanding the new settlement platform. Recently, we convened a working group and are open to adding any other participants eager to collaborate on this initiative to join. The discussions to date have moved beyond the feasibility of the platform and are now focused on practical steps for implementation, such as how to onboard and make the system work effectively.

Achieving critical mass is seen as essential, with the participation of a few additional major banks likely to drive broader adoption across the industry. Currently, HSBC and Wells Fargo are already on the platform, and the inclusion of just two or three more major players could significantly move the needle.

The primary hurdles to adoption are not technical but involve changes in treasury operations, particularly concerning the management and agreement of nostro accounts. Overcoming these operational challenges is key to leveraging the already established network and technological infrastructure, thereby facilitating a smoother and quicker transition to the new system.

TTI: Can you both provide more details on your technology initiatives, particularly the integration between OSTTRA and Baton Systems?

SF: Essentially we’re leveraging OSTTRA’s robust matching engine in conjunction with Baton’s advanced shared ledger technology, to ensure secure and efficient settlement processes, which are critical. The matching engine, which has been thoroughly tested and widely adopted, is now connected to Baton’s next-generation shared ledger, which provides atomic settlement -. This means that PvP transactions will only be executed once both parties have agreed, thus ensuring transaction finality.

JD: We are also developing advanced tools designed to identify and resolve trade breaks proactively. Recognising the inefficiencies of current processes, where the resolution of trade discrepancies often involves manual communication and guesswork, we’re leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and historical data analysis to predict and manage trade failures. By integrating enhanced monitoring and exception management, this adds crucial context to trade data, allowing for a more accurate diagnosis of where and why a trade might fail. This innovative approach provides an understanding of the specific conditions leading to trade disruptions. By analysing past trading volumes and incorporating real-time feeds, OSTTRA can forecast spikes in trading activity and pre-emptively address potential issues. This proactive and context-rich method marks a significant advancement in post-trade processes, reducing settlement risk and operational inefficiencies, and ultimately providing a more reliable and transparent trading environment.

We are also enhancing the synergy between pre-trade and post-trade services by expanding the asset classes supported by our sophisticated pre-trade limit checking service initially designed for interest rate swaps and credit default swaps. This service ensures low-latency risk checks are performed before orders are sent to the market, helping to address a client’s regulatory requirements and minimising potential risks. Developed in response to the CFTC Dodd-Frank requirements and EU regulations for MTFs, this unique solution has been operational for over a decade, continuously evolving to support additional asset classes such as FX. By integrating pre-trade and post-trade services, OSTTRA aims to provide a comprehensive end-to-end solution that significantly enhances transparency and operational efficiency. This integration allows for seamless monitoring and management of trades throughout their lifecycle, from order initiation to settlement, ensuring a high level of accuracy and reducing the risk of trade failures.

TTI: Looking ahead, what role might distributed ledger technology (DLT) and decentralised finance (DeFi) play in the future of post-trade?

JD:  We continue to maintain a watchful eye on the developments in DLT, blockchain and DeFi, recognising their potential while remaining cautious about adopting these technologies until they are fully production-ready. In contrast to many industry peers who have proposed various blockchain use cases that are not yet ready for real-world application, OSTTRA has identified a practical and viable use case for blockchain in change of ownership scenarios. This particular use case is advantageous as it circumvents the common issues of latency and throughput, providing a more efficient solution.

By utilising an extensible architecture, OSTTRA is prepared to leverage blockchain technology in a manner that is both practical and forward-thinking. This approach not only addresses current operational challenges but also positions the company to explore and integrate other asset classes in the future. As blockchain and DeFi technologies continue to evolve, we remain committed to evaluating and implementing these innovations in a measured and strategic manner, ensuring they meet the rigorous demands of production environments.

TTI: Thank you both.

The post Post-Trade Evolution: Insights from OSTTRA’s Leadership on Industry Challenges appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Trading Technologies Unveils Futures TCA and Multi-Asset Trade Surveillance Solutions https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/trading-technologies-unveils-futures-tca-and-multi-asset-trade-surveillance-solutions/?brand=tti Thu, 20 Jun 2024 08:21:34 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=68987 Capital markets technology provider Trading Technologies International, Inc. (TT), has introduced two new offerings to its solution suite, enhancing its Data & Analytics and Compliance business lines: TT Trade Surveillance and TT Futures TCA. TT Trade Surveillance, powered by TT’s proprietary SCORE machine learning algorithm, expands the company’s surveillance capabilities across multiple asset classes, including...

The post Trading Technologies Unveils Futures TCA and Multi-Asset Trade Surveillance Solutions appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Capital markets technology provider Trading Technologies International, Inc. (TT), has introduced two new offerings to its solution suite, enhancing its Data & Analytics and Compliance business lines: TT Trade Surveillance and TT Futures TCA.

TT Trade Surveillance, powered by TT’s proprietary SCORE machine learning algorithm, expands the company’s surveillance capabilities across multiple asset classes, including equities, options, FX, and fixed income. The company plans to start upgrading all users of its existing trade surveillance platforms, TT Score and Compliance Plus, to the new TT Trade Surveillance system, which includes 47 new configurable models to detect manipulative trading activities, in the second half or 2024.

“TT Score, a futures and options surveillance platform based on machine learning, is a product that TT has offered for several years. Last summer we acquired Abel Noser, which also has an equities surveillance platform called Compliance Plus,” says Ted Morgan, Trading Technologies EVP Managing Director, Compliance, in conversation with TradingTech Insight. “Over the past year, we have been combining the best features of these two platforms, addressing any gaps, and developing TT Trade Surveillance, our new platform due to be launched on 1st July, which will offer comprehensive multi-asset class trade surveillance, covering not only equities, futures, and options, but also other instruments such as foreign exchange and fixed income. It will also feature enhanced case management capabilities, extended graphing and charting, and will include all necessary market data for comprehensive surveillance. Assembling that across multiple asset classes has not been a small project, so this is a big step forward for us.”

Included in the new TT Trade Surveillance platform will be front-end functionality that allow users to adjust settings and thresholds that pertain to particular models so that they can be run on any subset of data they want to filter, such as defining parameters differently for specific countries or distinguishing between retail and institutional flow.

TT Futures TCA, the company’s new comprehensive transaction cost analysis tool that also builds on TT’s August 2023 acquisition of Abel Noser, leverages an extensive repository of anonymised, microsecond-level futures market and trade data to provide extensive metrics and measures for detailed post-trade analysis, aiming to fill the gap in TCA tools tailored for futures trading.

“Abel Noser were pioneers in transaction cost analysis (TCA), primarily in the equities markets, but increasingly expanding into FX, futures, and fixed income,” says Peter Weiler, TT’s EVP Managing Director, Data & Analytics, and Abel Noser CEO. “The merger with TT brings significantly enhanced market data. We now have large, anonymised sample sets of trading data that we can compare against that market data. We have also expanded our metrics beyond traditional equities benchmarks like VWAP and implementation shortfall, to include those critical in the futures market, such as quote data, depth of book, sweep orders, and so on. With this integration, we’ve also improved our front end’s functionality with additional analytics, enhanced charting capabilities, and executive summary reports.”

The new TT Futures TCA capability allows users to select from a variety of customisable reports to analyse and enhance their trading strategies while assessing the effectiveness of their trading counterparties. This capability is available now and will be integrated into the TT platform as a front-end widget in early 2025. The customised analytics will be accessible to clients based on their desired metrics, breadth, and level of granularity.

“The front-end widget will display all trade data and measured data in one place, providing comprehensive transaction cost analysis across asset classes, even if you don’t trade exclusively through Trading Technologies,” says Weiler. “This integration will bring together cash equities with options, options on futures, buy/writes, strangles, straddles, and more.”

The post Trading Technologies Unveils Futures TCA and Multi-Asset Trade Surveillance Solutions appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
A-Team Group Announces Winners of TradingTech Insight Awards USA 2024 https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/a-team-group-announces-winners-of-tradingtech-insight-awards-usa-2024/?brand=tti Thu, 06 Jun 2024 16:15:50 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=68539 A-Team Group has announced the winners of its TradingTech Insight Awards USA 2024. These awards recognise excellence in trading solutions, services and consultancy for capital markets, and focus on vendors providing exceptional trading infrastructure, trading technology, and data solutions. The awards were presented during a celebratory drinks reception after the close of A-Team Group’s TradingTech...

The post A-Team Group Announces Winners of TradingTech Insight Awards USA 2024 appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
A-Team Group has announced the winners of its TradingTech Insight Awards USA 2024. These awards recognise excellence in trading solutions, services and consultancy for capital markets, and focus on vendors providing exceptional trading infrastructure, trading technology, and data solutions.

The awards were presented during a celebratory drinks reception after the close of A-Team Group’s TradingTech Briefing in New York City on 6 June 2024.

This year’s awards included more than 40 categories ranging from Best Matching Engine for Cryptocurrency Trading Venues to Best High Performance Network Services, Best Equities Trading Solution, Best Machine-Readable News Supplier, Best AI Solution for Trading, Best Trade Reporting Solution, Best Overall Market Data Provider, Best Specialist Market Data Consultancy and more.

An editor’s recognition award for USA Trading Technology Industry Professional of the Year was presented to Steve Schiff, Vice President, Index Technology at Nasdaq.

Andrew Delaney, President and Chief Content Officer at A-Team Group, said: “Congratulations to the award winners and thank you to all the vendors that entered A-Team Group’s TradingTech Insight Awards USA 2024, to our TradingTech Insight community that voted for its preferred solutions, and to our independent, expert advisory board that worked in collaboration with our editorial team to select this year’s winners.”

A complete list of winners and their solutions can be found in the TradingTech Insight Awards – USA 2024 report.

You can find out more about A-Team Group awards, which also cover RegTech, Data Management and ESG here.

The post A-Team Group Announces Winners of TradingTech Insight Awards USA 2024 appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Avelacom Expands Network with New Low Latency Routes To/From Seoul, Targeting Crypto Traders https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/avelacom-expands-network-with-new-low-latency-routes-to-from-seoul-targeting-crypto-traders/?brand=tti Wed, 05 Jun 2024 13:59:02 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=68739 Avelacom, the low latency connectivity, IT infrastructure and data solutions provider, has expanded its global network with two new low latency routes, Seoul-Hong Kong, and Seoul-Singapore, enhancing interconnectivity between the three financial centres. The routes in Seoul terminate at the KINX Gasan data centre, where Avelacom has established its point-of-presence (PoP). This location was selected to...

The post Avelacom Expands Network with New Low Latency Routes To/From Seoul, Targeting Crypto Traders appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Avelacom, the low latency connectivity, IT infrastructure and data solutions provider, has expanded its global network with two new low latency routes, Seoul-Hong Kong, and Seoul-Singapore, enhancing interconnectivity between the three financial centres.

The routes in Seoul terminate at the KINX Gasan data centre, where Avelacom has established its point-of-presence (PoP). This location was selected to provide direct access to the AWS Northeast region and South Korea’s largest cloud-based cryptocurrency exchanges.

“These are pure crypto trading routes,” Aleksey Larichev, CEO of Avelacom, tells TradingTech Insight. “Korean crypto exchanges are becoming more popular despite limitations on the KYC side. Traders are seeking good liquidity and expanding their business to new venues. Low latency routes to Korea have been among popular inquiries, and now we can support the overseas trading community with the connectivity services they require.”

The new routes complement Avelacom’s recently launched proprietary low latency Seoul-Tokyo route. The network now fully interconnects Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore, facilitating direct connectivity between any two points. Additionally, these routes connect to over 100 global Avelacom PoPs, offering direct access to both traditional exchanges globally and cloud-based crypto and digital exchanges. This extensive connectivity supports time-sensitive trading strategies, such as arbitrage and market-making algorithms, and enables the capture of real-time market data feeds.

“Essentially, in the realm of prop trading firms, we need to outpace other providers, including public clouds, in terms of speed. We identified an opportunity to build faster fiber routes. While cryptocurrency was the driving force, the capacity on these routes will be utilised for traditional trading as well,” says Larichev.

He continues: “Our network’s extensive coverage enables us to provide our clients with a one-stop-shop in terms of geographical reach. For instance, if a customer uses our services in Australia, Israel, or South Africa and they are satisfied with the performance, support, and services we deliver, as they expand into new markets, whether cryptocurrency or traditional, they tend to approach us, inquiring if we can provide services at their new locations. In fact, more than 80% of our clients tend to further utilize our offerings across diverse geographical regions and product/instrument spectrums.”

Much of the demand for Avelacom’s services – for both crypto and traditional markets – comes from proprietary trading firms, says Larichev. “Prop shops tend to gravitate towards areas of high volatility, and that goes in waves across both traditional and cryptocurrency markets. For instance, a couple of years ago, there was a significant shift from traditional markets towards cryptocurrencies. However, during the past year, the cryptocurrency market has experienced a slowdown. Consequently, we are now witnessing a number of clients who previously traded exclusively in cryptocurrencies transitioning towards traditional exchanges. The trend oscillates back and forth.”

Avelacom’s new routes are now operational with guaranteed microsecond-level latencies and up to 99.9% network uptime.

The post Avelacom Expands Network with New Low Latency Routes To/From Seoul, Targeting Crypto Traders appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
DTCC, Clearstream, and Euroclear Collaborate on Digital Asset Ecosystem Framework https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/dtcc-clearstream-and-euroclear-collaborate-on-digital-asset-ecosystem-framework/?brand=tti Thu, 30 May 2024 08:41:36 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=68662 Three leading financial market infrastructures – DTCC, Clearstream, and Euroclear – in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), have unveiled a blueprint aimed at establishing an industry-wide digital asset ecosystem to drive acceptance of tokenised assets. The paper, “Building the Digital Asset Ecosystem,” highlights a significant $16 trillion business opportunity by 2030 through the tokenisation...

The post DTCC, Clearstream, and Euroclear Collaborate on Digital Asset Ecosystem Framework appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Three leading financial market infrastructures – DTCC, Clearstream, and Euroclear – in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), have unveiled a blueprint aimed at establishing an industry-wide digital asset ecosystem to drive acceptance of tokenised assets.

The paper, “Building the Digital Asset Ecosystem,” highlights a significant $16 trillion business opportunity by 2030 through the tokenisation of global illiquid assets. It aims to overcome the current fragmented innovation landscape by defining six principles essential for the widespread adoption of tokenisation and digital asset securities, excluding cryptocurrencies. Additionally, it outlines comprehensive risk management controls crucial for the future of digital markets.

The partnership leverages the extensive experience and client networks of DTCC, Clearstream, and Euroclear, building on their previous efforts to foster global market participant collaboration. Last year’s whitepaper, “Advancing the Digital Asset Era, Together,” laid the groundwork for this latest initiative.

Renee Berman, Managing Director at DTCC Digital Assets, tells TradingTech Insight how the three organisations are committed to working together to lead the industry conversation and drive collaboration to advance the adoption of digital assets.

“Over the past 9 months, we have worked closely to produce two white papers to define our shared vision and galvanise the industry around The Digital Asset Security Control Principles (DASCP) framework, which we believe can serve as a baseline to foster discussions on standardisation and to encourage interoperability across platforms and systems,” she says. “In addition, all three institutions have pledged to leverage the DASCP in our own activities. We recognise that while each of our institutions has different priorities and that the market structure is unique across geographies, having three of the largest FMIs collaborate to help drive adoption of digital asset securities sends a powerful message to the market.”

The six principles proposed to guide the development of a unified digital asset marketplace include:

  • Legal Certainty – Ensuring compliance with legal frameworks.
  • Regulatory Compliance – Aligning operations with regulatory requirements.
  • Resilience and Security – Developing robust infrastructure to protect against disruptions and secure sensitive data.
  • Safeguarding Customer Assets – Implementing smart contract governance to manage assets securely.
  • Connectivity and Interoperability – Enabling flexible settlements and transactions across diverse networks.
  • Operational Scalability – Achieving efficiency and cost-effectiveness through standardisation.

“Similar to the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures (PFMIs) established by BIS and IOSCO, these six principles serve as a guide to ensure that the emerging digital asset securities market is as safe and sound as the traditional securities market,” says Berman. “Recognising that there are multiple regulatory perspectives, we formulated the control principles to be adaptable and to serve as a broad framework for the industry. They are meant to function as guidelines that can be modified on an as-needed basis, given the regulatory environment governing each participant’s activities.”

Berman explains that Resilience and Security is a key principle to ensure the market for digital asset securities evolves to be as safe and secure as the traditional financial ecosystem. “We spent a significant amount of time with our risk teams to make this section of the paper comprehensive and to address all known cyber risks,” she says. “Through our analysis and conversations, we identified 16 unique risks associated with Resilience and Security, our largest set of risks. To offset these risks, we identified 14 specific controls focused on Resilience and Data Protection that can be deployed to mitigate these risks. While we believe our framework is very thorough, there may be novel risks that are identified as market practitioners deploy it. We anticipate the framework will evolve as new risks and controls are identified and put in place.”

In addition to the guiding principles, the new paper recommends risk mitigation controls to address issues such as asset mismanagement and governance of smart contracts. These include specifying access controls for smart contracts and maintaining detailed records of digital asset events and transactions.

“We are excited about the potential growth in the market, projected cost savings from enhancing operational efficiency and improved collateral management,” says Berman. “At DTCC, we have pledged to leverage the framework and apply it to our own digital asset activities. By doing this, we’ll effectively demonstrate to clients and regulators how DTCC is addressing the unique risks associated with digital asset securities, which will be critical in driving adoption. The rate of adoption of digital asset securities in the industry will be a key measure of success, but we recognise that a detailed risk and control framework is only one component to achieving this. For the digital asset ecosystem to mature, we still need a cash on-chain solution, interoperability between blockchain networks and with legacy infrastructure, technology and data standards and viable business cases to justify the investment.”

The post DTCC, Clearstream, and Euroclear Collaborate on Digital Asset Ecosystem Framework appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
A-Team Group Names Winners of Innovation Awards 2024 https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/a-team-group-names-winners-of-innovation-awards-2024/?brand=tti Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:00:52 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=68126 A-Team Group has named the winners of its prestigious Innovation Awards 2024. The awards celebrate innovative projects and teams across vendor and practitioner communities that make use of new and emerging technologies to deliver high-value solutions for financial institutions in capital markets with a focus on data management, trading technology, RegTech or ESG. This year’s...

The post A-Team Group Names Winners of Innovation Awards 2024 appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
A-Team Group has named the winners of its prestigious Innovation Awards 2024. The awards celebrate innovative projects and teams across vendor and practitioner communities that make use of new and emerging technologies to deliver high-value solutions for financial institutions in capital markets with a focus on data management, trading technology, RegTech or ESG.

This year’s platinum award winner is Regnology for its Most Innovative Regulatory Reporting Solution. Gold award winners include Interop.io, Quod Financial, S&P Global Market Intelligence, and SmartStream Technologies, with plenty more entrants picking up silver awards.

Andrew Delaney, president and chief content officer at A-Team Group, says: “Congratulations to the winners of our Innovation Awards 2024. Thank you to all the practitioners and vendors that entered their ground-breaking solutions and services, and to A-Team Group’s independent, expert advisory board that worked in collaboration with our editorial team to select this year’s winners. These awards are extremely popular and competitive, highlighting technology innovation that will be game changing for capital markets participants.”

The Innovation Awards 2024 included over 40 categories across A-Team Group’s Data Management Insight, TradingTech Insight, RegTech Insight and ESG Insight news channels. They ranged from Most Innovative Smart Trader Desktops and Workflows to Most Innovative Data Standards Initiative, Most Innovative ESG Data Solution, Most Innovative AI in Regulatory Compliance Initiative, Most Innovative Data-Driven Transformation Project, Most Innovative Financial Technology Executive, Most Innovative Professional Development Initiative, and more.

A complete list of winners and their solutions can be found in the Innovation Awards 2024 report.

The post A-Team Group Names Winners of Innovation Awards 2024 appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Build and They will Come: Accelerating Market Efficiencies for Tokenised Securities with Institutional-Grade Infrastructure https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/build-and-they-will-come-accelerating-market-efficiencies-for-tokenised-securities-with-institutional-grade-infrastructure/?brand=tti Mon, 15 Apr 2024 15:03:02 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=67981 By Fernando Luis Vázquez Cao, CEO, SBI Digital Asset Holdings. The emergence of tokenised securities heralds a transformative shift much like the advent of the internet. Just as the world wide web transformed how we exchange information globally, tokenisation holds the potential to revolutionise how we transact and invest in financial markets, unlocking new opportunities...

The post Build and They will Come: Accelerating Market Efficiencies for Tokenised Securities with Institutional-Grade Infrastructure appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
By Fernando Luis Vázquez Cao, CEO, SBI Digital Asset Holdings.

The emergence of tokenised securities heralds a transformative shift much like the advent of the internet. Just as the world wide web transformed how we exchange information globally, tokenisation holds the potential to revolutionise how we transact and invest in financial markets, unlocking new opportunities and driving unprecedented levels of innovation and growth.

With the potential for increased liquidity, greater accessibility, and enhanced efficiencies and transparency, institutional investors are increasingly recognising the value of diversifying into digital assets. A study conducted by SBI Digital Asset Holdings with institutions across Asia revealed that among those planning to invest in tokenised securities, a staggering 76% cited factors such as lower issuance costs and shorter settlement periods as primary motivators.

The allure of accessing new or global capital was also a compelling factor for 30% of respondents. When asked about the main benefits of tokenising real-world assets, close to half selected reduced intermediaries as the top factor, followed by faster settlement, cost efficiency, and enhanced transparency.

This tells us that institutional investment, as opposed to retail, is poised to drive the digital assets market, as the sheer volume of potential institutional flow will significantly impact the market. However, many challenges stand in the way.

Legacy technologies hinder implementation efforts, presenting challenges for asset managers looking to embrace digital assets. Internal resistance, including concerns from risk and compliance teams, poses significant challenges, while the still-evolving regulatory landscape leaves asset managers uncertain on how to ensure compliance.

Another key hurdle is the genesis of the crypto world, which initially catered to retail investors and operated outside traditional regulatory frameworks. This divergence from institutional norms presents obstacles for large asset managers seeking to navigate the digital asset space, with institutional standards often conflicting with the decentralised nature of crypto assets. Whilst crypto remains volatile and unregulated, institutional infrastructure for digital assets stands in stark contrast as it is fundamentally designed to be structured and regulatory-compliant.

The crux of the issue lies in establishing robust institutional-grade infrastructure to realise the full potential of tokenised securities. In our survey, close to a quarter of respondents cited that a top deterrent to institutional adoption was the lack of institutional-grade market infrastructure.

Building such infrastructure is no mean feat. Robust custody solutions are crucial for securely storing digital assets, but structuring deal flows and facilitating asset issuance are equally important. Market infrastructure should also foster liquidity through services like market-making and liquidity pools. Trading platforms must comply with regulations and offer advanced functionalities tailored to institutional needs. Effective market surveillance tools are critical for detecting and preventing manipulation and fraud, while scalability and interoperability are essential to accommodate growing demands and facilitate efficient asset transfer. Last, not least, cybersecurity measures are paramount to safeguard digital assets and sensitive information against cyber threats and breaches.

In the years we spent building institutional-grade infrastructure, it has become apparent that this task cannot be undertaken in silo, and that an end-to-end value chain, built in collaboration with financial institutions, technology providers and regulatory bodies is highly necessary. This was confirmed in our survey where 60% of institutional participants stated that a trusted ecosystem is currently absent.

Built by the right players, and with the right alliances, a trusted ecosystem creates a trading landscape that will capture the full potential of tokenised securities and revolutionise the capital markets. As these entities work together to establish standards and best practices, the market infrastructure will evolve, addressing concerns about reliability and security.

It’s also important to recognise that trust is not solely the responsibility of one party but is built collaboratively across the entire ecosystem. Regulatory frameworks play a crucial role in ensuring the legitimacy of tokenised assets, and by working closely with regulators, financial institutions can contribute to the establishment of a robust regulatory environment that instils confidence in market participants.

As financial institutions embrace the transformative potential of blockchain technology, market participants have begun to work collectively to build a secure and regulated ecosystem. Tokenisation will then become a cornerstone of the modern financial landscape, offering unparalleled efficiency, transparency, and access to global capital. The time is ripe for institutions to seize the opportunities presented by tokenisation and propel the capital markets industry into a more secure, efficient, and inclusive future.

The post Build and They will Come: Accelerating Market Efficiencies for Tokenised Securities with Institutional-Grade Infrastructure appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Talos Integrates with TP ICAP’s Fusion Digital Assets to Drive Institutional Crypto Adoption https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/talos-integrates-with-tp-icaps-fusion-digital-assets-to-drive-institutional-crypto-adoption/?brand=tti Tue, 02 Apr 2024 11:10:37 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?post_type=people&p=67848 In a bid to grow the institutional adoption of digital currencies, Talos, the institutional digital asset trading technology provider, has integrated with TP ICAP’s Fusion Digital Assets, the UK-regulated spot crypto exchange. Fusion Digital Assets is a trading venue designed specifically for institutional participants and registered with the UK’s FCA, highlighting its focus on regulatory...

The post Talos Integrates with TP ICAP’s Fusion Digital Assets to Drive Institutional Crypto Adoption appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
In a bid to grow the institutional adoption of digital currencies, Talos, the institutional digital asset trading technology provider, has integrated with TP ICAP’s Fusion Digital Assets, the UK-regulated spot crypto exchange.

Fusion Digital Assets is a trading venue designed specifically for institutional participants and registered with the UK’s FCA, highlighting its focus on regulatory compliance and the safety of digital asset transactions. The partnership with Talos underscores TP ICAP’s aim of bridging the gap between traditional financial markets and the burgeoning crypto market.

Hina Sattar, Head of Digital Asset Sales at TP ICAP, commented: “We are excited to integrate with Talos and provide their significant institutional client base access to the diversified liquidity from Fusion Digital Assets. This partnership is a natural fit, combining a market structure for which regulators have voiced a strong preference with a trading platform whose functionality institutions know and expect.”

The Talos trading platform has been engineered along similar lines to those within traditional finance, offering institutions a familiar trading experience adapted for digital assets. The integration with TP ICAP’s Fusion Digital Assets enables Talos clients to seamlessly access Fusion’s unique liquidity pool – which includes a mix of traditional and crypto-native clients – through either the Talos API or via GUI.

“Fusion is unique in the digital asset landscape, and we are pleased to connect Talos clients to their liquidity,” commented Daniel Packham, VP – Head of Operations EMEA at Talos. “TP ICAP and Talos share a mission of delivering the digital asset ecosystem to institutions at the standards they require – in terms of performance, reliability, security and compliance.”

Talos operates an extensive network of 60+ digital asset service providers, including exchanges, OTC desks, prime brokers, and custodians, and positions itself as a pivotal platform for institutions looking to navigate the complexities of the digital asset markets. The addition of Fusion Digital Assets to the network further enhances the capabilities available to Talos clients, promising a more integrated and efficient trading experience, according to the company.

The post Talos Integrates with TP ICAP’s Fusion Digital Assets to Drive Institutional Crypto Adoption appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
SIX Invests in BITA to Enhance Global Benchmark Platform and Expand Indexing Technology Services https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/six-invests-in-bita-to-enhance-global-benchmark-platform-and-expand-indexing-technology-services/?brand=tti Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:50:09 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=67797 SIX, the Swiss financial data and market infrastructure provider, has made a strategic investment in BITA, the indexing technology and services company. The move aims to bolster a range of ongoing joint projects and fast-track the global expansion of SIX’s benchmark platform. Existing BITA shareholders, including ETFS Capital, Volta Ventures, and Pamica NV, have also...

The post SIX Invests in BITA to Enhance Global Benchmark Platform and Expand Indexing Technology Services appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
SIX, the Swiss financial data and market infrastructure provider, has made a strategic investment in BITA, the indexing technology and services company. The move aims to bolster a range of ongoing joint projects and fast-track the global expansion of SIX’s benchmark platform. Existing BITA shareholders, including ETFS Capital, Volta Ventures, and Pamica NV, have also participated in the investment round.

Through its technology infrastructure, notably its cloud-based system BITACore, BITA offers a platform for the design, backtesting, calculation, and dissemination of various indices, baskets, and custom portfolios. The technology supports the daily operations of exchanges, delta one desks, and asset management firms, and aims to address the rising worldwide demand for scalable and customisable rules-based investment solutions.

The partnership between SIX and BITA began in 2022, focusing on the development of new global equity indexes. The collaboration has since extended into the cryptocurrency sector, where SIX utilises BITA’s calculation infrastructure and APIs for indexing projects.

This latest investment underscores SIX’s commitment to broadening its array of services tailored to the international Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) sector, positioning itself as a one-stop ETF shop for creation and listing, trading, custody, and distribution of high-quality market, index, and reference data. Ultumus, an ETF data specialist acquired by SIX in 2021, plays a key role in this ecosystem by acting as a sales and distribution agent, further facilitating BITA’s access to the sell-side with its custom basket management solution.

Marion Leslie, Head Financial Information and Executive Board Member, SIX, commented: “At SIX, we are committed to providing innovative and efficient solutions to the Indexing and ETF industry. Our strategic investment in BITA strengthens our existing partnership and fuels our shared vision of a future where customized indexing solutions are accessible and scalable for all market participants. Together, we will leverage BITA’s cutting-edge technology and SIX’s global reach to deliver even greater value to our clients.”

Victor Hugo Gomez, CEO of BITA, added: “Our growing, multifaceted business relationship with SIX is a perfect example of how our indexing infrastructure can support financial institutions in scaling their product development, cutting time to market, and increasing their flexibility. We are delighted to welcome SIX as an investor in BITA and look forward to leveraging their footprint as we continue our path towards becoming the leading investment customization infrastructure”.

BITA plans to use this investment to enhance its infrastructure’s functionality and continue its expansion into key markets.

The post SIX Invests in BITA to Enhance Global Benchmark Platform and Expand Indexing Technology Services appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Archax Partners with Talos to Enhance Institutional Crypto Trading and Custody Services https://a-teaminsight.com/blog/archax-partners-with-talos-to-enhance-institutional-crypto-trading-and-custody-services/?brand=tti Wed, 13 Mar 2024 10:44:48 +0000 https://a-teaminsight.com/?p=67652 Archax, the FCA-regulated exchange, broker, and custodian for digital assets, has entered into a strategic partnership with Talos, the institutional crypto trading platform. By incorporating its institutional-grade exchange and custody services into the Talos platform, Archax will leverage Talos’s advanced platform capabilities to provide institutional clients with broader access to a diverse range of crypto...

The post Archax Partners with Talos to Enhance Institutional Crypto Trading and Custody Services appeared first on A-Team.

]]>
Archax, the FCA-regulated exchange, broker, and custodian for digital assets, has entered into a strategic partnership with Talos, the institutional crypto trading platform. By incorporating its institutional-grade exchange and custody services into the Talos platform, Archax will leverage Talos’s advanced platform capabilities to provide institutional clients with broader access to a diverse range of crypto liquidity sources.

The integration will allow Archax, which received $28.5m Series A funding in late 2022, to offer its range of services to Talos’s extensive institutional trading network, which includes a variety of regulated digital assets such as tokenised money market funds and crypto capital protect notes.

“Our collaboration with Talos represents yet another step forward in our mission to empower institutional investors with seamless access to all types of digital assets – from unregulated cryptocurrencies to regulated tokenised real-world-assets,” comments Graham Rodford, CEO and co-founder of Archax. “By partnering with Talos, we’re set to offer unparalleled liquidity, reliability, and robustness to the global institutional trading community.”

Anton Katz, CEO and Co-Founder of Talos, adds, “We are thrilled to join forces with Archax in our shared commitment to drive institutional adoption of digital assets. By integrating Archax’s exchange and custody services into the Talos platform, we are providing our institutional clients with access to digital assets solutions that meet rigorous standards for security and regulation.”

The collaboration between Archax and Talos marks a significant step forward for the evolving institutional digital asset industry, following the formal launch of the Archax digital asset exchange in July last year.

The post Archax Partners with Talos to Enhance Institutional Crypto Trading and Custody Services appeared first on A-Team.

]]>