SmartStream Creates ‘Innovations Team’ SmartStream Technologies, which characterizes itself as a financial transaction lifecycle management provider, reports that its new “innovations team” is “working with financial institutions to optimise workflows, using Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and blockchain technologies, in the areas of reconciliations, cash management and fees and expense management.” The new… Read More >>
IHS Markit Acquires DeriveXperts
IHS Markit, a data, analytics and solutions provider, has acquired DeriveXperts, a valuation services vendor for over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives, that will bring to Markit an entrée into key equity derivatives and other equity linked products markets. DeriveXperts offers daily and monthly computations of “hard-to-value assets,” such as equity derivatives, FX derivatives, interest rate derivatives and… Read More >>
CME Group to Buy NEX Group for $5.5 Billion
Derivatives exchange operator CME Group Inc. is set to acquire NEX Group plc for an estimated $5.5 billion and, if all goes well, the combined provider of transaction processing across futures, cash and over-the-counter (OTC) instruments will be able to offer many post-trade capabilities beyond clearing services. The CME Group encompasses: CME Clearing; the Chicago… Read More >>
SS&C Buys North American Branch of CACEIS
Investment solutions and services giant SS&C Technologies Holdings, Inc. is acquiring CACEIS North America, the fund administration business of CACEIS, for an undisclosed amount and will be folding the business and staff into SS&C GlobeOp’s alternatives business. The parent company, CACEIS, describes itself as a Paris-based asset servicing group of Crédit Agricole bank, “providing execution,… Read More >>
Vermeg Finalizes Acquisition of Lombard Risk
European banking and insurance software vendor Vermeg has completed its acquisition of Lombard Risk, a collateral management and regulatory reporting solutions vendor, described as “a key milestone” in Vermeg’s bid to become a major player in the financial services solutions realm, officials say. The acquisition will add collateral management operations, regulatory reporting and compliance products… Read More >>
New Collateral Management Strategies Require New Building Blocks
Post-crisis regulation and competitive market conditions have forever changed the collateral management process for securities trading firms. The push to develop new collateral optimization strategies has often uncovered major problems within a firm’s own systems and processes. Most firms have had to move quickly to revamp their internal systems and craft new collateral management operations… Read More >>
Firms Face Cutting-Edge & Conventional IT Challenges in 2018
(Editor’s note: This tumultuous year is winding down but there’s every reason to think that securities operations will continue to make leaps and bounds next year especially when it comes to cutting-edge IT. Erica Borghi (née Choinski), chair of the International Securities Association for Institutional Trade Communication (ISITC), and vice president of Fintech Risk at… Read More >>
BNP Paribas Subsidiary Dives Into Tri-Party Collateral Management
BNP Paribas Securities Services has launched a tri-party collateral management service that aims to connect buy-side and sell-side firms in order to unlock liquidity pools and improve the collateralization process across a wider range of securities. The service provides exposure to segregated markets, enabling clients to access previously untapped sources of collateral. In addition, clients… Read More >>
FTF Awards Gala Q&A: Portfolio Fragmentation Will Spur More Scrutiny of Disputes
(Editor’s note: As regulatory reforms regarding collateral take hold at financial services firms, there have been challenges for firms to access enough eligible collateral to meet margining and related requirements. While the regulatory reforms are intended to lower risk and facilitate optimal execution, the situation has become much more complicated. In addition, collateral management has… Read More >>
GlobalCollateral Pact with Lombard Risk Targets Collateral Management Woes
DTCC-Euroclear Global Collateral (GlobalCollateral) and Lombard Risk, a collateral management and regulatory reporting solutions vendor are weaving together a strategic alliance intended to improve the margining support and streamline the many steps of collateral management operations. The vendors are saying that a multi-phased alliance would start with “an agreement to link GlobalCollateral’s Margin Transit Utility… Read More >>
