Blockchain Proof of Concept Effort Will Go On Credit Suisse, Ipreo, Symbiont and R3 have completed the successful initial stage of a project to demonstrate how blockchain technology can be used to improve the syndicated loan market, officials say. The proof of concept will continue throughout the year and will includes participation from agent banks,… Read More >>
BarCap to Pay $2M in CFTC, FINRA Fines
Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of the London-based banking multinational, has been hit with $2.1 million in fines for various reporting, clearing and trading violations, and for related supervision failures. Those penalties include an $800,000 fine from the CFTC and a $1.3 million fine from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). FINRA fined BarCap,… Read More >>
CFTC Issues Final Rule for Cleared Swaps Reporting
The CFTC reports that it has approved a final rule meant to bring “additional clarity” to existing cleared swaps reporting regulations and procedures. The rule codifies reporting obligations for counterparties and registered entities and improves the “efficiency of data collection and maintenance associated with the reporting,” the CFTC says. The commission’s own detailed analysis of… Read More >>
ESMA Explores Blockchain’s Risks and Promise
It was only a matter of time before regulators wanted to lift the lid on blockchain and look deeper into the potential opportunities and challenges in the financial services sphere. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), an EU financial services watchdog, is throwing down the gauntlet with its recent discussion paper for public consultation… Read More >>
CME to Offer CCP Services in Europe
CME to Offer Clearing for Global Firms The Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (CME) has gotten the approval of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to operate in the European Union as central counterparty clearinghouse (CCP). The notice came as part of an ongoing update of approved CCPs based in third countries, according to ESMA… Read More >>
Robotics Comes to Due Diligence Reporting
Opus Signs Distribution Deal with OutsideIQ Opus, a regulatory software as a service (SaaS) vendor, announced that its Alacra, know your customer (KYC), reference data management and onboarding platform, will have access to automated due diligence reports for compliance via a distribution partnership with OutsideIQ, an artificial intelligence software provider. The agreement will make OutsideIQ’s… Read More >>
Credit Suisse to Leverage FIS Utility
Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse will be outsourcing its post-trade futures and cleared over-the-counter derivatives operations and technology to banking and payments technology vendor FIS in order to leverage the cost savings of a utility model, bank officials say. The Derivatives Utility from FIS targets market participants “including futures commission merchants (FCMs)” that want cost-efficient… Read More >>
LCH Launches a Spider for Swaps Portfolio Margining
LCH Spider to Help with OTC and Listed Derivatives Clearinghouse LCH has launched its “LCH Spider” service, described as a portfolio margining tool for over-the-counter (OTC) and listed interest rate derivatives, for members and clients using LCH’s SwapClear and Listed Rates offerings, officials say. “LCH Spider is a fully automated service that analyses member and… Read More >>
Eurex Clearing Applies TriOptima’s Portfolio Compression
Eurex Clearing Implements triReduce Post-trade infrastructure provider TriOptima announced that Eurex Clearing members recently completed the first successful triReduce compression cycle for cleared euro (EUR) interest rate swaps (IRS), officials say. “Portfolio compression” reduces the size of an existing over-the-counter, interest rate swaps portfolio “with respect to the number of trades and notional through early… Read More >>
Brexit Could Put U.K. Clearinghouses in Limbo
The Brexit wars are heating up in the U.K. as the European Referendum draws closer but it is still too early to call the outcome. In the meantime, President Obama lent support to the remain or stay-in campaign during his recent visit to the U.K. But the leave party is doing its level best to… Read More >>
