January 11, 2016

Adoption of Electronic FX Options Trading Accelerates as Thomson Reuters Options Volumes Surge by 166 percent in 2015

Over 36 active options price-makers and more than 225 active options price-takers now on Thomson Reuters FX dealer-to-client platform

NEW YORK/LONDON - Thomson Reuters FX dealer-to-client venue saw a surge in options trading volumes of 166 percent in 2015 compared with the previous year. In particular the fourth quarter of 2015 saw record-high monthly, weekly and daily volumes with over 36 global and local active options price-makers and more than 225 active options price-takers now on Thomson Reuters FX platform.

Thomson Reuters FX Trading provides both relationship trading (bank-to-client) and bi-lateral trading (interbank) for vanilla and exotic FX options. In recent months the company has introduced electronic FX options callouts to streamline how banks can access options liquidity in the interbank market. By providing one single point of access to options liquidity via electronic callouts or via Thomson Reuters FXall dealer-to-client request-for-quote service, FX Trading helps market participants to efficiently manage their trading risk.

“Due to their inherent complexity, FX options have been the last FX instrument to move from OTC markets to electronic platforms, but best execution requirements are seeing options volumes and participants on our platforms really flourish,” said Phil Weisberg. “We are finding that in today’s highly fragmented and increasingly scrutinized FX market, price-takers - buy-side firms and smaller banks - want to use platforms that offer optimal transparency and help them prove effectiveness of execution whether it is mandated or not. They also want the efficiency and flexibility that comes with the feature-rich workflow tools that electronic platforms can provide.”

Thomson Reuters FX Trading helps enable market participants to streamline their trading workflow by including compliance tools, straight-through processing, confirmations as well as settlement and trade history reports. It helps market participants comply with regulatory trade requirements by providing access to regulated trading venues (Thomson Reuters SEF and Thomson Reuters Matching MTF) and a global trade reporting service.

Introduced in 2014, Thomson Reuters FX Trading furthers Thomson Reuters strategy to provide a platform that brings together the best of the company’s pre-trade tools, trading venues and post-trade capabilities into one single next-generation desktop. FX Trading has therefore been designed as the natural upgrade path for users of all its legacy FX transaction venues and will continuously evolve as more functionality and content is added.

Thomson Reuters
Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of news and information for professional markets.  Our customers rely on us to deliver the intelligence, technology and expertise they need to find trusted answers. The business has operated in more than 100 countries for more than 100 years. For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com.

 

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Kate Reid
Thomson Reuters
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Email: kate.reid@thomsonreuters.com