News Releases

2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | Show more years

For Immediate Release
January 31, 2012

For more information contact:
Ed Dasso (312) 781-1677 (NFA), edasso@nfa.futures.org
Karen Wuertz (312) 781-1335 (NFA), kwuertz@nfa.futures.org
Florencia Panizza (212) 813-6029 (MarketAxess), fpanizza@marketaxess.com

NFA Signs Agreement with MarketAxess to provide Regulatory Services to MarketAxess' Swap Execution Facility

January 31, 2012, Chicago and New York - National Futures Association (NFA) and MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: MKTX) today announced that they have entered into an agreement that paves the way for NFA to perform regulatory services for MarketAxess' planned swap execution facility (SEF). The Agreement establishes a preliminary framework for the exchange of information and the development of technology standards that will enable MarketAxess and NFA to develop, test and launch automated trade practice and surveillance systems and also to develop procedures and processes necessary for MarketAxess to fulfill its SEF self-regulatory obligations. Upon the issuance of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) final SEF rules, NFA and MarketAxess anticipate that they will enter into a formal Regulatory Services Agreement.

According to the rules and regulations under the Dodd-Frank Act, as currently understood, SEFs will have surveillance and other regulatory responsibilities. The CFTC has proposed to allow SEFs to contract with a registered futures association, such as NFA, or another registered entity for regulatory services.

"This is a significant step forward as we engage in new regulatory activity on behalf of SEFs. For over ten years, NFA has been successfully performing trade practice and market surveillance functions on behalf of futures exchanges," said NFA President Daniel J. Roth. "We look forward to working with MarketAxess as we enhance our surveillance systems to assist SEFs in meeting their regulatory responsibilities."

Jim Rucker, Credit and Risk Officer, MarketAxess, said: "We're pleased to partner with the NFA to help MarketAxess prepare for the anticipated compliance and surveillance requirements under the Dodd-Frank Act. MarketAxess is fully committed to registering as a SEF as soon as the regulations permit, and working with the NFA will facilitate our preparations in this regard."

About NFA

NFA is the premier independent provider of innovative and efficient regulatory programs that safeguard the integrity of the derivatives markets. Learn more about NFA at www.nfa.futures.org.

About MarketAxess

MarketAxess operates a leading electronic trading platform that enables investment industry professionals to efficiently trade corporate bonds and other types of fixed-income instruments. MarketAxess' patented trading technology allows institutional investor clients to request competitive, executable bids or offers from multiple broker-dealers simultaneously, and to execute trades with the broker-dealer of their choice. Over 850 institutional investors are active users of the MarketAxess trading platform, accessing the global liquidity provided by MarketAxess' 80 broker-dealer clients in U.S. high-grade corporate bonds, European bonds, high yield and emerging markets bonds, agency bonds, asset-backed and preferred securities and credit default swaps. MarketAxess also offers a number of trading-related products and services, including: market data to assist clients with trading decisions; connectivity solutions that facilitate straight-through processing; technology services to optimize trading environments; and execution services for exchange-traded fund managers and other clients.

MarketAxess maintains its headquarters in New York and has offices in London, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Singapore and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.marketaxess.com.

Subscribe to NFA Email Communications