Hotspot, a CBOE Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: CBOE) company and institutional FX trading ECN market has announced the first anonymous outright deliverable forward FX transaction executed on the platform.
Hotspot is the first platform to provide outright deliverable forwards on an anonymous central limit order book. Further, it is the first platform to allow prime brokerage clients to post passive quotes. This allows for expanded trading activity from participants, who are now able to trade without being forced to cross the bid-offer spread.
Paul Millward, Head of Product Strategy, and Paul Reidy Head of Technology spearheaded the project, which culminated in a one-month EURUSD trade, of $100,000 notional value.
Bryan Harkins, CBOE Head of U.S. Equities and Global FX
Bryan Harkins, Head of U.S. Equities and Global FX at CBOE, commented:
When we initially acquired Hotspot, we made a very public commitment to growing the platform by adding thoughtful, additive functionality, and expanding product lines commensurate with customer feedback and demand. We also made clear any enhancements or expansions would fit our overall ethos of improving market structure for all participants, without compromising the unique dynamics of the FX market.
This first, anonymous forwards trade, initiated over central limit order book is a strong example of this approach, and we are pleased our unique solution, developed in close collaboration with some of our leading customers, will aid in expanding participation in a growing corner of the currency market.
According to the Bank of International Settlements, trading volume of outright forwards rose to $700 billion in 2016, a 3 percent increase from $679 billion in 2013.
Separately, non-deliverable forwards (NDFs) are to be formally listed on Hotspot’s wholly-owned swap execution facility (SEF), previously called Javelin, in the coming weeks. This follows the filing of a revised Form SEF with the CFTC on March 31, 2017, which updated the SEF’s rulebook and set forth technical details of the Hotspot platform. The process of onboarding participants to trade NDFs is underway, with trading to start later this year.
In the first quarter of 2017, Hotspot traded average daily notional value of $28.8 billion in spot FX, up 7.9 percent quarter over quarter. Further, Hotspot’s spot FX market share for the quarter rose to 12.9 percent, up 1.3 percent from Q4 2016.
In April, Hotspot experienced a month-over-month downturn in volume, falling by 7 percent compared to March volumes.