Private Lending Tech and Data Firm Cardo AI Raises $15m

Private credit and asset-based financing (ABF) technology specialist Cardo AI has raised US$15 million in a Series A funding round led by Blackstone Innovations Investments, FINTOP Capital and JAM FINTOP.

The investment will help Milan-based Cardo AI expand its artificial intelligence-supported data and technology offering to markets in the US.

The company said it is dedicated to bringing order to the fragmented and “outdated manual” data and technology processes within the US$40 trillion private lending space.

“Our expansion into the US market, supported by such prestigious institutions, highlights Cardo AI’s ability to deliver powerful technology for the alternative credit industry,” said founder and chief executive Altin Kadareja.

Exegy Expands nxAccess to Cover All Canadian Equity Exchanges

Exegy, the trading technology provider, has expanded its FPGA-based tick-to-trade solution, nxAccess, to include all Canadian equity exchanges. This development enables seamless, ultra-low latency trading across both Canadian and US markets, catering to diverse trading strategies.

The enhanced coverage allows Canadian traders to access both market data and order execution across key venues, including Montréal, Toronto, Chi-X Canada, and others. With ultra-low latency and deterministic trading capabilities, nxAccess empowers firms to optimise their trading strategies while reducing operational complexity.

David Taylor, CEO of Exegy, commented: “By enhancing our ultra-low latency product suite, Exegy reaffirms its leadership in the Canadian market and commitment to supporting clients as they navigate increasingly complex and competitive trading environments. We worked closely with a strategic client to deliver this cutting-edge solution, and it has proven to be a game-changer that can position savvy firms for success in an evolving marketplace.”

OSTTRA and FIS Partner to Enhance Transparency and Efficiency in ETD Post-Trade Processing

OSTTRA, the post-trade solutions vendor, has entered a strategic partnership with FIS to enhance transparency and efficiency in the exchange-traded derivatives (ETD) post-trade lifecycle. The collaboration will provide OSTTRA’s network of investment management clients with real-time clearing status updates from over 70 global CCPs via FIS Connections, improving transparency in give-ups and exception management.

FIS will leverage OSTTRA’s order IDs to automate and streamline allocation processes within its Cleared Derivatives solution. The partnership also supports market participants in adhering to the FIA’s DMIST 30-30-30 standards, advancing timeliness and standardisation in ETD post-trade activities.

Joanna Davies, Managing Director, Head of Trade Processing at OSTTRA, commented: “This collaboration underscores the commitment of both firms to drive innovation that brings value to all parties of an ETD trade. Together with FIS, we are shaping the future of listed derivatives trade processing, providing new levels of transparency across the ETD post-trade lifecycle.”

Andres Choussy, EVP Group President, FIS Trading and Asset Services, said: “At FIS, we’re delighted to collaborate with OSTTRA to help create an extensive network across buy-side and sell-side participants to optimise the exchange-traded derivatives (ETD) post-trade lifecycle. This collaboration is another proof point of our commitment to unlock capital markets technology to the world and sets a new standard for better collaboration and transparency.”

Blue Riband Group Selects TS Imagine’s TS One Risk Module for Portfolio Management

Blue Riband Group, the global long/short equity investment manager, has adopted the TS One Risk Module and Portfolio Risk Management from TS Imagine, the financial markets solutions vendor.

TS One is a solution purpose-built for investment teams, integrating functionalities such as Portfolio Management, Trading, Risk Management, Compliance, and Operations. Its modular design allows for scalability and adaptability, and caters to a diverse range of financial institutions, from large-scale investors to small and mid-sized hedge funds.

Commenting on the deal, James Chervak, Founder and Portfolio Manager at Blue Riband Group, said: “Our team required a SaaS solution with embedded risk management, including out-of-the-box data to power our risk engine, and the option to easily add services over time. TS One’s modular structure and battle-tested risk models stood out from the other providers due to its unique blend of sophistication and flexibility.”

“We are delighted to have been selected by Blue Riband Group as more mid-sized long/short equity funds adopt SaaS-based trading and risk management solutions,” added Andrew Morgan, President and Chief Revenue Officer of TS Imagine. “With Platform 3.0, investors and their teams have the option to begin with the TS One module they need most, and then add additional modules containing essential operational tools for compliance, accounting, risk and much more, as their business needs evolve.”

Trading Technologies to Offer Access to Cboe Equity Index Options in 2025

Trading Technologies International (TT), the global provider of capital markets technology, plans to add access to Cboe equity index options on its platform starting early 2025. This development will allow TT’s institutional and professional trader clients to trade popular Cboe index products, including the S&P 500 Index (SPX), Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), Russell 2000 Index (RUT), and Mini SPX (XSP) options contracts.

This move expands TT’s existing offerings, which already include access to Cboe Futures Exchange (CFE) and Cboe FX. By integrating Cboe’s equity options, TT aims to strengthen its position in the fast-growing equity options trading market, providing clients with a seamless way to engage with some of the most traded index derivatives globally.

Alun Green, TT’s EVP Managing Director, Futures & Options, commented: “As we continue our expansion into new asset classes, U.S. equity options represent a significant part of the derivatives space. We’re eager to unlock new opportunities for our clients with Cboe’s hugely popular index options as a major first step in this diversification. Our clients want to participate via the powerful TT platform and trusted tools, and we’re seeing particularly strong interest from firms in the Asia-Pacific region, which are excited to access the markets through the after-hours session we’ll support.”

Catherine Clay, Global Head of Derivatives at Cboe Global Markets , added: “Our collaboration with TT is particularly timely as global demand for U.S. options continues to rise, with investors increasingly seeking exposure to the U.S. equity markets. By offering clients access to Cboe’s index options products, TT will further expand their customers’ trading capabilities, enabling access to some of the most liquid markets in the world – including SPX, RUT and VIX options – and the ability to efficiently gain and manage exposure to U.S. large and small cap equity markets and market volatility.”

CQG to Offer Day-One Access to MIAX Futures Exchange, Including New Bloomberg Equity Index Futures

CQG, the trading technology solutions provider, plans to provide day-one access to the MIAX Futures Exchange, including Bloomberg equity index futures contracts, upon the launch of the exchange’s Onyx matching engine in June 2025. The announcement was made at the Futures & Options Expo in Chicago.

This development aligns with Miami International Holdings, Inc.’s (MIH) strategic rebranding of the Minneapolis Grain Exchange to MIAX Futures Exchange, aiming to expand its offerings to include agricultural and financial futures. MIH recently partnered with Bloomberg Index Services Limited to create a range of index-based futures and options products. CQG’s integration with MIAX Futures will enable its clients to trade these innovative products immediately upon their release.

Commenting on the announcement, CQG CEO Ryan Moroney said: “We’ve been delighted to work closely with MIH on the development of its new trading engine and to be among the first to enable clients to trade on the MIAX Futures Onyx platform. Our clients are already trading the Minneapolis Hard Red Spring Wheat contract on MIAX Futures and are excited to have additional financial futures products to trade in conjunction with other products on our network, utilizing the full range of CQG tools at their fingertips.”

Thomas P. Gallagher, Chairman and CEO of MIH, added: “CQG’s sophisticated trading infrastructure will provide its network of professional traders with direct access to our current and planned derivatives products and aligns with our strategy of expanding access to MIAX Futures through industry-leading trading platforms.”

BMLL Expands Data Offering with Six Years of Historical OPRA Options Data

BMLL, provider of harmonised Level 1, 2, and 3 data across global equity, ETFs, and futures markets, has added OPRA (Options Price Reporting Authority) data to its platform. Market participants now have access to six years of nanosecond unconflated OPRA options data, complementing existing US equity and futures datasets. This historical dataset is available via the BMLL Data Lab and BMLL Data Feed through AWS S3.

OPRA consolidates and distributes critical options market information from all U.S. equity options exchanges, supporting traders, brokers, and institutional investors in understanding market dynamics, assessing liquidity, and optimising strategies. The data aids buy-side firms in backtesting strategies and generating alpha, while sell-side firms utilise it for execution algorithm optimisation and tracking market structure changes. Exchanges leverage the data to evaluate market share across platforms. BMLL’s normalised tick history dataset ensures accuracy and usability for these applications.

Paul Humphrey, Chief Executive Officer of BMLL, commented: “Adding OPRA options data is another significant milestone in our data coverage expansion strategy. To date, we have built out our equities coverage to 98% of the MSCI All-Country World Index. Including OPRA options in our data and analytics capabilities is a natural evolution for BMLL, driven by customer demand for a best-in-class product and very much in line with our multi-asset strategy.”

David Robinson, Chief Technology Officer at BMLL, added: “Making OPRA data available via BMLL Data Lab and BMLL Data Feed, via AWS S3, is another step in our mission to democratise data and analytics at scale and meet our customers where they need us to be. They can now gain immediate access to this significant dataset in a cloud-based environment, at a level of conflation that suits their own specific needs, and at the highest quality available in the market today.”

Ten10 Solutions Acquires The Scale Factory to Enhance Cloud and DevOps Services

Ten10 Solutions Limited, the IT consulting firm specialising in Automation, Quality Engineering, and Cloud & DevOps services, has acquired The Scale Factory, an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner known for its expertise in B2B SaaS, offering infrastructure improvements, cloud migrations, and ongoing support.

This strategic acquisition aligns with Ten10’s growth objectives, strengthening its position as a leader in professional services for Cloud, DevOps, and Automation. By integrating The Scale Factory’s capabilities, Ten10 aims to expand its AWS service offerings, providing enhanced solutions for fast-growing B2B SaaS companies.

Richard Frodin, Ten10’s CEO, commented: “This acquisition is an important milestone in Ten10’s strategic plan to expand our capabilities and extend our reach in the cloud computing market. The Scale Factory’s innovative technology and talented team will complement our existing strengths, allow us to deliver even more value to our customers, and enhance our ability to develop the next generation of tech talent through our Academy.”

ACA Group Expands Broker-Dealer Compliance Support with FINOP Consulting Acquisition

In a strategic move to deepen its support for broker-dealer clients, ACA Group has acquired FINOP Consulting, an outsourcing firm specializing in financial and operational compliance for broker-dealers. Led by industry veteran and FINOP founder Dan Beaton, the acquisition enables ACA to expand its capacity in financial operations (FinOps) services, particularly for clients needing precise alignment with SEC and FINRA requirements in areas such as recordkeeping, accounting, and reporting. 

This acquisition feeds into ACA’s broader compliance platform, ACA Signature, which delivers scalable support for financial operations. By acting as a licensed Series 27 and Series 28 principal, ACA provides expertise in maintaining accurate records, preparing financial filings, and ensuring overall regulatory compliance. 

Patrick Olson, CEO at ACA Group, views this move as critical for broker-dealers facing increasing regulatory demands: “This acquisition allows us to provide a more complete solution to broker-dealers, who are under immense pressure to maintain compliance in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape”.  

Beaton, now ACA’s Director, echoes this sentiment, noting, “Our collaboration with ACA means broker-dealers gain access to comprehensive GRC services at a time when regulatory pressures are only growing. Together, we’re equipped to navigate these complexities for our clients.” 

ACA’s FinOps offerings provide broker-dealers with key benefits, including the ability to stay compliant with evolving regulations, allowing them to focus on core business objectives without the burden of daily regulatory tasks. Additionally, by outsourcing, firms can reduce full-time employee (FTE) costs. ACA’s use of advanced financial tools further supports clients by optimizing reporting processes and ensuring data accuracy. 

This latest acquisition continues ACA’s tradition of evolving to meet industry needs. Specific financial terms were not disclosed.

DTCC’s Enhanced VaR Calculator for Potential Cross-Margin Reductions

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has updated its Value at Risk (VaR) calculator to include cross-margining and repo transaction functionalities, aimed at improving firms’ risk management capabilities ahead of expanded U.S. Treasury clearing requirements expected in 2025 and 2026. These enhancements, introduced through the Fixed Income Clearing Corporation’s (FICC) Government Securities Division (GSD), offer users more nuanced tools for evaluating margin requirements and cross-margining benefits. 

The enhanced calculator allows users to gauge potential cross-margin reductions at FICC based on sample portfolios that include both GSD cash positions and CME Group futures. According to Tim Hulse, Managing Director of Financial Risk & Governance at DTCC, these updates are part of a broader effort to “support greater transparency for market participants,” aligning with DTCC’s focus on enhancing understanding and management of margin obligations in a rapidly evolving market. 

This development comes as FICC’s GSD experiences record volumes, clearing an average of $8.8 trillion daily as of October 2024. The new capabilities are seen as a valuable tool for firms navigating this high-volume environment, allowing for optimized capital efficiency through consolidated margin management and reducing potential excess liquidity needs. 

The cross-margining functionality, specifically, empowers firms to explore margin savings across combined GSD and futures positions, presenting an opportunity for capital efficiencies that may mitigate the need for liquidation in volatile markets. These tools thus provide market participants with an accessible means to assess and respond to risk and margin requirements, in preparation for the anticipated regulatory changes. 

As Laura Klimpel, Managing Director, Head of DTCC’s Fixed Income and Financing Solutions, notes, “FICC continues to evolve with the markets to support industry needs.” This expansion of the VaR calculator underscores DTCC’s commitment to delivering tools that not only bolster transparency but also support firms’ operational readiness for future market and regulatory shifts.