Xceptor Makes Data Automation Platform Available in Microsoft Azure Marketplace

Xceptor has announced the availability of its Data Automation Platform for financial markets in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace, an online store providing applications and services for use on Azure.

“The collaboration with Microsoft to make the Xceptor platform available on the Azure Marketplace brings us closer to our clients as well as organisations that seek convenient, accessible tools to manage their data management and automation needs. This simplifies the purchasing process and expedites onboarding, allowing clients to focus on what matters and realise benefits quickly,” says Dan Reid, chief technology officer at Xceptor.

LTX Partners with MultiLynq to Enhance Fixed Income Trading Platform Connectivity

LTX, a subsidiary of Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc., has integrated with MultiLynq, a provider of electronic trading solutions, to enhance the connectivity of its AI-driven corporate bond trading platform. The collaboration is set to streamline the onboarding process for dealers and asset managers, by leveraging MultiLynq’s API and to facilitate easier integration with the LTX platform, which currently supports over 35 dealers and 90 asset managers.

By utilising MultiLynq’s solutions, clients can now integrate LTX’s pre-trade tools and trading protocols into their existing systems without the need for extensive in-house resource deployment. The integration aims to provide significant time and cost savings, while maintaining compatibility with existing front-end interfaces and downstream systems.

Saifr Extends AI-Powered Marcomms Content Compliance Solution

Saifr has extended the functionality of its suite of marketing compliance capabilities to detect comparison, ranking, and rating claims; performance claims made about investment options; testimonials; and references to tax-free or tax-exempt income. Additionally, expanded AI models for marketing optimisation can determine grade-level readability. 

These features join Saifr’s existing compliance suite, which flags promissory, misleading, exaggerated, unwarranted, or ‘unfair and balanced’ text; detects non-compliant images; explains the risk of flagged content; suggests more compliant alternate phrasing; and recommends disclosures.  

Saifr offers multiple ways to access its AI: SaifrReview (a collaborative enterprise workflow solution), SaifrScan (software add-ins, such as Microsoft Word ), and APIs. 

“These offerings are designed to help financial institutions more easily comply with regulations including FINRA 2210, SEC 482, SEC Modernized Marketing Rule, and similar rules, and effectively market to their target audiences,” said Vall Herard, CEO of Saifr. “With the help of AI, Saifr enables compliance and marketing teams to more accurately mitigate risk while developing marketing-optimized, compliant content up to 10x faster.” 

A-Team Group recently featured Saifr following an interview with CEO Herrard. The interview revealed how Saifr’s AI-powered solutions have evolved since the company started in 2020 and offered a glimpse of what might be coming.  

Saifr is a multiple A-Team Group Awards winner and can claim: 

• Most Innovative AI in Regulatory Compliance Initiatives. A-Team Group Innovation Awards 2024 
• Best AI Solution for Regulatory Compliance. A-Team Group RegTech Insight Awards USA 2023.  

Symphony Expands Global Presence with New Office in Abu Dhabi

Symphony, the markets infrastructure and technology platform, is to open a commercial office in Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), the international financial centre in the UAE’s capital. This move highlights Symphony’s commitment to the Middle Eastern & North African (MENA) market and its confidence in the region’s commercial potential.

The expansion into Abu Dhabi aligns with the city’s emergence as a significant global financial centre. Symphony’s suite of products, including messaging and collaboration, trader voice, data and analytics, and directory and identity, is already utilised by several financial institutions in the region, underscoring the strategic importance of this new office for its growth in the MENA region.

TS Imagine Expands TradeSmart Fixed Income EMS with TDS Automated Trading

TS Imagine, the trading, portfolio, and risk management solutions vendor, has included TDS Automated Trading (TDSAT) in its TradeSmart Fixed Income EMS platform. TDSAT, a market-maker in municipal and investment grade corporate bonds, provides buy-side clients direct access to fixed income dealers, with pricing information, dealer quotes, and real-time trade data.

This addition marks the latest enhancement to TradeSmart Fixed Income, following the recent integration of LTX, an AI-powered trading platform, and a connection to ICE Bonds for improved access to fixed income execution protocols and liquidity. The developments aim to bolster pre-trade transparency and price discovery for mutual buy-side clients within their existing workflows.

S&P Global Completes Acquisition of Visible Alpha

S&P Global has completed its acquisition of Visible Alpha, a provider of industry and segment consensus data, creating a premium offering of fundamental investment research capabilities on S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Capital IQ Pro platform.

Founded in 2015, Visible Alpha provides consensus forecast estimates, key performance indicators, and analytics from in-depth sell-side analyst models and distributes the data through a variety of distribution channels including a web-based platform, APIs and feeds. It is backed by a group of investment banks that are key contributors of research and data to the platform. Their continued contributions will continue to enhance the depth and breadth of the overall Visible Alpha and S&P Capital IQ Pro offering.

Myanmar’s AYA Bank Implements SmartStream TLM Solution

SmartStream has implemented its Transaction Lifecycle Management (TLM) Reconciliations Premium Digital Payments Control solution at AYA Bank, Myanmar’s premier banking institution. The implementation marks an advance in the bank’s digital transformation journey.

The SmartStream solution is delivered as Software-as-a-Service and streamlines tasks including reconciliations, settlement, fee computation and dispute resolution. Using AI capabilities, it facilitates rapid system adoption and comprehensive management of the bank’s transaction lifecycles. It will also add a real-time oversight layer to further improve transaction transparency and automate accounting processes, the whole enabling AYA Bank to mitigate risks and reduce operational expenses.

ICE Benchmark Administration Releases Beta Extensions for ICE Swap Rate Benchmark

Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) subsidiary ICE Benchmark Administration has released indicative Beta versions of its USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate Swap Spreads and EUR €STR ICE Swap Rates. The swap spreads and rates expand the ICE Swap Rate benchmark and are determined using IBA’s published ICE Swap Rate waterfall calculation methodology. They are available here.

The publication of the Beta settings follows a consultation and feedback process on IBA’s proposals to extend the current suite of ICE Swap Rate benchmark settings. The settings are being offered for an initial testing period for information purposes and to enable recipients to evaluate the settings and provide feedback to IBA@ice.com.

IBA will later announce when USD SOFR ICE Swap Rate Swap Spreads and EUR €STR ICE Swap Rates settings will be made available for use by licensees as a benchmark in financial instruments.

Yaala Labs Powers Carbonplace’s New Carbon Credit Market with P8 Platform

Yaala Labs, the global market infrastructure provider, has announced the successful launch of its P8 platform at Carbonplace, global carbon credit transaction network, to facilitate. the operation of its voluntary carbon market. The integration, initiated in late 2023, leverages Yaala Labs’ advanced cloud-native P8 technology, which supports a range of functionalities including tokenisation, primary and secondary trading, and clearing & settlement.

Initially, Carbonplace has integrated with Verra’s carbon registry, the carbon credit registry that manages the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), the biggest standard in the carbon market based on market share, with plans to incorporate additional registries in the future.

S&P Global Completes Acquisition of Visible Alpha

S&P Global has completed its acquisition of Visible Alpha, the consensus forecast data and analytics vendor. The move aims to expand the fundamental investment research offerings on S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Capital IQ Pro platform. Founded in 2015, Visible Alpha has carved a niche in offering consensus forecast estimates, key performance indicators, and analytics derived from extensive sell-side analyst models. The company’s data distribution is supported through various channels, including a web-based platform, APIs, and Feeds.

Visible Alpha is backed by a group of investment banks that are key contributors of research and data to the platform. The acquisition, first announced in February 2024, is not expected to significantly impact the financial standing of either S&P Global Market Intelligence or the broader S&P Global entity.