BNY Mellon Launches AI-Focused Digital R&D Hub in Dublin

BNY Mellon has announced the creation of a new Digital R&D Hub in Dublin, with an initial investment of €8 million. The hub will spearhead innovation in AI, machine learning, and data analytics. By the end of 2025, it’s expected to more than double the bank’s digital team in Dublin, creating 30 specialist jobs.

BNY Mellon’s recent increase in patent applications and successful AI initiatives such as its Predictive Analytics for Trade Settlement underline the bank’s commitment to technological innovation. Furthermore, the hub aims to boost local STEM talent development through collaborations with educational bodies and new recruitment efforts.

Eurex Launches First European Bitcoin Index Futures Contract for US Investors

The US Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has approved the trading of Eurex FTSE Bitcoin Index Futures for US-based investors, beginning 29 May 2023. This milestone marks Eurex’s efforts to provide secure and regulated access to cryptocurrencies, making it the first exchange in Europe to offer Bitcoin index futures. Trading began outside the US on 17 April 2023, and the contract was developed with FTSE Russell and Digital Asset Research.

The futures contracts trade in EUR and USD and are equivalent to one Bitcoin, with cash settlement upon expiry. Since the launch, over ten members have traded hundreds of contracts, with further participants preparing to join.

Tokenovate and GMEX ZERO13 Execute World’s First Smart Legal Contract for Carbon Credit Derivatives

Tokenovate, a provider of distributed financial market infrastructure, and ZERO13, a GMEX Group initiative around climate fintech, have successfully executed the world’s first smart legal contract for voluntary carbon credit (VCC) derivatives trades, based on the 2022 ISDA Verified Carbon Credit Transactions Definitions.

The partnership demonstrated the creation of a blockchain-based, high quality, smart legal contract for waste to energy VCC trades, which were conducted on the SECDEX exchange, between Maverik Inc. and Tempus USA Inc. Tokenovate and ZERO13 will continue to enable VCC trades using distributed ledger technology-based smart legal contracts, supporting global net zero and energy transition goals by 2030.

FlexTrade Unveils AI-Driven Functionality in FlexTRADER EMS

FlexTrade Systems has announced the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) technology into its multi-asset solution, FlexTRADER EMS. FlexA, a voice-activated application created by FlexTrade’s data science team, is designed to revolutionise the interaction between traders and their technology platform by applying natural language to parse and control the solution through voice commands or a text-based chat interface.

This innovative application allows traders to easily handle vast amounts of information beyond the traditional 2D grid visualisation and input devices. FlexA enables users to gain an in-depth understanding of orders, request tailored reports on historical trading with specific visual formats, and automate actions to accelerate workflow. This launch signifies one of the first practical applications of AI technology directly within an OEMS solution, according to the company.

OpenFin Secures £35 Million in Series D Funding to Boost Adoption of its OS

OpenFin, the operating system (OS) for enterprise productivity, has raised $35 million in a Series D investment round led by Bank of America, with significant contributions from Pivot Investment Partners and ING Ventures. CME Ventures, CTC Venture Capital, SC Ventures and Tribeca Early Stage Partners also participated. The investment aims to fast-track the adoption of OpenFin OS across the financial industry and beyond. Presently used by over 3,800 banks and asset management firms in more than 60 countries, OpenFin’s web-based OS is increasingly becoming a standard in financial services.

The latest funding comes amid a period of record growth for OpenFin, spurred by the swift adoption of OpenFin Workspace, the OS’s visual interface. Launched in 2021, the Workspace includes an app launcher, notification centre, universal search and enterprise browser, helping to simplify user experiences across internal and reduce operational risk.

TMX Group and Clearstream Banking Set to Launch Canada’s First Domestic Triparty Repo Capability

TMX Group Limited and Clearstream Banking S.A., part of Deutsche Börse Group, have announced plans to introduce an automated Canadian Collateral Management Service (CCMS), including the first domestic triparty repo capability in Canada. Developed collaboratively, the CCMS aims to provide a customised mobility and liquidity solution for Canada’s secured finance industry, with the new service enabling clients to meet the continuously evolving collateral demands of current markets.

Scheduled for launch in Q3 2023, the CCMS is intended to optimise and collateralise securities finance activities across the Canadian market. Initially, the CCMS will cater to participants in Canada’s secured funding market, enhancing transaction cycle efficiency. Additionally, it will facilitate the industry’s shift to a T+1 settlement cycle for Canadian and US markets in 2024, boosting efficiency and collateral mobility while reducing operational risk.

Principal Financial Group Selects QUODD’s Universe+ for Tailored Market Data Access

QUODD, a market data on demand provider for the global financial services sector, has announced that Principal Financial Group has become part of its growing client base for the Universe+ platform. Universe+ is an API-driven, cloud-based solution offering comprehensive security pricing, reference data, and analytics across all asset classes, including mutual fund, equities, and fixed income pricing data, specifically designed as a middle to back-office research tool.

Universes+’s capabilities are a cornerstone of QUODD’s digital offering, allowing users to monitor price fluctuations, access reference data and corporate actions on demand, and manage price validations and challenges. The platform facilitates on-demand market data consumption across all business lines and operational workflows, making it an effective tool for middle and back-office functions.

KX Collaborates with AWS to Make kdb Insights a Managed Service on Amazon FinSpace

KX, creator of the kdb+ time series and analytics database, has teamed up with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to make kdb Insights available as a fully managed service on Amazon FinSpace. Managed kdb Insights enables investment banks and hedge funds to launch, configure, run, and scale capital markets analytics and AI workloads with just a few clicks. Firms already using applications that rely on kdb Insights can migrate to AWS in days without modifying queries or workflows, and gain the agility, scalability, high availability, and security of AWS.

Ashok Reddy, CEO at KX, says: “With the launch of kdb Insights on Amazon FinSpace, our customers can experience unparalleled levels of price versus performance thanks to the market-leading capabilities of our Data Timehouse technology and the powerhouse that is AWS.”

ISS ESG and Qontigo Launch Joint Biodiversity Index

ISS ESG, the sustainable investment arm of Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), and index compiler Qontigo have created a jointly branded biodiversity benchmark timed for release on the United Nations’ International Day for Biological Diversity. The ISS STOXX Biodiversity Index Suite enables investors to align their portfolios with biodiversity impact targets and applicable UN Sustainable Development Goals.

London Stock Exchange’s Data Centre Migration Boosts Market Quality and Efficiency

The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) has reported substantial improvements in market quality and performance following its data centre migration and upgrade in February this year. The data centre, which caters to the London Stock Exchange, Turquoise, and TRADEcho services, is not only more innovative and robust but also eco-friendly, powered entirely by green energy.

The upgrade led to a 50% reduction in average round-trip latency for equities and a 66% reduction for ETFs, leading to swifter, more predictable order confirmations. The London Stock Exchange’s role as a price-former in UK Equities has also been enhanced, with a 9% increase in FTSE 100 EBBO settings and a 5% increase in the FTSE 100 EBBO Size Contribution.