Waters Rankings 2025: Best managed data service provider—SmartStream Technologies

- WatersTechnology Staff
- 23 Jul 2025

Overview

SmartStream’s Reference Data Services (RDS) is a managed, 24/7 offering designed to deliver high-quality, normalized, and cross-referenced reference data across a range of asset classes. The RDS addresses the complexity of sourcing and maintaining security master data by streamlining fragmented processes, improving data quality, and ensuring regulatory compliance, supporting trading, risk, and reporting functions with consistent, enriched data delivered ahead of the trading day.

This award reflects the dedication of our global team and the trust placed in us by our clients. With RDS, we’ve built a service that removes the burden of reference data management while ensuring firms stay ahead of evolving regulatory demands. We’re proud to support the industry with accurate, intelligent, and high-quality data every day
Linda Coffman, executive vice president, Reference Data, SmartStream

The solution

SmartStream’s Reference Data Services provide its customers with a range of services to support their daily data management activities. By leveraging a mutualized processing model, SmartStream manages the collection, cleansing and change management of security master and regulatory reference data from over 100 exchanges and vendors. The service delivers accurate security master data, ready for integration each morning, while supporting multiple regulatory regimes, including Mifid II and the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR). Its API suite and use of its proprietary Pearls of Data Quality (persistence, early detection, automation, review, listen and skills) methodology ensure efficient data delivery and reduced risk across trading, risk management and compliance functions. As a result, firms that use SmartStream’s RDS services see a reduction in operational costs, gain access to a broader set of complex datasets, and can go to market faster with strategic initiatives.

Differentiators

SmartStream’s RDS is a combination of a mutualized data management platform combined with a managed data operations service. It differentiates itself from other similar offerings through its Pearls of Data Quality framework and cross-referenced data coverage spanning asset classes and regulatory requirements. It supports proprietary identifiers and vendor symbology, enabling linkage across fragmented systems. With advanced validations and integrated regulatory enrichment, the RDS offers a scalable and regulatory-ready data service that helps eliminate internal complexity and empowers firms to operate with confidence and precision.

Recent goals

The introduction of SmartStream’s RegRegistry service consolidates daily updates from regulators including the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the International Organization for Standardization’s Market Identifier Codes, offering clients a single, accurate source of regulatory reference data to streamline reporting, maintain compliance and reduce internal processing overheads.

Product roadmap

SmartStream will further enhance its RDS with expanded compliance data including foreign ownership thresholds, and support of new derivatives exchanges. Future developments focus on tighter platform integration as it leverages the cloud for faster customer integration, enabling clients to respond to regulatory changes faster and manage global reporting requirements more efficiently. With increasing regulatory scrutiny, SmartStream is committed to driving innovation in managed data services that reduce cost, risk, and operational complexity.

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