Front-Office Tech
New tech disrupts traditional book-building process for institutional investors
Automation is long overdue in the book-building process for publicly listed equities. One startup hopes to bridge the gap.

Capitolis registers swap dealer in strategy refresh
The vendor’s SBSD registration may facilitate a unique multi-seller platform for its equity swap business.

Bank-backed Versana takes aim at syndicated loan tech
Born from a consortium that includes JP Morgan and Bank of America, Versana aims to bring up-to-date and permissioned data to the syndicated loan market—the first step to a more transparent and faster operating market.

S&P buys ChartIQ to bolster charting, analytics capabilities
ChartIQ’s former owner, Finsemble, will continue to focus on building out its desktop integration business.
Can algos collude? Quants are finding out
Oxford-Man Institute is among those asking: could algorithms gang up and squeeze customers?
In 2022, cloud shows true potential to displace legacy data platforms
Once wary of the cloud, financial firms, their suppliers and the marketplaces where they trade are openly embracing it. And there are more signs of big tech firms accelerating buy-in by literally buying in to clients’ migration projects.
LSEG bolsters non-cleared ambitions with Acadia deal
The exchange group plans to build ‘a clearing house for the non-cleared world’, says LCH CEO Maguire.
Lessons from credit: Could all-to-all help Treasury markets?
Regulators are looking to all-to-all trading as a possible solution for worrying volatility and deteriorating liquidity in US Treasury markets.
Banks express concern over top venues’ bid for EU consolidated tape
End-users are worried about the repercussions of handing over a data monopoly to the heavyweight operators in the fixed income space.
Waters Wrap: Big Tech, exchanges and a rapidly evolving market
Following LSEG’s partnership with Microsoft, Anthony talks with some industry participants to explore what this might mean for exchange tech going forward.
Waters Wavelength Podcast: Treating the buy side’s fever
This week, Andrea Gentilini, head of SEI Novus, joins the podcast to discuss how the buy side evaluates their skillsets.
Ice builds out low-latency trading connectivity in Asia
The enhancements will be completed by the first half of 2023.
Broken chains: how DLT code switch compounded ASX fail
Sources say that vendors will suffer the most in the fallout from ASX’s “paused” blockchain settlement project.
Bot’s job? Quants question AI’s model validation powers
But supervisors cautiously welcome next-gen model risk management
FX primary venues seek reversal of fortunes
EBS and Refinitiv fight to restore market share—but bilateral trading may be too entrenched, dealers say
Waters Wrap: ASX’s Chess DLT meets calamitous fate—what can be learned?
The future of exchange technology resides in the cloud…not blockchain. Anthony says ASX proved this with its Chess replacement project.
Bloomberg, MarketAxess, Tradeweb probe three tech partners for consolidated tape bid
Venue-led consortium plans to pick a winner before EU regulators begin tender process – anticipated in third or fourth quarter of 2023.
Howson on steering Cboe past potholes and traffic cops
The head of the world’s largest options exchange discusses SEC regulation and SPX appeal.
All the pieces fit: connecting trader voice and messaging across workflows
Cloud9 expands Symphony's communication channels to trader voice, in an effort to simplify workflows as Wall Street struggles with compliant communications.
Symphony wants to be Wall Street’s phone book—but smarter
As Symphony strays further from its original purpose of being a chat platform, WatersTechnology sat down with Brad Levy at this year’s Innovate conference to discuss his vision for the firm.
New tech for corporate actions aims to improve the data extraction process
Demand for corporate actions data is increasing in the front and middle office, but the data can be hard to read.
LiquidityBook looks to displace Fidessa as sell-side OMS of choice
What began as a small buy-side technology offering, now has ambitions to oust Fidessa in the sell-side OMS space. LiquidityBook, now armed with a handful of ex-Fidessa employees, has secured the product expertise. Can it secure the clients?
Chill winds blow for Capitolis’s equity swap platform
The fintech’s effort to revive off-balance-sheet funding runs into market and regulatory turbulence.
People Moves: UKEF, RBC, Plenitude and more
A look at some of the key people moves from this week, including Samir Parkash (pictured), who becomes UK Export Finance’s interim chief executive officer.