InteDelta InSight: The Changing Face of Technology in OTC Derivatives and Securities Services Firms

For many years, technology has been a supporting actor when it comes to questions of strategy within OTC derivatives intermediaries and agency securities services businesses. Times are changing and technology strategy is now becoming fundamental to client retention and new client development. As such, OTC derivatives and securities services intermediaries are beginning to operate more like technology companies, where the technology is central to provision of the business solution.

Wholesale integration of legacy systems is seen as a key element of transforming service offerings. Notable examples being:

• Integration of client-supporting technology across fixed income and equity businesses; or
• Integration of client-supporting technology across investment banking and custody business.

Clients are increasingly open to consideration of new service providers and are looking at alternative partners to provide new components or services.

Re-assessment of intermediary relationships can be expected to further increase as European clearing and global bilateral margin requirements draw nearer. Strategic technology thinking will be central to which service providers emerge on pole position at the end of this process.