Crypto
Bringing Efficiency to Index Licensing Pricing is the Goal of BenchMarket and Bruce Traan
Bruce Traan is a 15+ year veteran of the Cboe who had jumped into the crypto world, but now has created his own firm to bring fairness in pricing to firms needing the licensing services of an index provider. The uneven pricing of the index provider world is what he seeks to solve with his new enterprise, BenchMarket.
Nick Baker’s Big, Interesting and Weird Stories at CoinDesk Turn Consequential With FTX Scoops and CoinDesk’s Comprehensive Coverage
NIck Baker is the deputy editor-in-chief of CoinDesk, which has about 100 people in its content operation, of which about 50 are journalists. Most work remotely from home, though CoinDesk does have a New York office. Like cryptocurrency, CoinDesk is decentralized, Baker said.
Mark Smith’s Path To Electronic Trading: From Banking to Blockchain
Mark Smith started his career at broker-dealer Edward Jones, became an entrepreneur and then after his second firm was purchased by Citi, he found himself working for the bank, which he found an eye-opening experience.
TT’s Todd Talks Talos, Crypto, What Comes Next and Energizing a Motivated Team
Trading Technologies CEO Keith Todd made a deal with Talos, a provider of institutional digital asset trading technology, and John Lothian News wanted to know more about it and what it meant for TT and its customers.
So JLN sat down with Todd in TT’s offices in London on the Monday of IDX week to shoot a video interview with Todd as TT was preparing to make the announcement.
Arne Staal’s First Adventure to FIA Boca and Miami is to a Lively Crypto Center
JLN interviewed Arne Staal, the head of FTSE Russell, who was at his first FIA Boca conference and in the Miami, Florida area for the first time, about crypto markets (a hot topic in Boca and Miami) and other popular topics at the conference.
Copper.co’s Betty Sharples Weighs in on Digital Asset Protection & Navigating the Regulatory Landscape
Copper.co’s Betty Sharples sat down with John Lothian News on the second day of FIA Boca 2022 to discuss industry growth, protecting digital assets, and her hope for regulatory solutions.
Betty Sharples is the business development director for the digital asset custodian Copper.co, which launched in 2018. Since its inception, Copper has provided custody, trading, and digital asset services across 450 crypto assets and over 40 different exchanges. Sharples said that Copper’s products and services all serve a purpose: to bring prime brokerage to the crypto space.
NovaFori’s Garry Jones wants to transform markets with technology
Garry Jones, the CEO of NovaFori, says the company is focused on digital transformation. He has spent most of his career working in the derivatives markets and applied technology, but now is creating auction platforms for clients such as Christie’s and overlaying them with data science.
Euronext CEO Stéphane Boujnah discusses markets during war time and platform consolidation in Europe
2021 was a watershed year for Euronext with its acquisition of Borsa Italiana. “It was a transaction that changed the scale of Euronext,” said Stéphane Boujnah, CEO and chairman of Euronext’s managing board. Boujnah spoke with John Lothian News at the FIA Boca 2022 conference about the impact of the Ukraine War on European markets and what’s in the future for the platform that bills itself as the “One unique marketplace connecting seven European economies.”
Eventus CEO Travis Schwab on Regulation, Transformation and Crypto at Boca 2022
Eventus Systems’ CEO Travis Schwab has been coming to the FIA conference in Boca Raton for 20 years and said it was great to be back to seeing clients in person again this year. Schwab spoke with John Lothian News at the conference about Eventus’ marketing, regulatory and volatility challenges, and the burgeoning crypto field.
CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam Gears Up for Full CFTC
Rostin Behnam had the advantage of being a CFTC commissioner since 2017 before being confirmed as chairman in December of 2021, giving him insight into the organization and good working relationships with its staffers.
JLN spoke to Behnam at the International Futures Industry Conference in Boca Raton, Fla., about the start of his chairmanship and what he hopes to accomplish.
John’s Take: Why I hate Chuck Mackie and Thoughts on FTX’s CFTC Request
I have a love/hate relationship with Chuck Mackie. I love him because he is a great guy, good citizen and cheerful practitioner of solving the world’s problems with market based solutions. I hate him because he really knows how to make me work, and work hard. Don’t worry, there are others on this list too (Hello Barbara).
On Thursday Chuck emailed me and asked when I was going to write a comment letter for the FTX request to the CFTC for LedgerX LLC, doing business as FTX US Derivatives, “to amend its order of registration as a DCO to allow it to modify its existing non-intermediated model.”
John Fildes’ Down Under View From FIA Boca 2022
John Lothian News interviewed John Fildes of Bain & Company, Inc. of Australia at FIA Boca 2022 about the crypto space, exchange consolidation, payment for order flow and his perspective from down under. Fildes, who was formerly the CEO of Chi-X Australia, is now the capital markets practice lead and expert partner with Bain & Company.
Fildes weighed in on Jump Trading and the wormhole hack, Citadel’s getting into crypto and the 24/7 nature of the crypto business and its impact.
Book “Regtech, Suptech and Beyond” Looks at Technological Solutions for Regulatory Oversight
There is a new book out from Risk Books titled “Regtech, Suptech and Beyond.”
The book is a compendium of chapters addressing technology and innovation in regulatory and supervisory oversight in financial services. Different authors explore the emerging best practices in regulatory oversight and financial services that leverage technological solutions.
SEC Special Counsel Laura Harper Powell collaborated with the former President of ICE Trade Vault and current President and Founder of CoinReg Tech Bruce Tupper on a chapter in the book focusing on CFTC regtech implications for virtual currency trading.
Telstra’s Adam Day Expounds on November Equinix Deal; Opportunities for Trading, Fintech, Crypto, Gaming Into Asia
In early November Telstra partnered with Equinix to enhance the Telstra Octagon financial services solution and expand global access and direct connectivity between North America and eight of the world’s major futures and commodities exchanges. JLN interviewed Telstra’s Adam Day after the FIA EXPO about this deal and what it means for Telstra’s customers and potential clients.
The Telstra Octagon solution uses Telstra’s ultra-low latency global networks to support high-frequency trading activities. And now, with Telstra’s financial trading solution available on Platform Equinix, Telstra can now offer financial organizations improved network connectivity, access to the Equinix data center and colocation and Equinix Fabric interconnection services adjacent to the exchanges.
Fireside Chat Launches FIA Asia with Regulatory Discussion
Regulatory issues were the first order of business at the first panel of FIA Asia Tuesday Morning (Monday night for those of us in Chicago) as Walt Lukken held a virtual fireside chat with Sharon Shi, chair of FIA Asia’s regional advisory board and managing director at G.H. Financials, and Bill Herder, FIA’s head of Asia-Pacific.
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First Citizens to Buy SVB After Biggest Bank Failure Since 2008
First Read Hits & Takes John Lothian & JLN Staff This morning we have the first of the videos from our FIA Boca coverage and we start out with our interview with CFTC Chairman Rostin Behnam. We also have an interview with IMC Marketing Manager Steven Biester,...
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The Spread
RELATIVE VALUE FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYZING VOLATILITY; MAT CASHMAN, EXPERIENCED TRADER & PRINCIPAL OF INVESTOR EDUCATION AT OCC, EXPLAINS THIS & MORE IN PART 2 OF THIS OPTIONS DISCOVERY FULL INTERVIEW
In part 2 of this Options Discovery full interview, JLN’s Alex Teng continues the conversation with Mat Cashman, principal of investor education at OCC®, to discuss the relative value framework for analyzing volatility, advice for starting a career in options, and The Options Industry CouncilSM (OIC®) free online tools.
How Options Hedging for Oil Is Turbocharging Volatility
Observations & Insight Gain Small-Cap Exposure with Options on the Russell 2000 Index Learn why small-cap indexes like the Russell 2000 have historically outperformed large-cap counterparts, and how an options strategy can help you manage your risk while...