Feature
Crowded Alt Data Market Makes Standing Out Difficult for Providers
As alternative data companies battle for capital and a coveted spot in investment managers’ portfolio strategies, they are turning to bespoke marketing and partnerships to stand out in an industry where firms still struggle with data science resources.
CAT’s Tale: How Thesys, the SROs and the SEC Mishandled the Consolidated Audit Trail
WatersTechnology investigates the torturous journey to create a stock-trading database for the US, and where the project goes from here.
Crypto Markets Turn Traditional for Tools of the Trade
As interest in cryptocurrency trading refuses to wither, despite a bearish year, traders are increasingly calling for institutional-grade tooling from traditional markets to further develop the asset class.
The Problem Solver: Paul Bari, Nordea
Paul Bari’s career has taken him across oceans and continents, but his true north has always been a fascination with mathematics. Now, he’s tackling not only the future of one of Northern Europe’s largest banks, but its employees, too
5G Networks: Information Overload
Despite what some wireless carriers say, we’re still a few years away from a mass rollout of true 5G networks. While they will be revolutionary, right now it’s more hype than reality. WatersTechnology tries to look ahead to see how capital markets firms…
Rebel Math: Robert and Richard Michaud, New Frontier Advisors
For over 50 years, modern asset management has been guided by the Capital Asset Pricing Model and the theories of Harry Markowitz. Yet, a father-and-son team in Boston says it’s wrong—and they can prove it.
Industry Lukewarm on ‘Quick Fixes’ to PRIIPs Rules
Many fear performance scenarios will remain misleading and expose providers to mis-selling claims.
US SIPs Must Evolve or Face Uncertain Future
Traditionally, the core of the US market data ecosystem has been the SIP feeds that consolidate data from all US exchanges. But as the cost of exchange data continues to rise, some firms are finding the US consolidated tapes to be a SIP that’s hard to…
Navigating the ESG Reporting Maze
An analysis of some of the major initiatives to improve corporate reporting of environmental, social and governance factors to help investors better price-in risks and opportunities and make meaningful comparisons of company performance.
Firms Tap AI to Leverage Trade Reconstruction for Surveillance
A lack of data has historically been an obstacle to applying machine learning for regulator-mandated trade reconstruction initiatives, but the recent, explosive growth of digital information could change that—while making trade reconstruction more…
Concerns Mount as Trade Repositories Face Brexit Split
Months away from the UK’s departure from the EU, much of the industry is still in the dark over operational requirements post-Brexit, and time is running out.
Challenging US Exchanges Will be Uphill Battle for MEMX, Experts Warn
An industry initiative to start a new US exchange promises much, but it may struggle to deliver without a clearer purpose.
Bad Education: How to Cure Cynicism Around SI Data
Amelia Axelsen investigates how buy-side cynicism of Mifid II's systematic internalizer regime could be cured through education.
Billions Lost Highlight Corporate Actions Tech Failures
Processing corporate actions is usually the last workflow to be automated, mainly due to the complexities involved and the weakness of underlying data. Wei-Shen Wong explains how this has changed over the last few years and what challenges remain.
Untapped Potential:The Road to Semantic Heaven
There is a movement underway to establish universal standards and the semantic ontologies that make them sing. As the industry approaches semantic utopia, questions remain about what steps need to be taken to get there and whether all the work will be…
Lingering Questions Remain over Mifid II
Nearly one year on from the fundamental changes to Europe’s trading rulebook brought about by Mifid II, its overall impact is still unclear. Although experts talk of greater transparency in the markets, it’s had its share of issues, some of which are…
Tokenization: The Flip Side of the Coin
Turning traditional assets into digitally traded data is one of the most commonly cited benefits of emerging technology, including distributed ledgers. But the reality is that the process is far more difficult than it seems.
Trouble with the Curve
As the industry scrambles to find the next best thing in a post-Libor world, the most viable emerging substitutions are based on actual transaction data, but still fall short.
Deep Learning: The Evolution is Here
Advancements in AI have led to new ways for firms to generate alpha and better serve clients. The next great evolution in the space could come in the form of deep learning. WatersTechnology speaks with data scientists at banks, asset managers and vendors…
Coding in the Trenches: Bjarne Stroustrup, Morgan Stanley
He found fame as the mind behind C++, one of the most popular programming languages ever created. But today, Bjarne Stroustrup is a managing director at Morgan Stanley where he works to create more efficient and secure technology infrastructures.
Semantics Takes Tech to Tango
Within the symbiotic relationship between technology and standards, Jamie Hyman investigates the exciting technological breakthroughs that are pushing standards toward industry-wide adoption, while the very survival of some technology—namely, blockchain…
Independence Day: Separation Brings Value for Fintech Spinoffs
Financial firms with a data or technology ‘vendor’ arm developed in house are finding that separation can benefit both business lines. Max Bowie speaks to companies that have spun out from other organizations about the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects…
The Day the Data Stood Still
With the UK preparing to leave the EU in March, regulators have a limited amount of time to figure out how to keep the flow of information going between each other post-Brexit—and the window is closing.
Custody Seen as Crypto's Next Major Battleground
Although institutional interest in cryptocurrency trading has grown, the development of the custody space, in particular, is crucial for its next phase of evolution.