Sell-side derivatives clearing firms are expanding their memberships and expecting more competition in the market as rising interest rates add hundreds of millions of dollars to global revenues, according to an Acuiti study.

The Growing Opportunity in Derivatives Clearing, released today in partnership with ION, found that almost two-thirds of futures commission merchants (FCMs) plan to expand their number of clearing memberships over the next three years.

The expansion plans come as rising interest rates over the past 12 months have created the potential for hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenues to FCMs. This has been complemented by large increases in market volumes creating a dual tailwind for FCMs.

Of the 61 senior executives surveyed, less than 10% said that they thought interest rates would not remain high for long enough for them to expand their business with confidence today.

The reversal in fortunes for clearing comes after over a decade of poor conditions as record-low interest rates hit FCMs’ revenues. At the same time, volumes plummeted in the wake of central bank support of global markets. This combination contributed to the number of FCMs globally declining from around 170 before 2008 to 70 today.

While there have been some new entrants to the market over the past decade, firms pulling out of the market and consolidations have outweighed the number.

The Acuiti study suggests that the downward trend will soon be reversed as new cryptoassets and retail market entrants eye-clearing memberships to expand their offerings.

However, new entrants face several challenges. Capital charges facing FCMs remain a significant barrier to entry. Firms looking to expand or enter the market also cite finding skilled staff, compliance with new regulations, and sourcing the right technology as challenging factors.

Francesco Margini, Chief Product Officer for Cleared Derivatives at ION Markets, said: “The radical evolution of the clearing landscape has made powerful real-time systems and back-office functionality all the more critical for the growing FCM community. At ION, this new demand is evident across our customers. We see it as a mission for technology providers to resolve the costly, complex deployment challenges new entrants face when modernizing their post-trade infrastructure. Rather than being a barrier, technology solutions – such as ION’s XTP Spark – should reduce vital overhead for businesses and enable them to seize opportunities in a competitive and volatile environment.”

In addition to expanding their memberships, incumbent FCMs are seeking to increase their profitability by optimizing the allocation of cash and collateral pledged to cover client margin requirements.

“There has been a significant and abrupt change in the economies of providing clearing services in derivatives markets over the past decade,” says Ross Lancaster, head of research at Acuiti. “This is resulting in existing FCMs seeking to expand their offerings, and new entrants eyeing launches. The market needs more FCMs, and the continuation of the current conditions is likely to reverse the long-term declines in the number of firms providing services to the market.”

Download the full report here: https://iongroup.com/resource-center/markets/shifting-trends-for-fcms/