CEO and Founder: Alasdair Haynes[/caption]
Securities trading has needed a disruptor. In Europe, just such a disruptor emerged in late 2013: share-trading platform Aquis Exchange. The company is rapidly gaining market share by delivering liquidity, competition and fresh ideas to the European equity market. Aquis provides an alternative model for institutions, and the CFI.co judging panel was impressed by its “pay for what you consume” fee structure. The judges also applaud the European subscription service – positioned as “Spotify for trading” – that Aquis has created. Equally welcome is its ban on aggressive and predatory high-speed traders. The result is lower signalling risk and market impact when compared with other alternative European platforms. This must have seemed a high-risk strategy for a new company hoping to gain market share, but Aquis CEO Alasdair Haynes’ bold strategy has proven itself by helping to create liquidity. Its anticipation of customer reactions to regulatory changes, and its understanding of the need for transparency, paid-off in a highly successful IPO in June. The CFI.co judging panel thinks other markets would benefit from similar disruptive initiatives, and applauds the responsible and dynamic example set by Aquis Exchange. The judges are pleased to confer the award for Best Securities Trading Platform Europe 2018.