FIX sets its sights on digital asset trading

Published by: Finextra| 17th May 2021

The FIX Trading Community, the non-profit, industry-driven standards body at the heart of global financial trading and the Global Digital Asset & Cryptocurrency Association (Global DCA), the global self-regulatory association for the digital asset & cryptocurrency industry, each recognize that their complementary efforts can be strategically combined to further promote standardization for trading digital assets.

The organizations have therefore agreed to share information and experience to achieve their common goals. The FIX Trading Community owns and maintains the FIX Protocol and has an active Digital Asset Working Group (DAWG) focused on the use of FIX for the electronic trading of digital assets. The DAWG co-chairs also participate in ISO TC68/SC8/WG3 in the development of other standards for this industry. The Global DCA was established to guide the evolution of digital assets, cryptocurrencies, and the underlying blockchain technology within a regulatory framework designed to build public trust, foster market integrity, and maximize economic opportunity for all participants.

The FIX Trading Community DAWG and Global DCA will cooperate to promote the development and use of standards for the entire life cycle of the electronic trading of digital assets from buyside, sell-side, exchanges/trading venues, settlement/custody, and regulatory compliance/reporting.

Tony Pettipiece, Board of Directors and Chair of the Policy & Regulation Committee at the Global DCA commented: “We are excited to be working with the FIX Trading Community to help shape the evolving standards for the trading of digital assets, and also to leverage the expertise of GDCA members by FIX institutional traders as their participation in digital assets continues to grow.” Sean Ristau, co-chair FIX Digital Asset Working Group, EVP of Account Management & Solution Engineering, Prime Trust commented: “Promoting the use of clear standards is central to the FIX Trading Community mission. As the de facto standard for electronic trading, we are excited about the opportunity for FIX to become ubiquitous in the trading of digital assets. Cross collaboration is key and has helped the digital asset community with the hyper growth being experienced. We look forward to working with the Global DCA and its’ membership to promote standards for the evolving digital economy.”

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