Clearinghouse EuroCCP and settlement infrastructure provider Clearstream have launched a pan-European connection to streamline post-trade operations for investors on the continent.
Through the expanded connection, exchange traded equities and exchange traded funds (ETFs) cleared via EuroCCP will now be eligible for settlement on Clearstream Banking.
“We are delighted to partner with Clearstream on the use of their Investor CSD product, initially for our mutual client Freetrade,” said Cecile Nagel, chief executive officer at EuroCCP.
“As a pan-European clearing house with access to multiple CSDs across the continent, the T2S [TARGET2-Securities] Investor CSD functionality provides a number of important benefits, including operational and funding efficiencies to market participants and end investors.”
The development follows Freetrade’s recent partnership with both EuroCCP and Clearstream to give retail investors in the UK commission-free access to the pan-European markets via its platform.
Freetrade is the first confirmed customer of the new pan-European connection, however, Clearstream and EuroCCP confirmed that others were expected to follow in the coming months.
“The addition of European stocks to the platform is a key step for us as we begin our expansion into Europe and beyond,” said Adam Dodds, chief executive at Freetrade.
“Our mission is to get everyone investing while keeping prices low. Freetrade’s direct to market access and proprietary brokerage platform helps to unlock costsavings that we can pass onto our customers through a simple and low-cost investment experience. We will continue to add more European exchanges to the platform as we expand across Europe.”