Aquis Exchange and Cboe Europe have announced a joint venture to develop a consolidated tape (CT) for the EU. Named SimpliCT, the tape will be submitted as a bid in the selection procedure for an EU equity CT run by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) that is expected to commence in June 2025.
The successful applicant will be announced by the end of 2025. Should SimpliCT be successful in its bid, it will be established in the Netherlands as a new company co-owned by Aquis Exchange and Cboe Europe.
In a press release, Cboe Europe states, “SimpliCT’s aim would be to deliver a high quality and reliable consolidated tape that provides a simplified, comprehensive and cost-efficient view of market activity, benefiting the widest possible range of participants.” Natan Tiefenbrun, president of North American and European equities at Cboe Global Markets describes SimpliCT as a realisation of the “long-held belief in the significant benefits a well-operated and governed tape can bring to EU capital markets”.
Aquis CEO Alasdair Haynes says that SimpliCT would strive to “deliver fair compensation for data contribution, aligning the interests of contributors and consumers”.
