Exchanges are struggling to attract derivatives trading from over-the-counter markets, despite a 2009 edict from G20 governments saying that the shift – which would allow better tracking and risk management of a vast amount of trading – was essential to preventing another crisis.
The Bank for International Settlements quarterly review, issued over the weekend, looks at two of the biggest derivatives trades, foreign exchange and interest rates. The pattern is complex, but overall the BIS report concluded: "Since 2009, the trading of derivatives on exchanges has shown no trend, whereas their OTC trading has trended upwards."