Electronic markets are on the verge of the most important breakthrough since the introduction of online trading, led by the derivatives market, according to Keith Todd, chairman of Ffastfill, a London-based software company.

Todd said that technological changes used to receive and handle orders are easing the burden on brokers to maintain their own technology departments. This frees them to concentrate on client relationships and increase business at no extra cost. This is particularly important when clients invest in derivatives for the first time.