Interdealer-broker Icap is set to launch a lit market for electronic currency trading, to sit alongside its existing anonymous interbank platform EBS, as the dealer seeks to tap new customer segments for its global currency franchise.

The platform, EBS Direct, will allow clients to view 'lit' competing prices from multiple dealers on a public market, alongside anonymous or 'dark' prices on its main EBS market, Icap said. The platform is due to go live in December. Jeff Ward, EBS's global head of sales, will become global head of EBS Direct.