SmartBridge Advance Provides Connection to TSE's RFQ Platform CONNEQTOR

Tokyo Stock Exchange ("TSE") announced today the starting of providing direct connection between CONNEQTOR, its RFQ (Request For Quote) platform launched in February 2021, and SmartBridge Advance ("SBA"), a securities order and execution management system provided by Nomura Research Institute, Ltd. (NRI). SBA is a system for institutional investors who trade stocks and ETFs on a large scale to register and place orders.

With this new connection, order data entered into SBA by traders of asset management firms and others will be directly allocated to CONNEQTOR, enabling traders to execute trades quickly and reliably with market makers around the world on CONNEQTOR. As a result, ETF trading costs will be reduced and the time required for trading will also be shortened, which is expected to contribute to operational efficiency at asset management firms and others.

CONNEQTOR has been continuously developed with the aim of improving liquidity in the ETF market. Last year, BNP Paribas Securities Japan​ and Toyo Securities​ had successively joined as brokers to provide connectivity to CONNEQTOR.