More than 70 percent of the participants at this year's MACD Conference 2023 confirmed in a live survey that they are receiving more enquiries from clients about digital assets trading. Experts from InCore Bank AG, Sygnum Bank AG as well as Berner Kantonalbank AG analysed these results in the panel discussion, informed about possible ways of implementing and gave tips.

Speakers from Incentage AG and Inventx AG shared their knowledge on the important topics of 'Increasing Compliance Requirements in a Networked World' and 'Expanding Role of Technology in Banking'. George Macdonald, CEO MACD, rounded off the conference with some MACD News. As always, there was plenty of time for networking and sharing within the MACD community.

We will be happy to provide further results of the live survey and a summary of the presentations and panel discussion to members of the MACD community on request at macdnews@macd.com. Here you can find the presentations for download:

Follow-up Report

Art shares will take the form of standardized transferable securities, like shares listed on a stock exchange. ARTEX aims to democratize the fine art market, making it inclusive and accessible. Art shares will have an initial nominal value of EUR 100.

Yassir Benjelloun-Touimi, ARTEX Co-Founder and CEO: 'We have been relentlessly working on the launch of ARTEX for three years now. I am thrilled that our vision of democratizing iconic art investment has become a reality with the help of well-established stock exchange infrastructure service providers such as MACD. We look forward to a long term collaboration.'

MAX Exchange Direct

Through the joint solution, we enable all MACD customers to automate trading and custody of digital assets via existing interfaces to their core banking systems.

Fritz Jost, Member of the Group Executive Board and Chief B2B Officer: 'More than 15 banks have already chosen Sygnum as a partner for their digital asset journey. Activation of 24/7 trading and custody via their existing order management system with a regulated market leader is a compelling value proposition. This fast time-to-market enables partner banks to access new revenue streams, increase their AuM with digital assets and expand the offering selectively over time thanks to Sygnum’s modular offering.'

MAX Digital Assets Trading

Remo Kunz, Head of Trading, Berner Kantonalbank AG: 'We have been working closely with MACD since 2006. We have jointly implemented both the development of the electronic trading platforms for OTC|X and SME|X as well as connections to various stock exchanges and broker destinations, including the trading of exchange-traded derivatives (ETDs) on EUREX in 2013. Since 2022, our long-standing and experienced employees in the Derivatives / Foreign Equities trading team have also been offering the ETD business to all MACD clients so that they benefit from automated trading with a connection to the existing infrastructure.'

MAX ETD Trade

Through new partnerships with various fund brokers, we have gradually expanded our fund trading offering in recent years and are seeing strong growth in this area. Currently, 14 banks handle their fund trading via MACD.

We always offer an individual solution tailored to the bank's needs. Both integration into the bank's internal system landscape and independent operation are possible. MACD already supports interfaces to various core banking systems, such as Avaloq, Finnova, Apsys or Finstar. Further interfaces can be integrated on request.

MAX Funds Trade

For example, MACD customers receive a reduction on the annual fees and minor changes are implemented by MACD free of charge.

MAX Broker Connect

Lucas Fowler, Head of Software Engineering: 'MAX is based on future-oriented technology. With MAX Services, we can make the developed features available to all interested MACD customers in a timely manner.'

Kurt Meister, COO MACD: 'We are on track and making good progress. The switch to MAX is always done in close cooperation with the customer. We attach great value to a smooth transition. What is important to us is the quality and not the quantity of MAX migrations.'

MAX Trading System

Claudio Topatigh, Head of the Structured Products Competence Centre, Luzerner Kantonalbank AG: 'With MACD, we have a software provider on our side that provides us with excellent support in our market making activities, using state-of-the-art technology.'

Swiss Derivative Awards