LedgerEdge, an ecosystem for trading, announced that it had launched the first regulated corporate bond trading platform built using  distributed ledger technology (DLT  Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) A distributed ledger or distributed ledger technology (DLT) is a database that is shared and synchronized across a number of different devices in different locations. DLT networks effectively eliminate the need for a centralized authority to act as the network’s custodian. In its place is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network as consensus algorithms to ensure replication across nodes is undertaken.The most common kind of distributed ledger network is a blockchain network. Blockchain networks are used to run most of the world’s largest cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.Benefits of Distributed Ledger TechnologyThe primary advantage of DLT is the lack of central authority. Each time a ledger update happens, every node constructs a new transaction. Subsequently, all nodes vote by consensus algorithm on which copy is correct. Once a consensus has been determined, all the other nodes update themselves with the new, correct copy of the ledger. This provides several inherent security advantages, achieved via cryptographic keys and signatures.The information stored in a distributed ledger is immutable, or unchangeable. This is because in order to make changes on the network, more than half of the devices that uphold the network would have to consent. This is a very effective defense against hacking and tampering, but it can also lead to difficulties when it comes to things like agreeing on software updates. As a result, unmet desires to update a blockchain network’s software has led to the creation of entirely new networks with new cryptocurrencies (i.e., Bitcoin Cash).Many industries have since branched out with DLT, including banks and multiple fintechs. The area continues to draw much research, and scrutiny. Many proponents of DLT see it as the future of finance, though this is far from a consensus perspective. A distributed ledger or distributed ledger technology (DLT) is a database that is shared and synchronized across a number of different devices in different locations. DLT networks effectively eliminate the need for a centralized authority to act as the network’s custodian. In its place is a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network as consensus algorithms to ensure replication across nodes is undertaken.The most common kind of distributed ledger network is a blockchain network. Blockchain networks are used to run most of the world’s largest cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum.Benefits of Distributed Ledger TechnologyThe primary advantage of DLT is the lack of central authority. Each time a ledger update happens, every node constructs a new transaction. Subsequently, all nodes vote by consensus algorithm on which copy is correct. Once a consensus has been determined, all the other nodes update themselves with the new, correct copy of the ledger. This provides several inherent security advantages, achieved via cryptographic keys and signatures.The information stored in a distributed ledger is immutable, or unchangeable. This is because in order to make changes on the network, more than half of the devices that uphold the network would have to consent. This is a very effective defense against hacking and tampering, but it can also lead to difficulties when it comes to things like agreeing on software updates. As a result, unmet desires to update a blockchain network’s software has led to the creation of entirely new networks with new cryptocurrencies (i.e., Bitcoin Cash).Many industries have since branched out with DLT, including banks and multiple fintechs. The area continues to draw much research, and scrutiny. Many proponents of DLT see it as the future of finance, though this is far from a consensus perspective. Read this Term).

According to the press release, the LedgerEdge platform is powered by R3’s Corda, a distributed, scalable, permissioned platform used to enable regulated markets to foster a sense of trust between parties. LeadgerEdge’s digital market is a decentralized, fully regulated Multilateral Trading Facility (MTF) by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The LedgerEdge platform was developed with the cooperation of the world’s leading banks, asset managers and market makers.

Currently, 45 firms are trading on the UK MTF, and 70 are either onboarded or trading on the platform. More than 30 major asset managers are among them, including 7 out of the top 10 sell-side dealers.

Co-Founders Statements

“The first fully regulated bond  trading platform  Trading Platform In the FX space, a currency trading platform is a software provided by brokers to their respective client base, garnering access as traders in the broader market. Most commonly, this reflects an online interface or mobile app, complete with tools for order processing.Every broker needs one or more trading platforms to accommodate the needs of different clients. Being the backbone of the company’s offering, a trading platform provides clients with quotes, a selection of instruments to trade, real-time updates on quotes, charts and is the main frontend which customers are facing.Brokers either use existing trading platforms and sometimes customize them, or develop their own platform from scratch. Since the beginning of the retail FX trading business MetaQuotes and its platforms MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) have been the industry standard, especially when it comes to automated trading.MT4 Shows Resiliency While MT4 has long been seen as ubiquitous amongst brokers’ offerings, a targeted push by MetaQuotes themselves has led to broader adoption of MT5 in recent years. Advanced trading platforms such as MT4 or MT5 also allow access to a wide range of asset classes available for trading.The development of trading platforms over the past decade has failed to successfully dethrone MT4 or MT5, notably in the retail market. However, in institutional markets, brokerage companies and banking entities also construct and utilize proprietary currency trading platforms to help satisfy internal needs with trades executed through institutional trading channels.By far the most important parameter for many retail clients is the optionality and pairs available on trading platforms. Additionally, demand by traders has led to a greater emphasis on newer features such as advanced charting and other tools. In the FX space, a currency trading platform is a software provided by brokers to their respective client base, garnering access as traders in the broader market. Most commonly, this reflects an online interface or mobile app, complete with tools for order processing.Every broker needs one or more trading platforms to accommodate the needs of different clients. Being the backbone of the company’s offering, a trading platform provides clients with quotes, a selection of instruments to trade, real-time updates on quotes, charts and is the main frontend which customers are facing.Brokers either use existing trading platforms and sometimes customize them, or develop their own platform from scratch. Since the beginning of the retail FX trading business MetaQuotes and its platforms MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) have been the industry standard, especially when it comes to automated trading.MT4 Shows Resiliency While MT4 has long been seen as ubiquitous amongst brokers’ offerings, a targeted push by MetaQuotes themselves has led to broader adoption of MT5 in recent years. Advanced trading platforms such as MT4 or MT5 also allow access to a wide range of asset classes available for trading.The development of trading platforms over the past decade has failed to successfully dethrone MT4 or MT5, notably in the retail market. However, in institutional markets, brokerage companies and banking entities also construct and utilize proprietary currency trading platforms to help satisfy internal needs with trades executed through institutional trading channels.By far the most important parameter for many retail clients is the optionality and pairs available on trading platforms. Additionally, demand by traders has led to a greater emphasis on newer features such as advanced charting and other tools. Read this Term built on distributed ledger technology is an important milestone for the industry. Credit markets are on the cusp of a digital transformation that has come to other asset classes, and we are excited to be at the forefront in this important market. Client feedback has been an instrumental part of how we built our ecosystem, and I want to thank key participants for being integral to our development. I look forward to continuing that collaborative approach as volume grows, and we continue to develop the product. We are bringing a new modern ecosystem that emphasizes control and ease of execution to a historically illiquid market,” David Nicol, the CEO and Co-Founder at LedgerEdge, commented.

Moreover, David Rutter, the Co-Founder at LedgerEdge, added: “Today’s announcement marks a momentous step for LedgerEdge. This is the culmination of pioneering ideas, work and important client engagement. Our ambitions have now been realized as we bring a next-generation platform to market that fundamentally solves the challenges of locating and promoting liquidity and data ownership. The decentralized system we built gives us the opportunity to rewrite the architecture in the bond market, and corporate bonds are just the beginning.”