Citi and Bank of America are working together to build a new industry-led independent data and execution platform for fixed income markets.

The venture plans to develop a next generation trading, data and analytics platform for structured credit and underlying collateral markets. The contemplated multi-dealer platform will focus initially on CLOs and syndicated loans, with plans to expand into other asset classes.

We’re working with @BankofAmerica to build a new, industry-led independent data and execution platform for fixed income markets. Read more: https://t.co/IxeR0LMYYo pic.twitter.com/kCSmSEkyxL

— Citi (@Citi) April 12, 2021

Bank of America and Citi initiated the build of this platform to address some of the biggest challenges in both CLO and Syndicated Loan markets, for both dealers and buy-side clients including efficiency, liquidity, and cost of execution. Citi is backing this effort through its Spread Products Investment Technologies (SPRINT) group, within the Citi Markets FinTech Investments program.

“With the acceleration of electronification in the fixed income market, this collaborative effort will help lead the change,” said Brian Bejile, Head of Loan Portfolio Trading and E-Trading for Loans and CLOs at Citi. “The platform, which is currently in testing phase and is expected to launch later this year will build out a more accessible, user-friendly marketplace for third party data and analytics and will combine the trading and data consumption in these markets onto a single platform with seamless user experience.”

“The aim is to create an independent, multi-dealer platform for the CLO and loan market,” said David Trepanier, Head of Structured Products, Global Credit at Bank of America. “Not only will the platform help to increase operational efficiencies and transparency, we believe this is going to change how the industry currently trades in these markets and eventually lead to greater liquidity and market participation.”

“We are excited about Bank of America and Citi coming together to form this industry-led initiative to better serve the buy-side community,” said Alex Naboicheck, Head of U.S. Leveraged Loan Trading at Bank of America.

The banks are also focused on modernizing technology development and speed to market for new products and protocols. The agile, low code methodology used to build the initial two protocols for CLO BWICS and loan matching aims to shorten development lead time relative to traditional models.

Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.

Source: Citi