FIX Protocol Ltd, the non-profit, industry-driven standards body at the heart of global financial trading, has announced the rebranding and name-change of the organization to FIX Trading Community, as well as the launch of a new website that creates a unique platform where the global FIX community can meet and exchange knowledge.

Since its launch over 15 years ago, the organization has achieved success in developing and encouraging adoption of the FIX messaging standard, which has become the language of the global financial trading community.

“We feel it is important to communicate to the industry that FIX Trading Community does not just look at the technical aspects of messaging standards, and that the organization is fundamentally focused on addressing the wider business challenges affecting its member firms and the industry as a whole through the use of standards,” said Chris Pickles, co-chair of the Global Education and Marketing Committee, FIX Trading Community, and head of industry initiatives, global banking and financial markets at BT.

“We are very proud to have some of the best FIX technical experts around the world actively contributing to the organization alongside senior business leaders,” Pickles said. “Together these industry representatives are shaping the future of financial trading.”

In addition to the name change, FIX Trading Community has launched a new website designed to enhance its users’ on-line experience. Reflecting the overall rebranding of the organization, the new website will bring together senior business and technical professionals from across the buy side and sell side, from vendors, trading venues and regulators, and will offer a unique forum where the real issues impacting the industry can be debated.

“The name ‘FIX Trading Community’ more accurately reflects the work of the organization today,” said Jim Kaye, co-chair of the global steering committee at FIX Trading Community, and director of product development, European execution services at BofA Merrill Lynch. “FIX Trading Community really does bring together the global trading community with over 275 members, spanning 6 different continents and multiple industry sectors. The new website will offer our members significant potential to interact, and advance their knowledge and experience, with this growing community.”

In recent years the FIX organization has expanded its focus to more effectively support market participants faced with the emerging business and regulatory issues impacting multi-asset trading across the globe. While the continuous enhancement and promotion of the FIX Protocol remains central to its goals, it has explored other ways in which standardized practices can effectively support evolving business needs.

“I have witnessed the FIX Protocol revolutionize the trading environment. I have also seen the many benefits that the organization’s extensive efforts around standards and best practices have delivered, such as producing recommended risk controls to help achieve increased market stability,” said Bill Hebert, co-chair of the global education and marketing committee at FIX Trading Community, and managing director at Alpha Omega Financial Systems. “The organization is achieving demonstrable change in facilitating a more cost-effective, efficient and transparent global trading environment.”