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EquiLend has announced the acquisition of Trading Apps, a front-office technology provider used by major securities finance desks, in a move that extends its strategy of embedding automation across the full trade lifecycle.
The transaction integrates Trading Apps’ modular trading solutions, including its Lender and Borrower Apps, into EquiLend’s platform. These tools help traders streamline front-office workflows, identify short positions, negotiate rates, and boost execution speed. They also increase trade volume capacity while reducing manual workloads.
TA.Link, Trading Apps’ trade messaging service, is part of the acquisition but will continue to operate independently. EquiLend plans to use TA.Link to provide a redundancy and resiliency layer for its NGT platform. The infrastructure separation is intended to preserve operational stability across both systems.
Part of EquiLend’s broader strategy to streamline front-to-back processes in securities lending
Rich Grossi, CEO of EquiLend, commented, “This acquisition enhances our ability to deliver even greater value to our clients by accelerating automation across the EquiLend platform. The Trading Apps team has built high-quality tools that help firms move faster and operate more efficiently. Integrating these capabilities into the EquiLend platform will provide our clients with a broader set of solutions to fit their securities finance needs. We are excited to work with Matthew Harrison and the Trading Apps team to build on their strong foundation and drive the next wave of securities finance innovation together.”
The acquisition follows EquiLend’s broader strategy to streamline front-to-back processes in securities lending. With the inclusion of Trading Apps, EquiLend aims to extend its value proposition beyond post-trade, where it has already built a global footprint, into front-office execution and decision support.
Matthew Harrison, CEO of Trading Apps, commented, “This marks an exciting evolution for our team. By becoming part of EquiLend, we’re bringing together complementary strengths and setting the stage for what the next generation of securities finance technology will look like.”
Nick Delikaris, Chief Product Officer at EquiLend, commented, “The acquisition of Trading Apps significantly advances our strategy to deliver a unified, front-to-back platform for the securities finance industry. By combining EquiLend’s scale with Trading Apps’ strengths in workflow automation, we’re providing our clients a more intelligent, connected, and agile infrastructure solution.”
Trading Apps’ automation features will now complement EquiLend’s broader suite of technology and data products. Clients will be able to access tools that function as standalone products or as part of an integrated platform, depending on operational needs.
EquiLend has expanded its technology portfolio steadily in recent years, with a growing focus on data services, regulatory reporting tools, and post-trade automation. The acquisition of Trading Apps introduces a new layer of front-office control, giving traders tools to make faster decisions and customize lending strategies.
Both companies indicated that existing Trading Apps clients will continue to use the tools with no disruption. Future development efforts will focus on building interoperability across the combined platforms.
EquiLend operates in North America, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific and is known for its regulatory compliance and participation in industry initiatives. Its Next Generation Trading (NGT) platform is widely used in the securities lending market for trade negotiation and execution.
The transaction comes at a time when securities lending desks are seeking greater efficiency and data-driven execution amid tightening margins and increased regulatory pressure. Automation is seen as a key driver of performance and scale.
