Liquidnet founder Seth Merrin says exchanges are upgrading systems to cater to high-frequency traders amid slow markets, raising the risk of glitches and potentially alienating some players.
The buy-side trading platform expects to agree at least one alliance with a traditional exchange in Asia in 2012. Singapore's bourse is a likely contender, say traders.
Alternative trading venues are living up to their billing as good execution venues for less liquid stocks, according to figures from several platform providers.
Agency brokers are reporting record volumes as volatility drives bid-offer spreads wider and buy-side institutions look to sell large blocks of shares and save on costs.
Brokers have been asked to identify transactions that have been crossed from alternative trading systems onto Hong Kong's exchange, with a view to improving data transparency.
Liquidnet prepares to open an office in Singapore at a time when investors using its electronic trading platform remain focused on selling rather than buying.
The dark pool provider plans to fire up its crossing engine in leading Asian markets during early November for both hedge funds and long-only investors.