Platform
A regulated venue built around the axe, not the quote
OptAxe is an FCA-authorised multilateral trading facility for OTC FX and Precious Metals options. It exists to solve one problem: finding the other side of an options trade without telling the whole market what you are doing.
The problem
Liquidity discovery in FX options is still manual
Asking for a price in OTC markets comes at the cost of information leakage. A market taker would prefer to know where a risk offset is, and a market maker would prefer to price requests that suit its risk book. Current workflows give neither that opportunity: manual RFQs are typical, with liquidity provider selection based on historical rather than live risk. OptAxe turns that around, giving both sides a secure and discreet way to post and see axes.
What OptAxe is
- A multilateral trading facility authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 1002237).
- A multi-issuer venue: any permissioned participant can post interest, not only dealers.
- Targeted request for quote, sent only to participants with an opposing interest.
- Execution on the venue under the Rulebook, with counterparty disclosure at the point of trade.
- Surveillance, trade reporting and transaction reporting handled by the venue.
- A venue, not just a screen: authenticated APIs let participants pull axes into their own systems and send direct RFQs.
What the venue is not
OptAxe is not a traditional multi-dealer platform
Not a central limit order book
Firm, continuously displayed prices suit spot. For options, a lit book creates stale prices and signalling risk. OptAxe posts interest, not firm quotes, and prices on request.
Not a broadcast RFQ
Requests go to the counterparties who have shown an opposing interest, not to a list. The market maker who wins a request is not left holding risk the whole street knows about.
Not a dealer-owned platform
OptAxe Limited is independent. No participant owns the venue, and the Rulebook applies equally to every participant.
Who uses it
Institutional traders of FX and PM options
Banks and non-bank liquidity providers
Post axes, control distribution and price in your own system over FIX. The venue brings qualified flow to your franchise rather than around it.
For market makersHedge funds, asset managers and corporates
Place axes and take liquidity discreetly. Screen consolidated interest and send direct RFQs to LPs, minimising your market impact.
For the buy-sideBrokers and technology vendors
Onboard clients, route interest and integrate systems with the venue under partner terms.
For brokers and vendorsSee how a trade moves through the venue
The protocol page walks through post, screen, request and trade in detail.