Spectrum Markets (“Spectrum”), the pan-European trading venue for securitised derivatives, today welcomes independent retail broker Directa SIM (“Directa”) as its newest member.

Directa is a pioneer in online trading in Italy, servicing over 61,000 active accounts representing combined customer assets of around €3.5bn. It has been listed on Borsa Italiana since December 2021. It will be a direct trading member of Spectrum, using proprietary technology to act as its own settlement agent.

This latest partnership means now even more Italian retail investors have the ability to trade securitised derivatives on Spectrum, 24 hours a day, five days a week.

The announcement marks a significant milestone in the venue’s European growth strategy and reflects the fact that financial institutions in the region are increasingly focused on how they can better serve retail investors and win their business.

“Spectrum’s philosophy has always been about finding a better way to do things for retail investors, and this is an ethos that we really share with Directa, so they are a very natural partner for us, and we’re delighted to have such a respected and pioneering retail broker joining the venue,” explains Nicky Maan, Spectrum Markets CEO.

“Since we’ve been in business, I’ve never seen stronger interest in the European retail investor community, and this is coming from a whole range of financial institutions: from issuers to brokers and everything in between,” he adds.

“We’re always on the lookout for new products and services to expand the range of investment tools available to our customers and to improve their trading experience, and we expect the range of securitised derivatives offered on Spectrum to be very well received, particularly considering the ability to trade 24/5. We also look forward to the listing of new products that respond specifically to the requirements of Italian retail investors,” said Vincenzo Tedeschi, CEO of Directa SIM.