The Structure Of Derivatives Exchanges

February 1998 Derivatives exchanges can offer emerging market economies certain important benefits, including risk transfer, price discovery, and more public information. But they are not a substitute for reform of financial, capital, and commodity markets. Tsetsekos and Varangis examine the architecture, elements of market design, and products traded in derivatives exchanges around the world. The core function of a derivatives exchange is to facilitate the transfer of risk among economic agents by providing mechanisms to enhance liquidity and facilitate price discovery. They test the proposition that organizational arrangements necessary to perform this function are not the same across markets. They also examine the sequencing of products introduced in derivatives exchanges. Using a survey instrument, they find that: * Financial systems perform the same core functions across time and place but institutional arrangements differ. * The ownership structure of derivatives exchanges assumes different forms across markets. * The success of an exchange depends on the structure adopted and the products traded. * Exchanges are regulated directly or indirectly through a government law. In addition, exchanges have their own regulatory structure. * Typically (but not always) market-making systems are based on open outcry, with daily mark-to-market and gross margining-but electronic systems are gaining popularity. * Several (but not all) exchanges own clearing facilities and use netting settlement procedures. As for derivative products traded, they find that: * Although most of the older exchanges started with (mainly agricultural) commodity derivatives, newer exchanges first introduce financial derivative products. * Derivatives based on a domestic stock index have greater potential for success followed by derivatives based on local interest rates and currencies. * The introduction of derivatives contracts appears to take more time in emerging markets compared with developed, with the exception of index products. This paper-a product of the Development Research Group-is part of research project Market Architecture and Design of Derivatives Exchanges (RPO 680-45). Earlier versions of the paper were presented at the annual meetings of the Multinational Finance Society (June 25-28, 1997) and the Financial Management Association (Honolulu, October 15-18, 1997).