Euroclear Unveils Plan for Single Post-trade Infrastructure Across All EU Markets

Euroclear has announced a comprehensive initiative to establish unified post-trade services across all 27 European Union member states and financial asset classes. The Brussels-based infrastructure provider said the plan aims to enhance market efficiency whilst supporting the Savings and Investments Union's objectives and maintaining Europe's attractiveness to global investors and issuers. 

The project will leverage Euroclear's existing structure, which combines the international Central Securities Depository Euroclear Bank with six local CSDs across Europe. This model positions the company as what it describes as Europe's gateway to global markets, enabling cross-border connectivity and technological innovation.

Euroclear has committed to providing single-point access to all 27 member states across equities, fixed income and fund products. The company plans to offer both central bank money and commercial bank money access to all EU CSDs by accelerating Euroclear Bank's full connection to the European Central Bank's Target2-Securities (T2S) platform.

The initiative includes enhanced integration between Euroclear's local CSDs and Euroclear Bank, aimed at delivering more efficient services through improved synergies. Additional elements include pan-European infrastructure for issuers seeking broad investor access, enhanced post-trade infrastructure for retail and institutional investment channels, and development of next-generation digital infrastructure in collaboration with central banks and market participants.

Euroclear's implementation timeline targets completion of Euroclear Bank's commercial bank money access to all 27 EU member states by 2026, followed by accelerated connection to T2S for central bank money access.

Valérie Urbain, CEO, Euroclear

Valérie Urbain, Chief Executive Officer of Euroclear, said: "The key to more liquid and effective capital markets in Europe is through driving market openness, interconnectivity and maximising choice for users. Only under these conditions can European markets truly thrive and remain competitive at a global level. Today, we are committed to making Euroclear the single-entry point for all asset classes including funds, fixed income and equities across the 27 Member States."

Euroclear currently holds over 50% of all securities issued in the EU and represents over 60% of EU settlement turnover, making it the largest CSD group in Europe. The company has been involved in European market integration for decades.

Supporting the initiative, Euroclear has published policy recommendations for European policymakers and market participants, covering areas including financial market infrastructure group integration, regulatory simplification, open access enhancement, legal and regulatory convergence, settlement optimisation, digital asset scaling, and supervisory consistency improvements.