Derivatives are among the most widely used financial instruments in the world today. They are integral to the global financial system, serving as essential tools for risk management, speculation, and investment strategies and supporting everything from corporate balance sheets to pension fund stability.
Derivatives are embedded in the financial infrastructure and used by banks, asset managers, hedge funds, super funds, insurers and many other non-financial firms. Underlying assets such as stocks, bonds, commodities, or interest rates are how derivatives get their value.
As financial instruments, derivatives can be used to establish stability on variable assets by locking in financing, reducing costs, and protecting against losses. They are used daily in activities ranging from hedging currency exposure to managing interest rate risk and securing commodity prices.
Why Derivatives Matter
The scale of the derivatives market is vast, with the notional value of outstanding derivatives contracts estimated to be in the hundreds of trillions of dollars.
According to a report published by ISDA, 87.1% of entities in major stock indices (both financial and non-financial firms) actively utilise derivatives to hedge exposures to risks, commodities and other financial instruments.
For example:
- Major sports leagues are using VPPAs (Virtual Power Purchase Agreements) to lock in energy prices and support renewable projects.
- Airlines use fuel derivatives to hedge against future spikes in oil prices.
- Superannuation funds investing overseas may hedge currency risk to protect members’ returns in the local currency.
- Cruise lines use interest rate swaps to manage financing costs on billion-dollar ship builds and global expenses.
Why are derivatives reported
As not all derivatives are traded on public financial markets, the scale of their use has historically been difficult for regulators to get an accurate picture of. This has created problems such as the 2008 financial crisis. As a result, many global regulators have implemented reporting regimes so that they are able to get a more complete picture of the derivative activity and exposures in their markets. The reporting regimes also help to improve transparency, monitor trade information, promote financial stability, and support the detection and prevention of market abuse. Although conceptually simple and logical, the practicalities of this reporting are very technical and difficult to implement.
How TRAction Simplifies Derivatives Reporting
TRAction assists firms to comply with global derivatives reporting obligations, providing delegated regulatory trade reporting services across multiple jurisdictions, including the UK, EU, Australia, Singapore, and Canada.
TRAction offers end-to-end solutions encompassing data extraction and conversion, delegated reporting between client and TR/ARM, and compliance support when navigating the complexity of various regimes.
For more information on our services and how we can assist with your derivatives reporting obligations, check out our services page, or get in touch with us today.
