Deutsche Börse Seeks More Fintech Acquisitions

Deutsche Börse is on the lookout for new acquisition opportunities in the financial technology sector, Chief Executive Officer Carsten Kengeter said today at a financial conference, as quoted be Reuters.

The acquisition spree targets building up a portfolio of such companies, since not all of them will be successful in the long-term, Kengeter added. The tactic is in tune with Deutsche Börse’s ambition to play a major role in the consolidation of the exchange sector.

Leveraging New Competitive Edge

Last month, the exchange announced that it had completed the acquisition of 360T, an over-the-counter (OTC) Trading Platform , as part of efforts to enhance its asst class coverage, thus enhancing its competitiveness. The 725-million-euro ($796 mln) deal was first announced in July. The exchange will now use this addition to its business as a hub for developing an FX trading offering.

Banks and financial service providers have lately started paying more attention to the fintech startups that have been popping up over the last few years, becoming increasingly aware of the challenge they pose for them, by offering customers highly customized, user-friendly trading and Payments solutions. One way of dealing with this new competition is through acquisitions, which allows the likes of Deutsche Börse to utilize the know-how of these new companies.