Connamara Technologies

EP3® Update Highlights January 21, 2025

Posted on by Connamara Technologies

We are continually enhancing the functionality and performance that EP3 offers exchange operators. In response to customer feedback, EP3 now supports the following:

Maker / Taker Fees / Commissions

EP3 already has a robust, rules-based commission structure that allows customers to set trade commissions in several ways. Exchange operators can now set up a Maker/Taker Commission schedule to encourage exchange users to rest liquidity in the market, such as offering rebates (negative commissions). 

Product Level Commissions

Commissions can now be set at the Product Level, which benefits exchanges that list a large number of related instruments. This new feature improves exchange operators’ operational efficiency. 

Improved Scalability, Availability, and Fault Tolerance of the EP3 Instrument Server

The EP3 instrument server provides details on the tradeable instruments in EP3 and manages their trading schedules. Think of it as a security master. The latest enhancements allow the EP3 Instrument Server to be deployed in a multi-replica configuration, leveraging Kubernetes for scale, load balancing, and fault tolerance.

Corporate Actions Support

Customers have requested that EP3 provide support for certain corporate actions. EP3 now offers new functionality for stock splits and dividends. Via the EP3 Admin API, exchange operators can indicate that a corporate action is in progress, which will be communicated to market participants over FIX market data. Stay tuned for more updates to this functionality. 


Learn more about how EP3 can power your exchange

Architect Financial Selects Connamara Technologies’ EP3® For Exchange Platform

Posted on by Connamara Technologies

VIA PR NEWSWIRE

AUSTIN, TX, CHICAGO, IL – January 27, 2025 – Connamara Technologies, a leading provider of fully integrated exchange infrastructure solutions, is proud to announce that Architect Financial Technologies Inc. (“Architect”), an emerging leader in derivatives brokerage services and trading technology, has officially selected EP3® by Connamara Technologies as the backbone of its upcoming perpetual futures exchange, ArchitectX.

The EP3 exchange platform is renowned for its robust, high-performance design and its ability to seamlessly integrate with third-party and proprietary applications through advanced APIs. This collaboration marks a significant step in Architect’s mission to catalyze a new era in regulated derivatives trading with leading-edge technology.

Empowering the Future of Futures
Architect’s decision to partner with Connamara followed an exhaustive review of leading exchange platform technology providers. EP3 emerged as the ideal choice, offering a combination of performance, reliability, and modularity that aligns seamlessly with Architect’s approach to building next-generation derivatives technology.

“In developing ArchitectX, a first-in-kind perpetuals exchange for traditional assets, it was critical to integrate a matching engine that is high-throughput, low-latency, extensible, and industry-proven. Connamara’s EP3 exceeded our expectations across every dimension. We look forward to providing ArchitectX’s participants with a best-in-class trading experience supported by Connamara’s infrastructure.” – Brett Harrison, Founder and CEO, Architect.

Why EP3®?
Connamara’s EP3 is a third-generation matching engine designed to meet the needs of modern markets. Its features include: 

  • Advanced APIs: Facilitating seamless integration with proprietary tools and third-party systems.
  • High Performance: Capable of supporting diverse asset classes and handling increasing transaction volumes with ease.
  • Cost-Effective Technology: Offering a modern alternative to legacy systems while maintaining affordability and flexibility.

“Architect has assembled a high-performing team of technologists and capital markets professionals who provide unparalleled innovation in trading. It is an honor to be selected by them to provide the exchange infrastructure for their latest expansion.” – Jim Downs, Co-Founder and CEO, Connamara Technologies.

About Architect
Architect Financial Technologies Inc. is an institutional financial technology enterprise built for twenty-first-century markets. The company and its affiliates offer technology-forward US-regulated securities and derivatives brokerage services, including full-featured APIs, algorithmic trading solutions, advanced UI/UX, and portfolio management tools.

To learn more, please visit www.architect.co 

About Connamara Technologies

Connamara Technologies is the leading provider of fully integrated exchange infrastructure, empowering new and existing exchanges to operate with exceptional efficiency and reliability. Its EP3® platform is a new breed of exchange and clearing technology that seamlessly integrates all key functions into a single, robust platform. It is cost-accessible, adaptable, scalable, and quick to market. Engineered for the evolving needs of the next generation of exchanges and marketplaces, EP3 is shaping the future of financial markets.

To learn more, please visit www.connamara.tech or connect on LinkedIn

For media inquiries, please contact:

Connamara Contact
Daniel Davis, Head of Growth
[email protected]

Architect Contact
Megan Mason, Head of Corporate Communications
[email protected]

2024: Connamara Tech’s Year In Review

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As Connamara Technologies looks back at 2024, we are grateful and humbled by a year of truly remarkable achievements and continued growth for our EP3® matching engine and platform. Connamara Technologies was founded in 2022, and we are thrilled to share that last year was our best yet. We look forward to all that 2025 will bring to our trusted clients and partners. 

 In 2024, EP3 was the technology behind the only 2 approved US futures exchanges (DCMs). And, as of December 31, 2024, 60% of DCMs currently awaiting approval rely on EP3 for their exchange technology. These include exciting new markets for commodities and events contracts.

Here’s a look at some of the key milestones and moments that shaped our journey:

A Viral Moment: EP3® and ForecastEx on Election Night

This watershed moment for our matching engine and trading platform was a crowning achievement of our year back in November 2024. Working in concert with ForecastEx’s internal teams, Connamara Technologies’ engineers monitored systems around the clock, ready to respond to surges in trade volume with precision and expertise. The team’s commitment went beyond standard duty, ensuring unparalleled service during this first-in-a-lifetime historic trading event. 

Read the full story of this viral moment here: 

EP3® Technology Powers $560 Million in U.S. Election Contracts: The Invisible Engine Behind ForecastEx’s Fast-Growing Predictions Market

Transformative Partnerships

  • BEE4 became Brazil’s first regulated tokenized stock market thanks to EP3 technology: BEE4, an over-the-counter (OTC) market for small and midsize enterprises (SMEs) and Brazil’s first authorized infrastructure to trade tokenized stocks saw the upgrade and re-launch of its tokenized stock market project, powered by EP3. Watch the case study video below, or read about how we leveraged our technology to support their long-term evolution.
  • Zero Hash implements its digital asset platform, powered by EP3: In October, Connamara Technologies and Zero Hash announced that Zero Hash successfully implemented its digital asset platform, powered by the proprietary EP3® matching engine. EP3’s flexibility allows Zero Hash to explore new use cases, further solidifying its position as the leading infrastructure provider for start-ups, enterprises, and Fortune 500 companies, powering a diverse range of use cases: cross-border payments, commerce, trading, remittance, payroll, tokenization, wallets and on and off-ramps. Read the full press release here. 
Connamara Technologies Equips Zero Hash with Cutting-Edge Exchange Platform
  • Google Cloud Partnership: In May, Connamara Technologies announced that it joined Google Cloud at the partner level for the Build engagement model. This gives Google Cloud customers the ability to create financial exchanges and other exchange technology solutions that are built with and run on Google Cloud. Read about key features here.

Industry Engagements

  • Conferences, Panels, and Sponsorships: In 2024, Connamara Technologies was seen at dozens of conferences around the world. Top highlights included:
    • Sponsoring the Pickleball Clinic at FIA BOCA at The Boca Raton.
    • Co-Founder James Downs speaking on the “How to Leverage Technology to Enhance Environmental Markets” panel at the Environmental Markets Association Annual Meeting
    • Co-Founder James Downs speaking at Amazon Web Services HQ in NYC on the “Trading in the Cloud” panel at a semi-private event, titled, “Modernizing the Trade Lifecycle” 
    • Attending Consensus 2024 in Austin, where we got to see Mike Cagney (of Figure Markets, an EP3 customer) speak on “The Exchange of Everything.”
The Phrase on Everybody’s Lips at Consensus 2024: “Tokenization of Real-World Assets” 

Media Appearances and Webinars:

  • Our founders, James and Maureen Downs, collaborated with The Association of Futures Markets (AFM) and market intelligence firm Acuiti to lead an on-demand webinar titled “Building the Future of Exchanges: How Technology Enables Growth.” Watch the full free webinar here.
  • Our founders also appeared on the Exchange Invest IPO-VID Livestream to speak with Patrick L. Young on an episode titled “The Future of Exchange Matching Engines.”
  • Maureen Downs also got to share a bit of exchange history on the SmarterMarkets podcast. See the video here.
Connamara Technologies Co-Founder & CFO, Maureen Downs, Interview with Smarter Markets at FIA Boca
  • Award Nominations: Our EP3 matching engine was nominated for three awards this year. We were honored to attend all of these award ceremonies in-person and connect face-to-face with our fellow nominees and leaders in exchange technology.
    • Disruptor of the Year 2024 at the U.S. FinTech Awards
    • Best Matching Engine at the 2024 Benzinga FinTech Deal Day Awards
    • Best Matching Engine for Exchanges and Electronic Trading Venues at the 2024 TradingTech Insight Awards USA

New Features and Functionality for EP3

2024 was a year of significant upgrades for EP3, with enhancements focused on user experience, efficiency, and adaptability to meet the dynamic needs of the market. We made nearly a dozen upgrades to future-proof and enhance our product. Find out more details here.

Four Key Functionality Upgrades EP3 Delivered in 2024 

Thought Leadership

  • Acuiti Study: Connamara Technologies sponsored market intelligence firm, Acuiti’s whitepaper report on Building Competitive Technology for Exchanges of the Future. This study was shared around the industry in trade papers like Waters and TabbForum, JLN News and more. The fascinating findings, which surveyed and interviewed 58 senior executives at derivatives exchanges from around the world, can be downloaded here.
Acuiti
Report: Building Competitive Technology for the Exchanges of the Future
  • The Ultimate Guide: Our team self-published The Ultimate Guide to Exchange Technology, which is a quick and easy explainer on the elements of comprehensive exchange infrastructure, tips for accelerating the launch of your exchange, crucial questions to ask a potential infrastructure partner and what to expect during the exchange design and build process. Download our free e-booklet here.
The Ultimate Guide

Four Key Functionality Upgrades EP3 Delivered in 2024 

Posted on by Connamara Technologies

Last year, Connamara Technologies made significant strides in improving EP3, not just in performance—enhancing reporting speeds, pre-trade risk, scalability, and transaction throughput—but also in functionality.  By analyzing the ever-evolving landscape of the exchange world, staying on top of what innovators need most, and building features through our discovery process, we made immense expansions to our matching engine product and platform’s capabilities.

Enhanced and Streamlined Exchange Operations

We focused on making exchange operations smoother and more efficient:

  • Block Trade Submission Improvements: Streamlined the submission process for exchange operators.
  • 24/7/365 Exchange Support: Updated Trade Date functionality and end-of-day market actions, making it easier for exchanges to operate continuously.
  • Bulk Settlement Price Management: Simplified end-of-day workflows by enabling operators to bulk upload and approve settlement prices.

Advanced Risk and Compliance Management

Risk management and regulatory compliance remain at the core of EP3. This year, we delivered several impactful upgrades:

  • Omnibus Account Support: Helped Futures Commission Merchants (FCMs) manage accounts more efficiently.
  • Position Limits: Introduced account-level limits to enhance pre-trade risk management.
  • Pre-Trade Risk for Event Instruments: We have added support for Binary and Continuous payouts, empowering customers to design creative event contracts.
  • Regulatory Report Enhancements: We introduced support for spreads, improving compliance with regulatory standards.

Greater Integration and Flexibility

We expanded EP3’s adaptability to meet diverse needs:

  • Multiplatform CPU Support: Enabled customers to select their preferred CPU architecture, improving cost-efficiency and performance.
  • Banking Integration: Added support for J.P. Morgan Chase to complement existing BMO Harris infrastructure, providing more options for managing exchange collateral accounts.

Customizable Revenue Options and New Capabilities

We’ve made it easier for exchanges to tailor their revenue models and grow their business:

  • Flat Fee Commissions: Introduced a new commission model, giving customers the flexibility to structure fees that suit their needs.
  • Clearinghouse Technology Licensing: Expanded EP3’s offerings by making our clearinghouse technology available for licensing, opening new opportunities for emerging exchanges.

How Technology Promotes the Growth of Exchanges 

Posted on by Connamara Technologies

Dive into a dynamic 30-minute webinar, “Building the Future  of Exchanges: How Technology Enables Growth” delving into the critical role of innovation in driving exchange growth, featuring insights from Building Competitive Technology for Exchanges of the Futures, a study  conducted by market intelligence firm Acuiti in partnership with Connamara Technologies.

Hosted by Chris Sturgess, President and Executive Board Member of AFM, and moderated by William Mitting, Founder & MD of Acuiti, the webinar explores how exchanges worldwide are leveraging technology to achieve growth. Panelists Jim Downs and Maureen Downs, Co-Founders of Connamara Technologies, discuss key findings, including statistics and insights on the state of exchange technology, the importance of investing in new innovations, and growth opportunities for emerging economies.

Click here to access the previously live webinar

EP3 Honored as Runner-Up For Best Matching Engine

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EP3 by Connamara Technologies was honored as Runner-Up for Best Matching Engine at the 2024 Global Fintech Awards powered by Benzinga.

The judging committee deemed us one of the “brightest stars in the financial technology industry” for our groundbreaking EP3 exchange platform that is powering innovative new exchanges and emerging market exchanges around the globe.

The awards ceremony was held on November 19, 2024 in New York City and Devexperts took home the trophy for its DXmatch.  

Congratulations to Devexperts and thanks to the judges for recognizing our important contributions to the fintech industry.

Connamara Technologies Honored as Finalist for Disruptor of the Year 

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Connamara Technologies was honored as a Finalist for Disruptor of the Year at the 2024 US FinTech Awards. The US FinTech Awards aim to recognize and celebrate the best and the brightest in the US fintech community showcasing innovation and success across the various fintech sectors.

Connamara Technologies was recognized for its groundbreaking achievements in exchange technology.  Our EP3 exchange and clearing platform is a new breed of technology for a new generation of exchanges and marketplaces.  It is an end-to-end solution that is asset-agnostic, cloud-first, fast-to-market and cost-accessible.  It is enabling the growth of innovative new exchanges and emerging market exchanges around the globe.

The awards ceremony took place on November 14, 2024 at the Edison Ballroom in New York City.  Kinectify, a rising star in AI-powered AML solutions for casinos, took home the winner’s trophy for Disruptor of the Year.

We congratulate Kinectify as well as our fellow finalists Alumni Ventures, Catchlight, Daffy, Featurespace, Lili and Nymbus for their important contributions to the fintech community.

EP3® Technology Powers $560 Million in U.S. Election Contracts: The Invisible Engine Behind ForecastEx’s Fast-Growing Predictions Market

Posted on by Connamara Technologies

VIA PR Newswire:

November 13, 2024, Austin, Texas — ForecastEx, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Interactive Brokers (IBKR) and a US-regulated predictions exchange and clearinghouse, processed an impressive $560 million+ in election contracts for the 2024 U.S. general election. The innovative technology driving those contracts? Connamara Technologies’ EP3 ® matching engine and exchange platform.

In the days leading up to and during election night, EP3 operated like the gears of a fine timepiece: inconspicuous, vital, and unfaltering. This synchronicity of unyielding performance weathered waves of volatility and seamlessly processed trades at a record volume. 

Working in concert with ForecastEx’s internal teams, Connamara Technologies’ engineers monitored systems around the clock, ready to respond to surges in trade volume with precision and expertise. The team’s commitment went beyond standard duty, ensuring unparalleled service during this first-in-a-lifetime historic trading event. 

With EP3 powering its trading, ForecastEx has not only established a benchmark for transparency in elections but has also offered the public real-time, market-based insights into election sentiment. EP3 operates from a legacy of trading knowledge that dates back to the late 1980s.

“While you may not recognize the name EP3 just yet, you’ll certainly recognize our impact. Whether you placed a trade or watched from afar, the 2024 election proved our technology’s resilience and our team’s commitment to deliver seamless, high-volume processing at every turn for future predictive events,” said Jim Downs, Co-Founder and CEO of Connamara Technologies.

As predictions markets continue to grow, the unseen elements – the EP3 technology and the engineers who support it – will remain crucial to providing reliable, transparent platforms that allow for public sentiment to be expressed and analyzed in real-time. Moving forward, Connamara Technologies aims to expand EP3’s reach, enabling new exchanges and markets to take advantage of this dependable backbone technology.

About Connamara Technologies

Connamara Technologies is the leading provider of fully-integrated exchange infrastructure, empowering new and existing exchanges to operate with exceptional efficiency and reliability. Its EP3 platform is a new breed of exchange and clearing technology that seamlessly integrates all key functions into a single, robust platform. It is cost-accessible, adaptable, scalable and quick-to-market. Engineered for the evolving needs of the next generation of exchanges and marketplaces, EP3 is shaping the future of financial markets.

To learn more, please visit www.connamara.tech or connect on LinkedIn

Media Contact: [email protected]

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Spotlight: How EP3® Powers BEE4’s Brazil’s First Regulated Tokenized Stock Market

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In this Connamara Technologies Spotlight, we highlight how EP3 technology powered BEE4, Brazil’s first regulated tokenized stock market. Patricia Stille, CEO and Co-Founder, Rodrigo Fiszman, Co-Founder and Chairman, and Paloma Sevilha, Head of Products, speak on BEE4’s innovative trading platform and how our matching engine, our customized approach, and our support services allowed their technology to thrive. The full Case Study on our work with the Sao Paolo company illuminates how BEE4 leveraged Connamara Tech’s APIs to customize their exchange precisely to their specifications, adapting certain rules to align with the Brazilian market.


We chose Connamara’s solution after evaluating other providers across the globe. This is the kind of partnership that is key: not only to develop the SME segment but also to expand to other niches and scale up.

– Patricia Stille, CEO and Co-Founder of BEE4

Transcript:

Patricia Stille, CEO and Co-Founder of BEE4: BEE4 is a pioneering OTC market in Brazil focused on SMEs and one of the first initiatives globally using blockchain and regulated market infrastructure. With the creation of this new market, SMEs can gain access to capital markets, fund their expansion strategies, and improve their visibility. At the same time, clients can benefit from IPOs and trade shares of high-potential firms typically unavailable in traditional exchanges.

Rodrigo Fiszman, Co-Founder and Chairman: BEE4’s trading model has a weekly auction with tunnel prices, so, at the end of the day, you can only put orders and input a trade between the tunnels in the auction. Since we’re talking about small and medium companies with less liquidity, we were focused on reducing the volatility for the owners, entrepreneurs, of those companies. BEE4 received its license in September 2021. From that day ’till one year after we launched, we were able to have more than 6,000 investors in our trading venues. We had four IPOs in a period when you didn’t have any IPOs in Brazil.

Paloma Sevilha, Head of Products: Connamara Technologies is the company behind EP3. EP3 is the order-matching engine and the exchange trading platform behind BEE4 operations and other exchanges worldwide. We chose EP3 for a few reasons. First of them, they are a well-established exchange platform. Second reason, they were very open to building these new features with BEE4. And third, they were part of the project regarding the FIX protocol which is something that is crucial for business. EP3 is very asset-neutral. And in BEE4 we work with tokenized stocks. And, we’re planning to work with different assets. We can have all these assets in EP3. We can just create a product and we can build that in a few minutes just with a few clicks. Besides that, we have the Connamara support team that is available 24/7. We work from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., so we do need a team that is available for longer hours in case there are any bugs or any questions or any maintenance needed. They’re there and they answer really quick.

Rodrigo Fiszman, Co-Founder and Chairman: So, in the end of the day, having Connamara as a partner and using EP3, it was all about scalability and also leveraging ready-made solutions that allow us to gain a head start.

Patricia Stille, CEO and Co-Founder of BEE4: We chose Connamara’s solution after evaluating other providers across the globe. This is the kind of partnership that is key: not only to develop the SME segment but also to expand to other niches and scale up.