Q2 2026 Tradeweb Markets Inc Earnings Call
Operator: Good morning, welcome to Tradeweb's Q2 2026 earnings conference call. As a reminder, today's call is being recorded and will be available for playback. To begin, I'll turn the call over to Head of Treasury, FP&A, and Investor Relations, Ashley Serrao. Please go ahead.
Operator: Good morning, welcome to Tradeweb's Q2 2026 earnings conference call. As a reminder, today's call is being recorded and will be available for playback. To begin, I'll turn the call over to Head of Treasury, FP&A, and Investor Relations, Ashley Serrao. Please go ahead.
Speaker #1: To begin, I'll turn the call over to Head of Treasury, FP&A, and Investor Relations, Ashley Serrao. Please go ahead.
Speaker #2: Thank you, and good morning. Joining me today for the call are our CEO, Billy Hult, who will review our business results and key growth initiatives, and our CFO, Sara Furber, who will review our financial results.
Ashley Serrao: Thank you, good morning. Joining me today for the call are our CEO, Billy Hult, who will review our business results and key growth initiatives, and our CFO, Sara Furber, who will review our financial results. We intend to use the website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. I'd like to remind you that certain statements in this presentation and during the Q&A may relate to future events and expectations, and as such, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements related to, among other things, our guidance are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements is contained in our earnings release, earnings presentation, and periodic reports filed with the SEC.
Ashley Serrao: Thank you, good morning. Joining me today for the call are our CEO, Billy Hult, who will review our business results and key growth initiatives, and our CFO, Sara Furber, who will review our financial results. We intend to use the website as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. I'd like to remind you that certain statements in this presentation and during the Q&A may relate to future events and expectations, and as such, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements related to, among other things, our guidance are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements is contained in our earnings release, earnings presentation, and periodic reports filed with the SEC.
Speaker #2: We intend to use the website as a means of disclosing material, nonpublic information, and complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. I'd like to remind you that certain statements in this presentation and during the Q&A may relate to future events and expectations, and as such, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the private securities litigation reform act of 1995.
Speaker #2: Statements related to, among other things, our guidance of forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements is contained in our earnings release, earnings presentation, and periodic reports filed with the SEC.
Speaker #2: In addition, on today's call, we will reference certain non-GAAP measures, as well as certain market and industry data. Information regarding these non-GAAP measures, including reconciliations to GAAP measures, is in our earnings release and earnings presentation.
Ashley Serrao: On today's call, we will reference certain non-GAAP measures, as well as certain market and industry data. Information regarding these non-GAAP measures, including reconciliations to GAAP measures, is in our earnings release and earnings presentation. Information regarding market and industry data, including sources, is in our earnings presentation. Now let me turn the call over to Billy.
Ashley Serrao: On today's call, we will reference certain non-GAAP measures, as well as certain market and industry data. Information regarding these non-GAAP measures, including reconciliations to GAAP measures, is in our earnings release and earnings presentation. Information regarding market and industry data, including sources, is in our earnings presentation. Now let me turn the call over to Billy.
Speaker #2: Information regarding market and industry data, including sources, is in our earnings presentation. Now, let me turn the call over to Billy.
Speaker #3: Thanks, Ashley. Good morning, and thank you for joining our second quarter earnings call. We delivered another outstanding quarter, generating the second highest quarterly revenue in our history and building on the record performance we achieved last quarter.
Billy Hult: Thanks, Ashley. Good morning, and thank you for joining our Q2 earnings call. We delivered another outstanding quarter, generating the second-highest quarterly revenue in our history and building on the record performance we achieved last quarter. Through the H1 of the year, we've generated nearly $1.2 billion of revenue, almost matching what we delivered in all of 2022. Just as importantly, our growth accelerated as the quarter progressed, with June revenue increasing more than 20% year-over-year. Unlike prior periods, this performance wasn't driven by a single episode of elevated market volatility. Instead, it reflects something more durable, deeper client engagement, broader adoption of electronic trading across our markets, and the benefits of investments we have made over many years in technology, workflows, and connectivity to capitalize on structural opportunities. The backdrop of our business remains constructive.
Billy Hult: Thanks, Ashley. Good morning, and thank you for joining our Q2 earnings call. We delivered another outstanding quarter, generating the second-highest quarterly revenue in our history and building on the record performance we achieved last quarter. Through the H1 of the year, we've generated nearly $1.2 billion of revenue, almost matching what we delivered in all of 2022. Just as importantly, our growth accelerated as the quarter progressed, with June revenue increasing more than 20% year-over-year. Unlike prior periods, this performance wasn't driven by a single episode of elevated market volatility. Instead, it reflects something more durable, deeper client engagement, broader adoption of electronic trading across our markets, and the benefits of investments we have made over many years in technology, workflows, and connectivity to capitalize on structural opportunities. The backdrop of our business remains constructive.
Speaker #3: Through the first half of the year, we've generated nearly $1.2 billion of revenue, almost matching what we delivered in all of 2022. Just as importantly, our growth accelerated as the quarter progressed, with June revenue increasing more than 20% year over year.
Speaker #3: Unlike prior periods, this performance wasn't driven by a single episode of elevated market volatility. Instead, it reflects something more durable: deeper client engagement, broader adoption of electronic trading across our markets, and the benefits of investments we have made over many years in technology workflows and connectivity to capitalize on structural opportunities.
Speaker #3: The backdrop of our business remains constructive, even as the macro environment continues to be debated. Clients are navigating a world shaped by changing interest rate expectations, persistent fiscal deficits, geopolitical developments, elections, regulation, and rapid technological innovation.
Billy Hult: Even as the macro environment continues to be debated, clients are navigating a world shaped by changing interest rate expectations, persistent fiscal deficits, geopolitical developments, elections, regulation, and rapid technological innovation. Primary issuance remain healthy across the US, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and South America. While Europe is showing encouraging signs of renewed activity. At the same time, there remains considerable uncertainty around the path of monetary policy, the global economy, and increasingly, the role that artificial intelligence will play across industries. Markets continue to process these questions, and that ongoing debate is exactly what creates opportunity for our clients to manage risk, reposition portfolios, and access liquidity through our global network. Looking ahead, we believe the future of Tradeweb will continue to be defined by evolution rather than disruption.
Billy Hult: Even as the macro environment continues to be debated, clients are navigating a world shaped by changing interest rate expectations, persistent fiscal deficits, geopolitical developments, elections, regulation, and rapid technological innovation. Primary issuance remain healthy across the US, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and South America. While Europe is showing encouraging signs of renewed activity. At the same time, there remains considerable uncertainty around the path of monetary policy, the global economy, and increasingly, the role that artificial intelligence will play across industries. Markets continue to process these questions, and that ongoing debate is exactly what creates opportunity for our clients to manage risk, reposition portfolios, and access liquidity through our global network. Looking ahead, we believe the future of Tradeweb will continue to be defined by evolution rather than disruption.
Speaker #3: Primary issuance remained healthy across the US, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and South America, while Europe is showing encouraging signs of renewed activity. At the same time, there remains considerable uncertainty around the path of monetary policy, the global economy, and increasingly, the role that artificial intelligence will play across industries.
Speaker #3: Markets continue to process these questions, and that ongoing debate is exactly what creates opportunity for our clients to manage risk, reposition portfolios, and access liquidity through our global network.
Speaker #3: Looking ahead, we believe the future of Tradeweb will continue to be defined by evolution rather than disruption. Our leadership positions across multiple asset classes provide a unique foundation to embed greater intelligence across the trade lifecycle.
Billy Hult: Our leadership positions across multiple asset classes provide a unique foundation to embed greater intelligence across the trade life cycle. We believe AI, automation, and data will accelerate the continued electronification of financial markets by helping clients discover liquidity more effectively, make better decisions, and operate with greater efficiency. Data is becoming increasingly valuable, not simply as an input into algorithms, but as the foundation for better insights before, during, and after every trade. We are continuing to invest across analytics, execution, and post-trade workflows while exploring new opportunities at the intersection of traditional finance, emerging technologies, and evolving market structure. Regardless of how markets evolve, our objective remains unchanged. We are focused on helping clients navigate increasingly complex markets with technology that simplifies workflows, enhances decision-making, and delivers better outcomes.
Billy Hult: Our leadership positions across multiple asset classes provide a unique foundation to embed greater intelligence across the trade life cycle. We believe AI, automation, and data will accelerate the continued electronification of financial markets by helping clients discover liquidity more effectively, make better decisions, and operate with greater efficiency. Data is becoming increasingly valuable, not simply as an input into algorithms, but as the foundation for better insights before, during, and after every trade. We are continuing to invest across analytics, execution, and post-trade workflows while exploring new opportunities at the intersection of traditional finance, emerging technologies, and evolving market structure. Regardless of how markets evolve, our objective remains unchanged. We are focused on helping clients navigate increasingly complex markets with technology that simplifies workflows, enhances decision-making, and delivers better outcomes.
Speaker #3: We believe AI, automation, and data will accelerate the continued electronification of financial markets by helping clients discover liquidity more effectively, make better decisions, and operate with greater efficiency.
Speaker #3: Data is becoming increasingly valuable, not simply as an input into algorithms, but as the foundation for better insights before, during, and after every trade.
Speaker #3: We are continuing to invest across analytics, execution, and post-trade workflows, while exploring new opportunities at the intersection of traditional finance, emerging technologies, and evolving market structure.
Speaker #3: Regardless of how markets evolve or objective remains unchanged, we are focused on helping clients navigate increasingly complex markets with technology that simplifies workflows and enhances decision-making, and delivers better outcomes.
Speaker #3: Diving into the second quarter, strong client activity and a risk-on environment drove 9% year-over-year revenue growth on a reported basis. Our international revenues continue to scale higher, with 14% revenue growth as our strategic initiatives across Europe, APAC, and EM continue to pay off.
Billy Hult: Diving into the Q2, strong client activity and a risk-on environment drove 9% year-over-year revenue growth on a reported basis. Our international revenues continued to scale higher with 14% revenue growth as our strategic initiatives across Europe, APAC, and EM continued to pay off. International really continued to fire on all cylinders for us this quarter, contributing 65% of our overall revenue growth. Importantly, that strength was broad-based as we saw growth across all four asset classes from our international clients. We continued to balance investing for growth and profitability as adjusted EBITDA margins expanded by 24 basis points relative to the Q2 of 2025. Turning to slide five, we produced the second-highest quarterly revenues in our history across rates, credit, and equities and market data. Our rates revenues were driven by continued organic growth across swaps, global government bonds, and mortgages.
Billy Hult: Diving into the Q2, strong client activity and a risk-on environment drove 9% year-over-year revenue growth on a reported basis. Our international revenues continued to scale higher with 14% revenue growth as our strategic initiatives across Europe, APAC, and EM continued to pay off. International really continued to fire on all cylinders for us this quarter, contributing 65% of our overall revenue growth. Importantly, that strength was broad-based as we saw growth across all four asset classes from our international clients. We continued to balance investing for growth and profitability as adjusted EBITDA margins expanded by 24 basis points relative to the Q2 of 2025. Turning to slide five, we produced the second-highest quarterly revenues in our history across rates, credit, and equities and market data. Our rates revenues were driven by continued organic growth across swaps, global government bonds, and mortgages.
Speaker #3: International really continued to fire on all cylinders for us this quarter, contributing 65% of our overall revenue growth. Importantly, that strength was broad-based, as we saw growth across all four asset classes from our international clients.
Speaker #3: We continue to balance investing for growth and profitability as adjusted EBITDA margins expanded by 24 basis points relative to the second quarter of 2025.
Speaker #3: Turning to slide 5, we produced the second highest quarterly revenues in our history across rates, credit, and equities, and market data. Our rates revenues were driven by continued organic growth across swaps, global government bonds, and mortgages.
Speaker #3: Credit revenues were led by strength across global corporate bonds and credit derivatives. Money markets revenue growth was led by global repos and ICD. Equities were led by growth in global ETFs and equity derivatives.
Billy Hult: Credit revenues were led by strength across global corporate bonds and credit derivatives. Money markets revenue growth was led by global repos and ICD. Equities were led by growth in global ETFs and equity derivatives. Finally, market data revenues were up over 20% year-over-year, driven by our LSEG market data contract and proprietary data products. Turning to slide six, I will provide a brief update on a few of our focus areas, U.S. Treasuries and ETFs, and then I will dig deeper into U.S. credit and global interest rate swaps. Starting with U.S. Treasuries, following the pickup in average intraday volatility in March, market conditions began to moderate in Q2, with volatility down 20% from March levels. Even in a more measured trading environment, we continued to outperform.
Billy Hult: Credit revenues were led by strength across global corporate bonds and credit derivatives. Money markets revenue growth was led by global repos and ICD. Equities were led by growth in global ETFs and equity derivatives. Finally, market data revenues were up over 20% year-over-year, driven by our LSEG market data contract and proprietary data products. Turning to slide six, I will provide a brief update on a few of our focus areas, U.S. Treasuries and ETFs, and then I will dig deeper into U.S. credit and global interest rate swaps. Starting with U.S. Treasuries, following the pickup in average intraday volatility in March, market conditions began to moderate in Q2, with volatility down 20% from March levels. Even in a more measured trading environment, we continued to outperform.
Speaker #3: Finally, market data revenues were up over 20% year over year, driven by our LSEG market data contract and proprietary data products. Turning to slide 6, I will provide a brief update on a few of our focus areas.
Speaker #3: US Treasuries and ETFs and then I will dig deeper into US credit and global interest rate swaps. Starting with US Treasuries, following the pickup and average intraday volatility in March, market conditions began to moderate in the second quarter, with volatility down 20% from March levels.
Speaker #3: Even in a more measured trading environment, we continued to outperform. Our second quarter market share increased to 22.5%, up 100 basis points year over year, leading to mid-single-digit revenue growth that outpaced overall industry volume growth by roughly 300 basis points.
Billy Hult: Our Q2 market share increased to 22.5%, up 100 basis points year-over-year, leading to mid-single-digit revenue growth that outpaced overall industry volume growth by roughly 300 basis points. Looking ahead, we remain constructive on the long-term opportunity. Structural tailwinds continue to strengthen from sustained government debt issuance to the steady electronification of trading workflows. As clients increasingly migrate from voice to electronic execution across both our institutional and wholesale channels, we believe Tradeweb is exceptionally well-positioned to capture that growth. Institutional U.S. Treasuries were once again a standout performer, with revenues increasing nearly 15% year-over-year, reflecting deeper client engagement and continued adoption of electronic workflows. Our competitive position remains strong. We surpassed 50% share in electronic institutional U.S. Treasuries for the ninth consecutive quarter and further widened our lead during the period. Our strategy is straightforward.
Billy Hult: Our Q2 market share increased to 22.5%, up 100 basis points year-over-year, leading to mid-single-digit revenue growth that outpaced overall industry volume growth by roughly 300 basis points. Looking ahead, we remain constructive on the long-term opportunity. Structural tailwinds continue to strengthen from sustained government debt issuance to the steady electronification of trading workflows. As clients increasingly migrate from voice to electronic execution across both our institutional and wholesale channels, we believe Tradeweb is exceptionally well-positioned to capture that growth. Institutional U.S. Treasuries were once again a standout performer, with revenues increasing nearly 15% year-over-year, reflecting deeper client engagement and continued adoption of electronic workflows. Our competitive position remains strong. We surpassed 50% share in electronic institutional U.S. Treasuries for the ninth consecutive quarter and further widened our lead during the period. Our strategy is straightforward.
Speaker #3: Looking ahead, we remain constructive on the long-term opportunity. Structural tailwinds continue to strengthen, from sustained government debt issuance to the steady electronification of trading workflows.
Speaker #3: As clients increasingly migrate from voice-to-electronic execution across both our institutional and wholesale channels, we believe Tradeweb is exceptionally well-positioned to capture that growth. Institutional US Treasuries were once again a standout performer, with revenues increasing nearly 15% year over year, reflecting deeper client engagement and continued adoption of electronic workflows.
Speaker #3: Our competitive position remains strong. We surpassed 50% share in electronic institutional US Treasuries for the ninth consecutive quarter and further widened our lead during the period.
Speaker #3: Our strategy is straightforward. First, we look to continue to win wallet share from clients trading electronically by demonstrating the value of our workflow data and automation capabilities, with AIX serving as a key differentiator.
Billy Hult: First, we look to continue to win wallet share from clients trading electronically by demonstrating the value of our workflow, data, and automation capabilities with AiEX serving as a key differentiator. Second, we are expanding our electronic addressable markets by bringing historically voice-based trading activity onto our platform. We're particularly encouraged by the momentum we are seeing in basis and multi-leg trades, two large and strategically important workflows that have traditionally remained predominantly voice-driven. Combined, average daily volume across these initiatives grew in excess of 40% year-over-year in Q2. With a strong pipeline of clients and dealers, we believe momentum will continue to compound over time. Our wholesale U.S. Treasuries saw revenues decline 1% as strength across our sweep protocol was more than offset by softness in our wholesale streaming offering. While competition remains intense, wholesale continues to remain a strategic priority for us.
Billy Hult: First, we look to continue to win wallet share from clients trading electronically by demonstrating the value of our workflow, data, and automation capabilities with AiEX serving as a key differentiator. Second, we are expanding our electronic addressable markets by bringing historically voice-based trading activity onto our platform. We're particularly encouraged by the momentum we are seeing in basis and multi-leg trades, two large and strategically important workflows that have traditionally remained predominantly voice-driven. Combined, average daily volume across these initiatives grew in excess of 40% year-over-year in Q2. With a strong pipeline of clients and dealers, we believe momentum will continue to compound over time. Our wholesale U.S. Treasuries saw revenues decline 1% as strength across our sweep protocol was more than offset by softness in our wholesale streaming offering. While competition remains intense, wholesale continues to remain a strategic priority for us.
Speaker #3: Second, we are expanding our electronic addressable markets by bringing historically voice-based trading activity onto our platform. We're particularly encouraged by the momentum we are seeing in basis and multi-leg trades, two large and strategically important workflows that have traditionally remained predominantly voice-driven.
Speaker #3: Combined, average daily volume across these initiatives grew in excess of 40% year over year in the second quarter, and with a strong pipeline of clients and dealers, we believe momentum will continue to compound over time.
Speaker #3: Our wholesale US Treasuries saw revenues decline 1% as strength across our Sweep protocol was more than offset by softness in our wholesale Streaming offering.
Speaker #3: While competition remains intense, wholesale continues to remain a strategic priority for us. We believe our opportunity extends well beyond competing on price alone. By broadening our execution capabilities, introducing new protocols, expanding our liquidity network, and deepening client relationships, we are building a more differentiated platform that we believe positions us well for long-term share gains.
Billy Hult: We believe our opportunity extends well beyond competing on price alone. By broadening our execution capabilities, introducing new protocols, expanding our liquidity network, and deepening client relationships, we are building a more differentiated platform that we believe positions us well for long-term share gains. Turning to equities, we continue to see clients embrace more automated trading workflows as they seek to improve execution quality, efficiency, and consistency. As ETFs become an increasingly important vehicle for portfolio construction and risk transfer, institutional investors are looking for solutions that can seamlessly combine liquidity, automation, and intelligent execution across a broad range of market conditions. We believe that continues to be a meaningful opportunity for Tradeweb. Against that backdrop, ETFs posted revenue growth in excess of 10% year-over-year, despite a normalization in market volatility. Client engagement continues to increase, and our AiEX automation solution continues to be a key differentiator.
Billy Hult: We believe our opportunity extends well beyond competing on price alone. By broadening our execution capabilities, introducing new protocols, expanding our liquidity network, and deepening client relationships, we are building a more differentiated platform that we believe positions us well for long-term share gains. Turning to equities, we continue to see clients embrace more automated trading workflows as they seek to improve execution quality, efficiency, and consistency. As ETFs become an increasingly important vehicle for portfolio construction and risk transfer, institutional investors are looking for solutions that can seamlessly combine liquidity, automation, and intelligent execution across a broad range of market conditions. We believe that continues to be a meaningful opportunity for Tradeweb. Against that backdrop, ETFs posted revenue growth in excess of 10% year-over-year, despite a normalization in market volatility. Client engagement continues to increase, and our AiEX automation solution continues to be a key differentiator.
Speaker #3: Turning to equities, we continue to see clients embrace more automated trading workflows as they seek to improve execution quality, efficiency, and consistency. As ETFs become an increasingly important vehicle for portfolio construction and risk transfer, institutional investors are looking for solutions that can seamlessly combine liquidity, automation, and intelligent execution across a broad range of market conditions.
Speaker #3: We believe that continues to be a meaningful opportunity for Tradeweb. Against that backdrop, ETFs posted revenue growth in excess of 10% year over year, despite a normalization in market volatility.
Speaker #3: Client engagement continues to increase, and our AIX automation solution remains a key differentiator. AIX average daily trades were up over 45% year over year, with triple-digit growth in U.S. ETFs and double-digit growth in European ETFs.
Billy Hult: AIX average daily trades were up over 45% year-over-year, with triple-digit growth in US ETFs and double-digit growth in European ETFs. Our efforts to broaden our equity presence beyond our flagship ETF franchise continue to pay off with record institutional equity derivative revenues up 20% year-over-year. Looking ahead, the pipeline remains strong as the benefits of our electronic solutions continue to resonate with our clients. We believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on the long-term secular ETF growth story, not only directly within our equity offering, but also beyond it as ETFs change behavior indirectly across our fixed income business. We believe this differentiating position will become increasingly valuable over time. Turning to global credit on slide seven, the business delivered low single-digit revenue growth during the quarter.
Billy Hult: AIX average daily trades were up over 45% year-over-year, with triple-digit growth in US ETFs and double-digit growth in European ETFs. Our efforts to broaden our equity presence beyond our flagship ETF franchise continue to pay off with record institutional equity derivative revenues up 20% year-over-year. Looking ahead, the pipeline remains strong as the benefits of our electronic solutions continue to resonate with our clients. We believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on the long-term secular ETF growth story, not only directly within our equity offering, but also beyond it as ETFs change behavior indirectly across our fixed income business. We believe this differentiating position will become increasingly valuable over time. Turning to global credit on slide seven, the business delivered low single-digit revenue growth during the quarter.
Speaker #3: Our efforts to broaden our equity presence beyond our flagship ETF franchise continue to pay off, with record institutional equity derivative revenues up 20% year over year.
Speaker #3: Looking ahead, the pipeline remains strong as the benefits of our electronic solutions continue to resonate with our clients. We believe we are well-positioned to capitalize on the long-term secular ETF growth story not only directly within our equity offering, but also beyond it as ETFs change behavior indirectly across our fixed-income business.
Speaker #3: We believe this differentiated position will become increasingly valuable over time. Turning to global credit on slide 7, the business delivered low single-digit revenue growth during the quarter.
Speaker #3: That performance reflected continued strength across many of our strategic growth areas, including strong double-digit growth in international credit and US institutional credit. Strength here was offset by weakness across municipal bonds and our retail credit channel, where revenues were down 22% year over year, primarily reflecting better relative yields available in other products.
Billy Hult: That performance reflected continued strength across many of our strategic growth areas, including strong double-digit growth in international credit and US institutional credit. Strength here was offset by weakness across municipal bonds and our retail credit channel, where revenues were down 22% year-over-year, primarily reflecting better relative yields available in other products. We continue to believe US credit represents one of our most significant long-term growth opportunities. While portfolio trading and sessions remain important differentiators, we see considerable runway to expand our RFQ presence as a larger share of institutional credit trading migrates to electronic execution. As adoption continues to broaden across the market, we think our competitive advantage is increasingly being defined by workflow, data, and automation rather than connectivity alone. Clients today are looking for technology that helps them source liquidity intelligently, minimize information leakage, and achieve better execution outcomes. That is exactly where we continue to invest.
Billy Hult: That performance reflected continued strength across many of our strategic growth areas, including strong double-digit growth in international credit and US institutional credit. Strength here was offset by weakness across municipal bonds and our retail credit channel, where revenues were down 22% year-over-year, primarily reflecting better relative yields available in other products. We continue to believe US credit represents one of our most significant long-term growth opportunities. While portfolio trading and sessions remain important differentiators, we see considerable runway to expand our RFQ presence as a larger share of institutional credit trading migrates to electronic execution. As adoption continues to broaden across the market, we think our competitive advantage is increasingly being defined by workflow, data, and automation rather than connectivity alone. Clients today are looking for technology that helps them source liquidity intelligently, minimize information leakage, and achieve better execution outcomes. That is exactly where we continue to invest.
Speaker #3: We continue to believe U.S. credit represents one of our most significant long-term growth opportunities. While portfolio trading and sessions remain important differentiators, we see considerable runway to expand our RFQ presence as a larger share of institutional credit trading migrates to electronic execution.
Speaker #3: As adoption continues to broaden across the market, we think our competitive advantage is increasingly being defined by workflow, data, and automation, rather than connectivity alone.
Speaker #3: Clients today are looking for technology that helps them source liquidity intelligently, minimize information leakage, and achieve better execution outcomes. That is exactly where we continue to invest.
Speaker #3: During the quarter, we continue to enhance SNAP+, which leverages predictive analytics and proprietary trading data to help clients identify the most appropriate liquidity providers for each trade.
Billy Hult: During the quarter, we continued to enhance SNAP+, which leverages predictive analytics and proprietary trading data to help clients identify the most appropriate liquidity providers for each trade. We also introduced TARA, our AI-powered trading assistant, which combines Tradeweb proprietary data, liquidity insights, and artificial intelligence to help clients quickly transform market information into actionable trading intelligence. This is a step-change improvement from navigating multiple screens and manual workflows. Early feedback has been very encouraging, and we expect TARA's capabilities to continue expanding as we incorporate client feedback and further embed AI across our platform. Our position within block trading also continued to strengthen with record overall US credit block share up over 115 basis points year-over-year in Q2, with block average daily volume growth of over 30% year-over-year across IG and high yield.
Billy Hult: During the quarter, we continued to enhance SNAP+, which leverages predictive analytics and proprietary trading data to help clients identify the most appropriate liquidity providers for each trade. We also introduced TARA, our AI-powered trading assistant, which combines Tradeweb proprietary data, liquidity insights, and artificial intelligence to help clients quickly transform market information into actionable trading intelligence. This is a step-change improvement from navigating multiple screens and manual workflows. Early feedback has been very encouraging, and we expect TARA's capabilities to continue expanding as we incorporate client feedback and further embed AI across our platform. Our position within block trading also continued to strengthen with record overall US credit block share up over 115 basis points year-over-year in Q2, with block average daily volume growth of over 30% year-over-year across IG and high yield.
Speaker #3: We also introduced Terra, our AI-powered trading assistant, which combines Tradeweb proprietary data, liquidity insights, and artificial intelligence to help clients quickly transform market information into actionable trading intelligence.
Speaker #3: This is a step change improvement from navigating multiple screens and manual workflows. Early feedback has been very encouraging, and we expect Terra's capabilities to continue expanding as we incorporate client feedback and further embed AI across our platform.
Speaker #3: Our position within block trading also continues to strengthen, with record overall US credit block share up over 115 basis points year over year in the second quarter, with block average daily volume growth of over 30% year over year across IG and high yield.
Speaker #3: Growth was broad-based across portfolio trading, RFQ, and sessions, demonstrating the value of our multi-protocol approach. Just as importantly, our efforts to expand into RFQ are seeing continued signs of success, reaching another quarterly market share record, reinforcing the progress we're making in one of the largest opportunities within electronic credit.
Billy Hult: Growth was broad-based across portfolio trading, RFQ, and sessions, demonstrating the value of our multi-protocol approach. Just as importantly, our efforts to expand into RFQ are seeing continued signs of success, reaching another quarterly market share record, reinforcing the progress we're making in one of the largest opportunities within electronic credit. Specifically, institutional RFQ average daily volume grew 15% year-over-year with double-digit growth in both IG and high yield. Portfolio trading also delivered another record quarter with average daily volume increasing more than 30% year-over-year, with strong double-digit growth across both US and international portfolio trading. Meanwhile, AllTrade generated the second-best quarter in our history with over $225 billion in volume, with average daily volume up over 13% year-over-year. Our all-to-all average daily volume grew over 25% year-over-year, and our DRFQ average daily volume grew nearly 30% year-over-year.
Billy Hult: Growth was broad-based across portfolio trading, RFQ, and sessions, demonstrating the value of our multi-protocol approach. Just as importantly, our efforts to expand into RFQ are seeing continued signs of success, reaching another quarterly market share record, reinforcing the progress we're making in one of the largest opportunities within electronic credit. Specifically, institutional RFQ average daily volume grew 15% year-over-year with double-digit growth in both IG and high yield. Portfolio trading also delivered another record quarter with average daily volume increasing more than 30% year-over-year, with strong double-digit growth across both US and international portfolio trading. Meanwhile, AllTrade generated the second-best quarter in our history with over $225 billion in volume, with average daily volume up over 13% year-over-year. Our all-to-all average daily volume grew over 25% year-over-year, and our DRFQ average daily volume grew nearly 30% year-over-year.
Speaker #3: Specifically, institutional RFQ average daily volume grew 15% year over year, with double-digit growth in both IG and high yield. Portfolio trading also delivered another record quarter, with average daily volume increasing more than 30% year over year.
Speaker #3: We saw strong double-digit growth across both U.S. and international portfolio trading. Meanwhile, AllTrade generated the second-best quarter in our history, with over $225 billion in volume. Average daily volume was up over 13% year over year, our all-to-all average daily volume grew over 25% year over year, and our DRFQ average daily volume grew nearly 30% year over year.
Speaker #3: We also continue to expand network participation driving record responder rates in high yield as we broaden liquidity across the platform. Looking ahead, we remain confident in the long-term outlook for global credit.
Billy Hult: We also continued to expand network participation, driving record responder rates and high yield as we broaden liquidity across the platform. Looking ahead, we remain confident in the long-term outlook for global credit. Electronic trading continues to evolve beyond simply digitizing execution. Clients increasingly expect intelligent workflows that seamlessly combine liquidity, data, analytics, and automation. We believe Tradeweb is uniquely positioned to deliver that integrated experience across protocols, products, and regions. We are seeing that opportunity play out across our business. During the quarter, we launched electronic spread trading across European credit, further expanding our workflow offering in a differentiated fashion. We are also seeing strong momentum in EM credit, where revenues grew 20% year-over-year in Q2. While electronification in EM credit remains in its early stages, we continue to build on our established global network and broad EM product suite to support growing client adoption.
Billy Hult: We also continued to expand network participation, driving record responder rates and high yield as we broaden liquidity across the platform. Looking ahead, we remain confident in the long-term outlook for global credit. Electronic trading continues to evolve beyond simply digitizing execution. Clients increasingly expect intelligent workflows that seamlessly combine liquidity, data, analytics, and automation. We believe Tradeweb is uniquely positioned to deliver that integrated experience across protocols, products, and regions. We are seeing that opportunity play out across our business. During the quarter, we launched electronic spread trading across European credit, further expanding our workflow offering in a differentiated fashion. We are also seeing strong momentum in EM credit, where revenues grew 20% year-over-year in Q2. While electronification in EM credit remains in its early stages, we continue to build on our established global network and broad EM product suite to support growing client adoption.
Speaker #3: Electronic trading continues to evolve beyond simply digitizing execution. Clients increasingly expect intelligent workflows that seamlessly combine liquidity, data, analytics, and automation. We believe Tradeweb is uniquely positioned to deliver that integrated experience across protocols, products, and regions.
Speaker #3: We are seeing that opportunity play out across our business. During the quarter, we launched electronic spread trading across European credit, further expanding our workflow offering in a differentiated fashion.
Speaker #3: We are also seeing strong momentum in EM credit, where revenues grew 20% year over year in the second quarter. While electronification in EM credit remains in its early stages, we continue to build on our established global network and broad EM product suite to support growing client adoption.
Speaker #3: Together, we believe these initiatives position us well to capture the increased adoption of electronic trading in credit. Moving to slide 8, Global Swaps delivered its second highest quarterly revenues, up 13% year over year.
Billy Hult: Together, we believe these initiatives position us well to capture the increased adoption of electronic trading and credit. Moving to slide eight, Global Swaps delivered its second-highest quarterly revenues, up 13% year-over-year. The performance was driven by a combination of strong client engagement across our global suite of currencies. Just as importantly, our core risk market share, which excludes compression activity and is the best indicator of our underlying franchise, reached another record, rising 207 basis points year-over-year. Total market share moved from 22.5% in Q2 2025 to 24.1% in Q2 2026. One of the strengths of swaps is its diversification. While it is often viewed as a monolithic product, it is really a collection of different currencies, instruments, and protocols, each responding to its own macro and client dynamics. This quarter was a case in point.
Billy Hult: Together, we believe these initiatives position us well to capture the increased adoption of electronic trading and credit. Moving to slide eight, Global Swaps delivered its second-highest quarterly revenues, up 13% year-over-year. The performance was driven by a combination of strong client engagement across our global suite of currencies. Just as importantly, our core risk market share, which excludes compression activity and is the best indicator of our underlying franchise, reached another record, rising 207 basis points year-over-year. Total market share moved from 22.5% in Q2 2025 to 24.1% in Q2 2026. One of the strengths of swaps is its diversification. While it is often viewed as a monolithic product, it is really a collection of different currencies, instruments, and protocols, each responding to its own macro and client dynamics. This quarter was a case in point.
Speaker #3: The performance was driven by a combination of strong client engagement across our global suite of currencies. Just as importantly, our core risk market share, which excludes compression activity and is the best indicator of our underlying franchise, reached another record, rising 207 basis points year over year.
Speaker #3: Total market share moved from 22.5% in the second quarter '25 to 24.1% in the second quarter '26. One of the strengths of swaps is its diversification.
Speaker #3: While it's often viewed as a monolithic product, it is really a collection of different currencies, instruments, and protocols, each responding to its own macro and client dynamics.
Speaker #3: This quarter, was a case in point. As central banks around the world, including the Federal Reserve, the ECB, and Bank of Japan, turned hawkish and reshaped the monetary policy expectations, clients remained highly engaged in managing interest rate risk.
Billy Hult: As central banks around the world, including the Federal Reserve, the ECB, and Bank of Japan, turned hawkish and reshaped monetary policy expectations, clients remained highly engaged in managing interest rate risk. Emerging markets extended their momentum, while our developed market franchise also stayed active, contributing to our second-highest quarterly revenues overall. Taking a step back, the long-term picture has been one of steady structural growth. Over the past decade, the swaps market has expanded along two important dimensions. First, the amount of risk outstanding, as measured by open interest, has roughly doubled to a record. Second, that risk changes hands approximately twice as frequently as it did 10 years ago. Together, these two trends have compounded into roughly 14% average annual growth in swap volumes over the past decade. Looking ahead, we believe those structural trends remain firmly in place.
Billy Hult: As central banks around the world, including the Federal Reserve, the ECB, and Bank of Japan, turned hawkish and reshaped monetary policy expectations, clients remained highly engaged in managing interest rate risk. Emerging markets extended their momentum, while our developed market franchise also stayed active, contributing to our second-highest quarterly revenues overall. Taking a step back, the long-term picture has been one of steady structural growth. Over the past decade, the swaps market has expanded along two important dimensions. First, the amount of risk outstanding, as measured by open interest, has roughly doubled to a record. Second, that risk changes hands approximately twice as frequently as it did 10 years ago. Together, these two trends have compounded into roughly 14% average annual growth in swap volumes over the past decade. Looking ahead, we believe those structural trends remain firmly in place.
Speaker #3: Emerging markets extended their momentum, while our developed market franchise also stayed active, contributing to our second highest quarterly revenues overall. Taking a been one of steady, structural growth.
Speaker #3: Over the past decade, the swaps market has expanded along two important dimensions: first, the amount of risk outstanding as measured by open interest has roughly doubled to a record.
Speaker #3: Second, that risk changes hands approximately twice as frequently as it did 10 years ago. Together, these two trends have compounded into roughly 14% average annual growth in swap volumes over the past decade.
Speaker #3: Looking ahead, we believe those structural trends remain firmly in place. As governments and corporations continue to issue debt, the stock of outstanding risk should continue to grow.
Billy Hult: As governments and corporations continue to issue debt, the stock of outstanding risk should continue to grow. With only around 30% of the swaps market trading electronically today, there is substantial room for growth as we look ahead. Tradeweb has steadily gained share in the global swaps market. Over the past 10 years, our swaps revenue has grown by more than 20% annually as we have expanded across emerging market swaps, strengthened our developed market franchise, and continue to innovate across both the cleared and bilateral swaps market. Our RFM protocol continues to gain traction, and we're investing across automation, workflow, and execution tools to help clients trade more intelligently and efficiently. Taken together, we believe global swaps remains one of our largest diversified and most durable long-term growth opportunities across our business.
Billy Hult: As governments and corporations continue to issue debt, the stock of outstanding risk should continue to grow. With only around 30% of the swaps market trading electronically today, there is substantial room for growth as we look ahead. Tradeweb has steadily gained share in the global swaps market. Over the past 10 years, our swaps revenue has grown by more than 20% annually as we have expanded across emerging market swaps, strengthened our developed market franchise, and continue to innovate across both the cleared and bilateral swaps market. Our RFM protocol continues to gain traction, and we're investing across automation, workflow, and execution tools to help clients trade more intelligently and efficiently. Taken together, we believe global swaps remains one of our largest diversified and most durable long-term growth opportunities across our business.
Speaker #3: And with only around 30% of the swaps market trading electronically today, there is substantial room for growth as we look ahead. Tradeweb has steadily gained share in the global swaps market.
Speaker #3: Over the past 10 years, our swaps revenue has grown by more than 20% annually, as we have expanded across emerging market swaps, strengthened our developed market franchise, and continue to innovate across both the cleared and bilateral swaps market.
Speaker #3: Our RFM protocol continues to gain traction, and we're investing across automation, workflow, and execution tools to help clients trade more intelligently and believe global swaps remains one of our largest diversified and most durable long-term growth opportunities across our business.
Speaker #3: Turning to slide 10, technology is helping to make financial markets more connected, more intelligent, and more automated than at any point in their history.
Billy Hult: Turning to slide 10, technology is helping to make financial markets more connected, more intelligent, and more automated than at any point in their history. If there is a single thread running through our franchise, it is that our clients are increasingly relying on technology to make better decisions and execute with greater speed, precision, and scale. We believe that trend is still in its early innings. Our best example of that evolution is AiEX, our intelligent automation platform. Since launching AiEX in 2012, automated trading activity has grown meaningfully, and today, 45% of all institutional trades executed on Tradeweb flow through AiEX. Adoption continues to broaden across regions and products, particularly in markets that historically have been less automated. What's exciting is that we believe automation itself is evolving. Historically, automation has been rules-based. Clients define the parameters, the AiEX executes those instructions with consistency and precision.
Billy Hult: Turning to slide 10, technology is helping to make financial markets more connected, more intelligent, and more automated than at any point in their history. If there is a single thread running through our franchise, it is that our clients are increasingly relying on technology to make better decisions and execute with greater speed, precision, and scale. We believe that trend is still in its early innings. Our best example of that evolution is AiEX, our intelligent automation platform. Since launching AiEX in 2012, automated trading activity has grown meaningfully, and today, 45% of all institutional trades executed on Tradeweb flow through AiEX. Adoption continues to broaden across regions and products, particularly in markets that historically have been less automated. What's exciting is that we believe automation itself is evolving. Historically, automation has been rules-based. Clients define the parameters, the AiEX executes those instructions with consistency and precision.
Speaker #3: If there is a single thread running through our franchise, it is that our clients are increasingly relying on technology to make better decisions and execute with greater speed, precision, and scale.
Speaker #3: We believe that trend is still in its early innings. Our best example of that evolution is AIX, our intelligent automation platform. Since launching AIX in 2012, automated trading activity has grown meaningfully.
Speaker #3: And today, 45% of all institutional trades executed on Tradeweb flow through AIX. Adoption continues to broaden across regions and products, particularly in markets that historically have been less automated.
Speaker #3: What's exciting is that we believe automation itself is evolving. Historically, automation has been rules-based. Clients define the parameters, the AIX executes those instructions with consistency and precision.
Speaker #3: More recently, we've introduced dynamic capabilities that adapt to changing market conditions in real time, while remaining within those client-defined guardrails. The next chapter is even more compelling.
Billy Hult: More recently, we've introduced dynamic capabilities that adapt to changing market conditions in real time while remaining within those client-defined guardrails. The next chapter is even more compelling. We see AI moving beyond simply automating workflows to augmenting judgment. Rather than just executing predefined instructions, we believe AI has the potential to help clients answer increasingly complex questions. When is the optimal moment to trade? Which protocol is most likely to achieve the best outcome? How many dealers should participate? How should a portfolio be sequenced across products and markets? These are decisions that have traditionally relied on years of human experience, but increasingly can be informed by data, context, and machine intelligence. This is where Tradeweb's competitive advantage becomes even more powerful.
Billy Hult: More recently, we've introduced dynamic capabilities that adapt to changing market conditions in real time while remaining within those client-defined guardrails. The next chapter is even more compelling. We see AI moving beyond simply automating workflows to augmenting judgment. Rather than just executing predefined instructions, we believe AI has the potential to help clients answer increasingly complex questions. When is the optimal moment to trade? Which protocol is most likely to achieve the best outcome? How many dealers should participate? How should a portfolio be sequenced across products and markets? These are decisions that have traditionally relied on years of human experience, but increasingly can be informed by data, context, and machine intelligence. This is where Tradeweb's competitive advantage becomes even more powerful.
Speaker #3: We see AI moving beyond simply automating workflows to augmenting judgment. Rather than just executing predefined instructions, we believe AI has the potential to help clients answer increasingly complex questions.
Speaker #3: When is the optimal moment to trade? Which protocol is most likely to achieve the best outcome? How many dealers should participate? How should a portfolio be sequenced across products and markets?
Speaker #3: These are decisions that have traditionally relied on years of human experience, but increasingly can be informed by data, context, and machine intelligence. This is where Tradeweb's competitive advantage becomes even more powerful.
Speaker #3: Every day, our network connects thousands of institutional participants across rates, credit, mortgages, ETFs, money markets, and equities around the world, creating one of the richest and most diverse sets of market intelligence anywhere in global fixed income and electronic trading.
Billy Hult: Every day, our network connects thousands of institutional participants across rates, credit, mortgages, ETFs, money markets, and equities around the world, which creates one of the richest and most diverse sets of market intelligence anywhere in global fixed income and electronic trading. As AI becomes more capable, we believe the breadth of our network, the quality of our data, and the trust our clients place in us will become increasingly valuable. With that, let me turn it over to Sara to discuss our financials in more detail.
Billy Hult: Every day, our network connects thousands of institutional participants across rates, credit, mortgages, ETFs, money markets, and equities around the world, which creates one of the richest and most diverse sets of market intelligence anywhere in global fixed income and electronic trading. As AI becomes more capable, we believe the breadth of our network, the quality of our data, and the trust our clients place in us will become increasingly valuable. With that, let me turn it over to Sara to discuss our financials in more detail.
Speaker #3: As AI becomes more capable, we believe the breadth of our network, the quality of our data, and the trust our clients place in us will become increasingly valuable.
Speaker #3: And with that, let me turn it over to Sarah to discuss our financials in more detail. Thanks, Billy, and good morning. As I go through the numbers, I'll comparisons will be to the prior year period, unless otherwise noted.
Sara Furber: Thanks, Billy, good morning. As I go through the numbers, all comparisons will be to the prior year period, unless otherwise noted. Slide 11 provides a summary of our quarterly earnings performance. As Billy recapped earlier, this quarter, we saw our second-highest revenues of $559 million that were up 9% year over year on a reported basis, and 8.3% on a constant currency basis, given the weakening dollar. Notably, we delivered that growth even while lapping a difficult April comparison. Recall that April 2025 was one of our strongest months on record, benefiting from the exceptional volatility that followed the implementation of tariffs. Even with April revenues down low single digits against that backdrop, the quarter still compounded to 9% growth, underscoring the durability of the business across environments and the accelerating growth we saw through the quarter.
Sara Furber: Thanks, Billy, good morning. As I go through the numbers, all comparisons will be to the prior year period, unless otherwise noted. Slide 11 provides a summary of our quarterly earnings performance. As Billy recapped earlier, this quarter, we saw our second-highest revenues of $559 million that were up 9% year over year on a reported basis, and 8.3% on a constant currency basis, given the weakening dollar. Notably, we delivered that growth even while lapping a difficult April comparison. Recall that April 2025 was one of our strongest months on record, benefiting from the exceptional volatility that followed the implementation of tariffs. Even with April revenues down low single digits against that backdrop, the quarter still compounded to 9% growth, underscoring the durability of the business across environments and the accelerating growth we saw through the quarter.
Speaker #3: Slide 11 provides a summary of our quarterly earnings performance. As Billy recapped earlier, this quarter we saw our second highest revenues of $559 million that were up 9% year over year on a reported basis, and $8.3% on a constant currency basis, given the weakening dollar.
Speaker #3: Notably, we delivered that growth even while lapping a difficult April comparison. Recall that April 2025 was one of our strongest months on record, benefiting from the exceptional volatility that followed the implementation of tariffs.
Speaker #3: Even with April revenues down low single digits against that backdrop, the quarter still compounded to 9% growth, underscoring the durability of the business across environments and the accelerating growth we saw through the quarter.
Speaker #3: We derived approximately 44% of our second quarter revenue from international clients and recall that approximately 30% of our revenue base is denominated in currencies other than dollars.
Sara Furber: We derived approximately 44% of our Q2 revenue from international clients. Recall that approximately 30% of our revenue base is denominated in currencies other than dollars, predominantly in euros. Total trading revenues increased 8%, comprised of 9% variable trading revenue growth and 5% growth across fixed trading revenue. Rate fixed revenue growth was driven by the addition of dealers to our mortgage, swaps, and U.S. government bond platforms, as well as existing dealers opting for higher fixed fee plans and some increases in minimum fee floors. Credit fixed revenue declined slightly due to a smaller dealer stepping away from the credit market.
Sara Furber: We derived approximately 44% of our Q2 revenue from international clients. Recall that approximately 30% of our revenue base is denominated in currencies other than dollars, predominantly in euros. Total trading revenues increased 8%, comprised of 9% variable trading revenue growth and 5% growth across fixed trading revenue. Rate fixed revenue growth was driven by the addition of dealers to our mortgage, swaps, and US government bond platforms, as well as existing dealers opting for higher fixed fee plans and some increases in minimum fee floors. Credit fixed revenue declined slightly due to a smaller dealer stepping away from the credit market.
Speaker #3: Predominantly in euros. Total trading revenues increased 8%, comprised of 9% variable trading revenue growth and 5% growth across fixed trading revenue. Rate fixed revenue growth was driven by the addition of dealers to our mortgage, swaps, and US government bond platforms.
Speaker #3: As well as existing dealers opting for higher fixed fee plans, and some increases in minimum fee floors. Credit fixed revenue declined slightly due to a smaller dealer stepping away from the credit market.
Speaker #3: Other revenues of $7.9 million for the second quarter increased 1% year over year, driven by an increase from ICD-related marketing partnership revenue, which was partially offset by a slight decline in revenue tied to periodic technology enhancements performed for our retail clients.
Sara Furber: Other revenues of $7.9 million for Q2 increased 1% year over year, driven by an increase from ICD-related marketing partnership revenue, which was partially offset by a slight decline in revenue tied to periodic technology enhancements performed for our retail clients, along with slightly lower Super Validator fees associated with our commercial relationship with the Canton Network. As a reminder, our other revenue line will remain variable from quarter to quarter, reflecting fluctuations in a number of factors, including the number of Canton Network earned, the value of Canton Network, the number of Super Validators in the network, and periodic technology enhancements for retail clients.
Sara Furber: Other revenues of $7.9 million for Q2 increased 1% year over year, driven by an increase from ICD-related marketing partnership revenue, which was partially offset by a slight decline in revenue tied to periodic technology enhancements performed for our retail clients, along with slightly lower Super Validator fees associated with our commercial relationship with the Canton Network. As a reminder, our other revenue line will remain variable from quarter to quarter, reflecting fluctuations in a number of factors, including the number of Canton Network earned, the value of Canton Network, the number of Super Validators in the network, and periodic technology enhancements for retail clients.
Speaker #3: Along with slightly lower super validator fees associated with our commercial relationship with the Canton network. As a reminder, our other revenue line will remain variable from quarter to quarter, reflecting fluctuations in a number of factors, including the number of Canton coins earned, the value of Canton coins, the number of super validators in the network, and periodic technology enhancements for retail clients.
Speaker #3: For modeling purposes, we believe the second quarter is a reasonable quarterly run rate for the remainder of the year, a super validator fees are expected to moderate with the addition of new validators to the Canton network, reflecting the continued expansion and strengthening of the network.
Sara Furber: For modeling purposes, we believe Q2 is a reasonable quarterly run rate for the remainder of the year, as Super Validator fees are expected to moderate with the addition of new validators to the Canton Network, reflecting the continued expansion and strengthening of the network. Q2 adjusted EBITDA margin of 54.4% increased by 43 basis points on a reported basis when compared to our 2025 full year margins. Our net interest income of approximately $18 million increased due to higher cash balances, which offset lower interest yields. Lastly, GAAP results this quarter reflected a $7.3 million net gain from unrealized gains and losses across our strategic investments. As a reminder, this portfolio is designed to invest in emerging areas like digital assets, tokenization, and prediction markets. Results here will fluctuate from quarter to quarter.
Sara Furber: For modeling purposes, we believe Q2 is a reasonable quarterly run rate for the remainder of the year, as Super Validator fees are expected to moderate with the addition of new validators to the Canton Network, reflecting the continued expansion and strengthening of the network. Q2 adjusted EBITDA margin of 54.4% increased by 43 basis points on a reported basis when compared to our 2025 full year margins. Our net interest income of approximately $18 million increased due to higher cash balances, which offset lower interest yields. Lastly, GAAP results this quarter reflected a $7.3 million net gain from unrealized gains and losses across our strategic investments. As a reminder, this portfolio is designed to invest in emerging areas like digital assets, tokenization, and prediction markets. Results here will fluctuate from quarter to quarter.
Speaker #3: Second quarter adjusted EBITDA margin of 54.4% increased by 43 basis points on a reported basis when compared to our 2025 full year margins. Our net interest income of approximately $18 million increased due to higher cash balances which offset lower interest yields.
Speaker #3: Lastly, gap results this quarter reflected a 7.3 million dollar net gain from unrealized gains and losses across our strategic investments. As a reminder, this portfolio is designed to invest in emerging areas like digital assets, tokenization, and prediction markets, so results here will fluctuate from quarter to quarter.
Speaker #3: Moving on to fees per million on slide 12, we provide a highlight of the key trends for the quarter. You can see slide 18 of the earnings presentation for the full detail regarding our fee per million performance this quarter.
Sara Furber: Moving on to fees per million on slide 12, we provide a highlight of the key trends for the quarter. You can see slide 18 of the earnings presentation for the full detail regarding our fee per million performance this quarter. For long tenor swaps, average fees per million were down 10.3%, primarily due to mix shift within our currencies and lower duration. For cash credit, average fees per million decreased 11.4%, primarily due to a mix shift away from higher fee per million munis and retail credit, and towards lower fee per million European credit and portfolio trading. Slide 13 details our adjusted expenses. At a high level, the scalability and variable nature of our expense base allow us to continue to invest for growth and grow margins. We have maintained a consistent philosophy here.
Sara Furber: Moving on to fees per million on slide 12, we provide a highlight of the key trends for the quarter. You can see slide 18 of the earnings presentation for the full detail regarding our fee per million performance this quarter. For long tenor swaps, average fees per million were down 10.3%, primarily due to mix shift within our currencies and lower duration. For cash credit, average fees per million decreased 11.4%, primarily due to a mix shift away from higher fee per million munis and retail credit, and towards lower fee per million European credit and portfolio trading. Slide 13 details our adjusted expenses. At a high level, the scalability and variable nature of our expense base allow us to continue to invest for growth and grow margins. We have maintained a consistent philosophy here.
Speaker #3: For long-tenor swaps, average fees per million were down 10.3%, primarily due to mixed shift within our currencies and lower duration. For cash credit, average fees per million decreased 11.4%, primarily due to a mixed shift away from higher fee per million munis and retail credit, and towards lower fee per million European credit and portfolio trading.
Speaker #3: Slide 13 details our adjusted expenses. At a high level, the scalability and variable nature of our expense base allow us to continue to invest for growth and grow margins.
Speaker #3: We have maintained a consistent philosophy here. Adjusted expenses for the second quarter increased 9.4% on a reported basis and 9.9% on a constant currency basis.
Sara Furber: Adjusted expenses for Q2 increased 9.4% on a reported basis and 9.9% on a constant currency basis. During Q2, we continued investments in Technology and communications, digital assets, technology consulting, and client relationship development. Adjusted compensation costs grew 1.6% as higher headcount, which was up 10.3% year-over-year, and higher equity-based compensation were largely offset by lower discretionary and performance-related compensation. Technology and communications costs increased 38.9%, primarily due to our continued investments in data strategy and infrastructure and increased software costs, including AI. Approximately $5.2 million of the increase was driven by investments in our data infrastructure strategy and higher reference data costs, both of which began in H2 2025. Adjusted professional fees grew 17.9% due to an increase in technology consultants as we continue to augment our offshore technology operations.
Sara Furber: Adjusted expenses for Q2 increased 9.4% on a reported basis and 9.9% on a constant currency basis. During Q2, we continued investments in Technology and communications, digital assets, technology consulting, and client relationship development. Adjusted compensation costs grew 1.6% as higher headcount, which was up 10.3% year-over-year, and higher equity-based compensation were largely offset by lower discretionary and performance-related compensation. Technology and communications costs increased 38.9%, primarily due to our continued investments in data strategy and infrastructure and increased software costs, including AI. Approximately $5.2 million of the increase was driven by investments in our data infrastructure strategy and higher reference data costs, both of which began in H2 2025. Adjusted professional fees grew 17.9% due to an increase in technology consultants as we continue to augment our offshore technology operations.
Speaker #3: During the second quarter, we continued investments in tech and communications, digital assets, tech consulting, and client relationship development. Adjusted compensation costs grew 1.6% as higher headcount, which was up 10.3% year over year, and higher equity-based compensation were largely offset by lower discretionary and performance-related compensation.
Speaker #3: Technology and communication costs increased 38.9%, primarily due to our continued investments in data strategy and infrastructure, and increased software costs, including AI. Approximately $5.2 million of the increase was driven by investments in our data infrastructure strategy and higher reference data costs, both of which began in the second half of 2025.
Speaker #3: Adjusted professional fees grew 17.9% due to an increase in tech consultants as we continue to augment our offshore technology operations. Occupancy expenses increased 39.1%, primarily from increased rent due to the move to our new New York City headquarters, which came into effect in the third quarter of ’25, and data center rent expense.
Sara Furber: Occupancy expenses increased 39.1%, primarily from increased rent due to the move to our new New York City headquarters, which came into effect in Q3 2025, and data center rent expense. Adjusted general and administrative costs increased 4.9%, primarily due to a pickup in travel and entertainment, partially offset by favorable FX movements. Favorable movements in FX resulted in a $0.7 million gain in Q2 2026 versus approximately a $2.2 million loss in Q2 2025. Excluding FX, adjusted general and administrative costs grew 22.2%. Slide 14 details capital management and our guidance. On our cash position and capital return policy, we ended Q2 in a strong position with approximately $2.1 billion in cash and cash equivalents and free cash flow exceeding $1 billion for the trailing 12 months, representing strong year-over-year growth of approximately 13%.
Sara Furber: Occupancy expenses increased 39.1%, primarily from increased rent due to the move to our new New York City headquarters, which came into effect in Q3 2025, and data center rent expense. Adjusted general and administrative costs increased 4.9%, primarily due to a pickup in travel and entertainment, partially offset by favorable FX movements. Favorable movements in FX resulted in a $0.7 million gain in Q2 2026 versus approximately a $2.2 million loss in Q2 2025. Excluding FX, adjusted general and administrative costs grew 22.2%. Slide 14 details capital management and our guidance. On our cash position and capital return policy, we ended Q2 in a strong position with approximately $2.1 billion in cash and cash equivalents and free cash flow exceeding $1 billion for the trailing 12 months, representing strong year-over-year growth of approximately 13%.
Speaker #3: Adjusted general and administrative costs increased 4.9%, primarily due to a pickup in travel and entertainment, but partially offset by favorable FX movements. Favorable movements in FX resulted in a 0.7 million dollar gain in the second quarter of '26 versus approximately a 2.2 million dollar loss in the second quarter of '25.
Speaker #3: Excluding FX, adjusted general and administrative costs grew 22.2%. Slide 14 details capital management and our guidance. On our cash position and capital return policy, we ended second quarter in a strong position with approximately 2.1 billion dollars in cash and cash equivalents, and free cash flow exceeding 1 billion for the trailing 12 months.
Speaker #3: Representing strong year over year growth of approximately 13%. We also held approximately 1.6 billion Canton coins with a fair value of approximately $230 million.
Sara Furber: We also held approximately 1.6 billion Canton Network with a fair value of approximately $230 million. With this quarter's earnings, the board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.14 for Class A and Class B shares, up 16.7% year-over-year. During the quarter, we stepped up our share repurchases, buying back approximately 1.9 million shares for $189 million as we took advantage of the dislocation in our stock price. There was $334 million of aggregate share repurchase authorization remaining as of 30 June. Turning to guidance for 2026. In light of our continued strong business momentum, we are maintaining our guidance for the adjusted expenses to trend toward the top half of the initial guidance range of $1.1 billion to $1.16 billion. We believe we can drive adjusted EBITDA and operating margin expansion compared to 2025 at either end of this range.
Sara Furber: We also held approximately 1.6 billion Canton Network with a fair value of approximately $230 million. With this quarter's earnings, the board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.14 for Class A and Class B shares, up 16.7% year-over-year. During the quarter, we stepped up our share repurchases, buying back approximately 1.9 million shares for $189 million as we took advantage of the dislocation in our stock price. There was $334 million of aggregate share repurchase authorization remaining as of 30 June. Turning to guidance for 2026. In light of our continued strong business momentum, we are maintaining our guidance for the adjusted expenses to trend toward the top half of the initial guidance range of $1.1 billion to $1.16 billion. We believe we can drive adjusted EBITDA and operating margin expansion compared to 2025 at either end of this range.
Speaker #3: With this quarter's earnings, the board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per Class A and Class B share, up 16.7% year over year.
Speaker #3: During the quarter, we stepped up our share repurchases buying back approximately 1.9 million shares for 189 million dollars, as we took advantage of the dislocation in our stock price.
Speaker #3: There was 334 million dollars of aggregate share repurchase authorization remaining, as of June 30th. Turning to guidance for 2026, in light of our continued strong business momentum, we are maintaining our guidance for the adjusted expenses to trend toward the top half of the initial guidance range, of 1.1 billion to 1.16 billion.
Speaker #3: We believe we can drive adjusted EBITDA and operating margin expansion compared to 2025 at either end of this range, although we expect the incremental margin expansion to be more muted as we continue to focus on balancing margin expansion with investing for the future.
Sara Furber: We expect the incremental margin expansion to be more muted as we continue to focus on balancing margin expansion with investing for the future. Specifically, we continue to invest in frontier markets and opportunities to expand electronification across Asia and emerging markets, as well as AI-related credit initiatives. We also continue to invest in technology that allows us to sustain and build on our leading platform. Some of these investments will take time to scale, we continue to prize innovation and creating durable long-term growth opportunities. Now I'll turn it back to Billy for concluding remarks.
Sara Furber: We expect the incremental margin expansion to be more muted as we continue to focus on balancing margin expansion with investing for the future. Specifically, we continue to invest in frontier markets and opportunities to expand electronification across Asia and emerging markets, as well as AI-related credit initiatives. We also continue to invest in technology that allows us to sustain and build on our leading platform. Some of these investments will take time to scale, we continue to prize innovation and creating durable long-term growth opportunities. Now I'll turn it back to Billy for concluding remarks.
Speaker #3: Specifically, we continue to invest in frontier markets, and opportunities to expand electronification across Asia and emerging markets, as well as AI-related credit initiatives. We also continue to invest in technology that allows us to sustain and build on our leading platform.
Speaker #3: Some of these investments will take time to scale, but we continue to prize innovation and creating durable long-term growth opportunities. Now I'll turn it back to Billy for concluding remarks.
Speaker #1: Thanks, Sarah. As we close out the first half of the year, I want to step back and talk about where the franchise stands. Our clients have navigated a lot over the last six months, and through all of it, Tradeweb hasn't just held its ground, we've extended it, deepening relationships across many of the asset classes we serve.
Billy Hult: Thanks, Sara. As we close out H1 of the year, I want to step back and talk about where the franchise stands. Our clients have navigated a lot over the last six months, and through all of it, Tradeweb hasn't just held its ground, we've extended it, deepening relationships across many of the asset classes we serve. We tend to come out of complicated periods more relevant to our clients than when we went in, because the harder the market gets, the more they lean into innovation. The ways we can help them are only expanding, especially with AI. This is still a young shift, but clients are moving from experimenting with these tools to building them into their day-to-day faster than we could have expected even a year ago.
Billy Hult: Thanks, Sara. As we close out H1 of the year, I want to step back and talk about where the franchise stands. Our clients have navigated a lot over the last six months, and through all of it, Tradeweb hasn't just held its ground, we've extended it, deepening relationships across many of the asset classes we serve. We tend to come out of complicated periods more relevant to our clients than when we went in, because the harder the market gets, the more they lean into innovation. The ways we can help them are only expanding, especially with AI. This is still a young shift, but clients are moving from experimenting with these tools to building them into their day-to-day faster than we could have expected even a year ago.
Speaker #1: We tend to come out of complicated periods more relevant to our clients than when we went in. Because the harder the market gets, the more they lean into innovation.
Speaker #1: And the ways we can help them are only expanding, especially young shift, but clients are moving from experimenting with these tools to building them into their day-to-day faster than we could have expected even a year ago.
Speaker #1: My conviction is that the firms that pair the deepest liquidity with the smartest technology will set the pace from here, and we intend to be at the front of it.
Billy Hult: My conviction is that the firms that pair the deepest liquidity with the smartest technology will set the pace from here. We intend to be at the front of it. The same drivers that powered H1, deeper client engagement and broader adoption of electronic trading, are already carrying into Q3. With two important month-end trading days left in July, which tend to be some of our strongest revenue days, average daily revenue growth is up low teens relative to July 2025. The diversity of our growth remains a theme as we are seeing a preliminary strong double-digit growth across rates, credit, and equities. Specifically, we are seeing double-digit volume growth year-over-year across global government bonds, global interest rate and credit default swaps, fully electronic IG credit and global equities. Our IG and high-yield share is tracking below June levels.
Billy Hult: My conviction is that the firms that pair the deepest liquidity with the smartest technology will set the pace from here. We intend to be at the front of it. The same drivers that powered H1, deeper client engagement and broader adoption of electronic trading, are already carrying into Q3. With two important month-end trading days left in July, which tend to be some of our strongest revenue days, average daily revenue growth is up low teens relative to July 2025. The diversity of our growth remains a theme as we are seeing a preliminary strong double-digit growth across rates, credit, and equities. Specifically, we are seeing double-digit volume growth year-over-year across global government bonds, global interest rate and credit default swaps, fully electronic IG credit and global equities. Our IG and high-yield share is tracking below June levels.
Speaker #1: The same drivers that powered the first half, deeper client engagement, and broader adoption of electronic trading, are already carrying into the third quarter. With two important month-end trading days left in July, which tend to be some of our strongest revenue days, average daily revenue growth is up low teens relative to July 2025.
Speaker #1: The diversity of our growth remains a theme, as we are seeing preliminary strong double-digit growth across rates, credit, and equities. Specifically, we are seeing double-digit volume growth year over year across global government bonds, global interest rates and credit default swaps, fully electronic IG credit, and global equities.
Speaker #1: Our IG and high-yield share is tracking below June levels. I would like to conclude my remarks by thanking our clients for their business and partnership in the quarter.
Billy Hult: I would like to conclude my remarks by thanking our clients for their business and partnership in the quarter. I want to thank my colleagues for their efforts that contributed to the second-highest quarterly revenues in our history. With that, I will turn it back to Ashley for your questions.
Billy Hult: I would like to conclude my remarks by thanking our clients for their business and partnership in the quarter. I want to thank my colleagues for their efforts that contributed to the second-highest quarterly revenues in our history. With that, I will turn it back to Ashley for your questions.
Speaker #1: I want to thank my colleagues for their efforts that contributed to the second highest quarterly revenues in our history. With that, I will turn it back to Ashley for your questions.
Speaker #2: Thanks, Billy. As a reminder, please limit yourself to one question only. Feel free to hop back in the queue and ask additional questions at the end.
Ashley Serrao: Thanks, Billy. As a reminder, please limit yourself to one question only. Feel free to hop back in the queue and ask additional questions at the end. Q&A will end at 10:30 AM Eastern Time. Operator, you can now take our first question.
Ashley Serrao: Thanks, Billy. As a reminder, please limit yourself to one question only. Feel free to hop back in the queue and ask additional questions at the end. Q&A will end at 10:30 AM Eastern Time. Operator, you can now take our first question.
Speaker #2: Q&A will end at 10:30 AM Eastern Time. Operator, you can now take our first question.
Operator: Thank you. The first question is going to come from Alex Blostein with Goldman Sachs. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The first question is going to come from Alex Blostein with Goldman Sachs. Your line is open.
Speaker #4: you. And the first question is going to come from Alex Biosteam with Goldman Sachs. Your line is open.
Alex Blostein: Hey, Billy. Hey, Sara. Good morning, everyone. Appreciate it's obviously early, but I was hoping to get your perspective on potential shifts in the competitive landscape for your products from the announced acquisition of MarketAxess by ICE. In particular, curious if you think about both opportunities that could come on the back of any dislocation and customer moves whenever there's an integration, versus potential risks, I guess, both in credit and to some degree in rates.
Alex Blostein: Hey, Billy. Hey, Sara. Good morning, everyone. Appreciate it's obviously early, but I was hoping to get your perspective on potential shifts in the competitive landscape for your products from the announced acquisition of MarketAxess by ICE. In particular, curious if you think about both opportunities that could come on the back of any dislocation and customer moves whenever there's an integration, versus potential risks, I guess, both in credit and to some degree in rates.
Speaker #5: Hey, Billy. Hey, Sarah. Good morning, everyone. So appreciate it. It's obviously early, but I was hoping to get your perspective on potential shifts in the competitive landscape for your products from the announced acquisition of market access by ICE.
Speaker #5: In particular, curious if you think about both opportunities that could come on the back of any dislocation and customer moves whenever there is an integration, versus potential risks, I guess, both in credit and to some degree in rates.
Billy Hult: Alex, how are you? Interesting times, thanks for the question. It's early. You're right about that. Obviously, as you know very well, we know ICE. As you know, I like Jeff. Or I did, I should say. Sorry, I still like him. He actually texted me this morning and said, Sorry about this news coming out, kind of as your great earnings are also coming out. I accept your apology for the record, Jeff, I'm sure you're reading the transcript anyway. We see it as a validation of the fee pool and credit to start with, Alex. I say this just very clearly, we welcome all of the time rational and commercial competition in this space.
Billy Hult: Alex, how are you? Interesting times, thanks for the question. It's early. You're right about that. Obviously, as you know very well, we know ICE. As you know, I like Jeff. Or I did, I should say. Sorry, I still like him. He actually texted me this morning and said, Sorry about this news coming out, kind of as your great earnings are also coming out. I accept your apology for the record, Jeff, I'm sure you're reading the transcript anyway. We see it as a validation of the fee pool and credit to start with, Alex. I say this just very clearly, we welcome all of the time rational and commercial competition in this space.
Speaker #4: Alex, how are you? Interesting times. Thanks for the question. Yeah, so it's early. You're right about that. And obviously, as you know very well, like we know, we know ICE.
Speaker #4: As you know, I like Jeff. Or I did, I should say. I still like him. He actually texted me this morning and said, "Sorry about this news coming out," kind of as your great earnings are also coming out.
Speaker #4: So I accept your apology for the record, Jeff, on I'm sure you're reading the transcript anyway. We see it as a validation of the fee pool and credit, to start with, Alex.
Speaker #4: And we do welcome—and I say this very clearly—we welcome, all of the time, rational and commercial competition in this space. Ultimately, I think we feel very confident in our role as the trusted market venue that, I think, really ultimately understands the role that data plays in the relationship between the most important clients globally and their counterparties.
Billy Hult: Ultimately, I think we feel very confident in our role as the trusted market venue that I think really ultimately understands the role that data plays in the relationship between the most important clients globally and their counterparties, I think that's a really important thing to say. We're in a sweet spot from my perspective, and I think that makes us all super excited at Tradeweb. We're in a sweet spot around credit. As you know very well, the hyperscalers continue to sell bonds. Central banks are less active in the space. The traditional banks have had just lights out kind of earnings. At the same time, these non-bank liquidity providers are arriving en masse and in force in the credit space. That's a pretty good environment. As you know, the market volumes have been growing.
Billy Hult: Ultimately, I think we feel very confident in our role as the trusted market venue that I think really ultimately understands the role that data plays in the relationship between the most important clients globally and their counterparties, I think that's a really important thing to say. We're in a sweet spot from my perspective, and I think that makes us all super excited at Tradeweb. We're in a sweet spot around credit. As you know very well, the hyperscalers continue to sell bonds. Central banks are less active in the space. The traditional banks have had just lights out kind of earnings. At the same time, these non-bank liquidity providers are arriving en masse and in force in the credit space. That's a pretty good environment. As you know, the market volumes have been growing.
Speaker #4: And I think that's a really important thing to say. We're in a sweet spot. From my perspective, and I think that makes us all super excited at Tradeweb, we're in a sweet spot around credit.
Speaker #4: Right? As you know very well, the hyperscalers continue to sell bonds, central banks are less active in this space. The traditional banks have had just lights out kind of earnings.
Speaker #4: At the same time, these non-bank liquidity providers are arriving in mass and in force in the credit space. That's a pretty good environment. And so as you know, the market volumes have been growing.
Speaker #4: The pace of electronification continues to keep up and is increasing all along. And not surprisingly, what that means is competition is here, and has been arriving.
Billy Hult: The pace of electronification continues to keep up and is increasing all along. Not surprisingly, what that means is competition is here and has been arriving. As always, there have been, and there will be kind of winners and losers around competition. You know this very well. The ethos of this company is we are market share takers, kind of period. We see sort of two things from my perspective. I think we see the opportunity inside of credit for the wallet to be restored. We think we have a tremendous amount of opportunity to continue to invest in credit around the next chapter of growth, which we see as the use of technology, access to data, and ultimately, I think something really important, which is the scalability of decision-making by our clients.
Billy Hult: The pace of electronification continues to keep up and is increasing all along. Not surprisingly, what that means is competition is here and has been arriving. As always, there have been, and there will be kind of winners and losers around competition. You know this very well. The ethos of this company is we are market share takers, kind of period. We see sort of two things from my perspective. I think we see the opportunity inside of credit for the wallet to be restored. We think we have a tremendous amount of opportunity to continue to invest in credit around the next chapter of growth, which we see as the use of technology, access to data, and ultimately, I think something really important, which is the scalability of decision-making by our clients.
Speaker #4: And as always, there have been and there will be kind of winners and losers around competition. And you know this very well. The ethos of this company is: we are market share takers.
Speaker #4: Kind of period. And so we see sort of two things from my perspective. I think we see the opportunity inside of credit for the wallet, to be restored.
Speaker #4: We think we have a tremendous amount of opportunity to continue to invest in credit around the next chapter of growth, which we see as the use of technology access to data and ultimately, I think, something really important, which is the scalability of decision-making by our clients.
Speaker #4: We're going to be into a very, very interesting, I think, next chapter. That I It's going to be the continued rise of the non-bank liquidity providers, the systematic players, and credit.
Billy Hult: We're going to be into a very interesting next chapter that I think is going to be defined by a few things. It's going to be the continued rise of the non-bank liquidity providers, the systematic players in credit. That rise needs to be balanced, I think, with something super important, which is the traditional partner banks, the legacy banks in the space. Those are the keys to, I think, ultimately risk trading, and has been a historic advantage from my perspective of Tradeweb. The impact of technology inside of credit isn't anything to be diminished. To start with, protocol innovations matter, and the market is becoming more sophisticated and ultimately more model-driven. I think that plays to our strength. Do we get to a place where we get into this concept of power law domination where winner takes most? I think so.
Billy Hult: We're going to be into a very interesting next chapter that I think is going to be defined by a few things. It's going to be the continued rise of the non-bank liquidity providers, the systematic players in credit. That rise needs to be balanced, I think, with something super important, which is the traditional partner banks, the legacy banks in the space. Those are the keys to, I think, ultimately risk trading, and has been a historic advantage from my perspective of Tradeweb. The impact of technology inside of credit isn't anything to be diminished. To start with, protocol innovations matter, and the market is becoming more sophisticated and ultimately more model-driven. I think that plays to our strength. Do we get to a place where we get into this concept of power law domination where winner takes most? I think so.
Speaker #4: But that rise needs to be balanced, I think, with something like super important, which is the traditional partner banks, the legacy banks in the space, and those are the keys to, I think, ultimately risk trading and has been a historic advantage from my perspective of Tradeweb.
Speaker #4: The impact of technology inside of credit isn't anything to be diminished. So to start with, protocol innovations matter. And the market is becoming more sophisticated and ultimately more model-driven.
Speaker #4: I think that plays to our strength. Do we get to a place where we get into this concept of kind of power law domination, where winner takes most?
Speaker #4: I think so. And I think we're really, really well-positioned to be that venue, from my perspective, as we get to this kind of how we think about kind of virtuous cycle of data, automation solution, liquidity, where liquidity begets liquidity.
Billy Hult: I think we're really well-positioned to be that venue from my perspective, as we get to this kind of how we think about virtuous cycle of data, automation solution liquidity, where liquidity begets liquidity, and I think this is a really important moment for us. I say this very clearly. Ultimately, those who create a better value proposition are going to get the share. I can say that with perfect confidence. I think in a really interesting way, and I think in an optimistic way, just around what's happening in our world, Alex, I think there's no fighting technology. I think that's a headline that should be out there and that we should think about. Everything in credit is pointing towards ultimately more transparency. Ultimately, I think that's the direction of travel.
Billy Hult: I think we're really well-positioned to be that venue from my perspective, as we get to this kind of how we think about virtuous cycle of data, automation solution liquidity, where liquidity begets liquidity, and I think this is a really important moment for us. I say this very clearly. Ultimately, those who create a better value proposition are going to get the share. I can say that with perfect confidence. I think in a really interesting way, and I think in an optimistic way, just around what's happening in our world, Alex, I think there's no fighting technology. I think that's a headline that should be out there and that we should think about. Everything in credit is pointing towards ultimately more transparency. Ultimately, I think that's the direction of travel.
Speaker #4: And I think this is a really important moment for us. I say this very, very clearly: ultimately, those who create a better value proposition are going to get the share.
Speaker #4: And I can say that with perfect confidence. And I think in a really interesting way, and I think an optimistic way, just around what's happening in our world, Alex, I think there's no fighting technology.
Speaker #4: And I think that's a headline that should be out there and that we should think about. Everything in credit is pointing towards, ultimately, more transparency.
Speaker #4: And ultimately, I think that's the direction of travel. And from our perspective, that's the thing that makes us extremely excited about where we are in credit.
Billy Hult: From our perspective, that's the thing that makes us extremely excited about where we are in credit. Thanks a lot, good to hear your voice. Interesting morning as always.
Billy Hult: From our perspective, that's the thing that makes us extremely excited about where we are in credit. Thanks a lot, good to hear your voice. Interesting morning as always.
Speaker #4: So thanks a lot, good to hear your voice. Interesting morning, as always.
Speaker #5: Yeah, interesting indeed, Billy. Thank you very much. I appreciate the answer there.
Alex Blostein: Yeah, interesting indeed. Billy, thank you very much. We appreciate the answer there.
Alex Blostein: Yeah, interesting indeed. Billy, thank you very much. We appreciate the answer there.
Billy Hult: Yeah.
Billy Hult: Yeah.
Operator: Thank you. The next question is going to come from Tyler Mueller with William Blair. Your line's open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question is going to come from Tyler Mueller with William Blair. Your line's open.
Speaker #2: Thank you. And the next question is going to come from Tyler Mueller with William Blair. Your line's open.
Speaker #6: Hi, good morning. There have been concerns around perpetuals potentially disrupting parts of the fixed income market. Are there any areas where you see genuine displacement risks?
Tyler Mueller: Hi. Good morning. There have been concerns around perpetuals potentially disrupting parts of the fixed income market. Are there any areas where we see genuine displacement risks and any areas where you could actually benefit? Thank you.
Tyler Mueller: Hi. Good morning. There have been concerns around perpetuals potentially disrupting parts of the fixed income market. Are there any areas where we see genuine displacement risks and any areas where you could actually benefit? Thank you.
Speaker #6: And any areas where you could actually benefit? Thank you.
Speaker #4: Yeah. Yeah. Hi, how are you? It's a good question. It's like I'm old enough to have I think I received that I forget his name, like Fabasio, whoever the guy who wrote the original book on bond trading, way back in the '90s.
Billy Hult: Yeah. Hi, how are you? It's a good question. It's like I'm old enough to have, I think I received that, I forget his name, Frank, whoever the guy who wrote the original book on bond trading way back in the '90s. Someone actually gave that to me, and I read it, which is scary. I think the short answer kind of is no. I think it's actually a very important question, and there's some technicality to it, or technical-ness around it. I think the short answer is no. We don't view it as disruptive across our core kind of financing and hedging markets that we live in. I think the details do matter. Ultimately, first of all, love innovation to start with.
Billy Hult: Yeah. Hi, how are you? It's a good question. It's like I'm old enough to have, I think I received that, I forget his name, Frank, whoever the guy who wrote the original book on bond trading way back in the '90s. Someone actually gave that to me, and I read it, which is scary. I think the short answer kind of is no. I think it's actually a very important question, and there's some technicality to it, or technical-ness around it. I think the short answer is no. We don't view it as disruptive across our core kind of financing and hedging markets that we live in. I think the details do matter. Ultimately, first of all, love innovation to start with.
Speaker #4: Someone actually gave that to me and I read it. Which is scary. But I think the short answer kind of is no. And I think it's actually a very important question.
Speaker #4: And there's some technicality to it or technicalness around it. I think the short answer is no. We don't view it as disruptive. Across our core kind of financing and hedging markets that we live in.
Speaker #4: I think the details do matter. Ultimately, first of all, love innovation. To start with, a perp is really ultimately think of it as a leveraged bet on price with no end date.
Billy Hult: A perp is really ultimately, think of it as a levered bet on price with no end date, which fit things in a very interesting way that never end. We can talk about that from the perspective of Bitcoin, stock indices, oil, et cetera. Bonds are essentially the exact opposite, right? A bond is an end date. Much of the returns comes from getting it shorter as it ages. Something a constant maturity perp in its essence can't capture, and I'm getting a little kind of wonky around this sort of answer. In a certain way, it doesn't solve a problem for asset managers, right? Mandates are written in maturity buckets. Hedges have a lineup against actual bonds and swaps, which already give elongated exposure without a roll. Okay? I'm explaining it super technically.
Billy Hult: A perp is really ultimately, think of it as a levered bet on price with no end date, which fit things in a very interesting way that never end. We can talk about that from the perspective of Bitcoin, stock indices, oil, et cetera. Bonds are essentially the exact opposite, right? A bond is an end date. Much of the returns comes from getting it shorter as it ages. Something a constant maturity perp in its essence can't capture, and I'm getting a little kind of wonky around this sort of answer. In a certain way, it doesn't solve a problem for asset managers, right? Mandates are written in maturity buckets. Hedges have a lineup against actual bonds and swaps, which already give elongated exposure without a roll. Okay? I'm explaining it super technically.
Speaker #4: Which fit things in a very interesting way that never end. And we can talk about that from the perspective of Bitcoin, stock indices, oil, etc.
Speaker #4: Bonds are essentially the exact opposite, right? A bond has an end date, and much of the return comes from getting shorter as it ages.
Speaker #4: Something a constant maturity perp in its essence can't capture. And I'm getting a little kind of wonky around this sort of answer. So in a certain way, it doesn't solve a problem for asset managers.
Speaker #4: Right? Mandates are written in maturity buckets. Hedges have a lineup against actual bonds and swaps, which already give a long-dated exposure without a role.
Speaker #4: Okay? And I'm explaining it super technically. So we don't see it as a threat at all into our institutional business. Are we for innovation?
Billy Hult: We don't see it as a threat at all into our institutional business. Are we for innovation? Do we put our creative hats on and do we look at the world and say, Where can this play a significant opportunity inside of Tradeweb? We see that playing out inside of the retail world, potentially. We're excited about it. We don't view it fundamentally as relevant inside of the institutional fixed income markets. I think it gives us this very cool opportunity to expand our footprint to the extent that demand arises inside of the retail world, which has kind of, I think in an important way, continues to surprise and activate everyone in terms of the growing sophistication of that population and that world.
Billy Hult: We don't see it as a threat at all into our institutional business. Are we for innovation? Do we put our creative hats on and do we look at the world and say, Where can this play a significant opportunity inside of Tradeweb? We see that playing out inside of the retail world, potentially. We're excited about it. We don't view it fundamentally as relevant inside of the institutional fixed income markets. I think it gives us this very cool opportunity to expand our footprint to the extent that demand arises inside of the retail world, which has kind of, I think in an important way, continues to surprise and activate everyone in terms of the growing sophistication of that population and that world.
Speaker #4: Do we put our creative hats on and do we look at the world and say, significant opportunity inside of Tradeweb? And we see that playing out inside of the retail world, potentially.
Speaker #4: And so we're excited about it. But we don't view it fundamentally as relevant inside of the institutional fixed income markets. I think it gives us this very cool opportunity to expand our footprint to the extent that demand arises inside of the retail world, which has kind of, I think, in an important way, continues to surprise and activate everyone in terms of the growing sophistication of that population in that world.
Speaker #4: So I think you can kind of think about answering my answer around understanding the role that it plays and a willingness that we have as a company to always embrace innovation.
Billy Hult: I think you can kind of think about answering my answer around understanding the role that it plays, and a willingness that we have as a company to always embrace innovation. Thanks for the question.
Billy Hult: I think you can kind of think about answering my answer around understanding the role that it plays, and a willingness that we have as a company to always embrace innovation. Thanks for the question.
Speaker #4: And thanks for the question.
Operator: Thank you. The next question will come from Craig Siegenthaler with Bank of America. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question will come from Craig Siegenthaler with Bank of America. Your line is open.
Speaker #2: Thank you. And the next question will come from Craig. Sigenthaler with Bank of America. Your line is open.
Craig Siegenthaler: Good morning, Billy. Hope you're doing well. We wanted to see if you have any metrics to help us evaluate the engagement levels with both, one, TARA, your brand-new AI assistant, and also two, your new dedicated Kalshi pricing page. I know you just launched them both in the back half of June, but we're curious on early engagement levels, and also where you expect them to go to.
Craig Siegenthaler: Good morning, Billy. Hope you're doing well. We wanted to see if you have any metrics to help us evaluate the engagement levels with both, one, TARA, your brand-new AI assistant, and also two, your new dedicated Kalshi pricing page. I know you just launched them both in the back half of June, but we're curious on early engagement levels, and also where you expect them to go to.
Speaker #6: Good morning, Billy. Hope you're doing well. We wanted to see if you have any metrics to help us evaluate the engagement levels with both one tera or brand new AI system and also two, your new dedicated cal sheet pricing page.
Speaker #6: And I know you just launched them both in the back half of June, but we're curious about early engagement levels and also where you expect them to go.
Speaker #4: Yeah. It's a great question. Good to hear your voice, Craig. And the timeliness, I think, around tera, interesting, given the kind of news of today.
Billy Hult: Yeah, it's a great question. Good to hear your voice, Craig. The timeliness, I think, around TARA, interesting, given the kind of news of today. Appreciate the question. Definitely still early days, and let me kind of take a half a step back on your question. I say this all the time. We are going to be the most ambitious company that we can be. Part of that ambition ultimately relies on our ability to continue to be a leader in the core businesses that we are in. At the same time, place these very important bets in frontier space, which I think encapsulates your question really well, frontier space. Having extremely strong client conversations this quarter on both TARA and Kalshi.
Billy Hult: Yeah, it's a great question. Good to hear your voice, Craig. The timeliness, I think, around TARA, interesting, given the kind of news of today. Appreciate the question. Definitely still early days, and let me kind of take a half a step back on your question. I say this all the time. We are going to be the most ambitious company that we can be. Part of that ambition ultimately relies on our ability to continue to be a leader in the core businesses that we are in. At the same time, place these very important bets in frontier space, which I think encapsulates your question really well, frontier space. Having extremely strong client conversations this quarter on both TARA and Kalshi.
Speaker #4: So appreciate the question. Definitely still early days. And let me kind of take a half a step back on your question. I think I say this all the time.
Speaker #4: We are going to be the most ambitious company that we can be. And part of that ambition, ultimately, relies on our ability to continue to be a leader in the core businesses that we are in.
Speaker #4: And at the same time, place these very, very important bets in frontier space, which I think encapsulates your question really well. Frontier space. So having extremely strong client conversations this quarter on both tera and cal sheet, and I think right now our focus is trying to kind of engage with our clients and prove the value of this to our clients.
Billy Hult: I think right now our focus is trying to kind of engage with our clients and prove the value of this to our clients. Start with the problem, I think from our perspective, that TARA solves. I think the way I would describe it is the challenge for a trader today isn't by definition kind of access to data. It's pulling the signal out of a large and growing data set really fast enough to act on it. Hear me on that kind of point, right? TARA ultimately will move clients from data retrieval into something extremely important, which is insight generation. Instantly, right inside of their workflow across liquidity, pricing, and historical context. As I'm describing all of that to you, Craig, you can hear the focus that the company is bringing to the space specifically around this, because it starts in credit.
Billy Hult: I think right now our focus is trying to kind of engage with our clients and prove the value of this to our clients. Start with the problem, I think from our perspective, that TARA solves. I think the way I would describe it is the challenge for a trader today isn't by definition kind of access to data. It's pulling the signal out of a large and growing data set really fast enough to act on it. Hear me on that kind of point, right? TARA ultimately will move clients from data retrieval into something extremely important, which is insight generation. Instantly, right inside of their workflow across liquidity, pricing, and historical context. As I'm describing all of that to you, Craig, you can hear the focus that the company is bringing to the space specifically around this, because it starts in credit.
Speaker #4: So, to start with the problem—I think, from our perspective, that Tera solves—the challenge, I think, the way I would describe it is: the challenge for a trader today isn't, by definition, access to data.
Speaker #4: It's pulling the signal out of a large and growing data set, really fast enough to act on it. And so hear me on that kind of point.
Speaker #4: Right? Tera, ultimately, will move clients from data retrieval into something extremely important, which is insight generation. Instantly, right inside of their workflow, across liquidity, pricing, and historical context.
Speaker #4: And as I've describing all of that to you, Craig, you can hear the focus that the company is bringing to the space, specifically around this, because it starts in credit.
Speaker #4: And over the medium term, I think we're going to expand it where it makes sense across product lines. And ultimately, the lines, I think, really well with our vision of a kind of true multi-asset assistant here.
Billy Hult: Over the medium term, I think we're going to expand it where it makes sense across product lines. Ultimately it aligns, I think, really well with our vision of a kind of true multi-asset assistant here. Early adoption and credit has been quite encouraging from my perspective, despite obviously something which is, as you know very well, this is all new, right? Any time something is new, and there's obviously the agentic nature of the product, it's forcing clients, I think, in a good way to revisit and rewrite compliance rules around this. We're super excited around directionally where this is going, and I think we're putting the right amount of effort and energy around this. That's a great thing. The best conversations we're having with our clients really has been around Kalshi.
Billy Hult: Over the medium term, I think we're going to expand it where it makes sense across product lines. Ultimately it aligns, I think, really well with our vision of a kind of true multi-asset assistant here. Early adoption and credit has been quite encouraging from my perspective, despite obviously something which is, as you know very well, this is all new, right? Any time something is new, and there's obviously the agentic nature of the product, it's forcing clients, I think, in a good way to revisit and rewrite compliance rules around this. We're super excited around directionally where this is going, and I think we're putting the right amount of effort and energy around this. That's a great thing. The best conversations we're having with our clients really has been around Kalshi.
Speaker #4: Early adoption and credit has been quite encouraging from my perspective. Despite, obviously, something which is, as you know very well, this is all new.
Speaker #4: Right? And it's anything, anytime something is new and there's the, obviously, the agentic nature of the product. So it's forcing clients, I think, in a good way to revisit and rewrite compliance, compliance rules, around this.
Speaker #4: But we're super excited around directionally where this is going and where I think we're putting the right amount of effort and energy around this.
Speaker #4: And so that's a great thing. CalSheet is just—like the best conversations we're having with our clients really have been around CalSheet.
Speaker #4: Because the cal sheet page from my perspective, I think, reflects the definition of something really important, which is how the macro markets are continuing to evolve, and clients are increasingly looking at kind of how we think about prediction market signals alongside their kind of core rates interest rate swaps, government bonds, etc.
Billy Hult: The Kalshi page, from my perspective, I think reflects the definition of something really important, which is how the macro markets are continuing to evolve. Clients are increasingly looking at kind of how we think about prediction market signals alongside their kind of core rates, interest rate swaps, government bonds, et cetera, and also credit strategies. We try to keep things simple. We started with a simple thing, which is a viewer that puts real-time event probabilities right next to swaps and Treasuries in an easy and accessible way. Intentionally low friction, because step 1, as always around these things, is kind of discovery and learning. We are getting really good feedback around that. Clients are returning and beginning to personalize their workflows through filters and watch lists.
Billy Hult: The Kalshi page, from my perspective, I think reflects the definition of something really important, which is how the macro markets are continuing to evolve. Clients are increasingly looking at kind of how we think about prediction market signals alongside their kind of core rates, interest rate swaps, government bonds, et cetera, and also credit strategies. We try to keep things simple. We started with a simple thing, which is a viewer that puts real-time event probabilities right next to swaps and Treasuries in an easy and accessible way. Intentionally low friction, because step 1, as always around these things, is kind of discovery and learning. We are getting really good feedback around that. Clients are returning and beginning to personalize their workflows through filters and watch lists.
Speaker #4: And also credit strategies. And so we try to keep things simple. So we started with a simple thing, which is a viewer that puts real-time event probabilities right next to swaps and treasuries in an easy and accessible way.
Speaker #4: Intentionally, low friction, because step one, as always around these things, is kind of discovery and learning. And we're getting really good feedback around that.
Speaker #4: Clients are returning and beginning to personalize their workflows, excuse me, through filters and watchlists. And these are the technical things that we can see happening.
Billy Hult: These are the technical things that we can see happening that from our perspective matter a lot. Things are going to get interesting, right? Prediction markets today are, as you know very well, Craig, essentially retail. From my perspective, obviously, the opportunity is to build the institutional-grade version with the standardization, connectivity, execution quality, and size that the biggest, most sophisticated institutions in the world expect. In a certain way, as new as all of this is, and as exciting as all of this is, that is in a certain way the same playbook we have run across fixed income for more than 25 years. I think it builds directly on what we already have, which is a broad network execution infrastructure, and ultimately the seat on how this activity trades. Two very big initiatives that you kind of asked a question on.
Billy Hult: These are the technical things that we can see happening that from our perspective matter a lot. Things are going to get interesting, right? Prediction markets today are, as you know very well, Craig, essentially retail. From my perspective, obviously, the opportunity is to build the institutional-grade version with the standardization, connectivity, execution quality, and size that the biggest, most sophisticated institutions in the world expect. In a certain way, as new as all of this is, and as exciting as all of this is, that is in a certain way the same playbook we have run across fixed income for more than 25 years. I think it builds directly on what we already have, which is a broad network execution infrastructure, and ultimately the seat on how this activity trades. Two very big initiatives that you kind of asked a question on.
Speaker #4: That from our perspective, matter a lot. And so things are going to get interesting. Right? Prediction markets today are as you know very well, Craig, essentially retail.
Speaker #4: From my perspective, obviously, the opportunity is to build the institutional-grade version, with the standardization, connectivity, execution quality, and size, that the biggest, most sophisticated institutions in the world expect.
Speaker #4: And in a certain way, as new as all of this is and as exciting as all of this is, that's in a certain way the same playbook we've run across fixed income for more than 25 years.
Speaker #4: And I think it builds directly on what we already have, which is a broad network, execution infrastructure, and, ultimately, the seat on how this activity trades.
Speaker #4: The seat on how this activity trades. So two very big initiatives that you kind of asked the question on. Interestingly, I would say they're different initiatives, but I think connected by the same strategy.
Billy Hult: Interestingly, I would say they are different initiatives, but I think connected by the same strategy. The ethos has to be lead with the client, prove the engagement, and ultimately the monetization opportunity, as you know very well, always comes on the follow. A lot of focus on this from our perspective, thanks very much for the question, Craig.
Billy Hult: Interestingly, I would say they are different initiatives, but I think connected by the same strategy. The ethos has to be lead with the client, prove the engagement, and ultimately the monetization opportunity, as you know very well, always comes on the follow. A lot of focus on this from our perspective, thanks very much for the question, Craig.
Speaker #4: The ethos has to be led with the client, prove the engagement, and ultimately, the monetization opportunity, as you know very well, always comes on the follow.
Speaker #4: So a lot of focus on this from our perspective. And thanks very much. For the question, Craig.
Speaker #1: Thank you, Billy.
Craig Siegenthaler: Thank you, Billy.
Craig Siegenthaler: Thank you, Billy.
Speaker #2: Thank you. And the next question is going to come from Dan Fannon with Jefferies. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question is going to come from Dan Fannon with Jefferies. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question is going to come from Dan Fannon with Jefferies. Your line is open.
Dan Fannon: Thanks. Good morning. Sara, heard you on the guidance for expenses, but was hoping to get a little more detail on the incremental spend and where that's being directed. Then if we think about a revenue environment that maybe is less constructive, how do we think about expense flexibility in that type of scenario?
Dan Fannon: Thanks. Good morning. Sara, heard you on the guidance for expenses, but was hoping to get a little more detail on the incremental spend and where that's being directed. Then if we think about a revenue environment that maybe is less constructive, how do we think about expense flexibility in that type of scenario?
Speaker #5: Thanks. Good morning. Sarah, heard you on the guidance for expenses, but was hoping to get a little more detail on the incremental spend and where that's being directed and then.
Speaker #5: If we think about the revenue environment, that maybe is less constructive. How do we think about expense flexibility and that type of scenario?
Speaker #6: Great. Good morning. Hi, Dan. Look, specifically, we're directing our incremental investments this year versus last year in two big buckets. The first grouping I would say is around longer-term investments and horizons that are fueling what we think are the next legs of growth and innovation for Tradeweb.
Sara Furber: Great. Good morning. Hi, Dan. Look, specifically, we're directing our incremental investments this year versus last year in two big buckets. The first grouping, I would say, is around longer-term investments and horizons that are fueling what we think are the next legs of growth and innovation for Tradeweb. There's three specific things I'd call out there that you've heard us talk about. One is data infrastructure and strategy, and I think I mentioned this in our prepared remarks. This quarter, we had a $5 million increase from last year as we really stepped up our spend significantly in the back half of last year. Those investments support AI readiness, increased performance demands with the volumes we're seeing, and a lot of our expansion, particularly internationally.
Sara Furber: Great. Good morning. Hi, Dan. Look, specifically, we're directing our incremental investments this year versus last year in two big buckets. The first grouping, I would say, is around longer-term investments and horizons that are fueling what we think are the next legs of growth and innovation for Tradeweb. There's three specific things I'd call out there that you've heard us talk about. One is data infrastructure and strategy, and I think I mentioned this in our prepared remarks. This quarter, we had a $5 million increase from last year as we really stepped up our spend significantly in the back half of last year. Those investments support AI readiness, increased performance demands with the volumes we're seeing, and a lot of our expansion, particularly internationally.
Speaker #6: And so there's three specific things I'd call out there that you've heard us talk about. One is data infrastructure and strategy. And I think I mentioned this in our prepared remarks.
Speaker #6: This quarter, we had a $5 million increase from last year as we really stepped up our spend significantly in the back half of last year.
Speaker #6: But those investments support AI readiness, increased performance demands with the volumes we're seeing, and a lot of our expansion, particularly internationally. The next bucket, I would say, and Billy just spent some time talking about that, is AI client-facing innovation, which we think is really important.
Sara Furber: The next bucket I would say, Billy just spent some time talking about that, is AI client-facing innovation, which we think is really important. Those include areas like TARA and Ai-Price and improvements in protocols like SNAP+ and AiEX, which we believe really are driving next levels of electronification in our biggest markets like credit and treasuries. Those include people and non-comp investments. Then the last piece in that longer-term bucket that I'd call out is digital and frontier markets, which you've seen us talk about, but include organic things that we're doing in tokenized trading such as intraday repo, crypto capabilities, as well as Kalshi-related initiatives. That's the first grouping that I would say is longer term.
Sara Furber: The next bucket I would say, Billy just spent some time talking about that, is AI client-facing innovation, which we think is really important. Those include areas like TARA and Ai-Price and improvements in protocols like SNAP+ and AiEX, which we believe really are driving next levels of electronification in our biggest markets like credit and treasuries. Those include people and non-comp investments. Then the last piece in that longer-term bucket that I'd call out is digital and frontier markets, which you've seen us talk about, but include organic things that we're doing in tokenized trading such as intraday repo, crypto capabilities, as well as Kalshi-related initiatives. That's the first grouping that I would say is longer term.
Speaker #6: So those include areas like Terra and AI price and improvements in protocols like Snap Plus and AIX, which we believe really are driving next levels of electronification in our biggest markets like credit and treasuries.
Speaker #6: And those include people and non-comp investments. And then the last piece in that longer-term bucket that I'd call out is digital and frontier markets, which you've seen us talk about, but include organic things that we're doing in tokenized trading, such as intraday repo, crypto capabilities, as well as CalSheet-related initiatives.
Speaker #6: So that's the first longer-term. On top of that, we have a second bucket that I think is more nearer-term return, and things that we are continuing to invest in that we started years ago that have clear traction, clear acceleration of revenue growth.
Sara Furber: On top of that, we have a second bucket that I think is more nearer term return and things that we are continuing to invest in that we started years ago that have clear traction, clear acceleration of revenue growth. Those are areas like swaps and EM and Asia. As you think about it, overall, your question about flexibility, even with these stepped-up investments and our new office and the hiring, about 45% of our expense base remains variable and discretionary. We continue to see operating leverage. We remain confident in our ability to show margin improvement. You saw that in the H1 of this year, our expense grew 14.8% and margins expanded over 30 basis points. At that top half of the range, adjusted expenses would grow between 11% and 14% for the full year.
Sara Furber: On top of that, we have a second bucket that I think is more nearer term return and things that we are continuing to invest in that we started years ago that have clear traction, clear acceleration of revenue growth. Those are areas like swaps and EM and Asia. As you think about it, overall, your question about flexibility, even with these stepped-up investments and our new office and the hiring, about 45% of our expense base remains variable and discretionary. We continue to see operating leverage. We remain confident in our ability to show margin improvement. You saw that in the H1 of this year, our expense grew 14.8% and margins expanded over 30 basis points. At that top half of the range, adjusted expenses would grow between 11% and 14% for the full year.
Speaker #6: And so those are areas like swaps and EM and Asia. And so as you think about it, overall, your question about flexibility, even with these stepped-up investments and our new office in the hiring, about 45% of our expense base remains variable and discretionary.
Speaker #6: So we continue to see operating leverage. We remain confident in our ability to show margin improvement. And you saw that in the first half of this year, our expense grew 14.8% and margins expanded over 30 basis points.
Speaker #6: So at that top half of the range, adjusted expenses would grow between 11 and 14 percent for the full year. We expect the second half to show slower expense growth relative to the prior year comparisons.
Sara Furber: We expect the H2 to show slower expense growth relative to the prior year comparisons. Given our strategic priorities and enthusiasm on the outlook, we're continuing to invest, but we absolutely have the flexibility to slow down the pace of investments and a lot of flexibility in different environments. Thanks for that question.
Sara Furber: We expect the H2 to show slower expense growth relative to the prior year comparisons. Given our strategic priorities and enthusiasm on the outlook, we're continuing to invest, but we absolutely have the flexibility to slow down the pace of investments and a lot of flexibility in different environments. Thanks for that question.
Speaker #6: And given our strategic priorities and enthusiasm about the outlook, we're continuing to invest. But we absolutely have the flexibility to slow down the pace of investments and a lot of flexibility in different environments.
Speaker #6: So thanks for that question.
Speaker #5: Thank you.
Billy Hult: Thank you.
Billy Hult: Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from Ken Worthington with J.P. Morgan. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from Ken Worthington with JP Morgan. Your line is open.
Speaker #2: Thank you. And the next question comes from Ken Worthington with JP Morgan. Your line is open.
Ken Worthington: Hi. Good morning. I wanted to follow up on Alex's earlier question. Where might Sprecher, as a new owner and leader of MarketAxess, make it a more formidable competitor in credit? Part of the pitch that Jeff made this morning is that having a fully integrated front-to-back ecosystem and leveraging economies of scale can increase activity and market share. Billy, does the pitch make sense to you, and do they have the pieces for that front-to-back ecosystem, and how does Tradeweb adjust here? I was going to say you've got plenty of cash on the balance sheets. You can fill in any pieces that you need, but ultimately, is there a response here?
Ken Worthington: Hi. Good morning. I wanted to follow up on Alex's earlier question. Where might Sprecher, as a new owner and leader of MarketAxess, make it a more formidable competitor in credit? Part of the pitch that Jeff made this morning is that having a fully integrated front-to-back ecosystem and leveraging economies of scale can increase activity and market share. Billy, does the pitch make sense to you, and do they have the pieces for that front-to-back ecosystem, and how does Tradeweb adjust here? I was going to say you've got plenty of cash on the balance sheets. You can fill in any pieces that you need, but ultimately, is there a response here?
Speaker #5: Hi. Good morning. I wanted to follow up on Alex's earlier question. Where might Sprecker, as a new owner and leader of Market Access, make it a more forbiddable competitor in credit?
Speaker #5: So part of the pitch that Jeff made this morning is that having a fully integrated front-to-back ecosystem and leveraging economies of scale can increase activity in market share.
Speaker #5: So Billy, does the pitch make sense to you? And do they have the pieces for that front-to-back ecosystem? And how does Tradeweb adjust here?
Speaker #5: I was going to say, you've got plenty of cash on the balance sheet. You can fill in any pieces that you need. But ultimately, what is their response here?
Speaker #4: Yeah, it's a good question. And I don't want to be dismissive, but I'll tell you my very strong reaction: it's just that we have our playbook.
Billy Hult: That's a good question, Ken, and I don't want to be dismissive. I'll tell you my very strong reaction is just like we have our playbook. Therefore, we can be very opportunistic, but I'm reluctant to say that we have to adjust. I will make sure I say that very kind of clearly around this. In some ways, what you're kind of describing, I don't want to give Jeff too many kind of house secrets, it's a little bit of a strategy that we've been kind of building for nearly 30 years around kind of STP data execution, post-trade, TCA, et cetera. We have a very strong kind of worldview around the power of technology, around the user experience, and sales.
Billy Hult: That's a good question, Ken, and I don't want to be dismissive. I'll tell you my very strong reaction is just like we have our playbook. Therefore, we can be very opportunistic, but I'm reluctant to say that we have to adjust. I will make sure I say that very kind of clearly around this. In some ways, what you're kind of describing, I don't want to give Jeff too many kind of house secrets, it's a little bit of a strategy that we've been kind of building for nearly 30 years around kind of STP data execution, post-trade, TCA, et cetera. We have a very strong kind of worldview around the power of technology, around the user experience, and sales.
Speaker #4: And so therefore, we can be very opportunistic, but I'm reluctant to say that we have to adjust. And I will make sure I say that very kind of clearly around this.
Speaker #4: Because in some ways, what you're kind of describing I don't want to give Jeff too many kind of house secrets, but it's a little bit of a strategy that we've been kind of building for nearly 30 years around kind of STP data execution, post-trade.
Speaker #4: TCA, etc. We have a very strong kind of worldview around the power of technology around the user experience and sales. And part of that sales has to be around ultimately aligning interests with the biggest, most important banks in the world, including JP Morgan.
Billy Hult: Part of that sales has to be around ultimately aligning interests with the biggest, most important banks in the world, including J.P. Morgan. I'm not positive how all of this stuff got announced this morning kind of easily solves in a very specific way how MarketAxess has been offsides around that for a while. I'll be kind of watching that in a way that you would expect, Ken. We feel quite good about the playbook that we have running in credit, which is going to be a hyper-focus on ultimately solving for more complexity and more risk trades. What I think described before, I think is really, really important, which is the non-bank liquidity providers are arriving in force inside of credit.
Billy Hult: Part of that sales has to be around ultimately aligning interests with the biggest, most important banks in the world, including JP Morgan. I'm not positive how all of this stuff got announced this morning kind of easily solves in a very specific way how MarketAxess has been offsides around that for a while. I'll be kind of watching that in a way that you would expect, Ken. We feel quite good about the playbook that we have running in credit, which is going to be a hyper-focus on ultimately solving for more complexity and more risk trades. What I think described before, I think is really, really important, which is the non-bank liquidity providers are arriving in force inside of credit.
Speaker #4: I'm not positive how all of this that got announced this morning kind of easily solves in a very specific way how Market Access has been off sides around that for a while.
Speaker #4: But I'll be kind of watching that in a way that you would expect, Ken. And we feel quite good about the playbook that we have running in credit, which is going to be a hyper-focus on ultimately solving for more complexity and more risk trades.
Speaker #4: And what I think described before, I think, is really, really important, which is the non-bank liquidity providers are arriving in force inside of credit.
Speaker #4: The nuance it takes to actually solve for both the needs of those firms, plus to make sure you're keeping the biggest, most important counterparties' banks globally in the world on side, is everything.
Billy Hult: The nuance it takes to actually solve for both the needs of those firms, plus to make sure you're keeping the biggest, most important counterparties banks globally in the world on side, is everything. I think Tradeweb's ability to solve for that is at the highest level, and probably a big piece of the secret sauce that we've brought to the equation from the very beginning in credit, and maybe I just gave away a tiny little bit of a playbook there, that's okay. I think that's historically what we've been really good at and is going to be a version of the play that we continue to run.
Billy Hult: The nuance it takes to actually solve for both the needs of those firms, plus to make sure you're keeping the biggest, most important counterparties banks globally in the world on side, is everything. I think Tradeweb's ability to solve for that is at the highest level, and probably a big piece of the secret sauce that we've brought to the equation from the very beginning in credit, and maybe I just gave away a tiny little bit of a playbook there, that's okay. I think that's historically what we've been really good at and is going to be a version of the play that we continue to run.
Speaker #4: And I think Tradeweb's ability to solve for that is at the highest level. And probably a big piece of the secret sauce that we've brought to the equation from the very beginning in credit and maybe I just gave away a tiny little bit of a playbook there, but that's okay.
Speaker #4: And I think that's historically what we've been really good at and is going to be a version of the play that we continue to run.
Ken Worthington: Thank you.
Ken Worthington: Thank you.
Speaker #4: So yeah, continuing the optimism that we feel around where kind of credit is going I think was validated this morning. And I'm looking forward to kind of where the next chapter goes from here.
Billy Hult: Yeah. Continuing the optimism that we feel around where credit is going, I think was validated this morning. I am looking forward to where the next chapter goes from here.
Billy Hult: Yeah. Continuing the optimism that we feel around where credit is going, I think was validated this morning. I am looking forward to where the next chapter goes from here.
Speaker #5: Awesome. Thank you very much.
Ken Worthington: Awesome. Thank you very much.
Ken Worthington: Awesome. Thank you very much.
Billy Hult: Yep.
Billy Hult: Yep.
Speaker #4: Yes.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from Michael Cyprys with Morgan Stanley. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from Michael Cyprys with Morgan Stanley. Your line is open.
Speaker #2: Thank you. The next question comes from Michael Cypress with Morgan Stanley. Your line is open.
Speaker #6: Hi, good morning. Thanks for taking the question. I wanted to ask about rate swaps. I'm curious what you see as the biggest barriers to further electronification in swaps from here.
Michael Cyprys: Hi, good morning. Thanks for taking the question. Wanted to ask on rate swaps, curious what you see as the biggest barriers to further electronification and swaps from here, and where are you seeing the fastest progress so far, and what can Tradeweb do to accelerate adoption as you look out?
Michael Cyprys: Hi, good morning. Thanks for taking the question. Wanted to ask on rate swaps, curious what you see as the biggest barriers to further electronification and swaps from here, and where are you seeing the fastest progress so far, and what can Tradeweb do to accelerate adoption as you look out?
Speaker #6: And where are you seeing the fastest progress so far? And where can Tradeweb what can Tradeweb do to accelerate adoption as you look out?
Speaker #4: Yeah. It's a really good question. Michael, how are you? It's like all this kind of focus on this morning's news and credits that are like, "What a franchise." That we have in our kind of global swaps business.
Billy Hult: Yeah, it's a really good question, Michael. How are you? It's like all this kind of focus on this morning's news and credits that are like, what a franchise that we have in our kind of global swaps business. I appreciate the question. As you know, in a really good way, I think the swaps market is sort of awash in complexity. In a very specific way, I think that's where we thrive. Electronification, we know this really well, has never been linear. It moves in phases as market structure, kind of regulation, liquidity, and client behavior ultimately line up. On the barriers, I think from my perspective, and it's amazing to say this kind of all these years later, I think the biggest one in a certain way is simply behavioral.
Billy Hult: Yeah, it's a really good question, Michael. How are you? It's like all this kind of focus on this morning's news and credits that are like, what a franchise that we have in our kind of global swaps business. I appreciate the question. As you know, in a really good way, I think the swaps market is sort of awash in complexity. In a very specific way, I think that's where we thrive. Electronification, we know this really well, has never been linear. It moves in phases as market structure, kind of regulation, liquidity, and client behavior ultimately line up. On the barriers, I think from my perspective, and it's amazing to say this kind of all these years later, I think the biggest one in a certain way is simply behavioral.
Speaker #4: So I appreciate the question. As you know, in a really good way, I think the swaps market is sort of like a wash in complexity.
Speaker #4: And in a very specific way, I think that's where we thrive. Electronification we know this really well has never been linear. It moves in phases as market structure kind of regulation, liquidity, and client behavior ultimately line up.
Speaker #4: On the barriers, I think from my perspective—and it's amazing to say this all these years later—I think the biggest one, in a certain way, is simply behavioral.
Speaker #4: Ultimately moving real large risk electronically requires trust and a change in a certain way around kind of long-held workflows. And in the more complex corners, I think it also depends I think on something like really important, which is better data and ultimately more efficient post-trade.
Billy Hult: Ultimately, moving real large risk electronically requires trust, and a change, in a certain way, around long-held workflows. In the more complex corners, I think it also depends, I think, on something really important, which is better data, and ultimately more efficient post-trade. In a certain way, it's less a technological barrier than an adoption curve. Okay? Think about that again. It's less a technological shift or a change, and ultimately back to this concept of human behavior shifting, which is something, I think, again, back to sales, interestingly, something that we're really good at and really focused on. On where progress, I think, in a certain way, is fastest, EM swaps is a huge standout. We've helped to drive it to roughly 20% electronification and account for the majority of that activity.
Billy Hult: Ultimately, moving real large risk electronically requires trust, and a change, in a certain way, around long-held workflows. In the more complex corners, I think it also depends, I think, on something really important, which is better data, and ultimately more efficient post-trade. In a certain way, it's less a technological barrier than an adoption curve. Okay? Think about that again. It's less a technological shift or a change, and ultimately back to this concept of human behavior shifting, which is something, I think, again, back to sales, interestingly, something that we're really good at and really focused on. On where progress, I think, in a certain way, is fastest, EM swaps is a huge standout. We've helped to drive it to roughly 20% electronification and account for the majority of that activity.
Speaker #4: In a certain way, it's less a technological barrier than an adoption curve. Okay? So think about that again. It's like less a technological shift or a change and ultimately back to this concept of human behavior shifting, which is something I think, again, back to sales interestingly, something that we're really, really good at and really focused on.
Speaker #4: And so on where progress, I think in a certain way is fastest. EM swaps is a huge standout. We've helped to drive it to roughly 20% electronification and account for the majority of that activity.
Speaker #4: I think also I think in a good way breaking new ground in the more complex sort of uncleared parts of the market with a series of kind of industry-first electronic trades there, which you've heard from us about.
Billy Hult: I think also, I think in a good way, breaking new ground in the more complex, sort of uncleared parts of the market with a series of kind of industry-first electronic trades there, which you've heard from us about. Risk share keeps climbing as clients ultimately execute more risk with us. The big and really important kind of next frontier around all of this is kind of clearly, I think, from our perspective, wholesale. As you've gotten to know us really well over the years, as you know, as we've built out these big institutional markets and whether or not that is mortgages, government bonds, credit, et cetera, we've also built out mirroring liquidity pools electronically on the wholesale side in those markets. The focus for us in swaps now, I think in a really big way, is now wholesale.
Billy Hult: I think also, I think in a good way, breaking new ground in the more complex, sort of uncleared parts of the market with a series of kind of industry-first electronic trades there, which you've heard from us about. Risk share keeps climbing as clients ultimately execute more risk with us. The big and really important kind of next frontier around all of this is kind of clearly, I think, from our perspective, wholesale. As you've gotten to know us really well over the years, as you know, as we've built out these big institutional markets and whether or not that is mortgages, government bonds, credit, et cetera, we've also built out mirroring liquidity pools electronically on the wholesale side in those markets. The focus for us in swaps now, I think in a really big way, is now wholesale.
Speaker #4: And risk share keeps climbing as clients ultimately execute more risk with us. The big and really important kind of next frontier around all of this is kind of clearly, I think from our perspective, wholesale.
Speaker #4: And as you've gotten to know us really well over the years, as you know, as we've built out these big institutional markets—and whether or not that is mortgages, government bonds, credit, etc.—we've also built out mirroring liquidity pools electronically, on the wholesale side, in those markets.
Speaker #4: And the focus for us in swaps now, I think in a really big way, is now wholesale. In a certain way, just think about it very basically, which is like the institutional market is moving like 60, 70 miles an hour.
Billy Hult: In a certain way, just think about it very basically, which is like the institutional market is moving 60, 70 miles an hour, the wholesale market is going much slower. I think as dealers win and manage more risk electronically, their need for more efficient tools and the ability to recycle and warehouse that risk electronically grows. We're going to have the connectivity, from my perspective, to be the winner as that market moves electronically. Here where our focus is around that, and feeling exceptionally good about what we've been able to accomplish globally within our interest rate business. Thanks for the question, Michael.
Billy Hult: In a certain way, just think about it very basically, which is like the institutional market is moving 60, 70 miles an hour, the wholesale market is going much slower. I think as dealers win and manage more risk electronically, their need for more efficient tools and the ability to recycle and warehouse that risk electronically grows. We're going to have the connectivity, from my perspective, to be the winner as that market moves electronically. Here where our focus is around that, and feeling exceptionally good about what we've been able to accomplish globally within our interest rate business. Thanks for the question, Michael.
Speaker #4: And the wholesale market is going like much slower. And I think as dealers win and manage more risk electronically, their need for more efficient tools and the ability to recycle and warehouse that risk electronically grows.
Speaker #4: And we're going to have the connectivity from my perspective to be the winner as that market moves electronically. So here where our focus is around that and feeling like exceptionally good about what we've been able to accomplish globally within our interest rate business.
Speaker #4: And thanks for the question, Michael.
Speaker #6: Great. Thank you.
Michael Cyprys: Great. Thank you.
Michael Cyprys: Great. Thank you.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from Christian Bolu with Autonomous. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question comes from Christian Bolu with Autonomous. Your line is open.
Speaker #2: Thank you. And the next question comes from Christian Bolu with Autonomous. Your line is open.
Christian Bolu: Good morning, Billy and Sara. Couple quick questions on your capital management strategy. You're sitting on north of $2 billion of cash. The stock is near its lowest relative multiple since the IPO. Yet you've only purchased about $250 million worth of shares this year. Just curious why you're not leaning in harder into share repurchases. Then maybe longer term, strategically, after you've done the Crossover and the Kalshi minority interest investments this year, is sort of the next leg of the TAM story, crypto execution or prediction markets, what would make you move from just doing minority investments to doing full-scale acquisitions?
Christian Bolu: Good morning, Billy and Sara. Couple quick questions on your capital management strategy. You're sitting on north of $2 billion of cash. The stock is near its lowest relative multiple since the IPO. Yet you've only purchased about $250 million worth of shares this year. Just curious why you're not leaning in harder into share repurchases. Then maybe longer term, strategically, after you've done the Crossover and the Kalshi minority interest investments this year, is sort of the next leg of the TAM story, crypto execution or prediction markets, what would make you move from just doing minority investments to doing full-scale acquisitions?
Speaker #7: Good morning. Julian Serra. A couple of quick questions on your capital management strategy. You're sitting on north of $2 billion of cash. The stock is near its lowest relative multiple since the IPO.
Speaker #7: Yes, you've already purchased about 250 million worth of shares this year. Just curious why you're not leaning in harder into share repurchases. And then maybe longer-term strategically, after you've done the crossover and the Kalshi minority interest investments this year, is sort of the next leg of the TAM story crypto execution or prediction markets?
Speaker #7: And what would make you move from just doing minority investments to doing full-scale acquisitions?
Sara Furber: Great. Thanks, Christian. We continuously evaluate the size of our cash position relative to our capital needs and investment opportunities. It's a good problem to have. As we've grown, our business excels in generating cash. Organic initiatives remain our top capital management return, and we're actively investing in areas like frontier markets and tokenization. Billy mentioned AI and agentic trading and international. Overall, to your point, in the scheme of producing $1 billion of annual free cash flow, we will have excess cash.
Sara Furber: Great. Thanks, Christian. We continuously evaluate the size of our cash position relative to our capital needs and investment opportunities. It's a good problem to have. As we've grown, our business excels in generating cash. Organic initiatives remain our top capital management return, and we're actively investing in areas like frontier markets and tokenization. Billy mentioned AI and agentic trading and international. Overall, to your point, in the scheme of producing $1 billion of annual free cash flow, we will have excess cash.
Speaker #1: Great. Thanks, Christian. We continuously evaluate the size of our cash position relative to our capital needs and investment opportunities. And it's a good problem to have as we've grown, our business excels in generating cash.
Speaker #1: And so organic initiatives remain our top capital management return. And we're actively investing in areas like frontier markets and tokenization, Billy mentioned AI and agentic trading and international.
Speaker #1: But overall, to your point, in the scheme of producing a billion dollars of annual free cash flow, we will have excess cash. So right now, of that $2 billion on the balance sheet, we have about $500 million earmark for reg risk capital and working capital.
Sara Furber: Right now of that $2 billion on the balance sheet, we have about $500 million earmarked for risk capital and working capital, and that leaves about a billion and a half dollars of excess cash, which we've already stepped up on our share repurchases, and you can expect us, barring M&A and any restrictions, to continue to lean in at these price levels. As you mentioned, we've deployed the $200 million. We have a little over $300 million remaining in our current authorization, and we are very open to opportunistically deploying against that. I did say the caveats on share repurchases, though, because while it's accretive at current levels, it's not nearly as accretive as some of the M&A opportunities we are evaluating in our pipeline. Our space is active both on outright M&A and strategic investments.
Sara Furber: Right now of that $2 billion on the balance sheet, we have about $500 million earmarked for risk capital and working capital, and that leaves about a billion and a half dollars of excess cash, which we've already stepped up on our share repurchases, and you can expect us, barring M&A and any restrictions, to continue to lean in at these price levels. As you mentioned, we've deployed the $200 million. We have a little over $300 million remaining in our current authorization, and we are very open to opportunistically deploying against that. I did say the caveats on share repurchases, though, because while it's accretive at current levels, it's not nearly as accretive as some of the M&A opportunities we are evaluating in our pipeline. Our space is active both on outright M&A and strategic investments.
Speaker #1: And that leaves about a billion and a half of excess cash, which we've already stepped up on our share repurchases. And you can expect us, barring M&A and any restrictions, to continue to lean in at these price levels.
Speaker #1: As you mentioned, we've deployed the $200 million we have a little over $300 million remaining in our current authorization. And we are very open to opportunistically deploying against that.
Speaker #1: I did say the caveats on share repurchases, though, because while it's accretive at current levels, it's not nearly as accretive as some of the M&A opportunities we are evaluating in our pipeline.
Speaker #1: And our space is active, both on outright M&A and strategic investments. So, going forward, we have multiple things in the pipeline—both M&A and investment opportunities that we're evaluating.
Sara Furber: Going forward, we have multiple things in the pipeline, both M&A and investment opportunities that we're evaluating. We find having that clean balance sheet and that solid cash position really allows us to be a nimble and attractive partner. Overall, I'd say given that our confidence in our organic growth, we just will remain disciplined around acquisitions. We're looking at things, but we want them to be accretive in the near term to EPS. We don't feel any need to take on a high degree of execution complexity. There are things that we evaluate that are accretive and that we'll pass on, including last year, we spent some time on an acquisition. Overall, our capital return, we're focused and we'll be opportunistic on share repurchases, and it's sized in relation to that overall inorganic pipeline.
Sara Furber: Going forward, we have multiple things in the pipeline, both M&A and investment opportunities that we're evaluating. We find having that clean balance sheet and that solid cash position really allows us to be a nimble and attractive partner. Overall, I'd say given that our confidence in our organic growth, we just will remain disciplined around acquisitions. We're looking at things, but we want them to be accretive in the near term to EPS. We don't feel any need to take on a high degree of execution complexity. There are things that we evaluate that are accretive and that we'll pass on, including last year, we spent some time on an acquisition. Overall, our capital return, we're focused and we'll be opportunistic on share repurchases, and it's sized in relation to that overall inorganic pipeline.
Speaker #1: We find having that clean balance sheet and that solid cash position really allows us to be a nimble and attractive partner. Overall, I'd say, given that our confidence in our organic growth, we just will remain disciplined around acquisitions.
Speaker #1: So we're looking at things, but we want them to be accretive in the near term to EPS. We're not don't feel any need to take on a high degree of execution complexity.
Speaker #1: And so there are things that we evaluate that are accretive and that we'll pass on, including last year, we spent some time on an acquisition.
Speaker #1: But overall, our capital return, we're focused and will be opportunistic on share repurchases. And it's sized in relation to that overall inorganic pipeline. On your second point about the next leg around crypto and prediction markets, specifically, we see these frontier markets as potentially very large, from a TAM perspective, and transformational.
Sara Furber: On your second point about the next leg around crypto and prediction markets. Specifically, we see these frontier markets as potentially very large from a TAM perspective and transformational. With both Kalshi and Crossover, they're plays on retail-oriented markets, potentially institutionalizing. Our minority investments give us a seat at the table, real optionality in these markets that can be quite dynamic without committing heavy capital upfront. As we think about crypto in particular, we think that TAM for institutional crypto is likely to come along nearest term relative to the predictive market. We're seeing interest from clients pick up and the required mechanisms they need for institutional adoption. Things like custody, execution, clearing are developing. Overall, our investment is performing really well, and we're quite happy with it.
Sara Furber: On your second point about the next leg around crypto and prediction markets. Specifically, we see these frontier markets as potentially very large from a TAM perspective and transformational. With both Kalshi and Crossover, they're plays on retail-oriented markets, potentially institutionalizing. Our minority investments give us a seat at the table, real optionality in these markets that can be quite dynamic without committing heavy capital upfront. As we think about crypto in particular, we think that TAM for institutional crypto is likely to come along nearest term relative to the predictive market. We're seeing interest from clients pick up and the required mechanisms they need for institutional adoption. Things like custody, execution, clearing are developing. Overall, our investment is performing really well, and we're quite happy with it.
Speaker #1: And with both Kalshi and crossover, there plays on retail-oriented markets, potentially institutionalizing. So our minority investments give us a seat at the table, real optionality in these markets that can be quite dynamic without committing heavy capital upfront.
Speaker #1: As we think about crypto in particular, we think that TAM, for for institutional crypto, is likely to come along nearest term relative to the predictive market.
Speaker #1: We're seeing interest from clients pick up, and the required mechanisms they need for institutional adoption, so things like custody, execution, and clearing are developing.
Speaker #1: Overall, our investment is performing really well, and we're quite happy with it. We're expanding our organic capabilities, and I think our strategy right now lets us be efficient as regulations are still getting clarified and the market continues to develop more fully.
Sara Furber: We're expanding our organic capabilities, I think our strategy right now lets us be efficient, as regulation still is getting clarified and the market continues to develop more fully. For us to go further in that, we'd want to make sure that we're getting something beyond what the partnership is providing us, we'd want clarity on some of those regulation dynamics and the financials on that market, just like you'd evaluate any other M&A opportunity. With Kalshi, our investment here has also performed quite well, as you can see in the market. From a TAM, this is really a data story for us, Billy hit on this earlier. We've really spent our time curating a set of event prices that are live on our trading screens, you can imagine there's quite a bit of engagement, particularly on the Fed event contracts.
Sara Furber: We're expanding our organic capabilities, I think our strategy right now lets us be efficient, as regulation still is getting clarified and the market continues to develop more fully. For us to go further in that, we'd want to make sure that we're getting something beyond what the partnership is providing us, we'd want clarity on some of those regulation dynamics and the financials on that market, just like you'd evaluate any other M&A opportunity. With Kalshi, our investment here has also performed quite well, as you can see in the market. From a TAM, this is really a data story for us, Billy hit on this earlier. We've really spent our time curating a set of event prices that are live on our trading screens, you can imagine there's quite a bit of engagement, particularly on the Fed event contracts.
Speaker #1: So for us to go further in that, we'd want to make sure that we're getting something beyond what the partnership is providing us. We'd want clarity on some of those regulation dynamics and the financials on that market, just like you'd evaluate any other M&A opportunity.
Speaker #1: With Kalshi our investment here is also performed quite well. As you can see in the market, from a TAM, this is really a data story first.
Speaker #1: And Billy hit on this earlier. So, we've really spent our time curating a set of event prices that are live on our trading screens.
Speaker #1: And you can imagine there's quite a bit of engagement, particularly on the Fed event contracts. And we see the development of that institutional market further out on the continuum.
Sara Furber: We see the development of that institutional market further out on the continuum. I'd say we're quite happy with our investment strategy for now.
Sara Furber: We see the development of that institutional market further out on the continuum. I'd say we're quite happy with our investment strategy for now.
Speaker #1: So I'd say we're quite happy with our investment strategy for now.
Speaker #7: Great. Thank you.
Christian Bolu: Great. Thank you.
Christian Bolu: Great. Thank you.
Speaker #1: Thanks for that.
Sara Furber: Thanks for that.
Sara Furber: Thanks for that.
Operator: Thank you. The next question is going to come from Patrick Moley with Piper Sandler. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question is going to come from Patrick Moley with Piper Sandler. Your line is open.
Speaker #2: Thank going to come from Patrick Moley with Piper Sandler. Your line is open.
Speaker #8: Yes. Good morning. Just maybe a question on the outlook. You mentioned that revenues in July were trending up low teens. Year over year, would love to hear how you're thinking about the setup for the rest of the quarter and into the back half of the year.
Patrick Moley: Yes, good morning. Just maybe a question on the outlook. You mentioned that revenues in July were trending up low teens year-over-year. Would love to hear how you're thinking about the setup for the rest of the quarter and into the back half of the year, then maybe more specifically, with the new Fed leadership, maybe just your comments on how you see that benefiting the industry and Tradeweb moving forward. Thanks.
Patrick Moley: Yes, good morning. Just maybe a question on the outlook. You mentioned that revenues in July were trending up low teens year-over-year. Would love to hear how you're thinking about the setup for the rest of the quarter and into the back half of the year, then maybe more specifically, with the new Fed leadership, maybe just your comments on how you see that benefiting the industry and Tradeweb moving forward. Thanks.
Speaker #8: And then maybe more specifically, with the new Fed leadership, maybe just your comments on how you see that benefiting the industry and trade web moving forward.
Speaker #8: Thanks.
Speaker #9: Good question, Patrick. So I think your questions are really good one. I think you're right. I think that I think Kevin is a I think he's a gift for our rates business.
Billy Hult: Good question, Patrick. I think your question's a really good one. I think you're right. I think that Kevin is a gift for our rates business in a very basic way. I think a market that has to form its own view is a better market for us, I think we saw that yesterday. I think it was like twos bonds steepened yesterday on a Fed day. It was a bigger steepener than had happened at any time since the mid-'90s, right? The change is real. I think two things to follow. Dispersion of view widens. In a very basic way, instead of everyone trading off the same signal, I think you get a genuine kind of two-sided debate. Price discovery sort of migrates from kind of eight scheduled meetings to the economic calendar.
Billy Hult: Good question, Patrick. I think your question's a really good one. I think you're right. I think that Kevin is a gift for our rates business in a very basic way. I think a market that has to form its own view is a better market for us, I think we saw that yesterday. I think it was like twos bonds steepened yesterday on a Fed day. It was a bigger steepener than had happened at any time since the mid-'90s, right? The change is real. I think two things to follow. Dispersion of view widens. In a very basic way, instead of everyone trading off the same signal, I think you get a genuine kind of two-sided debate. Price discovery sort of migrates from kind of eight scheduled meetings to the economic calendar.
Speaker #9: In a very basic way, I think a market that has to form its own view is a better market for us. And I think we saw that yesterday.
Speaker #9: I think it was like choose bonds, steepened yesterday on a Fed day. It was a bigger steepener that had happened at any time since the mid-90s.
Speaker #9: Right? So the changes is real. I think two things to follow. Dispersion of you widens. So in a very basic way, instead of everyone trading off the same signal, I think you get a genuine kind of two-sided debate.
Speaker #9: And price discovery sort of migrates from kind of eight scheduled meetings to the economic calendar. So I think every print in a certain way now matters more.
Billy Hult: I think every print in a certain way now matters more, and that's a steadier drumbeat of activity and not one big macro moment. Think about it that way. As you know I think very well, I think this has been one of the things that has kind of occurred through our business the most over the past year, we don't rely on volatility to drive our story. I think growth accelerated through the quarter. As you know, with June revenue up 20% year-over-year, even as I think Treasury intraday volatility fell about 20% from March levels. A livelier policy debate is upside on a base case in a certain way that doesn't need it. I think that's kind of like an interesting way to say it, I think you hear me on that.
Billy Hult: I think every print in a certain way now matters more, and that's a steadier drumbeat of activity and not one big macro moment. Think about it that way. As you know I think very well, I think this has been one of the things that has kind of occurred through our business the most over the past year, we don't rely on volatility to drive our story. I think growth accelerated through the quarter. As you know, with June revenue up 20% year-over-year, even as I think Treasury intraday volatility fell about 20% from March levels. A livelier policy debate is upside on a base case in a certain way that doesn't need it. I think that's kind of like an interesting way to say it, I think you hear me on that.
Speaker #9: And that's a steadier drumbeat of activity and not kind of like one big macro moment, so think about it that way. But as you know, I think very well—and I think this has been one of the things that has kind of occurred throughout our business the most over the past year—we don't rely on volatility to drive our story.
Speaker #9: I think growth accelerated through the quarter. As you know, with June revenue up 20%, year over year, even as I think Treasury intraday volatility fell about 20% from March levels.
Speaker #9: A livelier policy debate is upside on a base case in a certain way that doesn't need it. And I think that's kind of like an interesting way to say it.
Speaker #9: And I think you hear me on that. At a high level—and I've said this before, but I'm going to kind of reassert this.
Billy Hult: At a high level, I've said this before, but I'm going to kind of reassert this. A handful of themes I think that are driving, ultimately, client activity right now. Growing issuance globally, obviously across government bonds and corporate debt. I don't think we can minimize how important that is. More debt outstanding means more trading. More debt outstanding means more trading. Diverging central bank rate outlooks, that kind of same dispersion of views. I've talked about how the banks are stronger than ever. I think that's a great setup for us. Something we don't talk about as much, I think, is the global de-dollarization, which from our perspective, I think pushes more activity into non-dollar rates. One of the big kind of rises around our European swaps business. I think clients are obviously increasingly using ETFs to express risk, which is a big deal.
Billy Hult: At a high level, I've said this before, but I'm going to kind of reassert this. A handful of themes I think that are driving, ultimately, client activity right now. Growing issuance globally, obviously across government bonds and corporate debt. I don't think we can minimize how important that is. More debt outstanding means more trading. More debt outstanding means more trading. Diverging central bank rate outlooks, that kind of same dispersion of views. I've talked about how the banks are stronger than ever. I think that's a great setup for us. Something we don't talk about as much, I think, is the global de-dollarization, which from our perspective, I think pushes more activity into non-dollar rates. One of the big kind of rises around our European swaps business. I think clients are obviously increasingly using ETFs to express risk, which is a big deal.
Speaker #9: A handful of themes I think that are driving, ultimately, client activity right now: growing issuance globally, obviously, across government bonds and corporate debt. I don't think we can minimize how important that is.
Speaker #9: More debt outstanding means more trading. More debt outstanding means more trading. Diverging central bank rate outlooks, that kind of same dispersion of views. I've talked about how the banks are stronger than ever.
Speaker #9: I think that's a great setup for us, something we don't talk about as much. I think is the global de-dollarization. Which from our perspective, I think pushes more activity into non-dollar rates.
Speaker #9: One of the big kind of rises around our European swaps business, and I think clients are obviously increasingly using ETFs to express risk, which is a big deal. It pulls more kind of credit and rates flow into a workflow that we already own.
Billy Hult: Pulls more kind of credit and rates flow into a workflow that we already own. As that activity grows, more collateral has to move, which accelerates, in a certain way, our financing business. Like a really, really good backdrop for us. Think about inside of that backdrop, probably a few things. Swaps, from our perspective, are the purest expression of a policy debate. It's the market where we're talking about record risk market share with a long electronification runway ahead. Like really, really good stuff there. In a certain way, I think money markets are the underappreciated one. I think the chair would rather shrink the balance sheet than raise rates. That unwind is going to drive our kind of US repo growth. Less talk, more runoff straight into our kind of repo franchise, and I think we're really well set up kind of around that.
Billy Hult: Pulls more kind of credit and rates flow into a workflow that we already own. As that activity grows, more collateral has to move, which accelerates, in a certain way, our financing business. Like a really, really good backdrop for us. Think about inside of that backdrop, probably a few things. Swaps, from our perspective, are the purest expression of a policy debate. It's the market where we're talking about record risk market share with a long electronification runway ahead. Like really, really good stuff there. In a certain way, I think money markets are the underappreciated one. I think the chair would rather shrink the balance sheet than raise rates. That unwind is going to drive our kind of US repo growth. Less talk, more runoff straight into our kind of repo franchise, and I think we're really well set up kind of around that.
Speaker #9: And so, as that activity grows, more collateral has to move, which accelerates, in a certain way, our financing business. So a really, really good backdrop for us.
Speaker #9: And think about, inside of that backdrop, probably a few things. Swaps, from our perspective, are the purest expression of a policy debate. It's the market where we're talking about record risk market share, with a long electronification runway ahead.
Speaker #9: Really, really good stuff there. In a certain way, I think money markets are the underappreciated one. I think the Chair would rather shrink the balance sheet than raise rates.
Speaker #9: That unwind is going to drive our kind of US repo growth. Less talk, more runoff, straight into our kind of repo franchise. And I think we're really well set up kind of around that.
Speaker #9: So lots of stuff there. I think from our perspective, always like the pace of electronification continues to grow. I think the backdrop is about as strong from our perspective as we've had and feeling really good about directionally where our business is kind of across the board are headed.
Billy Hult: Lots of stuff there. I think from our perspective, always like the pace of electronification continues to grow. I think the backdrop is about as strong from our perspective as we've had, and feeling really good about directionally where our businesses kind of across the board are headed. Appreciate the question. Thank you very much.
Billy Hult: Lots of stuff there. I think from our perspective, always like the pace of electronification continues to grow. I think the backdrop is about as strong from our perspective as we've had, and feeling really good about directionally where our businesses kind of across the board are headed. Appreciate the question. Thank you very much.
Speaker #9: And I appreciate the question thank you very much.
Speaker #8: Yeah. Thank you, Billy.
Patrick Moley: Yeah. Thank you, Billy.
Patrick Moley: Yeah. Thank you, Billy.
Operator: Thank you. The next question will come from Simon Clinch with Rothschild & Co. Your line is open.
Operator: Thank you. The next question will come from Simon Clinch with Rothschild & Co. Your line is open.
Speaker #2: Thank you. And the next question will come from Simon Clinch with Rothschild & Company. Your line is open.
Speaker #10: Hi, question. I was wondering, Billy, if you could talk about the opportunity of mortgages particularly as you sort of making strides into new areas like the spec pools what kind of innovations protocol launches would help electronify trading there and how does that impact the overall fee per million sort of dynamic as well?
Simon Clinch: Hi, Billy. Thanks for taking my question. I was wondering, Billy, if you could talk about the opportunity in mortgages, particularly as you're sort of making strides into new areas like the spec pools. What kind of innovations, protocol launches would help electronify trading there, and how does that impact the overall fee per million sort of dynamic as well? Thanks.
Simon Clinch: Hi, Billy. Thanks for taking my question. I was wondering, Billy, if you could talk about the opportunity in mortgages, particularly as you're sort of making strides into new areas like the spec pools. What kind of innovations, protocol launches would help electronify trading there, and how does that impact the overall fee per million sort of dynamic as well? Thanks.
Speaker #10: Thanks.
Speaker #9: Yeah. Great question. I admit a kind of a joke. A couple of quarters ago that given the kind of historic role that Tradeweb has played in the mortgage industry that they were kind of I made the joke that they were my favorite child.
Billy Hult: Yeah. Great question. I made a kind of a joke a couple of quarters ago that, given the kind of historic role that Tradeweb has played in the mortgage industry, I made the joke that they were my favorite child. I think I'm maybe like downgrading them to like my third favorite child and putting like both a combination of global swaps and credit ahead of them now with all the focus that we have there. That's okay. They don't know that. Great historic kind of business for us. We've built a leadership position there for many years, and it continues to show results. Year to date, mortgage revenues are up kind of almost 14%, with our institutional specified pool revenue growing more than 40% year to date.
Billy Hult: Yeah. Great question. I made a kind of a joke a couple of quarters ago that, given the kind of historic role that Tradeweb has played in the mortgage industry, I made the joke that they were my favorite child. I think I'm maybe like downgrading them to like my third favorite child and putting like both a combination of global swaps and credit ahead of them now with all the focus that we have there. That's okay. They don't know that. Great historic kind of business for us. We've built a leadership position there for many years, and it continues to show results. Year to date, mortgage revenues are up kind of almost 14%, with our institutional specified pool revenue growing more than 40% year to date.
Speaker #9: I think I'm maybe downgrading them to my third favorite child and putting both a combination of global swaps and credit ahead of them now with all the focus that we have there.
Speaker #9: But that's okay. They don't know that. It's been a great, historic kind of business for us. We've built a leadership position there for many years, and it continues to show results.
Speaker #9: So year to date, mortgage revenues are up kind of almost 14%. With our institutional specified pool revenue growing more than 40% year to date, I was feeling quite bullish about where we were going with our mortgage business as the 2026 was starting.
Billy Hult: I was feeling quite bullish about where we were going with our mortgage business as 2026 was starting. I think I was bullish in some ways because I thought rates were going lower. To see the performance of our mortgage business do as well as it's done in a higher rate environment, I think speaks to the maturity of our franchise and how strong we are in that TBA market. As you know, pools are different. Only about 20% to 25% of institutional trading in pools is electronic today, which in a certain way implies obviously a long runway there. We've been a leader in driving that transition, and today we hold the leading share of institutional electronic pool market. It doesn't completely, perfectly resemble the credit market, but you can understand from a very basic perspective, it trades on spread.
Billy Hult: I was feeling quite bullish about where we were going with our mortgage business as 2026 was starting. I think I was bullish in some ways because I thought rates were going lower. To see the performance of our mortgage business do as well as it's done in a higher rate environment, I think speaks to the maturity of our franchise and how strong we are in that TBA market. As you know, pools are different. Only about 20% to 25% of institutional trading in pools is electronic today, which in a certain way implies obviously a long runway there. We've been a leader in driving that transition, and today we hold the leading share of institutional electronic pool market. It doesn't completely, perfectly resemble the credit market, but you can understand from a very basic perspective, it trades on spread.
Speaker #9: I think I was bullish in some ways because I thought rates were going lower. And to see the performance of our mortgage business do as well as it's done in a higher rate environment, I think speaks to the maturity of our franchise and how strong we are in that TBA market.
Speaker #9: As you know, pools are different. Only about 20 to 25 percent of institutional trading in pools is electronic today. Which in a certain way implies obviously a long runway there.
Speaker #9: We've been a leader in driving that transition, and today we hold the leading share of the institutional electronic pool market. It doesn't perfectly resemble the credit market, but you can understand from a very basic perspective that it trades on spread.
Speaker #9: It tends to trade on bidless and offer lists. And I think there is a tremendous amount of innovation and transparency that we will continue to bring into the equation around the pool business.
Billy Hult: It tends to trade on bid lists and offer lists. I think there is a tremendous amount of innovation and transparency that we will continue to bring into the equation around the pool business. We have all the clients, we have the connectivity to the most important dealers. We have the reputation from the role that we've played both on the wholesale and institutional side in TBA. We're bringing a pretty strong combination of things and focus into that equation. We have the data. We feel really, really good about the role that we're playing in pools. It's a big area of focus for us inside of our rates complex. The other thing which you know really well is that the pool fee per million is obviously higher because it's a less liquid instrument than TBA or commercial.
Billy Hult: It tends to trade on bid lists and offer lists. I think there is a tremendous amount of innovation and transparency that we will continue to bring into the equation around the pool business. We have all the clients, we have the connectivity to the most important dealers. We have the reputation from the role that we've played both on the wholesale and institutional side in TBA. We're bringing a pretty strong combination of things and focus into that equation. We have the data. We feel really, really good about the role that we're playing in pools. It's a big area of focus for us inside of our rates complex. The other thing which you know really well is that the pool fee per million is obviously higher because it's a less liquid instrument than TBA or commercial.
Speaker #9: We have all the clients. We have the connectivity. To the most important dealers, we have the reputation from the role that we've played both on the wholesale and institutional side.
Speaker #9: In TBAs. So we're bringing a pretty strong combination of things and focus into that equation. And we have the data. And so we feel really, really good about the role that we're playing in pools.
Speaker #9: It's a big area of focus for us inside of our rates complex. And then the other thing which you know really well is that the pool fee per million is obviously higher because it's a less liquid instrument than TBAs.
Speaker #9: We're commercial and just another reason why we're going to apply our kind of leading edge lens into that area of the world. So busy company as you know really well.
Billy Hult: Just another reason why we're going to apply our kind of leading-edge lens into that area of the world. Busy company, as you know really well, and whether or not they're my favorite child or third favorite child, you're going to get a lot of focus from us as a company in that part of the mortgage complex. Thanks for the question. Appreciate it.
Billy Hult: Just another reason why we're going to apply our kind of leading-edge lens into that area of the world. Busy company, as you know really well, and whether or not they're my favorite child or third favorite child, you're going to get a lot of focus from us as a company in that part of the mortgage complex. Thanks for the question. Appreciate it.
Speaker #9: And whether or not they're my favorite child or third favorite child, you're going to get a lot of a focus from us as a company in that part of the mortgage complex.
Speaker #9: Thanks for the question. I appreciate it.
Speaker #10: Thanks. Thank you.
Simon Clinch: Thanks, Billy. Thank you.
Simon Clinch: Thanks, Billy. Thank you.
Speaker #2: Thank you. And this does conclude our Q&A session. And I will now turn the call back over to Billy for closing remarks.
Operator: Thank you. This does conclude our Q&A session, and I will now turn the call back over to Billy for closing remarks.
Operator: Thank you. This does conclude our Q&A session, and I will now turn the call back over to Billy for closing remarks.
Billy Hult: Busy morning. Thank you all for joining us. As always, super appreciated. Any follow-up questions, obviously feel free always to reach out to Ashley, Sameer, and the team. Hope everyone has a great day. Thank you all so much.
Billy Hult: Busy morning. Thank you all for joining us. As always, super appreciated. Any follow-up questions, obviously feel free always to reach out to Ashley, Sameer, and the team. Hope everyone has a great day. Thank you all so much.
Speaker #9: Busy morning. Thank you all for joining us. As always, super appreciated. Any follow-up questions, obviously feel free always to reach out to Ashley, Samir, and the team.
Speaker #9: Hope everyone has a great day. Thank you all so much.
Operator: This concludes today's conference call. Thank you for participating, and you may now disconnect.
Operator: This concludes today's conference call. Thank you for participating, and you may now disconnect.