The first automated issuances were performed by LBBW and Vontobel, and facilitated by Clearstream, Deutsche Börse’s post-trade service provider. D7 is fully integrated within Clearstream’s global infrastructure and works as a connector between established networks and digital capabilities.

Digital instruments are smart objects that represent electronic securities. They contain all the relevant information needed throughout the lifecycle of a security, such as reference, listing and legal data, corporate actions and reporting information. They are technology-, asset-class- and location-agnostic, and enable same-day issuance, automated straight-through processing and asset servicing of securities across established and new financial networks and infrastructures. In this way, the digital instrument serves as a facilitator to streamline operational efforts, minimise reconciliation needs and reduce overall risk.

Like this, Clearstream as part of Deutsche Börse Group will provide a fully digital alternative to conventional physical issuance for approx. 80 percent of German securities. The scope of this new D7 offering includes warrants and certificates with further asset classes and jurisdictions planned in the future, in compliance with respective regulatory frameworks.

Jens Hachmeister, Head of Issuer Services & New Digital Markets at Clearstream, says: “In line with our core mission to run innovative and future-proof infrastructures for our customers and the entire industry, we have now created the smart digital security. This moves issuance of structured products from days to minutes and enables our clients and partners to quickly adapt to the changing market environment. We are accelerating time to market and unlocking an entire new universe of product opportunities as we continue to venture towards fully digitised markets.”

"In addition to a highly automated trading process, a digitalised and efficient issuance and settlement process is of great importance for the retail-certificate business. With the first pilot issue of an LBBW bonus certificate via the D7 platform, accompanied by Clearstream, we are taking the next technologically important step towards end-to-end digitalisation," says Jan Krüger, Head of Equity Markets at LBBW.

Markus Schenk, Head Issuance Europe, Vontobel, is convinced: "The launch of the Digital Instrument represents a milestone on the way to a fully digital market infrastructure in Germany. The ability to bring our structured securities to market faster and more cost-efficiently in the future will ultimately have a positive impact on the client experience. We at Vontobel are proud to accompany the project from the very beginning and to provide valuable input. It was important for us to play our part in this significant market infrastructure project."

Historically, German securities had to be issued as paper-based global notes and stored in a physical vault at the central securities depository, which usually took several days. Last year, the German regulator passed the electronic securities act, allowing dematerialised issuance and paving the way for automation in the securities lifecycle. Since December 2021, Deutsche Börse has been processing dematerialised securities via a central register, the first live D7 component.