Asian FX futures coming to SGX by third quarter

Find out the first four currency pairs.

In a release, the Singapore Exchange (SGX) announced that it is adding Asian foreign exchange (FX) futures to its derivatives market in the third quarter of 2013, subject to regulatory approval.

The proposed FX futures suite will include deliverable and non-deliverable Asian currencies cleared in currencies such as the US dollar, Japanese yen and Singapore dollar. SGX will initially offer four currency pairs: the Australian dollar/US dollar, Australian dollar/Japanese yen, Indian rupee/US dollar and US dollar/Singapore dollar.

SGX said the introduction of FX futures for trading and clearing is its response to "strong client demand for currency management tools to complement its suite of highly liquid Asian equity derivatives." SGX is the world’s largest offshore market for Asian equity derivatives with a record US$5 trillion notional of contracts traded in 2012. SGX also clears non-deliverable FX forwards in seven Asian currencies.

“The Asian forward currency markets continue to grow strongly alongside trade and capital flows. Price discovery naturally happens in our time zone where the relevant policy makers, central banks and capital market stakeholders are located. As Asian capital markets increase their share of global investments, investors can seek to manage Asian currency risk as specific sources of outperformance,” said Mr Magnus Bocker, CEO of SGX.

“SGX’s proposed suite of Asian FX futures offers customers a transparent, robust and margin-efficient platform for Asian currency risk management, and further cements Singapore’s lead as the price discovery centre for Asian foreign exchange,” he added.