Clearstream has reported a record high in assets under custody, reporting €12.8 trillion in January 2015, a 7 percent increase on January 2014, which reached €12 trillion.
Securities under custody in the international central securities depository (ICSD) amounted to €6.8 trillion, 8 percent more than last January’s figure of €6.3 trillion.
In the German central securities depository (CSD), securities under custody reached €6 million, an increase of 6 percent from €5.6 trillion in January 2014.
In settlement, a total of 3.8 million ICSD transactions were processed, representing a 3 percent decline compared to January 2014, which saw 3.9 million transactions. Of the 3.8 million, 80 percent were over-the-counter (OTC) transactions, and 20 percent were registered on the stock exchange.
Conversely, the German CSD recorded 8.6 million transactions, a 16 percent increase from 7.5 million in January 2014. Of these, 38 percent were OTC transactions, and 62 percent were on the stock exchange.
The investment fund services business processes 830,000 transactions in January 2015, 6 percent more than the 780,000 processed in the same period last year.
Stefan Lepp, head of global securities financing and a member of the executive board, said: “It is encouraging to start the New Year with yet another record peak in assets under custody.”
He added: “With the first wave [of TARGET2-Securities] going live in summer - it is high time to choose a partner to succeed in Europe’s new settlement landscape. Clearstream is a natural choice as we offer longstanding expertise and comprehensive services in all post-trade areas. The increase in custody volume shows that many of our customers are already placing their trust in us.”
