Summary
With volatility on the rise, technology evolving at pace, and regulation continuing to shift, operational resilience has moved firmly to the top of the industry agenda. This is a structural shift in how risk teams think, operate, and deliver value, as underscored by Risk.net’s “Top 10 Operational Risks for 2026.”
Operational resilience touches every stage of the post-trade lifecycle, and it sits at the heart of Post Trade Solutions’ Optimisation services. These purpose-built services are designed to deliver consistent, scalable capital and risk efficiencies - combining streamlined workflows with a flexible user experience that adapts to clients’ needs.
Optimisation: The bigger picture
Reflecting over the past year, there have been plenty of milestones across our Optimisation suite. But one theme stands out above all: meaningful improvement isn’t achieved in silos.
It’s not about isolated record runs or one-off wins. Sustained, repeated outperformance is what truly moves the needle for clients. To achieve that, two things work in tandem: the continued expansion of our global network, and a team committed to constantly refining and evolving the platform.
Record breaking, ongoing Optimisation
Earlier this year, our Optimisation platform set a new benchmark in initial margin optimisation for interest rates, achieving a 77% year on year improvement. Its strength lies in its ability to deliver and build cumulative gains over time. Each optimisation cycle reinforces the last, creating a compounding effect that drives capital and risk efficiency for clients.
Figure 1. Improvement in Rates Initial Margin results over the last year
Source: Performance data for the past 12 months. Past performance is not a guide to future returns. Please see the end for important legal disclosures.
The network effect
Participation across the Optimisation platform has accelerated, particularly via LCH SwapClear and ForexClear services, building a robust, global network that spans several asset classes.
As the network has expanded, so too has the value it generates. This is the power of the network effect in action: with more participants comes larger optimisation pools, deeper liquidity, and more efficient outcomes for everyone involved.
For clients that translates into better risk management, lower capital requirements, and access to a more dynamic and responsive ecosystem - one that becomes more valuable with every new participant.
For example, our June FX IM optimisation saw an 88% improvement in ForexClear IM reduction on the previous run.
Partnering for ongoing improvement
Close collaboration between our network of clients and our internal teams ensures the platform evolves with both market developments and client expectations, including in relation to data governance and controls, increasingly flexible data handling and smoother workflows that reduce operational friction.
For clients looking to go further, API connectivity enables deeper integration and end-to-end automation, unlocking even greater efficiencies.
Adjacently, continuous improvements to algorithm performance have increased processing speed and reduced time to solution - delivering faster, more accurate outcomes at scale. The result? Greater predictability, stronger resilience, and increased confidence for risk teams managing complex requirements.
The client impact
All of this adds up to real, measurable benefits for clients.
Greater consistency in outcomes brings confidence. Streamlined processes improve efficiency. Seamlessly integrated workflows reduce operational overhead.
Client feedback reflects this impact clearly. For example, a leading global bank recently highlighted significant improvements in both timings and operational processes, describing the experience as feeling like “Christmas morning” - a reflection of the platform’s reliability, transparency, and user-centric design.
Looking ahead
As markets continue to evolve in complexity, operational resilience will only grow in importance.
Post Trade Solutions’ Optimisation suite is well-positioned to help clients navigate what comes next - bringing together innovation, scale, and reliability to deliver outcomes that don’t just perform, but improve and evolve with time.
Looking ahead, the focus remains clear: expanding the network, simplifying and enhancing client workflows, and continuing to advance the technology that underpins it all. The goal is simple - deliver even greater efficiency, stronger resilience, and more powerful risk and capital benefits for clients in the years to come.
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