Major international bank boosts JSE challenger

Alternative exchange A2X Markets has announced that UBS South Africa will begin trading on its platform in the second quarter of 2025. 

This will make it the first international broker authorised to trade on the platform, which is a licensed stock exchange offering a secondary listing venue for companies. 

UBS has had a presence in the South African market for 30 years, and it has a well-established advisory and execution business for local and global institutional investors.

In addition, it operates a market-leading structured products business and a top-ranked local equities research team. 

UBS is a global financial services firm serving private, corporate, and institutional clients, with a presence in major financial hubs and offices in over 50 countries.

A2X has grown rapidly in the past few years, with its platform now having 175 listed companies and exchange-traded funds. 

This includes some of South Africa’s most prominent companies, such as Absa, AngloGold, Richemont, Discovery, Shoprite, and Standard Bank. 

UBS is expected to trade across A2X’s 175 listed companies and exchange-traded funds,  spanning key sectors such as media, property, mining, banking, retail, FMCG, financial services, insurance, healthcare, and telecommunications. 

Apart from rapidly growing the number of listings on its platform, A2X has also steadily expanded its list of approved brokers. 

UBS will join companies such as RMB Morgan  Stanley, Standard Bank, Absa CIB, Investec Markets, and Nedgroup Securities to be able to trade on the platform. 

These brokers are responsible for over 65% of all trades in listed securities executed in South Africa. 

“We are delighted to welcome UBS as the first international broker to trade on our market,” Kevin Brady, CEO of A2X Markets, said.

“Their sophisticated algorithm suite will connect to A2X, enabling them to leverage all available markets in South Africa while  accessing our additional liquidity and functionality.” 

Enhanced liquidity is one of the key features of A2X that attracts brokers and companies alike, with relatively smaller companies on the JSE being illiquid. 

“In line with our commitment to providing clients with international best practices and innovative solutions, we have invested in connecting and trading on A2X, thus enabling us to access broader liquidity for our clients,” Ed Popham-Holloway, Country Head of UBS South Africa, said.

A2X is a licensed stock exchange that provides a secondary listing venue for companies. It is regulated by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority and the Prudential Authority under the Financial Markets Act and has been operational since October 2017.