ASIC Monitors Cboe’s Exit from Australia and Canada Amid Market Realignment
Australia’s financial regulator, ASIC, confirmed that Cboe Global Markets has decided to trade its Australian and Canadian market operations as part of a broader strategic refocus on its global derivatives business. The move, announced amid a restructuring aimed at reinforcing Cboe’s core strengths, comes even as both Cboe Australia and Cboe Canada continue to perform strongly within their respective markets. Cboe said it remains committed to ensuring an orderly transition for clients, participants, and market operators during the divestment process.
According to ASIC, Cboe reaffirmed that its Australian and Canadian units are well-positioned for future growth and have benefited from supportive that encourage competition. The regulator also noted that Cboe’s presence had significantly contributed to innovation and liquidity in both regions’ markets. Cboe’s decision marks a shift from its previous toward a more specialized focus on derivatives and related products.
In Australia, the move comes shortly later than ASIC approved Cboe Australia’s listing application on 7 October 2025. This approval had been viewed as a regulatory endorsement of Cboe’s operational standards and its contributions to market competition since its 2011 entry as Chi-X Australia. The sale, however, will now test the depth and adaptability of Australia’s secondary market ecosystem as Cboe viewks a suitable purchaviewr.
Takeaway
How ASIC Plans to Manage the Transition
ASIC has stated it will work closely with to support an orderly transition of Cboe Australia to a “suitable purchaviewr.” The regulator emphasized that promoting competitive, resilient, and effective capital markets remains one of its key priorities. Its oversight during the sale will , maintain fair market access, and avoid disruptions to daily trading volumes that currently account for around 20% of Australian equity market turnover — equivalent to roughly $2 billion in daily trades.
In its statement, ASIC acknowledged that Cboe has played a critical role in strengthening market competition since acquiring Chi-X Australia in 2021. The platform’s rise from a challenger to a significant secondary venue provided Australian investors with alternative liquidity sources and contributed to tighter spreads and lower execution costs. ASIC’s continued involvement is expected to ensure that this competitive momentum is not lost through ownership changes.
The regulator reiterated that a healthy, multi-venue , issuers, and the broader economy. Its support for innovation and infrastructure resilience remains central to its broader market integrity agenda, particularly as it navigates ongoing inquiries into platform governance and capability across Australia’s .
Takeaway
What Comes Next for Australia’s Market Structure
Cboe’s exit comes at a pivotal moment for . ASIC’s forthcoming November 5 response to its work on evolving capital markets, along with its Inquiry into ASX Group due by March 2026, will shape the next phase of reform in trading infrastructure and oversight. These initiatives, coupled with Cboe’s divestment, highlight an inflection point in how Australia balances innovation with systemic stability.
Analysts expect that Cboe Australia’s eventual purchaviewr could determine the long-term trajectory of competition against ASX. Possible acquirers may include global platforms, regional fintech operators, or institutional consortia viewking to . The challenge for any successor will be maintaining technological parity and client confidence while navigating ASIC’s heightened scrutiny of market governance.
For Cboe, the divestments streamline its operations toward higher-margin businesses such as global derivatives, clearing, and market data — areas that align more closely with its core and European franchises. As ASIC monitors the transition, its focus remains clear: sustaining a fair, efficient, and innovative marketplace for all participants as the country’s era.
