What Is The Role of The Market Maker For Etfs
What Is The Role of The Market Maker For Etfs
What Is The Role of The Market Maker For Etfs
When an investor buys or sells ETF units on a stock exchange, they are often transacting
with a market maker. But what is a market maker? What exactly do they do, and what are
they responsible for?
A market maker, sometimes called a designated broker (DB), is a broker, dealer or investment firm that plays an essential role
in how an ETF trades and ensures the continued and efficient exchange of securities between buyers and sellers. They do this in
multiple ways, including providing liquidity to the market by selling units to investors and purchasing units when investors sell.
ETF units
ETF UNITS
MARKET
INVESTORS ETF
MAKER
SECURITIES
Cash
A valuable partnership
The market maker fulfills other important roles in addition to providing liquidity and maintaining market equilibrium – they
also help to ensure the market price of each ETF unit reflects the value of its underlying securities intraday.
There are often multiple market participants with bids and offers on an ETF in the marketplace. Each market participant wants
the opportunity to match buyers and sellers, and this competition drives them to post their very best bids and asking prices. Thus
spreads not only reflect the market conditions (liquidity, etc.) of the underlying asset class, but can be improved even more than
underlying asset class characteristics if there are multiple competing market makers providing liquidity on a given ETF.
The information contained in this article does not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any investment fund, security or other product,
service or information to any resident of the U.S. or the U.K. or to anyone in any jurisdiction in which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or
cannot legally be made or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. The information is not intended to provide specific
financial, investment, tax, legal or accounting advice for you, and should not be relied upon in that regard. You should not act or rely on the
information without seeking the advice of a professional.
® / TM Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. © RBC Global Asset Management Inc. 2017
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