The Moscow Exchange is outlining plans to roll out a new over‑the‑counter trading platform for stocks. In this system, transactions will not occur directly between buyers and sellers; instead, they will pass through the platform as an intermediary, with the aim of increasing transparency and efficiency in private and institutional dealings. Reports cite Boris Blokhin, who heads the exchange’s stock market department, as the one providing these details.
Blokhin notes that access to the platform will be extended to all Russian brokers, though the set of tools and capabilities will be available only to qualified investors. This approach is intended to balance broader market participation with safeguards for investors who meet certain sophistication and risk criteria.
Under the access framework, the companies eligible to join the platform will be publicly traded entities, including PJSCs and JSCs. From the launch date, shares from several issuers are poised to be listed or represented, encompassing PJSC Nitel in its common form, as well as Krasnogorsk Plant VI SA Zverev with its common and preferred shares. Other participants will include PJSC Udmurtneft for ordinary shares, Obneftegazgeologia offering both ordinary and preferred shares, PJSC Novoship with its ordinary shares, and PJSC Ufaorgsin in the form of common shares of PJSC Fortum. These selections illustrate a mix of state‑world and corporate issuers showing early activity on the platform.
Looking ahead, Blokhin indicated that there could be room to onboard a few additional companies before year’s end, depending on market reception, regulatory considerations, and the platform’s performance during initial trading periods. This potential expansion would further broaden the platform’s coverage and deepen liquidity for listed equities among qualified participants.
In related market context, the Moscow Exchange noted notable movements in the exchange rate environment. On a recent trading day, the dollar exchange rate at the Moscow Stock Exchange surpassed the 83 ruble mark for the first time since early April 2022, reflecting ongoing volatility in currency markets and the macroeconomic conditions affecting price discovery and trading activity within the exchange ecosystem.