Eurex, a joint venture of Deutsche Boerse AG of Germany and SWX Swiss Exchange of Switzerland, is the world's leading futures and options market for euro denominated derivative instruments. Its electronic trading platform provides access to a broad range of international benchmark products. With market participants connected from 700 locations worldwide, trading volume at Eurex exceeded 1.07 billion contracts in 2004.

Eurex Clearing AG further offers central counterparty services for instruments traded on the Eurex exchanges, Eurex Bonds and Eurex Repo as well as the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Xetra and floor).

The company established its North American operations in the Sears Tower in Chicago in February, 2004.

A world leader in futures trading and the center of the huge U.S. derivatives marketplace, with a deep, specialized human capital pool, Chicago was the obvious choice for the Eurex foray out of Europe.

Before Eurex arrived, the notional value of contracts on Chicago-based exchanges already exceeded $415 trillion annually. Eurex has utilized its Chicago base to implement a fully round-the-clock global clearing process.

World Business Chicago pointed to the significance of the Eurex move recognizing the global preeminence of the Chicago risk management hub as soon as the intention of setting up in Chicago was announced.  No incentives were used.

"The exchange that we are building here is a very integral part of our overall business," said Rudolf Ferscha, Chief Executive, Eurex AG.

Commissioner Sharon Brown-Hruska, Commodity Futures Trading Commission added “…for the city of Chicago, there is the prospect of another gem to be added to their crown of futures marts”.

Considerable global media attention was focused on the Eurex entry into the U.S., heightening recognition of Chicago’s position as a world leader in derivatives and other risk management tools and exchanges.

Eurex U.S. recently announced they would launch foreign exchange futures in September of 2005.