Deutsche Börse AG has agreed to acquire the remaining 49% stake in Clearstream Fund Centre from UBS, for CHF 390 million. Thereby, Deutsche Börse will become the sole shareholder in the Zurich-based fund distribution platform, having initially closed the acquisition of a 51% stake on 30 September 2020. The transaction is expected to result in a low to medium double-digit million Euro book gain for Deutsche Börse.
The joint shareholding by Clearstream and UBS for the transitional period has laid the foundation for a smooth and successful integration of Clearstream Fund Centre into Deutsche Börse Group. UBS remains a key long-term partner of Clearstream across the full value chain of the funds services market.
Under the umbrella of global post-trading services provider Clearstream, which has a world-leading position in the funds processing market, Clearstream Fund Centre has seen strong growth momentum. The company reached an increase in assets under administration since September 2020 by 25% to more than EUR 300 billion, clearly benefitting from operational and commercial synergies due to the full integration into Clearstream.
This transaction complements a strong acquisition track record of Deutsche Börse in the investment funds industry with the successful acquisitions of Citco Global Securities Services, Swisscanto Funds Centre and Ausmaq. It further underscores Clearstream’s position as a leading fund processing and distribution service provider with more than EUR 3.1 trillion of assets under custody.
Stephan Leithner, Member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Börse AG and Clearstream Chairman, said: “Clearstream Fund Centre has proved to be a highly complementary business for Clearstream’s fund operations businesses. Our two-step integration approach with UBS has enabled a seamless transition for clients and laid the perfect basis for our continued, long-term partnership with UBS. We see significant opportunities to further grow the global footprint of this business, particularly in Europe but also in Asia Pacific. This transaction is fully in line with our strategy to grow our offering in areas that are benefitting from strong secular growth.”
Suni Harford, President of UBS Asset Management, said: “With the integration now complete, with our clients in good hands and the business on a strong growth trajectory, Clearstream Fund Centre is well placed for the future. We look forward to leveraging the platform’s leading capabilities and wish the team every success on the next stage of their journey”.
About Clearstream
As an international central securities depository (ICSD), headquartered in Luxembourg, Clearstream, which is part of Deutsche Börse Group, provides the post-trade infrastructure for the Eurobond market and services for securities from 58 domestic markets worldwide. With around EUR 16 trillion in assets under custody, Clearstream is one of the world’s largest settlement and custody firms for domestic and international securities.
Clearstream delivers investment fund solutions built on asset safety and distribution efficiency. The Vestima one-stop shop for funds acts as single point of entry for orders, streamlined cash management and consolidated position reporting in a secure environment. Clearstream offers customers direct access to local domiciled funds in 50 jurisdictions worldwide, of which 30 are in Europe. The Fund Centre offering complements Vestima to include distribution support services and to provide direct access to a fund research solution.