Patent Publication Number: US-9412133-B2

Title: System and method for user defined markets for electronic trading

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/288,339, entitled SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USER DEFINED MARKETS FOR ELECTRONIC TRADING filed Oct. 17, 2008; which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/980,527 entitled UNIVERSAL TRADING PLATFORM WITH USER-DEFINED MARKETS filed Oct. 17, 2007, which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Trading technology platforms exist for trading in existing markets. For example, trading platforms exist for trading on security exchanges, such as NASDAQ. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a high-level block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system for a user defined market for electronic trading. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for a user defined market for electronic trading. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for a market creator to define a new market for electronic trading. 
         FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for a trader to define various attributes for a new market for electronic trading. 
         FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an authorization matrix for a system for a user defined market for electronic trading. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a high-level architecture for a system for a user defined market for electronic trading. 
         FIG. 7  is a screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a login page. 
         FIG. 8  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing an initial user selection page. 
         FIG. 9  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market creation name and description page. 
         FIGS. 10 a - c    are screen shots illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market creation attribute page. 
         FIG. 11  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market creation name and description page. 
         FIG. 12  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market elements page. 
         FIG. 13  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market element identifier page. 
         FIG. 14  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing an order type page. 
         FIGS. 15 a - e    are screen shots illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market data access rules page. 
         FIG. 16  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a trading access rules page. 
         FIG. 17  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market maker access page. 
         FIG. 18  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a settlement methods page. 
         FIG. 19  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a trading calendar page. 
         FIG. 20  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a trading hours page. 
         FIG. 21  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a trading currency page. 
         FIG. 22  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market parameters page. 
         FIG. 23  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a new market specifications summary page. 
         FIG. 24  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading. 
         FIG. 25  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for a user to specify simulation parameters for automated testing of a user defined market for electronic trading. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The invention can be implemented in numerous ways, including as a process; an apparatus; a system; a composition of matter; a computer program product embodied on a computer readable storage medium; and/or a processor, such as a processor configured to execute instructions stored on and/or provided by a memory coupled to the processor. In this specification, these implementations, or any other form that the invention may take, may be referred to as techniques. In general, the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within the scope of the invention. Unless stated otherwise, a component such as a processor or a memory described as being configured to perform a task may be implemented as a general component that is temporarily configured to perform the task at a given time or a specific component that is manufactured to perform the task. As used herein, the term ‘processor’ refers to one or more devices, circuits, and/or processing cores configured to process data, such as computer program instructions. 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate the principles of the invention. The invention is described in connection with such embodiments, but the invention is not limited to any embodiment. The scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. Numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. These details are provided for the purpose of example and the invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the invention is not unnecessarily obscured. 
     While existing trading technology platforms (e.g., for financial trading instruments, such as precious metals, fixed income, commodities, and/or other verticals and instrument classes) allow for electronic trading of new currency exchanges, commodity exchanges, equity/security exchanges, and/or various other financial instrument exchanges, there is a need for a system and method for a universal trading platform that provides for the creation, automated testing, and trading of user defined markets. For example, a newly defined market (e.g., a market for electronic trading of a newly defined financial instrument for electronic trading, such as a new real estate derivative) often is substantially different from existing markets/financial instruments, such that the use of existing trading technology platforms is inefficient and delays the creation and trading of the new market (e.g., migrating a hard-coded platform, which generally is based on an initial platform that was implemented with the single purpose of trading an already existing instrument structure or class according to narrowly defined requirements, typically involves adapting and implementing new programmed functionality and configuration settings, and can often require up to one year or more to adapt to and then test for use in the newly defined market, and as a result, is also very expensive as such requires technical and programming development by skilled programmers). 
     What is needed is a system and method for a universal trading platform for user defined markets. For example, a trading technology platform that efficiently and easily allows a user to define a new market for electronic trading (e.g., specifying a new financial instrument and the associated rules for electronic trading of the new financial instrument) and the automated testing using simulated trading in the new market (e.g., prior to live trading) is needed. 
     In one embodiment, systems and methods disclosed herein provide a platform for electronic trading of any newly defined financial instrument. For example, a rule-based and data-driven platform is disclosed that allows a user to define a new market (e.g., creating a new financial instrument for trading, including, for example, a basic structure of the instrument, trading units, price granularity, matching rules, etc.), and automatically tests and provides a universal trading platform for the new market. In one embodiment, systems and methods disclosed herein provide a web-based platform and service for creating new markets, and moreover, provide for the use of social networking to promote newly created markets. In one embodiment, before implementing the electronic trading exchange platform for a newly defined market which typically involves coordination and approvals with various clearinghouses, automated testing is provided using a simulated market with automated trading (e.g., using automated trading bots (also referred to herein as trader simulators) based on various trading profiles and other criteria (e.g., specified events) that simulate realistic and dynamic market trading to simulate the new market, using market-based parameters with volatility/volume, etc.). For example, use of trader simulators to simulate the new market, that is, trading on the new electronic trading exchange for that new market, is superior to approaches that would rely on historical market data, which incorrectly assumes, for example, that a given trader&#39;s trading activities have no dynamic impact on the market. 
     The embodiments disclosed herein also facilitate the creation of a new market by allowing for a universe of users who are interested in trading a new financial instrument, and thus, this community of users (e.g., for a new real estate derivatives market) can help create the new market and define their desired trading rules (e.g., by the market creator and/or other authorized users), which increases the likelihood that the new market will be liquid as users will more likely use the newly defined/created market, compared to a trading exchange setting up a new market and hoping that users will use it and that they will set it up with rules/settings that are acceptable to the potential target users. For example, if there is a problematic or disfavored aspect in the initial definition of the market and/or its associated trading rules (e.g., users want five levels of depth/transparency instead of three levels of depth/transparency), then the market creator and/or its authorized users (e.g., users with market configuration settings authority/privileges) can dynamically and easily change that setting (e.g., such trading rule problems may also be detected during the automated testing using trader simulators, which allows the market creator to modify such trading rules before opening the new market for live trading). 
       FIG. 1  is a high-level block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system for a user defined market for electronic trading. In the example shown, computer  100  is in network communication over Internet  135  with new market service provider server  140 . Computer  100  receives user input  108  from, for example, a keyboard and/or a cursor pointing device (e.g., a mouse, touchpad, or other input device by which a user can input user activations for content, request content, add content, and/or provide metadata for content). Computer  100  executes web client  125 , which communicates via Internet  135  to obtain trading platform information and content (e.g., wizards for defining new markets, and other configuration and platform-related information and settings). 
     New market service provider server  140  executes new market creation platform  145 . New market creation platform  145  stores the new market configuration and related content in platform storage  150 . In one embodiment, new market creation platform  145  provides a platform that allows a user to define a new market for a new class of financial instruments for trading electronically, including the associated trading and access rules. In one embodiment, new market creation platform  145  also provides for automated testing of the new market using automated trading bots for dynamically testing the new market through a market simulation of trading in the new market (e.g., prior to opening the new market for live trading). 
     Computer  170  executes trading client application  155 , which allows a user to electronically trade in the new market. As shown, computer  170  also includes user input  160  and display for output  165 . As shown, trading client application  155  communicates via Internet  135  with new market creation platform  145 . In one embodiment, a user of the method and system of the present invention, such as the system embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , refers to any individual person or any entity (and/or any group or department within an entity, e.g., an Information Technology (IT) department of a company) who defines, develops, test, modifies, trades in, and/or manages markets using method and system embodiments of the present invention. 
     In one embodiment, web client  125  is included in and/or executed in computer  100  as one or more of the following: a web browser plug-in or applet, an application program, a background software process, an embedded function of a web browser, or an embedded function of an operating system. In one embodiment, trading client application  155  is included in and/or executed in computer  170  as one or more of the following: a web browser plug-in or applet, an application program, a background software process, an embedded function of a web browser, or an embedded function of an operating system. In one embodiment, new market creation platform  145  is included in and/or executed in new market service provider server  140  as one or more of the following: a component of an electronic exchange trading platform, a web/application server, or an executable computer program. 
     One or more of the components and/or interactions between components may be optional and additional components not shown in  FIG. 1  may be included. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that computer  100  may be any computing device capable of communicating with Internet  135  and executing web client  125 , including, for example, a general purpose computer (e.g., a PC or laptop executing a general purpose operating system, such as Microsoft, Apple, Linux, and/or Unix operating systems; a PDA or smart phone device, or any other device capable of executing applications and communicating with the Internet). Similarly, those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that computer  170  may be any computing device capable of communicating with the Internet  135  and executing trading client application  155 , including, for example, a general purpose computer (e.g., a PC or laptop executing a general purpose operating system such as Microsoft, Apple, Linux, and/or Unix operating systems; a PDA or smart phone device, or any other device capable of executing applications and communicating with the Internet). Those of ordinary skill in the art will also recognize that new market creation platform server  140  may be one or more computers or other computing devices in communication with Internet  135  and platform storage  150 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for a user defined market for electronic trading. Specifically,  FIG. 2  illustrates a high-level process for creation of a new market (e.g., for retail and/or institutional market classes) for electronic trading in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. At stage  202 , a user (e.g., a market creator) defines a new market (e.g., in a given instrument class), including defining what will be traded in the new market. In one embodiment, a market creator is a user of the method and system of the present invention, such as the system embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , and refers to any individual person or any entity (and/or any group or department within an entity, e.g., an Information Technology (IT) department of a company) to define, develop, test, modify, and/or manage markets using method and system embodiments of the present invention. In one embodiment, the user (e.g., the market creator or a user with market creator access rights) defines the new market using a web-based technology platform (e.g., using wizards and/or templates for efficiently and easily defining the new market, including the financial instrument(s) and associated trading rules). For example, the technology platform can be configured by a user for operating the new market according to the user specified requirements (rather than requiring a skilled programmer to hard code/program such new functionality). In one embodiment, new financial instruments include the following: government securities, credit derivatives, private securities, futures and/or options on futures, etc. At stage  204 , the user specifies how the market will function, including, for example, interfaces, functionality, matching rules, settlement rules, transparency requirements, and other trading rules, etc. In one embodiment, a user can specify the new market as a child market to a parent/umbrella market, so that the new market inherits traits of the umbrella/parent market and/or to otherwise unite unique markets. At stage  206 , trading bots (also referred to herein as trader simulators) are used for automated testing of the new market (e.g., a simulated market test of the new market). In one embodiment, based on testing results, the market creator can modify the specifications of the new market and/or the associated trading rules (e.g., trading increments, increasing or decreasing the degrees of transparency, etc.). At stage  208 , the new market is available to other users (e.g., traders, that is, users (individuals and/or institutions) with trading access rights) for electronic trading in the new market. In one embodiment, a technology platform is provided for electronic trading of the newly defined class of instrument(s) according to the user defined market specifications and the access rules. 
       FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for a market creator to define a new market for electronic trading. Specifically,  FIG. 3  illustrates a high-level process for a market creator to define a new market (e.g., for retail and/or institutional market classes) for electronic trading in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. At stage  302 , the market creator selects the creation of a new market. At stage  304 , the market creator selects the attributes of the new market. For example, the market creator (e.g., a user with access rights to define a new market) selects and/or specifies attributes defining a new financial instrument for the new market using a simple configuration of a graphical user interface (GUI) (e.g., using a wizard or templates, implemented as a (hierarchical) set of web-based/GUI screens). At stage  306 , the market creator defines associated trading rules for the new market. For example, the trading rules include a base amount in units, a minimum amount and minimum increment for trading of the new financial instrument defined for the new market, price granularity, matching rules, fundamental order types supported in the new market, market opacity (e.g., market information distributed in real-time), historical data opacity (e.g., market information distributed with a configurable delay), market visibility (e.g., market attributes visible to non-participants), and settlement method/rules. At stage  308 , the market creator defines platform implementation attributes for the new market. For example, platform implementation attributes include selection of an interface to be used for the new market (e.g., a default GUI for the trading platform for the new market). 
       FIG. 4  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for a trader to define various attributes for a new market for electronic trading. Specifically,  FIG. 4  illustrates a high-level process for a trader to define trader attributes for a new market (e.g., for retail and/or institutional market classes) for electronic trading in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a trader can define additional market attributes that only affect that trader&#39;s view and/or access to the new market (e.g., using a simple, easy to use configuration GUI of the trading client application). At stage  402 , the trader (e.g., market participant who is a user with access for trading in the new market) selects the creation of features of an interface of a trading application for the new market (e.g., look and feel GUI features and/or shortcuts for specified operations). At stage  404 , the trader defines specific message protocols for automated trading (e.g., including a custom protocol). At stage  406 , the trader specifies their specific communication methods used for trading and market data delivery (e.g., broadband Internet data communication, dedicated circuit, etc.). At stage  408 , the trader specifies their order type macros and/or shortcuts. 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an authorization matrix for a system for a user defined market for electronic trading. In one embodiment, roles and/or attributes are defined for individual users, such as market creation rights to a market creator and trading rights to a trader. In one embodiment, access rights including various configuration and/or customization rights are also defined for institutional users (e.g., institution based market participants can also have additional roles and/or available attributes). For example, a Representative is defined as the most senior role in an institution. A Representative appoints and authorizes Administrators and is able to reserve the right of final approval for any market configuration changes or delegate this right to Administrators. The Representative&#39;s approval is binding for the institution. An Administrator is responsible for granting and revoking market creation (e.g., Market Creator) and trading (e.g., Trader) privileges on behalf of the institution. The Administrator is also responsible for maintaining and monitoring credit lines. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a New Market Service Provider  502  has authority for granting various access rights/privileges and/or roles to a market participant that will then be a market creator, a trader, and/or an institution (e.g., an institution can include Market Creators, Traders, as well as other defined roles, such as Representative and Administrator, as also discussed above). New Market Service Provider  502  also has authority to grant institutional access rights as well as specified roles for institutions, such as for Institution  504  and Institution  514 . As shown, Institution  504  includes a Representative  506 , an Administrator  508  (e.g., one or more Administrators can be authorized for the institution), a Market Creator  510  (e.g., one or more Market Creators can be authorized for the institution), and multiple Traders  512 . As shown, Institution  514  includes multiple Traders  516 . As also shown in  FIG. 5 , New Market Service Provider  502  has granted market creation rights to Market Creator  518  and trading rights to multiple Individual Traders  520 . 
     In one embodiment, New Market Service Provider  502  authorizes each institution to create new markets of specific types, trade in new markets of specific types, and allows a specified Representative of each institution to authorize members of the institution for market creation or trading within the authorization limits imposed by New Market Service Provider  502 . An institution&#39;s Representative can appoint one or more Administrators (and can also appoint himself/herself as an Administrator). Administrators generally act on behalf of the Representative. An Administrator&#39;s privileges may also be limited to specific functions (e.g., credit administration), specific market types, and/or specific markets. Institution Administrator(s) appoint Market Creators and can also restrict their entitlements to creation of markets of specific types. Institution Administrator(s) appoint Traders and can also restrict their trading access to specific markets. An Institution Market Creator can define markets where the access is limited to specific Traders of his/her institution (e.g., market access is controlled by both the Administrator and Market Creator). New Market Service Provider  502  authorizes each Market Creator to create markets of specific types. Institution Market Creator may define markets where the access is limited to specific individual Traders, specific institutions, and/or specific Traders of his institution. In one embodiment, a Market Creator cannot define market access to his/her markets for specific Traders of another institution. New Market Service Provider  502  authorizes each Individual Trader  520  to trade in markets of specific types. 
       FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a high-level architecture for a system for a user defined market for electronic trading. Market Configuration database  602  stores market definitions, as defined by a Market Creation Wizard (discussed below), which is used, for example, by all trading components. In one embodiment, for each new market, the following attributes are stored:
         1. Market Grouping (an administrative categorization)   2. Market Name   3. Market Description   4. Market Identifier   5. Market Type   6. Sub-Markets   7. Instruments and Underlying Commodities   8. Strike Prices   9. Tenors   10. Trading Lot Sizes   11. Supported Order Types   12. Price Granularity   13. Price Transparency   14. Trading Calendar   15. Settlement Calendar Method   16. Trading Access   17. Market Making Access   18. Market Data Access   19. Settlement Scheme   20. Market Simulation       

     In one embodiment, Market Creation Wizard users will be provided with default templates for common instruments and their underlying commodities to assist in the specification of sub-markets. Additionally, Market Creation Wizard users can create their own instrument and commodity templates for defining sub-markets. Market Creation Wizard users can also define market level templates that provide consistent defaults (e.g., Market Making Access, Market Data Access, Price Transparency, etc.) for each newly created sub-market. 
     Order Data database  606  stores all orders, cancellations, and done deals. Market Data database  616  stores historical market data. 
     User Data database  618  stores details of user status, entitlements, and institutional identifiers, including, for example, the following: user ID, user entitlements, user profile, user credentials (password), and user parent institution (if any). 
     As shown,  FIG. 6  also illustrates various components for a system for a user defined market for electronic trading in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. For example, Market Director  604  determines which Market Processor  608  owns which market. Market Director  604  also maintains and provides component direction to Order Switches  610 . 
     Market Processor  608  maintains current bid and offer lists. Market Processor  608  also processes simple match orders (e.g., bid/offer, buy/sell). Order Switch  610  implements communications with each Trading Client(s)  624 . Order Switch  610  also provides, for example, the following functions: compound order processing, intelligent order processing, keystroke logging, accept and log all orders (e.g., including I/O), implement persistent orders, implement deal completion, implement message protocol, implement FIX (Financial Information eXchange protocol, see http://www.fixprotocol.org/) and other industry standard protocols for specific markets, implement STP (Straight-Through Processing, which refers to transaction hand-off between trading applications (e.g., front office applications) to position keeping and accounting applications/servers (e.g., back office applications), e.g., STP can be implemented using FIX or other known messaging protocols) update Order Database  606 , distribute market data to all connected clients, and implement SSS (Synchronous Spooling Services). 
     Data Distributor  612  receives, logs, and processes all market messages from Market Processors  608  for specific markets, and also distributes market data to all subscribers (e.g., Order Switches  610 , Web Servers  622 , and Market Data database  616 ). 
     Web Server  622  (in communication with PHP script  620 ) serves all static web contents (e.g., web pages) to each Web Client  628 , implements interfaces with back-end components, implements interfaces with databases, and provides user authentication. 
     Web Client  628  displays static web contents (web pages), blogs and social networking tools, displays market lists, displays market data (for the general public), launches Trading Client  624 , launches Market Creation and Admin Client  626 , and allows user to sign-in. 
     Trading Client  624  provides the following functions: application configuration, market data display, order entry, deal blotter, and position keeping. In one embodiment, a trading message-level interface provides the same functions for Trading Client  624  through a message-level interface implemented in a market type specific industry-standard protocol (market type permitting). In one embodiment, a trading API (Application Programming Interface) provides the same functions for Trading Client  624  through an API implemented in ActionScript, Java, or C#. In one embodiment, an STP message-level interface provides deal notifications in real-time and provides deal history on demand. For example, an STP API provides the same functions for STP through an application programming interface implemented in ActionScript, Java, or C#. 
     Market Creation and Admin Client  626  provides the following functions: a Market Creation Wizard, market maintenance, and Institution Admin functions. A billing system (not shown) maintains all data that is used for billing, and also maintains statistical data regarding client behavior. In one embodiment, the billing system is implemented as part of Market Creation and Admin Server  614  and Market Creation and Admin Client  626 . 
     In one embodiment, messages communicated between these various components include the following types of messages. Messages transmitted between Order Switch  610  and Trading Client  624  include market data (e.g., transmitted using a broadcast or multicast protocol), market configuration parameters, order entry/response (e.g., high priority data), log messages (e.g., activity, order history, etc.), user events (e.g., keystrokes, etc.), event notifications, and reports (e.g., low priority historical data reports). Messages transmitted between Market Processor  608  and Order Switch  610  include orders and order confirmations, and complex order synchronization (e.g., involving multiple markets). Messages between Market Creation and Admin Server  614  and Market Creation and Admin Client  626  include market definitions storage and retrieval, and market processor control functions. Messages transmitted between Market Processor  608  and Data Distributor  612  include detailed market data sufficient to maintain the market book and produce dealt prices. All orders, cancellations, and deals are transmitted, including counterparty and trader IDs, and market configuration details, such as credit matrix and/or credit limits are transmitted. Messages transmitted between Market Director  604  and Market Processor  608  include market assignment (e.g., Market Director  604  informs Market Processor  608  which markets it is executing), and market control (e.g., Market Director  604  instructs Market Processor  608  to start/stop the market). Messages transmitted between Market Director  604  and Order Switch  610  include market processor address discovery. Messages transmitted between Market Director  604  and Data Distributor  612  include market processor address discovery. 
     In one embodiment, the Market Creation and Admin Server  614  and Market Creation and Admin Client  626  allow users with market creator access rights to subsequently (after it has already been created) change parameters and/or specifications of the market (e.g., instrument class specifications, associated trading rules, and access rights and privileges). In one embodiment, the platform authenticates the identity of each user of the system. The Market Creation and Admin Server  614  and Market Creation and Admin Client  626  also can provide reports for users, including for Market Creators, market participants, and the new market platform service provider. 
     In one embodiment, a trader simulator is software executable on a computer (e.g., a server) for providing an automated trading simulation (e.g., a simulated trading model for simulating live trading in a market by live traders and/or model traders). For example, a trader simulator can simulate tens or hundreds of trading clients, in which the simulator can simulate live traders or model traders, or both. As shown in  FIG. 6 , Trader Simulator  630  is in communication with Order Switches  610 . In one embodiment, Trader Simulator  630  is implemented as a computer process executing on a server, which establishes multiple communications/connections to one or more Order Switches  610 . In one embodiment, the simulator uses Monte Carlo (random number) techniques with controllable probability distributions to generate trading actions matching the desired activity profile (e.g., human trader, black box traders, cautious trader, market maker, etc.). 
       FIG. 7  is a screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a login page. As shown,  FIG. 7  illustrates a login page for a market creation wizard that allows a (market creator) user to specify a new market including its attributes and who can use the market (e.g., access rights and privileges). 
       FIG. 8  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing an initial user selection page. In one embodiment, a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading is implemented as a set of (hierarchical) web pages that allow a user to easily navigate the wizard, which provides various templates, for creating and managing their user defined markets. As shown,  FIG. 8  illustrates a web page that allows a user to select the following options: manage my markets, manage my instruments, and manage my commodities and currencies. 
       FIG. 9  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market creation name and description page. As shown,  FIG. 9  illustrates a web page that allows a user to name a new market group and provide an associated description, as well as to remove and rename existing market groups. In this example, the user has created an M2 Test Market and an associated market description as Milestone 2 Test Market. 
       FIGS. 10 a - c    are screen shots illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market creation attribute page. As shown,  FIGS. 10 a - c    illustrate a web page that allows a user to navigate the GUI to select a market type (e.g., Cash/Spot Market, Outright Forwards, Forward Swaps, etc.), asset ID (e.g., Foreign Currency, Precious Metal, Commodity, Security), market name, market identifier, and market description. 
       FIG. 11  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market creation name and description page. As shown,  FIG. 11  illustrates the web page, as similarly shown in  FIG. 9 , which allows a user to name a new market group and provide an associated description, as well as to remove and rename existing market groups. In this example, the user has additionally created an M2 Test Market 2 and an associated market description as Second Test Market for Milestone 2. 
       FIG. 12  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market elements page. As shown,  FIG. 12  illustrates a web page that allows a user to select market elements in this market, a market element identifier, a market element description, a base currency, a local currency, order types, and market data access rules. 
       FIG. 13  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market element identifier page. As shown,  FIG. 13  illustrates a web page that allows a user to select a market element identifier, apply a template instrument to the selected market element (e.g., using a standard instrument or an instrument specified by the user), a market element name, and a market element description. 
       FIG. 14  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing an order type page. As shown,  FIG. 14  illustrates a web page that allows a user to select order types, including bid/offer limit, buy/sell limit IOC, buy/sell fill or kill, iceberg, and buy/sell stop limit. 
       FIGS. 15 a - e    are screen shots illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market data access rules page. As shown,  FIGS. 15 a - e    illustrate a web page that allows a user to specify market data access rules, including market book transparency (e.g., Best Bid/Offer Price, Regular Bid/Offer Price, etc.), dealing data transparency (e.g., Deal Price, Deal Price and Amount, etc.), take price definition (e.g., Worst Price Obtained, Average Price Obtained, etc.), and dealing data qualification (e.g., Paid-Given). 
       FIG. 16  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a trading access rules page. As shown,  FIG. 16  illustrates a web page that allows a user to specify trading access rules for the new market, including by entity type (e.g., institutions, banks, hedge funds, etc.), by region (e.g., North America, South America, Europe, Asia, etc.), by country, and by trader (e.g., by specific user/trader ID/name or allow all). 
       FIG. 17  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market maker access page. As shown,  FIG. 17  illustrates a web page that allows a user to specify which market makers have access to the market (e.g., by specific user/trader ID/name or allow all). 
       FIG. 18  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a settlement methods page. As shown,  FIG. 18  illustrates a web page that allows a user to specify settlement methods (e.g., bilateral, prime brokered, or clearing house) and to select prime broker or brokers. 
       FIG. 19  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a trading calendar page. As shown,  FIG. 19  illustrates a web page that allows a user to specify trading dates when the market is available for active trading and to also select settlement date rules (e.g., standard by market or custom settlement rules). 
       FIG. 20  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a trading hours page. As shown,  FIG. 20  illustrates a web page that allows a user to define the specific hours for trading in the market and also to specify a number of business days to value date by traded commodity and payment commodity. 
       FIG. 21  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a trading currency page. As shown,  FIG. 21  illustrates a web page that allows a user to specify the currency (e.g., in EUR, ZAR, or either/or) and increments by which instruments are traded in the market (e.g., unit decimal places, lot size, lot size name, lot size short name, measurement type, increment (lots), minimum (lots), and maximum (lots)). 
       FIG. 22  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a market parameters page. As shown,  FIG. 22  illustrates a web page that allows a user to configure market parameters for the new market including price properties (e.g., per trade unit, pips and decimals, typical spread, wide spread, market threshold, typical price, and regular amount), price display properties (e.g., granularity and pips start decimals), and price input properties. 
       FIG. 23  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a new market specifications summary page. As shown,  FIG. 23  illustrates a web page that summarizes specifications for the new market selected by the user using the market creation wizard, including specifications related to currency, calendar/trading dates, order types, trade access, market making access, market data access, and settlement rules. 
       FIG. 24  is another screen shot illustrating an embodiment of a market creation wizard for a user defined market for electronic trading showing a new market creation completed page. As shown,  FIG. 24  illustrates a web page of the market creation wizard informing a user that the market creation wizard process for the new market has now been completed. 
     In one embodiment, a market simulator will allow the market creator to test the new market that he/she has created by simulating the activity of the expected market participants actively and dynamically trading in the new market and/or to also allow a small group of live traders to test the new market (prior to permitting live trading in the new market). For example, the following components of a simulated market behavior can be defined: types of simulated market participants (e.g., market makers and market takers), mix of simulated participants, behavior of simulated market participants (e.g., liquidity provided and trading strategy), and daily trading patterns (e.g., special event simulation). 
       FIG. 25  is a flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a process for a user to specify simulation parameters for automated testing of a user defined market for electronic trading. Specifically, a user can specify parameters for testing the new market for simulated market testing. For example, after a user has created a new market using the above discussed new market creation wizard, a user can then specify various parameters for simulated testing to simulate live market trading for the new market. Simulated testing can be used for a number of different purposes, including testing of black box trading models prior to deployment in a live market, testing of a new market to identify issues, problems or potential improvements for further refinement of the specification and associated rules for the new market, and/or testing of market data distribution systems prior to deployment in a live market. 
     For example, different types of simulated market participants can also be specified for simulated testing of the new market. In one embodiment, a platform for a user defined market for electronic trading implements different types of simulated market participants as trader simulators, as discussed above. As shown in  FIG. 25 , at stage  2502 , the market creator specifies trading personas that will be simulated, such as the following basic types of persona: market maker only, market taker only, and market maker and taker. Different trading strategies are automatically and/or can be specifically assigned to each basic persona type, can depend upon the order types defined for the new market. A market maker can, for example, submit limit orders at prices based upon an outside market, submit limit orders at market prices, submit limit orders at market prices a configurable number of ‘pips’ away from the market, and submit limit orders at market prices at multiple pip levels away from the market. For example, a market taker can submit an IOC order at the market, submit limit orders that match prices on the opposite side of the market, arbitrage between three currency pairs using either of the two preceding order strategies, and use a trend following strategy. Each persona can be assigned a set of sub-markets to trade. Each sub-market can also be assigned a level of activity or focus. Each persona can additionally be assigned an activity profile that spans the 24 hours of the day. For example, a Tokyo-based market maker may submit more liquidity during the Tokyo trading day, while a New York market taker may only operate during the New York trading day. In one embodiment, personas are stored as templates for simulation of future (new) markets. At stage  2504 , the market creator specifies how many of each persona he/she wants to simulate trading in the test market. At stage  2506 , the market creator (optionally) overrides the trading personas&#39; activity levels with master liquidity and volatility controls that affect all simulated market participants in the simulation. At stage  2508 , the market creator (optionally) specifies special events that affect the behavior of the participants (e.g., release of government statistics at an expected time, breaking news that occurs at an unexpected time, etc.). In one embodiment of a platform for a user defined market for electronic trading, different personas will behave differently in response to these special events depending on their trading strategy. 
     Although the foregoing embodiments have been described in some detail for purposes of clarity of understanding, the invention is not limited to the details provided. There are many alternative ways of implementing the invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive.