Patent ID: 8185466

Claim:
A method for conducting securities transactions via a hub in electronic communication with a distributed network, the hub comprising a messaging tier for receiving requests from proprietary systems, a presentation tier for receiving requests sent via a browser, and an application tier for validating, processing, and satisfying requests received by the messaging tier and the presentation tier and for creating response messages, the method comprising: receiving at the hub an order from a securities lender to lend an available number of shares of a particular security, broadcasting from the hub a notification of the order to a plurality of securities borrowers via the distributed network, the notification to each securities borrower including unique information for that securities borrower, receiving and sending requests via the hub whereby at least two borrowers engage in simultaneous negotiations for a loan of shares of the security from the lender, receiving at the hub responsive communications from the at least two of the plurality of borrowers, the responsive communications each indicating acceptance of the order for a portion of the available number of shares; transmitting from the hub to the lender the responsive communications from the at least two of the plurality of securities borrowers, wherein the at least two borrowers separately enter into security lending transactions with the lender to borrow a portion of the available number of shares from the order of the particular security, and assigning a transaction identifier to each of the securities lending transactions, the transaction identifier enabling establishment of a link between securities loan returns and trades, between securities loan recalls and trades, and between securities loan returns and securities loan recalls, whereby the transaction identifier is associated with the securities lending transaction for an entire trade lifecycle; wherein the step of assigning a transaction identifier is performed by the hub.