Patent ID: 7392214

Claim:
An apparatus comprising at least one computing device having control logic associated therewith that when executed makes the computing device operable to: apply a host qualification test to a party with respect to a market; determine that the party passed the host qualification test; apply a third party qualification test to the party, in which to apply the third party qualification test comprises to: determine for each of a plurality of participants in the market a minimum credit ranking that a counterparty must have in order to trade with the respective participant in the market; compare a credit ranking of the party to the participants' minimum credit rankings; and determine that the party's credit ranking is insufficient for the party to trade with at least one of the participants in the market; and prevent the party from placing orders in the market based at least in part on determining that the party's credit ranking is insufficient for the party to trade with at least one of the participants in the market.