EquiLend announced the completion of its majority acquisition by private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS). The deal’s closure follows regulatory approval from EquiLend’s regulators in the U.S., UK and Ireland. The acquisition agreement was first announced in January 2024.
Joining WCAS as owners of EquiLend are founding shareholders and customers including Bank of America, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, National Bank of Canada, State Street, and UBS.
Ryan Harper, WCAS general partner, said in a statement: “With the necessary regulatory approvals now in place, EquiLend is poised to accelerate its growth and further the automation of the securities finance market. We believe this partnership will support EquiLend’s mission to innovate and enhance industry efficiency. We look forward to working closely with EquiLend’s customers, shareholders and leadership team during this exciting period of growth.”
EquiLend’s fintech solutions supports all facets of a securities finance market participant’s business, including electronic trading, SaaS platform, post-trade automation, data and analytics and regulatory technology solutions. Since its founding in 2001, the company’s client base has grown to nearly 200 asset owners, agency lending banks, broker-dealers and hedge funds.