Abstract: An automated futures trading exchange is provided that rewards market participants that provide liquidity to a central processing system and charges a fee to market participants that remove liquidity from the central processing system. The liquidity maker and the liquidity taker in each transaction is identified, and it is further determined whether the liquidity maker and/or the liquidity taker is a member of a market making class. By assigning a credit or a debit to the accounts of each market participant based upon whether a market participant to a transaction is a liquidity maker or liquidity taker or based upon whether the market participant is a market maker, a multi-factored and dynamic system is provided for promoting and controlling market liquidity. Additionally, different rates of debits and credits may be applied, using volume-tiered rates and the trading status of the trader.

Abstract: An automated futures trading exchange is provided that rewards market participants that provide liquidity to a central processing system and charges a fee to market participants that remove liquidity from the central processing system. The liquidity maker and the liquidity taker in each transaction is identified, and it is further determined whether the liquidity maker and/or the liquidity taker is a member of a market making class. By assigning a credit or a debit to the accounts of each market participant based upon whether a market participant to a transaction is a liquidity maker or liquidity taker or based upon whether the market participant is a market maker, a-multi-factored and dynamic system is provided for promoting and controlling market liquidity. Additionally, different rates of debits and credits may be applied, using volume-tiered rates and the trading status of the trader.