Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for creating an electronic marketplace, utilizing an electronic non-currency unit of exchange, that provides for and facilitates the cost effective exchange of institutional research and trade order execution services between asset management firms and executing brokers in such manner as to substantially lower trading costs and improve investment performance on a recurring basis for the shareholders and beneficiaries investing in mutual funds and other investment portfolios.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for a sponsoring organization to: (1) utilize a rules-based computer system to capture trade orders from sub-advisors (money management firms) in order to implement a pre trade compliance review process, thereby enabling the sponsoring organization to prevent the execution of trade orders by a sub advisor that violates securities laws and/or account restrictions; and (2) determine and assign, based on expected market impact of a trade order to buy or sell securities, whether responsibility (discretion over the decisions related to how, when and with whom a trade order is executed) for executing the trade order is assigned to the money management firm for an investment portfolio or to the sponsoring organization of that portfolio. Trade orders are categorized in real-time as “high touch” (significant effort and market impact) or “low touch” (insignificant effort and market impact).

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a system, method, process, software and standards that enable a unified trading and control process utilized by sponsoring organizations and asset managers (money managers) for sub advised or externally managed investment portfolios as to increase control over the trading process by a sponsoring organization, enhance regulatory compliance, substantially lower trading costs and improve investment performance on a recurring basis for the shareholders and beneficiaries investing in registered and non registered mutual funds and institutional investment portfolios.