N°17-70: Discriminatory Pricing of Over-The-Counter Derivatives

For the first time, new regulatory data allow precise measurement of price discrimination against non-financial clients in the FX derivatives market. Consistent with the theoretical literature, transaction costs vary systematically with measures of client sophistication. The median client pays 10.9 pips more than blue-chip companies due to its lower level of sophistication, which compares with a sample average effective spread of 6.9 pips. However, price discrimination is fully eliminated when clients trade electronically on multi-dealer platforms. We also document that less sophisticated clients incur additional costs when trading with their relationship bank and in fast-moving markets, but only for bilaterally negotiated contracts.