KKR is reportedly in exclusive negotiations to acquire OSTTRA, the post-trade services joint venture between CME Group and S&P Global, in a transaction valued at approximately $3bn, according to Bloomberg sources.

The deal, which could be announced as soon as this week, would mark a major strategic move by KKR into the financial market infrastructure sector. The firm is aiming to capitalise on the growing demand for resilient, scalable post-trade solutions in global financial markets.

OSTTRA was formed in 2021 by merging CME Group’s post-trade operations with IHS Markit’s MarkitSERV business. The platform offers post-trade processing services across the derivatives, FX, and securities markets, serving as a critical component of financial market plumbing. Following the merger between IHS Markit and S&P Global, ownership of OSTTRA has been split between CME and S&P.

Earlier reports had suggested that GTCR was close to acquiring OSTTRA in a $3.2bn deal, but Bloomberg has since confirmed KKR as the leading bidder.

Neither KKR, CME Group, nor S&P Global have commented on the transaction. If completed, the deal would expand KKR’s footprint in financial infrastructure, aligning with its long-term strategy of investing in essential, tech-enabled services within institutional markets.

Source: Bloomberg