WSE launches negotiations to sell Aquis stake

The Warsaw Stock Exchange has started negotiations on the potential sale of its 20.3 percent stake in the European equity trading platform Aquis, the company said in a market filing. “Aquis Exchange has launched its IPO process although no decisions have been made yet,” Deputy CEO of WSE Jacek Fotek said. The bourse CEO, Marek Dietl added that the final decision will depend on analysis and negotiations. “Aquis is entering the market, its valuation will be based on future results, we as the biggest shareholder of Aqius decided to support the idea of IPO, but its outcome is difficult to predict now,” he said. Last year, Aquis had 1.5 percent share of the European securities trading market. Aquis Exchange Limited is a British company that operates a pan-European stock trading market in the form of a multilateral trading platform. WSE acquired a 30 percent stake in the company for £5 million back in 2013. Through a number of subsequent share issues, the stake was lowered to 20.3 percent.