The new CME Cleared Swap Product will trade on Swapstream's sPro platform and will be centrally cleared through CME using its OTC clearing solution, CME Clearing360.

The firms, representing a wide spectrum of US, European and Middle Eastern financial institutions, will lead the effort to bring this new and innovative product to the $271 trillion interest rate swap (IRS) market.

They will be the first financial institutions to benefit from the balance sheet and operational efficiencies through central counterparty clearing and straight through processing, offered by CME Swaps on Swapstream.

The new participants include banks, mortgage banks, asset managers, hedge funds and proprietary trading firms:

• Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank
• Allston Trading
• BMO Capital Markets
• Bred Bank
• Capstone Investment Advisors
• Capula Investment Management
• Centaurus Capital
• Citadel Investment Group
• Commerzbank Group Treasury
• Countrywide Financial Corporation
• DRW Holdings
• Elcano RV Fund
• Eurohypo
• EWT
• Henderson Global Investors
• Infinium Capital Management
• Julius Baer Investment Management
• Lancelot EAM AB
• Landesbank Berlin AG
• Malbec Partners
• NewSmith Asset Management
• Nomura
• Nylon Capital
• Pictet Asset Management
• RGM Advisors
• Rho Trading Securities
• Rubicon Fund Management
• Sanctum FI
• Telluride Asset Management
• The Clifton Group
• Threadneedle Investments
• Twinfields Capital Management
• Voyageur Asset Management

Further participants are in advanced discussions and expected to join the program in the near future.

Under the program, participants have agreed to commit resources and to work closely with Swapstream and CME Group to be ready to participate in the beta and launch phases.

Joe Leitch of Rubicon Fund Management said: "Like most firms, we are looking for the cost savings offered by this product but we also value that through it we are able to continue to conduct our business dirirectly via our existing relationships."

Christian von Staudt, Head of Interest Rate Risk Management at Commerzbank Group Treasury, said: "We think that the time is right for the launch of a centrally cleared interest rate swap. The trend towards standardization of fixed income products is in full swing since the introduction of the Bund Future more than a decade ago. Swapstream is creating a similar powerful instrument this time with the focus on credit risk mitigation in the IRS market."

Diego Megia, Principal of Elcano RV Fund, said: "The recent credit crisis has emphasized how important it is to control our exposure and manage collateral and counterparty risk. CME Group and Swapstream bring us a product we need which will help us benefit from all the efficiencies of a clearing house without sacrificing the way we conduct our OTC business."

John M. Huber, Chief Investment Officer at Voyageur Asset Management, said: "The costly and laborious process of getting ISDA documents in place for our clients as well as the operational and capital inefficiencies associated with trading interest rate swaps has kept us from trading this product in the past. CME Swaps remove these obstacles and will allow us to enter the interest rate swap market efficiently. We look forward to working with Swapstream and bringing this new and innovative product to our client base."

Jerome Guiot-Dorel, Head of Interest Rate Swaps at Bred Banques Populaires, said: "The launch of this product will benefit from excellent timing. The subprime crisis which led to the LIBOR crisis has stressed the difficulties of managing a large book of swaps fixings. With this new tool, we will be able to handle the seasonality of LIBOR fixings much better. This product could transform the interest swap market."

Stephane Rio, CEO of Swapstream, said: "The commitment by this wide range of banks and investors to trade this first centrally cleared interest rate swap is a reflection of the very large appetite from OTC market participants to reduce their credit exposure, reduce costs and streamline processing of one of the most widely used OTC instruments. We are delighted with the confidence these organizations have expressed in our product and our platform."

CME Swaps on Swapstream are expected to launch in a beta phase by March 2008 and go live in the second quarter of 2008.