The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is set to end floor trading by 2012 and go exclusively electronic with the Deutsche Börse Xetra platform.
The exchange's governing council says it has resolved to terminate lead-broker based floor trading on the regulated market from 28 March 2012, although this could be bought forward.
The lead brokers, who have backed the move, will be replaced by specialists charged with ensuring sufficient liquidity in electronic trading, a model already used for trading structured products on Scoach as well as in fund trading on Xetra.
With growing competition post-MiFID from new market entrants such as Chi-X and Bats and new regulations, the Exchange Council says issuer and trading participant requirements for "a modern trading venue" have cast a cloud over floor-based trading.
Lutz Raettig, chairman of the FWB Exchange Council, says: "In adopting this resolution, we ensure that the Frankfurt Stock Exchange can optimally fulfil its economic function as a stock exchange under considerably changed market conditions as well."