Beginners' Guide:

The world of OTC derivatives can be a daunting prospect to the novice. This section of the site is designed to provide readers with information on the instruments traded in the market, the investment strategies that they are used within, and some of the support issues faced by participants.

"Over-The-Counter" derivatives, by their very bespoke nature, come in a myriad of forms, however in the last few years ISDA has gone a long way to creating standardised templates. Nonetheless they remain an asset type that requires a radically different operating model to cash securities for those investors holding them in their funds and trading books.