The international network will increase KBC Peel Hunt's reach across the world and will enhance its global approach to doing business, enabling the company to open up to a wider cross-border trading customer base.

The Ullink network builds on global trading connectivity between buy-side clients and KBC Peel Hunt traders using the FIX protocol and provides natively-connected trading applications to connect all members on the Ullink network.

Commenting on the network services, Simon Chambers, director of operations at KBC Peel Hunt, says: "The Ullink network will enhance our existing electronic order routing offering and STP capabilities. It also enables potential European customers to have easier access to KBC Peel Hunt's trading expertise and offers potential growth opportunities for our expanding European customer base. We are delighted to have signed up to this globally-recognised trading platform."

KBC Peel Hunt is owned by major Belgian bank KBC Bank, one of the largest financial institutions in the European Union, and is a leading pan-European player in the financial markets, working with major UK and European banks and investors.

Ullink will also help KBC Peel Hunt benefit from on-line solutions including connectivity monitoring, on-line billing, real-time algorithm publication, email alerts, and automated certification.

In addition to normalising message flow, implementing business-logic routing rules and message enrichments, the order routing also provides a free FIX engine to its members with complete support.

Laurent Useldinger, chief executive officer of Ullink.net, says: "Since its creation, Ullink.net has helped its members deploy global connectivity while remaining focused on their core business: trading. Once certified on our network, our members are fully and safely outsourcing their connectivity to specialists. We are very pleased we could address KBC Peel Hunt's needs in this manner."