QuickFIX/J, a pure Java implementation of the QuickFIX engine, is the only full-featured open source Java FIX engine currently available. Drawing on Bate's tenure as Smart Trade's R&D director, the firm introduced the first 100% Java open-source FIX engine for the financial markets in 2006, which allowed a natural integration of the QuickFIX/J engine design with Java enterprise technologies, ideally suited for developing platform-independent FIX-related applications, tools and user interfaces. Smart Trade also uses QuickFIX/J to provide an out-of-the-box, enterprise-class FIX connectivity extension for its smartTrade Trading Platform (STTP), the suite of products that comprise is Liquidity Management System.

"It has been a great experience to interact with the QuickFIX/J community and see how widely the tool is being used," says Bate. "Smart Trade will be taking over the project and development leadership with continuing support from two key QuickFIXJ firms, Marketcetera in the U.S. and McDonald Associates in Europe. I will be providing support to the project during the transition phase and will be less involved after that period. Smart Trade has been a good friend to the project as well as providing the server resources for QuickFIXJ's web site and supporting tools."

"Accepting this global leadership position," says David Vincent, CTO at Smart Trade, "is a natural transition for us and we are proud to take on the responsibility as I am convinced that being officially backed and lead by a company like Smart Trade will help QuickFIXJ follow the evolution of the financial industry globally."