TraCRS (pronounced tray-sirs) are based on an underlying asset that is a member of the primary index of a specified offshore market, which will initially include the main United States exchanges NYSE and NASDAQ, meaning Australian investors will be able to trade on an Australian exchange to invest in the top US stocks.

CEO of Chi-X Australia John Fildes told the Chi-X Retail Advisory Committee in Sydney last night, “We are on target to commence trading TraCRs on Tuesday February 7. TraCRs will be a game changer for Australian investors as for the first time they will be able to invest in some of the world’s biggest companies in Australian dollars, on an Australian exchange, protected by Australian regulations.

“Both retail and institutional investors face the problem of diversifying their portfolio and gaining meaningful exposure to global growth stories and the new economy. While many Australian listed companies, ETFs and LICs are delivering underlying offshore assets and exposure in an Australian listed stock, to date no one has been able to provide direct beneficial ownership of the US powerhouses that TraCRs will deliver,” he added.