What is Prime Brokerage?

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Prime brokerage is the generic name for a bundled package of services offered by investment banks and securities firms to hedge funds and other professional investors.







Prime brokerage is the generic name for a bundled package of services offered by investment banks and securities firms to hedge funds and other professional investors needing the ability to borrow securities and cash to be able to invest on a netted basis and achieve an absolute return. The business advantage to a hedge fund of using a Prime Broker is that the Prime Broker provides a centralized securities clearing facility for the hedge fund, and the hedge fund's collateral requirements are netted across all deals handled by the Prime Broker.

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The Prime Broker benefits by earning fees ("spreads") on financing the client's long and short cash and security positions, and by charging, in some cases, fees for clearing and/or other services. It also earns money by hypothecating the portfolios of the hedge funds it services and charging a fee to those borrowing securities and other investments.


Each client in the market of a prime broker will have certain technological needs related to the management of its portfolio. These can be as simple as daily statements or as complicated as real-time portfolio reporting, and the client must work closely with the prime broker to ensure that its needs are met. Certain prime brokers offer more specialized services to certain clients.


For example, a prime broker may also be in the business of leasing office space to hedge funds, as well as including on-site services as part of the arrangement. Risk management and consulting services may be among these, especially if the hedge fund has just started operations.


The following services are typically bundled into the Prime Brokerage package:
  • Global custody (including clearing, custody, and asset servicing)
  • Securities lending
  • Financing (to facilitate leverage of client assets)
  • Customized technology (provide hedge fund managers with portfolio reporting needed to effectively manage money)
  • Operational support (prime brokers act as a hedge fund's primary operations contact with all other broker dealers)

Resource ~ What is Prime Brokerage? ~ Kristen


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