Cloud modernization for a regulated trading platform completed on schedule

A leading OTC trading platform relied on an extensive electronic quoting and trading system supporting more than 11,500 securities. The organization operated under stringent oversight and required consistent alignment with regulatory expectations.

The infrastructure depended on aging on-premises servers that limited operational efficiency and created risk during a period of required data center decommissioning. These constraints made stability, compliance, and modernization urgent priorities.

The company sought a secure, cloud-based environment capable of improving productivity, strengthening regulatory posture, and supporting long-term scalability across its ecosystem.

The trading platform faced multiple pressure points as it prepared to migrate away from aging data center hardware. Existing systems were fragmented, with data spread across acquisitions and legacy applications. These gaps created operational friction and added risk during a time-sensitive transition.

Regulatory expectations added another layer of complexity. Every system change required careful alignment with FINRA rules, secure handling of information, and strong safeguards during all phases of the migration. Physical data center shutdown timelines further compressed the available window for modernizing the environment.

Key challenges included: 

Addressing these constraints required a secure cloud foundation delivered in a short, predictable timeframe without disrupting ongoing trading operations.

The team assessed legacy applications and introduced a cloud-based architecture designed to improve compliance, streamline workloads, and support future growth. The plan centered on transitioning the organization away from on-premise Windows servers and into a secure AWS environment.

Workloads were synchronized with disaster recovery processes, and numerous small databases were migrated and managed to maintain accuracy, consistency, and operational reliability throughout the transition. Storage, FTP, email, and workspace environments were rearchitected to support secure information collection and processing.

Infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD pipelines, and native cloud tooling strengthened security controls and reduced manual effort across the environment. A functional landing zone was designed and integrated with the organization’s existing IT ecosystem, ensuring alignment with current tools and processes.

The resulting environment delivered a cloud foundation that met regulatory expectations, improved automation, and created a path for future multi-cloud expansion.

The trading platform gained a secure, compliant cloud foundation completed in just over six months. The shift improved productivity across teams and reduced operational overhead through automation.

Native AWS services strengthened resiliency and provided a scalable structure for the organization’s long-term modernization efforts. Integrations with the existing IT ecosystem ensured continuity while supporting future migration needs.

The project gave the organization a durable base for future initiatives while reducing risk and improving operational effectiveness.