what is the world federation of stock exchanges wfe 
the world federation of stock exchanges more commonly known as the world federation of exchanges is an international trade group that supports the interests of regulated securities exchanges around the world and promotes widespread access to financial markets and the safety and soundness of the global financial system understanding the world federation of stock exchanges wfe the world federation of exchanges wfe is located in london the united kingdom the wfe is an industry group and private company that was established in 1961 and today represents more than 250 different exchanges and clearinghouses 1the wfe s members are represented in the following regions of the world wfe exchanges are home to nearly 59 400 listed companies while the annual trading volume that passes through wfe members equals 162 04 trillion as of 2021 1member exchanges include the following goals of the world federation of exchangesthe world federation of exchanges aims to be the most important global advocacy group for companies around the world that facilitate the trading of financial assets because the financial services industry is heavily regulated and because those regulations can differ greatly from country to country the primary goal of the group is to advocate for smart regulation that is harmonized across borders 1the wfe also seeks to provide value to its members through the dissemination of vital information to the industry and by convening meetings where members of the industry can share information and network to this end the world federation of exchanges stages several events each year including the wfe general assembly and annual meeting which is held each year by one of its member organizations 3benefits of the world federation of exchangesthe world federation of exchanges provides a number of different services for financial market participants it publishes a wide array of statistics on securities markets as well as more than 350 market indicators 4the wfe also plays a role in facilitating the spread of ideas and best practices throughout the financial services industry it often convenes forums debates and conferences where industry participants can discuss important issues in financial market structure like cross border regulation or high frequency trading which is a high powered computerized system of trading 3the wfe also publishes numerous statistics many of which are contained in its annual statistics guide market participants can find in the guide such valuable information as the total market capitalization of companies listed on various stock exchanges the total value of bonds issued across the globe or the total notional value of derivatives being traded in specific markets 5derivatives typically derive their value from the underlying asset or security such as a stock it also maintains a database on initial public offerings ipos which a new equity issuance made on member exchanges 6 the wfe is governed by a board of directors which meets regularly to oversee the management of the organization 7