With robust growth in equity options across Europe, Cboe Europe plans to launch a brand-new trading service on its European Lit order book, designed to enhance execution outcomes for retail traders. Cboe sees the demand for further retail access across Europe and is eager to provide innovative and accessible trading solutions for customers to access some of the best available Lit liquidity in European equities. The new service is scheduled to go live on September 8, 2025, and will grant retail investors the ability to trade stocks and Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) across 18 European markets, completely free of charge .
The growth in equity options trading in Europe has been driven by retail participation, alongside the younger generation gaining interest in trading options. Currently, retail trading in European equities represents an estimated 10-12% of on-exchange activity. Cboe’s new service is intended to further support retail trading by providing retail brokers with a single access point to thousands of European equities and ETFs, all while ensuring trades are executed at or better than the European Best Bid and Offer (EBBO) across 18 European markets . This means better prices, more transparency and no hidden fees — ultimately enhancing retail trading access in Europe.
Cboe Europe is rolling out a Retail Liquidity Provider (RLP) Program as well, providing access to Europe’s largest Dark and Periodic Auctions order books and opening more opportunities for price improvement. Traders who are already connected to Cboe Europe, can start using the new service right away. To participate, brokers need to fill out a Retail Order Attestation form, which unlocks access to retail-specific pricing and features. Once unlocked, retail orders can interact with both RLP and non-RLP quotes, with RLPs getting priority when prices match.
This new service is a simple and cost-effective way to support retail traders in Europe. Cboe has embraced the strong retail trading community in the U.S. and sees its new European platform as a way to broaden access to Cboe’s equities markets and reach more customers worldwide. Cboe will continue to listen to the ever-evolving needs of retail traders across the globe and aim to provide solutions tailored to customers everywhere.
Learn more about Cboe’s upcoming launch here.
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