Objectway Slib acquisition talks target BNP Paribas-Natixis venture

Objectway Slib acquisition talks would give the Italian wealth management technology provider control of a capital markets software business owned by BNP Paribas and Natixis. If completed, the deal would add securities processing, clearing, settlement and risk management capabilities to a group that says it supports more than 250 financial institutions in more than 16 countries and administers over €2 trillion in assets.

The companies have not disclosed financial terms. Objectway described the deal as an acquisition project, indicating the transaction remains subject to negotiation rather than a completed transfer of ownership.

Slib is a specialist capital markets IT provider with roots in the Lyon Stock Exchange, where it was founded in 1988 from the exchange’s technology department. Over more than three decades, the business has built a client base of 30 European asset servicers, broker-dealers and banks, supported by more than 140 staff in Paris, Lyon and Lisbon.

What would Objectway get from Slib?

Objectway would gain software used across the securities operating chain, from retail brokerage and end-to-end securities processing to risk management. In practical terms, securities processing systems help financial institutions record, reconcile and complete trades after execution, including the clearing and settlement steps that transfer securities and cash between counterparties.

The proposed acquisition would push Objectway further into the trading and execution layer of capital markets. Objectway’s existing business is centred on wealth and investment management technology, while Slib adds tools and services used by banks, brokers and asset servicers for market operations.

Slib also provides professional services to help clients implement, run and update their technology platforms. For financial institutions, these services can be as important as the software itself because market infrastructure, regulation and product coverage often require continuous operational changes.

The geographic effect would be concentrated in western Europe. Objectway said the deal would widen its client base and operating presence in France, where Slib has teams in Paris and Lyon, and extend its reach into the Iberian Peninsula through Slib’s Lisbon hub.

Luigi Marciano, Objectway’s founder and group chief executive, said the proposed acquisition reflected the company’s long-term plan to broaden its expertise, reinforce its pan-European presence and support clients facing more complex operating requirements. He said the project was intended to create foundations for sustainable growth.

For BNP Paribas and Natixis, the negotiations concern a long-standing joint venture that serves market participants rather than a consumer-facing banking franchise. The report did not state whether either bank would remain a client of Slib after any sale, or whether the transaction would require regulatory or employee consultation processes.

The talks come as financial technology vendors serving wealth management, brokerage and post-trade operations seek broader product coverage. Banks and investment firms often rely on integrated platforms to reduce manual work between order execution, custody, settlement and risk controls, although the operational effect of any acquisition depends on integration plans that Objectway has not detailed.

Until terms are agreed and closing conditions are disclosed, the timing and final structure of the proposed transaction remain unconfirmed. The confirmed point is narrower: Objectway is pursuing Slib to extend its technology coverage from wealth and investment management into a deeper segment of capital markets infrastructure.

This story draws on original reporting from Finextra Research.