Dealers ditch the fax machine in structured products tech push

New technology is making more structured products available for direct purchase via platforms, reducing administration and settlement times, and potentially helping issuers to increase volumes. But whether automation will help to attract reluctant retail buyers remains uncertain

When financial advisers and discretionary fund managers buy structured products through a distribution platform, they are used to filling in a paper order form, which is delivered to the issuer by fax or post. That may be about to change.

In September, London-based fund transaction network Calastone began offering an automated solution that allows issuers to list products directly on funds platform Novia. Investec and Morgan Stanley have already begun offering structured products for direct