VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Monday, January 5, 2026

Stock Comparison

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited vs MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

Compare moat strength, market structure, and segment coverage to understand how each company defends its edge.

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited

0388.HK · Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX)

Market cap (USD)$67.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
Operating margin (TTM)
Net margin (TTM)
SectorFinancials
Industry
CountryHK
Data as of2026-01-03
Moat score
92/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited's moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View 0388.HK analysis

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

MKTX · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$6.7B
Gross margin (TTM)66.2%
Operating margin (TTM)41.2%
Net margin (TTM)26.2%
SectorFinancials
IndustryFinancial - Capital Markets
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-23
Moat score
74/ 100

Weighted average of segment moat scores, combining moat strength, durability, confidence, market structure, pricing power, and market share.

Full stock profile

Dive deeper into MarketAxess Holdings Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View MKTX analysis

Comparison highlights

  • Moat score gap: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited leads (92 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for MarketAxess Holdings Inc.).
  • Segment focus: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited has 4 segments (52.6% in Cash Markets); MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 2 segments (87.1% in Trade Execution Solutions).
  • Primary market structure: Monopoly vs Oligopoly. Pricing power: Moderate vs Moderate.
  • Moat breadth: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited has 9 moat types across 5 domains; MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited

Cash Markets

Market

Exchange-based cash equities trading, clearing and settlement in Hong Kong (including Stock Connect cash markets)

Geography

Hong Kong (with Mainland China Connect linkage)

Customer

Brokers, banks, proprietary trading firms, and investors; listed issuers via primary/secondary markets

Role

Exchange operator + clearing/settlement/depository operator

Revenue share

52.6%

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

Trade Execution Solutions

Market

Electronic fixed-income trade execution platforms (credit and rates)

Geography

Global

Customer

Institutional investors, broker-dealers, and alternative liquidity providers

Role

Electronic trading venue / marketplace operator

Revenue share

87.1%

Side-by-side metrics

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited
MarketAxess Holdings Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
0388.HK - Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX)
MKTX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
$67.7B
$6.7B
Gross margin (TTM)
n/a
66.2%
Operating margin (TTM)
n/a
41.2%
Net margin (TTM)
n/a
26.2%
Sector
Financials
Financials
Industry
n/a
Financial - Capital Markets
HQ country
HK
US
Primary segment
Cash Markets
Trade Execution Solutions
Market structure
Monopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
100% (reported)
19% (reported)
HHI estimate
10,000
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
92 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Legal, Network, Financial, Supply, Demand
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2026-01-03
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Two Sided NetworkSwitching Costs General

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited strengths

Concession LicenseClearing SettlementInteroperability HubDirect Network EffectsBenchmark Pricing PowerPhysical Network DensityDistribution Control

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. strengths

Data Workflow LockinData Network EffectsCompliance AdvantageEcosystem Complements

Segment mix

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited segments

Full profile >

Cash Markets

Monopoly

52.6%

Equity and Financial Derivatives

Monopoly

20.3%

Commodities (LME and related)

Oligopoly

14.8%

Data and Connectivity

Quasi-Monopoly

12.2%

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. segments

Full profile >

Trade Execution Solutions

Oligopoly

87.1%

Services (Data, Post-Trade and Technology)

Competitive

12.9%

Want the full wide moat stocks list?

Browse the full ranking of wide moat stocks, updated with moat scores and segment context.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.