VOL. XCIV, NO. 247

★ WIDE MOAT STOCKS COMPARISON ★

NO ADVICE

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Stock Comparison

CME Group Inc. vs MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

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

CME Group Inc.

CME · NASDAQ

Market cap (USD)
SectorFinancials
CountryUS
Data as of2025-12-30
Moat score
81/ 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 CME Group Inc.'s moat claims, evidence, and risks.

View CME analysis

MarketAxess Holdings Inc.

MKTX · NASDAQ Global Select Market

Market cap (USD)$6.7B
SectorFinancials
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: CME Group Inc. leads (81 / 100 vs 74 / 100 for MarketAxess Holdings Inc.).
  • Segment focus: CME Group Inc. has 3 segments (81.4% in Trading and Clearing (Derivatives + Cash Markets Platforms)); MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 2 segments (87.1% in Trade Execution Solutions).
  • Moat breadth: CME Group Inc. has 10 moat types across 5 domains; MarketAxess Holdings Inc. has 6 across 3.

Primary market context

CME Group Inc.

Trading and Clearing (Derivatives + Cash Markets Platforms)

Market

Exchange-traded derivatives (futures and options) trading and central counterparty clearing; plus electronic cash markets matching (U.S. Treasuries/repo, spot FX) tied to CME platforms

Geography

Global (core U.S. footprint with international participation)

Customer

Institutional and professional traders; commercial hedgers; banks; broker-dealers; futures commission merchants (FCMs); asset managers; proprietary trading firms; governments and central banks

Role

Market operator (exchange/venue) + central counterparty clearing provider

Revenue share

81.4%

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

CME Group Inc.
MarketAxess Holdings Inc.
Ticker / Exchange
CME - NASDAQ
MKTX - NASDAQ Global Select Market
Market cap (USD)
n/a
$6.7B
Sector
Financials
Financials
HQ country
US
US
Primary segment
Trading and Clearing (Derivatives + Cash Markets Platforms)
Trade Execution Solutions
Market structure
Oligopoly
Oligopoly
Market share
n/a
19% (reported)
HHI estimate
n/a
n/a
Pricing power
Moderate
Moderate
Moat score
81 / 100
74 / 100
Moat domains
Network, Legal, Supply, Financial, Demand
Network, Demand, Legal
Last update
2025-12-30
2025-12-23

Moat coverage

Shared moat types

Two Sided NetworkData Workflow LockinSwitching Costs General

CME Group Inc. strengths

Clearing SettlementConcession LicenseScale Economies Unit CostBenchmark Pricing PowerIP Choke PointDe Facto StandardDistribution Control

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. strengths

Data Network EffectsCompliance AdvantageEcosystem Complements

Segment mix

CME Group Inc. segments

Full profile >

Trading and Clearing (Derivatives + Cash Markets Platforms)

Oligopoly

81.4%

Market Data and Information Services

Monopoly

11.6%

Access, Connectivity and Other Exchange Services

Monopoly

7%

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.