Partnership introduces the financial industry's first exchange-traded perpetual futures on interest rate benchmarks

CHICAGO, March 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Architect Financial Technologies Inc. ("Architect" or "the Company") today announced a partnership with MarketVector Indexes™ ("MarketVector"), a leading global index provider and regulated Benchmark Administrator, to launch the financial industry's first exchange-traded perpetual futures contracts on interest rate benchmarks. The new contracts will be listed on AX, Architect's global regulated exchange for perpetual futures on traditional financial assets.

Developed in collaboration with MarketVector, AX's interest rate perpetual futures will offer institutional customers the ability to trade standardized, centrally cleared contracts referencing major global interest rate benchmarks. This novel product class extends the perpetual futures model—which eliminates expiration dates and the associated costs of rolling positions—to interest rate markets for the first time. By removing the operational burden and basis risk introduced by traditional quarterly expiry cycles, AX's interest rate perpetual contracts are designed to provide a more capital-efficient and operationally streamlined tool for managing duration exposure, expressing views on monetary policy, and hedging interest rate risk.

MarketVector is a BaFin-registered Benchmark Administrator that maintains indexes under the MarketVector™, MVIS®, and BlueStar® names, with more than USD $150 billion in assets under management linked to its benchmarks across more than 25 exchange-traded product issuers globally. The firm's expertise in designing rigorous, transparent benchmarks across equities, digital assets, and hard assets will underpin the construction and methodology of AX's new interest rate index products.

Brett Harrison, Architect's Chief Executive Officer, commented on the news, "MarketVector has established itself as one of the most innovative and trusted index providers in the world, powering benchmarks that underlie tens of billions of dollars in institutional capital. Interest rate markets are among the largest and most actively traded in global finance, yet until now, no exchange has offered perpetual futures contracts on interest rate benchmarks. This partnership with MarketVector allows us to bring an entirely new product category to market—one that combines MarketVector's best-in-class index methodology with the capital efficiency and operational simplicity of the perpetual contract format."

Steven Schoenfeld, Chief Executive Officer of MarketVector, stated, "MarketVector has long been committed to accelerating index innovation and expanding the ways investors access markets. Our partnership with Architect represents an exciting new frontier: applying our rigorous, transparent index methodologies to the perpetual futures format in interest rate markets. We see significant potential for institutional participants to benefit from perpetual contracts that reference interest rate benchmarks, and we look forward to building this product suite together."

All contracts will be standardized, centrally cleared, and matched on anonymous central limit order books on AX. Customers will be able to use both traditional fiat currency and digital asset stablecoins as collateral to meet margin requirements. AX is operated by Architect's Bermuda-based affiliate Architect Bermuda Ltd., regulated by the Bermuda Monetary Authority under dual licenses pursuant to the Investment Business Act and Digital Asset Business Act.

AX is currently available to institutions—including hedge funds, market makers, family offices, asset managers, insurance and reinsurance companies, and lenders—in eligible jurisdictions. To learn more about AX and onboard to the exchange, visit https://architect.co or contact sales@architect.co.

To learn more about MarketVector's index products and licensing opportunities, visit www.marketvector.com or contact media-enquiries@marketvector.com.

About MarketVector Indexes

MarketVector Indexes™ ("MarketVector") develops and administers indexes used as benchmarks for financial products globally. The company is incorporated in Germany and maintains indexes under the MarketVector™, MVIS®, and BlueStar® names. MarketVector operates in line with the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) "Principles for Financial Benchmarks" and recognized industry best practices. With a mission to accelerate index innovation globally, MarketVector is best known for its broad suite of Thematic indexes, a long-running expertise in Hard Asset-linked Equity indexes, and its pioneering Digital Asset index family. MarketVector is proud to be in partnership with more than 25 Exchange-Traded Product (ETP) issuers and index fund managers in markets throughout the world, with more than USD 150 billion in assets under management. To learn more, visit www.marketvector.com.

About Architect

Architect Financial Technologies Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides institutional trading technology, US electronic brokerage services, and a global perpetual futures exchange. Architect Securities LLC is a FINRA-registered Introducing Broker-Dealer for SEC-regulated securities and security derivatives. Architect Financial Derivatives LLC is an NFA-registered Independent Introducing Broker for CFTC-regulated derivatives. Architect Bermuda Ltd. is regulated under the Bermuda Monetary Authority and operates AX, a multi-asset perpetual futures exchange for institutional customers. To learn more, please visit https://architect.exchange and https://architect.co.

This communication is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute a recommendation, investment, or legal advice. Readers should consult their investment, fiduciary, and/or legal advisors for guidance in making investment or business decisions.

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SOURCE Architect Financial Technologies Inc