Despite rambunctious markets and a global pandemic NZX's net profit after tax has risen 20.1% to $17.6 million, operating earnings are up 9.7% to $34.4 million.

Revenue growth for the NZX in 2020 was strong across the board – in Capital Markets, Smartshares and NZX Wealth Technologies:

• issuance – all listing pathways used in 2020 including IPO, direct listings, reverse listings and foreign exempt listings
• liquidity – $53.7 billion (up 41.8%) with 63.0% on market
• Smartshares FUM – $5.08 billion (up 28.0%)
• Wealth Technologies – $7.19 billion (up 213.4%)

The report states that “We will focus on growing markets, with the near term primary focus being on gaining new equity listings. We will focus on all markets but in the near term the primary focus in this highly competitive environment will be Driving New Listings and Participation through growth of all markets.”

NZX has "acknowledged the issues that have affected its technology platforms and market participants in 2020 and recognised the need for further investment in technology to enhance platform stability and resilience, and deliver other improvements, confirming additional spend on people and
systems in 2021".

Alongside this drive to improve the NZX systems is a “continued focus on growing Wealth Technologies FUA and operating earnings net of CAPEX and driving Smartshares FUM and operating earnings.”

The report states that a “Trading System Upgrade will deliver increased functionality and trading options for participants (eg NZX DARK); [its] go live [was] deferred due to Covid-19 and is now planned for H1-2021.”

The technology helping the NZX function, both in NZXWT and the wider NZX systems will be at the heart of its mission for 2021.