May 2, 2012

Miami International Securities Exchange Files Form 1 Application with the SEC

Princeton, NJ – May 2, 2012 – Miami International Securities Exchange, LLC ("MIAX") announced today that on April 26, 2012 it filed a Form 1 Application with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") to become a national securities exchange for the trading of options. The MIAX Options Exchange, which will be a fully-electronic options exchange, is planning to commence operations in late September 2012, subject to SEC approval.

“We are very excited to announce the achievement of this significant milestone,” said Thomas P. Gallagher, MIAX’s Executive Chairman. Gallagher further stated, “We have built a great team of seasoned professionals from eight different exchanges, among other institutions. Our technology management team has developed and operated four derivatives platforms for other U.S. exchanges before coming to MIAX. These dedicated employees along with our supportive investors have contributed to MIAX reaching this major milestone. We are also proud to have teamed up with several global partners such as Dell, Inc. who have made commitments to support us for the long haul.”

The MIAX Options Exchange trading platform has been developed in-house and designed from the ground up for the unique functional and performance demands of derivatives trading. “Providing a trading platform with the proper protections, ultra-low latency and exceptional throughput is essential to the success of the trading community. We are very excited about the features and performance of our new platform, and we understand the importance of ensuring a quality customer experience.” said Doug Schafer, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at MIAX.

Schafer further commented “We are looking forward to the culmination of our development efforts and greatly appreciate the continued support of a key technology partner, Dell, Inc., who has provided us with their outstanding engineering support and technology, along with a $20 million equipment financing arrangement that has facilitated the acquisition of the key components of our platform. When we chose to develop our own platform, we wanted an innovative global leader and technology partner that understood the unique performance demands of our environment and the need to reduce the cost and size of our data center footprint. We found this in Dell and now look forward to a long-term and meaningful relationship.”

“Along with outstanding technology, we intend to provide competitive pricing and superior customer service,” said Shelly Brown, Senior V.P. Strategic Planning and Operations at MIAX. “As a professional in the options exchange industry for over 30 years, I understand what our customers need in terms of service, functionality, protection and transparency.” In discussing MIAX’s business strategy Brown commented, “The industry is looking for innovation, which our business model will bring. We believe that those seeking liquidity will find MIAX to be more than competitive on execution price, execution cost, speed, reliability and customer service. We are excited to enter the market promptly upon receipt of the necessary SEC approval.”

The MIAX executive offices and technology development center are located in Princeton, New Jersey. The National Operations Center for the MIAX Options Exchange will be housed at the Princeton facility. Additional executive offices, as well as a multi-purpose training, meeting and conference center will be located in a state-of-the-art facility in Miami, Florida.

For further information regarding the MIAX Options Exchange including key milestone dates, member on-boarding and technology requirements please visit www.MIAXOptions.com or contact MIAX Trading Operations at TradingOperations@MIAXOptions.com.

 

About Miami International Securities Exchange, LLC

Miami International Securities Exchange, LLC (MIAX) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Miami International Holdings, Inc. (MIH). MIAX has assembled a team with deep rooted experience in developing, operating and trading on options exchanges. The initial focus of MIH is to leverage management’s expertise and relationships in the equity options space to launch the MIAX Options Exchange. MIAX intends to launch the MIAX Equities Exchange once the MIAX Options Exchange is operational and plans to pursue Latin American equity listings. The launch of the MIAX Options Exchange and the MIAX Equities Exchange is subject to SEC approval. The vision for the MIAX Equities Exchange is to become a marketplace that enables access to the Latin American markets, a place where global Hispanic entrepreneurs can seek capital and growth opportunities, and an exchange where Latin American companies will want to be listed. MIAX believes that Miami is the ideal location for taking advantage of the rapidly developing business opportunities emanating from the Americas and that Latin American companies will be interested in listing on the MIAX because of its presence in Miami

The MIAX Futures Exchange is also planned as a follow-on initiative. The launch of the MIAX Futures Exchange is subject to CFTC approval.

Corporate Communications Contact:
Dominique Prunetti-Miller
609-897-1465
dprunetti@miami-holdings.com

Disclaimer and Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities of MIH, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer; solicitation or sale would be unlawful. This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that are not historical or current facts of MIH, together with its subsidiaries, including MIAX (the “Company”). Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the possible or assumed future results of operations of the Company; the competitive position of the Company; potential growth opportunities available to the Company; the expectation with respect to securities, options and future markets and general economic conditions; the effects of competition on the Company’s business; and the impact of future legislation and regulatory changes on the Company’s business. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements.