The Equity Markets Association was established in 2015 to provide federal policymakers, regulators and investors with in-depth analysis on important issues that impact the U.S. equity markets. Its founders, Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. and NASDAQ, believe in a fair and transparent marketplace, which incentivizes capital formation and ensures a robust secondary market for trading securities. Cboe Global Markets joined EMA in 2019.
 
EMA was created in response to the void of regular and consistent viewpoints from exchanges on issues that impact the nation’s capital markets. Consequently, the founding exchanges’ intention is for the Association to assist policymakers by providing periodic summary and research papers on specific topics impacting investors, issuers and equity market intermediaries, such as proxy governance, corporate and investor disclosures, and equity market structure. In addition, EMA will work to coordinate industry initiatives and discussions on issues from coordination among markets during natural disasters to cybersecurity threats to financial markets.
 
Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. is the parent company of NYSE Group, which includes three equity exchanges: New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Arca and NYSE MKT. NASDAQ is the parent company of three equity exchanges, NASDAQ Stock Market, NASDAQ PHLX and NASDAQ BX.

Cboe Global Markets operate sfour U.S. equities exchanges – the BZX Exchange, BYX Exchange, EDGA Exchange, and EDGX Exchange. Cboe Global Markets (formerly CBOE Holdings, Inc.) acquired Bats Global Markets, the prior operator of these exchanges, in February 2017.