Commerzbank Corporates & Markets (C&M) has received its licence from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) to trade onshore foreign exchange (FX) Options in China.

The licence enables Chinese corporates and institutions to buy and sell FX options, giving them greater flexibility and a wider range of structured solutions to hedge their renminbi exposure, thereby improving overall risk management.

Nick Johnston, head of Commerzbank corporates & markets Asia, comments, "This move comes amid China's further liberalisation to encourage two-way flow and liquidity in the onshore options market."

He adds, "We have seen increased demand from corporate and institutional clients to hedge their FX exposure through currency options and expect the growth of this market to continue. This new licence enables Commerzbank to add to its existing product suite in Asia and extend its Asian capabilities to clients across the board."