Global Securities Finance: From Dutch Ships to Digital Collateral: Turning Chaos into Alpha

By Michael T. De Gaglia

The story of securities finance has rarely been told. At best, it's whispered--explained in dense whitepapers, buried in technical appendices, or reduced to niche topics in broader finance courses. Yet the practice of lending and borrowing securities is foundational to everything from short selling to monetary policy. When I began my career in this space, much of what I learned came not from textbooks, but from late nights with veterans, troubleshooting systems, and solving for exposures one trade at a time. Even today, despite its growth and sophistication, securities finance is often underrepresented in financial education. This book is an effort to change that. It's written for the curious generalist and the seasoned specialist alike. It weaves stories with strategies, legal nuance with practical wisdom. Each chapter opens at a conversational level, like two colleagues over coffee, and slowly builds into the weeds--with charts, flows, and formulas designed to arm you with both understanding and application. I've had the privilege to lead, learn, and teach in this space. But more than that, I've had a front-row seat to its evolution--through crises, reforms, and a thousand quiet innovations. I've seen what happens when securities finance works well--and what happens when it doesn't. I hope this book becomes your trusted guide into a world that rarely sees the spotlight but shapes the financial system every day. Welcome aboard. --Michael St. Johns, Florida

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F384733L
• ISBN13: 9798316268429
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 339 Pages
• Dimensions: 10.2" x 1.0" x 7.2"