The company's exchanges list a wide variety of securities, including domestic and international equity securities, convertible bonds, warrants, trackers and debt securities, including corporate and government bonds. All of Euronext's markets are operated by its subsidiaries, each of which holds a national license as an exchange operator. NYSE Euronext completed its acquisition of the Amex (American Stock Exchange) on October 1, 2008. The transaction extended NYSE Euronext's leadership in U.S. option, cash equities, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs), making it the third largest U.S. equity options marketplace based on number of contracts traded. Since the merger, Amex has been integrated into the company, with former Amex listings now trading directly on the NYSE, and has begun trading certain Nasdaq-listed securities. NYSE Arca is the first electronic market to offer listed ETP issuers a Lead Market Maker program, which encourages liquidity provision that contributes to the best prices and depth in the ETP marketplace. It is registered as a national securities exchange under the Exchange Act. NYSE Alternext was created by NYSE Euronext to meet the needs of small and mid-sized companies seeking simplified access to the stock market. Its streamlined listing requirements and trading rules are suited to the size and business needs of such firms. The rules also ensure investor transparency. NYSE Alternext's special listing procedures, unique market model, and listings of sponsor companies for members are its most notable features. NYSE Alternext is an exchange-regulated market with a lighter regulatory regime. It is not a regulated market as defined by the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID), but rather is regulated by NYSE Euronext through a body of rules applicable to intermediaries and listed companies. NYSE Arca Europe is a pan-European multilateral trading facility (MTF) that extends the trading scope of Euronext's regulated markets by adding blue-chip stocks from 14 European countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Arca Europe integrates this trading facility with the other business components of the company, giving customers the flexibility in trading of an MTF while maintaining the global market reach of NYSE Euronext. SmartPool Trading Limited is a UK-registered company supplying an MTF approved by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). It provides an exchange-led dark pool for the execution of block orders covering 15 different European markets, with a full central counter party back-end through LCH.Clearnet and EuroCCP.