Industry Conversations: OIC Instructor Mat Cashman x Chicago Future of Finance
OIC Instructor Mat Cashman appeared on Chicago Future of Finance with host Oliver Renick, a journalist and financial broadcaster who covers financial markets and innovation in trading. The series highlights Chicago’s role as a hub for derivatives, exchanges, and market infrastructure.
Mat explained the essential role OCC plays as an equity derivatives clearing organization, drawing parallels between the processes and essential household plumbing. OCC operates in the background and often goes unnoticed until something breaks! Mat described how OCC ensures every trade is paired and settled by acting as the buyer to every seller and the seller to every buyer, underscoring its importance to the stability of financial markets.
The discussion also explored how innovation in recent years—particularly the growth of ETFs and structured products—has introduced more complex strategies into mainstream investing. Mat highlighted that these products often rely on options for income generation or defined outcomes, making it critical for investors to understand both the inherent risks and opportunities presented.
Renick and Cashman also touched on ways education keeps pace with innovation. With that growth, investor education and the OIC mission to help market participants understand how these products function, the leverage they involve, and their benefits and risks, become even more important.