BTIG Australia Limited Accepted as Participating Member of the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA–(EMWNews – August 21, 2008) – BTIG Australia Limited, an affiliate of

the American based BTIG LLC, a broker dealer specializing in equity trading

and brokerage services, has been accepted as a participating member of the

Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The Australian Securities Exchange

is one of the world’s top 10 listed exchange groups, with over 2,000 stocks

listed and a market capitalization of $1.63 trillion Australian.

“This is a significant milestone in BTIG LLC’s global expansion,” said

Kevin Chessen, one of the firm’s founding partners. “Our U.S. clients have

been encouraging us to develop a global offering. With a physical presence

in Sydney, Hong Kong and London our clients now have access to over 65

markets.”

“BTIG’s proven model of high touch execution combined with compelling value

has proven to be extremely successful,” said Brett Spork, managing

director, BTIG Australia Ltd. “In the United States over 1,000

institutions are leveraging our strength in agency trading. Small to

mid-size fund managers are seeking to outsource the trading function, with

both commercial and performance benefits accruing.”

“This is indicative of BTIG’s success and our continued growth worldwide,”

said BTIG co-founder Scott Kovalik. “BTIG’s combination of proven trading

skills and a commitment to excellent customer service has certainly paid

off.”

About BTIG

Founded in 2002 BTIG has grown steadily from 5 employees to over 200. BTIG

serves nearly 1,000 institutional customers and offers services from four

divisions: Institutional Trading, Prime Brokerage, Outsource Trading and

Direct Market Access. BTIG has offices in New York, San Francisco, Dallas,

Boston, Chicago, Greenwich, Red Bank and Aspen. The firm also has

affiliates in London, Hong Kong and Sydney.