International Trading on OTC Markets Surges to $210.1B in Q1 2026

Strong Growth Driven by Europe and Asia

In Q1 2026, international volume was overwhelmingly led by European and Asian securities, which together accounted for the majority of trading activity during the quarter.

• Europe: $118.63 billion
• Asia: $64.67 billion
• North America: $24.73 billion
• Middle East & Africa: $1.36 billion
• South America: $0.71 billion

Increased Market Participation and Trading Activity

The surge in dollar volume was accompanied by strong breadth across the market. As of March 31, 2026:

• 10,101 international securities traded on OTC Markets
• 23.2 million trades of international securities were executed during the quarter

Tokyo, London, and Paris Lead by Home Market

Trading volume by home market reveals sustained investor demand for companies headquartered in some of the world’s most established financial centers. The top traded international home markets in Q1 2026 were:

1. Tokyo – $34.5 billion
2. London Stock Exchange (LSE) – $28.7 billion
3. Euronext Paris – $23.8 billion
4. Hong Kong – $22.2 billion
5. SIX Swiss Exchange – $20.8 billion

The prominence of these home markets reflects investors’ continued appetite for internationally recognized issuers and highlights OTC Markets’ role in providing visibility and access beyond domestic exchanges – list local, trade global!

Sustained Growth in Quarterly Trading Activity, driven by International Securities

Looking at longer term trends on OTC Markets quarterly trading Dollar Volumes continue to increase. From early 2023 through the first quarter of 2026, both total dollar volume and international trading activity increased steadily, with international securities accounting for a significant and rising share of overall market activity.