London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange

In 2014, following a series of takeovers, LIFFE became part of Intercontinental Exchange, and was renamed ICE Futures Europe.

The London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE), established by Sir Brian Williamson[2] started life on 30 September 1982, to take advantage of the removal of currency controls in the UK in 1979.

[3][4] By the end of 1996, LIFFE was by far the biggest futures exchange in Europe, followed by the MATIF in Paris and the Deutsche Terminbörse (DTB) in Frankfurt.

Its ambitious plans for enlarged trading floor and offices on a site near Spitalfields market were dropped (and became the ABN Amro UK HQ).

[5] LIFFE had had big plans to expand, and intended to redevelop Spitalfields Market in the City of London as they needed a larger building for their open outcry.

After the creation of the euro in 1999 the exchange won the lion's share of trading in euro-denominated short-term interest rate derivatives – the EURIBOR contract.

In September that year the exchange announced that it had received a number of expressions of interest in buying the business.