Atos to Migrate LCH Clearing Systems to Regulated Cloud

Atos has signed a three-year agreement with LCH SA to migrate the clearing house’s financial systems to a regulated cloud environment, according to the announcement. The project focuses on transferring critical infrastructure while maintaining operational continuity and meeting regulatory requirements, reflecting how market infrastructure providers are adopting cloud technology while addressing security, resilience, and compliance constraints.

Cloud Migration Framework

The migration will transfer LCH’s financial information systems to a SecNumCloud-qualified infrastructure, a certification designed for sensitive workloads in regulated industries. This framework sets standards for security, data protection, and operational control.

The migration will be carried out while maintaining uninterrupted service, reflecting the need for continuous operation in clearing systems that support financial markets. Clearing houses process large volumes of transactions and manage counterparty risk, making system availability and stability essential during infrastructure transitions.

Regulatory and Security Alignment

Cloud adoption in financial market infrastructure is shaped by regulatory expectations related to data sovereignty, resilience, and risk management. Using a certified cloud environment allows institutions to align with regulatory requirements while modernising systems.

Franck Chartier, Head of France at Atos, stated: “This project perfectly illustrates Atos’ ability to support financial institutions in their digital transformation while guaranteeing the security and compliance of their information systems. Our expertise, our industry knowledge, and our commitment are key to the success of LCH SA’s migration to the cloud.”

The emphasis on compliance reflects the role of regulators in approving or overseeing technology changes within critical financial infrastructure.

Operational Resilience Priority

LCH indicated that the migration supports its efforts to strengthen operational resilience. Cloud infrastructure can provide redundancy, scalability, and recovery capabilities, which are relevant for systems that must remain available under stress conditions.

Corentine Poilvet-Clédière, Chief Executive Officer of LCH SA, commented: “This project with Atos supports the modernisation of our information systems and helps ensure we continue to meet the expectations of our customers and regulators, while strengthening our operational resilience as we move to the cloud.”

Resilience has become a central focus for financial institutions, particularly after disruptions in markets have highlighted the importance of system stability.

Broader Trend in Market Infrastructure

The agreement reflects a broader trend where exchanges, clearing houses, and other infrastructure providers adopt cloud-based systems. These transitions are more complex than in other sectors due to the scale and critical nature of the systems involved.

Market infrastructure providers must ensure that cloud deployments meet requirements for latency, reliability, and regulatory compliance. This often involves using specialised or certified environments rather than standard public cloud configurations. The use of regulated cloud frameworks allows institutions to benefit from cloud capabilities while maintaining control over sensitive operations.

Implementation Timeline

The project will be implemented over a three-year period, allowing for phased migration and testing of systems. This approach reduces the risk associated with moving critical infrastructure. Future stages may involve expanding cloud capabilities or integrating additional systems once the initial migration is complete. Ongoing monitoring and adjustment will be required to maintain performance and compliance.

FAQ

What is SecNumCloud certification? SecNumCloud is a certification designed for sensitive workloads in regulated industries. It sets standards for security, data protection, and operational control, allowing financial institutions to meet regulatory requirements while adopting cloud infrastructure.

Why is operational continuity critical during clearing house migrations? Clearing houses process large volumes of transactions and manage counterparty risk. System availability and stability are essential to financial markets, so any transition to new infrastructure must preserve these functions without interruption.

How does cloud adoption affect regulatory compliance for clearing houses? Cloud adoption in financial market infrastructure must align with regulatory expectations related to data sovereignty, resilience, and risk management. Using certified cloud environments like SecNumCloud allows clearing houses to modernise systems while maintaining compliance and control over sensitive operations.