A major development in the Amsterdam derivatives market has been the implementation of the Liquidity Provider scheme, known as ELPS. ELPS has provided Amsterdam with the best on-screen equity options market in Europe: full screens, competition and tradable prices in all series for all customers.

ELPS is characterised by the presence of two types of Liquidity Provider, Primary Market Makers (PMM) and Competitive Market Makers (CMM). PMMs have obligations across all series within the classes to which they have been assigned, while CMMs have obligations in only a limited number of series in each class to which they have been assigned.

All Amsterdam traded contracts (classes) are grouped into class combinations (ECCs). PMM and CMMs are selected for a specific ECC by meeting several obligation levels for which auctions are held. During the bidding rounds applicants are invited to subscribe to the level of obligations they are willing to accept for a position of PMM or CMM in the relevant ECC. NYSE Liffe then evaluates the subscriptions and appoints the required number of PMM and CMMs based on obligations and priority rules. In principle, ELPS contracts last for one year and all ECCs are re-auctioned every year.