Participant directory
Industry infrastructure
Industry infrastructure
Industry infrastructure supports the ABF ecosystem through professional associations, conferences, and data providers. This guide helps you leverage these resources for networking, market intelligence, and deal sourcing.
Industry associations
Membership in key associations provides directory access, educational resources, conference discounts, and networking opportunities. For U.S. ABF practitioners, SFIG and SFA are the most relevant.
Primary associations
| Association | Full Name | Focus | Membership Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFIG | Structured Finance Industry Group | U.S. structured finance | Member directory, Vegas conference, networking events |
| SFA | Structured Finance Association | Broad structured finance | Research, policy advocacy, education |
| CREFC | CRE Finance Council | Commercial real estate | CMBS/CRE CLO focus, documentation standards |
| LSTA | Loan Syndications and Trading Association | CLOs, leveraged loans | Documentation standards, trading conventions |
| AFSA | American Financial Services Association | Consumer finance | Regulatory advocacy, compliance resources |
SFIG (Structured Finance Industry Group)
What you get:
- Member directory with firm and individual contacts
- SFIG Vegas conference (February) discount
- Access to working groups and committees
- Networking events throughout the year
- Advocacy on industry issues
Membership costs:
- Individual: ~$1,500/year
- Corporate: ~$5,000-$25,000/year depending on firm size
Best for: Networking and relationship building in U.S. ABF
SFA (Structured Finance Association)
What you get:
- Research reports on ABF markets
- Policy and regulatory updates
- Educational webinars and resources
- Annual conference access
- Advocacy representation
Membership costs:
- Varies by firm type and size
Best for: Staying current on market trends and regulatory developments
CREFC (CRE Finance Council)
What you get:
- CMBS and CRE CLO focused content
- Standard documentation (Investor Reporting Package)
- Annual conference (January)
- Policy advocacy on commercial real estate
Membership costs:
- Corporate membership based on firm size
Best for: Commercial real estate finance practitioners
LSTA (Loan Syndications and Trading Association)
What you get:
- Standard loan documentation
- CLO and leveraged loan research
- Trading conventions and practices
- Educational programs
Membership costs:
- Corporate membership required
Best for: CLO managers and leveraged loan investors
Additional associations
| Association | Focus |
|---|---|
| MBA (Mortgage Bankers Association) | Mortgage finance, RMBS |
| ABA (American Bankers Association) | Bank regulatory and policy |
| SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) | Broader capital markets |
| ELFA (Equipment Leasing and Finance Association) | Equipment finance |
| OLA (Online Lenders Alliance) | Fintech lending |
Conferences worth attending
Face-to-face matters in ABF. These events are where deals get sourced and relationships get built. The formal sessions are often less valuable than the hallway conversations.
Major annual conferences
| Event | Location | When | Why Attend |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABS East | Miami | September | Largest annual gathering, all asset classes |
| SFIG Vegas | Las Vegas | February | Industry kickoff, networking-heavy |
| SFA Annual Conference | Various | Varies | Policy focus, market updates |
| CREFC Annual Conference | Miami | January | CRE finance networking |
ABS East (September, Miami)
What it is: The largest U.S. structured finance conference, typically 6,000+ attendees.
Who attends: Issuers, underwriters, investors, servicers, trustees, counsel, rating agencies - the full ABF ecosystem.
Value proposition:
- High concentration of decision-makers
- Efficient meeting scheduling through conference platform
- Market pulse on current conditions
- New business opportunities
Tips for maximizing value:
- Register early for meeting scheduling platform access
- Request meetings 4-6 weeks in advance
- Build your schedule around meetings, not panels
- Plan breakfast and dinner meetings separately
- Bring printed materials for impromptu introductions
Costs: Registration $2,000-$3,000, plus hotel ($500+/night during conference)
SFIG Vegas (February, Las Vegas)
What it is: Industry kickoff conference, smaller than ABS East but relationship-focused.
Who attends: Senior practitioners, strong networking orientation.
Value proposition:
- Relationship building over new business
- Market outlook for the year ahead
- More accessible than ABS East
Tips:
- Evening events are where relationships develop
- More casual atmosphere enables introductions
- Smaller scale means easier to find people
IMN conferences
IMN runs multiple asset-class-specific conferences throughout the year:
| Conference | Focus | Typical Timing |
|---|---|---|
| ABS Vegas (not SFIG) | Broader ABS | Spring |
| Auto ABS Summit | Auto finance | Spring/Fall |
| CMBS Symposium | Commercial mortgage | Various |
| CLO Summit | CLO market | Various |
| Esoteric ABS | Non-traditional assets | Various |
Regional and specialty events
| Event | Focus |
|---|---|
| SFIG West Coast | California market participants |
| SFVegas Women in Securitization | Networking and professional development |
| Various bank-sponsored events | Investor education, deal sourcing |
Conference attendance strategy
If budget is limited, prioritize:
- ABS East - Highest concentration of participants
- SFIG Vegas - Strong for relationship building
- Asset-class-specific IMN - If you focus on specific asset type
Measuring conference ROI:
- Number of meaningful new relationships
- Quality of meetings with target counterparties
- Market intelligence gathered
- Specific opportunities identified
Data and analytics providers
Data infrastructure is essential for ABF analysis, surveillance, and deal execution. These platforms provide the analytical tools professionals rely on.
Core data platforms
| Provider | What They Offer | Primary Users |
|---|---|---|
| Intex Solutions | Cash flow modeling, deal structuring, surveillance | Investors, underwriters, analysts |
| Bloomberg | Pricing, new issue data, market analytics | All market participants |
| Trepp | CMBS and CLO analytics, surveillance | CRE investors, CLO managers |
| Black Knight / ICE | Mortgage data, servicing analytics | Mortgage market participants |
| CoreLogic | Property data, mortgage analytics | Mortgage underwriters, investors |
Intex Solutions
What it provides:
- Cash flow modeling for structured products
- Collateral analysis and surveillance
- Deal structuring tools
- Large library of deal models
Who uses it: Virtually all term ABS investors use Intex for cash flow analysis. Essential for ABS investment operations.
Cost: Enterprise license, significant annual fee ($50K-$500K+ depending on scope)
Bloomberg Terminal
What it provides:
- Real-time pricing and yields
- New issue database (NI ABS)
- Market analytics and news
- TRACE trading data
Who uses it: Standard tool for trading desks, portfolio managers, research analysts.
Cost: ~$24,000/year per terminal
Trepp
What it provides:
- CMBS loan-level data and analytics
- CLO surveillance and analytics
- Default and delinquency tracking
- Property-level information
Who uses it: CMBS investors, CLO managers, commercial real estate lenders.
Cost: Enterprise pricing, varies by modules
Credit bureau data
Consumer credit data from the three major bureaus is essential for consumer asset underwriting:
| Bureau | Typical Use |
|---|---|
| Equifax | Credit data, fraud tools, employment verification |
| TransUnion | Credit data, trended data, decision tools |
| Experian | Credit data, fraud prevention, marketing data |
Alternative data providers
| Provider | Data Type |
|---|---|
| Plaid | Bank account verification, transaction data |
| Argyle | Income and employment verification |
| MX | Financial data aggregation |
| Yodlee | Account aggregation, analytics |
| FICO | Credit scoring, analytics |
Public data sources
| Source | What’s Available |
|---|---|
| EDGAR (SEC) | ABS-EE filings with loan-level data |
| TRACE | Secondary trading prices for ABS |
| FRED | Economic data from Federal Reserve |
| Census Bureau | Demographic and economic data |
Using industry infrastructure effectively
For new market participants
Year one priorities:
- Join SFIG or SFA (or both if budget allows)
- Attend ABS East or SFIG Vegas
- Build member directory into CRM
- Subscribe to relevant research (SFA, dealer research)
Networking approach:
- Set specific meeting goals before conferences
- Follow up within one week of meeting
- Maintain relationships through periodic check-ins
- Provide value (market insights, deal flow, introductions)
For established participants
Maximizing association value:
- Participate in working groups and committees
- Sponsor events for visibility
- Contribute to industry advocacy
- Use directory for systematic relationship mapping
Conference optimization:
- Tier meeting targets by priority
- Schedule strategic dinners and breakfasts
- Host events for relationship deepening
- Track conference ROI systematically
Data infrastructure decisions
| Your Role | Essential Data | Nice to Have |
|---|---|---|
| ABS investor | Intex, Bloomberg | Trepp, Credit bureaus |
| CLO manager | Intex, Bloomberg, Trepp | Credit bureaus |
| Originator | Credit bureaus | Bloomberg, Intex |
| Underwriter | Bloomberg, Intex | Trepp, Credit bureaus |
| Advisor | Bloomberg | Intex, Trepp |
Building market intelligence capabilities
Research sources
Dealer research: Major underwriters publish regular market commentary and research. Build distribution lists with:
- JPMorgan ABS Research
- Barclays Securitization Research
- Citi Structured Finance
- Bank of America ABS Strategy
- Morgan Stanley Securitized Products
Industry publications:
- Asset Securitization Report
- Structured Finance News
- Bloomberg ABS coverage
- Reuters structured finance
Rating agency research:
- S&P Global Ratings commentary
- Moody’s Structured Finance research
- Fitch ABF analysis
- KBRA market updates
Tracking market activity
New issue monitoring:
- Bloomberg NI ABS (new issue database)
- Dealer new issue calendars
- Rating agency announcements
Secondary market:
- TRACE for trading data
- Bloomberg BVAL for pricing
- Dealer color on flows
Deal discovery:
- Conference conversations
- Dealer relationship managers
- LinkedIn for team moves and new programs
Cross-references
- Market Intelligence for monitoring approaches
- Data and Analytics for data strategy
- Participant Directory for overview and other categories
- Sourcing ABF Deals for deal sourcing strategies