System, method, and apparatus for trading in a decentralized market

Abstract

A method and system for facilitating the execution of transactions in a decentralized market are provided herein. The decentralized market includes a number of execution points each associated with and maintained in a secure environment by a single participant. Each participant is able to control the amount of data that is made publicly available, if at all, regarding any transactions that are conducted at that participant's execution point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for conducting transactions between at least two parties, comprising:
 a plurality of execution points each interconnected to each other through a publicly accessible communications network, the plurality of execution points comprising tangible memory and a processor for executing instructions stored on said tangible memory, wherein a first of said plurality of execution points is an originating execution point and a second of said plurality of execution points is an invited execution point, wherein said originating execution point initiates a transaction and sends information related to said transaction to said invited execution point, and wherein said information related to said transaction is maintained in confidentiality between said originating execution point and said invited execution point, wherein the transaction comprises a negotiated or agreed upon exchange of at least one of goods, services, and currency between a party associated with the originating execution point and a party associated with the invited execution point.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the communication network comprises a one-to-one correspondence with execution points. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the communication network provides for both centralized and decentralized communication between parties and between execution points. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of execution points comprise at least one of a server, computer, and database. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein said invited execution point is operable to execute said transaction. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the invited execution point is designated as an execution point of record in response to being granted a held order by the originating execution point. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the originating execution point is designated as an execution point of record such that the originating execution point is the only execution point allowed to execute any trade associated with the transaction. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein information related to said transaction is shared with a subset of said invited execution points as determined by an operator of said originating execution point. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the originating execution point and the invited execution point comprise resources allocated from a server pool to participants associated with the originating execution point and the invited execution point.