Intercontinental wouldn’t commit to a specific time frame for reopening the physical floors, instead indicating that would “monitor events” before resuming in-person trades.

It’s not a surprising move, and might be crucial as officials rush to eliminate any large gathering that could rapidly spread the coronavirus at the heart of the outbreak. At the same time, it could also serve as a giant experiment. What happens if one of the world’s largest stock exchanges suddenly went all-digital? While many trades are already electronic, this could make a case for reduced dependence on traditional floors even after life returns to normal.

The exchange contracts development out to third-party teams, and a WSJ contact said it’s concerned about the security of that software chain. There’s a risk that the inadvertent spread of malware or rogue contractors could pose problems.

An exchange spokesperson maintained that the outage was due to a “technical software configuration issue” after an upgrade, and that the organization had “thoroughly investigated” the cause. However, it’s clear that GCHQ isn’t willing to take any chances. Intelligence agencies worldwide are worried about hacks targeting critical infrastructure, and malicious intent discovered here could be a sign of a greater threat.

The green light required revisions before the LTE could receive the SEC’s blessing. Companies on the LTSE will be allowed to list stock on other exchanges.

A number of companies have signaled their intent to list on the exchange when it goes live, although LTSE creator Eric Ries has declined to name them. If there’s enough uptake, though, the platform could influence how the tech world goes public. Many companies wait a decade or more (including Uber) before filing for an IPO, by which point their most dramatic growth is likely over. The LTSE could shorten that period and give tech companies both the money and time they need to bring their ideas to fruition. While this could lead to some high-risk companies going public, it could also help with promising concepts that would otherwise have to lean on private backers to stand a chance.