Digital trading of municipal bonds hit a record in the first quarter of 2026, an encouraging development for an asset class that has been slower than others in adopting electronic venues.
Electronic trading platforms accounted for roughly 21% of muni bond volume in the first quarter of the year, surpassing the all-time high of roughly 20% in 2023, according to a research note from Crisil Coalition Greenwich.
The growth comes after overall municipal bond trading volume surged to a record in 2025, thanks to robust issuance by state and local governments. Investors are keeping up a strong pace this year, with the number of trades surpassing 4 million in the first quarter, up about 2.5% from the same period in 2025, data from the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board show.
Bloomberg Markets
By Aashna Shah
May 4, 2026