US market-maker Getco has confirmed that it is set to launch a European dark pool later this year, as it seeks to move away from being categorised as purely a high-frequency trading firm, an activity which is facing increasing scrutiny from regulators.

Speaking at WBR's TradeTech Conference yesterday, Jon Ross, Getco's global head of execution services, said: "The European market offers a deep pool of liquidity and we're excited about the opportunity to roll out our execution service into the region later this year."