Eight European and global securities houses have invested in the fledgling Nasdaq Europe as banks continue to hedge their bets over which stock exchange will win the race to offer seamless global trading in Europe.

Investment banks Goldman Sachs, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse First Boston, Fortis Bank, Lehman Brothers, Schroder Salomon Smith Barney, along with US marketmaker Bernard L Madoff and Spain's Banco Santander Central Hispano Investment have joined marketmaker Knight Trading Group as investors in the fledgling European stock exchange.