to provide a footprint

[olegv]

Please explain me the meaning of "to provide a footprint" in the context "Nasdaq said the moves will provide us with a footprint unlike any other exchange. " Many thanks

 

[BobK]

Please explain me the meaning of "to provide a footprint" in the context "Nasdaq said the moves will provide us with a footprint unlike any other exchange. " Many thanks

The NASDAQ spokesman seems to be using 'footprint' to mean 'area/scope of influence/operations'. It's not a common usage (in Br English). For us, a 'footprint', when used metaphorically, generally has negative connotations: the most common use is probably 'carbon footprint' (the amount of Carbon Dioxide generated by a particular activity), but I remember when the airliner Concorde was in development people used the phrase 'under its noise footprint' to refer to the parts of the country where the noise would be most disruptive.

b