The Company maintains the MarketAxess Holdings Inc. 2020 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2020 Plan”), which provides for the grant of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, performance stock units (collectively “Full Value Awards”), stock options and other stock-based awards as incentives to encourage employees, non-employee directors and consultants to participate in the long-term success of the Company. As of March 31, 2026, there were 2,293,272 shares available for grant under the 2020 Plan.

Total stock-based compensation expense was as follows:


	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2026		2025
	(In thousands)

Employees	$	8,550	$	6,822
Non-employee directors and consultants		1,113		874
Total stock-based compensation	$	9,663	$	7,696

The Company records stock-based compensation expense for employees in employee compensation and benefits and for non-employee directors and consultants in general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Total stock-based compensation for employees includes $0.5 million and $0.4 million of capitalized software development costs for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively.

During the three months ended March 31, 2026, the Company granted (i) 164,837 restricted stock units, (ii) 21,736 stock options and (iii) performance stock units with an expected pay-out at target of 46,568 shares of common stock. The fair values of the restricted stock units and performance stock units were based on a weighted-average fair value per unit at the grant date of $179.42 and $179.36, respectively. The weighted-average fair value for stock options of $51.47 per share was based on the Black-Scholes option pricing model.

As of March 31, 2026, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to all non-vested awards was $70.9 million. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.2 years.

The Company maintains the MarketAxess Holdings Inc. 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the “ESPP”). During the three months ended March 31, 2026, the Company issued 5,229 shares of common stock under the ESPP. As of March 31, 2026, there were 92,483 shares available for purchase under the ESPP.