DTCC was founded in 1999 after the merger of The Depository Trust Company (DTC) and The National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC). It is headquartered in New York City and serves the global financial market.

DTCC works as a middleman between stock exchanges and the buying and selling of stocks and other securities. Its main role is to clear and settle these transactions. The process involves verifying transactions and guaranteeing the right paper trail, exchanging money and securities, making sure that each buyer and seller get what they need in a timely manner, and finally to record the ownership of the securities through the establishment of accounts.

When customers place a buy/sell order in the markets, DTCC acts as an intermediary between the buyer and seller. It is responsible for settling the order and makes sure that all securities are delivered on time. It also maintains records of the trade and tracks the ownership of the securities.

In the post-trade settlement process, the DTCC takes over the responsibility for communicating with other parties, calculating the obligations due to each party, guaranteeing a proper audit trail and confirmation process, conducting clearing operations, and carrying out the necessary book-keeping for each transaction.

The DTCC has also taken on additional roles such as supporting the financial industry by providing automated solutions for cross-border settlements, global trade confirmation and global reconciliation of transactions. The DTCC's Automated Customer Account Transfer Service (ACATS) serves as a trusted source to initiate, verify and record transfers of securities and cash between broker-dealers. It also settles more than half of daily stock trading in the U.S.

DTCC’s services not only help to reduce institutional risk, they also help to make the market more liquid and efficient. By providing clearing and settlement services, it helps to boost investor confidence and reduce the amount of time taken to complete a trade. It also serves as a registry, ensuring that all investors can be tracked in terms of ownership and investment risk.

Moreover, DTCC is playing an important role in the growth of the digital asset ecosystem, providing infrastructure, technology and a wide array of services. As custodians, brokers and asset managers are preparing to offer digital asset services, DTCC provides a secure, auditable and efficient infrastructure to meet the demands of the market.

In conclusion, the DTCC is an integral part of the financial markets and plays an important role in promoting investor confidence, reducing risk and boosting liquidity. Its various services offer market participants a reliable source for settlement, clearing and tracking of securities ownership. The DTCC also supports the development of the digital asset ecosystem by leveraging its infrastructure, technology and services.