Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext formally asked the European Commission's competition regulators on Wednesday to approve their planned $9 billion tie-up.

The two exchanges struck a deal in February to create the world's No. 1 exchange operator, trading in almost every asset class and with operations on both sides of the Atlantic.

Deutsche Boerse AG and NYSE Euronext confirm that they have today formally notified their planned business combination to the European Commission's Directorate-General for Competition, thereby triggering the formal start of the anti-trust review process in Europe, the exchanges said in a statement.

(Reporting by Foo Yun Chee)

NYSE Euronext