The Consolidated Tape Association (CTA) oversees the dissemination of real-time trade and quote information in New York Stock Exchange and American Stock Exchange listed securities. (Technically, there are two Plans, the Consolidated Tape Plan, which governs trades and the Consolidate Quotation Plan, which governs quotes.) Since the late 1970s, all SEC-registered exchanges and market centers that trade NYSE or AMEX-listed securities send their trades and quotes to a central consolidator where the Consolidated Tape System (CTS) and Consolidated Quote System (CQS) data streams are produced and distributed worldwide.

The current Participants include the American Stock Exchange, Boston Stock Exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange, Chicago Stock Exchange, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, International Securities Exchange, Nasdaq Stock Market,  National Stock Exchange, New York Stock Exchange, NYSE Arca, and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange. The Plans govern the collection, processing and dissemination of trade and quote data. The New York Stock Exchange is the Administrator of Network A, which includes NYSE-listed securities and the American Stock Exchange is the Administrator of Network B, which includes AMEX-listed securities. The Plans were filed with and approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with Section 11A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.