Trading firms employ sophisticated investing strategies and algorithms to trade various financial instruments, including stocks, commodities, and currencies. While hedge funds trade for clients, proprietary trading firms use their own capital. Many serve as market makers, providing essential market liquidity by facilitating trades between parties.

Major Trading Firms Overview:

Virtu Financial

• Founded: 2008
• Trades 25,000+ securities across 235+ venues
• Specializes in global equities, ETFs, and fixed income
• Provides technology and analytics services

DRW

• Founded: 1992
• Executes 1 million trades daily
• 2,000 employees
• Active in cryptocurrency, venture capital, and real estate
• Uses proprietary trading software and quantitative research

Optiver

• Founded: 1986
• Nearly 2,000 employees across 11 offices
• Markets: options, derivatives, equities, ETFs, bonds, forex
• One of the oldest market making firms

Hudson River Trading

• Founded: 2002
• 800+ employees across 10 offices
• Focuses on automated trading algorithms
• Trades multiple asset classes on 200+ markets

Two Sigma

• Founded: 2001
• $60+ billion in assets under management
• 2,000+ employees in 7 offices
• Uses AI and data science for trading

Jump Trading

• Founded: 1999
• 1,500 employees across 12 offices
• Specializes in AI and machine learning
• Launched Jump Crypto in 2021

IMC Trading

• Founded: 1989
• 1,500 employees in 9 offices
• Trades 200,000+ securities in 100+ venues
• Strong presence in ETF and options markets

Jane Street

• Founded: 2000
• 2,600+ employees across 5 offices
• Lead market maker in ETFs
• Active in equities, bonds, and options

Notable Market Makers and Proprietary Trading Firms:

Susquehanna International Group (SIG)

• Founded: 1987
• 3,000+ employees
• Specializes in derivatives trading
• Active across all major asset classes

XR Trading

• Founded: 2002
• Focus on fixed income and derivatives
• Provides liquidity in futures, equities, and crypto
• Uses automated trading systems

Tower Research Capital

• Founded: 1998
• 1,000+ employees in 11 offices
• Specializes in high-frequency trading
• Develops automated trading platforms

Flow Traders

• 600+ employees across 10 offices
• Trades ETPs, equities, commodities, forex
• Serves 2,000+ institutional counterparties

Millennium

• Founded: 1989
• $67.7 billion in assets under management
• 5,600+ employees in 18 offices
• 10+ million daily trades

Emerging and Specialized Firms:

Wolverine Trading

• Founded: 1994
• Specializes in multiple securities and derivatives
• Offices in Chicago, New York, San Francisco, London
• Offers asset management and technology solutions

Belvedere Trading

• Founded: 2002
• 300 employees across 4 offices
• Focus on equity index and commodity derivatives
• Known for proprietary modeling technology

Akuna Capital

• Founded: 2011
• 400+ employees
• Specializes in options market making
• Offices in Chicago, Sydney, Shanghai, London

Additional Notable Firms:

• Chicago Trading Company (350+ employees, founded 1995)
• 3Red Partners (quantitative research focus)
• DV Trading (proprietary software, crypto focus)
• Quantlab (high-frequency trading pioneer)
• Gelber Group (innovative technology focus)
• InCommodities (energy trading specialist)
• Geneva Trading (commodities and forex focus)

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