Citadel Securities, the market making firm founded by Ken Griffin, is establishing a new European centre for equity options trading in Amsterdam, expanding its presence in one of the continent’s most important markets for listed derivatives, according to a report by Bloomberg.
The US market maker will bring together trading, technology and quantitative research teams at the new location to support its equity options business and provide liquidity to European derivatives markets, the firm said.
The office will initially employ five people, according to a company spokesperson.
Amsterdam has become a major centre for European share trading since Brexit and has also attracted a growing concentration of options and high-frequency trading firms. The city is home to Optiver, one of Citadel Securities’ key competitors, as well as Jane Street.
The Netherlands also has a long history of financial innovation, including the establishment of what is widely regarded as the world’s first stock exchange.
The new office is located in Amsterdam’s Zuidas financial district, where a number of major international banks, including Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase, also have offices.
Citadel Securities already operates European offices in London, Paris, Dublin and Zurich.
Equity options markets have expanded rapidly in recent years, helped by the growth of retail trading, although retail participation remains less developed in Europe than in the US. Citadel Securities handles more than a third of US retail stock trading.
Citadel Securities’ move into Amsterdam comes as Optiver continues to expand in the US, including increasing its office footprint in New York.
