IMC Financial Markets

Last updated
IMC Trading
IMC Trading
Company type Private
Industry Financial services
Founded1989;36 years ago (1989)
Founders
  • Robert Defares
  • René Schelvis
Headquarters Amsterdam, Netherlands
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Robert Defares (CEO and chairman) [1]
Products High-frequency trading, Market making
Increase2.svg $686 million [2]  (2024)
Total equity Increase2.svg $1.866 billion [2]  (2024)
Number of employees
1,600 [2]  (2024)
Website imc.com

IMC Financial Markets, often referred to as IMC Trading, is a proprietary trading firm and market maker headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. [3] Founded in 1989 as International Marketmaker's Combination, [4] the company employs over 1,600 people across offices in Chicago, Amsterdam, Sydney, Mumbai, Zug, Seoul, London, New York, and Hong Kong. [2]

Contents

History

IMC was founded in 1989 by Robert Defares and René Schelvis, [5] two traders working on the floor of the Amsterdam Equity Options Exchange. [6]

In 2008, Wiet Pot joined as co-CEO alongside Defares. [7] Pot left the board in September 2017, leaving Defares as sole CEO. [8]

Trading

IMC operates as a proprietary trading firm and market maker across multiple asset classes, including equities, bonds, commodities, and currencies, on over 90 exchanges worldwide. [2] [9] A 2024 FT article highlighted IMC as particularly active in options and ETFs. [10] The firm provides liquidity for more than 200,000 securities and maintains a significant market presence on major U.S. exchanges including NYSE Arca, NASDAQ, CBOE, BATS, and CME Group. [11] IMC's trading strategies include market making, algorithmic arbitrage, and statistical arbitrage. [11]

In 2014, the firm acquired Goldman Sachs' Designated Market Maker (DMM) trading rights on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming the DMM for more than 630 securities and approximately 400 operating companies. [12] IMC is a top-three liquidity provider by volume in listed options globally and serves as a lead market maker for more than 150 exchange-traded funds in the United States. [13]

References

  1. ↑ "IMC 2024 Report, Page 46" . Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "IMC 2024 Report, Page 4" . Retrieved 20 July 2025.
  3. ↑ "Wiet Pot Joins IMC as Co-CEO". www.reuters.com. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  4. ↑ "IMC Company Profile". www.tradinginterview.com. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  5. ↑ Mosselman, Maarten (9 June 2010). "IMC founder Schelvis buys a new car". Amsterdamtrader. Archived from the original on 17 August 2019. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  6. ↑ "About us". IMC. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2023. IMC was founded in 1989 by two traders working on the floor of the Amsterdam Equity Options Exchange.
  7. ↑ "Wiet Pot Joins IMC As Co-CEO - Global Custodian". Global Custodian. 31 March 2008. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  8. ↑ "Robert Defares". Forbes. 3 June 2018. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 5 May 2023. Defares is now the sole CEO of IMC after former Co-CEO Wiet H.M. Pot. left the board in September 2017.
  9. ↑ "IMC Trading Company Overview". LinkedIn. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  10. ↑ https://www.ft.com/content/9439108d-4fe3-4fc2-b040-da9412f1ba0b
  11. 1 2 "IMC Financial Markets Company Database". Wall Street Oasis. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "IMC Chicago Becomes Designated Market Maker on the NYSE". Traders Magazine. 22 May 2014. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  13. ↑ "ETF Market Making". IMC Trading. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
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