# Optiver

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Dutch financial services company

Optiver Holding B.V. Type Private Industry Financial services Founded April 9, 1986; 40 years ago (1986-04-09) Founder Johann Kaemingk Ruud Vlek Chris Oomen Headquarters Amsterdam , Netherlands Key people Jan Boomaars (CEO) Products Securities trading Revenue €3.5 billion (2024)[1] Operating income €1.8 billion (2024)[1] Net income €1.4 billion (2024)[2] Total equity €4.9 billion (2024)[1] Number of employees 2,112 (2024)[1] Website optiver.com

**Optiver Holding B.V.** is a [proprietary trading](/source/Proprietary_trading) firm and [market maker](/source/Market_maker) for various exchange-listed [financial instruments](/source/Financial_instruments). Its name derives from the Dutch *optieverhandelaar*, or "[option](/source/Option_(finance)) [trader](/source/Trader_(finance))".[3][4] The company is privately owned. Optiver trades listed [derivatives](/source/Derivative_(finance)), cash equities, [exchange-traded funds](/source/Exchange-traded_funds), bonds, and foreign exchange.

## History

Optiver was founded by Johann Kaemingk, Ruud Vlek and Chris Oomen[5][6][7] on April 9, 1986, as a market maker in options on the European Options Exchange (EOE), which is now [Euronext](/source/Euronext).[8] Optiver is a member of the European Principal Traders Association (FIA EPTA), [FIA](/source/Futures_Industry_Association) Principal Trading Group (PTG) in the US and FIA Japan.[9] In 2023, Optiver became the first market maker to join the Plato Partnership as a full member.[10]

In November 2016, Optiver was reported to have joined a [consortium](/source/Consortium) to build a faster data transmission network between [Chicago](/source/Chicago) and [Tokyo](/source/Tokyo).[11]

In December 2017, Optiver joined with Equiduct to offer a one-stop shop for [best execution](/source/Best_execution).[12]

In November 2018, [Utrecht University](/source/Utrecht_University) and Optiver partnered to create an Algorithms in Finance course.[13]

In June 2019, Optiver joined its US-based rival, [Virtu](/source/Virtu_Financial), in funding Equiduct, a competitor to national stock exchanges and trading venues.[14]

In April 2021, Optiver expanded further into the Asia-Pacific region with an office in [Singapore](/source/Singapore), with a planned focus on commodity and equity products. It joined many other major financial services firms in doing so. The firm first made its presence in the region in [Australia](/source/Australia) in 1996, then [Taipei](/source/Taipei) in 2005, then [Hong Kong](/source/Hong_Kong) in 2007, and then [Shanghai](/source/Shanghai) in 2012.[15] In 2022, Optiver opened a new London office which can house as many as 200 employees.[16] A year later, Optiver moved into new offices in [downtown Chicago](/source/Downtown_Chicago), with room for as many as 600 people.[17] The firm has also joined other quant funds in expanding to [India](/source/India).[18]

In June 2022, Optiver joined Aquis Exchange.[19]

In September 2022, the firm became the latest trading member on the [Vienna Stock Exchange](/source/Vienna_Stock_Exchange).[20]

## Activities

Optiver trades on more than 50 exchanges and trading platforms globally.[21] In Europe, it is one of the three most active on-screen market makers in single-stock and equity-index derivatives at [Eurex](/source/Eurex_Exchange).[21] Optiver was ranked as the third-biggest off-exchange market maker in European [exchange-traded products](/source/Exchange-traded_product).[22]

In the U.S., Optiver is a leading market maker for the Nasdaq 100, Russell 2000 and E-mini S&P 500 options contracts.[21] It is one of the biggest market makers for Treasury options on the [CME](/source/CME_Group).[23] The firm started making markets in FX options in 2017.[24]

Optiver is sponsor to chess [GM Anish Giri](/source/Anish_Giri).

## Fines

For 11 days in March 2007, Optiver engaged in 19 instances of an illegal manipulation scheme known as "banging the close", with a minimum of 5 being noted as successful. "Banging the close" involves executing trades of large [volumes](/source/Volume_(finance)) near the close, with the intention of manipulating closing prices. The scheme was executed on 3 [New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX)](/source/New_York_Mercantile_Exchange) listed [futures contract](/source/Futures_contract), including [New York Harbor](/source/New_York_Harbor) [Heating Oil](/source/Heating_oil), New York Harbor Reformulated Gasoline Blendstock and [West Texas Intermediate (WTI)](/source/West_Texas_Intermediate) [Light Sweet Crude Oil](/source/Sweet_crude_oil).[25]

Optiver factored in $19.3 million into its 2010 annual report towards this case.[26] The case was settled in 2012, where Optiver was fined $14 million, of which $1 million was part of profit disgorgement. With effect for 2 years, Optiver was barred from trading any [US](/source/US) oil futures in the last 3 minutes before close. Several traders were also handed out bans for trading commodities, ranging from 2 to 8 years in length.[27][26]

## See also

- [Market makers](/source/Market_maker)

- [Proprietary trading](/source/Proprietary_trading)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AR_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AR_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AR_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-AR_1-3) ["Optiver Annual Review 2024"](https://optiver.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Optiver-Holding-BV-Annual-Review-2024-website.pdf) (PDF). Optiver. March 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FR_2-0)** ["Optiver reports strong financial results for 2024"](https://optiver.com/optiver-reports-strong-financial-results-for-2024/). Optiver. 27 March 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bloomberg_Sept_2015_3-0)** Detrixhe, John (18 September 2015). ["Optiver Hires Former Goldman Partner Boomaars as Europe CEO"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-18/optiver-hires-former-goldman-partner-boomaars-as-europe-ceo) – via Bloomberg.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bloomberg_June_2015_4-0)** Detrixhe, John; de Jong, David; David, Ruth (18 June 2015). ["HFT Powerhouse Amsterdam Glimpsed Through Speed-Trader IPO"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-18/hft-powerhouse-amsterdam-glimpsed-through-speed-trader-ipo) – via Bloomberg.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Winters, Patrick (9 March 2023). ["Rookie Traders Are Earning $400,000 in One Unlikely Markets Hub"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-09/how-much-do-traders-earn-in-australia-some-new-graduates-get-400-000). *Bloomberg News*. Retrieved 24 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["The green light for restoration and renovation of the Museum Prinsenhof Delft"](https://web.archive.org/web/20210731085044/https://prinsenhof-delft.nl/images/pers/PRESS_RELEASE_The_green_light_for_restoration_and_renovation_of_the_Museum_Prinsenhof_Delft.pdf) (PDF). 7 July 2021. Archived from [the original](https://prinsenhof-delft.nl/images/pers/PRESS_RELEASE_The_green_light_for_restoration_and_renovation_of_the_Museum_Prinsenhof_Delft.pdf) (PDF) on 2021-07-31. Retrieved 24 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Chris Oomen"](https://andersinvest.nl/en/content-414). *Anders Invest*. Retrieved 24 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["About Us"](https://optiver.com/about-us/).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["European Principal Traders Association"](https://epta.fia.org/members). *epta.fia.org*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Optiver becomes first market maker to join Plato Partnership as full member - The TRADE"](https://www.thetradenews.com/optiver-becomes-first-market-maker-to-join-plato-partnership-as-full-member/). *www.thetradenews.com*. Retrieved 2024-03-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Lewis, Brian (11 November 2016). ["Traders Plan Supercharged Chicago-to-Tokyo Network"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-11/speed-traders-said-to-plan-supercharged-chicago-to-tokyo-network) – via Bloomberg.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Optiver & Equiduct offer best execution for equities and ETFs"](http://www.automatedtrader.net/news/at/158538/optiver--equiduct-offer-best-execution-for-equities-and-etfs). Automated Trader Ltd. 20 December 2017 – via www.automatedtrader.net.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Optiver, Utrecht University partner on finance course"](https://hollandfintech.com/2018/11/optiver-utrecht-university-partner-on-finance-course/). 7 November 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Agini, Samuel. ["High-speed traders Optiver and Virtu back EU trading venue"](https://www.fnlondon.com/articles/high-speed-traders-optiver-and-virtu-back-eu-trading-venue-20190627). *www.fnlondon.com*. Retrieved 2022-09-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Optiver expands into Asia Pacific with Singapore office - The TRADE"](https://www.thetradenews.com/optiver-expands-into-asia-pacific-with-singapore-office). *www.thetradenews.com*. Retrieved 2022-09-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["Dutch Speed Trader Optiver Opens London Office to Ramp Up Hiring Spree"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-01/optiver-opens-new-london-office-as-british-hiring-spree-ramps-up). *Bloomberg.com*. 2022-06-01. Retrieved 2024-03-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["Trading Firms Make Contrarian Bets on Downtown Chicago Offices"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-27/trading-firms-make-contrarian-bets-on-downtown-chicago-offices). *Bloomberg.com*. 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2024-03-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-18)** Yu, Xie (27 October 2023). ["Global hedge funds are boosting their presence in the long-shunned Indian market"](https://www.reuters.com/world/india/global-hedge-funds-are-boosting-their-presence-long-shunned-indian-market-2023-10-27/). *Reuters*. Retrieved 7 March 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-19)** ["Optiver joins Aquis Exchange - The TRADE"](https://www.thetradenews.com/optiver-joins-aquis-exchange/). *www.thetradenews.com*. Retrieved 2022-09-02.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-20)** ["Optiver becomes latest trading member on the Vienna Stock Exchange - The TRADE"](https://www.thetradenews.com/optiver-becomes-latest-trading-member-on-the-vienna-stock-exchange/). *www.thetradenews.com*. Retrieved 2022-09-02.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_21-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_21-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_21-2) Flanagan, Terry (2013-05-02). ["Trader Profile: Optiver"](https://www.marketsmedia.com/trader-profile-optiver/). *Markets Media*. Retrieved 2024-03-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-22)** ["Optiver overtakes SocGen and SIG in European ETF trading - Risk.net"](https://www.risk.net/investing/7950906/optiver-overtakes-socgen-and-sig-in-european-etf-trading). *www.risk.net*. 2022-06-27. Retrieved 2024-03-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-23)** ["U.S. Treasury Options Suggest Calm After Rout, Market Maker Says"](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-10/u-s-treasury-options-suggest-calm-after-rout-market-maker-says). *Bloomberg.com*. 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2024-03-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-24)** ["Optiver aims to gatecrash FX options private party - Risk.net"](https://www.risk.net/derivatives/7943611/optiver-aims-to-gatecrash-fx-options-private-party). *www.risk.net*. 2022-03-29. Retrieved 2024-03-07.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-25)** [Commodity Futures Trading Commission](/source/Commodity_Futures_Trading_Commission). ["CFTC Charges Optiver Holding BV, Two Subsidiaries, and High-Ranking Employees with Manipulation of NYMEX Crude Oil, Heating Oil, and Gasoline Futures Contracts | CFTC"](https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/5521-08). Retrieved 2024-01-04.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-reuters-14m-fine_26-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-reuters-14m-fine_26-1) ["High-frequency trader Optiver pays $14 million in oil manipulation case"](https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE83J012/). *[Reuters](/source/Reuters)*. Retrieved 2024-01-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-27)** [Commodity Futures Trading Commission](/source/Commodity_Futures_Trading_Commission). ["Federal Court Orders $14 Million in Fines and Disgorgement Stemming from CFTC Charges against Optiver and Others for Manipulation of NYMEX Crude Oil, Heating Oil, and Gasoline Futures Contracts and Making False Statements | CFTC"](https://www.cftc.gov/PressRoom/PressReleases/6239-12). Retrieved 2024-01-04.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Optiver](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optiver) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optiver?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.