IMC Financial Markets

Electronic trading platform

IMC Trading

Trade name

| IMC Trading
Company type| Private
Industry| Financial services
Founded| 1989; 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

Net income

|  $686 million[2] (2024)
Total equity|  $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]

## History

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

1. ^ "IMC 2024 Report, Page 46". Retrieved 20 July 2025.
2. ^ a b c d e "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. ^ a b "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.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Website