Caixin

U.K. Disclosures Offer Rare Glimpse of Pay at Quant Trading Firms

Published: Mar. 13, 2026  3:27 p.m.  GMT+8
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Photo: VCG
Photo: VCG

Mandatory U.K. corporate filings are shedding rare light on pay inside the secretive quantitative trading industry, showing that average compensation at some leading firms exceeds $1 million annually.

An analysis by Caixin of regulatory disclosures from 11 major algorithmic trading firms with operations in both the U.K. and China found the highest pay at firms including U.S.-based Hudson River Trading, Citadel Securities LLC, Jane Street Capital and D. E. Shaw & Co. Filings for their U.K. entities show average annual compensation per employee above $1 million.

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This is an AI-generated English rendering of original reporting or commentary published by Caixin Media. In the event of any discrepancies, the Chinese version shall prevail.
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  • U.K. filings reveal average annual compensation above $1 million at top quantitative trading firms like Hudson River Trading, Citadel Securities, Jane Street, and D. E. Shaw.
  • Firms such as Jump Trading, Optiver, Two Sigma, IMC, and Tower Research report average pay between $500,000 and $900,000.
  • Compensation figures include various cost components and may differ in scope across companies; U.K. and U.S. pretax pay levels are broadly similar.
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Who’s Who
Hudson River Trading
Hudson River Trading, a U.S.-based quantitative trading firm, is highlighted for its high compensation. Regulatory disclosures reveal that their U.K. entity offers average annual compensation per employee exceeding $1 million. This makes them one of the top-paying firms in the sector, alongside Citadel Securities, Jane Street Capital, and D. E. Shaw & Co.
Citadel Securities LLC
Citadel Securities LLC is one of the leading algorithmic trading firms, with its U.S.-based operations showing average annual compensation per employee exceeding $1 million in its U.K. entities. This insight comes from regulatory disclosures made to Companies House, providing a rare glimpse into the typically secretive quantitative trading industry.
Jane Street Capital
Jane Street Capital, a U.S.-based quantitative trading firm, offers highly competitive compensation. An analysis of U.K. regulatory filings revealed that its average annual compensation per employee exceeds $1 million. This places Jane Street among the top-paying algorithmic trading firms, alongside companies like Hudson River Trading and Citadel Securities.
D. E. Shaw & Co.
D. E. Shaw & Co. is a U.S.-based quantitative trading firm. Their U.K. entity's regulatory filings show an average annual compensation per employee exceeding $1 million. This information offers a rare glimpse into the usually secretive pay structures within the quantitative trading industry.
Jump Trading
Jump Trading is a quantitative trading firm operating in both the U.K. and China. An analysis of their U.K. regulatory disclosures revealed that the average annual compensation per employee at Jump Trading broadly ranged from about $500,000 to $900,000. These figures offer a rare glimpse into the compensation levels within the secretive quantitative trading industry.
Optiver
Optiver is a quantitative trading firm operating in both the U.K. and China. An analysis of their regulatory disclosures in the U.K. showed that Optiver reported an average annual pay per employee ranging from approximately $500,000 to $900,000. These figures offer a rare insight into compensation within the secretive quantitative trading industry.
Two Sigma
Two Sigma is a quantitative trading firm where the average annual pay for employees in their UK entity ranges broadly from approximately $500,000 to $900,000. This information comes from mandatory UK corporate filings analyzed by Caixin.
IMC
IMC is one of the quantitative trading firms mentioned in the article. Its U.K. entity reported average annual pay broadly ranging from about $500,000 to $900,000. This information was gathered from regulatory disclosures filed with Companies House.
Tower Research Capital
Tower Research Capital is a quantitative trading firm with operations in both the U.K. and China. An analysis of their regulatory disclosures in the U.K. revealed that the average annual compensation per employee at the firm broadly ranges from about $500,000 to $900,000. These figures offer rare insight into the compensation levels within the typically secretive quantitative trading industry.
AI generated, for reference only
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