Liquidnet Launches US Equity Options Unit, Hires Two Senior Traders

Liquidnet has entered the US equity options market, expanding its multi-asset execution and hiring two senior traders to lead the buildout. The company appointed Andrew Arnold and Jason Lichten to develop high-touch and low-touch options execution services for institutional clients.

The move marks an expansion for the agency broker, which has focused heavily on equities and fixed income in recent years. The launch positions Liquidnet to compete in one of the fastest-growing segments of listed derivatives.

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Experienced Traders Join Buildout

Arnold joins as Senior Execution Trader for high-touch US equity options. He previously held senior roles at Credit Suisse, Cantor Fitzgerald, Baycrest, Tullett Prebon, and GFI. He will be responsible for servicing institutional clients requiring complex, negotiated options execution.

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“Expanding into US Equity Options is a logical next step in our multi-asset Multi-Asset Composed of varying asset classes, multi-asset is a blanket designation combining different classes such bonds, equities, cash equivalents, fixed income, and alternative investments.When compared to traditional balanced funds, multi-asset solutions differ because they target specific investment outcomes. This includes outcomes such as return above inflation as opposed to gauging performance against standardized benchmarks.Given the composition of multi-asset classes, they need to be dynamically Composed of varying asset classes, multi-asset is a blanket designation combining different classes such bonds, equities, cash equivalents, fixed income, and alternative investments.When compared to traditional balanced funds, multi-asset solutions differ because they target specific investment outcomes. This includes outcomes such as return above inflation as opposed to gauging performance against standardized benchmarks.Given the composition of multi-asset classes, they need to be dynamically Read this Term strategy. The market has seen sustained growth over the past several years, and we see clear opportunities to deliver value to our Members by extending our execution expertise into this space,” commented Chris Blackburn, the Global Head of Multi-Asset at Liquidnet.

Lichten will develop Liquidnet’s electronic options capabilities as Senior Execution Trader for low-touch options. He brings more than two decades of experience from Wolverine Execution Services, RBC Capital Markets, BT Radianz, and Merrill Lynch.

“The continued electronification of the US options market presents real opportunities for innovation,” Lichten said. “Liquidnet’s technology-driven model provides a strong foundation for growth.”

Multi-Asset Strategy Advances

Liquidnet Global Head of Multi-Asset Chris Blackburn said the expansion reflects client demand for broader execution services. “Expanding into US Equity Options is a logical next step in our multi-asset strategy,” he said. “The market has seen sustained growth, and we see clear opportunities to deliver value by extending our execution expertise into this space.”

The business will complement Liquidnet’s existing equities and derivatives operations, which serve more than 1,000 institutional investors across 57 markets. The firm is part of TP ICAP Group, which owns several execution and data businesses.

The US equity options market has seen record volumes in recent years, driven by institutional hedging strategies and rising volatility. Liquidnet plans to scale its options capabilities through 2025 and integrate them into its global trading platform Trading Platform In the FX space, a currency trading platform is a software provided by brokers to their respective client base, garnering access as traders in the broader market. Most commonly, this reflects an online interface or mobile app, complete with tools for order processing.Every broker needs one or more trading platforms to accommodate the needs of different clients. Being the backbone of the company’s offering, a trading platform provides clients with quotes, a selection of instruments to trade, real In the FX space, a currency trading platform is a software provided by brokers to their respective client base, garnering access as traders in the broader market. Most commonly, this reflects an online interface or mobile app, complete with tools for order processing.Every broker needs one or more trading platforms to accommodate the needs of different clients. Being the backbone of the company’s offering, a trading platform provides clients with quotes, a selection of instruments to trade, real Read this Term. The firm said the launch reinforces its agency execution model and supports growing demand for multi-asset trading strategies.

Last year, Liquidnet partnered with Boltzbit, an AI company, to enhance its fixed-income primary markets operations. By integrating Boltzbit's AI and machine learning technology, Liquidnet aims to significantly reduce the time needed to process and display new bond deals by an estimated 90%.

Mark Russell, Head of Fixed Income Strategy at Liquidnet, highlighted that the new system allows for data interrogation through natural language queries instead of relying on traditional Management Information reports. Boltzbit's solution reportedly supports dynamic reports and enables more flexible data analysis.

Liquidnet also appointed Eric Blake as Head of Latin America last year, citing his more than 25 years of experience in domestic and international capital markets. Prior to joining Liquidnet, Blake held a senior role at BTG Pactual, where he was credited with developing Brazil’s first electronic block trading system, connecting both local and foreign institutional investors.