Vela Trading Technologies Acquires OptionsCity Software

Vela Trading Technologies today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Chicago-based OptionsCity Software, a comprehensive provider of futures and options trading and analytics solutions. Vela expects the closing of the acquisition to occur later this month but the financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.

By combining Vela’s market data technology with OptionsCity’s low-latency futures and ‎options trading platform, the New York-headquartered firm will provide customers with a single interface to aggregate access to diverse analytics and risk management tools, and enhances its managed services with additional trading and content solutions. The merger will also accelerate data cloud strategy and leverage OptionsCity’s technical expertise and market knowledge to support Vela’s client base which includes banks, broker dealers, retail trading firms, investment banks, hedge funds, trading technology software providers, and proprietary trading firms.

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Vela Trading, formally SR Labs, is a low-latency feed handler and market data platform provider. The group also caters to a diverse clientele via a comprehensive offering of Technology Deliverability utilities, trading infrastructure capabilities, and delivery mechanisms.

On OptionsCity’s side, the deal will help the technology provider to accelerate growth whilst allowing its clients to access new asset classes, trading venues, geographies, low-latency data feeds, and market access products.

OptionsCity Software is a Chicago-based provider of futures and options trading and ‎analytics solutions, operational since 2008. The company was co-founded by Hazem Dawani, the current CEO, back in 2006.

Dawani, 38, commented on the deal: “We are excited to be joining Vela’s growing global family. Together we will be able to bring innovative technologies to our existing customers, and expand our solutions into new client segments, regions, and asset classes. I’m proud of what our company has achieved and look forward to even greater accomplishments.”

Jennifer Nayar, CEO of Vela, added: “This acquisition will continue to enhance the value we deliver to our clients. We are delighted to enhance our award-winning managed services, development and support teams with OptionsCity’s technical expertise and market knowledge.” She added, “The combination of Vela and OptionsCity enables us to accelerate both companies’ growth strategies, delivering an enhanced suite of trading and market data technology across multiple asset classes and geographies.”