Simplex Trading

Simplex Trading is a Chicago options market maker that treats software as the product: it pairs traders with technologists to build the automated systems that post and manage its quotes in US equity and futures options. Founded in 2004, it is registered as a market maker in the symbols it trades and hedges its options exposure in the underlying equities.

It also runs a venture arm, putting capital into early-stage finance and technology start-ups, which is unusual for a firm of its size and focus. Development capacity in India supports the trading technology. Simplex stays visible in its corner of the market, sponsoring the 2026 Options Industry Conference, the forty-fourth edition of the gathering at the center of the US listed-options business.