Acquisition of Cloud-Based Trading Infrastructure Further Strengthens Leadership Position in Retail Futures Industry

NinjaTrader Group, LLC, a leading provider of trading software and brokerage services to active traders, today announced that it has acquired Tradovate Holdings, LLC, a leading online futures brokerage firm and trading technology provider, for $115 million.

Founded in 2003, NinjaTrader is the industry’s leading retail futures broker supporting over 500,000 traders with best-in-class trading software, award-winning brokerage services, multilingual support, and robust educational programs and resources. Tradovate, launched in 2016 and founded by industry veteran Rick Tomsic, pioneered a cloud-based trading infrastructure and innovative pricing model for futures which helped accelerate the transformation of the brokerage landscape. 

The acquisition creates one of the most formidable retail futures brokers with combined trading volume in 2021 of approximately 100 million futures contracts. 

Martin Franchi, CEO of NinjaTrader Group, LLC, commented,

“NinjaTrader’s and Tradovate’s shared vision to transform retail futures is at the heart of this transaction and will accelerate our goal to make futures more accessible, mainstream and modern. The combination of the largest and fastest-growing market leaders and our commitment to continued investment in the businesses will unlock innovation and scale, which will ensure we rise to meet the growing demand of the trading community for innovative products and services. Together we look forward to continued advocacy and support of the rapidly expanding retail futures community.”

Tomsic will join NinjaTrader’s Executive Team as its Chief Strategy Officer and will be integral in defining the strategy and vision for continued transformation of the futures industry. He will also serve on NinjaTrader’s Board of Directors.

Tomsic said:

“We’re extremely proud of the role Tradovate has played in offering self-directed futures traders a truly different choice, with robust, easy-to-use cloud-based trading technology designed specifically for their needs and a pricing model unlike any previously seen in the futures industry. This acquisition is the culmination of that effort but only the beginning of the story as we leverage our combined technology, vision and talented teams to take new and experienced traders to the next level of client experience. I believe that the futures industry has barely scratched the surface in individual investor participation. We aim to be the number one retail futures brokerage in the world, not just by client numbers but by pushing the boundaries and leading through innovation with technology and exciting new ideas.”

NinjaTrader was advised by Long Ridge Equity Partners, Choate Hall and Stewart LLP, D.A. Davidson & Co. Tradovate was advised by Sidley Austin.