Optiver

Optiver began in Amsterdam in 1986 and has grown into a global market maker with 11 offices. It trades on its own account, deploying its own capital rather than managing client assets, and continuously quotes buy and sell prices across financial markets.

The firm combines quantitative research, machine learning, automated pricing, low-latency execution systems and risk management. It prices more than one million financial instruments and operates across more than 100 global exchanges, with particular strength in market making, derivatives, systematic trading and trading technology.

For students, Optiver's core entry routes are quantitative trading, quantitative research, software engineering and FPGA engineering. Its internships and graduate roles emphasize applied problem-solving on live trading, research and technology systems rather than traditional investment banking or asset-management work.