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Apex Clearing's Parent Firm Buys Options Tech ProviderApex Clearing's Parent Firm Buys Options Tech Provider

PEAK6, which owns Apex Clearing and is an investor in white-label automated investing developer Bambu, bought a Swiss options trading developer.

Samuel Steinberger, Senior Technology Editor

December 23, 2020

1 Min Read
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PEAK6, the parent company of Apex Clearing and one of the backers of the technology powering Franklin Templeton’s “turnkey robo advisor,” Tango, acquired Hardcastle Trading AG, according to an announcement. Hardcastle Trading is a Swiss firm providing “proprietary trading technology and a deep bench of talented engineers” that will “complement PEAK6’s existing platform.” 

PEAK6 plans to use the tech to improve liquidity for customers in the options markets. “Hardcastle is an exceptional fit with our business and a natural pairing for us given the team’s focus on leveraging technology to make trading the way it ought to be,” said Tom Simpson, CEO of PEAK6 Capital Management, a sister company to Apex Clearing. “This acquisition is an important step in extending our PEAK6 Capital Management team’s reach by providing additional liquidity for electronic options markets in the U.S. and Europe.”

Hardcastle, founded in 1998, will have access to new markets with the deal, said CEO Flint Craig. 

Terms for the deal, which closed Dec. 21, were not disclosed.

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About the Author

Samuel Steinberger

Senior Technology Editor, WealthManagement.com

Samuel Steinberger is Senior Technology Editor for Informa Connect’s WealthManagement.com. In his role, Mr. Steinberger provides the publication’s wealth and financial technology coverage. 

Mr. Steinberger’s editorial insight and familiarity with technology accelerates Informa’s growth within the financial advisor and wealth management communities, providing in-depth news for advisors and financial professionals. 

Before joining Informa Connect, Mr. Steinberger produced documentaries with former CNN anchor Soledad O’Brien at Soledad O’Brien Productions (formerly Starfish Media Group). He specialized in research, shooting and editing, as well as finding distinct voices to explain topics like mental health, poverty and racial divide. 

Prior to joining Soledad O’Brien Productions, Mr. Steinberger managed multi-departmental technology projects for global legal technology leader Transperfect Legal Solutions. After obtaining his graduate degree in journalism from Columbia University, he completed his transition from technology management to media. 

Mr. Steinberger is an award-winning journalist, author and researcher who has written, edited and reported for a number of publications, including The New York Times, Financial PlanningAmerican Banker and PBS. He is founder of beverages publication Give Me Weird Drinks

Mr. Steinberger’s technology analysis and insight has been featured in several books on virtual and augmented reality. Mr. Steinberger has received awards and recognition for his reporting and research, including the American Business Media's prestigious Jesse H. Neal Award for editorial excellence.

Follow on Twitter: @slsteinberger