Record Pay in India’s Trading Industry
For aspiring traders, the rewards have never been higher. Global and domestic high-frequency trading firms are shelling out record salaries to secure top talent. According to reports, Amsterdam-based IMC Trading is offering interns stipends as high as ₹12.5 lakh a month in India this year, nearly three times last year’s levels. Quadeye, another major recruiter, has hiked entry-level salaries by 50 percent to ₹7.5 lakh.
To put this into perspective, the average annual base salary for finance professionals in India is about ₹7 lakh. Trading firms are now offering that figure to fresh interns in a single month, underlining just how aggressively they are competing for skilled talent.
Rising Demand Despite SEBI Crackdown
The surge in compensation comes even as SEBI has tightened oversight to protect retail investors, which led to a 40 percent dip in derivatives trading volumes from last year’s peak. Yet, India remains the world’s largest equity derivatives market by volume. Proprietary desks and foreign funds together generated an estimated $7 billion in gross profits in FY24.
Daniel Vaz, co-head of quant and trading technology recruiting at Aquis Search, noted that the demand for profitable traders remains exceptionally strong. “We’re getting inquiries to set up new desks almost every month, and there is intense competition to attract top-tier traders, quant researchers and trading system engineers in India,” he said.
Regulatory Pressure and Jane Street Case
Regulatory scrutiny has intensified after SEBI accused global trading powerhouse Jane Street of manipulating expiry-day prices. While the firm denied the allegations, it was temporarily barred from Indian markets. Despite such moves, global and local players are pushing ahead with expansion plans.
Expansion Plans and Global Entrants
Several firms are scaling operations. Estee Advisors, iRage Broking Services, and Optimus Prime Securities are all increasing their hiring. The Bilakhia Group is entering the space through Minix Holdings, while Citadel Securities, backed by billionaire Ken Griffin, is expanding its Gurugram office. Tower Research and Citadel have also picked up minority stakes in the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange.
IITs at the Center of Hiring Spree
A large part of this aggressive recruitment drive is focused on India’s premier engineering institutes. Trading firms are rolling out offers to IIT graduates and even interns well before they finish their degrees. The demand for sharp quantitative minds has only grown as trading strategies evolve faster than ever.
iRage CEO Rajib Borah pointed out that strategies that once worked for six months now last barely two. “One needs to be much sharper now, firing all engines and adapting much faster,” he said.
Outlook
The competition for top trading talent is reshaping India’s financial job market. With global firms scaling their presence and local players innovating rapidly, India’s trading sector is proving to be both lucrative and fiercely competitive. For young professionals, the opportunity is massive, but so are the demands.
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