Ken Griffin’s Citadel Securities is quietly becoming a force in Sydney’s booming fast money scene
The US market maker’s local division has built a $1 billion trading book and is churning out profits as it carves out a lucrative foothold in Australia.
The swift expansion of US billionaire Ken Griffin’s financial trading house Citadel Securities in Australia has largely gone under the radar, even as its local profits soar.
Regulatory filings viewed by Capital Brief show the market maker almost tripled net profit in Australia from USD28.8 million ($40 million) in 2024 to USD74.2 million ($102 million) last year — making it one of the most profitable trading operations locally relative to its book size, just a decade after opening its first Sydney office in 2016.
As Capital Brief reported earlier this week, major high frequency trading firms such as Optiver, IMC Trading and Susquehanna International Group (SIG) all reported enormous profit growth in Australia last year.
Citadel Securities — distinct from Griffin’s hedge fund Citadel LLC — is a liquidity provider that leverages Australian talent to trade predominantly Asian markets. But unlike its rivals, its accounts are remarkably candid about where in the market it is most active.
