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NWT. 100% Authentic. From Citadel / CitSec one of the most well known and sought after firms in finance.
Citadel was founded in 1990 by Kenneth Griffin, who began trading convertible bonds from his Harvard dorm room in 1987 using capital provided by family and early investors. After graduating, Griffin established the firm in Chicago with approximately $4.6 million in assets under management. Citadel initially specialized in convertible arbitrage before expanding into equities, fixed income, commodities, credit, and quantitative investment strategies. The firm grew into one of the world\'s largest multi-strategy hedge funds, developing a reputation for sophisticated trading infrastructure, extensive research capabilities, and rigorous risk management. Although Citadel suffered significant losses during the 2008 financial crisis, it subsequently recovered and continued expanding its global investment operations. Today, the firm manages capital for institutional investors, including pension funds, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds.
Citadel Securities traces its origins to 2002, when Kenneth Griffin established a separate market-making business within the broader Citadel organization. Initially focused on options trading, the business expanded into equities, fixed income, foreign exchange, and other financial instruments. Citadel Securities developed into a major electronic market maker, using advanced technology and quantitative models to provide liquidity across global financial markets. The firm became particularly prominent in U.S. equity trading, executing orders for retail brokerages and institutional investors while competing with traditional Wall Street trading desks. During the 2010s, it expanded internationally and established itself as one of the most important liquidity providers in the American financial system. In 2022, Sequoia Capital and Paradigm made a $1.15 billion minority investment in Citadel Securities, valuing the business at approximately $22 billion. Although both firms were founded by Griffin, Citadel Securities operates separately from Citadel\'s hedge fund business.
