In a dramatic shift, high-speed trading firms in India are significantly increasing salaries for entry-level positions, even as the country’s regulators tighten controls over its booming equity derivatives market. According to a report by Bloomberg, firms like Amsterdam-based IMC Trading and India’s Quadeye are offering unprecedented pay packages in the face of mounting scrutiny from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
IMC Trading has raised the stakes by offering interns up to Rs 12.5 lakh ($14,182) a month in 2025, a threefold increase from the previous year. Similarly, Quadeye, one of India’s largest local recruiters, now offers up to 750,000 rupees per month for fresh recruits, marking a 50% jump from last year. For comparison, the average base salary for finance professionals in India is about 700,000 rupees per year, as reported by Glassdoor.
This surge in salaries comes despite the regulatory crackdown on the country’s derivatives market, which has seen trading volumes plummet by more than 40% from last year’s peak. Still, the Indian market remains one of the world’s largest and most profitable in equity derivatives, generating $7 billion in gross profits from proprietary trading desks and foreign funds in the year leading up to March 2024.
“The demand for profitable traders is as strong as ever,” said Daniel Vaz, co-head of quant and trading technology recruiting at Aquis Search. “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.”
The regulatory scrutiny surrounding trading firms like Jane Street Group has also added pressure. SEBI temporarily barred Jane Street from India’s stock and derivatives markets in July, accusing the firm of market manipulation. Jane Street has denied the allegations and is seeking to reverse the order. However, despite the crackdown, major players like Citadel Securities and Tower Research are making significant investments in the Indian market.
Brokers providing high-speed trading services, such as Estee Advisors and iRage Broking, continue to see a steady flow of companies entering this segment. Bengaluru-based Optimus Prime Securities & Research is also expanding its high-frequency trading operations, while the Bilakhia Group, a company involved in healthcare and education technology, is venturing into the space.
“Even with some of the issues related to Jane Street, interest in India’s trading sector remains robust, and we expect it to grow further,” Sandeep Tyagi, founder of Estee Advisors, told Bloomberg.