NinjaTrader
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial technology, futures trading, brokerage |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Raymond Deux |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Key people | Martin Franchi (CEO) |
| Services | Futures trading platform, clearing and brokerage |
| Parent | Kraken (2025–present) |
| Website | ninjatrader.com |
NinjaTrader is a financial technology company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The company specializes in futures trading software, along with clearing and brokerage services.[1][2]
History
NinjaTrader was founded in 2003 by Raymond Deux.[3]
In 2005, it introduced NinjaScript, an open trading development framework written in C#.[4]
In 2014, as part of NinjaTrader’s acquisition of Mirus Futures, Martin (Marty) Franchi became CFO of NinjaTrader, transitioning to COO in 2017 and CEO in 2018. Following the Mirus Futures acquisition, NinjaTrader established its own clearing and brokerage service, enabling the firm to operate as a futures commission merchant (FCM).[5][6][7]
In 2019, CME Group introduced Micro futures, which NinjaTrader added to its contract offerings. From 2020 – 2021, the company acquired TransAct Futures, Infinity Futures, and Tradovate.[8][3][9]
NinjaTrader’s platform was named Best Trading Software from Technical Analysis of Stocks & Commodities (TASC) Readers’ Choice Award in 2024, 2023, 2022, and 2021.[10][11][12][13]
On May 2, 2025, Kraken, a U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange, acquired NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion.[14][15][16][17][18]
Overview
NinjaTrader is a multiplatform futures trading software available on desktop, web, and mobile, supporting both live and simulated trading. It offers real-time market data, customizable charts and strategies, third-party add-ons, and educational resources.[19][20][21][22] In February 2025, NinjaTrader introduced the NinjaTrader Arena, a free futures trading competition that allows retail traders to compete against one another in a simulated trading environment for the chance to earn cash prizes.[23]
In March 2025, NinjaTrader relaunched its daily livestream, NinjaTrader Live.[24][25]
Licensing and regulation
NinjaTrader is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as an Introducing Broker and is a member of the National Futures Association (NFA). It offers brokerage services through NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC d/b/a NinjaTrader, Tradovate, and Kraken Derivatives US, a registered futures commission merchant (FCM).[16]
See also
References
- ^ Campbell, Tessa. "Best Commodity Trading Apps In 2025: What To Know Before You Invest". Business Insider. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "NinjaTrader Review – Features, Fees & Trading Platforms". PIP Penguin. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ a b Abdel-Qader, Aziz (January 19, 2021). "NinjaTrader Buys TransAct Futures and Its Introducing broker Infinity". Finance Magnates. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Ford, Gary (December 8, 2008). Systems Trading for Spread Betting: An End-to-end Guide for Developing Spread Betting Systems. Harriman House Limited. ISBN 978-1-905641-73-4.
- ^ Finberg, Ron (June 30, 2014). "NinjaTrader Acquires Mirus Futures, Launches NinjaTrader Brokerage". Finance Magnates. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Lyudvig, Anna (December 23, 2024). "Outlook 2025: Martin Franchi, NinjaTrader". Traders Magazine. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Weinraub, Mark (June 14, 2024). "NinjaTrader CEO sees surge in futures trading as tech draws in younger users". Crain's Chicago Business. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Campbell, Tessa. "NinjaTrader Review 2025: Fees, Trustworthiness, and Alternatives". Business Insider. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Nikolova, Maria (January 12, 2022). "NinjaTrader acquires Tradovate for $115 million". FX News Group. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "Traders' Resource". technical.traders.com. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "2023 Readers' Choice Awards". STOCKS & COMMODITIES magazine. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "2022 Readers' Choice Awards". STOCKS & COMMODITIES magazine. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "2021 Readers' Choice Awards". STOCKS & COMMODITIES magazine. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Srivastava, Prakhar (March 20, 2025). "Cryptocurrency exchange Kraken to buy NinjaTrader for $1.5 billion". Reuters. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Chan, Bianca (April 24, 2025). "How AI was used in this $1.5 billion M&A deal". Business Insider Africa. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ a b Nicolle, Emily (March 20, 2025). "Kraken to Buy Futures Platform NinjaTrader for $1.5 Billion". Bloomberg. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Thomas, Lauren. "Crypto Exchange Kraken Strikes $1.5 Billion Deal for Futures Trading Business". WSJ. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Kharif, Olga (April 14, 2025). "Kraken Expands Beyond Crypto in Stocks, ETFs Trading Partnership With Alpaca". Bloomberg. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "Ninja Trader Review 2025: Essential Insights Before You Trade". February 13, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ "17 Best Practice Trading Simulators in 2025". forextester.com. October 15, 2024. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Steves, Rick (August 9, 2021). "NinjaTrader Launches FCM For Retail Traders". FinanceFeeds. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Baranasooriya, Melick R. (August 8, 2024). High-Performance Algorithmic Trading Using AI: Strategies and insights for developing cutting-edge trading algorithms (English ed.). BPB Publications. ISBN 978-93-6589-587-2.
- ^ Chmiel, Damian (February 25, 2025). "NinjaTrader Arena Turns Futures Trading into a Challenge to Lure Younger Investors". Finance Magnates. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Kirui, Jared (March 17, 2025). "NinjaTrader Expands Trading Tools with New Livestream for Market Insights". Finance Magnates. Retrieved August 21, 2025.
- ^ Nikolova, Maria (March 17, 2025). "NinjaTrader launches revamped livestream NinjaTrader Live". FX News Group. Retrieved August 21, 2025.