What Tradesk does

Tradesk Securities, Inc. is a U.S.-registered broker-dealer headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, operating a unified brokerage infrastructure platform that combines commission-free retail trading, B2B embedded finance APIs, and capital markets advisory services. Founded in 2021 with 11-50 employees, the company serves four primary segments: institutional investors (hedge funds and family offices seeking multi-asset trading access), founders and entrepreneurs (capital raising and advisory), fintechs (modular brokerage APIs for embedding into third-party platforms), and active retail traders (zero-commission stock, ETF, and options trading via web and mobile). Core technical infrastructure includes a Python SDK called tradecore providing low-latency customizable APIs, an AI-powered portfolio analytics agent branded as Prism AI, and multi-asset routing across public and private markets. Clearing and settlement are outsourced to Alpaca Securities LLC, allowing Tradesk to operate without owning clearing infrastructure, while Tradesk Crypto, LLC operates as a separate legal entity for digital asset services.

Revenue is generated through a zero-commission retail model monetized primarily via payment for order flow, interest on free credit balances, and margin interest (10.24% APR), supplemented by options contract fees ($0.60/contract), regulatory pass-through fees, and account service fees. Institutional and fintech revenue streams are positioned around embedded infrastructure and capital markets advisory, though these channels are described as early-stage with API documentation listed as 'Coming Soon'. Strategic partners include NASDAQ, NYSE, OPRA, FACTSET, and AWS for market data and infrastructure, and the firm is regulated by the SEC with FINRA and SIPC memberships. Geographic scope is restricted to U.S. residents per its Terms of Service, and no revenue, headcount trend, or funding amounts are publicly disclosed, suggesting an early commercial stage with product breadth but limited scale visibility.

Name

Tradesk

Legal name

Tradesk Securities, Inc.

Website

https://tradesk.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tradesk Securities is a U.S. registered broker-dealer offering commission-free retail trading, embedded brokerage APIs via tradecore, AI-powered analytics through Prism AI, and capital markets advisory to retail active traders, fintechs, institutional investors, and founders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Brokerage

NAICS

Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231), Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation (523150)

SIC

Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services (6200), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Institutional Brokerage & Agency Execution (FSAEACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Multi-Asset Electronic Trading Platforms (FSAFANAH), Institutional Spot Exchanges & Broker-Dealers (FSADAAAC)

Keywords

• Brokerage infrastructure
• Commission-free trading
• Embedded finance APIs
• Capital markets advisory
• AI portfolio analytics

Headquarters

HQ city

Short Hills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Interest on Credit Balances: Earns interest income on uninvested cash balances held in customer accounts
2. Margin Interest: Charges interest on margin financing extended to customers. Long margin rate of 10.24% per annum
3. Payment for Order Flow: Receives compensation from market makers for routing customer orders to them for execution
4. Options Contract Fees: $0.60 per contract fee for options trading, which covers fixed costs including fees charged by clearing partner
5. Margin Trading Fees: Interest charged on margin positions at 10.24% per annum, calculated daily based on margin financing amount
6. Regulatory and Activity Fees: Passes through Trading Activity Fees, CAT fees, Options Regulatory Fees, and OCC fees to customers on relevant transactions
7. Account and Service Fees: Charges for wire transfers ($30 domestic, $50 international outbound), ACATS transfers out ($100), paper statements ($5 each), inactivity ($5/year), and account maintenance ($5/year, waived over $1000 balance)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tradesk operates a unified brokerage infrastructure platform offering commission-free trading of U.S. listed stocks, ETFs, options, private markets, IPO access, and crypto through a mobile/web app backed by a SEC-registered broker-dealer (Tradesk Securities, Inc.). It also sells white-label brokerage infrastructure and the tradecore Python API to fintech platforms for embedded trade execution and market data, and provides capital markets & investment banking advisory (IPO support, private placements, structured transactions, M&A) to institutional investors and founders. Prism AI, an AI-powered portfolio analytics agent, delivers real-time alerts and institutional-grade insights to active traders on the platform.

Product overview

Tradesk is a unified brokerage infrastructure platform combining trading execution, investment banking advisory, and embedded finance APIs. The core product is the commission-free brokerage platform enabling trading of US stocks, ETFs, options, private markets, and crypto assets. Prism AI provides embedded portfolio analytics and intelligence. The APIs & Embedded Finance module allows fintech platforms to white-label and integrate Tradesk's brokerage infrastructure. Capital Markets & Investment Banking services offer IPO support, M&A advisory, and strategic capital advisory. Recurring Investments and themed investing round out the retail offering. All services are accessible via mobile and web platforms with institutional-grade execution infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tradesk Core Brokerage Commission-free multi-asset trading platform accessible via mobile and web for self-directed retail investors, offering real-time order routing, scalable order management, and access to 5,000+ U.S. listed securities (stocks, ETFs, options) plus private markets, IPO, and crypto. Powered by Tradesk Securities, Inc., a SEC-registered broker-dealer and FINRA/SIPC member, with clearing via Alpaca Securities LLC.
• Prism AI Generative AI portfolio analytics agent that delivers institutional-grade investment intelligence, real-time alerts, trend analysis, and personalized data-driven insights to help active traders spot trends, analyze opportunities, and act with confidence. Embedded inside the Tradesk trading experience across stocks, ETFs, options, private markets, crypto, and IPOs.
• Tradesk APIs & Embedded Finance (tradecore) White-label brokerage infrastructure and modular APIs (tradecore Python SDK) for fintech platforms to embed trading capabilities, real-time market data, and brokerage services into their own products. Supports programmatic order placement (e.g., api.place_order) with low-latency customizable integrations. Targeted at fintechs launching or scaling brokerage features without building their own broker-dealer.
• Capital Markets & Investment Banking Advisory Strategic advisory service for institutional investors, founders, and entrepreneurs covering IPO support, private placements, structured transactions, and M&A advisory. Provides capital raising strategy, access to institutional investor networks, cross-border execution guidance, and multi-jurisdiction settlement support, with a stated focus on digital infrastructure and energy transition sectors.
• Tradesk Crypto Digital asset trading service providing access to major cryptocurrencies alongside traditional markets in a unified platform. Operated through Tradesk Crypto, LLC, a wholly-owned separate legal entity from Tradesk Securities, Inc., so that digital asset products and services are segregated from the regulated broker-dealer entity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ U.S. listed stocks, ETFs, and options available for trading
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NASDAQcoreTechnology or IntegrationMarket data and exchange connectivity partner providing access to U.S. listed securities pricing and market information. Listed as a key institutional partner on Tradesk's website alongside other major exchanges and data providers.
• NYSEcoreTechnology or IntegrationExchange connectivity partner enabling access to New York Stock Exchange listed securities. One of the primary U.S. exchanges integrated into Tradesk's trading infrastructure.
• OPRAcoreTechnology or IntegrationOptions Price Reporting Authority partner providing options market data and pricing information. Essential for options trading infrastructure.
• FACTSETcoreTechnology or IntegrationMarket data and financial information provider integrated into Tradesk's platform for institutional-grade market intelligence.
• AWScoreTechnology or IntegrationCloud infrastructure provider powering Tradesk's platform architecture. Enables scalable, low-latency trading infrastructure and data services.
• Alpaca Securities LLCcoreTechnology or IntegrationClearing firm partner providing central counterparty clearing and settlement services. Tradesk Securities' clearing firm, Alpaca Securities LLC is a registered broker-dealer member of FINRA/SIPC. Alpaca withholds regulatory fees and processes trade settlements.
• SitworkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSitwork, a Singapore-based furniture retailer, partnered with Tradesk as part of its livestreaming and TikTok strategy to reach customers. This represents a cross-industry B2B2C partnership where Tradesk's services are offered to Sitwork's customer base.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Robinhood: Commission-free retail broker-dealer offering stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto with a mobile-first experience. Directly comparable on product scope, customer segment (self-directed active traders), and PFOF-driven revenue model.
• Webull: Commission-free retail broker with active-trader focus, options, and extended-hours trading. Comparable target market (active retail traders) and similar zero-commission, PFOF-monetized pricing model.
• Alpaca: API-first brokerage infrastructure and embedded finance platform serving fintechs with commission-free trading APIs. Direct competitor in the embedded brokerage / broker-as-a-service space, and also Tradesk's clearing partner.
• Public.com: Commission-free retail broker with stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto, branded around social/community and AI-driven insights. Closely comparable on retail active-trader focus, multi-asset scope, and AI-forward product positioning.
• DriveWealth: Brokerage-as-a-service / embedded finance platform providing APIs for fractional US equities trading to fintechs and global platforms. Directly comparable B2B API-first brokerage infrastructure model.
• tastytrade (tastyfx/tastylive): Options-focused retail broker with commission-free options pricing and active-trader education content. Comparable target customer (options-active retail traders) and similar emphasis on professional-grade tools for retail users.
• Apex Fintech Solutions: Back-end brokerage and clearing infrastructure provider serving fintechs and digital wealth platforms. Directly comparable in the broker-as-a-service / API infrastructure category where Tradesk is positioning its embedded finance offering.

Broad incumbents

• Interactive Brokers: Large incumbent broker-dealer offering multi-asset trading, APIs (IBKR API), and institutional services globally. Comparable multi-asset execution and API infrastructure, but serves a much broader and more institutional client base.
• Charles Schwab: Major incumbent broker-dealer with full-service and self-directed offerings across stocks, ETFs, options, and advisory. Overlaps with Tradesk on retail brokerage and capital markets access, but operates at vastly greater scale.
• SoFi: Multi-product financial platform offering commission-free stock/ETF/options trading, crypto, and investment banking-adjacent services. Comparable multi-product financial services bundling and active-investor positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tradesk-securities

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tradesk