ISAM

What ISAM does

iSAM (legal parent: International Standard Asset Management, Cayman Islands) is a private, London-headquartered alternative asset manager and electronic market-maker operating two business lines under one shared quantitative heritage. The asset-management arm (iSAM Funds) runs systematic strategies for institutional clients, most notably iSAM Vector — a price-persistence strategy targeting diversifying returns with low correlation to equities and bonds — and iSAM Helix, a statistical arbitrage program trading global equities using broad statistical methods over expansive datasets. The market-making arm (iSAM Securities) is a separate sub-brand (isam-securities.com) providing algorithmic trading, electronic market making, and liquidity/execution technology.

Revenue is generated through two streams: subscription/recurring asset management fees on systematic products (iSAM Funds UK, iSAM Funds USA, plus Cayman-domiciled Vector and Helix management entities) and transaction-based revenue from electronic market making and liquidity provision (iSAM Securities UK, US, Cayman and HK). Capital is allocated to research and infrastructure to support continual strategy refinement. Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Ireland) serves as fund administrator across vehicles.

The firm serves institutional clients, professional clients and eligible counterparties only — its site explicitly states it is not directed at retail clients and is not available to US Persons for certain products. Distribution is direct-relationship enterprise sales with no public pricing or intermediary channel. iSAM is regulated across the FCA (UK), SEC and CFTC/NFA (US), CIMA (Cayman) and the SFC (Hong Kong, Type 3 leveraged FX), with operating offices in London, Hong Kong, Boca Raton (FL) and Grand Cayman. The company employs 101–250 staff and operates under the trademark "iSAM."

Name

ISAM

Legal name

International Standard Asset Management

Website

https://isam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

iSAM is a London-headquartered private alternative asset manager and electronic market-maker that runs systematic trading strategies (iSAM Vector, iSAM Helix) and provides algorithmic liquidity to institutional clients, professional investors and eligible counterparties across the UK, US, Hong Kong and Cayman Islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Asset Management Fees: Alternative asset management fees from systematic investing strategies for institutional clients. iSAM Funds manages assets for institutional investors seeking systematic investment approaches.
2. Electronic Market Making: Algorithmic trading firm and electronic market maker providing global liquidity, execution and technology services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

iSAM operates two complementary businesses: iSAM Funds, an alternative asset manager running systematic investment strategies (iSAM Vector and iSAM Helix) for institutional clients, and iSAM Securities, an algorithmic trading firm and electronic market maker providing global liquidity, execution and technology services. Both divisions draw on the firm's systematic and quantitative trading expertise using broad statistical methods applied to expansive datasets to generate uncorrelated returns across market environments.

Product overview

iSAM operates two distinct businesses under one shared heritage. iSAM Funds is an alternative asset manager specializing in systematic investing for institutional clients, offering two core systematic trading products: iSAM Vector (a trading strategy focused on price persistence providing low correlation to equities and bonds) and iSAM Helix (a statistical arbitrage strategy trading global equities using statistical methods over expansive datasets). iSAM Securities is a separate sub-brand providing algorithmic trading, electronic market making, and technology solutions including liquidity, technology, and risk management tools for global markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iSAM Vector: A fully systematic trading strategy designed to deliver diversifying returns from price persistence in markets. The strategy aims to provide low correlation to equities and bonds, with a continual focus on research and innovation.
• iSAM Helix

Products and services

• iSAM Vector A fully systematic trading strategy designed to deliver diversifying returns from price persistence in markets, providing low correlation to equities and bonds, with continual focus on research and innovation. Aimed at institutional investors seeking systematic, diversifying exposures.
• iSAM Helix A fully systematic statistical arbitrage strategy trading global equities, using a broad range of statistical methods over expansive datasets to generate consistent uncorrelated returns across various market environments. Offered to institutional investors.
• iSAM Securities (algorithmic trading and electronic market making) Algorithmic trading and electronic market making services providing global liquidity, execution and technology across multiple venues and asset classes, offered to professional clients, eligible counterparties and institutional investors.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Ireland) LimitedminorOthersNorthern Trust serves as the Administrator for the Funds, processing personal information of investors in its capacity as the Fund's administrator. The Administrator acts as a data processor under the Investment Manager's direction.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Citadel Securities: Global electronic market maker and quantitative trading firm providing liquidity across equities, options, and other asset classes. Directly comparable to iSAM Securities in market making and algorithmic execution, sharing a similar technology-led liquidity-provision business model.
• Jane Street Group: Global liquidity provider and market maker across equities, ETFs, options, futures, bonds, and currencies. Comparable to iSAM Securities through electronic market making, quantitative trading, and global multi-jurisdictional operations.
• Aspect Capital: London-based systematic/managed futures alternative asset manager with diversified trend-following and quantitative strategies. Comparable to iSAM Funds in systematic alternatives, institutional mandate structure, and London headquarters.
• Tower Research Capital: Electronic trading firm and systematic market maker operating across global equities, derivatives, and FX. Directly comparable to iSAM Securities in electronic market making and global multi-asset algorithmic trading operations.
• Winton Group: London-based systematic/quantitative investment manager with managed futures, statistical arbitrage, and other systematic strategies globally. Directly comparable to iSAM in business model and target client base, with similar long-term trend and statistical arbitrage strategies.
• Two Sigma Investments: Large quantitative investment and technology firm combining systematic trading with fundamental and alternative strategies. Comparable to iSAM through its use of expansive datasets, statistical methods, and systematic trading infrastructure serving institutional clients.
• DE Shaw Group: Global investment and technology firm operating systematic and quantitative strategies across multiple asset classes. Comparable to iSAM in alternative asset management, quantitative research intensity, and institutional client focus.
• Man Group: London-headquartered alternative asset manager operating Man AHL, one of the longest-running systematic/quantitative managed futures and alternatives platforms globally. Directly comparable to iSAM as a publicly listed systematic alternatives manager serving institutional clients with AUM-based fee economics.

Regional players

• GSA Capital Partners: London-based systematic equity and alternative asset manager focused on statistical arbitrage and quantitative equity strategies. Comparable to iSAM Helix through statistical arbitrage on global equities and quantitative methods, primarily serving European institutional clients.

Emerging players

• Qube Research & Technologies: London-headquartered quantitative investment and technology firm using systematic, data-driven approaches across global markets. Comparable to iSAM in quantitative methods over expansive datasets and London-based institutional focus, though a more recently established firm with strong tech emphasis.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 ISAM