Van Tharp Institute

What Van Tharp Institute does

Van Tharp Institute (VTI), operating as the legal entity IITM, Inc., was a privately-held trading education firm founded in 1982 by Dr. Van K. Tharp — a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center and certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming — who became recognized as a founding father of the trading psychology field. The firm served individual traders at all experience levels (its primary segment) and a secondary institutional segment comprising banks, hedge funds, and floor-trader groups at CBOT, CBOE, and CME. Curriculum centered on proprietary, branded methodologies including Position Sizing (93 distinct models), the R-Multiples risk framework, the System Quality Number (SQN), and the broader Tharp Think conceptual library, delivered via live workshops conducted globally, an intensive 2–4-year Super Trader Program, a five-volume Peak Performance Home Study Course, and books published by McGraw Hill and Wiley (including a New York Times bestseller). No core software platform was operated; the offering was intellectual property delivered as educational content and live instruction.

The firm monetized across four streams: (1) one-time book sales on Amazon at standard retail, (2) the Peak Performance Home Study Course (one-time purchase), (3) global live workshops and custom-designed institutional seminars, and (4) the flagship Super Trader Program. Go-to-market was content-first, anchored by a free weekly newsletter (over 713 archived issues), Tharp Think Concepts educational library, YouTube channel, and an international network of partner communities and Super Trader alumni. Geographic reach spanned North America, Europe (France, Italy, UK, Austria, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, Poland), Asia (Singapore), and Australia (Sydney, Melbourne). The firm was headquartered in Cary, North Carolina, and operated with 11–50 employees.

Following Dr. Tharp's death in February 2022, the institute wound down operations and voluntarily closed on December 31, 2023, converting the website into a memorial to preserve his original work. The firm is no longer a going concern, and no successor operating entity has been disclosed in the input data.

Name

Van Tharp Institute

Legal name

IITM, Inc

Website

https://vantharp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Van Tharp Institute was a private trading education firm founded in 1982, offering workshops, books, and the Super Trader Program focused on position sizing, R-multiples, and trading psychology. The Cary, NC firm served individual and institutional traders globally before closing December 31, 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cary

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Books and Publications: Dr. Tharp authored multiple acclaimed books published by McGraw Hill and Wiley & Sons, including Super Trader, Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom (New York Times Bestseller), Safe Strategies for Financial Freedom, Trading Beyond the Matrix, Eight Edges You Must Have, Moti-Maps, and Financial Freedom Through Electronic Day Trading. The Definitive Guide to Position Sizing is considered his landmark publication.
2. Peak Performance Home Study Course: A five-volume self-study course designed for all levels of investors and traders. The course shares results of Dr. Tharp's ten-year study of over 5,000 trader profiles and guides students through self-development to improve trading. Available in both physical and Kindle formats.
3. Live Workshops and Seminars: In-person workshops offered at the institute and custom-designed seminars for traders at banks and institutions. Conducted globally including in Paris, Italy, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, London, Vienna, and throughout the United States.
4. Super Trader Program: An intensive 2-4 year trader development program recognized as one of the top trader development programs in the world. The program committed significant effort, time, and investment from candidates for comprehensive trading education and personal growth.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Van Tharp Institute was an educational organization that sold trading psychology and risk management education to individual traders and institutions. Its sellable offerings included the five-volume Peak Performance Home Study Course, the Definitive Guide to Position Sizing textbook, the 2-4 year Super Trader Program, live workshops delivered globally, and a catalog of books authored by Dr. Van K. Tharp on trading psychology, position sizing, and risk management. The institute also delivered custom-designed seminars for banks, exchanges, and institutional clients.

Product overview

Van Tharp Institute offered an educational product portfolio centered on Dr. Van K. Tharp's trading psychology and position sizing methodology. The core offerings included the Peak Performance Home Study Course (a 5-book self-study program), the Definitive Guide to Position Sizing (the landmark book introducing position sizing concepts and the System Quality Number), and the Super Trader Program (an intensive 2-4 year development program). Dr. Tharp authored multiple books including Super Trader, Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom, Safe Strategies for Financial Freedom (a New York Times Bestseller), Trading Beyond the Matrix, Eight Edges You Must Have, Moti-Maps, and Financial Freedom Through Electronic Day Trading. Free resources included the Tharp's Thoughts Weekly Newsletter, Tharp Think Concepts educational materials, and curated book recommendations. The Van Tharp Institute (founded 1982) voluntarily closed operations on December 31, 2023, with the website maintained as a memorial.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Peak Performance Home Study Course: A five-volume home study course designed for all levels of investors and traders to improve their trading performance through psychological development and self-work.
• Super Trader Program
• Definitive Guide to Position Sizing

Products and services

• Peak Performance Home Study Course A five-volume self-study course designed for all levels of investors and traders, based on Dr. Tharp's research of over 5,000 trader profiles. The course guides students through self-development to improve trading performance and overall quality of life. Available in physical and Kindle formats.
• Definitive Guide to Position Sizing Dr. Tharp's landmark textbook on position sizing strategies, presenting 93 different position sizing models and introducing the System Quality Number (SQN) score for measuring trading system quality. Designed for traders who want to limit risk while maximizing profits.
• Super Trader (Book) A book by Dr. Tharp providing a time-tested strategy for creating the conditions for trading success. Teaches position sizing strategies and how to cut losses short while meeting investment goals.
• Trade Your Way to Financial Freedom A comprehensive trading guide featuring Dr. Tharp's 17-step trading model in an updated second edition covering reward-to-risk multiples and interviews with top traders.
• Safe Strategies for Financial Freedom A New York Times Bestseller co-authored by D.R. Barton, Jr. with Dr. Van Tharp, teaching risk-control techniques and investment strategies for achieving financial independence in any market condition.
• Trading Beyond the Matrix: The Red Pill for Traders A book by Dr. Tharp on transforming trading results through self-transformation, introducing Tharp Think concepts and helping traders change beliefs and consciousness to avoid trading out of fear and greed.
• Eight Edges You Must Have: Your Written Trading Plan An e-book by Dr. Tharp outlining eight essential rules to help investors avoid losing money in trading, emphasizing the importance of proper preparation and written trading plans.
• Moti-Maps: The Definitive Guide to Self-Propulsion and Getting Your Dream Life A book by Dr. Tharp about self-motivation and understanding internal maps of the world that determine motivation, helping readers break negative patterns and achieve goals.
• Financial Freedom Through Electronic Day Trading A book combining trading psychology with practical day trading strategies, co-authored with Brian June for electronic day traders.
• Super Trader Program An intensive two-to-four-year trader development program recognized as one of the top trader development programs in the world. Combines trading system development with deep psychological and spiritual work to transform traders' lives and trading performance. Requires significant effort, time, and investment from candidates.
• Live Workshops and Seminars In-person workshops delivered globally, including in Paris, Italy, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Venice, London, Vienna, Stockholm, Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Hungary, and throughout the United States. Also included custom-designed seminars for traders at banks, institutions, and floor traders at CBOT, CBOE, and CME.

Quantifiable outcome

• Developed 93 different position sizing models
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ken Long (Tortoise Capital Management)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time student, strategic partner, and friend of Dr. Van Tharp for almost 20 years. Founded Tortoise Capital Management in 1999. Taught at VTI for over 20 years, including ETF switching systems, swing trading systems, and day trading systems. Helped create the systems thinking workshop required for Super Traders.
• Gabriel Grammatidis (IntuFX)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal Super Trader with 40 years of trading experience, teaching at VTI for over a decade. Taught Forex, Futures, and Crypto Trading Systems workshops. One of Van's most accomplished students who adopted Tharp's concepts into his own trading and mentoring.
• D.R. Barton, Jr.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorked and taught with Van Tharp since the 1990s, contributing to three books. Co-author of New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling book 'Safe Strategies for Financial Freedom.' Regular analyst on Fox Business, CNBC, Bloomberg Radio.
• Libby Adams (Academy of Self-Knowledge)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner at VTI since 2004. Taught Peak Performance 202 workshop with Dr. Tharp for many years. Her 28-day consulting program was part of Super Trader Program curriculum for 20 years. Logged over 50,000 hours of one-on-one coaching.
• Bill Scheidt and Jeff Boccaccio (The Systems Lab)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoth were members of the Super Trader Program with Van. Continued trading education with Ken Long. The Systems Lab educates traders about well-researched systems and provides tools for market success.
• Ron William (IntensiChi)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarket strategist/trader/educator/mentor with 25+ years experience. Studied Peak Performance models under Van and taught Scenario Planning in VUCA Times as a VTI partner.
• Chuck Whitman (Trading Matrix/Sharpe Coach)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent of Dr. Tharp since 1998, completed Basic Trader program in 2000. Taught options workshop for VTI from 2001-2004. Co-founder of Infinium Capital Management. Currently runs Sharpe Coach LLC with multiple education lines including Five Pillars of Infinite Wealth and Options Matrix.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• SMB Capital: Proprietary trading firm that runs a trader training program and mentorship track, producing funded traders from a structured curriculum. Comparable to VTI's Super Trader Program in combining education with real-market execution and a multi-year development arc.
• Bear Bull Traders: Day trading education platform offering courses, live trading rooms, and mentoring focused on swing and day strategies. Comparable to VTI as a structured trader development business targeting individual traders through cohorts and instructor-led programs.
• TopstepTrader: Funded trader program that combines trader evaluation with educational content and coaching to develop profitable traders. Comparable to VTI's trader development pathway in targeting the gap between retail traders and consistent profitability.
• Warrior Trading: Day trading education platform offering live trading rooms, courses, and mentoring focused on momentum and gap strategies. Comparable as a content-led, subscription-and-course trading education business with a strong community component.
• Investors Underground: Day trading education community offering live chat rooms, courses, and mentoring with a focus on small-cap and momentum setups. Comparable to VTI as a content-and-community-driven trading education business with subscription revenue and instructor-led webinars.
• Online Trading Academy: Specialized trading education company offering proprietary curricula, live workshops, and mentor-led programs across stocks, options, and forex. Directly comparable as a premium, instructor-driven trader development business targeting retail and institutional traders.
• Simpler Trading: Options and futures trading education company founded by John Carter, offering live daily streams, courses, and trade alerts. Comparable to VTI as a personality-led, premium trading education brand with live workshop delivery and a strong community following.

Regional players

• Asia Forex Mentor: Asia-focused forex and trading education company offering mentorship programs, signals, and courses targeting Asian retail traders. Comparable to VTI's methodology-driven coaching model, with overlap in frameworks like position sizing and expectancy.

Emerging players

• Trading With Rayner: Independent trading educator offering courses, blog content, and YouTube-driven education on price action trading. Comparable to VTI as a content-led trading education brand, though primarily digital and individual rather than workshop-based.

Broad incumbents

• Tastytrade (now part of IG Group): Financial media network and options-focused brokerage offering extensive educational content, research, and live programming. Comparable to VTI as a trading education brand at scale, though serving a broader retail audience with broker-integrated content.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/vantharp
• Xx.com/VanTharpInst
• Facebookfacebook.com/VanTharpInstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Van Tharp Institute