FCT Group

What FCT Group does

FCT Group is a privately-held, globally diversified investment firm founded in 1984 by Roger Carlsson in Chicago as a local market-making firm. The group operates three core business segments: proprietary trading in futures and options markets (its original and largest activity), a global real estate portfolio spanning strategic investment holdings and development-for-sale projects, and private equity investments in innovative businesses. FCT Europe Ltd, a UK private limited company regulated by the FCA (FRN 786372), houses the majority of the firm's traders, while individual group entities have been regulated by the CFTC, SEC, MAS, and FSC, with historical clearing memberships at major derivatives exchanges including CME, LCH Clearnet, EUREX, HKFE, MATIF, and SGX.

The firm's proprietary trading operations span 12+ countries with offices in London (headquarters at 4 Endsleigh Street, Bloomsbury), Chicago, and Singapore. FCT trades exclusively with its own capital, deploying a selective recruitment model that brings in professional traders who are then supported by capital, infrastructure, and mentorship through a proprietary Trader Journaling Portal that pairs performance journaling with mentor review. The firm operates with a flat organizational structure designed to enable rapid decision-making, supported by a partner ecosystem that includes Macquarie, Advantage Futures, Trading Technologies, CQG, and Reuters for clearing, execution, and market data.

FCT's go-to-market is direct and relationship-driven: traders are recruited into the platform, while real estate and private equity deal flow is sourced through the firm's global network and regional offices. Revenue is generated entirely through proprietary trading returns, real estate investment gains, and PE realizations; pricing is not publicly disclosed and engagements are handled on a per-deal basis. Marios Kyriacou serves as CEO, with Roger E. Carlsson as founder of FCT Europe Ltd. The group also maintains a jointly controlled subsidiary, Axia Futures, a futures and options education and technology platform co-founded by FCT personnel.

Name

FCT Group

Legal name

FCT Group

Website

https://fct.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

FCT Group is a privately-held global investment firm founded in 1984 that operates proprietary futures and options trading, global real estate, and private equity businesses. It recruits professional traders, deploys its own capital, and is regulated by the FCA, CFTC, SEC, MAS, and FSC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Management & Proprietary Trading

NAICS

Commodity Contracts Intermediation (523160), Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231), Miscellaneous Financial Investment Activities (523999)

SIC

Commodity Contracts Brokers & Dealers (6221), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Clearing Broker / Carrying Broker (FCM & Clearing) (FSAEACAF)

Keywords

• Proprietary trading
• Private equity investments
• Real estate investment
• Trader education
• Alternative investments

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Proprietary Trading: Trading the firm's own capital in Futures & Options markets to generate returns. The company has been operating in these markets since 1984.
2. Real Estate Investment: Global real estate holdings including strategic investment properties and development for sale. Portfolio includes both investment holdings and development projects generating returns.
3. Private Equity Investment: Investing in innovative global businesses where FCT can provide value-add. Targets companies with unique market positions and experienced management teams.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

FCT Group is a globally recognized investment firm operating three core business segments: proprietary trading, real estate investment, and private equity. Founded in 1984, the firm deploys its own capital across global financial markets, manages real estate holdings, and executes private equity transactions. Through its subsidiary Axia Futures, FCT also provides trader education and a proprietary Trader Journaling Portal for retail traders.

Product overview

FCT Group of Companies is a globally recognized investment firm operating three core business segments: Proprietary Trading (futures and options markets since 1984), Real Estate (global portfolio of investment and development holdings), and Private Equity (investing in innovative businesses). FCT Europe Ltd, regulated by the FCA (FRN 786372), houses most of the group's trading operations. The firm has evolved from its 1984 origins as a Chicago local market making firm to a globally diversified investment group with offices in Chicago, London, and Singapore.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Proprietary Trading
• Real Estate Investment
• Private Equity
• Axia Futures Trader Education

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Axia FuturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAxia Futures is a strategic partner where Alex Haywood serves as Co-Founder and Head of Strategy, and Demetris Mavrommatis serves as Senior Trader at FCT and Co-Founder of Axia Futures. The partnership represents a collaborative relationship in the futures trading education and technology space.
• Irwin MitchellminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services partner providing professional legal support.
• Vedder PriceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services partner providing professional legal support.
• PortmanminorOthersService provider partner in the FCT ecosystem.
• EHLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the real estate segment, potentially providing real estate advisory or management services.
• ComplianceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCompliance services partner supporting regulatory adherence.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hudson River Trading: Quantitative proprietary trading firm with global offices trading equities, futures, and other instruments; comparable to FCT in private structure, technology-intensive trading, and global footprint.
• Flow Traders: Publicly-listed global proprietary trading firm focused on ETFs and derivatives; comparable to FCT in derivatives/options trading focus and multi-region operations.
• DRW Trading: Privately-held proprietary trading firm active across multiple asset classes including futures and options, with diversified trading, real estate, and venture/PE-style principal investments—closely mirroring FCT's three-segment structure.
• IMC Financial Markets: Global proprietary trading firm focused on options, ETFs, and futures across multiple regions; directly comparable to FCT in trading products, geographic spread, and private-company structure.
• Jane Street: Global proprietary trading firm with a major focus on ETFs and options; comparable to FCT as a private, trader-led firm operating across multiple geographies with significant technology investment.
• Susquehanna International Group (SIG): Large privately-held proprietary trading firm trading equities, options, and derivatives globally with significant trader development infrastructure; directly comparable to FCT's prop trading focus and talent-driven model.
• Optiver: Global market maker and proprietary trader in derivatives and equities with offices across Europe, Asia, and the US; comparable to FCT's globally distributed derivatives trading model and trader-development culture.
• Akuna Capital: Proprietary trading firm specializing in options market making with global presence; comparable to FCT in derivatives focus, private structure, and emphasis on trader training and mentorship.

Broad incumbents

• Winton Group: Global alternative investment manager with systematic trading and multi-strategy operations; broader incumbent comparable to FCT's diversified trading and investment activities.
• Citadel Securities: Large, established global market maker and proprietary trading firm; broader and much larger than FCT but operates in the same derivatives/securities trading space with multi-asset, multi-region scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 FCT Group