#578
The Buy-Side’s Algorithmic AI Revolution
In the fast-paced world of modern trading, execution has become both an art and a science, with artificial intelligence and algorithmic trading emerging as the driving forces behind buy-side strategies.
The days of relying on manual processes are fading, replaced by sophisticated systems designed to optimize speed, scale, and precision. These AI-driven algorithms not only navigate the complexities of fragmented markets but also strategically access multiple liquidity points while minimizing market impact. Buy-side firms in particular are leaning in to ensure best execution via transaction cost analysis (TCA), strategy comparisons, and rigorous testing to review and refine their strategies, identifying opportunities for improvement and optimizing their trading outcomes.
Advanced machine learning models adapt dynamically to shifting market conditions, ensuring anonymity and guarding against information leakage. However, an unexpected event from left field, such as economic or geopolitical curveballs, can impact expected outcomes. To mitigate these risks, algorithms should include mechanisms to respond dynamically to market changes, helping firms achieve optimal performance.
Buy-side firms can customize algorithmic trading strategies to align with their specific objectives by adjusting parameters such as stock display, minimum fill quantities, and trading venues. Advanced customizations allow strategies to adapt to market movements or link executions to other trades, enhancing alignment with market conditions and firm goals. The true value of data lies not just in the numbers but in the ability of AI to uncover patterns and insights through a nuanced lens - allowing traders to work magic with the transformative power of AI.
Portfolio News
Vestwell unveils new Emergency Savings Account (ESA) offering - Vestwell's ESA is an after-tax savings tool that earns interest, giving employees quick access to funds without penalties or high-interest debt - so they can respond to unexpected expenses or challenges with less fear of compromising their financial futures. Read more
Plaid has boomed since its failed $5.3b Visa merger. Now its CEO is predicting a fintech summer - The thawing regulatory environment is behind the season change. Plaid might not be in the market for a merger anymore—at its current size, an IPO is more likely, with Perret hinting at a public offering in the next few years. “That’s certainly the direction we want to go,” he told me, calling the failed Visa deal a “blessing in disguise.” Read more
The Buy-Side’s Algorithmic AI Revolution
How algorithms are shaping the future of buy-side trading - As buy-side firms increasingly turn to algorithmic trading, the need for customized strategies, real-time adaptability, and advanced technologies like AI and machine learning has never been greater. From achieving best execution to managing market risks, firms are leveraging algorithms to optimize performance. Read more
Hedge fund startup that replaced analysts with AI beats the market - A hedge fund startup that uses artificial intelligence to do work typically handled by analysts has outperformed the global stock market in its first six months while slashing research costs. Read more
Traders leverage data science to improve execution - The role of data science in financial markets has seen considerable evolution in recent years. However, the fundamentals of data science and machine learning in trading have remained relatively unchanged despite the growing recognition of their value. Read more
Industry News
The 401(k) has reached a tipping point in its takeover of American retirement - It took nearly 50 years, but half of private-sector workers are saving in 401(k)s for the first time. Policymakers have moved in recent years to broaden access. More states are requiring companies to offer a retirement savings option. Congress has given small businesses more generous incentives to launch them. And companies are automatically enrolling more workers, substantially raising participation rates. Read more
Zelle marks $1t milestone as P2P payment use jumps - In addition to the $1t milestone, Zelle said 2024 also saw a 23% jump in the total dollar amount sent using the app, with transaction volume at 3.6b, a 25% increase from 2023. The company said 151m consumer and small business accounts are enrolled in Zelle, up 16% from 2023. Read more
Reddit chat rooms poised to help drive hedge fund, investor bets - That’s because of an agreement between Intercontinental Exchange and Reddit to develop new data products for the financial industry that leverage the swathes of daily posts, comments and videos on the social-media firm’s forums. Read more
The New York Stock Exchange is launching an exchange in Texas - The NYSE announced this week that one of its electronic exchanges, NYSE Chicago, will reincorporate in Texas and be renamed NYSE Texas, giving companies an option to list their stocks in the Lone Star State. The move comes as a potential competitor, TXSE Group, is emerging in Texas. Read more
Plaid and Stripe to join secondary share sale jamboree - Stripe is considering arranging a sale of shares held by employees that would value the company at $85b or more according to The Information. The transaction would extend a series of share buybacks, secondary sales and fundraises that have lifted the payments provider’s valuation close to its $95b peak in the go-go years of the early 2020s. Read more
Affirm plans to bring Buy Now, Pay Later debit cards to more users through deal with FIS - Any bank that partners with FIS will be able to provide its own version of the Affirm Card, which launched in 2021, without asking customers to adopt a new piece of plastic. Consumers can access Affirm’s biweekly and monthly installment plans and have the money automatically deducted from their checking account. Read more
Retail trading platform eToro files for US IPO and chases $5b valuation - Retail trading platform eToro has made confidential filings to US regulators in a significant step towards an initial public offering in New York this year that could value the business at more than $5b. The group, whose largest market is the UK, is the latest to avoid listing in London, which has been struggling to attract and retain high-profile company listings. Read more
Hedge funds are pocketing much of their clients’ gains with ‘no limit’ fees - In 2023, the main hedge fund at billionaire Dmitry Balyasny’s eponymous firm notched a gross return of 15.2%. Investors walked away with a gain of just 2.8% - the rest they paid in fees. That parceling out of costs is one of the most coveted perks of running a multistrategy hedge fund. Read more
DOGE-backed halt at CFPB comes amid Musk’s plans for ‘X’ digital wallet - In another weekend takeover of a federal agency’s operations, staffers from an efficiency initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk helped to effectively shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — as they gained access to an array of the bureau’s protected information. Read more
Trump takes aim at ‘wasteful’ government spending by ordering end to penny production - It’s not clear whether the president has the authority to stop the manufacture of the 1-cent coin. According to the U.S. Constitution, coinage power, as recognized by the Supreme Court, is “exclusive” to Congress. What is clear is that pennies cost more to make than they are worth. In 2024, the U.S. Mint spent 3.69 cents to manufacture each penny, according to an annual report. Read more
Fintech Klarna targets US IPO in April - The listing would come with a valuation of up to $15b, in what would be one of the biggest IPOs this year. Klarna has sought to cut costs and reduce its balance sheet ahead of an IPO, believing AI will allow it to almost halve its headcount. It has also been offloading loans in a drive to free up capital for lending growth and recently sold most of its UK portfolio to US hedge fund Elliott. Read more
Select Financings
Bluebook - Sweden based accounting automation startup raised $3m in pre-Seed funding led by EQT Ventures. Read more
BRKZ - Riyadh based construction tech startup raised $8m in Series A funding. Read more
Candid Health - San Francisco based revenue cycle management platform for medical billing raised $52.5m in Series C funding led by Oak HC/FT. Read more
Comulate - San Francisco based revenue management platform for insurance brokers raised $20m in Series B funding led by Bond. Read more
Era - New York based AI-driven wealth management platform raised $6.2m in Seed funding led by MaC Venture Capital. Read more
Finmo - Singapore based treasury OS raised $18.5m in Series A funding led by Quona Capital and PayPal Ventures. Read more
Fraktion - Paris based real-world asset tokenization startup raised €1.1m in Seed funding led by Cabrit Capital. Read more
Integral - Germany based provider of SME accounting and payroll solutions raised $6.3m in pre-Seed funding led by General Catalyst and Cherry Ventures. Read more
InvestNext - Detroit based real estate investment management platform raised $15m in Series B funding led by Beringea. Read more
Legend - San Francisco based DeFi superapp business raised $15m in Seed funding led by a16z and Coinbase Ventures. Read more
Limited - San Francisco based banking services startup raised $3m in pre-Seed funding led by Third Prime. Read more
Lynx - Boston based healthcare payments business raised $27m in Series A funding led by Flare Capital Partners. Read more
MarketLeap - Luxembourg based D2C ecommerce platform raised $8.3m in Series A funding led by Smedvig Ventures. Read more
Mirai Labs - Vietnam based crypto-focused AI agent developer raised $4m in Seed funding led by Mechanism Capital. Read more
Model ML - New York based AI modeling business focused on financial services raised $12m in Seed funding led by YC and LocalGlobe. Read more
Mysa - India based banking platform for mid-size businesses raised $2.8m in Seed funding led by Blume Ventures. Read more
Plasma - Switzerland based blockchain for stablecoin payments raised $24m in Series A funding led by Framework Ventures. Read more
Rho Labs - London based crypto interest rates trading platform raised $4m in Seed funding led by CoinFund. Read more
Sardine AI - Miami based fraud prevention startup raised $70m in Series C funding led by Activant Capital. Read more
SGNL - Palo Alto based identity management startup raised $30m in Series A funding led by Brightmind Partners. Read more
FinTech Collective Newsletter
Curated News with Context
Delivered every Monday, the weekly newsletter, produced by our team, provides a tightly edited rundown of global fintech news, along with a bit of our original analysis.