Citadel Securities Is Perfect for Asia’s Nasdaq Chase

Investors in Asia have long traded US stocks, sometimes staying up until midnight to follow price movements in New York. But as chipmakers’ shares witness a historic rally, some are finding lucrative opportunities in their time zones. The question is which brokerages can provide this liquidity.

While everyone wants in, very few Asia-based brokerages have enough US business to make it work. That’s what makes Citadel Securities LLC an ideal candidate. Ken Griffin’s market maker is expanding in the region and plans to allow Asian clients to trade US equity blocks. The so-called “high touch” business handles fewer but much larger trades, often requiring human intervention to minimize market impact. It’s a departure from the brokerage’s core algorithmic trading business, but also more profitable.