OptimX Markets
Institutional trading technology for direct bilateral liquidity.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | $3.0m Valuation: $10.0m | Early VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
OptimX Markets is an independent financial technology company that provides a venue-neutral block trading solution for the global cash equities space. Founded in 2023 by David Barnett, the New York-based firm aims to enhance the institutional trading process by improving transparency and simplifying how liquidity is sourced for block trades. The company has developed a technology suite that allows investment banks, brokers, and institutional clients to share and process large-scale orders more efficiently. OptimX's platform is designed to integrate with existing trading systems, offering direct pathways between institutions and their trusted brokers without requiring new infrastructure. This model facilitates tiered visibility, transparent engagement, and automatic attribution, giving traders more control over their workflows.
Founder David Barnett has over 25 years of experience in electronic trading, having launched three previous block trading networks. His career began at Merrill Lynch, where he contributed to the launch of their first online trading platform. This extensive background in building products around new trading technologies underpins OptimX's strategy. The firm operates in both the US and EMEA capital markets, with its European subsidiary, OptimX Markets Europe Ltd, established in April 2023. In July 2025, the company successfully executed its first live U.S. equity trades on its bilateral liquidity network.
OptimX has secured strategic investments to support its growth and market entry. In August 2023, Deutsche Börse's venture capital arm, DB1 Ventures, led a seed funding round, and Aquis Exchange acquired a minority stake as a co-investor. The initial funding tranche amounted to $3 million. The company has also established numerous partnerships to expand its reach, including integrations with Charles River's Investment Management Solution, LiquidityBook's POEMS suite, and collaborations with firms like BMO Capital Markets and PureStream. These integrations allow institutional clients to access OptimX's liquidity directly from their existing trading desktops.
Keywords: block trading, institutional trading, liquidity sourcing, cash equities, electronic trading, bilateral trading, broker-dealer services, fintech, liquidity management, order execution management, financial technology, capital markets, trade processing, algorithmic trading, dark pool, execution venue, sell-side, buy-side, equities liquidity