Independent firm profile

D. E. Shaw & Co.

Global multi-strategy quantitative investment and technology firm with significant proprietary trading.

Headquarters
New York, USA
Founded
1988
Funding model
Bank / Institutional
Region served
North America

Community rating

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Overview

What this firm is and who it serves

D. E. Shaw is a pioneering quant fund with deep proprietary trading expertise across systematic equity, macro, credit, commodities and digital assets. Hires traders, researchers and engineers; not a retail-accessible firm.

"Pursue distinctive sources of return through quantitative and qualitative research."

At a glance

Structured facts about this firm

Firm Type
Bank / Institutional prop firm
Market Focus
Futures, Stocks, Options, Forex, Crypto
Trading Style
Bank or Institutional Prop Desk
Institutional Level
Retail-accessible proprietary firm
Retail Accessibility
Open to retail traders
Geography
New York, USA · North America
Known For
Multi-strategy
CEO
David E. Shaw / Eddie Fishman (Co-CEOs)
Team size
2,000+ employees globally

Funding programs

Account types and the path to capital

Evaluation

Not required by this firm.

Instant funding

Not offered by this firm.

Scaling plan

No formal scaling plan documented.

Account sizes offeredEmployee firm — no retail evaluations
Max allocation
Evaluation fee
Monthly subscription

Total compensation for senior researchers/traders commonly in mid-six to seven figures.

Trading rules

What's allowed, what isn't

Asset classes supported

FuturesStocksOptionsForexCrypto
News trading allowedYes
Overnight holding allowedYes
Weekend holding allowedYes
Copy trading allowedNo

Related terms: trailing drawdown · consistency rule · profit split

Platforms & technology

Where and how you trade

Data feed provider
InstrumentsEquities, options, futures, FX, fixed income, crypto, OTC

Supported platforms

Proprietary systems

Payout structure

How and when you get paid

Profit splitBonus-based compensation
Payout frequencyN/A (employee comp)
First payout eligibility

Pros & cons

A balanced view based on documented terms

Strengths

  • +Elite quant culture
  • +Long track record
  • +Diverse strategies

Trade-offs

  • Selective hiring
  • Not retail-accessible
  • Long interview process

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about D. E. Shaw & Co.

Is D. E. Shaw & Co. a legitimate prop firm?+

D. E. Shaw & Co. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in New York, USA. Global multi-strategy quantitative investment and technology firm with significant proprietary trading.

Does D. E. Shaw & Co. require an evaluation?+

No. D. E. Shaw & Co. offers funded accounts without a traditional evaluation phase.

What is the profit split at D. E. Shaw & Co.?+

D. E. Shaw & Co.'s published profit split is: Bonus-based compensation.

How often does D. E. Shaw & Co. pay out?+

D. E. Shaw & Co. processes payouts on a n/a (employee comp) basis.

What platforms does D. E. Shaw & Co. support?+

D. E. Shaw & Co. supports the following trading platforms: Proprietary systems.

What trading restrictions does D. E. Shaw & Co. enforce?+

At D. E. Shaw & Co., news trading is allowed, overnight holding is allowed, weekend holding is allowed. Always confirm current rules directly with the firm before trading.