Benzinga Fintech Awards 2025: Complete Speaker Guide
The Benzinga Fintech Day & Awards 2025 features 40 industry leaders from trading platforms, AI companies, VCs, and fintech innovators. Here's your complete guide to every speaker and why they matter for retail traders.
On November 10, 2025, over 1,000 capital markets leaders, fintech innovators, and trading technology experts will gather at Convene Brookfield Place in New York City for the Benzinga Fintech Day & Awards. This year's event features 40 speakers representing the cutting edge of financial technology, trading platforms, and market democratization.
This comprehensive guide covers every speaker, their company, and why they matter for retail traders.
Trading Platforms & Execution
Rob Hoffman - CEO, WealthCharts
Background: 35-time international trading champion with over 25 years of professional trading experience.
Company: WealthCharts is an award-winning platform providing institutional-grade trading tools including 200+ indicators, 22 exclusive scanners, AI-powered analysis, and algo-driven opportunity identification.
Why It Matters: Hoffman democratizes institutional tools that cost tens of thousands annually, making them accessible through affordable subscription. His platform consolidates fragmented tools into one integrated system.
Recent News: Launched WealthCharts Essentials on Tradier (July 2024), introduced InvestPulse AI Technology, added drag-and-drop order management.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Directly serves retail traders with professional-grade tools.
Read full profile: Rob Hoffman - Trading Champion
---
Anthony Rousseau - VP, Head of Brokerage Solutions, TradeStation
Background: Product management leader specializing in capital optimization, digital assets, and cross-asset trading platforms.
Company: TradeStation is a leading online brokerage offering advanced trading platforms with 180+ technical indicators, proprietary EasyLanguage scripting, commission-free trading, and OptionsStation Pro.
Why It Matters: TradeStation has been "Best in Class" for platforms/tools and futures trading for six consecutive years, serving both retail and professional traders with institutional-caliber tools.
Recent News: Celebrating 40 years of innovation, expanding 24-hour trading capabilities, integrating AI-driven predictive analytics, supporting CME's single-stock futures.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - One of the top platforms for active retail traders.
---
James Putra - SVP, Head of Product, TradeStation Group
Background: 20+ years in fintech leadership, with TradeStation since 2012. Expert in cryptocurrency, blockchain, and product strategy.
Company: Same as above - leads product innovation for TradeStation's entire platform ecosystem.
Why It Matters: Putra shapes the trading experience for millions of retail users, leading TradeStation Crypto and expanding multi-asset support including crypto derivatives.
Recent News: Led participation in CME's XRP futures launch, reengineering product development for agility, expanding crypto services (trading, interest products, lending).
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Directly impacts retail trading experience and product offerings.
---
Adi Nishandar - Chief Technology Officer, NinjaTrader
Background: Appointed CTO in May 2024. Over a decade at Goldman Sachs supporting trading operations, former Senior Director at Carta Liquidity.
Company: NinjaTrader serves 1.9 million users worldwide with futures and forex trading software. Recently acquired by Kraken for $1.5 billion (2025).
Why It Matters: Brings institutional trading technology expertise to retail futures trading. NinjaTrader pioneered support for CME micro contracts, making futures accessible with less capital.
Recent News: Major $1.5B acquisition by Kraken, launched NinjaTrader Pulse sentiment tool, mobile app redesign, recognized as best-in-class retail futures platform.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Leading platform for retail futures traders.
---
Ray Poloncic - Senior Manager of Market Data, Robinhood Markets
Background: Market data expert serving on CTA Plan Advisory Committee. Previously Market Operations Specialist at Robinhood.
Company: Robinhood revolutionized retail trading with commission-free execution. 27.12M registered users, included in S&P 500 (2025).
Why It Matters: Manages the critical data infrastructure powering Robinhood's trading experience. Market data quality directly impacts execution and pricing for millions of users.
Recent News: Acquired TradePMR and Pluto Capital, launched tokenized shares in Europe, introduced AI-powered Robinhood Cortex, expanded 24-hour market, planning NYC retail store (2026).
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Powers data for one of the largest retail platforms.
---
Michael Arbus - CEO, moomoo financial Canada
Background: 25+ years in global finance, MBA in Financial Engineering, former CEO of Bitbuy (major Canadian crypto platform). CFA charterholder.
Company: moomoo serves 27.12M registered users globally with commission-free trading, advanced charting, Level 2 data, AI-driven features, and crypto trading.
Why It Matters: Democratizing investing through technology and building supportive investor community. Strong focus on financial literacy and AI-powered insights.
Recent News: Q2 2025 revenue reached $676.6M (69.7% YoY increase), introduced Moomoo AI chatbot, accelerated crypto expansion, planning NYC retail store (2026).
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Fast-growing platform with 23M global users.
---
Quinton Pike - CEO, Polygon.io
Background: Founded Polygon.io in 2017. Former Lead Web Developer at Google, experience at CNN and Coca-Cola.
Company: Polygon.io provides institutional-grade financial market data through developer-friendly APIs. Real-time and historical data for equities, crypto, indices, with millisecond latency.
Why It Matters: Democratizes access to high-quality market data previously available only to institutions. Powers many retail trading platforms and fintech apps.
Recent News: Integrated Stripe for automated billing, expanded data coverage to 10,000+ indices, partnership with Benzinga for analyst ratings and news, named to Inc 5000 fastest-growing companies.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - Powers the infrastructure behind many retail trading tools.
---
Sean Kozak - CEO, Tickblaze
Background: Algonquin College grad with CSC certification, serial entrepreneur, president of NeuroStreet Trading Academy.
Company: Tickblaze is a hybrid trading platform supporting both discretionary and automated trading across stocks, futures, forex, and crypto. Scriptable in C# and Python.
Why It Matters: Bridges the gap between retail and institutional trading technology. Provides professional-grade tools while remaining accessible to individual traders.
Recent News: Launched Tickblaze Marketplace (2024), announced upcoming advanced option analytics and forecasting tools, enhanced real-time data integrations via dxFeed.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - True hybrid platform for manual and automated traders.
---
Trading Education & Research
Jim Batgos - Business Development Manager, TradePulse
Background: Financial services and fintech experience, former Trading Consultant at LPL Financial and role at Janney Montgomery.
Company: TradePulse provides real-time order flow analytics and AI-powered predictive analytics. Tracks institutional transactions and identifies market-moving flows.
Why It Matters: Democratizes institutional-level order flow data. Reveals where big money is moving before it's widely known.
Recent News: Featured speaker at Benzinga Fintech 2025, runner-up at BattleFin Alternative Data Conference, continuous AI algorithm enhancements.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Provides institutional transparency for retail traders.
---
Robert Prior - CEO, ForecastEx
Background: Former CEO/CFO of Actant, Managing Director at Interactive Brokers' Timber Hill, options market maker on American Stock Exchange.
Company: ForecastEx is a CFTC-regulated prediction markets exchange. One of the largest U.S. futures exchanges by volume (32.815M contracts in single day).
Why It Matters: Legitimate, regulated prediction markets for U.S. traders. Binary contracts on real-world events (hurricanes, Fed decisions, economic data).
Recent News: Received CFTC approval as DCM and DCO (June 2024), self-certified Hurricane Landfall Contract (April 2025), achieved massive trading volume milestone.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - New asset class for event-based trading.
---
Mat Cashman - Principal, Investor Education (OCC) and Instructor (OIC)
Background: 20+ years industry experience, started career trading across all derivatives sectors.
Company: Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) is the central clearinghouse managing over $180B in margin. Options Industry Council (OIC) is OCC's free education arm.
Why It Matters: Provides free, unbiased options education to retail traders at all levels. Interactive webinars, self-paced courses, tools, calculators powered by real market intelligence.
Recent News: 43rd Annual Options Industry Conference (May 2025) focused on AI-powered education, technology-driven learning, and next-generation trader engagement.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Free professional options education.
---
AI & Innovation
Steven Orr - CEO and Founder, Quasar Markets
Background: 34-year career in finance, media, government, and sports. Known as "BigBeat" on Wall Street. Board member of American Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Association.
Company: Quasar Markets launched early 2024 as AI-powered platform integrating market data analysis, education, and real-time insights from thousands of sources.
Why It Matters: Democratizes institutional-quality trading tools through AI. Makes sophisticated analysis affordable and accessible to retail traders.
Recent News: Won multiple international awards in first year (Best AI Research Platform, Fintech Startup of the Year, AI Startup of the Year), building global partnerships.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Specifically designed to empower retail traders with AI.
---
Armando Benitez - CDAO and Head of AI, BMO Capital Markets
Background: Managing Director with 8+ years at BMO, started in ETF pricing and market-making, evolved to leading AI initiatives.
Company: BMO Capital Markets is the investment banking arm of BMO Financial Group, heavily investing in AI and data analytics.
Why It Matters: Traditional institutions adopting AI and fintech innovation. Their advancements in real-time analytics and automated decision-making eventually reach retail platforms.
Recent News: Accelerated cloud migration enabling faster AI adoption, deployed generative AI for compliance and market intelligence, expanded real-time analytics.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate - Institutional focus but drives industry-wide AI advancement.
---
Braden Dennis - CEO, Fiscal.ai
Background: Environmental engineer turned fintech founder. Created FinChat (now Fiscal.ai).
Company: Fiscal.ai (formerly FinChat) provides AI-powered financial research with AI Copilot outperforming ChatGPT by 2-4x on finance-specific tasks. Covers 1,300+ stocks with granular KPIs.
Why It Matters: Democratizes investment research that previously required expensive Bloomberg terminals. Natural language queries with citation-backed, auditable answers.
Recent News: $10M Series A (mid-2025), over 350,000 registered users, rebranded from FinChat to Fiscal.ai, YCharts partnership (July 2025), added Adjusted Metrics tab.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Makes institutional research accessible and affordable.
---
Fintech Infrastructure & Payments
Andrey Kovalev - Partnerships Lead, Ramp
Background: Co-founded SipScience, previous roles at LiveRamp and KPMG. Leads travel partnerships and accounting/ERP integrations at Ramp.
Company: Ramp is a finance automation platform with $22.5B valuation, over $1B annualized revenue. Offers corporate cards, expense management, bill pay, travel management, and Ramp Treasury.
Why It Matters: AI-powered autonomous finance agents handling 99%+ of transactions without human touch. Reshaping business financial operations.
Recent News: Raised $500M at $22.5B valuation (July 2025), surpassed $1B annualized revenue (August 2025), launched autonomous finance agents, acquired Jolt AI team.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐ Low - B2B focus, limited direct retail trading impact.
---
Ronak Daya - Head of Product, Paxos
Background: 10+ years in product management, worked at Coinbase before Paxos. Expert in blockchain, cryptocurrency, stablecoins, and payment systems.
Company: Paxos is a regulated fintech offering qualified custody, wholesale crypto trading, and stablecoin issuance. Powers PayPal crypto, Venmo crypto, Interactive Brokers crypto, Stripe crypto payments.
Why It Matters: Infrastructure bridging traditional finance and blockchain. Regulated stablecoins enabling instant global payments and powering major retail platforms.
Recent News: Launched Global Dollar (USDG) in November 2024 (MiCA-compliant), Stripe partnership for US merchant crypto payments, founded Global Dollar Network with Robinhood/Kraken/others, GENIUS Act passed (July 2025).
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - Powers crypto trading on major retail platforms.
---
Adam Dell - CEO, Domain Money
Background: Brother of Michael Dell. Founded 6 companies including Clarity Money (acquired by Goldman Sachs for $100M). Partner at Goldman Sachs, Head of Product for Marcus.
Company: Domain Money provides comprehensive financial planning, stock/crypto trading, and access to CFP® professionals through tiered membership model.
Why It Matters: Combines AI-powered planning with professional CFP® advice at accessible price points. Democratizes wealth management traditionally reserved for high-net-worth individuals.
Recent News: Launched tiered membership model (early 2025), added five experienced CFP® professionals, expanded regulatory approvals in key jurisdictions, integrated dashboard for plan tracking.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - Makes professional advice accessible below traditional minimums.
---
Chris Josephs - Co-founder, Autopilot
Background: Founded Iris (social investing app that evolved into Autopilot). Expert in financial technology, growth marketing, and investment transparency.
Company: Autopilot allows retail investors to automatically copy trades of politicians, hedge fund managers, Warren Buffett, influencers, and AI-generated portfolios.
Why It Matters: Radical transparency in political and institutional trading. Makes "insider" information (legally disclosed trades) actionable for retail investors.
Recent News: Surpassed $750M in AUM, 3 million app downloads, ~80,000 paid subscribers, recognition as one of fastest-growing RIAs in America, top investors earning $300K+ in payouts.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Pure retail focus enabling copy trading of successful investors.
---
Venture Capital & Investment
Matt Ober - Managing Partner, Social Leverage
Background: Data science expert with Bloomberg, WorldQuant, and Third Point background. Backs seed-stage fintech/SaaS companies.
Company: Social Leverage is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage fintech, data, and SaaS startups.
Why It Matters: Identifies and funds the next generation of fintech tools that will eventually serve retail traders. Portfolio includes emerging platforms and technologies.
Recent News: Invested in Fiscal.ai's $10M Series A round (2025), actively backing fintech innovations.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐ Low-Moderate - Indirect impact through portfolio companies.
---
Anirudh Pai - Partner, Robot Ventures & Dragonfly
Background: Crypto infrastructure specialist investing in projects bringing next billion users on-chain.
Company: Robot Ventures and Dragonfly invest in crypto infrastructure, DeFi protocols, and blockchain applications.
Why It Matters: Funds crypto trading infrastructure that retail traders will use. Focus on making blockchain technology accessible.
Recent News: Active in crypto infrastructure investments as space matures and attracts institutional interest.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate - Crypto infrastructure investments benefit crypto traders.
---
Pierce Crosby - Managing Partner, Merchant Seven
Background: Former General Manager of TradingView who scaled platform to 90M+ users. Also led StockTwits to 5M+ users.
Company: Merchant Seven advises early-stage fintech startups. Previously scaled two of retail trading's most popular platforms.
Why It Matters: Direct experience building platforms retail traders actually use. His advisories help emerging fintechs serve retail markets effectively.
Recent News: Advising next generation of fintech startups bringing institutional tools to retail markets.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - Built TradingView (90M users) and StockTwits.
---
Venkat Varadachary - General Partner, WillowTree Ventures
Background: Former American Express Chief Data Officer, AI-first investor focused on AI-enabled fintech.
Company: WillowTree Ventures invests in AI-powered fintech companies transforming financial services.
Why It Matters: Funds AI innovations that will power next-generation trading and investment tools.
Recent News: Active AI-first investing as AI transforms financial services industry.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐ Low-Moderate - Indirect through portfolio company innovations.
---
Isabelle Phelps - Partner, Lerer Hippeau
Background: NYC-based seed investor in consumer fintech, e-commerce, and media startups.
Company: Lerer Hippeau is a prominent seed-stage venture capital firm backing consumer-focused companies including fintech.
Why It Matters: Invests in consumer fintech that makes financial services more accessible. Portfolio includes companies serving retail markets.
Recent News: Active seed investing in fintech democratization and consumer financial products.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐ Low-Moderate - Consumer fintech focus with eventual retail impact.
---
Oliver Renick - Founder, Narrative Capital & Host, Chicago Future of Finance
Background: Financial journalist turned entrepreneur, hosting live trading floor show focused on options and derivatives.
Company: Narrative Capital provides media and education around options trading. Chicago Future of Finance is a popular trading floor show.
Why It Matters: Daily market education and options trading analysis for retail traders. Bridges journalism and practical trading education.
Recent News: Growing audience for live trading floor show covering options strategies and market analysis.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - Direct daily education for options traders.
---
Prediction Markets & Market Data
Robin Hanson - Associate Professor, George Mason University ("Godfather of Prediction Markets")
Background: PhD in Social Science from Caltech, invented the Logarithmic Market Scoring Rule (LMSR) used in modern prediction markets.
Company: Associate Professor at George Mason University, Chief Scientist at Consensus Point, pioneer of prediction markets research.
Why It Matters: Academic and theoretical foundation for the entire prediction markets industry. His work enabled recent regulatory approval and mainstream adoption.
Recent News: Prediction markets exploded in 2024-2025 (Polymarket: $50M to $2.6B volume, Kalshi $300M at $5B valuation), speaking on "Prediction Markets: The Everything Market" panel at Benzinga.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Created the infrastructure enabling new asset class for retail trading.
---
Guillaume Goussault - Director of Business Development & Partnerships, Yahoo Finance
Background: Strategic partnerships leader at Yahoo Finance, focused on structured products and retail adoption.
Company: Yahoo Finance serves 100M+ monthly users as the world's leading digital financial media property.
Why It Matters: Builds partnerships connecting retail traders to advanced tools, broker integrations, and structured products. Yahoo Finance is primary financial information hub for retail investors globally.
Recent News: Launched premium experience (2024-2025) with 360-degree portfolio dashboard connecting multiple accounts, enhanced comparison tools, expanded free tier, 24/5 programming.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Primary research platform for millions of retail traders.
---
Gregory Kurzman - Director, Data Sourcing & Strategy, Balyasny Asset Management
Background: Promoted from Senior Associate to Director, responsible for alternative data sourcing and strategy at $44B hedge fund.
Company: Balyasny Asset Management is one of the elite "Big Four" multi-strategy hedge funds with 1,800+ investment professionals globally.
Why It Matters: Understanding institutional data strategies helps retail traders recognize market dynamics and identify smart money activity.
Recent News: BAM returned +8.35% Q2 2025, +10% YTD through September, strong performance driven by alternative data and sophisticated analytics. Founder received Hedge Fund Lifetime Achievement Award (May 2025).
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate - Educational value understanding institutional strategies.
---
Identity & Security
Jelena Hoffart - Director of Identity Value Chain Expansion, Mastercard
Background: Former fintech operator (Stash neobank) and digital identity investor, now leading digital identity strategy for Mastercard.
Company: Mastercard is a global payments technology company now heavily investing in digital identity solutions for financial services.
Why It Matters: Digital identity affects account onboarding speed and security for retail trading platforms. Better identity verification means faster account opening and reduced fraud.
Recent News: August 2025 Alloy partnership (global onboarding solution), September 2025 Smile ID partnership (Africa expansion), European Digital Identity Wallet integration.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate - Improves onboarding experience on retail platforms.
---
Nate Soffio - Global Head of Reusable ID Products & Networks, Prove
Background: Expert in digital identity and authentication at network scale.
Company: Prove serves 1,500+ companies including 9 of top 10 U.S. banks with phone-centric identity verification.
Why It Matters: Pioneering reusable digital identity that eliminates repetitive verification. Verify once, use everywhere model will streamline retail trading account opening.
Recent News: October 2025 launch of Verified Agent Solution for $1.7 trillion agentic commerce market.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate - Faster account opening, better security.
---
Priya Murali - CEO, Cobalt ID
Background: Previous roles at Waymo, Google, and Instagram. MBA.
Company: Cobalt ID specializes in business identity verification (B2B focus) with AI-powered fraud risk scoring and IRS Tax ID verification.
Why It Matters: B2B identity verification affects trading platform operations, though less direct retail trader impact.
Recent News: April 2025 partnership with Bectran for IRS database verification integration.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐ Low - B2B focus with indirect retail impact.
---
Ajay Amlani - President and CEO, Aware, Inc.
Background: Nearly 20 years in identity technology, co-founded CLEAR, worked at Department of Defense, founded YOU Technology (180M+ users). Appointed CEO February 2025.
Company: Aware is a 30+ year leader in biometric authentication (NASDAQ: AWRE) with fingerprint, facial, iris, and voice recognition.
Why It Matters: Biometric authentication is becoming standard (87% of global banks now use it). Faster, more secure login for retail trading platforms.
Recent News: CEO appointment February 2025, new liveness detection with 50% higher accuracy and sub-second speeds.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - Directly improves trading platform security and login experience.
---
Institutional & Other Fintech
Asael Meir - Partner, Technology Industry Leader, CohnReznick
Background: CPA with 20+ years experience, MBA from Hofstra, international business background.
Company: CohnReznick is one of the largest accounting, tax, and advisory firms in the U.S. with strong technology/fintech practice.
Why It Matters: Supports fintech companies through every growth stage with accounting, advisory, M&A, cybersecurity, and digital transformation services. Helps platforms serve retail traders better.
Recent News: Emphasized tech-first approach, launched Digital Forensics Lab, expanded AI implementation advisory.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐ Low - B2B services with indirect retail impact through stronger platforms.
---
Andrew Kroculick - Chief Operating Officer, Nasdaq Private Market
Background: MBA from Georgetown, BBA in Finance from GW, started at Deloitte, joined Nasdaq Corporate Strategy 2016, NPM 2017.
Company: Nasdaq Private Market provides liquidity solutions for private companies, employees, and investors. Nearly $60B in transaction volume across 775+ programs.
Why It Matters: Private market trading infrastructure for pre-IPO shares. Primarily serves accredited investors and institutions.
Recent News: Kroculick appointed COO (2025), Amanda Gold appointed Chief of Staff and Chief People Officer, leadership expansion for growth.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐ Low - Accredited investor focus, limited retail access.
---
Dr. Robert Murphy - Chief Economist, infineo
Background: PhD in Economics from NYU, Research Fellow at Independent Institute, Senior Fellow at Mises Institute, host of "Bob Murphy Show" podcast.
Company: infineo specializes in AI, blockchain, and life insurance digitization. Focus on applying blockchain transparency and AI analytics to financial products.
Why It Matters: Brings Austrian economics perspective to AI and blockchain in financial services. Focuses on human-AI collaboration rather than replacement.
Recent News: Thought leadership on AI/blockchain/finance intersection, emphasis on blockchain trust protocols, advocacy for keeping humans "in the loop."
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐ Low-Moderate - AI tools for traders in development.
---
Mitch DiRaimondo - Co-Founder, Lead Project Manager, SteelWave Digital
Background: CEO of e-Cobalt Investing LLC and Tyche Digital Ventures. BBA in Finance/Economics from Elon. Early cryptocurrency researcher and trader.
Company: SteelWave Digital tokenizes commercial real estate properties, enabling fractional ownership through blockchain.
Why It Matters: Democratizes commercial real estate investing through tokenization. Makes high-quality properties accessible to retail investors who couldn't otherwise participate.
Recent News: Presented at STO Summit 2024, growing institutional interest, featured in Bloomberg/Fortune/WSJ, positioned as institutional-grade tokenization platform.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - Fractional real estate ownership through tokens accessible to retail.
---
Brianne Lynch - Head of Market Insight, EquityZen
Background: Market insights and research role at EquityZen (specific background not publicly available).
Company: EquityZen founded 2013 as online marketplace for pre-IPO employee shares. $6.5M in funding, featured in Forbes' Fintech 50 (2015).
Why It Matters: Pre-IPO share trading marketplace connecting employee shareholders with accredited investors. Multi-company funds expand access.
Recent News: Hired Jeff Urban as Head of Capital Markets (September 2025), celebrated 11-year milestone, Q3 2025 showed increased private market demand with AI/SaaS companies dominating.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐ Moderate - Accredited investor focus ($200K income or $1M net worth minimum).
---
David Dziekanski - CEO, Quantify Funds
Background: Master's in Quantitative Finance from Washington University, Bachelor's in Applied Math/Finance/Economics. 15+ years experience. Former VP at Ladenburg Thalmann (oversaw $1.8B).
Company: Quantify Funds is SEC-registered investment advisor specializing in innovative ETF design. Launched 75+ ETF products with novel "stacked exposure" strategies.
Why It Matters: Makes sophisticated institutional strategies accessible through ETFs. Flagship BTGD ETF provides 100% Bitcoin + 100% Gold exposure simultaneously through portable alpha.
Recent News: Launched STKD Bitcoin and Gold ETF, filed new income-oriented and covered call products, extensive thought leadership on portfolio diversification.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Accessible ETFs with institutional-grade strategies.
---
Ankit Shah - Global Head of Fintech, GTN (Global Trading Network)
Background: Nearly 16 years fintech experience, former Executive Director at Interactive Brokers (led India business), MBA from IE Business School.
Company: GTN operates comprehensive trading ecosystem providing access to 80+ global markets and multiple asset classes through robust APIs. DIFC (Dubai) headquartered with Singapore subsidiary.
Why It Matters: Democratizes global market access by providing fintech companies with infrastructure to offer multi-market, multi-asset trading. B2B2C model benefits retail traders through improved apps.
Recent News: Appointed Global Head of Fintech, partnership with Webull Singapore for fixed income expansion, collaboration with Revolut for bond investing democratization, investments from IFC and SBI Ventures.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ High - Powers infrastructure behind retail trading apps providing global market access.
---
Katie Perry - Financial News Creator & Marketing Strategist (Public.com)
Background: VP of Marketing at Public.com. Former VP of Corporate Strategy at Comscore, Head of Brand Marketing at Suzy, marketing leadership at 360i.
Company: Public.com is social investing platform focused on financial education, transparency, and community. Approximately 40% female user base.
Why It Matters: Reimagining financial education through creative campaigns, influencer partnerships, and social-first approach. Makes investing accessible to traditionally underserved audiences.
Recent News: Innovative campaigns (IPOats for Airbnb IPO), partnerships with Tony Hawk and Mrs. Dow Jones, expanding educational outreach and inclusivity initiatives.
Relevance to Retail Traders: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely High - Directly serves retail traders, especially beginners and women.
Read full profile: Katie Perry - Social Investing Pioneer
---
Event Details
Date: November 10, 2025
Location: Convene Brookfield Place, New York City, NY
Expected Attendance: 1,000+ capital markets leaders, fintech innovators, and retail trading advocates
Ticket Pricing:
- General Admission: $437 (increasing to $499 after November 1st)
- Includes: Access to Benzinga's Custom Networking App, 2 Content Stages, 15 content sessions, Networking Lunch, All-day beverages and refreshments, Exposition Floor and Product Showcase
Key Themes for 2025:
- AI reshaping financial services landscape
- Prediction markets emergence as new asset class
- 24/5 trading expansion
- VCs investing in fintech innovation
- Democratization of trading tools and market access
Why These Speakers Matter
This year's speaker lineup represents critical trends shaping retail trading:
Platform Innovation: Leaders from TradeStation, NinjaTrader, Robinhood, moomoo, and Tickblaze are advancing trading technology and accessibility.
AI Integration: Quasar Markets, Fiscal.ai, BMO Capital Markets, and WealthCharts demonstrate how AI is transforming market analysis and decision support.
Democratization: Public.com, Autopilot, Quantify Funds, and SteelWave Digital are making sophisticated strategies accessible to retail investors.
Infrastructure: Polygon.io, Paxos, GTN, and Yahoo Finance build the data and execution backbone powering retail platforms.
Education: OCC/OIC, TradePulse, and social platforms are enhancing financial literacy for retail traders.
New Asset Classes: ForecastEx and Robin Hanson are pioneering regulated prediction markets as a new trading opportunity.
Market Access: Identity leaders (Mastercard, Prove, Aware) are streamlining onboarding, while infrastructure providers expand global market access.
Connecting to TradersPost Automation
Many of these platforms and tools can integrate with TradersPost to enable automated trading:
Signal Generation: Use WealthCharts, TradePulse, Quasar Markets, or Fiscal.ai for research and signal identification.
Strategy Development: Leverage educational resources from Mat Cashman (OIC), Rob Hoffman, and Oliver Renick to develop sound strategies.
Data Integration: Polygon.io and other data providers can feed real-time information into your automated strategies.
Execution: TradersPost connects your signals to your broker for hands-free execution.
Community Validation: Use social platforms like Public.com to validate strategy ideas and learn from other traders' experiences.
Key Takeaways
- Democratization is Accelerating: More tools, data, and strategies previously exclusive to institutions are becoming accessible to retail traders.
- AI is Transforming Trading: From market analysis to risk management, AI-powered tools are leveling the playing field.
- New Asset Classes Emerging: Prediction markets, tokenized real estate, and crypto infrastructure expand trading opportunities.
- Education is Integrated: The best platforms now combine execution with education, teaching while users trade.
- Community Matters: Social features, transparency, and peer learning enhance trading success beyond pure technology.
- Infrastructure is Maturing: Identity verification, market data, and global access are becoming seamless, reducing friction for retail traders.
The Benzinga Fintech Day & Awards 2025 brings together leaders driving these transformations. Whether you're attending in person or following along online, the insights shared will shape the future of retail trading.
---
Interested in automating your trading strategies? TradersPost connects your trading signals to your broker, enabling hands-free execution. Learn more about trading automation.
