Market Maker / Prop Trading

Optiver

Optiver is a global electronic market maker founded in Amsterdam, with offices in Chicago, Sydney, London, and other major cities. They trade a wide range of financial instruments including options, futures, equities, and ETFs on exchanges worldwide. Optiver is known for their strong training programs, competitive culture, and emphasis on both quantitative skills and trading intuition. They are one of the largest options market makers globally.

Founded 1986

Our Optiver Guides

Interview guide

Optiver Interview: Process, Questions

A complete guide to interviewing at Optiver for trading, quant research, and technology roles - with real questions from the mental maths test.

Salary breakdown

Optiver Salary 2026: Trader, Quant & SWE Pay

Optiver salary data for 2026 across Amsterdam, Chicago, London and Sydney - trader, quant researcher and software engineer pay by seniority, plus intern compensation.

Internship guide

Optiver Internship Guide

The complete Optiver internship guide - the application timeline, the famous trader assessment, intern salary in Amsterdam, Sydney, Chicago and London.

Firm deep-dive

Optiver 80 in 8 Test: Format, Pass Mark and 2026 Status

What the Optiver 80 in 8 is, whether it is multiple choice, the pass marks candidates report, and why 2026 invites may not include it at all.

Headquarters

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Employees

1,800+

Entry-Level Pay (est.)

$250K – $400K

Senior Pay (est.)

$400K – $600K

Roles at Optiver

Quantitative TraderQuantitative ResearcherSoftware EngineerHardware Engineer

Key Skills Required

C++PythonOptions TheoryProbabilityMental Math

How to Get Hired

Optiver has a well-known multi-stage interview process that typically begins with an online numerical assessment (including mental math tests under time pressure), followed by technical interviews covering probability, statistics, and trading concepts. They recruit heavily from universities and offer graduate trader, quant researcher, and software engineer programs. Their campus recruitment is active at top STEM universities worldwide.

View open roles at Optiver Optiver Interview Guide

Compensation at Optiver

Bands below are industry estimates from aggregated public signals—not confirmed by Optiver. Actual offers depend on role, office, performance, and year.

Entry-Level / Graduate (estimated total)

$250K – $400K

Typically base plus bonus; varies widely

Senior / Experienced (estimated total)

$400K – $600K

Typically base plus bonus; varies widely

Source: Glassdoor

Optiver salary breakdown →UK quant salary guide →US quant salary guide →

Optiver Locations

Quant Jobs in Amsterdam →

Prepare for Optiver

Build the skills you need to succeed in Optiver's interview process and on the job.

50 Quant Interview Questions

Probability, coding, market knowledge, and brain teasers.

How to Become a Quant

Complete career guide with paths for every background.

Quant Readiness Quiz

Assess your skills and get a personalised study plan.

Browse Courses

60+ interactive courses in maths, tech, and finance.