Dutch market maker IMC Trading has hired Alex Casimo as chief commercial officer of its cryptocurrency business, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

Casimo started in his new role this week and is based in London, the person said, who spoke on condition of anonymity as the matter is private.

The hire reflects IMC's ambition to build deeper, more strategic relationships with institutional counterparties and foundations across the crypto ecosystem, with a view to become one of the leading client-facing firms in the industry, the person added.

Both IMC and Casimo declined to comment.

Previously, Casimo was founder and COO of crypto market maker Portofino Technologies. He also worked at Citadel Securities.

Traditional finance firms are expanding into crypto as client demand, regulatory clarity, and market infrastructure improve, pushing banks, asset managers, and trading firms deeper into digital assets.

What was once treated as a fringe market is increasingly viewed as another investable and serviceable asset class, with institutions building custody, trading, tokenization and ETF-related businesses to capture new revenue while avoiding being left behind in a market that is becoming more integrated with mainstream finance.

The Amsterdam-based firm already has a significant presence in crypto. According to its website, the company trades $3 billion a day in average volume, supports hundreds of trading pairs, and has access to 50 major exchanges globally.

The market maker uses its own capital, advanced algorithms and high-speed technology to buy and sell financial instruments across equities, options, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other asset classes. By continuously quoting prices and executing trades on exchanges worldwide, the firm provides liquidity to markets, helping ensure smooth trading, while generating profits from small price differences and efficient risk management.

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