Profitable 13 year trader, first time poster. Traded for 11 years with Tradelink LLC in Chicago. Experience trading everything from being a Nasdaq market maker (99-01) to a CME DMM in the green, blue, gold eurodollar packs and 2 and 3 yr. bundles. Mostly traded interest rates cash and futures last 5 yrs. Built up to a 70k draw plus annual bonus. Got complacent, lazy, (burnt?) and was let go in May. Took a few months off and ready to get back at it! In my travels the last month trying to get a new trader job, NO ONE is hiring with a salary/draw unless you are a quant or HFT with C++ experience. Very frustrating, options limited at this point, but need to get back to work. So I've decided to become an equity trader at a prop shop. Always wanted to be my own boss and keep the majority of my PnL (vs. the 30% I used to get) but was too scared for a variety of reasons to move on. So the layoff was a blessing (I hope!). I know the individual stock trading game has changed drastically over the last 5 years. Lots of traders blown out, chewed up and made to go work for a living. I would like to avoid the carnage. Does anyone have any experience dealing with Avatar trading at 10. s. lasalle or Atlas trading. Also any experience with Dimension trading--remote only-- based out of NYC. Avatar just opened big 10000sf trading floor in Chicago a few weeks ago. Based in NYC. Only equities and options but offering access to futes in a few months. Does anyone know of a futures or fixed income prop shop that offers leverage in Chicago? Also what constitutes a good deal at prop firms these days. Min $$ capital contribution, any desk fees? tix charges? keep ecn rebates? cost per share? min expected monthly volume? volume breakpoints for cheaper commish? payout %, best leverage 20/30/40-1 Any advice in general would be welcome as I enter this new phase of my trading career. Failure is not an option. Wife says I have to get a "real job" if this fails. I ask because it sounds like each trader has their own deal at Avatar. Thanks fellow traders. Hope to become a worthy, relavent poster over time.
Avatar is NY based and have been around for a few years now. They are CBSX registered, so that means any deposit you put up will be held for a year. I believe they use Lightspeed mostly now. You can get decent leverage for what you put up and yes, you get the full ECN pasthru. 20-30:1 depending on experience and that can get better with track record with them. Commissions are average (.004-.005 to start) - you would need to negotiate well or do some volume (1MM+) to get better than average. Automatic distrubution of any profits within 5 days of end of month and anytime you request, if needed, throughout the month if cleared funds.