Key Takeaways
- • Two former senior Citadel Securities FX executives—Kevin Kimmel (former Global Head of eFX) and Bryan Seegers (former Director of FX Business Development)—are launching Epic Markets, a multi-asset retail brokerage platform targeting both US and UAE markets.
- • Epic Markets has secured $10 million in pre-seed funding from London-based hedge fund and venture capital firm Karatage, positioning the company to complete regulatory licensing ahead of its planned launch later in 2026.
- • The platform is being engineered with "institutional-grade execution standards" designed to deliver elite execution performance to retail traders, leveraging the founders' combined decades of experience in electronic FX trading and market-making infrastructure.
- • Kimmel brings over 10 years as Global Head of eFX at Citadel plus prior senior roles at JP Morgan, YellowJacket (acquired by ICE), and TradeWeb; Seegers previously served as SVP eFX at Jefferies and held senior positions at institutional and retail brokers including ADSS, Alpari, and MultiBank.
- • The venture represents a significant institutional-to-retail transition, with Citadel alumni applying market-maker execution capabilities and risk management expertise to capture share in the retail FX and multi-asset brokerage sector.
Summary
Two veteran electronic foreign exchange executives from Citadel Securities are preparing to enter the retail brokerage market with Epic Markets, a newly funded platform targeting retail traders through institutional-grade technology. The venture, disclosed exclusively by FX News Group on July 21, 2026, marks a notable departure from the wholesale electronic markets where the founders built their careers.
Kevin Kimmel, who served as Global Head of eFX at Citadel Securities for more than a decade before departing in 2025, will lead Epic Markets as Chief Executive Officer. Kimmel's career spans senior positions at major financial institutions including JP Morgan, YellowJacket (later acquired by Intercontinental Exchange), and TradeWeb, providing deep expertise in electronic execution infrastructure and market microstructure. Bryan Seegers, who worked as Director of FX Business Development at Citadel from 2019 through 2025, will serve as Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to joining Citadel, Seegers held the rank of Senior Vice President of eFX at Jefferies, overseeing global eFX trading, algorithmic execution, and liquidity management. His previous roles at institutional and retail brokers—including ADSS in Abu Dhabi (where he served as Co-Head Global eFX), Alpari, and MultiBank—provide experience bridging the institutional and retail segments of the FX market.
Epic Markets has secured $10 million in pre-seed funding from Karatage, a London-based hedge fund and venture capital investor, enabling the company to advance its regulatory licensing applications. The company plans to launch operations in both the United States and the United Arab Emirates, positioning itself for geographic diversification from inception. The platform's strategic positioning emphasizes multi-asset capabilities built on institutional-grade execution standards, a deliberate attempt to differentiate Epic Markets from traditional retail brokers by applying the sophisticated risk management and execution protocols developed at major market-making institutions.
The company is targeting a launch later in 2026 contingent on completing necessary regulatory approvals. The venture represents a consolidation of institutional eFX expertise into the retail brokerage sector, where execution quality and technological infrastructure remain key competitive differentiators.
Kevin Kimmel, who served as Global Head of eFX at Citadel Securities for more than a decade before departing in 2025, will lead Epic Markets as Chief Executive Officer. Kimmel's career spans senior positions at major financial institutions including JP Morgan, YellowJacket (later acquired by Intercontinental Exchange), and TradeWeb, providing deep expertise in electronic execution infrastructure and market microstructure. Bryan Seegers, who worked as Director of FX Business Development at Citadel from 2019 through 2025, will serve as Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to joining Citadel, Seegers held the rank of Senior Vice President of eFX at Jefferies, overseeing global eFX trading, algorithmic execution, and liquidity management. His previous roles at institutional and retail brokers—including ADSS in Abu Dhabi (where he served as Co-Head Global eFX), Alpari, and MultiBank—provide experience bridging the institutional and retail segments of the FX market.
Epic Markets has secured $10 million in pre-seed funding from Karatage, a London-based hedge fund and venture capital investor, enabling the company to advance its regulatory licensing applications. The company plans to launch operations in both the United States and the United Arab Emirates, positioning itself for geographic diversification from inception. The platform's strategic positioning emphasizes multi-asset capabilities built on institutional-grade execution standards, a deliberate attempt to differentiate Epic Markets from traditional retail brokers by applying the sophisticated risk management and execution protocols developed at major market-making institutions.
The company is targeting a launch later in 2026 contingent on completing necessary regulatory approvals. The venture represents a consolidation of institutional eFX expertise into the retail brokerage sector, where execution quality and technological infrastructure remain key competitive differentiators.
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