Amsterdam Trader and the Insider Voice of the Amsterdam Trading Floor
3 min read
For anyone who was active in the Amsterdam trading world over the last decade, AmsterdamTrader.com was more than a niche blog. It was the place where market makers, brokers and the rest of the trading community turned for stories that never made it into the mainstream financial press. What began as a personal project became essential reading for traders at the Damrak and beyond.
The Beginning: A Trading Insider Starts Blogging
The blog launched in January 2009, at a time when the Amsterdam trading scene was still shaped by local market makers and a single exchange. The author wrote from inside that world, bringing perspective that no regular financial news outlet could match. Rather than rehashing press releases, the blog offered fast coverage of rumours, personnel moves, exchange developments and the kind of insider context only someone in the trenches could provide.
(AmsterdamTrader – About)
For eight years the site published hundreds of posts covering everything from the evolution of Dutch brokerages to the rise and fall of trading firms around Europe.
Who Was AmsterdamTrader?
For a long time the blog’s author went by the alias “Jack”, keeping a low profile so as not to spark conflicts of interest with his professional network. The identity of Jack was a favourite topic of speculation among traders because the blog was widely read but anonymous. Many names were floated over the years, including well-known local market figures.
(AmsterdamTrader stops)
Eventually the secret came out. The person behind AmsterdamTrader was Maarten Mosselman. Mosselman started his career as a market maker in 2001 and has traded through major industry shifts, including the collapse of Van der Moolen’s trading operations in 2009, an event he witnessed firsthand. After leaving that firm he helped build the trading firm Caerus Trading and later traded for WEBB Traders.
(AmsterdamTrader stops)
Why the Blog Mattered
AmsterdamTrader.com earned a reputation among traders for breaking things other outlets could not. It became a source for financial media, too, with snippets and insights feeding into stories in Dutch and international outlets.
(AmsterdamTrader – About)
Some posts became memes within the community. Tales of traders ignoring risk limits, corporate takeovers for strategic bonus payouts and shifting allegiances between firms circulated widely. There were lively discussions on new players, technology shifts and industry culture that weren’t covered elsewhere. The blog’s informal style made it lively and worth checking every week.
One notorious thread involved the blog’s criticism of broker DeGiro over its treatment of a hedge fund client, prompting a public response from the broker’s leadership.
(Cashcow.nl coverage)
The End of a Run
In early 2017, after eight years and more than 400 posts, AmsterdamTrader decided to stop publishing. In a final post the author explained that the trading community had changed too much for the blog to continue in its original spirit. Although the site remains online, there have been no new posts since.
(AmsterdamTrader stops)
Legacy in the Amsterdam Trading Scene
For many in the local trading community, AmsterdamTrader was the site that told the real stories of how trading actually worked in Amsterdam and beyond. It was written by someone who lived the life, knew the players and wasn’t afraid to share the inside view. Even now the archive serves as both a record and a reminder of what the Amsterdam trading world looked like during a dynamic era in finance.