Flash FinanceUS
Pre-market S&P 5007,376.86+0.31% Nasdaq24,579.42+1.09% Dow 3051,285.73-0.46% Russell 20002,754.11+0.89% Nasdaq-10026,989.99+1.35% MidCap 4003,602.50+0.56% SmallCap 6001,673.98+0.05% VIX25.64-9.01% 10Y Yield4.86+0.45% Close of Nov 06, 2026
AI brief of an SEC Form 8-K · Virtu Financial (VIRT)

Virtu Financial names CTO Aaron Simons CEO, succeeding Douglas Cifu effective August 1

Neutral Impact 4 of 5 leadership Written later

Virtu Financial said its Board appointed Chief Technology Officer Aaron Simons as Chief Executive Officer and a director, effective August 1, 2025, succeeding Douglas Cifu, who steps down as CEO and Board member and will remain as a consultant through December 31, 2025. The filing discloses severance and consulting payments to Cifu and Simons's employment terms, which bear on the cost and continuity of the leadership change for shareholders.

Key points

  • Aaron Simons, 45, joined Virtu in 2008 and has served as Chief Technology Officer since 2019; his base salary is $600,000 with a target bonus of $2,000,000.
  • Douglas Cifu's separation includes severance pay through February 28, 2028, 150,000 Shares, and a $5,000,000 consulting payment for services through December 31, 2025.
  • Simons's employment agreement runs through February 26, 2027, with a severance pay floor of one times base salary or base salary through the end of the term.

The filing

CompanyVirtu Financial (VIRT)
Form8-K, current report
Filed with the SECJul 31, 2025, 4:44 PM ET
Accession number0000950142-25-002061

Items reported: 5.02 Director / Officer Change

Read the filing on SEC.gov ↗

Written by AI on Nov 8, 2026, 1:00 AM ET, from this filing only. Written later: this filing was briefed after the fact, when past filings were added to the site, so the brief may be read with hindsight; the filing itself is the record of what was known on July 31, 2025.

Briefs are written by AI from the filing text and can contain mistakes — open the filing before acting on anything. Impact (1-5) and tone are the AI's reading of the filing for shareholders, not a price forecast. Not investment advice.