Proprietary trading isn't what it used to be. Most of those old-school shops that dominated the early 2000s are just ghosts now, replaced by faceless algorithms or flashy "evaluation" websites that are basically just video games for retail gamblers. But then there's Kershner Trading Group Austin.
Honestly, it’s one of the few places left that actually feels like a real trading floor. You walk into their office at 1825 B Kramer Lane, and it’s not just a bunch of guys staring at charts. It’s a tech-heavy powerhouse. They’ve managed to survive—and thrive—by being more of a technology company that happens to trade rather than just a group of gut-instinct speculators.
What is Kershner Trading Group Austin?
Basically, KTG is a proprietary trading firm. If you're new to the lingo, that means they don't have "clients." They aren't managing your grandma’s 401(k). They use their own capital to trade the markets. When a trader makes money, they keep a cut, and the firm keeps a cut. Simple.
Andy Kershner started this whole thing back in 2001. Think about that for a second. That’s over two decades of staying alive in a market that eats people for breakfast. You’ve seen the "prop firm" craze on social media lately, right? Most of those are "funding challenges" where you pay a fee and hope for a demo account. Kershner Trading Group Austin is the real deal—a registered broker-dealer (Kershner Securities, LLC) with a physical footprint and serious institutional infrastructure.
They focus heavily on:
- US Equities: This is their bread and butter.
- Custom Technology: They built their own platform called Gr8trade.
- Algorithmic Integration: Even the manual traders there use automation to keep an edge.
The Austin Edge: It’s Not Just About the Capital
People often think the main draw of a firm like this is the money. "Give me $10 million to trade, and I'll be rich!" Yeah, good luck with that. The reality is that capital is a commodity. You can get capital anywhere.
What makes the Austin desk different is the "bionic" approach. They don't want you to just click buttons. They want you to build models. They want you to use their quantitative tools to find edges that a human eye would miss. This is why they’ve stayed relevant while other shops folded. They leaned into the "quantamental" shift—mixing human intuition with machine speed—years before it was a buzzword.
The SMB Capital Connection
If you’ve spent any time on "Trading YouTube," you’ve probably seen Mike Bellafiore or the SMB Capital guys. Well, there’s a massive joint venture between SMB Capital and Kershner.
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It’s a fascinating dynamic. You have the NYC energy of SMB mixed with the technical, quantitative backbone of the Austin crew. I’ve seen traders mention how this competition keeps everyone sharp. The New York guys might have the "tape reading" skills, but the Kershner Trading Group Austin traders are often the ones pushing the limits of what the software can actually do.
Is It Hard to Get In?
Yeah. In short: Very.
They aren't looking for "hopefuls" who just read a book on candlestick patterns. Their job postings for the Austin office usually ask for a three-year verifiable track record. They want to see that you’ve managed at least $1 million and, more importantly, that you’ve actually made a profit.
They aren't interested in your "potential" as much as your "process."
Interestingly, they do offer a Summer Internship (like the one for 2026) for college students. This is one of the few ways to get in early. It’s a performance-based environment. There’s no base salary for most trading roles. You eat what you kill. If you don't perform, you don't get paid. That’s the brutal honesty of the prop world that most people don't like to talk about.
Why Nobody Talks About Their Secret Weapon
You might have heard of CloudQuant. It’s a cloud-based research platform that KTG developed. This is their way of "democratizing" quant trading. Basically, they let people from all over the world test strategies on their tech. If the strategy is good enough, they might actually fund it.
This is a genius move. It turns the whole world into a giant R&D department for the Austin office. While other firms are trying to hire the smartest PhDs from Harvard, Kershner Trading Group Austin is also looking for the "ordinary person with an extraordinary idea" through their tech stack.
The Reality of Trading at KTG Austin
Let's get real for a minute. Trading is hard. Most people fail.
At a place like KTG, the pressure is immense. You are surrounded by 7-figure earners who are constantly trying to iterate and get better. If you’re the type of person who wants a "9-to-5" where you can coast, this is your nightmare. But if you’re a "disciplined, calm competitor"—a phrase they actually use in their hiring docs—it’s probably heaven.
They provide:
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- Massive Buying Power: We're talking 20-30 million in buying power for special situations.
- Risk Management: They have a compliance and risk team that watches your back (and their capital).
- Low Latency: You aren't trading on a retail broker app that freezes when the market gets volatile.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That KTG is just "another prop firm."
Most "prop firms" today are just marketing companies that sell dreams to retail traders. They make money on your "evaluation fee." Kershner Trading Group Austin makes money when you make money. Their incentives are actually aligned with yours. They spend millions on Gr8trade and their infrastructure because they need their traders to be faster and smarter than the rest of the market.
How to Actually Get Noticed by Them
If you're serious about joining the Austin desk, don't just send a generic resume. They look for "independent thinkers."
- Show the Math: If you have an edge, prove it with data.
- Be a Student and a Teacher: They value a "learning organization" culture. If you think you know everything, you're already dead to them.
- Focus on Short-Term Equities: While they dabble in futures and options, the Austin core is very much about the US equity markets.
Kershner Trading Group Austin remains a cornerstone of the professional trading world because they didn't ignore the tech revolution. They led it. Whether you're an experienced pro looking for more "juice" for your strategies or a quant student looking for a 2026 internship, they are still one of the few places where the "bionic trader" isn't just a theory—it's the daily reality.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Audit Your Track Record: Before applying, ensure you have at least 2-3 years of verifiable P&L statements. KTG rarely considers "paper trading" or unverified screenshots.
- Test the Tech: Head over to CloudQuant and start backtesting your ideas. It’s the best way to see if your "intuition" actually holds up against historical data using their specific toolset.
- Network with the JV: Look into SMB Capital’s training programs. Since they have a joint venture with KTG, it’s a legitimate (though often expensive) pathway to getting on the radar of the Austin desk.
- Verify Compliance: If you have any past FINRA or regulatory issues, don't bother. Their "Experienced Trader" requirements are very strict about a clean regulatory history.