News Blue Trading Systems Blog, Events, and Highlights

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Published: 10 May 2018

In January, we introduced you to the Blue Trading Systems team to show you the people behind our exceptional products. Thank you for taking the time to read our profiles. We hope they helped you get to know us a little better. It would seem we have a diverse range of species on display in the BTS zoo, including: a Buddha, a King Cobra, a Unicorn, a Vampire, two Crocodiles, two Dolphins, a Goat, a Cheetah, a Tiger, an Octopus, a Mantis Shrimp and an Alpine Swift!

But our personal greatness does you no good, so we invite you to learn more about our products, which quite possibly will. BTS Edge is our advanced, intuitive trading system for options market makers, proprietary trading groups and brokers. BTS Spark is our new futures trading solution, furnishing traders added control over server hardware, better support from vendor partners, and lower latency with an FPGA option.

While relegating your trading application to the cloud might make sense for traders less concerned with security, speed and accountability; we offer an alternative for those unwilling to relinquish control to this nebulous, anonymous hardware platform. By collaborating with hosting vendors staffed by professionals familiar with the standards demanded by professional traders, we offer superior performance, reliability, and support, at essentially zero additional cost.

Please give us a call at 919 913 0850 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a demo or more information about our products.

Also, follow our blog for updates about our products, team and partners, and industry conference reports. We have been active in the options community for over twenty years. Now, as we introduce our futures system, BTS Spark, we look forward to getting to know futures traders and their colleagues.

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Published: 24 April 2018

Blue Trading System’s is a family of traders, technologists, innovators and committed professionals. The women and men that work here want to build something that not only meets demand but advances the industry. We are sharp, loyal and strategic.

Through 2018, we wanted to highlight the people behind the name. These are the ones applying their knowledge, dedicating their time and investing their money in Blue Trading Systems. We invite you to learn more about the people building our solutions.

What is your name, title and responsibilities at Blue Trading Systems?

Name: John Colvin
Title: Software Engineer
Responsibilities: Front-end, UI design

How did you get into this field of derivatives trading? Trader or technologist?

Before working at BTS, I was neither trader nor technologist, but after graduating from UNC with a music degree in 2011, I needed a job. I have always enjoyed solving puzzles, and took a few comp-sci courses in college, so computer programming seemed a natural fit. Getting a foot in the door at BTS was easy - my dad, John “Trevor” Colvin Sr., is the CEO. And so it began.

The workplace environment at BTS, rich with highly-skilled and experienced programmers, could not have been a better a place for me to hone my craft. Taha, in particular, took me under his wing, and helped me develop into a soldier of the BTS dev army.

From your perspective, can you describe the relationship between BTS and its clients?

As a smaller company, we are able to provide the intimate support our larger competitors can’t. Our support team has been here for a long time, and has the robust knowledge of our system that only comes from years of experience. Support and devs work in lock-step, so any technical questions or concerns a client may have will receive expert-level feedback, straight from the software engineer who actually designed that part of the system.

How has BTS evolved since you started at the company?

We’ve had our share of growing pains over the years. Formerly Blue Capital Group, we learned the differences between designing software for our own traders (in house), from designing software to be licensed out to various clients, each with their own requirements. However, we do not have any regrets. “Legacy code” may have stifled our progress for some time, but it also gifted us the experience necessary to make the superb product we proudly call “Spark.”

What are a few challenges the industry is currently facing?

I’m not actually a trader, so take my answer for what it’s worth. I think the biggest challenge is the unknown. AI is just a tiny bud, getting ready to blossom into something we have never seen. Quantum computing might not even be a bud yet, but it is definitely a seed, and it will change everything. Everything. we do. I also don’t think people are as scared of crypto-currency as they should be. Google “what will quantum computing do to cryptocurrency” if you are interested.

What is your favorite piece of advice regarding trading, technology, the markets, leadership?

“Have a plan.” - It’s very simple, good advice usually is.

If you had to pick, what animal would you be and why?

That’s easy: Saltwater Crocodile.

• They don’t need anything from anybody
• They are highly intelligent
• When the plague of all plagues descended upon the earth some 60 million years ago to wipe out the dinosaurs and clean the slate, crocodiles evaded God’s eraser
• They have solar panels on their backs
• They will stalk their prey for weeks, as though they were all trained in the special forces, learning everything about it’s routine, crafting a perfect plan of assault
• Their heads/bodies are designed for absolute stealth hunting, as they stalk their prey, the crocodile is almost invisible above the surface, only showing it’s eyes, and nostrils
• Everything about them is pure efficiency
• their jaw clamps down on prey with 3700 psi of pure stopping power; however, absolutely no muscle is wasted on its ability to open it (that would be more biomass to feed)
• when they prepare to strike, they sit very still, and let all the blood in their bodies rush to their jaw and tail (the main muscles that are used to strike). They shift several baseball sized rocks (which they have swallowed for this purpose) to the back of their stomach to set their bodies at the ideal angle for attack
• I could go on and on...

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Published: 18 April 2018

Blue Trading System’s is a family of traders, technologists, innovators and committed professionals. The women and men that work here want to build something that not only meets demand but advances the industry. We are sharp, loyal and strategic.

Through 2018, we wanted to highlight the people behind the name. These are the ones applying their knowledge, dedicating their time and investing their money in Blue Trading Systems. We invite you to learn more about the people building our solutions.

What is your name, title and responsibilities at Blue Trading Systems?

My name is Jessica Darmoni and I am a marketing consultant. I help Blue Trading Systems manage their marketing initiatives, make introductions for business development and partnership purposes, as well as gather market intelligence.

How did you get into this field of derivatives trading? Trader or technologist?

I am neither a trader or a technologist. I started in the derivatives industry as a sales assistant at a technology consulting firm back in 2006. My first week on the job I attended the Futures Industry Association’s (FIA) annual Expo conference in Chicago. By the end of the week, my back hurt, my feet were killing me and my voice was hoarse but I knew I was where I was supposed to be. I loved the intensity, power and ever-changing nature of our industry. I was able to build a career as a connector in this space thanks to my mentors, sponsors and especially my clients.

From your perspective, can you describe the relationship between BTS and its clients?

From the moment I started working with BTS, it was obvious that their clients are their number one priority. They put a lot of effort into providing the best customer support and experience.

It’s important to note that I have found it very easy to work with them and they made me feel like part of the team from day one. I often think about the respect they show me and the urgency in which they work to meet my needs, and how this extends to their clients and partners.

How has BTS evolved since you started at the company?

I first became acquainted with BTS when I was working at a partner firm that leveraged BTS’ tablet solution. I remember running into Kevin Darby at an FIA Expo a few months later and he had mentioned they had built a full-fledged options trading platform, BTS Edge. Since I’ve started working with the BTS team, they have also developed a futures trading platform, BTS Spark. They have grown their offering quite a bit since I’ve known them.

One of the things I admire about Blue Trading Systems is that they take their time and develop products based on what they hear and the needs of the industry. They don’t develop a product just to develop something. They build to solve problems and provide solutions.

What are a few challenges the industry is currently facing?

Our industry needs more diversity including African-American, Asian and Latino/a professionals.

What is your favorite piece of advice regarding trading, technology, the markets, leadership?

I have a few pieces of advice that I have heard, live by and repeat for my clients. The first is that you should not mind who your competitors are or what they are doing. Instead focus on carrying out good work. The second one is that you should never reveal your next move.

If you had to pick, what animal would you be and why?

A tiger because it is the leader of the jungle.

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Published: 12 April 2018

Blue Trading System’s is a family of traders, technologists, innovators and committed professionals. The women and men that work here want to build something that not only meets demand but advances the industry. We are sharp, loyal and strategic.

Through 2018, we wanted to highlight the people behind the name. These are the ones applying their knowledge, dedicating their time and investing their money in Blue Trading Systems. We invite you to learn more about the people building our solutions.

What is your name, title and responsibilities at Blue Trading Systems?

Pete Fisher, CIO. Like everyone else at BTS, my responsibilities are not limited to one area. I am in charge of all IT (phones, machines, network, vendor relationships), as well as customer setup, demos, support and the list goes on. We basically take what is normally a title's responsibility and add to it. Constantly.

How did you get into this field of derivatives trading? Trader or technologist?

Technologist. Originally from Ohio, one winter after shovelling snow to the point it was 6 feet high on both sides of my driveway…. In April... I decided it was time to head south. Blue Capital Group was where I found the best fit for me. It allowed me to expand my knowledge of all aspects of IT. I had not seen this side of a field that was so demanding, so fast, or so ever changing before. I loved it from day 1. To this day, I continually am learning something new.

From your perspective, can you describe the relationship between BTS and its clients?

The relationship at BTS with our customers is pretty unique. From making changes to our software based on customers’ request, to making even little things the highest priority. We know that our customers rely on us for their everyday lives, and that is not taken lightly. We take the time to know and understand our customers to the point that we can even recognize many of them on the phone without them even needing to say who they are.

How has BTS evolved since you started at the company?

From a group of guys that pretty much took an extremely customized piece of software to something that can be rolled out to the masses. That has been the evolution of our options platform. Now with our futures platform coming out, we have been able to create something from scratch. From the ground up, this product is being developed with all traders in mind, as well as what is best for the future growth and change.

What is your favorite piece of advice regarding trading, technology, the markets, leadership?

"The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself."
&emdash;Bill Gates

If you had to pick, what animal would you be and why?

Alpine Swift. They are fast, agile, and efficient fliers. Plus, they are in the air for up to 200 days at a time. I mean, how much more could we get done if we were on the move for 200 days straight?

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