Donald Wilson

Donald Wilson founded DRW Holdings (the initials are his own) in Chicago in 1992, initially as a prop trading firm focused on interest rate futures at the Chicago Board of Trade. DRW grew to become one of the largest proprietary trading firms in the world, expanding from futures to equities, options, and eventually digital assets. The firm is known for its technology-driven approach to market making and its willingness to enter new asset classes early. Cumberland DRW, its digital assets subsidiary, became one of the first institutional-grade cryptocurrency market makers. DRW has been known for its legal battles — notably a successful defense against CFTC manipulation charges in 2018. Wilson is also a significant commercial real estate developer in Chicago through his separate Highland Development company.