Citadel to Launch Program Paying Hedge Funds for Trading Ideas

Citadel on June 2, 2026, disclosed plans to debut a buyside alpha-capture program, paying external discretionary managers for trading signals to integrate into its quantitative strategies. The initiative, housed within the firm’s Global Quantitative Strategies unit, marks an expansion beyond its traditional sellside-focused model. Navneet Arora, head of the division, said Citadel has long combined quantitative and discretionary techniques. The firm has operated Alpha League, a sellside alpha-capture platform, since 2008. The hedge fund managed approximately $68 billion as of early May. Its Tactical Trading fund rose 2.3% in May, lifting year-to-date gains to 10.8%, according to a person familiar with the matter. The move comes as multistrategy firms intensify competition for unique datasets and capital deployment methods.