Which traders make the most money?

We have examined 2014/2013 salary and bonus data from 653 FICC Trading professionals working in UK.

Highlights:

• Don't stick with FX for too long: Although FX traders start with a relatively high base salary, their peers catch up quickly: MD bonuses in FX are on average 50% lower than for other FICC products
• Commodities is a safe, reliable route: Commodities traders consistently do well at every level of seniority, both in terms of bonuses and base salaries. A Commodities trader at MD level can expect to receive a bonus 77% higher than in FX! 
• Top earners are Credit and Rates traders: Credit and Rates traders outclass their FICC counterparts mostly thanks to chunky bonuses outstripping Commodities' by £60-90k per year

Working in the different business areas within the FICC division requires different skills and expertise. Rates and credit are typically more complex products, with higher margins, and this may explain why remuneration is significantly higher. The FX market has also seen a shift to electronic trading in recent years which may help to explain the relatively lower salary and bonus figures.

		Commodities	FX	Credit	Rates
Analyst	Base Salary	£44,000	£52,000	£48,000	£48,000
	Bonus	£5,000	£5,000	£10,000	£9,000
Associate	Base Salary	£76,000	£70,000	£71,000	£75,000
	Bonus	£62,000	£19,000	£33,000	£40,000
VP	Base Salary	£106,000	£103,000	£108,000	£121,000
	Bonus	£71,000	£54,000	£83,000	£111,000
Director	Base Salary	£149,000	£150,000	£168,000	£159,000
	Bonus	£158,000	£102,000	£176,000	£141,000
MD	Base Salary	£200,000	£158,000	£236,000	£236,000
	Bonus	£373,000	£205,000	£434,000	£460,000

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