Stock Markets July 28, 2026 01:19 AM

Citi adds three senior traders to bolster FX options capabilities in Singapore

New appointments target expanded market-making and emerging markets options coverage as markets revenues climb

By Maya Rios
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Citigroup has hired three seasoned options traders to its Singapore-based foreign exchange options desk to strengthen regional market-making and risk management capabilities. The appointments coincide with a quarterly rise in markets revenue, including gains in Fixed Income driven by higher FX volumes.

Citi adds three senior traders to bolster FX options capabilities in Singapore
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Key Points

  • Citigroup has appointed three senior FX options traders to its Singapore desk to enhance regional market-making and risk management capabilities.
  • Eric Poon joins as director of FX emerging markets options in Asia, reporting to Akshay Saxena; Richeng Zheng joins as a G10 options trader reporting to Nicky Lam; Ying Zhou will join in August as an EM options trader reporting to Saxena.
  • The hires coincide with Citi reporting a 17% rise in overall markets revenue to $7.0 billion in Q2 2026, and a 7% increase in Fixed Income markets revenue to $4.7 billion driven by higher foreign exchange volumes.

Citigroup has expanded its foreign exchange options presence in Singapore with three senior additions to the desk, the bank said in a company statement. The hires are intended to deepen regional market-making and risk management capabilities.

New appointments and reporting lines

  • Eric Poon has been named director on Citi's FX emerging markets options trading team in Asia. He will report to Akshay Saxena, who leads FX options for Asia Pacific. Poon brings 20 years of trading experience across G10 currencies and Asia emerging market products, and joins Citi from BNP Paribas after earlier roles at OCBC Bank and RBS.
  • Richeng Zheng joins as a G10 options trader and will report to director Nicky Lam. Zheng arrives from Bank of America, where he was the sole G10 options book runner in the Asia time zone.
  • Ying Zhou is scheduled to join the desk in August as an emerging markets options trader, reporting to Akshay Saxena. Zhou comes from Deutsche Bank in Singapore and specializes in exotic derivatives and FX options.

Context within Citi's markets business

The hires are part of a broader effort to strengthen Citi's global FX options franchise. In the second quarter of 2026, the bank reported a 17% increase in overall markets revenues, reaching $7.0 billion. Within that segment, Fixed Income markets revenue rose 7% to $4.7 billion, with the bank attributing that rise to higher foreign exchange volumes.

What the statement says and limitations of available detail

The company statement framed the hires as a way to boost regional market-making and risk management capability. The announcement does not, however, quantify the expected impact of these appointments on market share, specific trading volumes, or timing for measurable outcomes.

These additions consolidate senior trading expertise in Singapore across both G10 and emerging market FX options, with reported prior experience spanning major global and regional banks. The appointments include defined reporting lines within Citi's FX options leadership in Asia Pacific.

Risks

  • The company statement outlines the hires as intended to boost market-making and risk management capabilities but does not provide metrics or a timeframe to measure their impact.
  • Citi's Fixed Income markets revenue growth in Q2 2026 was linked to higher foreign exchange volumes; the reported increase is therefore tied to FX activity levels noted in the results.
  • Details on how the new hires will translate into changes in market share or trading volumes are not specified in the announcement.

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