grepcent / static financial knowledge base

Tradeweb Markets Inc. (TW)

CIK: 0001758730. SIC: 6200 Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services. Latest 10-K as of: 2026-02-05.

SIC breadcrumb: Finance, Insurance, And Real Estate > Security And Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges, And Services > SIC 6200 Security & Commodity Brokers, Dealers, Exchanges & Services

SEC company page: https://www.sec.gov/edgar/browse/?CIK=1758730. Latest filing source: 0001758730-26-000015.

Informational only - descriptive public-record data, not investment advice.

Business

Read TW's verbatim Item 1 Business section from its latest 10-K: Business.

Risk Factors

Read TW's verbatim Item 1A Risk Factors from its latest 10-K: Risk Factors.

Selected Fundamentals

MetricValueUnitFYFiled
Revenue2,052,429,000USD20252026-02-05
Net income812,792,000USD20252026-02-05
Assets8,189,557,000USD20252026-02-05

Financials

Annual standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-02-05. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0001758730.json. Derived margins, ratios, and free cash flow are computed from the extracted annual SEC facts.

Download these verified figures (annual + quarterly, with per-value filing provenance): JSON · CSV

Flow metrics use full-year FY periods from 10-K/10-K/A filings; balance-sheet metrics use FY-end instants. Free cash flow = operating cash flow - capital expenditures. Missing metrics are omitted rather than fabricated.

Metric201720182019202020212022202320242025
Revenue562,968,000775,566,000892,659,0001,076,447,0001,188,781,0001,338,219,0001,725,949,0002,052,429,000
Net income83,769,000166,296,000226,828,000309,338,000364,866,000501,507,000812,792,000
Operating income89,092,000189,819,000263,355,000358,828,000412,573,000505,269,000678,028,000835,338,000
Diluted EPS0.540.881.091.481.712.333.78
Operating cash flow224,580,000311,003,000443,234,000578,021,000632,822,000746,089,000897,741,0001,167,646,000
Capital expenditures13,461,00015,781,00011,490,00016,878,00023,214,00018,529,00040,960,00040,552,000
Share buybacks0.000.0075,676,00099,323,00035,205,00059,052,000104,173,000
Assets4,997,139,0005,095,334,0005,679,850,0005,990,180,0006,260,131,0007,059,538,0007,267,993,0008,189,557,000
Liabilities410,626,000502,589,000660,687,000681,237,000713,815,0001,128,132,000869,108,0001,000,320,000
Stockholders' equity4,572,334,0003,378,588,0004,303,451,0004,645,595,0004,953,791,0005,373,755,0005,800,192,0006,507,755,000
Cash and cash equivalents410,104,000460,711,000791,280,000972,048,0001,257,229,0001,706,468,0001,340,302,0002,084,739,000
Free cash flow211,119,000295,222,000431,744,000561,143,000609,608,000727,560,000856,781,0001,127,094,000

Ratios

ROE and ROA use period-end equity/assets. Liabilities / equity uses total liabilities divided by stockholders' equity. Current ratio uses current assets divided by current liabilities when both are reported.

Metric201720182019202020212022202320242025
Net margin10.80%18.63%21.07%26.02%27.27%29.06%39.60%
Operating margin15.83%24.47%29.50%33.33%34.71%37.76%39.28%40.70%
Return on equity2.48%3.86%4.88%6.24%6.79%8.65%12.49%
Return on assets1.64%2.93%3.79%4.94%5.17%6.90%9.92%
Liabilities / equity0.090.150.150.150.140.210.150.15

Industry Peer Context

Each number-line places TW against the min, median, and max of latest reported values among companies in the same SIC industry when at least three peers report that ratio.

Net margin peer context

TW Net margin versus SIC peer range. Source: grepcent computed from latest SEC companyfacts ratios for SIC industry 6200; peer count 8.TW Net margin versus SIC peer range. Source: grepcent computed from latest SEC companyfacts ratios for SIC industry 6200; peer count 8.8 SIC peersMin 0.2%Median 22.5%Max 62.5%TW 39.6%

Operating margin peer context

TW Operating margin versus SIC peer range. Source: grepcent computed from latest SEC companyfacts ratios for SIC industry 6200; peer count 6.TW Operating margin versus SIC peer range. Source: grepcent computed from latest SEC companyfacts ratios for SIC industry 6200; peer count 6.6 SIC peersMin -0.1%Median 35.1%Max 64.9%TW 40.7%

ROE peer context

TW ROE versus SIC peer range. Source: grepcent computed from latest SEC companyfacts ratios for SIC industry 6200; peer count 8.TW ROE versus SIC peer range. Source: grepcent computed from latest SEC companyfacts ratios for SIC industry 6200; peer count 8.8 SIC peersMin 11.5%Median 14.4%Max 21.4%TW 12.5%

ROA peer context

TW ROA versus SIC peer range. Source: grepcent computed from latest SEC companyfacts ratios for SIC industry 6200; peer count 8.TW ROA versus SIC peer range. Source: grepcent computed from latest SEC companyfacts ratios for SIC industry 6200; peer count 8.8 SIC peersMin 0.7%Median 4.1%Max 11.8%TW 9.9%

Financial Bridges

Waterfall figures reconcile reported SEC companyfacts components. Missing bridges are omitted when required components are not present for the same fiscal year.

Free cash flow = operating cash flow - capital expenditures

TW FY2025 free cash flow bridge from reported figures.TW FY2025 free cash flow bridge from reported figures.TW free cash flow bridgeFY2025: operating cash flow less capital expendituresSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Free cash flow bridgeReported amount$0.0B$1.0B$2.0B$1.2BOperating cash flow-$40.6MCapex$1.1BFree cash flow

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts FY 2025. Operating cash flow: accession 0001758730-26-000015; concept NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; source concepts us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities | Capital expenditures: accession 0001758730-26-000015; concept PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment; source concepts us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment | Free cash flow: accession 0001758730-26-000015; concept NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities - PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment; source concepts us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment

Financial Charts

TW revenue, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW revenue, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW RevenueLatest point: FY2025 = $2.1BSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearReported revenue$0.0B$2.0B$4.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax. Source concepts: us-gaap:RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax.

TW net income, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW net income, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Net incomeLatest point: FY2025 = $812.8MSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearNet income$0.0B$500.0M$1.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.

TW operating income, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW operating income, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Operating incomeLatest point: FY2025 = $835.3MSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearOperating income$0.0B$500.0M$1.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: OperatingIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:OperatingIncomeLoss.

TW diluted eps, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW diluted eps, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Diluted EPSLatest point: FY2025 = $3.78/shareSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearDiluted EPS (USD/share)$0.00/share$3.00/share$6.00/shareFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.

TW operating cash flow, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW operating cash flow, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Operating cash flowLatest point: FY2025 = $1.2BSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearOperating cash flow$0.0B$1.0B$2.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities.

TW capital expenditures, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW capital expenditures, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Capital expendituresLatest point: FY2025 = $40.6MSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearCapital expenditures$0.0B$125.0M$250.0MFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment.

TW share buybacks, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW share buybacks, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Share buybacksLatest point: FY2025 = $104.2MSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearShare buybacks$0.0B$125.0M$250.0MFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock. Source concepts: us-gaap:PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock.

TW assets, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW assets, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW AssetsLatest point: FY2025 = $8.2BSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearAssets$0.0B$5.0B$10.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: Assets. Source concepts: us-gaap:Assets.

TW liabilities, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW liabilities, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW LiabilitiesLatest point: FY2025 = $1.0BSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearLiabilities$0.0B$1.0B$2.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: Liabilities. Source concepts: us-gaap:Liabilities.

TW stockholders' equity, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW stockholders' equity, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Stockholders' equityLatest point: FY2025 = $6.5BSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearStockholders' equity$0.0B$4.0B$8.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: StockholdersEquity. Source concepts: us-gaap:StockholdersEquity.

TW cash and cash equivalents, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW cash and cash equivalents, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Cash and cash equivalentsLatest point: FY2025 = $2.1BSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearCash and cash equivalents$0.0B$2.0B$4.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue. Source concepts: us-gaap:CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue.

TW free cash flow, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW free cash flow, last 5 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts FY2025.TW Free cash flowLatest point: FY2025 = $1.1BSource: SEC companyfacts FY2025.Fiscal yearFree cash flow$0.0B$1.0B$2.0BFY2021FY2022FY2023FY2024FY2025

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2025 ended 2025-12-31; accession 0001758730-26-000015; filed 2026-02-05. Concept: NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities - PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities; us-gaap:PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment.

Quarterly

Quarterly standardized facts from SEC companyfacts as of latest extracted filing date 2026-07-30. Source: https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0001758730.json.

Flow metrics use discrete quarter-length periods from 10-Q/10-Q/A filings. Q4 revenue and net income are derived only when annual FY and nine-month YTD facts exist for the same fiscal year; derived Q4 values are labeled. EPS Q4 is not derived.

QuarterEnd DateRevenueNet IncomeDiluted EPSMethod
2022-Q32022-09-300.33reported discrete quarter
2023-Q12023-03-310.42reported discrete quarter
2023-Q22023-06-300.42reported discrete quarter
2023-Q32023-09-30328,357,00098,614,0000.46reported discrete quarter
2023-Q42023-12-31370,000,00089,314,000derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD
2024-Q12024-03-31408,739,000126,142,0000.59reported discrete quarter
2024-Q22024-06-30404,951,000119,239,0000.55reported discrete quarter
2024-Q32024-09-30448,915,000113,916,0000.53reported discrete quarter
2024-Q42024-12-31463,344,000142,210,000derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD
2025-Q12025-03-31509,677,000148,382,0000.69reported discrete quarter
2025-Q22025-06-30512,971,000153,782,0000.71reported discrete quarter
2025-Q32025-09-30508,598,000185,636,0000.86reported discrete quarter
2025-Q42025-12-31521,183,000324,992,000derived Q4 = FY annual - nine-month YTD
2026-Q12026-03-31617,764,000205,284,0000.96reported discrete quarter
2026-Q22026-06-30558,946,000181,318,0000.85reported discrete quarter

Quarterly Charts

TW quarterly revenue, last 12 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.TW quarterly revenue, last 12 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.TW Quarterly RevenueLatest point: 2026-Q2 = $558.9MSource: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.Fiscal quarterQuarterly Revenue$0.0B$375.0M$750.0M2023-Q32023-Q42024-Q12024-Q22024-Q32024-Q42025-Q12025-Q22025-Q32025-Q42026-Q12026-Q2

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-06-30; accession 0001758730-26-000133; filed 2026-07-30. Concept: RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax. Source concepts: us-gaap:RevenueFromContractWithCustomerExcludingAssessedTax.

TW quarterly net income, last 12 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.TW quarterly net income, last 12 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.TW Quarterly Net incomeLatest point: 2026-Q2 = $181.3MSource: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.Fiscal quarterQuarterly Net income$0.0B$250.0M$500.0M2023-Q32023-Q42024-Q12024-Q22024-Q32024-Q42025-Q12025-Q22025-Q32025-Q42026-Q12026-Q2

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-06-30; accession 0001758730-26-000133; filed 2026-07-30. Concept: NetIncomeLoss. Source concepts: us-gaap:NetIncomeLoss.

TW quarterly diluted eps, last 12 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.TW quarterly diluted eps, last 12 periods. Source: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.TW Quarterly Diluted EPSLatest point: 2026-Q2 = $0.85/shareSource: SEC companyfacts 2026-Q2.Fiscal quarterQuarterly Diluted EPS (USD/share)$0.00/share$0.75/share$1.50/share2022-Q32023-Q12023-Q22023-Q32024-Q12024-Q22024-Q32025-Q12025-Q22025-Q32026-Q12026-Q2

Figure provenance: SEC companyfacts. Latest point: FY 2026 ended 2026-06-30; accession 0001758730-26-000133; filed 2026-07-30. Concept: EarningsPerShareDiluted. Source concepts: us-gaap:EarningsPerShareDiluted.

Macro Cross-References

Latest quarter (10-Q)

Latest 10-Q source: 0001758730-26-000133.

Extracted structurally from real Item 2 body heading to real Item 3/4 boundary. Published MD&A gate trimmed front/tail over-capture. Confidence: high. Filing date: 2026-07-30. Report date: 2026-06-30.

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with “Basis of Presentation,” “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10‑Q. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to those differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the section titled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10‑Q and the section titled “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in Part I of the 2025 Form 10-K.

Overview

We are a leader in building and operating electronic marketplaces for our global network of more than 3,000 clients across the financial ecosystem. Our network is comprised of clients across the institutional, wholesale, retail and corporates client sectors, including many of the largest global asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, central banks, banks and dealers, proprietary trading firms, retail brokerage and financial advisory firms, regional dealers and corporations. The Tradeweb platform includes marketplaces that facilitate trading global products across a range of asset classes, including rates, credit, equities and money markets. We are a global company serving clients through offices in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. We believe our proprietary technology and culture of collaborative innovation allow us to adapt our platform offerings to enter new markets, create new trading marketplaces and solutions and adjust to regulations quickly and efficiently. We support our clients by providing solutions across the trade lifecycle, including pre-trade, execution, post-trade and data and analytics.

Our institutional client sector serves institutional investors in over 85 countries around the globe and across over 30 currencies. We connect institutional investors with deep pools of liquidity using our flexible order and trading systems. Our clients trust the integrity of our markets and recognize the value they get by trading electronically: enhanced transparency, competitive pricing, efficient trade execution and regulatory compliance.

In our wholesale client sector, we provide a broad range of fully electronic, voice and hybrid trading options to dealers and financial institutions trading on our platform. We entered the wholesale client sector through our acquisitions of the inter-dealer broker Hilliard Farber & Co., Inc. in 2008, and then Rafferty Capital Markets in 2011 and in June 2021, we acquired Nasdaq’s U.S. fixed income electronic trading platform (formerly known as eSpeed) (the “NFI Acquisition”). Today, we actively compete in wholesale trading across a range of rates, credit, money markets, derivatives and equity markets.

In our retail client sector, our platform provides advanced trading solutions for financial advisory firms and traders. We entered the retail sector through our acquisition of LeverTrade in 2006 and scaled our retail market position through our acquisition of BondDesk in 2013. Through our platform we provide financial advisory firms access to live offerings, accurate pricing in the retail marketplace and fast execution.

In our corporates client sector, we provide comprehensive investment technology and research solutions tailored to the needs of corporate treasury organizations globally. These solutions enable efficient trading of institutional money market funds and other short-term investments. We expanded into the corporates client sector through our acquisition of Institutional Cash Distributors (“ICD”) on August 1, 2024 (the “ICD Acquisition”). The addition of ICD to our platform broadened our product suite, further diversified our client and revenue bases and strengthened our position in the corporate treasury space, enabling us to provide a more comprehensive range of liquidity management tools and services.

Our markets are large and growing. Electronic trading continues to increase in the markets in which we operate as a result of market demand for greater transparency, higher execution quality, operational efficiency and lower costs, as well as regulatory changes. We believe our deep client relationships, asset class breadth, geographic reach, regulatory knowledge and scalable technology position us to continue to be at the forefront of the evolution of electronic trading. Our platform provides transparent, efficient, cost-effective and compliant trading solutions across multiple products, regions and regulatory regimes. As market participants seek to trade across multiple asset classes, reduce their costs of trading and increase the effectiveness of their trading, including through the use of data and analytics, we believe the demand for our platform and electronic trading solutions will continue to grow.

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Table of Contents

Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance

Strategic Acquisitions and Investments

From time to time, we may evaluate potential strategic acquisitions and investments and engage in discussions and negotiations regarding potential acquisitions and investments. Our revenues and profitability are affected by our acquisition activity, including the speed and cost at which we successfully integrate completed consolidated acquisitions into our existing business operations. In addition, our earnings volatility and profitability may be affected by any unrealized or realized gains or losses or income or losses from our Canton Coin holdings or unconsolidated minority equity or debt investments.

Economic Environment

Our business is impacted by the overall market activity and, in particular, trading volumes and market volatility. Lower volatility may result in lower trading volume for our clients and may negatively impact our operating performance and financial condition. Factors that may impact market activity during the remainder of 2026 include, among other things, evolving monetary policies of central banks, economic, political and social conditions, global geopolitical tensions, legislative, regulatory or government policy changes, including the recent and potential future changes in tariffs, international trade agreements or trade policies and other potential material changes to prior laws, rules and regulations, guidance and enforcement stances and concerns with respect to the banking industry, including as a result of any bank failures.

Because the majority of our financial assets are short-term in nature, they are not significantly affected by inflation. However, the rate of inflation may affect our expenses, such as employee compensation and benefits, technology and communication expenses and occupancy costs, which may not be readily recoverable in the prices of our services. We believe any effects of inflation on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during any of the periods presented in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. To the extent inflation, along with other factors, continues to result in elevated interest rates and has other adverse effects on the securities markets and the overall economy, it may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

While our business is impacted by the overall activity of the market and market volatility, our revenues consist of a mix of fixed and variable fees that partially mitigates this impact. More importantly, we are actively engaged in the further electronification of trading activities, which will help mitigate this impact as we believe secular growth trends can partially offset market volatility risk.

Regulatory Environment

Our business is subject to extensive regulations in the United States and internationally, which may expose us to significant regulatory risk and cause additional legal costs to ensure compliance. The existing legal framework that governs the financial markets is periodically reviewed and amended, typically resulting in enforcement of new laws and regulations that apply to our business. The regulatory environment in the United States and abroad may be subject to future legislative and regulatory changes driven by current U.S. and global issues and priorities. Legislative and regulatory changes may include the promulgation of new or revised laws and regulations, or the adoption of changes in the interpretation of or the repeal of existing laws and regulations, or the abandonment of any pending legislative or regulatory proposals. The impact of any changes in the legal or regulatory landscape on us and our operations generally remains uncertain. Compliance with regulations may require us to dedicate additional financial and operational resources, which may adversely affect our profitability. In addition, compliance with regulations may require our clients to dedicate significant financial and operational resources, which may negatively affect their ability to pay our fees and use our platform and, as a result, our profitability. However, under certain circumstances regulation may increase demand for our platform and solutions, and we believe we are well positioned to benefit from any potential increased electronification due to regulatory changes as market participants seek platforms that meet regulatory requirements and solutions that help them comply with their regulatory obligations. Currently, we believe that uncertainty and potential delays around the final form of certain new rules and regulations may negatively impact our clients and trading volumes in certain markets in which we transact, although a relaxation of or the amendment of existing rules and regulations could potentially have a positive impact on certain markets.

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Competitive Environment

We and our competitors compete to introduce innovations in market structure and new electronic trading capabilities. While we endeavor to be a leader in innovation, new trading capabilities of our competitors are also adopted by market participants. On the one hand, this increases liquidity and electronification for all participants, but it also puts pressure on us to further invest in our technology and to innovate to ensure the continued growth of our network of clients and continued improvement of liquidity, electronic processing and pricing on our platform. Our ability to compete is influenced by key factors such as (i) developments in our trading platform and solutions, (ii) the liquidity we provide on transactions, (iii) the transaction costs we incur in providing our solutions, (iv) the efficiency in execution of transactions on our platform, (v) our ability to hire and retain talent, (vi) our ability to pursue strategic acquisitions and alliances and (vii) our ability to maintain the security of our platform and solutions. Our competitive position is also influenced by the familiarity and integration of our clients with our electronic, voice and hybrid systems. When either a client wants to trade in a new product or we want to introduce a new product, trading protocol or other solution, we believe we benefit from our clients’ familiarity with our offerings as well as our integration into their order management systems and back offices.

Technology and Cybersecurity Environment

Our business and its success are largely impacted by the introduction of increasingly complex and sophisticated technology systems and infrastructures and new business models. Offering specialized trading venues and solutions through the development of new and enhanced platform offeri

[Excerpt truncated for page length; source filing is linked above.]

Latest 10-K MD&A

Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary. Published MD&A gate trimmed front/tail over-capture. Confidence: high. Filing date: 2026-02-05. Report date: 2025-12-31.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the sections titled “Introductory Note,” “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and other information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to those differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following discussion includes a comparison of our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and capital resources for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. A comparison of our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and capital resources for the years ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 may be found in Part II, Item 7. – “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Overview

We are a leader in building and operating electronic marketplaces for our global network of more than 3,000 clients across the financial ecosystem. Our network is comprised of clients across the institutional, wholesale, retail and corporates client sectors, including many of the largest global asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, central banks, banks and dealers, proprietary trading firms, retail brokerage and financial advisory firms, regional dealers and corporations. The Tradeweb platform includes marketplaces that facilitate trading global products across a range of asset classes, including rates, credit, equities and money markets. We are a global company serving clients through offices in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. We believe our proprietary technology and culture of collaborative innovation allow us to adapt our platform offerings to enter new markets, create new trading marketplaces and solutions and adjust to regulations quickly and efficiently. We support our clients by providing solutions across the trade lifecycle, including pre-trade, execution, post-trade and data and analytics.

Our institutional client sector serves institutional investors in over 85 countries around the globe and across over 30 currencies. We connect institutional investors with deep pools of liquidity using our flexible order and trading systems. Our clients trust the integrity of our markets and recognize the value they get by trading electronically: enhanced transparency, competitive pricing, efficient trade execution and regulatory compliance.

In our wholesale client sector, we provide a broad range of fully electronic, voice and hybrid trading options to dealers and financial institutions trading on our platform. We entered the wholesale client sector through our acquisitions of the inter-dealer broker Hilliard Farber & Co. in 2008, Inc. and then Rafferty Capital Markets in 2011 and in June 2021, we acquired Nasdaq’s U.S. fixed income electronic trading platform (formerly known as eSpeed) (the “NFI Acquisition”). Today, we actively compete in wholesale trading across a range of rates, credit, money markets, derivatives and equity markets.

In our retail client sector, our platform provides advanced trading solutions for financial advisory firms and traders. We entered the retail sector through our acquisition of LeverTrade in 2006 and scaled our retail market position through our acquisition of BondDesk in 2013. Through our platform we provide financial advisory firms access to live offerings, accurate pricing in the retail marketplace and fast execution.

In our corporates client sector, we provide comprehensive investment technology and research solutions tailored to the needs of corporate treasury organizations globally. These solutions enable efficient trading of institutional money market funds and other short-term investments. We expanded into the corporates client sector through our acquisition of ICD on August 1, 2024. The addition of ICD to our platform broadened our product suite, further diversified our client and revenue bases and strengthened our position in the corporate treasury space, enabling us to provide a more comprehensive range of liquidity management tools and services.

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Our markets are large and growing. Electronic trading continues to increase in the markets in which we operate as a result of market demand for greater transparency, higher execution quality, operational efficiency and lower costs, as well as regulatory changes. We believe our deep client relationships, asset class breadth, geographic reach, regulatory knowledge and scalable technology position us to continue to be at the forefront of the evolution of electronic trading. Our platform provides transparent, efficient, cost-effective and compliant trading solutions across multiple products, regions and regulatory regimes. As market participants seek to trade across multiple asset classes, reduce their costs of trading and increase the effectiveness of their trading, including through the use of data and analytics, we believe the demand for our platform and electronic trading solutions will continue to grow.

Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance

Strategic Acquisitions and Investments

From time to time, we may evaluate potential strategic acquisitions and investments and engage in discussions and negotiations regarding potential acquisitions and investments. Our revenues and profitability are affected by our acquisition activity, including the speed and cost at which we successfully integrate completed consolidated acquisitions into our existing business operations. In addition, our earnings volatility and profitability may be affected by any unrealized or realized gains or losses or income or losses from our Canton Coin holdings or unconsolidated minority equity or debt investments.

LSEG Market Data Agreement

In November 2023, we entered into a new market data license agreement with affiliates of LSEG, pursuant to which, among other things, we license certain market data (including real time feeds) for multiple fixed income and derivative products to LSEG which distributes such data directly to LSEG customers through its flagship financial platforms. This agreement was initiated in 2010 with a former owner of the LSEG Data & Analytics business and most recently amended effective November 1, 2025. We primarily earn fixed license fees under the amended market data license agreement, which has an initial 3-year license period through October 31, 2028. The amended market data license agreement is expected to result in higher annual revenue for the year ending December 31, 2026 as compared to the $93.2 million of revenue generated under the market data license agreement in 2025. The majority of the revenue expected to be earned under the amended market data license agreement will be recorded as revenue on a straight-line basis over its initial term ending October 31, 2028, with a portion of such revenue to be recognized when usage occurs based on a revenue share. We will seek to further monetize our data over time both through potential expansion of our existing market data license agreement with LSEG and through distributing additional datasets, derived data and analytics offerings through our own platform or through other third-party networks.

Economic Environment

Our business is impacted by the overall market activity and, in particular, trading volumes and market volatility. Lower volatility may result in lower trading volume for our clients and may negatively impact our operating performance and financial condition. Factors that may impact market activity in 2026 include, among other things, evolving monetary policies of central banks, economic, political and social conditions, global geopolitical tensions, legislative, regulatory or government policy changes, including the recent and potential future changes in tariffs, international trade agreements or trade policies and other potential material changes to prior laws, rules and regulations, guidance and enforcement stances and concerns with respect to the banking industry, including as a result of any bank failures.

Because the majority of our financial assets are short-term in nature, they are not significantly affected by inflation. However, the rate of inflation may affect our expenses, such as employee compensation and benefits, technology and communication expenses and occupancy costs, which may not be readily recoverable in the prices of our services. We believe any effects of inflation on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during any of the periods presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. To the extent inflation, along with other factors, continues to result in elevated interest rates and has other adverse effects on the securities markets and the overall economy, it may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

While our business is impacted by the overall activity of the market and market volatility, our revenues consist of a mix of fixed and variable fees that partially mitigates this impact. More importantly, we are actively engaged in the further electronification of trading activities, which will help mitigate this impact as we believe secular growth trends can partially offset market volatility risk.

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Regulatory Environment

Our business is subject to extensive regulations in the United States and internationally, which may expose us to significant regulatory risk and cause additional legal costs to ensure compliance. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Regulation.” The existing legal framework that governs the financial markets is periodically reviewed and amended, typically resulting in enforcement of new laws and regulations that apply to our business. The regulatory environment in the United States and abroad may be subject to future legislative and regulatory changes driven by current U.S. and global issues and priorities. Legislative and regulatory changes may include the promulgation of new or revised laws and regulations, or the adoption of changes in the interpretation of or the repeal of existing laws and regulations, or the abandonment of any pending legislative or regulatory proposals. The impact of any changes in the legal or regulatory landscape on us and our operations generally remains uncertain. Compliance with regulations may require us to dedicate additional financial and operational resources, which may adversely affect our profitability. In addition, compliance with regulations may require our clients to dedicate significant financial and operational resources, which may negatively affect their ability to pay our fees and use our platform and, as a result, our profitability. However, under certain circumstances regulation may increase demand for our platform and solutions, and we believe we are well positioned to benefit from any potential increased electronification due to regulatory changes as market participants seek platforms that meet regulatory requirements and solutions that help them comply with their regulatory obligations. Currently, we believe that uncertainty and potential delays around the final form of certain new rules and regulations may negatively impact our clients and trading volumes in certain markets in which we transact, although a relaxation of or the amendment of existing rules and regulations could potentially have a positive impact on certain markets.

Competitive Environment

We and our competitors compete to introduce innovations in market structure and new electronic trading capabilities. While we endeavor to be a leader in innovation, new trading capabilities of our competitors are also adopted by market participants. On the one hand, this increases liquidity and electronification for all participants, but it also puts pressure on us to further invest in our technology and to innovate to ensure the continued growth of our network of clients and continued improvement of liquidity, electronic processing and pricing on our platform. Our ability to compete is influenced by key factors such as (i) developments in trading platforms and solutions, (ii) the liquidity we provide on transactions, (iii) the transaction costs we incur in providing our solutions, (iv) the efficiency in execution of transactions on our platform, (v) our ability to hire and retain talent, (vi) our ability to pursue strategic acquisitions and alliances and (vii) our ability to maintain the security of our platform and solutions. Our competitive position is also influenced by the familiarity and integration of our clients with our electronic, voice and hybrid systems. When either a client wants to trade in a new product or we want to introduce a new product, trading protocol or other solution, we believe we benefit from our clients’ familiarity with our offerings as well as our integration into their order management systems and back offices. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Competition” for more detail on our competitors.

Technology and Cybersecurity Environment

Our business and its success are largely impacted by the introduction of increasingly complex and sophisticated technology systems and infrastructures and new business models. Offering specialized trading venues and solutions through the development of new and enhanced platform offerings is essential to maintaining our level of competitiveness in the market and attracting new clients seeking platforms that provide advanced automation and better liquidity. We believe we will continue to increase demand for our platform and solutions and the volume of transactions on our platform, and thereby enhance our client relationships, by responding to new trading and information requirements through utilizing technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices in an effective and efficient way. We plan to continue to focus on and invest in technology infrastructure initiatives and continually improve and expand our platform and solutions to further enhance our market position. We experience cyber-threats and attempted security breaches. If these were successful, these cybersecurity incidents could impact revenue and operating income and increase costs. We therefore continue to make investments to strengthen our cybersecurity infrastructure, which may result in increased costs. See Part I, Item 1C. – “Cybersecurity – Governance” for further detail regarding our cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance structure.

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Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Environment

We earn revenues, pay expenses, hold assets and incur liabilities in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates can affect our results of operations from period to period. In particular, fluctuations in exchange rates for non-U.S. dollar currencies may reduce the U.S. dollar value of revenues, earnings and cash flows we receive from non-U.S. markets, increase our operating expenses (as measured in U.S. dollars) in those markets, negatively impact our competitiveness in those markets or otherwise adversely impact our results of operations or financial condition. Future fluctuations of foreign currency exchange rates and their impact on our results of operations and financial condition are inherently uncertain. As we continue to grow the size of our global operations, these fluctuations may be material. See Part II, Item 7A. – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk – Foreign Currency and Derivative Risk” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the change in revenue and operating income caused by fluctuations in foreign currency rates and realized and unrealized gains/losses from foreign currency during the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023.

Taxation

In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, we became the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result, beginning with the second quarter of 2019, we became subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. Our actual effective tax rate is impacted by our ownership share of TWM LLC, which has increased over time primarily due to Continuing LLC Owners redeeming or exchanging their LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as applicable, and our purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. Furthermore, in connection with the IPO, we entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement pursuant to which we began to make payments in January 2021, and we expect future payments to be significant. We intend to continue to cause TWM LLC to make distributions in an amount sufficient to allow us to pay our tax obligations, operating expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, and our quarterly cash dividends, as and when declared by our board of directors.

On July 4, 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (“OBBBA”) was enacted in the U.S. The OBBBA contains several changes to corporate taxation including modifications to capitalization of research and development expenses, limitations on deductions for interest expense and accelerated fixed asset depreciation. The OBBBA did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statements of financial condition, income or cash flows as of or for the year ended December 31, 2025. The Company will continue to evaluate the implications of this legislation on future periods.

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) was signed into law. The IRA established a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax (“CAMT”) effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, and imposed a 1% excise tax on the repurchase after December 31, 2022 of stock by publicly traded U.S. corporations. The 1% excise tax did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statements of financial condition, income or cash flows as of or for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023. The Company is subject to the current 15% CAMT, however, it did not have an impact on the Company’s effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 or 2023. The IRA also has not had an impact to our non-GAAP adjusted effective tax rate used for purposes of calculating our non-GAAP measure of Adjusted Net Income.

On October 8, 2021, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development announced an accord endorsing and providing an implementation plan focused on global profit allocation, and implementing a global minimum tax rate of at least 15% for large multinational corporations on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis, known as the “Two Pillar Plan.” On December 15, 2022, the European Council formally adopted a European Union directive on the implementation of the plan which became effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2024. The Company falls under the provisions of the Two Pillar Plan and related tax impacts per local country adoption as it is a consolidating subsidiary of LSEG. The Two Pillar Plan did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statements of financial condition, income or cash flows as of or for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024. The Company continues to monitor developments related to the G7’s discussions on global tax reform and is awaiting legislative updates.

Components of our Results of Operations

Revenues

Our revenue is derived primarily from transaction fees, commissions, subscription fees and market data fees.

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Transaction Fees and Commissions

We earn transaction fees and/or commissions from transactions executed on our trading platform on both a variable and fixed price basis, which vary by geographic region, product type and trade size. For most of our products, clients pay both fixed minimum monthly transaction fees and variable transaction fees on a per transaction basis in excess of the monthly minimum. Clients may also pay a subscription fee in addition to or instead of the minimum monthly transaction fees. For other products, instead of a minimum monthly transaction fee, clients may pay a fixed transaction fee or only a variable transaction fee on a per transaction basis. We also earn commission revenue from our electronic and voice brokerage services on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. For to-be-announced mortgage backed securities (“TBA-MBS”), U.S. Treasury and repurchase agreement transactions executed by our wholesale clients, we also generate revenue from fixed commissions that are generally invoiced monthly.

For variable transaction fees and commissions, we charge clients based on the mix of products traded and the volume of transactions executed. Transaction volume is determined by using a measure of the notional volume of the products traded, a count of the number of trades or, in the case of the ICD Portal, the client’s average daily balance (“ADB”) invested in the money market funds during a calendar month. Because transaction fees and commissions are sometimes subject to plans with tiered pricing based on product mix, volume, monthly minimums and monthly maximum fee caps, average variable fees per million dollars of volume traded generated for a client may vary each month depending on the mix of products and volume traded. Furthermore, because transaction fees and commissions vary by geographic region, product type and trade size, our revenues may not correlate with volume growth. The mix between fixed and variable revenue may change over time.

Subscription Fees

We earn subscription fees primarily for granting clients access to our platform for trading and market data. For a limited number of products, we only charge subscription fees and no transaction fees or commissions. Subscription fees are generally charged on a fixed price basis.

For purposes of our discussion of our results of operations, we include LSEG market data fees in subscription fees. We earn fixed license fees from our market data license agreement with LSEG. We also earn a revenue share for certain data services which are provided to LSEG and then sold by LSEG to its customers. Our revenue share revenues may fluctuate from period to period depending on the revenue achieved by LSEG during the applicable fee earning period.

Other Revenue

In line with our digital asset strategy, currently included in our other revenue is revenue earned for performing Super Validator and Validator services on the Canton Network (collectively “Validator Revenue”). For these services, we earn Canton Coins and the number of Canton Coins earned in a particular period is variable based on the Canton Network’s minting curve and burn-mint equilibrium and the amount of time that our nodes are active during any given minting cycle (with new rounds beginning at regular 10 minute intervals throughout each day), in comparison to other network participants. Validator Revenue is recognized based on the fair value of each Canton Coin at contract inception, which has been deemed to be the start of each validation round, and therefore Validator Revenue will also vary based on any changes in the fair value of the Canton Coin, which may be highly volatile. As our digital asset strategy continues to evolve, in the future, we may also begin earning revenue from applications developed on the Canton Network.

Operating Expenses

Employee Compensation and Benefits

Employee compensation and benefits expense consists of wages, employee benefits, bonuses, commissions, stock-based compensation cost and related taxes. Factors that influence employee compensation and benefits expense include revenue and earnings growth, hiring or acquiring new employees and trading activity which generates broker commissions. We expect employee compensation and benefits expense to increase as we hire or acquire additional employees to support revenue and earnings growth. As a result, employee compensation and benefits can vary from period to period.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense consists of costs relating to the depreciation and amortization of acquired and internally developed software, other intangible assets, leasehold improvements, furniture and equipment.

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General and Administrative

General and administrative expense consists of travel and entertainment, marketing, value-added taxes, state use taxes, foreign currency transaction gains and losses, gains and losses on foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into for foreign exchange risk management purposes relating to operating activities, charitable contributions, other administrative expenses and credit loss expense. We expect general and administrative expense to increase as we expand the number of our employees and product offerings and grow our operations.

Technology and Communications

Technology and communications expense consists of costs relating to software and hardware maintenance, our internal network connections, data center costs, clearance and other trading platform related transaction costs and data feeds provided by third-party service providers, including LSEG. Factors that influence technology and communications expense include trading volumes and our investments in innovation, data strategy and cybersecurity.

Professional Fees

Professional fees consist primarily of accounting, tax and legal fees and fees paid to technology and software consultants to maintain our platform and infrastructure, as well as costs related to business acquisition transactions.

Occupancy

Occupancy expense consists of operating lease rent and related costs for office space and data centers leased in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. We expect occupancy expense to increase as our space needs grow in line with our global expansion.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment reflects changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our estimated future tax savings.

Interest Income

Interest income consists primarily of interest earned from our cash deposited with large commercial banks and money market funds, as well as interest earned from our investments in available-for-sale debt securities.

Interest Expense

Interest expense consists primarily of any interest expense incurred or payable on our tax receivable agreement liability, commitment fees payable on, and, if applicable, interest payable on any borrowings outstanding under our credit facility and amortization of deferred financing costs.

Other Income (Loss), Net

Other income (loss), net consists of any income or loss earned from investments, any mark-to-market adjustments or impairments recorded on investments, any unrealized and realized gain/loss on foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into for foreign exchange risk management purposes relating to investing activities and any other non-operating items. Other income (loss), net may vary period over period based on any changes in the fair value of the Canton Coin, which may be highly volatile.

Income Taxes

We are subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our taxable income, including our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. Income taxes also include unincorporated business taxes on income earned or losses incurred for conducting business in certain state and local jurisdictions, income taxes on income earned or losses incurred in foreign jurisdictions on certain operations and federal and state income taxes on income earned or losses incurred, both current and deferred, on subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes.

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Net Income Attributable to Non-Controlling Interests

We are the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result of this control, and because we have a substantial financial interest in TWM LLC, we consolidate the financial results of TWM LLC and report a non-controlling interest in our consolidated financial statements, representing the economic interests of TWM LLC held by Continuing LLC Owners. Income or loss is attributed to the non-controlling interests based on the relative ownership percentages of LLC Interests held during the period by us and any Continuing LLC Owners.

LLC Interests held by Continuing LLC Owners are redeemable in accordance with the TWM LLC Agreement, at the election of such holders, for newly issued shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as the case may be, on a one-for-one basis. In the event of such election by a Continuing LLC Owner, we may, at our option, effect a direct exchange of Class A common stock or Class B common stock for such LLC Interests of such Continuing LLC Owner in lieu of such redemption. In connection with any redemption or exchange, we will receive a corresponding number of LLC Interests, increasing our total ownership interest in TWM LLC. As of December 31, 2025, we owned 90.2% of TWM LLC and Continuing LLC Owners owned the remaining 9.8% of TWM LLC.

Results of Operations

For the Years Ended December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024

The following table sets forth a summary of our statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024:

Year Ended
December 31,
20252024$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Total revenue$2,052,429$1,725,949$326,48018.9%
Total expenses1,217,0911,047,921169,17016.1%
Operating income835,338678,028157,31023.2%
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment9,7867,7302,05626.6%
Interest income68,40774,037(5,630)(7.6)%
Interest expense(1,941)(4,279)2,338(54.6)%
Other income (loss), net263,384(1,114)264,498N/M
Income before taxes1,174,974754,402420,57255.7%
Provision for income taxes(253,474)(184,439)(69,035)37.4%
Net income921,500569,963351,53761.7%
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests108,70868,45640,25258.8%
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$812,792$501,507$311,28562.1%

N/M = not meaningful

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Revenues

Our revenues for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20252024
$% of Total Revenue$% of Total Revenue$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Transaction fees and commissions$1,700,42782.8%$1,423,54782.5%$276,88019.5%
Subscription fees (1)327,21415.9288,80416.738,41013.3%
Other24,7881.213,5980.811,19082.3%
Total revenue$2,052,429100.0%$1,725,949100.0%$326,48018.9%
Components of total revenue growth:
Constant currency change (2)17.5%
Foreign currency impact1.4%
Total revenue growth18.9%

(1)Subscription fees for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 include $93.2 million and $82.1 million, respectively, of LSEG market data fees.

(2)Constant currency revenue change, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined as total revenue change excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Total revenue excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations is calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s total revenue using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use constant currency change as a supplemental metric to evaluate our underlying total revenue performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing constant currency change provides a useful comparison of our total revenue performance and trends between periods.

Our strong results for the year ended December 31, 2025 reflected significant organic growth, strong client engagement and contributions from our acquisition of ICD on August 1, 2024. Our markets remained resilient despite the dynamic volatility. The year was marked by several notable events, including heightened volatility in April, brought on by evolving central bank policy expectations, the announcement of new U.S. tariffs and rising geopolitical tensions globally, all of which influenced trading activity across the broader financial ecosystem. The primary driver of the $326.5 million increase in revenue was related to a $276.9 million increase in transaction fees and commissions to $1.7 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $1.4 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily due to higher revenues for rates derivatives products, municipals, U.S government bonds, international and U.S. ETFs, repurchase agreements, credit derivatives products and mortgages, as well as a full year of basis point commissions earned on the ADB of client money market fund investments made through the ICD Portal during the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to five months during the year ended December 31, 2024 for the period subsequent to the August 1, 2024 acquisition. Additionally, there was a $38.4 million increase in subscription fees to $327.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $288.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily due to certain market participants switching from fully variable pricing plans to pricing plans that include subscriptions, resulting in a shift of a portion of revenues from transaction fees and commissions to subscription fees.

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Our total revenue by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20252024$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$1,093,529$904,938$188,59120.8%
Credit488,037459,04028,9976.3%
Equities127,024104,18422,84021.9%
Money Markets173,860115,22058,64050.9%
Market Data133,724118,02015,70413.3%
Other36,25524,54711,70847.7%
Total revenue$2,052,429$1,725,949$326,48018.9%

Our variable and fixed revenues by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20252024$ Change% Change
VariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixed
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$813,244$280,285$660,438$244,500$152,806$35,78523.1%14.6%
Credit425,31762,720423,70835,3321,60927,3880.4%77.5%
Equities117,5209,50494,9649,22022,55628423.8%3.1%
Money Markets156,22417,63698,21617,00458,00863259.1%3.7%
Market Data415133,309457117,563(42)15,746(9.2)%13.4%
Other11,69224,56398123,56610,711997N/M4.2%
Total revenue$1,524,412$528,017$1,278,764$447,185$245,648$80,83219.2%18.1%

N/M = not meaningful

The key drivers of the change in total revenue by asset class are summarized as follows:

Rates. Revenues from our rates asset class increased by $188.6 million or 20.8% to $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $904.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for rates derivatives products and U.S. government bonds. The increase in fixed revenue was primarily driven by changes to certain contracts that, among other items, introduced minimum fee floors or subscription fees, resulting in a shift of a portion of revenues from variable to fixed revenue.

Credit. Revenues from our credit asset class increased by $29.0 million or 6.3% to $488.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $459.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to an increase in fixed revenues, primarily driven by certain market participants switching from fully variable pricing plans to pricing plans that include minimum fee floors or subscription fees, resulting in a shift of a portion of revenues from variable to fixed revenue. Revenues from our credit asset class also increased due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for municipals, credit derivatives products and European and emerging markets corporate bonds.

Equities. Revenues from our equities asset class increased by $22.8 million or 21.9% to $127.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $104.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for international and U.S. ETFs and equity derivatives products.

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Money Markets. Revenues from our money markets asset class increased by $58.6 million or 50.9% to $173.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $115.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to a full year of basis point commissions earned on the ADB of client money market fund investments made through the ICD Portal during the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to five months during the year ended December 31, 2024 for the period subsequent to the August 1, 2024 acquisition, as well as higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for repurchase agreements.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data asset class increased by $15.7 million or 13.3% to $133.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $118.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to increased LSEG market data fees, with $8.4 million from the periodic delivery of historical data sets which occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as well as higher fees resulting from our amended LSEG market data license agreement effective November 1, 2025 and other increases in proprietary third party market data revenue.

Other. Revenues from our other asset class increased by $11.7 million or 47.7% to $36.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $24.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to an increase in digital asset revenue earned for performing validation services on the Canton Network. We began earning Canton Coins for providing services to the Canton Network during the third quarter of 2024.

We generate revenue from a diverse portfolio of client sectors. Our total revenue by client sector for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20252024$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Institutional$1,275,547$1,035,775$239,77223.1%
Wholesale400,753385,67315,0803.9%
Retail146,510143,2473,2632.3%
Corporates95,89543,23452,661121.8%
Market Data133,724118,02015,70413.3%
Total revenue$2,052,429$1,725,949$326,48018.9%

Institutional. Revenues from our institutional client sector increased by $239.8 million or 23.1% to $1.3 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $1.0 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was derived primarily from higher revenues for rates derivatives products, international and U.S. ETFs, U.S. and European corporate bonds, European and U.S. government bonds, mortgages and credit derivative products as well as an increase in digital asset revenue earned for performing validation services on the Canton Network.

Wholesale. Revenues from our wholesale client sector increased by $15.1 million or 3.9% to $400.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $385.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was derived primarily from higher revenues for U.S. government bonds, repurchase agreements and equity derivatives products, partially offset by lower revenues for U.S. corporate bonds.

Retail. Revenues from our retail client sector were relatively flat at $146.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, an increase of $3.3 million or 2.3% compared to $143.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 as higher revenues for municipals were partially offset by lower revenues for U.S. corporate bonds.

Corporates. Revenues from our corporates client sector increased by $52.7 million or 121.8% to $95.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $43.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. We entered the corporates client sector with the August 1, 2024 acquisition of ICD and its proprietary institutional investment technology. This client channel primarily serves corporate treasury organizations worldwide in investing in money market funds. The primary driver of the increase was a full year of basis point commissions earned on the ADB of client money market fund investments made through the ICD Portal during the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to five months during the year ended December 31, 2024 for the period subsequent to the August 1, 2024 acquisition.

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Market Data. Revenues from our market data client sector increased by $15.7 million or 13.3% to $133.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $118.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to increased LSEG market data fees, with $8.4 million from the periodic delivery of historical data sets which occurred during the three months ended March 31, 2025, as well as higher fees resulting from our amended LSEG market data license agreement effective November 1, 2025 and other increases in proprietary third party market data revenue.

Our revenues and client base are also diversified by geography. Our total revenue by geography (based on client location) for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20252024$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
U.S.$1,194,062$1,060,697$133,36512.6%
International858,367665,252193,11529.0%
Total revenue$2,052,429$1,725,949$326,48018.9%

U.S. Revenues from U.S. clients increased by $133.4 million or 12.6% to $1.2 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to higher revenues for money markets, including the contribution from the ICD acquisition, rates derivatives products, municipals, U.S. government bonds, mortgages and U.S. ETFs as well as an increase in digital asset revenue earned for performing validation services on the Canton Network.

International. Revenues from international clients increased by $193.1 million or 29.0% to $858.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $665.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to higher revenues for rates derivatives products, money markets, including the contribution from the ICD acquisition, market data, European government bonds, international ETFs and European corporate bonds.

Operating Expenses

Our expenses for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20252024$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Employee compensation and benefits$670,831$592,690$78,14113.2%
Depreciation and amortization250,189219,99930,19013.7%
Technology and communications128,32798,56829,75930.2%
General and administrative88,40256,31732,08557.0%
Professional fees53,39160,132(6,741)(11.2)%
Occupancy25,95120,2155,73628.4%
Total expenses$1,217,091$1,047,921$169,17016.1%

Employee Compensation and Benefits. Expenses related to employee compensation and benefits increased by $78.1 million or 13.2% to $670.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $592.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to an increase in headcount and related salaries, bonus, benefits and stock-based compensation associated with our continued growth, including the August 1, 2024 ICD acquisition. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, we had 1,569 and 1,412 employees globally, respectively. An increase in incentive compensation expense tied to our financial performance also contributed to the overall increase in employee compensation and benefits expenses.

Depreciation and Amortization. Expenses related to depreciation and amortization increased by $30.2 million or 13.7% to $250.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $220.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to increases in amortization of assets acquired in connection with the ICD acquisition on August 1, 2024 and increases in amortization of software development costs and hardware driven by increases in investment in our infrastructure and the relocation of our New York City corporate headquarters during September 2025.

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Technology and Communications. Expenses related to technology and communications increased by $29.8 million or 30.2% to $128.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $98.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to increased investment in our data strategy and infrastructure and increased clearance and data fees driven primarily by higher trading volumes period-over-period.

General and Administrative. Expenses related to general and administrative costs increased by $32.1 million or 57.0% to $88.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $56.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to a $27.5 million increase in foreign exchange losses during the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to the year ended December 31, 2024. Realized and unrealized foreign currency losses totaled $17.1 million during the year ended December 31, 2025 as compared to $10.4 million in gains during the year ended December 31, 2024. The change was primarily driven by the change in fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts used in connection with our foreign currency risk management program, partially offset by an increase in foreign currency re-measurement gains on transactions in nonfunctional currencies. Increases in travel and entertainment costs to support our continued growth also contributed to the overall increase in general and administrative expenses.

Professional Fees. Expenses related to professional fees decreased by $6.7 million or 11.2% to $53.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $60.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to a decrease in professional fees related to acquisitions.

Occupancy. Expenses related to occupancy costs increased by $5.7 million or 28.4% to $26.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 as compared to $20.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The increase was primarily due to higher office and data center rent expense associated with our global expansion, including the commencement in September 2025 of the lease for our new corporate headquarters in New York City.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment was $9.8 million of income for the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $7.7 million of income for the year ended December 31, 2024, due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition primarily as a result of changes to tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions, which impacted our estimated future tax savings.

Interest Income

Interest income decreased by $5.6 million to $68.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $74.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to a decrease in the average interest rates earned period-over-period. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in the average invested cash balance and interest earned on a federal income tax refund received during the year ended December 31, 2025.

Interest Expense

Interest expense decreased by $2.3 million to $1.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $4.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 primarily due to the timing of payments made under the Tax Receivable Agreement. No interest expense was incurred on payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement during the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $2.1 million of interest expense during the year ended December 31, 2024.

Other Income (Loss), Net

Other income was $263.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 versus a loss of $1.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. Other income increased primarily due to realized and unrealized gains on our Canton Coin holdings, which totaled $270.9 million during the year ended December 31, 2025 compared to $0.2 million in gains during the year ended December 31, 2024. Other income in both years was partially offset by a combination of various other impairments, net unrealized losses on investments or our pro rata share of losses from our equity method investment.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense increased by $69.0 million or 37.4% to $253.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2025 from $184.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. The provision for income taxes includes U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign taxes. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2025 was approximately 21.6%, compared with 24.4% for the year ended December 31, 2024. The effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024 differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to state and local taxes net of the benefit related to the effect of non-controlling interests and foreign-derived intangible income.

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Effects of Inflation

While inflation may impact our revenues and operating expenses, we believe the effects of inflation, if any, on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024. However, there can be no assurance that our results of operations and financial condition will not be materially impacted by inflation in the future. See “— Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance — Economic Environment” above.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

Liquidity describes the ability of a company to generate sufficient cash flows to meet the cash requirements of its business operations, including working capital needs to meet operating expenses, debt service, acquisitions, other commitments and contractual obligations. We consider liquidity in terms of cash on hand, cash flows from operations and availability under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility and their sufficiency to fund our operating and investing activities.

Historically, we have generated significant cash flows from operations and have funded our business operations through cash on hand and cash flows from operations.

Our primary cash needs are for day to day operations, working capital requirements, clearing margin requirements, capital expenditures primarily for software and equipment, our expected dividend payments and our share repurchase program. In addition, we are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

We expect to fund our short and long-term liquidity requirements through cash and cash equivalents and cash flows from operations. While historically we have generated significant and adequate cash flows from operations, in the case of an unexpected event in the future or otherwise, we may fund our liquidity requirements through borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

We believe that our projected cash position, cash flows from operations and, if necessary, borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility, will be sufficient to fund our liquidity requirements for at least the next 12 months. However, our future liquidity requirements could be higher than we currently expect as a result of various factors. For example, any future investments, acquisitions, joint ventures or other similar transactions, which we consider from time to time, may reduce our cash balance or require additional capital. In addition, our ability to continue to meet our future liquidity requirements will depend on, among other things, our ability to achieve anticipated levels of revenues and cash flows from operations and our ability to manage costs and working capital successfully, all of which are subject to general economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. In the event we require any additional capital, it will take the form of equity or debt financing, or both, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise any such financing on terms acceptable to us or at all.

As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $2.1 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively. All cash and cash equivalents were held in accounts with financial institutions or money market funds such that the funds are immediately available or in fixed term deposits or investments with a maximum maturity of three months. See Part II, Item 7A. – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk – Credit Risk” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Factors Influencing Our Liquidity and Capital Resources

Dividend Policy

Subject to legally available funds, we intend to pay quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock equal to $0.14 per share. As discussed below, our ability to pay these quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock will depend on distributions to us from TWM LLC.

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The declaration, amount and payment of any dividends will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our and our subsidiaries’ results of operations, capital requirements, financial condition, business prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable laws and other factors that our board of directors deem relevant. Because we are a holding company and all of our business is conducted through our subsidiaries, we expect to pay dividends, if any, only from funds we receive from our subsidiaries. Accordingly, our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders is dependent on the earnings and distributions of funds from our subsidiaries. As the sole manager of TWM LLC, we intend to cause, and will rely on, TWM LLC to make distributions in respect of LLC Interests to fund our dividends. If TWM LLC is unable to cause these subsidiaries to make distributions, it may have inadequate funds to distribute to us and we may be unable to fund our dividends. In addition, when TWM LLC makes distributions to us, the other holders of LLC Interests will be entitled to receive proportionate distributions based on their economic interests in TWM LLC at the time of such distributions.

Our board of directors will periodically review the cash generated from our business and the capital expenditures required to finance our growth plans and determine whether to modify the amount of regular dividends and/or declare any periodic special dividends. Any future determination to change the amount of dividends and/or declare special dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent upon then-existing conditions and other factors that our board of directors considers relevant. See Part I, Item 1A. – “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Organizational Structure and Governance — Our principal asset is our equity interest in TWM LLC, and, accordingly, we depend on distributions from TWM LLC to pay our taxes and expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement” and “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Ownership of our Class A Common Stock — We intend to continue to pay regular dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock, but our ability to do so may be limited.”

Cash Dividends

On February 5, 2026, the board of directors of Tradeweb Markets Inc. declared a cash dividend of $0.14 per share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock for the first quarter of 2026. This dividend will be payable on March 16, 2026 to stockholders of record as of March 2, 2026. The February 2026 dividend declaration of $0.14 represents a 16.7% per share increase from our 2025 quarterly dividend of $0.12. During 2025, Tradeweb Markets Inc. paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.12 per share to holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock in an aggregate amount totaling $102.3 million.

Cash Distributions

On February 5, 2026, Tradeweb Markets Inc., as the sole manager, approved a distribution by TWM LLC to its equityholders, including Tradeweb Markets Inc., in an aggregate amount of $78.1 million, as adjusted by required state and local tax withholdings that will be determined prior to the record date of March 2, 2026, payable on March 12, 2026.

During 2025, TWM LLC made quarterly cash distributions to its equityholders in an aggregate amount of $253.1 million, including distributions to Tradeweb Markets Inc. of $228.4 million and distributions to non-controlling interests of $24.7 million. The proceeds of the cash distributions were used by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to fund dividend payments, taxes and expenses.

Share Repurchase Program

On December 5, 2022, the Company announced our board of directors authorized the 2022 Share Repurchase Program to continue to offset annual dilution from stock-based compensation plans, as well as to opportunistically repurchase the Company’s Class A common stock. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program authorized the purchase of up to $300.0 million of our Class A common stock at our discretion and had no termination date. During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company acquired a total of 987,379 shares of Class A common stock, at an average price of $107.29, for purchases totaling $105.9 million, pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program. As of December 31, 2025, a total of $74.0 million remained available for repurchase pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program.

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On February 5, 2026, our board of directors approved a share repurchase program with an indefinite term under which the Company may purchase up to $500 million of its Class A common stock (the “2026 Share Repurchase Program”) once the 2022 Share Repurchase Program has been exhausted. As of February 5, 2026, $23.2 million remained available for repurchase pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program. The 2026 Share Repurchase Program was authorized to continue to offset annual dilution from stock-based compensation plans, as well as to opportunistically repurchase Class A common stock. Pursuant to the 2026 Share Repurchase Program, the Company may repurchase its Class A common stock from time to time, in amounts, at prices and at such times as it deems appropriate, subject to market conditions and other considerations. The Company may make repurchases in the open market, through privately negotiated transactions, through accelerated repurchase programs (including through the use of derivatives), pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 plans or through enhanced open-market repurchases (eOMR). The 2026 Share Repurchase Program will be conducted in compliance with applicable legal requirements and shall be subject to market conditions and other factors. The manner, timing and amount of any purchase will be based on an evaluation of market conditions, stock price and other factors. The 2026 Share Repurchase Program has no termination date, may be suspended, amended or discontinued at any time and does not obligate the Company to acquire any amount of Class A common stock.

Other Share Repurchases

In addition to the share repurchase programs discussed above, we may also withhold shares to cover the payroll tax withholding obligations upon the exercise of stock options and vesting of PRSUs, RSUs and performance-based restricted stock units that vest based on market conditions (“PSUs”).

During the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company withheld 360,041 shares of common stock from employee stock option, PRSU and RSU awards, at an average price per share of $137.13 and an aggregate value of $49.4 million, based on the price of the Class A common stock on the date the relevant withholding occurred.

Tax Receivable Agreement

We are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. See Note 10 – Tax Receivable Agreement to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details regarding the requirements for these payments. Although the actual timing and amount of any payments that may be made under the Tax Receivable Agreement will vary, we expect the payments required will be significant. Any payments made by us under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally reduce the amount of overall cash flows that might have otherwise been available to us or to TWM LLC. These payments will offset some of the tax benefits that we expect to realize as a result of the ownership structure of TWM LLC. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement for any reason, the unpaid amounts generally will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid by us. The first payment of the Tax Receivable Agreement was made in January 2021. As of December 31, 2025, total amounts due to Continuing LLC Owners under the Tax Receivable Agreement were $336.5 million, substantially all due to be paid over 15 years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests.

Liabilities under the Tax Receivable Agreement include amounts to be paid to Continuing LLC Owners, assuming we will have sufficient taxable income over the term of the Tax Receivable Agreement to utilize the related tax benefits. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. The Company is subject to CAMT, which has impacted the estimated period in which the payments will be made, as reflected in the payment schedule below. As of December 31, 2025, we had the following obligations expected to be paid pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement. We may choose, at our discretion, to make estimated payments ahead of contractual due dates in an effort to reduce interest expense payable on the current liability and as a result, timing of actual payments may differ from the schedule below.

Payments due by period
TotalLess than 1 year1 to 3 years3 to 5 yearsMore than 5 years
(dollars in thousands)
Tax receivable agreement liability$336,519$36,290$61,480$96,143$142,606

In addition to these amounts above, our tax receivable agreement liability and future payments thereunder are expected to increase as we realize (or are deemed to realize) an increase in tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from any future purchases, redemptions or exchanges of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. We currently expect to fund these future tax receivable agreement liability payments from some of the realized cash tax savings as a result of this increase in tax basis.

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Indebtedness

As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, we had no outstanding indebtedness.

On November 21, 2023, TWM LLC entered into the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility with a syndicate of banks, which replaced its secured credit facility entered into on April 8, 2019. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility provides borrowing capacity to be used to fund ongoing working capital needs, letters of credit and for general corporate purposes, including potential future acquisitions and expansions.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility permits borrowings of up to $500.0 million by TWM LLC. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, we will be able to increase the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility by $250.0 million with the consent of the lenders participating in the increase. Borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility may be, at the option of the Company, in U.S. dollars, Euros or Sterling. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility also provides for the issuance of up to $5.0 million of letters of credit as well as borrowings on same-day notice, referred to as swingline loans, in an amount of up to $50.0 million. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility will mature on November 21, 2028.

As of December 31, 2025, there were $0.5 million in letters of credit issued under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility and no borrowings outstanding. As of December 31, 2025, we had availability of $499.5 million.

Borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a rate equal to, at the Company’s option, either (a) a base rate equal to the greatest of (i) the administrative agent’s prime rate, (ii) the federal funds effective rate plus ½ of 1.00% and (iii) one month Term SOFR plus 1.00% plus a credit adjustment spread of 0.10%, in each case plus a margin based on the Company’s consolidated net leverage ratio ranging from 0.25% to 0.75%, or (b) a rate equal to (i) in the case of borrowings in U.S. dollars, Term SOFR plus a credit adjustment spread of 0.10%, subject to a 0.00% floor, (ii) in the case of borrowings in Sterling, SONIA subject to a 0.00% floor, and (iii) in the case of borrowings in Euros, EURIBOR, subject to a 0.00% floor, in each case plus a margin based on the Company’s consolidated net leverage ratio ranging from 1.25% to 1.75%. The agreement that governs the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility also includes a commitment fee of 0.25% for available but unborrowed amounts. We are also required to pay customary letter of credit fees and agency fees.

We have the option to voluntarily repay outstanding loans at any time without premium or penalty other than customary “breakage” costs with respect to Term SOFR, SONIA and EURIBOR loans. There will be no scheduled amortization under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility. The principal amount outstanding will be due and payable in full at maturity.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility is unsecured and as of December 31, 2025, obligations under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility are not guaranteed by any of the Company’s subsidiaries.

The credit agreement that governs the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, restrict the ability of (i) TWM LLC to merge or consolidate with other entities, (ii) the subsidiaries of TWM LLC to incur or guarantee indebtedness and (iii) TWM LLC and its subsidiaries to create or incur liens.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility contains a financial covenant requiring compliance with a (i) maximum total net leverage ratio tested as of the last day of each fiscal quarter not to exceed 3.5 to 1.0 (increasing to 4.0 to 1.0 for the four-quarter period following a material acquisition and the fiscal quarter in which such material acquisition is consummated) and (ii) minimum cash interest coverage ratio tested as of the last day of each fiscal quarter not less than 3.0 to 1.0.

The credit agreement that governs the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility also contains certain affirmative covenants and events of default customary for facilities of this type, including relating to a change of control. If an event of default occurs, the lenders under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility will be entitled to take various actions, including the acceleration of amounts due under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

As of December 31, 2025, we were in compliance with all the covenants set forth in the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

Operating Lease Obligations

We currently have operating leases for corporate offices and data centers with initial lease terms ranging from one to 16 years. Our operating lease obligations are primarily related to rental payments under lease agreements for office space in the United States and the United Kingdom through May 2041.

As of December 31, 2025, our operating lease liabilities totaled $139.2 million, with payments pursuant to these obligations due within the next 12 months and thereafter totaling $18.3 million and $176.7 million, respectively.

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Capital Expenditures

Our business also requires continued investment in our technology for product innovation, proprietary technology architecture, operational reliability and cybersecurity. We expect total cash paid for capital expenditures and software development costs for fiscal year 2026 to be between $107 million and $117 million, compared to expenditures of $103.1 million and $88.9 million in fiscal years 2025 and 2024, respectively, with the midpoint of our 2026 capital expenditure guidance up approximately 9% versus fiscal year 2025 primarily driven by platform enhancements, infrastructure modernization and cyber security initiatives to support long-term growth.

As of December 31, 2025, we also had $5.0 million in unfunded capital commitments to our equity method investment.

Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements

Certain of our U.S. subsidiaries are registered as broker-dealers, SEFs, SBSEFs or introducing brokers and are subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and CFTC. These rules contain minimum net capital or other financial resource requirements, as defined in the applicable regulations. These rules may also require a significant part of the registrants’ assets be kept in relatively liquid form. Certain of our foreign subsidiaries are regulated by the FCA in the UK, the Nederlandsche Bank in the Netherlands, the Japanese Financial Services Agency, the Japanese Securities Dealers Association and other foreign regulators, and must maintain financial resources, as defined in the applicable regulations, in excess of the applicable financial resources requirement. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, each of our regulated subsidiaries had maintained sufficient net capital or financial resources to at least satisfy their minimum requirements, which in aggregate were $90.0 million and $83.0 million, respectively. We maintain capital balances in these subsidiaries in excess of our minimum requirements in order to satisfy working capital needs and to ensure that we have enough cash on hand to satisfy margin requirements and credit risk, including the excess capital expectations of our clients. The Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (“FICC”) and some of our clearing brokers require us to post collateral on unsettled positions, included within deposits with clearing organizations in our consolidated statements of financial condition. Collateral amounts are marked to market on a daily basis, requiring us to pay or receive margin amounts as part of the daily funds settlement. Margin call requirements can vary significantly across periods based on daily market changes and may represent a significant and unpredictable use of our liquidity.

At times, wholesale transactions executed on our platform fail to settle due to the inability of a transaction party to deliver or receive the transacted security. Until the failed transaction settles, we will recognize a receivable from (and a matching payable to) brokers and dealers and clearing organizations for the proceeds from the unsettled transaction. The impact on our liquidity and capital resources is minimal as receivables and payables for failed transactions are usually recognized simultaneously and predominantly offset. However, from time to time, we enter into repurchase and/or reverse repurchase agreements to facilitate the clearance of securities relating to fails to deliver or receive. We seek to manage credit exposure related to these agreements to repurchase (or reverse repurchase), including the risk related to a decline in market value of collateral (pledged or received), by entering into agreements to repurchase with overnight or short-term maturity dates and only entering into repurchase transactions with netting members of the FICC. The FICC operates a continuous net settlement system, whereby as trades are submitted and compared, the FICC becomes the counterparty.

We self-clear wholesale U.S. Treasury trades executed by non-FICC members on our platform. The number of self-cleared trades that settle over the fed wire, instead of FICC clearing, may impact the number of U.S. Treasury failed settlement transactions. As of December 31, 2025, we recorded an $8.6 million receivable and a $3.4 million payable from/to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations related to failed settlement transactions and we self-funded the remaining $5.3 million difference between the fail to deliver and fail to receive. All of the failed settlement transactions outstanding as of December 31, 2025 were fully settled during January 2026. See below for further details regarding the changes to working capital as a result of these failed settlement transactions.

Working Capital

Working capital is defined as current assets minus current liabilities. Current assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, deposits with clearing organizations, accounts receivable, receivable and due from related parties and other current assets. Current liabilities consist of, as applicable, securities sold under agreements to repurchase, payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, accrued compensation, deferred revenue, payable and due to related parties, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, lease liabilities and tax receivable agreement liability. Changes in working capital, which impact our cash flows provided by operating activities, can vary depending on factors such as delays in the collection of receivables, changes in our operating performance, changes in trading patterns, changes in client billing terms and other changes in the demand for our platform and solutions.

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Our working capital as of December 31, 2025 and 2024 was as follows:

December 31,
20252024
(dollars in thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents$2,084,739$1,340,302
Restricted cash1,0001,000
Receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations8,63067,805
Deposits with clearing organizations58,28254,702
Accounts receivable257,845222,268
Receivable and due from related parties8,3038,094
Current portion of other assets71,23943,163
Total current assets2,490,0381,737,334
Payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations3,36367,816
Accrued compensation251,169222,959
Deferred revenue29,03030,800
Payable and due to related parties7,090763
Current portion of:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities182,58394,620
Lease liabilities11,91211,963
Tax receivable agreement liability36,2903,981
Total current liabilities521,437432,902
Total working capital$1,968,601$1,304,432

Current Assets

Current assets increased to $2.5 billion as of December 31, 2025 from $1.7 billion as of December 31, 2024 primarily due to an increase in cash and cash equivalents due to our operating performance and the timing of collection of accounts receivable. See “—Cash Flows” below for further discussion of the change in cash and cash equivalents.

Current Liabilities

Current liabilities increased to $521.4 million as of December 31, 2025 from $432.9 million as of December 31, 2024 primarily due to an increase in current income taxes payable and an increase in the current portion of our tax receivable agreement liability.

See “—Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements” above for a discussion on how capital requirements can impact our working capital.

Cash Flows

Our cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
202520242023
(dollars in thousands)
Net cash provided by operating activities$1,167,646$897,741$746,089
Net cash used in investing activities(126,533)(969,190)(132,765)
Net cash used in financing activities(307,475)(290,261)(168,174)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash10,799(4,456)4,089
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash$744,437$(366,166)$449,239

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Operating Activities

Operating activities consist primarily of net income adjusted for non-cash items that primarily include depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, digital assets received as revenue, deferred taxes and other income and changes in working capital. Cash flows from operating activities can fluctuate significantly from period-to-period as working capital needs and the timing of payments for accrued compensation (primarily in the first quarter) and other items impact reported cash flows.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 was $1.2 billion, an increase of $269.9 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2024, primarily driven by an increase in net income, a decrease in cash paid for taxes due to changes in the timing of tax payments year over year and other net changes in working capital. During 2026, we plan to satisfy approximately $71 million related to our 2025 tax year obligations through the purchase of transferable tax credits or through cash payments to the applicable taxing authorities.

Investing Activities

Investing activities consist primarily of software development costs, investments in technology hardware, purchases of equipment and other tangible assets, business acquisitions and investments.

Net cash used in investing activities was $126.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, which consisted of $62.5 million of capitalized software development costs, $40.6 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements and $38.4 million of cash paid for investments, partially offset by $15.0 million in cash received from the sale of Canton Coins. Net cash used in investing activities was $969.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, which consisted of $860.1 million of total net cash paid for the acquisitions of ICD and r8fin (net of cash acquired), $47.9 million of capitalized software development costs, $41.0 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements and $20.2 million of cash paid for investments.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2025 was $307.5 million, which consisted of $104.2 million in share repurchases pursuant to our 2022 Share Repurchase Program, $102.3 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders, $49.5 million in payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs, $26.7 million in payments made under our Tax Receivable Agreement and $24.7 million in distributions to non-controlling interest holders. Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $290.3 million, which consisted of $85.2 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders, $77.0 million in payments made under our Tax Receivable Agreement, $59.1 million in share repurchases pursuant to our 2022 Share Repurchase Program, $41.3 million in payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs, net of proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises and $27.8 million in distributions to non-controlling interest holders.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Free Cash Flow

In addition to cash flow from operating activities presented in accordance with GAAP, we use Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP measure, to measure liquidity. Free Cash Flow is defined as cash flow from operating activities less non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

We present Free Cash Flow because we believe it is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated from our core operations after non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

Free Cash Flow has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider Free Cash Flow in isolation or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or any other liquidity measure determined in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment. In addition, in evaluating Free Cash Flow, you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenditures similar to the adjustments in the presentation of Free Cash Flow. In addition, Free Cash Flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

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The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of our cash flow from operating activities to Free Cash Flow for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023:

Year Ended
December 31,
202520242023
(dollars in thousands)
Cash flow from operating activities$1,167,646$897,741$746,089
Less: Capitalization of software development costs(62,541)(47,909)(43,235)
Less: Purchases of furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements(40,552)(40,960)(18,529)
Free Cash Flow$1,064,553$808,872$684,325

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

In addition to net income, net income margin and net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., each presented in accordance with GAAP, we present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin as non-GAAP measures of our operating performance and Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income per diluted share (“Adjusted Diluted EPS”) as non-GAAP measures of our profitability.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income before interest income, interest expense, provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss.

Adjusted EBIT is defined as net income before interest income, interest expense and provision for income taxes, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss.

Net income margin is defined as net income, divided by revenue for the applicable period. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin are defined as Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBIT, respectively, divided by revenue for the applicable period.

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We present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin because we believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. For example, we exclude non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award as defined in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 to management and other employees as well as payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options during the applicable period. The value of all previously issued options was fully expensed as of March 31, 2024, however we will continue to incur payroll tax expense as previously issued options are exercised by the holders. For applicable periods, we also exclude the incremental non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with former and/or departing executive officers. We also exclude stock-based compensation expense associated with special equity awards granted to help ensure the retention of key employees during the integration of acquisitions. We believe it is useful to exclude these stock-based compensation expenses and, as applicable, associated payroll taxes because the amount of expense may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. In addition, we exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustments discussed below under “— Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Tax Receivable Agreement.” We believe it is useful to exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustment because the recognition of income during a period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions, or other factors that may impact our tax savings, may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. We also believe it is useful to exclude merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs as the incremental direct costs related to completed and potential acquisitions and related integrations are not indicative of our core ongoing operating performance. With respect to Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin, we believe it is useful to exclude the depreciation and amortization of tangible and intangible assets resulting from acquisitions and the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction in order to facilitate a period-over-period comparison of our financial performance.

Management and our board of directors use Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin to assess our financial performance and believe they are helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate and capital investments. Further, our executive incentive compensation is based in part on components of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

Adjusted Net Income is defined as net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock of Tradeweb Markets Inc., adjusted for certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss. Adjusted Net Income also gives effect to certain tax related adjustments to reflect an assumed effective tax rate. Adjusted Diluted EPS is defined as Adjusted Net Income divided by the diluted weighted average number of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding for the applicable period (including the effect of potentially dilutive securities determined using the treasury stock method), plus the weighted average number of other participating securities reflected in earnings per share using the two-class method, plus the assumed full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock.

We use Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS as supplemental metrics to evaluate our business performance in a way that also considers our ability to generate profit without the impact of certain items. We exclude certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs and acquisition and Refinitiv Transaction-related depreciation and amortization for the reasons described above. Each of the adjustments described in the definition of Adjusted Net Income helps to provide management with a measure of our operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations or are non-cash expenses. In addition to excluding items that are non-recurring or may not be indicative of our ongoing operating performance, by assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests, we believe that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for Tradeweb Markets Inc. facilitate comparisons with other companies that have different organizational and tax structures, as well as comparisons period over period, because it eliminates the effect of any changes in net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. driven by increases in our ownership of TWM LLC, which are unrelated to our operating performance.

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Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider these non-GAAP financial measures in isolation or as alternatives to net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., net income, net income margin, operating income, gross margin, earnings per share or any other financial measure derived in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment and, as applicable, the reasons we consider it appropriate for supplemental analysis. In addition, in evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income and net income margin to Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023:

Year Ended
December 31,
202520242023
(dollars in thousands)
Net income$921,500$569,963$419,503
Merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs (1)6,89122,8238,042
Interest income(68,407)(74,037)(67,397)
Interest expense1,9414,2792,047
Depreciation and amortization250,189219,999185,350
Stock-based compensation expense (2)2,3276,0962,947
Provision for income taxes253,474184,439128,477
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (3)13,112(6,326)(47)
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (4)(9,786)(7,730)9,517
Other (income) loss, net(263,384)1,11413,122
Adjusted EBITDA$1,107,857$920,620$701,561
Less: Depreciation and amortization(250,189)(219,999)(185,350)
Add: D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (5)176,322156,489127,731
Adjusted EBIT$1,033,990$857,110$643,942
Net income margin44.9%33.0%31.3%
Adjusted EBITDA margin54.0%53.3%52.4%
Adjusted EBIT margin50.4%49.7%48.1%

(1)Represents incremental direct costs associated with the acquisition and integration of completed and potential mergers and acquisitions. These costs generally include legal, consulting, advisory, due diligence, severance and certain other transaction expenses and third party costs incurred that directly relate to the acquisition transaction or its integration.

(2)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with the exercise of such options. During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, this adjustment also includes $2.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively, of non-cash stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with RSAs and RSUs issued to help retain key ICD employees during the integration of ICD. During the year ended December 31, 2024, this adjustment also includes $2.7 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former President.

(3)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(4)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of, as applicable, changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(5)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from acquisitions and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

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Year Ended
December 31,
20252024Basis Point ChangeConstant Currency Basis Point Change (1)
Adjusted EBITDA margin54.0%53.3%+64 bps+70 bps
Adjusted EBIT margin50.4%49.7%+72 bps+75 bps

(1)The changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin, both on a constant currency basis, are non-GAAP financial measures, and are defined as the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations are calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s results using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis as supplemental metrics to evaluate our underlying margin performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis provide useful comparisons of our Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin and trends between periods.

The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. and net income, as applicable, to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023:

Year Ended
December 31,
202520242023
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
Earnings per diluted share$3.78$2.33$1.71
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$812,792$501,507$364,866
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (1)108,70868,45654,637
Net income921,500569,963419,503
Provision for income taxes253,474184,439128,477
Merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs (2)6,89122,8238,042
D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (3)176,322156,489127,731
Stock-based compensation expense (4)2,3276,0962,947
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (5)13,112(6,326)(47)
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (6)(9,786)(7,730)9,517
Other (income) loss, net(263,384)1,11413,122
Adjusted Net Income before income taxes1,100,456926,868709,292
Adjusted income taxes (7)(275,114)(231,717)(173,777)
Adjusted Net Income$825,342$695,151$535,515
Adjusted Diluted EPS (8)$3.47$2.92$2.26

(1)Represents the reallocation of net income attributable to non-controlling interests from the assumed exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock.

(2)Represents incremental direct costs associated with the acquisition and integration of completed and potential mergers and acquisitions. These costs generally include legal, consulting, advisory, due diligence, severance and certain other transaction expenses and third party costs incurred that directly relate to the acquisition transaction or its integration.

(3)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from acquisitions and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

(4)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with the exercise of such options. During the years ended December 31, 2025 and 2024, this adjustment also includes $2.3 million and $1.0 million, respectively, of non-cash stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with RSAs and RSUs issued to help retain key ICD employees during the integration of ICD. During the year ended December 31, 2024, this adjustment also includes $2.7 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former President.

(5)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(6)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of, as applicable, changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(7)Represents corporate income taxes at an assumed effective tax rate of 25.0%, 25.0% and 24.5%, applied to Adjusted Net Income before income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

(8)For a summary of the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS, see “Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding and Adjusted Diluted EPS” below.

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The following table summarizes the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023:

Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding and Adjusted Diluted EPSYear Ended
December 31,
202520242023
Diluted weighted average shares of Class A and Class B common stock outstanding214,898,240214,924,763212,668,808
Weighted average of other participating securities (1)167,018165,565270,249
Assumed exchange of LLC Interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock (2)23,063,11023,076,37323,902,379
Adjusted diluted weighted average shares outstanding238,128,368238,166,701236,841,436
Adjusted Net Income (in thousands)$825,342$695,151$535,515
Adjusted Diluted EPS$3.47$2.92$2.26

(1)Represents the weighted average of unvested stock awards and unsettled vested stock awards issued to certain retired or terminated employees that are entitled to non-forfeitable dividend equivalent rights and are considered participating securities prior to being issued and outstanding shares of common stock in accordance with the two-class method used for purposes of calculating earnings per share. See Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of the two-class method.

(2)Assumes the full exchange of the weighted average of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock, resulting in the elimination of the non-controlling interests and recognition of the net income attributable to non-controlling interests.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP which requires us to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. These estimates and assumptions are based on judgment and the best available information at the time. Management bases its estimates on historical experience, observance of trends in particular areas, information available from outside sources and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Information from these sources forms the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that may not be readily apparent from other sources. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Management evaluates its accounting policies, estimates and judgments on an on-going basis.

Management evaluated the development and selection of its critical accounting policies and estimates and believes that the following policies are most critical to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, and that require our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments in estimating the effect of inherent uncertainties. Our most critical policies and estimates include revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, current and deferred income taxes and the tax receivable agreement liability. With respect to critical accounting policies and estimates, even a relatively minor variance between actual and expected experience can potentially have a materially favorable or unfavorable impact on subsequent results of operations. More information on all of our significant accounting policies can be found in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Revenue Recognition

We enter into contracts with our clients to provide a stand-ready connection to our electronic marketplaces, which facilitates the execution of trades by our clients. The access to our electronic marketplaces includes market data and continuous pricing data refreshes and the processing and reporting of trades thereon, which are highly interrelated services. The stand-ready connection to our electronic marketplaces is considered a single performance obligation satisfied over time as the client simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit from our performance as access is provided. This performance obligation constitutes a series of services that are substantially the same in nature and are provided over time using the same measure of progress.

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For our services, we may earn subscription fees for granting access to our electronic marketplaces. We may also earn transaction fees and/or commissions from transactions executed on our trading platform, including the basis point commissions earned on the monthly ADB of money market fund investments made through our ICD Portal and commission revenue from electronic and voice brokerage transacted on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. Fixed monthly transaction fees and commissions or monthly transaction fee and commission minimums are generally earned on a monthly basis in the period the stand-ready trading services are provided. Variable transaction fee and commission revenue associated with a particular trade is recognized and recorded on a trade-date basis when the individual trade occurs. Variable commission revenue based upon a clients’ ADB invested in money market funds during a calendar month is recorded monthly. Variable discounts or rebates on transaction fees and commissions are generally earned and applied monthly or quarterly, are resolved within the same reporting period and are recorded as a reduction to revenue in the period the relevant trades occur.

We earn fees from LSEG relating to the sale of market data to LSEG, which distributes that data. Included in these fees are real-time market data fees which are recognized monthly on a straight-line basis as LSEG receives and consumes the benefit evenly, over the contact period, as the data is provided, and fees for historical data sets which are recognized when the historical data set is provided to LSEG.

We are required to make significant judgments for the LSEG market data fees. Significant judgments used in accounting for this contract include the following determinations:

•The provision of real-time market data feeds and historical data sets are distinct performance obligations.

•The performance obligations under this contract are recognized over time from the initial delivery of the data feeds until the end of the contract term or at a point in time upon delivery of each historical data set.

•The transaction prices for the performance obligations were determined by using an adjusted market assessment analysis. Inputs in this analysis included publicly available price lists for data sets provided by other companies, planned internal pricing strategies and other market data points and adjustments obtained through consultations with market data industry experts regarding estimating a standalone selling price for each performance obligation.

During each of the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, there were no material changes in the methodology or assumptions used to determine the LSEG market data fees.

Stock-Based Compensation

The stock-based payments received by the employees of the Company are accounted for as equity awards. The Company measures and recognizes the cost of employee services received in exchange for awards of equity instruments based on their estimated fair values measured as of the grant date.

For PSUs, the Company recognizes stock-based compensation based on the estimated grant date fair value of the awards computed with the assistance of a valuation specialist using a Monte Carlo simulation on a binomial model, which represents a significant accounting estimate given the significant level of estimation uncertainty relating to the selection of valuation assumptions required for the valuation. The significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value of the PSUs are years of maturity, annualized volatility and the risk-free interest rate. The maturity period represents the period of time that the award granted was modeled into the future, the risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of measurement corresponding with the maturity period of the award and the expected volatility is based upon historical volatility of the Company’s Class A common stock. On March 17, 2025, we granted 65,532 PSUs with a grant date fair value totaling $14.2 million, which will be amortized into expense on a straight-line basis through December 31, 2027. The significant assumptions used in determining the grant date fair value of the award were a maturity of 2.8 years, annualized volatility of 25.04% and a risk-free interest rate of 3.95%. A change in any of the assumptions used to value these awards could materially affect stock-based compensation expense recorded in the current and future periods. During each of the years ended December 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, there were no material changes in the methodology or assumptions used to determine the valuation of our annual PSU grants.

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For PRSUs, the Company recognizes stock-based compensation based on the fair market value of our Class A common stock at the grant date and an estimate of the number of shares included in expense each period is based on management’s estimate of the probable final performance modifier for those grants, with such estimate updated each period until the performance modifier is finalized. For PRSUs granted during 2025 and 2024, the financial performance of the Company will be determined based on the compound annual growth rate over a three-year performance period beginning on January 1 in the year of grant and the performance modifier can vary between 0% (minimum) and 250% (maximum) of the target (100%) award amount. As of December 31, 2025, a 10% decrease in the estimated final share payouts would decrease the total expense recognized for these awards for the year ended December 31, 2025 by approximately $4.1 million.

Income Taxes

Tradeweb Markets Inc. is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its taxable income, including its allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and is taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. TWM LLC records taxes for conducting business in certain state, local and foreign jurisdictions and records U.S. federal taxes for subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes. We currently record deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and measure the deferred taxes using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when such temporary differences are expected to reverse. The measurement of deferred taxes often involves the exercise of significant judgment related to the realization of tax basis. Our deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect our assessment that tax positions taken in filed tax returns and the resulting tax basis are more likely than not to be sustained if they are audited by taxing authorities. Assessing tax rates that we expect to apply and determining the years when the temporary differences are expected to affect taxable income requires judgment about the future apportionment of our income among the jurisdictions in which we operate. Any changes in our practices or judgments involved in the measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations.

In connection with recording deferred tax assets and liabilities, we record valuation allowances when we believe that it is more likely than not that the Company will not be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future. We evaluate our deferred tax assets quarterly to determine whether adjustments to our valuation allowance are appropriate in light of changes in facts or circumstances, such as changes in tax law, interactions with taxing authorities and developments in case law. In making this evaluation, we rely on our recent history of pre-tax earnings, our forecasts of future earnings and the nature and timing of future deductions and benefits represented by the deferred tax assets, all of which involve the exercise of significant judgment. As of December 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we had a valuation allowance established on our deferred tax assets totaling $3.0 million and $1.7 million, respectively. If forecasts of future earnings and the nature and estimated timing of future deductions and benefits change in the future, we may determine that existing valuation allowances must be revised or new valuation allowances created, any of which could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations. See Note 9 – Income Taxes to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the provision for income taxes in our consolidated statements of income. Accrued interest and penalties are included within accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities in our consolidated statements of financial condition. A U.S. shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) is required to include in income, as a deemed dividend, the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) of the CFC. We have elected to treat taxes due on future U.S. inclusions in taxable income of GILTI as a current period expense when incurred.

Tax Receivable Agreement

Tradeweb Markets Inc. entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners which provides for the payment by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to a Continuing LLC Owner of 50% of the amount of U.S. federal, state and local income or franchise tax savings, if any, that Tradeweb Markets Inc. actually realizes (or in some circumstances is deemed to realize) as a result of (i) increases in the tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from (a) the purchase of LLC Interests from such Continuing LLC Owner, including with the net proceeds from the IPO, the October 2019 and April 2020 follow-on offerings and any future offering or (b) redemptions or exchanges by such Continuing LLC Owner of LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock or for cash, as applicable, and (ii) certain other tax benefits related to Tradeweb Markets Inc. making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Substantially all payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement are payable over the 15 years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests. The timing of the payments over the 15 year period is dependent upon our annual taxable income over the same period. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. This requires significant judgment relating to projecting future earnings, the geographic mix of those earnings and the timing of deferred taxes becoming current.

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The impact of any changes in the total projected obligations recorded under the Tax Receivable Agreement as a result of actual changes in the geographic mix of our earnings, changes in tax legislation and tax rates or other factors that may impact our actual tax savings realized will be reflected in income before taxes in the period in which the change occurs.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.

MD&A history

Prior-year 10-K MD&A spans are extracted from SEC filings with the same bounded parser used for the latest filing. The latest 10-K appears above; prior years are below.

FY 2024 10-K MD&A

SEC filing source: 0001758730-25-000038.

Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary. Published MD&A gate trimmed front/tail over-capture. Confidence: high. Filing date: 2025-02-07. Report date: 2024-12-31.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the sections titled “Introductory Note”, “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and other information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to those differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following discussion includes a comparison of our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and capital resources for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively. A comparison of our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and capital resources for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 may be found in Part II, Item 7. – “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

Overview

We are a leader in building and operating electronic marketplaces for our global network of more than 3,000 clients across the financial ecosystem. Our network is comprised of clients across the institutional, wholesale, retail and corporates client sectors, including many of the largest global asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, central banks, banks and dealers, proprietary trading firms, retail brokerage and financial advisory firms, regional dealers and corporations. Our marketplaces facilitate trading across a range of asset classes, including rates, credit, equities and money markets. We are a global company serving clients in over 85 countries with offices in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. We believe our proprietary technology and culture of collaborative innovation allow us to adapt our offerings to enter new markets, create new platforms and solutions and adjust to regulations quickly and efficiently. We support our clients by providing solutions across the trade lifecycle, including pre-trade, execution, post-trade and data and analytics.

Our institutional client sector serves institutional investors in over 85 countries around the globe and across over 30 currencies. We connect institutional investors with pools of liquidity using our flexible order and trading systems. Our clients trust the integrity of our markets and recognize the value they get by trading electronically: enhanced transparency, competitive pricing, efficient trade execution and regulatory compliance.

In our wholesale client sector, we provide a broad range of electronic, voice and hybrid platforms to dealers and financial institutions trading on our electronic or hybrid markets with our Dealerweb platform. This platform was launched in 2008 following the acquisition of inter-dealer broker Hilliard Farber & Co., Inc. In 2011, we acquired the brokerage assets of Rafferty Capital Markets and in June 2021, we acquired Nasdaq’s U.S. fixed income electronic trading platform (formerly known as eSpeed) (the “NFI Acquisition”). Today, Dealerweb actively competes across a range of rates, credit, money markets, derivatives and equity markets.

In our retail client sector, we provide advanced trading solutions for financial advisory firms and traders with our Tradeweb Direct platform. We entered the retail sector in 2006 and launched our Tradeweb Direct platform following the 2013 acquisition of BondDesk Group LLC, which was built to bring innovation and efficiency to the wealth management community. Tradeweb Direct provides financial advisory firms access to live offerings, accurate pricing in the marketplace and fast execution.

In our corporates client sector, we provide comprehensive investment technology and research solutions tailored to the needs of corporate treasury organizations globally. These solutions enable efficient trading of institutional money market funds and other short-term investments. We expanded into the corporate client sector through our acquisition of ICD on August 1, 2024. The addition of ICD to our network broadened our product suite, further diversified our client and revenue base and strengthened our position in the corporate treasury space, enabling us to provide a more comprehensive range of liquidity management tools and services.

Our markets are large and growing. Electronic trading continues to increase across the markets in which we operate as a result of market demand for greater transparency, higher execution quality, operational efficiency and lower costs, as well as regulatory changes. We believe our deep client relationships, asset class breadth, geographic reach, regulatory knowledge and scalable technology position us to continue to be at the forefront of the evolution of electronic trading. Our platforms provide transparent, efficient, cost-effective and compliant trading solutions across multiple products, regions and regulatory regimes. As market participants seek to trade across multiple asset classes, reduce their costs of trading and increase the effectiveness of their trading,

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including through the use of data and analytics, we believe the demand for our platforms and electronic trading solutions will continue to grow.

Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance

Acquisitions

From time to time, we may evaluate potential acquisitions and engage in discussions and negotiations regarding potential acquisitions. Our revenues and profitability are affected by our acquisition activity, including the speed and cost at which we successfully integrate completed acquisitions into our existing business operations.

ICD

On August 1, 2024, we completed our acquisition of ICD.

In connection with the acquisition closing, Tradeweb Markets Inc. (the “Corporation”) issued and sold 41,705 shares of Class A common stock, with a grant date fair value of $4.7 million, to an equityholder of the ICD seller, who was also an employee of ICD and is currently an employee of the Company, which shares of Class A common stock were issued and sold as restricted stock (“RSAs”). The RSAs issued are subject to a two-year vesting period and forfeiture terms, pursuant to the Tradeweb Markets Inc. 2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan. Of the $4.7 million in RSAs issued, $3.3 million was allocated to consideration transferred for the business combination, relating to the pre-combination service period completed before the acquisition date, and $1.3 million will be amortized into non-cash stock-based compensation expense over the two-year service period required subsequent to the acquisition date, with such special stock-based compensation amortization expense excluded from our non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income when it is recorded as expense.

Cash paid at closing, net of cash acquired and net of the proceeds from the sale of the RSAs, totaled $773.8 million, of which $770.9 million was determined to be consideration transferred for the business combination, $1.4 million was expensed during the year ended December 31, 2024 and $1.4 million was recorded as a prepaid asset, to be expensed over a two-year period. Both of these purchase price amounts that were or will be expensed are considered merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs and will be excluded from our non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income when recorded as expense.

In connection with the ICD Acquisition, we also issued to certain key ICD employees, 92,672 restricted stock units (the “ICD RSU Awards”), with a total grant date fair value of $10.3 million, that will vest one-third each year over a three-year period. Management determined that approximately $5.2 million of the ICD RSU Awards represents market based ordinary course compensation expense for these individuals, with the remaining $5.2 million representing a special award to help ensure retention of these key ICD employees during the three-year period subsequent to the acquisition and allow sufficient time for the integration of ICD’s operations into Tradeweb. The stock-based compensation expense relating to the portion of the ICD RSU Awards determined to be a special award will also be excluded from our non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income when it is recorded as expense. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for further details on ICD Acquisition related non-GAAP adjustments.

ICD is an institutional investment technology provider for corporate treasury organizations trading short-term investments. ICD’s flagship products include ICD Portal and ICD Portfolio Analytics. Our ICD portal is a one-stop shop to research, trade, analyze and report on investments across more than 40 available investment providers primarily offering money market funds and access to other short term products including deposits, fixed term funds and separately managed accounts (“SMAs”) (collectively referred to herein as “money market funds”). Portfolio Analytics is an AI-driven cloud solution for aggregating positions across a corporate treasury’s entire portfolio for analysis and reporting.

As part of Tradeweb, our goal is to provide a comprehensive solution for corporate treasurers and asset managers worldwide to manage short-term liquidity needs, including future plans to provide ICD clients with the ability to manage short-term liquidity needs and FX risk, as well as optimize yield and duration via our existing suite of products and partnerships. ICD clients will retain the ability to fully integrate their workflows with leading third-party treasury management and accounting systems and ICD’s portfolio analytics solution. In addition to plans to cross-sell our products to ICD’s clients, we also plan to leverage our international presence with the aim to accelerate growth and expansion, including by offering money market funds to our existing network of clients globally.

From the date of the ICD Acquisition through December 31, 2024, ICD revenues of $43.2 million and operating income of $2.1 million, including $18.4 million of depreciation and amortization from acquired assets, were included in our consolidated statements of income for the year ended December 31, 2024. See Note 4 – Acquisitions to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details of this acquisition.

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r8fin

On January 19, 2024, we completed our acquisition of r8fin (the “r8fin Acquisition”) in exchange for total consideration of $125.9 million, consisting of $89.2 million in cash paid at closing (net of cash acquired) and the issuance of 374,601 shares of Class A common stock of the Corporation valued as of the acquisition date at $36.7 million.

r8fin provides a suite of algorithmic-based tools as well as a thin-client execution management system (“EMS”) trading application to facilitate futures and cash trades. The solutions complement Tradeweb’s existing Dealerweb Active Streams, Dealerweb Central Limit Order Book (“CLOB”), Tradeweb Request-for-Quote (“RFQ”) and Tradeweb Automated Intelligent Execution (“AiEX”) offerings, creating a valuable and broad-based approach to trading U.S. Treasuries and related futures trading. The r8fin Acquisition is not material to our consolidated financial statements and did not have a significant impact to our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2024. See Note 4 – Acquisitions to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details.

Organizational Changes

On June 20, 2024, we announced organizational changes to optimize operations for continued growth. As part of those organizational changes, Amy Clack joined the Company in August 2024 as Chief Administrative Officer and a member of the Executive Committee, overseeing operations, business integration, risk and corporate services. In addition, Thomas Pluta, our former President, left the Company and the board of directors, effective September 30, 2024. Effective in January 2025, we also named Enrico Bruni and Troy Dixon to the newly created roles of Co-Head of Global Markets. Mr. Dixon stepped down from serving on our board of directors, effective December 31, 2024, in anticipation of his new role as a member of our Executive Committee.

During the year ended December 31, 2024, we incurred $2.9 million in incremental compensation expense related to a cash severance payment to be paid to Mr. Pluta in accordance with the Company’s Executive Severance Policy with respect to Mr. Pluta’s departure in September 2024, all recorded during the three months ended June 30, 2024. As of June 17, 2024, there was also approximately $4.4 million in total unamortized stock-based compensation associated with equity awards previously granted to Mr. Pluta that were accelerated and amortized into expense over a revised estimated service period ending on September 30, 2024. Of this amount, $1.7 million represented regularly scheduled amortization that would have been recognized from June 17, 2024 through September 30, 2024 if Mr. Pluta’s employment was not terminated and $2.7 million represented accelerated stock-based compensation expense that was excluded from our non-GAAP financial measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income when it was recorded as expense during the year ended December 31, 2024. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for further details.

Economic Environment

Our business is impacted by the overall market activity and, in particular, trading volumes and market volatility. Lower volatility may result in lower trading volume for our clients and may negatively impact our operating performance and financial condition. Factors that may impact market activity in 2025 include, among other things, evolving monetary policies of central banks, economic, political and social conditions, legislative, regulatory or government policy changes, including the recent change in U.S. administration and Congress, which may lead to material changes to prior laws, rules and regulations, guidance and enforcement stances and concerns with respect to the banking industry, including as a result of any bank failures.

Because the majority of our financial assets are short-term in nature, they are not significantly affected by inflation. However, the rate of inflation may affect our expenses, such as employee compensation and benefits, technology and communication expenses and occupancy costs, which may not be readily recoverable in the prices of our services. We believe any effects of inflation on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during any of the periods presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. To the extent inflation, along with other factors, continues to result in elevated interest rates and has other adverse effects on the securities markets and the overall economy, it may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

While our business is impacted by the overall activity of the market and market volatility, our revenues consist of a mix of fixed and variable fees that partially mitigates this impact. More importantly, we are actively engaged in the further electronification of trading activities, which will help mitigate this impact as we believe secular growth trends can partially offset market volatility risk.

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Regulatory Environment

Our business is subject to extensive regulations in the United States and internationally, which may expose us to significant regulatory risk and cause additional legal costs to ensure compliance. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Regulation.” The existing legal framework that governs the financial markets is periodically reviewed and amended, resulting in enforcement of new laws and regulations that apply to our business. The current regulatory environment in the United States and abroad may be subject to future legislative and regulatory changes driven by U.S. and global issues and priorities, including the recent change in U.S. administration and Congress, which may lead to material changes to prior laws, rules and regulations, guidance and enforcement stances. The impact of any changes in the legal or regulatory landscape on us and our operations remains uncertain. Compliance with regulations may require us to dedicate additional financial and operational resources, which may adversely affect our profitability. In addition, compliance with regulations may require our clients to dedicate significant financial and operational resources, which may negatively affect their ability to pay our fees and use our platforms and, as a result, our profitability. However, under certain circumstances regulation may increase demand for our platforms and solutions, and we believe we are well positioned to benefit from any potential increased electronification due to regulatory changes as market participants seek platforms that meet regulatory requirements and solutions that help them comply with their regulatory obligations.

Competitive Environment

We and our competitors compete to introduce innovations in market structure and new electronic trading capabilities. While we endeavor to be a leader in innovation, new trading capabilities of our competitors are also adopted by market participants. On the one hand, this increases liquidity and electronification for all participants, but it also puts pressure on us to further invest in our technology and to innovate to ensure the continued growth of our network of clients and continued improvement of liquidity, electronic processing and pricing on our platforms. Our ability to compete is influenced by key factors such as (i) developments in trading platforms and solutions, (ii) the liquidity we provide on transactions, (iii) the transaction costs we incur in providing our solutions, (iv) the efficiency in execution of transactions on our platforms, (v) our ability to hire and retain talent and (vi) our ability to pursue strategic acquisitions and alliances and (vii) our ability to maintain the security of our platforms and solutions. Our competitive position is also influenced by the familiarity and integration of our clients with our electronic, voice and hybrid systems. When either a client wants to trade in a new product or we want to introduce a new product, trading protocol or other solution, we believe we benefit from our clients’ familiarity with our offerings as well as our integration into their order management systems and back offices. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Competition” for more detail on our competitors.

Technology and Cybersecurity Environment

Our business and its success are largely impacted by the introduction of increasingly complex and sophisticated technology systems and infrastructures and new business models. Offering specialized trading venues and solutions through the development of new and enhanced platforms is essential to maintaining our level of competitiveness in the market and attracting new clients seeking platforms that provide advanced automation and better liquidity. We believe we will continue to increase demand for our platforms and solutions and the volume of transactions on our platforms, and thereby enhance our client relationships, by responding to new trading and information requirements through utilizing technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices in an effective and efficient way. We plan to continue to focus on and invest in technology infrastructure initiatives and continually improve and expand our platforms and solutions to further enhance our market position. We experience cyber-threats and attempted security breaches. If these were successful, these cybersecurity incidents could impact revenue and operating income and increase costs. We therefore continue to make investments to strengthen our cybersecurity infrastructure, which may result in increased costs. See Part I, Item 1C. – “Cybersecurity – Governance” for further detail regarding our cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance structure.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Environment

We earn revenues, pay expenses, hold assets and incur liabilities in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates can affect our results of operations from period to period. In particular, fluctuations in exchange rates for non-U.S. dollar currencies may reduce the U.S. dollar value of revenues, earnings and cash flows we receive from non-U.S. markets, increase our operating expenses (as measured in U.S. dollars) in those markets, negatively impact our competitiveness in those markets or otherwise adversely impact our results of operations or financial condition. Future fluctuations of foreign currency exchange rates and their impact on our results of operations and financial condition are inherently uncertain. As we continue to grow the size of our global operations, these fluctuations may be material. See Part II, Item 7A. – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk – Foreign Currency and Derivative Risk” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the change in revenue and operating income caused by fluctuations in foreign currency rates and realized and unrealized gains/losses from foreign currency during the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022.

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Taxation

In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, we became the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result, beginning with the second quarter of 2019, we became subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. Our actual effective tax rate is impacted by our ownership share of TWM LLC, which has increased over time primarily due to Continuing LLC Owners redeeming or exchanging their LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as applicable, and our purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. Furthermore, in connection with the IPO, we entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement pursuant to which we began to make payments in January 2021, and we expect future payments to be significant. We intend to continue to cause TWM LLC to make distributions in an amount sufficient to allow us to pay our tax obligations, operating expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, and our quarterly cash dividends, as and when declared by our board of directors.

On August 16, 2022, former President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) into law. The IRA establishes a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax (“CAMT”) effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, and imposes a 1% excise tax on the repurchase after December 31, 2022 of stock by publicly traded U.S. corporations. The 1% excise tax did not have an impact to our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows as of and for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. The Company is subject to the current 15% CAMT. However, it is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s effective tax rate. The IRA also has not had an impact to our non-GAAP adjusted effective tax rate used for purposes of calculating our non-GAAP measure of Adjusted Net Income.

On October 8, 2021, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development announced an accord endorsing and providing an implementation plan focused on global profit allocation, and implementing a global minimum tax rate of at least 15% for large multinational corporations on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis, known as the “Two Pillar Plan.” On December 15, 2022, the European Council formally adopted a European Union directive on the implementation of the plan which became effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2024. The Company falls under the provisions of the Two Pillar Plan and related tax impacts per local country adoption as it is a consolidating subsidiary of LSEG. The Company does not anticipate a material impact to its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows from the Two Pillar Plan.

Components of our Results of Operations

Revenues

Our revenue is derived primarily from transaction fees, commissions, subscription fees and market data fees.

Transaction Fees and Commissions

We earn transaction fees and/or commissions from transactions executed on our trading platforms on both a variable and fixed price basis, which vary by geographic region, product type and trade size. For most of our products, clients pay both fixed minimum monthly transaction fees and variable transaction fees on a per transaction basis in excess of the monthly minimum. Clients may also pay a subscription fee in addition to or instead of the minimum monthly transaction fees. For other products, instead of a minimum monthly transaction fee, clients may pay a fixed transaction fee or only a variable transaction fee on a per transaction basis. We also earn commission revenue from our electronic and voice brokerage services on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. For to-be-announced mortgage backed securities (“TBA-MBS”), U.S. Treasury and repurchase agreement transactions executed by our wholesale clients, we also generate revenue from fixed commissions that are generally invoiced monthly.

For variable transaction fees and commissions, we charge clients based on the mix of products traded and the volume of transactions executed. Transaction volume is determined by using a measure of the notional volume of the products traded, a count of the number of trades or, in the case of the ICD Portal, the client’s average daily balance (“ADB”) invested in the money market funds during a calendar month. Because transaction fees and commissions are sometimes subject to plans with tiered pricing based on product mix, volume, monthly minimums and monthly maximum fee caps, average variable fees per million dollars of volume traded generated for a client may vary each month depending on the mix of products and volume traded. Furthermore, because transaction fees and commissions vary by geographic region, product type and trade size, our revenues may not correlate with volume growth.

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Subscription Fees

We earn subscription fees primarily for granting clients access to our markets for trading and market data. For a limited number of products, we only charge subscription fees and no transaction fees or commissions. Subscription fees are generally charged on a fixed price basis.

For purposes of our discussion of our results of operations, we include LSEG market data fees in subscription fees. We earn fixed license fees from our market data license agreement with LSEG. We also earn a revenue share for certain data services which are provided to LSEG and then sold by LSEG to its customers. Our revenue share revenues may fluctuate from period to period depending on the revenue achieved by LSEG during the applicable fee earning period.

Operating Expenses

Employee Compensation and Benefits

Employee compensation and benefits expense consists of wages, employee benefits, bonuses, commissions, stock-based compensation cost and related taxes. Factors that influence employee compensation and benefits expense include revenue and earnings growth, hiring or acquiring new employees and trading activity which generates broker commissions. We expect employee compensation and benefits expense to increase as we hire or acquire additional employees to support revenue and earnings growth. As a result, employee compensation and benefits can vary from period to period.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense consists of costs relating to the depreciation and amortization of acquired and internally developed software, other intangible assets, leasehold improvements, furniture and equipment.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expense consists of travel and entertainment, marketing, value-added taxes, state use taxes, foreign currency transaction gains and losses, gains and losses on foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into for foreign exchange risk management purposes relating to operating activities, charitable contributions, other administrative expenses and credit loss expense. We expect general and administrative expense to increase as we expand the number of our employees and product offerings and grow our operations.

Technology and Communications

Technology and communications expense consists of costs relating to software and hardware maintenance, our internal network connections, data center costs, clearance and other trading platform related transaction costs and data feeds provided by third-party service providers, including LSEG. Factors that influence technology and communications expense include trading volumes and our investments in innovation, data strategy and cybersecurity.

Professional Fees

Professional fees consist primarily of accounting, tax and legal fees and fees paid to technology and software consultants to maintain our trading platforms and infrastructure, as well as costs related to business acquisition transactions.

Occupancy

Occupancy expense consists of operating lease rent and related costs for office space and data centers leased in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. We expect occupancy expense to increase as our space needs grow in line with our global expansion.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment reflects changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our estimated future tax savings.

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Interest Income

Interest income consists primarily of interest earned from our cash deposited with large commercial banks and money market funds, as well as interest earned from our investments in available-for-sale debt securities.

Interest Expense

Interest expense consists primarily of any interest expense incurred or payable on our tax receivable agreement liability, commitment fees payable on, and, if applicable, interest payable on any borrowings outstanding under our credit facility and amortization of deferred financing costs.

Other Income (Loss), Net

Other income (loss), net consists of any income or loss earned from investments, any mark-to-market adjustments or impairments recorded on investments, unrealized and realized gain/loss on foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into for foreign exchange risk management purposes relating to investing activities and any other non-operating items.

Income Taxes

We are subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our taxable income, including our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. Income taxes also include unincorporated business taxes on income earned or losses incurred for conducting business in certain state and local jurisdictions, income taxes on income earned or losses incurred in foreign jurisdictions on certain operations and federal and state income taxes on income earned or losses incurred, both current and deferred, on subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes.

Net Income Attributable to Non-Controlling Interests

We are the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result of this control, and because we have a substantial financial interest in TWM LLC, we consolidate the financial results of TWM LLC and report a non-controlling interest in our consolidated financial statements, representing the economic interests of TWM LLC held by Continuing LLC Owners. Income or loss is attributed to the non-controlling interests based on the relative ownership percentages of LLC Interests held during the period by us and any Continuing LLC Owners.

LLC Interests held by Continuing LLC Owners are redeemable in accordance with the TWM LLC Agreement, at the election of such holders, for newly issued shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as the case may be, on a one-for-one basis. In the event of such election by a Continuing LLC Owner, we may, at our option, effect a direct exchange of Class A common stock or Class B common stock for such LLC Interests of such Continuing LLC Owner in lieu of such redemption. In connection with any redemption or exchange, we will receive a corresponding number of LLC Interests, increasing our total ownership interest in TWM LLC. As of December 31, 2024, we owned 90.2% of TWM LLC and Continuing LLC Owners owned the remaining 9.8% of TWM LLC.

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Results of Operations

For the Years Ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023

The following table sets forth a summary of our statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023:

Year Ended
December 31,
20242023$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Total revenue$1,725,949$1,338,219$387,73029.0%
Total expenses1,047,921832,950214,97125.8%
Operating income678,028505,269172,75934.2%
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment7,730(9,517)17,247(181.2)%
Interest income74,03767,3976,6409.9%
Interest expense(4,279)(2,047)(2,232)109.0%
Other income (loss), net(1,114)(13,122)12,008(91.5)%
Income before taxes754,402547,980206,42237.7%
Provision for income taxes(184,439)(128,477)(55,962)43.6%
Net income569,963419,503150,46035.9%
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests68,45654,63713,81925.3%
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$501,507$364,866$136,64137.4%

Revenues

Our revenues for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20242023
$% of Total Revenue$% of Total Revenue$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Transaction fees and commissions$1,423,54782.5%$1,078,34480.6%$345,20332.0%
Subscription fees (1)288,80416.7248,30818.640,49616.3%
Other13,5980.811,5670.92,03117.6%
Total revenue$1,725,949100.0%$1,338,219100.0%$387,73029.0%
Components of total revenue growth:
Constant currency change (2)29.0%
Foreign currency impact%
Total revenue growth29.0%

(1)Subscription fees for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 include $82.1 million and $64.3 million, respectively, of LSEG market data fees.

(2)Constant currency revenue change, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined as total revenue change excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Total revenue excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations is calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s total revenue using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use constant currency change as a supplemental metric to evaluate our underlying total revenue performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing constant currency change provides a useful comparison of our total revenue performance and trends between periods.

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Our strong results for the year ended December 31, 2024 reflected significant organic growth and solid contributions from our recent acquisitions of ICD, r8fin and Yieldbroker. We remained focused on and grew market share while also benefiting from rates market volatility around central bank moves and broad-based volume growth, which underscored our sustained momentum across asset classes. The primary driver of the $387.7 million increase in revenue was related to a $345.2 million increase in transaction fees and commissions to $1.4 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily due to higher revenues for rates derivatives products, U.S. and European corporate bonds, U.S., European and other government bonds, repurchase agreements and mortgages, as well as the basis point commissions earned on the ADB of client money market fund investments made through the ICD Portal for the five months in 2024 subsequent to the ICD acquisition closing.

Our total revenue by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20242023$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$904,938$695,434$209,50430.1%
Credit459,040367,39491,64624.9%
Equities104,18495,2958,8899.3%
Money Markets115,22063,01052,21082.9%
Market Data118,02094,07423,94625.5%
Other24,54723,0121,5356.7%
Total revenue$1,725,949$1,338,219$387,73029.0%

Our variable and fixed revenues by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20242023$ Change% Change
VariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixed
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$660,438$244,500$462,132$233,302$198,306$11,19842.9%4.8%
Credit423,70835,332338,98128,41384,7276,91925.0%24.4%
Equities94,9649,22086,0039,2928,961(72)10.4%(0.8)%
Money Markets98,21617,00445,83017,18052,386(176)114.3%(1.0)%
Market Data457117,56326893,80618923,75770.5%25.3%
Other98123,56623,012981554N/M2.4%
Total revenue$1,278,764$447,185$933,214$405,005$345,550$42,18037.0%10.4%

N/M = not meaningful

The key drivers of the change in total revenue by asset class are summarized as follows:

Rates. Revenues from our rates asset class increased by $209.5 million or 30.1% to $904.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $695.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for rates derivatives products, U.S., European and other government bonds and mortgages.

Credit. Revenues from our credit asset class increased by $91.6 million or 24.9% to $459.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $367.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for U.S. and European corporate bonds and credit derivatives products, as well as an increase in fixed subscription fees.

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Equities. Revenues from our equities asset class increased by $8.9 million or 9.3% to $104.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $95.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for European ETFs and equity derivatives products.

Money Markets. Revenues from our money markets asset class increased by $52.2 million or 82.9% to $115.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $63.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to the August 1, 2024 acquisition of ICD and the associated basis point commissions earned on the ADB of client money market fund investments made through the ICD Portal, as well as higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for repurchase agreements.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data asset class increased by $23.9 million or 25.5% to $118.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $94.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was derived primarily from increased LSEG market data fees from our market data agreement that was amended effective as of November 1, 2023, as well as an increase in proprietary third party market data revenue.

Other. Revenues from our other asset class increased by $1.5 million or 6.7% to $24.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $23.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023.

We generate revenue from a diverse portfolio of client sectors. Our total revenue by client sector for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20242023$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Institutional$1,035,775$797,038$238,73730.0%
Wholesale385,673312,58673,08723.4%
Retail143,247134,5218,7266.5%
Corporates43,23443,234N/M
Market Data118,02094,07423,94625.5%
Total revenue$1,725,949$1,338,219$387,73029.0%

N/M = not meaningful

Institutional. Revenues from our institutional client sector increased by $238.7 million or 30.0% to $1.0 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $797.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was derived primarily from higher revenues for rates derivatives products, U.S. and European corporate bonds and U.S., European and other government bonds.

Wholesale. Revenues from our wholesale client sector increased by $73.1 million or 23.4% to $385.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $312.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was derived primarily from higher revenues for U.S. government bonds, including positive contributions from r8fin, as well as higher revenues for U.S. and European corporate bonds, rates derivatives products and repurchase agreements.

Retail. Revenues from our retail client sector increased by $8.7 million or 6.5% to $143.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $134.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was derived primarily from higher revenues for U.S. corporate bonds, municipals and structured products.

Corporates. Revenues from our corporates client sector were $43.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024. With the August 1, 2024 acquisition of ICD and its proprietary institutional investment technology, we entered the corporates client sector. This new client channel primarily serves corporate treasury organizations worldwide in investing in money market funds. Revenues from our corporates client sector primarily includes the basis point commissions earned on the ADB of client money market fund investments made through the ICD Portal for the five months subsequent to the acquisition closing. See “—Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance—Acquisitions,” above for further details about this acquisition.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data client sector increased by $23.9 million or 25.5% to $118.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $94.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was derived primarily from increased LSEG market data fees from our market data agreement that was amended effective as of November 1, 2023, as well as an increase in proprietary third party market data revenue.

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Our revenues and client base are also diversified by geography. Our total revenue by geography (based on client location) for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20242023$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
U.S.$1,060,697$850,338$210,35924.7%
International665,252487,881177,37136.4%
Total revenue$1,725,949$1,338,219$387,73029.0%

U.S. Revenues from U.S. clients increased by $210.4 million or 24.7% to $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $850.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to higher revenues for U.S. corporate bonds, U.S. government bonds, rates derivatives products, market data and money markets, including contributions from ICD.

International. Revenues from International clients increased by $177.4 million or 36.4% to $665.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $487.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to higher revenues for rates derivatives products, European and other government bonds, European corporate bonds, market data and money markets, including contributions from ICD.

Operating Expenses

Our expenses for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20242023$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Employee compensation and benefits$592,690$460,305$132,38528.8%
Depreciation and amortization219,999185,35034,64918.7%
Technology and communications98,56877,50621,06227.2%
General and administrative56,31751,4954,8229.4%
Professional fees60,13242,36417,76841.9%
Occupancy20,21515,9304,28526.9%
Total expenses$1,047,921$832,950$214,97125.8%

Employee Compensation and Benefits. Expenses related to employee compensation and benefits increased by $132.4 million or 28.8% to $592.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $460.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to an increase in incentive compensation expense tied to our financial performance, as well as an increase in headcount and related salaries, bonuses and benefits to support our continued growth.

Depreciation and Amortization. Expenses related to depreciation and amortization increased by $34.6 million or 18.7% to $220.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $185.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to increases in amortization of assets acquired in connection with the ICD, r8fin and Yieldbroker acquisitions on August 1, 2024, January 19, 2024 and August 31, 2023, respectively.

Technology and Communications. Expenses related to technology and communications increased by $21.1 million or 27.2% to $98.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $77.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to investment in our data strategy and infrastructure and increased clearance and data fees driven primarily by higher trading volumes period-over-period.

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General and Administrative. Expenses related to general and administrative costs increased by $4.8 million or 9.4% to $56.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $51.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to increases in travel, marketing and recruiting costs to support our continued growth. These increases were offset by an $11.3 million increase in foreign exchange gains during the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to the year ended December 31, 2023. Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains totaled $10.4 million during the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to $0.8 million in losses during the year ended December 31, 2023. The change was primarily driven by the change in fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts used in connection with our foreign currency risk management program, partially offset by an increase in foreign currency re-measurement losses on transactions in nonfunctional currencies.

Professional Fees. Expenses related to professional fees increased by $17.8 million or 41.9% to $60.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $42.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to an increase in professional fees related to acquisitions.

Occupancy. Expenses related to occupancy costs increased by $4.3 million or 26.9% to $20.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 as compared to $15.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The increase was primarily due to higher data center and office rent expense associated with our global expansion.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment was $7.7 million of income for the year ended December 31, 2024 compared to $9.5 million of expense for the year ended December 31, 2023, due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition primarily as a result of changes to tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions, which impacted our estimated future tax savings.

Interest Income

Interest income increased by $6.6 million to $74.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $67.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to increases in interest rates and our average invested cash balance period over period.

Interest Expense

Interest expense increased by $2.2 million to $4.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $2.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 primarily due to interest expense incurred on payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

Other Income (Loss), Net

Other loss decreased by $12.0 million to a $1.1 million loss for the year ended December 31, 2024 from a $13.1 million loss for the year ended December 31, 2023. During the year ended December 31, 2024, we recognized a $1.3 million loss due to the impairment of a minority equity investment, which was partially offset by a $0.2 million unrealized gain relating to the increase in fair value of our Canton Coin holdings during the year ended December 31, 2024. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a $11.1 million loss due to the impairment of a minority equity investment and a $1.3 million loss in connection with unwinding the out-of-the-money foreign currency call option entered into in order to partially mitigate the foreign currency exposure on the payment of the purchase price for the Yieldbroker Acquisition. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we also recognized a $0.7 million loss due to a net reduction in the tax indemnification receivables from Refinitiv relating to the settlement of the tax matter for less than the previously estimated amount.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense increased by $56.0 million or 43.6% to $184.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2024 from $128.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. The provision for income taxes includes U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign taxes. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2024 was approximately 24.4%, compared with 23.4% for the year ended December 31, 2023. The effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023 differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to state and local taxes net of the benefit related to the effect of non-controlling interests.

Effects of Inflation

While inflation may impact our revenues and operating expenses, we believe the effects of inflation, if any, on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023. However, there can be no assurance that our results of operations and financial condition will not be materially impacted by inflation in the future. See “— Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance — Economic Environment” above.

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

Liquidity describes the ability of a company to generate sufficient cash flows to meet the cash requirements of its business operations, including working capital needs to meet operating expenses, debt service, acquisitions, other commitments and contractual obligations. We consider liquidity in terms of cash on hand, cash flows from operations and availability under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility and their sufficiency to fund our operating and investing activities.

Historically, we have generated significant cash flows from operations and have funded our business operations through cash on hand and cash flows from operations.

Our primary cash needs are for day to day operations, working capital requirements, clearing margin requirements, capital expenditures primarily for software and equipment, our expected dividend payments and our share repurchase program. In addition, we are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

We expect to fund our short and long-term liquidity requirements through cash and cash equivalents and cash flows from operations. While historically we have generated significant and adequate cash flows from operations, in the case of an unexpected event in the future or otherwise, we may fund our liquidity requirements through borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

We believe that our projected cash position, cash flows from operations and, if necessary, borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility, will be sufficient to fund our liquidity requirements for at least the next 12 months. However, our future liquidity requirements could be higher than we currently expect as a result of various factors. For example, any future investments, acquisitions, joint ventures or other similar transactions, which we consider from time to time, may reduce our cash balance or require additional capital. In addition, our ability to continue to meet our future liquidity requirements will depend on, among other things, our ability to achieve anticipated levels of revenues and cash flows from operations and our ability to manage costs and working capital successfully, all of which are subject to general economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. In the event we require any additional capital, it will take the form of equity or debt financing, or both, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise any such financing on terms acceptable to us or at all.

As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $1.3 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively. All cash and cash equivalents were held in accounts with financial institutions or money market funds such that the funds are immediately available or in fixed term deposits or investments with a maximum maturity of three months. See Part II, Item 7A. – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk – Credit Risk” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Factors Influencing Our Liquidity and Capital Resources

Dividend Policy

Subject to legally available funds, we intend to pay quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock equal to $0.12 per share. As discussed below, our ability to pay these quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock will depend on distributions to us from TWM LLC.

The declaration, amount and payment of any dividends will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our and our subsidiaries’ results of operations, capital requirements, financial condition, business prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable laws and other factors that our board of directors deem relevant. Because we are a holding company and all of our business is conducted through our subsidiaries, we expect to pay dividends, if any, only from funds we receive from our subsidiaries. Accordingly, our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders is dependent on the earnings and distributions of funds from our subsidiaries. As the sole manager of TWM LLC, we intend to cause, and will rely on, TWM LLC to make distributions in respect of LLC Interests to fund our dividends. If TWM LLC is unable to cause these subsidiaries to make distributions, it may have inadequate funds to distribute to us and we may be unable to fund our dividends. In addition, when TWM LLC makes distributions to us, the other holders of LLC Interests will be entitled to receive proportionate distributions based on their economic interests in TWM LLC at the time of such distributions.

Our board of directors will periodically review the cash generated from our business and the capital expenditures required to finance our growth plans and determine whether to modify the amount of regular dividends and/or declare any periodic special dividends. Any future determination to change the amount of dividends and/or declare special dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent upon then-existing conditions and other factors that our board of directors

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considers relevant. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Organizational Structure and Governance — Our principal asset is our equity interest in TWM LLC, and, accordingly, we depend on distributions from TWM LLC to pay our taxes and expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement” and “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Ownership of our Class A Common Stock — We intend to continue to pay regular dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock, but our ability to do so may be limited.”

Cash Dividends

On February 6, 2025, the board of directors of Tradeweb Markets Inc. declared a cash dividend of $0.12 per share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock for the first quarter of 2025. This dividend will be payable on March 17, 2025 to stockholders of record as of March 3, 2025. The February 2025 dividend declaration of $0.12 represents a 20.0% per share increase from our 2024 quarterly dividend of $0.10. During 2024, Tradeweb Markets Inc. paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.10 per share to holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock in an aggregate amount totaling $85.2 million.

Cash Distributions

On February 6, 2025, Tradeweb Markets Inc., as the sole manager, approved a distribution by TWM LLC to its equityholders, including Tradeweb Markets Inc., in an aggregate amount of $75.8 million, as adjusted by required state and local tax withholdings that will be determined prior to the record date of March 3, 2025, payable on March 13, 2025.

During 2024, TWM LLC made quarterly cash distributions to its equityholders in an aggregate amount of $283.9 million, including distributions to Tradeweb Markets Inc. of $256.2 million and distributions to non-controlling interests of $27.8 million. The proceeds of the cash distributions were used by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to fund dividend payments, taxes and expenses.

Share Repurchase Program

On December 5, 2022, the board of directors authorized the 2022 Share Repurchase Program, after completing in October 2022, the $150.0 million of total repurchases of the Company’s Class A common stock authorized under its previous program. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program was authorized to continue to offset annual dilution from stock-based compensation plans, as well as to opportunistically repurchase our Class A common stock. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program authorizes the purchase of up to $300.0 million of our Class A common stock at the Company’s discretion and has no termination date. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program can be effected through regular open-market purchases (which may include repurchase plans designed to comply with Rule 10b-18 or Rule 10b5-1), through privately negotiated transactions or through accelerated share repurchases, each in accordance with applicable securities laws and other restrictions. The amounts, timing and manner of the repurchases will be subject to general market conditions, the prevailing price and trading volumes of our Class A common stock and other factors. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program does not require the Company to acquire a specific number of shares and may be suspended, amended or discontinued at any time. During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company acquired a total of 478,915 shares of Class A common stock, at an average price of $125.07, for purchases totaling $59.9 million, pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program. As of December 31, 2024, a total of $179.9 million remained available for repurchase pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program.

Other Share Repurchases

In addition to the share repurchase programs discussed above, we may also withhold shares to cover the payroll tax withholding obligations upon the exercise of stock options and vesting of PRSUs, RSUs and performance-based restricted stock units that vest based on market conditions (“PSUs”).

During the year ended December 31, 2024, the Company withheld 485,745 shares of common stock from employee stock option, PRSU and RSU awards, at an average price per share of $98.72 and an aggregate value of $48.0 million based on the price of the Class A common stock on the date the relevant withholding occurred.

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Tax Receivable Agreement

We are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. See Note 10 – Tax Receivable Agreement to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details regarding the requirements for these payments. Although the actual timing and amount of any payments that may be made under the Tax Receivable Agreement will vary, we expect the payments required will be significant. Any payments made by us under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally reduce the amount of overall cash flows that might have otherwise been available to us or to TWM LLC. These payments will offset some of the tax benefits that we expect to realize as a result of the ownership structure of TWM LLC. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement for any reason, the unpaid amounts generally will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid by us. The first payment of the Tax Receivable Agreement was made in January 2021. As of December 31, 2024, total amounts due to Continuing LLC Owners under the Tax Receivable Agreement were $372.8 million, substantially all due to be paid over 15 years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests.

Liabilities under the Tax Receivable Agreement include amounts to be paid to Continuing LLC Owners, assuming we will have sufficient taxable income over the term of the Tax Receivable Agreement to utilize the related tax benefits. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. The Company is subject to CAMT, which has impacted the estimated period in which the payments will be made, as reflected in the payment schedule below. As of December 31, 2024, we had the following obligations expected to be paid pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement. We may choose, at our discretion, to make estimated payments ahead of contractual due dates in an effort to reduce interest expense payable on the current liability and as a result, timing of actual payments may differ from the schedule below.

Payments due by period
TotalLess than 1 year1 to 3 years3 to 5 yearsMore than 5 years
(dollars in thousands)
Tax receivable agreement liability$372,839$3,981$99,245$94,596$175,017

In addition to these amounts above, our tax receivable agreement liability and future payments thereunder are expected to increase as we realize (or are deemed to realize) an increase in tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from any future purchases, redemptions or exchanges of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. We currently expect to fund these future tax receivable agreement liability payments from some of the realized cash tax savings as a result of this increase in tax basis.

Indebtedness

As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, we had no outstanding indebtedness.

On November 21, 2023, TWM LLC entered into the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility with a syndicate of banks, which replaced its secured credit facility entered into on April 8, 2019. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility provides borrowing capacity to be used to fund ongoing working capital needs, letters of credit and for general corporate purposes, including potential future acquisitions and expansions.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility permits borrowings of up to $500.0 million by TWM LLC. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, we will be able to increase the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility by $250.0 million with the consent of the lenders participating in the increase. Borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility may be, at the option of the Company, in US Dollars, Euros or Sterling. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility also provides for the issuance of up to $5.0 million of letters of credit as well as borrowings on same-day notice, referred to as swingline loans, in an amount of up to $50.0 million. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility will mature on November 21, 2028.

As of December 31, 2024, there were $0.5 million in letters of credit issued under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility and no borrowings outstanding. As of December 31, 2024, we had availability of $499.5 million.

Borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a rate equal to, at the Company’s option, either (a) a base rate equal to the greatest of (i) the administrative agent’s prime rate, (ii) the federal funds effective rate plus ½ of 1.00% and (iii) one month Term SOFR plus 1.00% plus a credit adjustment spread of 0.10%, in each case plus a margin based on the Company’s consolidated net leverage ratio ranging from 0.25% to 0.75%, or (b) a rate equal to (i) in the case of borrowings in US Dollars, Term SOFR plus a credit adjustment spread of 0.10%, subject to a 0.00% floor, (ii) in the case of borrowings in Sterling, SONIA subject to a 0.00% floor, and (iii) in the case of borrowings in Euros, EURIBOR, subject to a 0.00% floor, in each case plus a

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margin based on the Company’s consolidated net leverage ratio ranging from 1.25% to 1.75%. The agreement that governs the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility also includes a commitment fee of 0.25% for available but unborrowed amounts. We are also required to pay customary letter of credit fees and agency fees.

We have the option to voluntarily repay outstanding loans at any time without premium or penalty other than customary “breakage” costs with respect to Term SOFR, SONIA and EURIBOR loans. There will be no scheduled amortization under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility. The principal amount outstanding will be due and payable in full at maturity.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility is unsecured and as of December 31, 2024, obligations under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility are not guaranteed by any of the Company’s subsidiaries.

The credit agreement that governs the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, restrict the ability of (i) TWM LLC to merge or consolidate with other entities, (ii) the subsidiaries of TWM LLC to incur or guarantee indebtedness and (iii) TWM LLC and its subsidiaries to create or incur liens.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility contains a financial covenant requiring compliance with a (i) maximum total net leverage ratio tested as of the last day of each fiscal quarter not to exceed 3.5 to 1.0 (increasing to 4.0 to 1.0 for the four-quarter period following a material acquisition and the fiscal quarter in which such material acquisition is consummated) and (ii) minimum cash interest coverage ratio tested as of the last day of each fiscal quarter not less than 3.0 to 1.0.

The credit agreement that governs the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility also contains certain affirmative covenants and events of default customary for facilities of this type, including relating to a change of control. If an event of default occurs, the lenders under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility will be entitled to take various actions, including the acceleration of amounts due under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

As of December 31, 2024, we were in compliance with all the covenants set forth in the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

Operating Lease Obligations

We currently have operating leases for corporate offices and data centers with initial lease terms ranging from one to 10 years. Our operating lease obligations are primarily related to rental payments under lease agreements for office space in the United States and the United Kingdom through March 2030. In addition, in June 2024, we signed a lease for our new headquarters in New York City that is expected to commence in mid-2025 and has an expected initial lease term of approximately 16 years. In August 2024, the existing lease for our current New York City headquarters was extended through September 2025.

As of December 31, 2024, our operating lease liabilities totaled $35.7 million, with payments pursuant to these obligations due within the next 12 months and thereafter totaling $13.4 million and $25.7 million, respectively. In addition, we are obligated on long-term future minimum lease payments of $159.2 million for a lease signed but not yet commenced as of December 31, 2024.

Capital Expenditures

Our business also requires continued investment in our technology for product innovation, proprietary technology architecture, operational reliability and cybersecurity. Excluding cash paid at closing for acquisitions, we expect total cash paid for capital expenditures and software development costs for fiscal year 2025 to be between $99 million and $109 million, compared to expenditures of $88.9 million and $61.8 million in fiscal years 2024 and 2023, respectively, with the midpoint of our 2025 capital expenditure guidance up 17% versus fiscal year 2024 primarily due to anticipated capitalized spend associated with our global headquarters relocation. Excluding the 2024 and 2025 one-time spend, the mid-point growth is projected to be approximately 3% higher year over year.

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Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements

Certain of our U.S. subsidiaries are registered as broker-dealers, SEFs or introducing brokers and are subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and CFTC. These rules contain minimum net capital or other financial resource requirements, as defined in the applicable regulations. These rules may also require a significant part of the registrants’ assets be kept in relatively liquid form. Certain of our foreign subsidiaries are regulated by the FCA in the UK, the Nederlandsche Bank in the Netherlands, the Japanese Financial Services Agency, the Japanese Securities Dealers Association and other foreign regulators, and must maintain financial resources, as defined in the applicable regulations, in excess of the applicable financial resources requirement. As of December 31, 2024 and 2023, each of our regulated subsidiaries had maintained sufficient net capital or financial resources to at least satisfy their minimum requirements, which in aggregate were $83.0 million and $76.7 million, respectively. We maintain capital balances in these subsidiaries in excess of our minimum requirements in order to satisfy working capital needs and to ensure that we have enough cash on hand to satisfy margin requirements and credit risk, including the excess capital expectations of our clients. The Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (“FICC”) and some of our clearing brokers require us to post collateral on unsettled positions, included within deposits with clearing organizations in our consolidated statements of financial condition. Collateral amounts are marked to market on a daily basis, requiring us to pay or receive margin amounts as part of the daily funds settlement. Margin call requirements can vary significantly across periods based on daily market changes and may represent a significant and unpredictable use of our liquidity.

At times, transactions executed on our wholesale platform fail to settle due to the inability of a transaction party to deliver or receive the transacted security. Until the failed transaction settles, we will recognize a receivable from (and a matching payable to) brokers and dealers and clearing organizations for the proceeds from the unsettled transaction. The impact on our liquidity and capital resources is minimal as receivables and payables for failed transactions are usually recognized simultaneously and predominantly offset. However, from time to time, we enter into repurchase and/or reverse repurchase agreements to facilitate the clearance of securities relating to fails to deliver or receive. We seek to manage credit exposure related to these agreements to repurchase (or reverse repurchase), including the risk related to a decline in market value of collateral (pledged or received), by entering into agreements to repurchase with overnight or short-term maturity dates and only entering into repurchase transactions with netting members of the FICC. The FICC operates a continuous net settlement system, whereby as trades are submitted and compared, the FICC becomes the counterparty.

Prior to November 2023, we had used ICBC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited, to clear U.S. Treasury trades executed by non-FICC members on our wholesale trading platform. Under that arrangement, ICBC submitted our trades from non-FICC members to the FICC under the ICBC netting account with the FICC. Following the November 2023 ransomware attack on some ICBC operating systems, including those used to clear U.S. Treasury and repurchase agreement financings, we have and may continue to self-clear these U.S. Treasury trades. As a result, this increased the number of trades that settle over the fed wire, instead of FICC clearing, and accordingly we have experienced and may continue to experience, an increase in the number of U.S. Treasury failed settlement transactions. As of December 31, 2024, we recorded a $67.8 million receivable and payable from/to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations related to failed settlement transactions. All of the failed settlement transactions outstanding as of December 31, 2024 were fully settled during January 2025. See below for further details regarding the changes to working capital as a result of these failed settlement transactions.

Working Capital

Working capital is defined as current assets minus current liabilities. Current assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, deposits with clearing organizations, accounts receivable and receivable and due from affiliates. Current liabilities consist of securities sold under agreements to repurchase, payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, accrued compensation, deferred revenue, payable and due to affiliates, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, lease liabilities and tax receivable agreement liability. Changes in working capital, which impact our cash flows provided by operating activities, can vary depending on factors such as delays in the collection of receivables, changes in our operating performance, changes in trading patterns, changes in client billing terms and other changes in the demand for our platforms and solutions.

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Our working capital as of December 31, 2024 and 2023 was as follows:

December 31,
20242023
(dollars in thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents$1,340,302$1,706,468
Restricted cash1,0001,000
Receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations67,805381,178
Deposits with clearing organizations54,70236,806
Accounts receivable222,268168,407
Receivable and due from affiliates8,094192
Total current assets1,694,1712,294,051
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase21,612
Payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations67,816351,864
Accrued compensation222,959164,329
Deferred revenue30,80025,746
Payable and due to affiliates7631,327
Current portion of:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities94,62056,878
Lease liabilities11,96311,347
Tax receivable agreement liability3,98126,804
Total current liabilities432,902659,907
Total working capital$1,261,269$1,634,144

Current Assets

Current assets decreased to $1.7 billion as of December 31, 2024 from $2.3 billion as of December 31, 2023 primarily due to a decrease in cash and cash equivalents as a result of the cash paid for the ICD Acquisition and a decrease in receivables from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations resulting from a decrease in unsettled wholesale platform transactions and a lower value of fails to deliver, all of which settled in January 2025. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in accounts receivable resulting from an increase in revenues and timing of collections. See “—Cash Flows” below for further discussion of the change in cash and cash equivalents.

Current Liabilities

Current liabilities decreased to $432.9 million as of December 31, 2024 from $659.9 million as of December 31, 2023 primarily due to a decrease in payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations resulting from a decrease in unsettled wholesale platform transactions and a lower value of fails to receive, all of which settled in January 2025.

See “—Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements” above for a discussion on how capital requirements can impact our working capital.

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Cash Flows

Our cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
202420232022
(dollars in thousands)
Net cash provided by operating activities$897,741$746,089$632,822
Net cash used in investing activities(969,190)(132,765)(60,096)
Net cash used in financing activities(290,261)(168,174)(276,703)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash(4,456)4,089(10,842)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash$(366,166)$449,239$285,181

Operating Activities

Operating activities consist primarily of net income adjusted for noncash items that primarily include depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense and deferred tax expense. Cash flows from operating activities can fluctuate significantly from period-to-period as working capital needs and the timing of payments for accrued compensation (primarily in the first quarter) and other items impact reported cash flows.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $897.7 million, an increase of $151.7 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2023, primarily driven by an increase in net income and other net changes in working capital, partially offset by an increase in cash paid for income taxes.

Investing Activities

Investing activities consist primarily of software development costs, investments in technology hardware, purchases of equipment and other tangible assets, business acquisitions and investments.

Net cash used in investing activities was $969.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, which consisted of $860.1 million of total net cash paid for the acquisitions of ICD and r8fin (net of cash acquired), $47.9 million of capitalized software development costs, $41.0 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements and $20.2 million of cash paid for investments. Net cash used in investing activities was $132.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, which consisted of $69.7 million of total net cash paid for the Yieldbroker acquisition (net of cash acquired), $43.2 million of capitalized software development costs, $18.5 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements and $1.3 million of cash paid for a foreign currency call option, net of sales proceeds.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2024 was $290.3 million, and was primarily driven by $85.2 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders, $77.0 million in payments made under our Tax Receivable Agreement, $59.1 million in share repurchases pursuant to our 2022 Share Repurchase Program, $41.3 million in payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs, net of proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises and $27.8 million in distributions to non-controlling interest holders. Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $168.2 million, and was primarily driven by $75.9 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders, $36.1 million in payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs, net of proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises, $35.2 million in share repurchases pursuant to our 2022 Share Repurchase Program and $12.4 million in distributions to non-controlling interest holders.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Free Cash Flow

In addition to cash flow from operating activities presented in accordance with GAAP, we use Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP measure, to measure liquidity. Free Cash Flow is defined as cash flow from operating activities less non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

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We present Free Cash Flow because we believe it is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated from our core operations after non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

Free Cash Flow has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider Free Cash Flow in isolation or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or any other liquidity measure determined in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment. In addition, in evaluating Free Cash Flow, you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenditures similar to the adjustments in the presentation of Free Cash Flow. In addition, Free Cash Flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of our cash flow from operating activities to Free Cash Flow for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:

Year Ended
December 31,
202420232022
(dollars in thousands)
Cash flow from operating activities$897,741$746,089$632,822
Less: Capitalization of software development costs(47,909)(43,235)(36,882)
Less: Purchases of furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements(40,960)(18,529)(23,214)
Free Cash Flow$808,872$684,325$572,726

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

In addition to net income, net income margin and net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., each presented in accordance with GAAP, we present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin as non-GAAP measures of our operating performance and Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income per diluted share (“Adjusted Diluted EPS”) as non-GAAP measures of our profitability.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income before interest income, interest expense, provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss.

Adjusted EBIT is defined as net income before interest income, interest expense and provision for income taxes, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss.

Net income margin is defined as net income, divided by revenue for the applicable period. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin are defined as Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBIT, respectively, divided by revenue for the applicable period.

We present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin because we believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. For example, we exclude non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award as defined in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 to management and other employees as well as payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options during the applicable period. The value of all previously issued options was fully expensed as of March 31, 2024, however we will continue to incur payroll tax expense as previously issued options are exercised by the holders. For applicable periods, we also exclude the incremental non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with former and/or departing executive officers. The accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our former CFO, retired CEO

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and former President was fully amortized on January 4, 2022, December 31, 2022 and September 30, 2024, respectively. We also exclude stock-based compensation expense associated with special equity awards granted to help ensure the retention of key employees during the integration of acquisitions. We believe it is useful to exclude these stock-based compensation expenses and, as applicable, associated payroll taxes because the amount of expense may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. In addition, we exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustments discussed below under “— Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Tax Receivable Agreement.” We believe it is useful to exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustment because the recognition of income during a period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions, or other factors that may impact our tax savings, may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. We also believe it is useful to exclude merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs as the incremental direct costs related to completed and potential acquisitions and related integrations are not indicative of our core ongoing operating performance. With respect to Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin, we believe it is useful to exclude the depreciation and amortization of tangible and intangible assets resulting from acquisitions and the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction in order to facilitate a period-over-period comparison of our financial performance.

Management and our board of directors use Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin to assess our financial performance and believe they are helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate and capital investments. Further, our executive incentive compensation is based in part on components of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

Adjusted Net Income is defined as net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock of Tradeweb Markets Inc., adjusted for certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss. Adjusted Net Income also gives effect to certain tax related adjustments to reflect an assumed effective tax rate. Adjusted Diluted EPS is defined as Adjusted Net Income divided by the diluted weighted average number of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding for the applicable period (including the effect of potentially dilutive securities determined using the treasury stock method), plus the weighted average number of other participating securities reflected in earnings per share using the two-class method, plus the assumed full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock.

We use Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS as supplemental metrics to evaluate our business performance in a way that also considers our ability to generate profit without the impact of certain items. We exclude certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs and acquisition and Refinitiv Transaction-related depreciation and amortization for the reasons described above. Each of the normal recurring adjustments and other adjustments described in the definition of Adjusted Net Income helps to provide management with a measure of our operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations or are non-cash expenses. In addition to excluding items that are non-recurring or may not be indicative of our ongoing operating performance, by assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests, we believe that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for Tradeweb Markets Inc. facilitate comparisons with other companies that have different organizational and tax structures, as well as comparisons period over period, because it eliminates the effect of any changes in net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. driven by increases in our ownership of TWM LLC, which are unrelated to our operating performance.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider these non-GAAP financial measures in isolation or as alternatives to net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., net income, net income margin, operating income, gross margin, earnings per share or any other financial measure derived in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment and, as applicable, the reasons we consider it appropriate for supplemental analysis. In addition, in evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS should not be construed as an inference that our future results will

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be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income and net income margin to Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:

Year Ended
December 31,
202420232022
(dollars in thousands)
Net income$569,963$419,503$359,613
Merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs (1)22,8238,0421,069
Interest income(74,037)(67,397)(13,712)
Interest expense4,2792,0471,805
Depreciation and amortization219,999185,350178,879
Stock-based compensation expense (2)6,0962,94720,409
Provision for income taxes184,439128,47777,520
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (3)(6,326)(47)4,409
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (4)(7,730)9,517(13,653)
Other (income) loss, net1,11413,1221,000
Adjusted EBITDA$920,620$701,561$617,339
Less: Depreciation and amortization(219,999)(185,350)(178,879)
Add: D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (5)156,489127,731126,659
Adjusted EBIT$857,110$643,942$565,119
Net income margin33.0%31.3%30.3%
Adjusted EBITDA margin53.3%52.4%51.9%
Adjusted EBIT margin49.7%48.1%47.5%

(1)Represents incremental direct costs associated with the acquisition and integration of completed and potential mergers and acquisitions. These costs generally include legal, consulting, advisory, due diligence, severance and certain other transaction expenses and third party costs incurred that directly relate to the acquisition transaction or its integration.

(2)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with the exercise of such options. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2022, this adjustment also includes $2.7 million and $15.0 million, respectively, of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former President and our retired CEO. During the year ended December 31, 2024, this adjustment also includes $1.0 million of non-cash stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with RSAs and RSUs issued to help retain key ICD employees during the integration of ICD.

(3)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(4)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of, as applicable, changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(5)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from acquisitions and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

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Year Ended
December 31,
20242023Basis Point ChangeConstant Currency Basis Point Change (1)
Adjusted EBITDA margin53.3%52.4%+91 bps+80 bps
Adjusted EBIT margin49.7%48.1%+154 bps+143 bps

(1)The changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin, both on a constant currency basis, are non-GAAP financial measures, and are defined as the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations are calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s results using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis as supplemental metrics to evaluate our underlying margin performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis provide useful comparisons of our Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin and trends between periods.

The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. and net income, as applicable, to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:

Year Ended
December 31,
202420232022
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)
Earnings per diluted share$2.33$1.71$1.48
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$501,507$364,866$309,338
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (1)68,45654,63750,275
Net income569,963419,503359,613
Provision for income taxes184,439128,47777,520
Merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs (2)22,8238,0421,069
D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (3)156,489127,731126,659
Stock-based compensation expense (4)6,0962,94720,409
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (5)(6,326)(47)4,409
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (6)(7,730)9,517(13,653)
Other (income) loss, net1,11413,1221,000
Adjusted Net Income before income taxes926,868709,292577,026
Adjusted income taxes (7)(231,717)(173,777)(126,946)
Adjusted Net Income$695,151$535,515$450,080
Adjusted Diluted EPS (8)$2.92$2.26$1.90

(1)Represents the reallocation of net income attributable to non-controlling interests from the assumed exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock.

(2)Represents incremental direct costs associated with the acquisition and integration of completed and potential mergers and acquisitions. These costs generally include legal, consulting, advisory, due diligence, severance and certain other transaction expenses and third party costs incurred that directly relate to the acquisition transaction or its integration.

(3)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from acquisitions and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

(4)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with the exercise of such options. During the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2022, this adjustment also includes $2.7 million and $15.0 million, respectively, of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former President and our retired CEO. During the year ended December 31, 2024, this adjustment also includes $1.0 million of non-cash stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with RSAs and RSUs issued to help retain key ICD employees during the integration of ICD.

(5)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(6)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of, as applicable, changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(7)Represents corporate income taxes at an assumed effective tax rate of 25.0%, 24.5% and 22.0%, applied to Adjusted Net Income before income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

(8)For a summary of the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS, see “Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding and Adjusted Diluted EPS” below.

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The following table summarizes the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022:

Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding and Adjusted Diluted EPSYear Ended
December 31,
202420232022
Diluted weighted average shares of Class A and Class B common stock outstanding214,924,763212,668,808208,400,040
Weighted average of other participating securities (1)165,565270,249193,441
Assumed exchange of LLC Interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock (2)23,076,37323,902,37928,830,686
Adjusted diluted weighted average shares outstanding238,166,701236,841,436237,424,167
Adjusted Net Income (in thousands)$695,151$535,515$450,080
Adjusted Diluted EPS$2.92$2.26$1.90

(1)Represents the weighted average of unvested stock awards and unsettled vested stock awards issued to certain retired or terminated employees that are entitled to non-forfeitable dividend equivalent rights and are considered participating securities prior to being issued and outstanding shares of common stock in accordance with the two-class method used for purposes of calculating earnings per share. See Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of the two-class method.

(2)Assumes the full exchange of the weighted average of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock, resulting in the elimination of the non-controlling interests and recognition of the net income attributable to non-controlling interests.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP which requires us to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. These estimates and assumptions are based on judgment and the best available information at the time. Management bases its estimates on historical experience, observance of trends in particular areas, information available from outside sources and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Information from these sources form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that may not be readily apparent from other sources. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Management evaluates its accounting policies, estimates and judgments on an on-going basis.

Management evaluated the development and selection of its critical accounting policies and estimates and believes that the following policies are most critical to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, and that require our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments in estimating the effect of inherent uncertainties. Our most critical policies and estimates include business combinations, revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, current and deferred income taxes and the tax receivable agreement liability. With respect to critical accounting policies and estimates, even a relatively minor variance between actual and expected experience can potentially have a materially favorable or unfavorable impact on subsequent results of operations. More information on all of our significant accounting policies can be found in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Business Combinations

Business combinations are accounted for under the purchase method of accounting pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”). The total cost of an acquisition is allocated to the underlying net assets based on their respective estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. The fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed is determined based on assumptions that reasonable market participants would use in the principal (or most advantageous) market for the asset or liability. Determining the fair value of certain assets acquired and liabilities assumed is judgmental in nature and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including assumptions with respect to future cash flows, discount rates, growth rates, customer attrition rates and asset lives.

The most significant accounting estimates associated with both the ICD and r8fin acquisitions, which closed in August 2024 and January 2024, respectively, were the valuations of the acquired definite-lived intangible customer relationship assets (the “Customer Relationships”), which were valued as of the closing date of each respective acquisition, at a combined total of approximately $396.5 million, and the valuation of the developed technology, which were valued, as of the closing date of each respective acquisition, at a combined total of approximately $188.0 million. The majority of the residual total purchase price, which between the two acquisitions totaled $900.2 million, net of cash acquired, was primarily allocated to goodwill, which was measured at a combined total of approximately $334.6 million as of the closing date of each respective acquisition. We utilized

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the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist to determine the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the respective closing date of each acquisition. Management is responsible for these valuations and appraisals.

The valuation of the Customer Relationships and the developed technology primarily included significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), creating a significant level of estimation uncertainty. Customer Relationships were valued using the income approach, specifically a multi-period excess earnings method. The excess earnings method examines the economic returns contributed by the identified tangible and intangible assets of a company, and then examines the excess return that is attributable to the intangible asset being valued. The discount rate used reflects the amount of risk associated with the hypothetical cash flows for the Customer Relationships relative to the overall business. In developing a discount rate for the Customer Relationships, the Company estimated a weighted-average cost of capital for the overall business and employed an intangible asset risk premium to this rate when discounting the excess earnings related to Customer Relationships. The resulting discounted cash flows were then tax-affected at the applicable statutory rate.

The developed technology was valued using the income approach, specifically the relief-from-royalty method (“RFRM”). The RFRM is used to estimate the cost savings that accrue to the owner of an intangible asset who would otherwise have to pay royalties or license fees on revenues earned through the use of the asset. The royalty rate is applied to the projected revenue over the expected remaining life of the intangible asset to estimate royalty savings. The net after-tax royalty savings are calculated for each year in the remaining economic life of the technology and discounted to present value. The discount rate used reflects the amount of risk associated with the hypothetical cash flows for the developed technology relative to the overall business as discussed above relating to the Customer Relationships.

For GAAP purposes, the Customer Relationships will be amortized over a useful life of 15 years for ICD and 13 years for r8fin and the developed technology acquired will be amortized over a useful life of eight years for ICD and seven years for r8fin. Any changes in the discount rate used for valuing the acquired assets or the estimated useful life used for amortization purposes could have a material impact on our consolidated statements of financial condition and consolidated statement of income. Any increases or decreases in the allocation of purchase price to Customer Relationships or the developed technology acquired, which are both amortizable assets, would be offset by a corresponding decrease or increase in goodwill, which is an indefinite-lived asset, not subject to amortization and as a result would impact the asset balances recorded on our consolidated statements of financial condition as well as the amortization expense recorded on our consolidated statements of income over the life of the acquired asset. Any changes in the estimated useful life of the assets would also impact timing of the reduction of the net balance of intangible assets or software development costs, net of accumulated amortization on our consolidated statements of financial condition and the timing of the recognition of amortization expense on our consolidated statements of income.

Revenue Recognition

We enter into contracts with our clients to provide a stand-ready connection to our electronic marketplaces, which facilitates the execution of trades by our clients. The access to our electronic marketplaces, includes market data and continuous pricing data refreshes and the processing and reporting of trades thereon, which are highly interrelated services. The stand-ready connection to our electronic marketplaces is considered a single performance obligation satisfied over time as the client simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit from our performance as access is provided. This performance obligation constitutes a series of services that are substantially the same in nature and are provided over time using the same measure of progress.

For our services, we may earn subscription fees for granting access to our electronic marketplaces. We may also earn transaction fees and/or commissions from transactions executed on our trading platforms, including the basis point commissions earned on the monthly ADB of money market fund investments made through our ICD Portal and commission revenue from electronic and voice brokerage transacted on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. Fixed monthly transaction fees and commissions or monthly transaction fee and commission minimums are generally earned on a monthly basis in the period the stand-ready trading services are provided. Variable transaction fee and commission revenue associated with a particular trade is recognized and recorded on a trade-date basis when the individual trade occurs. Variable commission revenue based upon a clients’ ADB invested in money market funds during a calendar month is recorded monthly. Variable discounts or rebates on transaction fees and commissions are generally earned and applied monthly or quarterly, are resolved within the same reporting period and are recorded as a reduction to revenue in the period the relevant trades occur.

We earn fees from LSEG relating to the sale of market data to LSEG, which distributes that data. Included in these fees are real-time market data fees which are recognized monthly on a straight-line basis as LSEG receives and consumes the benefit evenly, over the contact period, as the data is provided, and fees for historical data sets which are recognized when the historical data set is provided to LSEG.

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We are required to make significant judgments for the LSEG market data fees. Significant judgments used in accounting for this contract include the following determinations:

•The provision of real-time market data feeds and historical data sets are distinct performance obligations.

•The performance obligations under this contract are recognized over time from the initial delivery of the data feeds until the end of the contract term or at a point in time upon delivery of each historical data set.

•The transaction prices for the performance obligations were determined by using an adjusted market assessment analysis. Inputs in this analysis included publicly available price lists for data sets provided by other companies, planned internal pricing strategies and other market data points and adjustments obtained through consultations with market data industry experts regarding estimating a standalone selling price for each performance obligation.

During each of the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022, there were no material changes in the methodology or assumptions used to determine the LSEG market data fees.

Stock-Based Compensation

The stock-based payments received by the employees of the Company are accounted for as equity awards. The Company measures and recognizes the cost of employee services received in exchange for awards of equity instruments based on their estimated fair values measured as of the grant date.

For PSUs, the Company recognizes stock-based compensation based on the estimated grant date fair value of the awards computed with the assistance of a valuation specialist using a Monte Carlo simulation on a binomial model, which represents a significant accounting estimate given the significant level of estimation uncertainty relating to the selection of valuation assumptions required for the valuation. The significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value of the PSUs are years of maturity, annualized volatility and the risk-free interest rate. The maturity period represents the period of time that the award granted was modeled into the future, the risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of measurement corresponding with the maturity period of the award and the expected volatility is based upon historical volatility of the Company’s Class A common stock. On March 15, 2024, we granted 86,592 PSUs with a grant date fair value totaling $12.9 million, which will be amortized into expense on a straight-line basis through December 31, 2026. The significant assumptions used in determining the grant date fair value of the award were a maturity of 2.8 years, annualized volatility of 26.63% and a risk-free interest rate of 4.44%. A change in any of the assumptions used to value these awards could materially affect stock-based compensation expense recorded in the current and future periods. During each of the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, there were no material changes in the methodology or assumptions used to determine the valuation of our annual PSU grants.

For PRSUs, the Company recognizes stock-based compensation based on the fair market value of our Class A common stock at the grant date and an estimate of the number of shares included in expense each period is based on management’s estimate of the probable final performance modifier for those grants, with such estimate updated each period until the performance modifier is finalized. On March 15, 2024, we granted 201,546 PRSUs at a weighted-average grant-date fair value of $104.66. For these awards, the financial performance of the Company will be determined based on the compound annual growth rate over a three-year performance period beginning on January 1 in the year of grant and the performance modifier can vary between 0% (minimum) and 250% (maximum) of the target (100%) award amount. As of December 31, 2024, a 10% decrease in the expected final share payouts would decrease the expense for the year ended December 31, 2024 by $1.5 million.

Income Taxes

Tradeweb Markets Inc. is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its taxable income, including its allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and is taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. TWM LLC records taxes for conducting business in certain state, local and foreign jurisdictions and records U.S. federal taxes for subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes. We currently record deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and measure the deferred taxes using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when such temporary differences are expected to reverse. The measurement of deferred taxes often involves the exercise of significant judgment related to the realization of tax basis. Our deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect our assessment that tax positions taken in filed tax returns and the resulting tax basis are more likely than not to be sustained if they are audited by taxing authorities. Assessing tax rates that we expect to apply and determining the years when the temporary differences are expected to affect taxable income requires judgment about the future apportionment of our income

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among the jurisdictions in which we operate. Any changes in our practices or judgments involved in the measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations.

In connection with recording deferred tax assets and liabilities, we record valuation allowances when we believe that it is more likely than not that the Company will not be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future. We evaluate our deferred tax assets quarterly to determine whether adjustments to our valuation allowance are appropriate in light of changes in facts or circumstances, such as changes in tax law, interactions with taxing authorities and developments in case law. In making this evaluation, we rely on our recent history of pre-tax earnings, our forecasts of future earnings and the nature and timing of future deductions and benefits represented by the deferred tax assets, all of which involve the exercise of significant judgment. As of December 31, 2024, we have a $1.7 million valuation allowance on gross deferred tax assets totaling $644.9 million. As of December 31, 2023, we had no valuation allowance on gross deferred tax assets totaling $687.4 million. If forecasts of future earnings and the nature and estimated timing of future deductions and benefits change in the future, we may determine that existing valuation allowances must be revised or new valuation allowances created, any of which could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations. See Note 9 – Income Taxes to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the provision for income taxes in our consolidated statements of income. Accrued interest and penalties are included within accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities in our consolidated statements of financial condition. A U.S. shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) is required to include in income, as a deemed dividend, the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) of the CFC. We have elected to treat taxes due on future U.S. inclusions in taxable income of GILTI as a current period expense when incurred.

Tax Receivable Agreement

Tradeweb Markets Inc. entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners which provides for the payment by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to a Continuing LLC Owner of 50% of the amount of U.S. federal, state and local income or franchise tax savings, if any, that Tradeweb Markets Inc. actually realizes (or in some circumstances is deemed to realize) as a result of (i) increases in the tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from (a) the purchase of LLC Interests from such Continuing LLC Owner, including with the net proceeds from the IPO, the October 2019 and April 2020 follow-on offerings and any future offering or (b) redemptions or exchanges by such Continuing LLC Owner of LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock or for cash, as applicable, and (ii) certain other tax benefits related to Tradeweb Markets Inc. making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Substantially all payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement are payable over the 15 years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests. The timing of the payments over the 15 year period is dependent upon our annual taxable income over the same period. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. This requires significant judgment relating to projecting future earnings, the geographic mix of those earnings and the timing of deferred taxes becoming current.

The impact of any changes in the total projected obligations recorded under the Tax Receivable Agreement as a result of actual changes in the geographic mix of our earnings, changes in tax legislation and tax rates or other factors that may impact our actual tax savings realized will be reflected in income before taxes in the period in which the change occurs.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.

FY 2023 10-K MD&A

SEC filing source: 0001758730-24-000025.

Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary. Published MD&A gate trimmed front/tail over-capture. Confidence: high. Filing date: 2024-02-09. Report date: 2023-12-31.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the sections titled “Introductory Note”, “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and other information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to those differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following discussion includes a comparison of our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and capital resources for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. A comparison of our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and capital resources from the years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 may be found in Part II, Item 7. – “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.

Overview

We are a leader in building and operating electronic marketplaces for our global network of clients across the financial ecosystem. Our network is comprised of clients across the institutional, wholesale and retail client sectors, including many of the largest global asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, central banks, banks and dealers, proprietary trading firms and retail brokerage and financial advisory firms, as well as regional dealers. Our marketplaces facilitate trading across a range of asset classes, including rates, credit, equities and money markets. We are a global company serving clients in over 70 countries with offices in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East. We believe our proprietary technology and culture of collaborative innovation allow us to adapt our offerings to enter new markets, create new platforms and solutions and adjust to regulations quickly and efficiently. We support our clients by providing solutions across the trade lifecycle, including pre-trade, execution, post-trade and data.

Our institutional client sector serves institutional investors in over 70 countries around the globe and across over 25 currencies. We connect institutional investors with pools of liquidity using our flexible order and trading systems. Our clients trust the integrity of our markets and recognize the value they get by trading electronically: enhanced transparency, competitive pricing, efficient trade execution and regulatory compliance.

In our wholesale client sector, we provide a broad range of electronic, voice and hybrid platforms to more than 300 dealers and financial institutions with more than 190 actively trading on our electronic or hybrid markets with our Dealerweb platform. This platform was launched in 2008 following the acquisition of inter-dealer broker Hilliard Farber & Co., Inc. In 2011, we acquired the brokerage assets of Rafferty Capital Markets and in June 2021, we acquired Nasdaq’s U.S. fixed income electronic trading platform (formerly known as eSpeed) (the “NFI Acquisition”). Today, Dealerweb actively competes across a range of rates, credit, money markets, derivatives and equity markets.

In our retail client sector, we provide advanced trading solutions for financial advisory firms and traders with our Tradeweb Direct platform. We entered the retail sector in 2006 and launched our Tradeweb Direct platform following the 2013 acquisition of BondDesk Group LLC, which was built to bring innovation and efficiency to the wealth management community. Tradeweb Direct has provided financial advisory firms access to live offerings, accurate pricing in the marketplace and fast execution.

Our markets are large and growing. Electronic trading continues to increase across the markets in which we operate as a result of market demand for greater transparency, higher execution quality, operational efficiency and lower costs, as well as regulatory changes. We believe our deep client relationships, asset class breadth, geographic reach, regulatory knowledge and scalable technology position us to continue to be at the forefront of the evolution of electronic trading. Our platforms provide transparent, efficient, cost-effective and compliant trading solutions across multiple products, regions and regulatory regimes. As market participants seek to trade across multiple asset classes, reduce their costs of trading and increase the effectiveness of their trading, including through the use of data and analytics, we believe the demand for our platforms and electronic trading solutions will continue to grow.

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Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance

Acquisitions

Yieldbroker

On August 31, 2023, we completed the acquisition of all of the outstanding equity interests of Tradeweb Australia Pty Ltd (formerly Yieldbroker Pty Limited). The all-cash purchase price of A$123.6 million ($80.1 million U.S. dollars as translated as of August 31, 2023) was net of cash acquired and prior to working capital and other closing adjustments.

Yieldbroker is a Tier 1 Australian Markets Licensee in Australia, regulated by ASIC, that maintains a branch in Singapore that is regulated by the MAS as a Regulated Market Operator. Yieldbroker operates a leading Australian trading platform for Australian and New Zealand government bonds and interest rate derivatives covering the institutional and wholesale client sectors. This acquisition combines Australia and New Zealand’s highly attractive, fast-growing markets with Tradeweb’s international reach and scale. The Yieldbroker acquisition is not material to our consolidated financial statements and did not have a significant impact to our results of operations for the year ended December 31, 2023. See Note 4 – Acquisitions to the consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details.

r8fin

On November 16, 2023, we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire r8fin in exchange for total consideration of $125 million, consisting of $90 million in cash and $35 million in shares of Class A common stock of the Corporation, subject to working capital and other adjustments. r8fin provides a suite of algorithmic-based tools as well as a thin-client execution management system (EMS) trading application to facilitate futures and cash trades. The solutions complement Tradeweb’s existing Dealerweb Active Streams, Dealerweb Central Limit Order Book (CLOB), Tradeweb Request-for-Quote (RFQ) and Tradeweb AiEX (Automated Intelligent Execution) offerings, creating a valuable and broad-based approach to trading U.S. Treasuries and related futures trading. The acquisition closed on January 19, 2024, following the satisfaction of closing conditions and regulatory reviews. The r8fin acquisition is not expected to be material to our 2024 consolidated financial statements.

2023 LSEG Market Data Agreement

In October 2023, we signed an amended and restated two-year market data license agreement with an affiliate of LSEG (formerly referred to as Refinitiv), pursuant to which LSEG will continue to distribute certain of our data directly to LSEG customers through its flagship financial platforms, LSEG Workspace, Datascope, LSEG Pricing Service and Tick History. The 2023 agreement, which was effective on November 1, 2023, replaced an existing agreement that was initiated in 2010 and most recently renewed in 2018, and provides us with increased revenue and flexibility in growing our market data offering. We will seek to further monetize our data over time both through potential expansion of our existing market data license agreement with LSEG and through distributing additional datasets, derived data and analytics offerings through our own network or through other third-party networks. Our current revenue guidance related to the 2023 LSEG market data agreement is forecasting approximately $80 million and $90 million for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Economic Environment

Our business is impacted by the overall market activity and, in particular, trading volumes and market volatility. Lower volatility may result in lower trading volume for our clients and may negatively impact our operating performance and financial condition. Factors that may impact market activity in 2024 include, among other things, evolving monetary policies of central banks, economic, political and social conditions, legislative, regulatory or government policy changes, and concerns with respect to the banking industry, including as a result of any bank failures.

Because the majority of our financial assets are short-term in nature, they are not significantly affected by inflation. However, the rate of inflation may affect our expenses, such as employee compensation and benefits, technology and communication expenses and occupancy costs, which may not be readily recoverable in the prices of our services. We believe any effects of inflation on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during any of the periods presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. To the extent inflation, along with other factors, continue to result in rising interest rates and have other adverse effects on the securities markets and the overall economy, they may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

While our business is impacted by the overall activity of the market and market volatility, our revenues consist of a mix of fixed and variable fees that partially mitigates this impact. More importantly, we are actively engaged in the further electronification of trading activities, which will help mitigate this impact as we believe secular growth trends can partially offset market volatility risk.

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Regulatory Environment

Our business is subject to extensive regulations in the United States and internationally, which may expose us to significant regulatory risk and cause additional legal costs to ensure compliance. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Regulation.” The existing legal framework that governs the financial markets is periodically reviewed and amended, resulting in enforcement of new laws and regulations that apply to our business. The current regulatory environment in the United States and abroad may be subject to future legislative and regulatory changes driven by U.S. and global issues and priorities. The impact of any changes in the legal or regulatory landscape on us and our operations remains uncertain. Compliance with regulations may require us to dedicate additional financial and operational resources, which may adversely affect our profitability. In addition, compliance with regulations may require our clients to dedicate significant financial and operational resources, which may negatively affect their ability to pay our fees and use our platforms and, as a result, our profitability. However, under certain circumstances regulation may increase demand for our platforms and solutions, and we believe we are well positioned to benefit from any potential increased electronification due to regulatory changes as market participants seek platforms that meet regulatory requirements and solutions that help them comply with their regulatory obligations.

Competitive Environment

We and our competitors compete to introduce innovations in market structure and new electronic trading capabilities. While we endeavor to be a leader in innovation, new trading capabilities of our competitors are also adopted by market participants. On the one hand, this increases liquidity and electronification for all participants, but it also puts pressure on us to further invest in our technology and to innovate to ensure the continued growth of our network of clients and continued improvement of liquidity, electronic processing and pricing on our platforms. Our ability to compete is influenced by key factors such as (i) developments in trading platforms and solutions, (ii) the liquidity we provide on transactions, (iii) the transaction costs we incur in providing our solutions, (iv) the efficiency in execution of transactions on our platforms, (v) our ability to hire and retain talent and (vi) our ability to maintain the security of our platforms and solutions. Our competitive position is also influenced by the familiarity and integration of our clients with our electronic, voice and hybrid systems. When either a client wants to trade in a new product or we want to introduce a new product, trading protocol or other solution, we believe we benefit from our clients’ familiarity with our offerings as well as our integration into their order management systems and back offices. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Competition” for more detail on our competitors.

Technology and Cybersecurity Environment

Our business and its success are largely impacted by the introduction of increasingly complex and sophisticated technology systems and infrastructures and new business models. Offering specialized trading venues and solutions through the development of new and enhanced platforms is essential to maintaining our level of competitiveness in the market and attracting new clients seeking platforms that provide advanced automation and better liquidity. We believe we will continue to increase demand for our platforms and solutions and the volume of transactions on our platforms, and thereby enhance our client relationships, by responding to new trading and information requirements through utilizing technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices in an effective and efficient way. We plan to continue to focus on and invest in technology infrastructure initiatives and continually improve and expand our platforms and solutions to further enhance our market position. We experience cyber-threats and attempted security breaches. If these were successful, these cybersecurity incidents could impact revenue and operating income and increase costs. We therefore continue to make investments to strengthen our cybersecurity infrastructure, which may result in increased costs. See Part I, Item 1C. – “Cybersecurity – Governance” for further detail regarding our cybersecurity risk management, strategy and governance structure.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Environment

We earn revenues, pay expenses, hold assets and incur liabilities in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates can affect our results of operations from period to period. In particular, fluctuations in exchange rates for non-U.S. dollar currencies may reduce the U.S. dollar value of revenues, earnings and cash flows we receive from non-U.S. markets, increase our operating expenses (as measured in U.S. dollars) in those markets, negatively impact our competitiveness in those markets or otherwise adversely impact our results of operations or financial condition. Future fluctuations of foreign currency exchange rates and their impact on our results of operations and financial condition are inherently uncertain. As we continue to grow the size of our global operations, these fluctuations may be material. See Part II, Item 7A. – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk – Foreign Currency and Derivative Risk” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the change in revenue and operating income caused by fluctuations in foreign currency rates and realized and unrealized gains/losses from foreign currency during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021.

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Taxation

In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, we became the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result, beginning with the second quarter of 2019, we became subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. Our actual effective tax rate is impacted by our ownership share of TWM LLC, which has increased over time primarily due to Continuing LLC Owners redeeming or exchanging their LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as applicable, and our purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. Furthermore, in connection with the IPO, we entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement pursuant to which we began to make payments in January 2021, and we expect future payments to be significant. We intend to continue to cause TWM LLC to make distributions in an amount sufficient to allow us to pay our tax obligations, operating expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, and our quarterly cash dividends, as and when declared by our board of directors.

On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) into law. The IRA establishes a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax (“CAMT”) effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, and imposes a 1% excise tax on the repurchase after December 31, 2022 of stock by publicly traded U.S. corporations. The 1% excise tax did not have an impact to our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company will be subject to the 15% CAMT, which is expected to change the estimated period in which the tax receivable agreement liability payments will be made. However, it is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s effective tax rate. The adoption of the IRA will also not have an impact to our non-GAAP adjusted effective tax rate used for purposes of calculating our non-GAAP measure of Adjusted Net Income.

On October 8, 2021, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development announced an accord endorsing and providing an implementation plan focused on global profit allocation, and implementing a global minimum tax rate of at least 15% for large multinational corporations on a jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction basis, known as the “Two Pillar Plan.” On December 15, 2022, the European Council formally adopted a European Union directive on the implementation of the plan by January 1, 2024. The Company may be subject to the provisions of the Two Pillar Plan, and related tax impacts per local country adoption, as it is a consolidating subsidiary of LSEG. The Company does not expect to have material impact of the Two Pillar Plan, but will continue to monitor legislative development.

Components of our Results of Operations

Revenues

Our revenue is derived primarily from transaction fees, commissions, subscription fees and market data fees.

Transaction Fees and Commissions

We earn transaction fees from transactions executed on our trading platforms through various fee plans. Transaction fees are generated on both a variable and fixed price basis and vary by geographic region, product type and trade size. For most of our products, clients pay both fixed minimum monthly transaction fees and variable transaction fees on a per transaction basis in excess of the monthly minimum. For certain of our products, clients also pay a subscription fee in addition to the minimum monthly transaction fee. For other products, instead of a minimum monthly transaction fee, clients pay a subscription fee and a fixed transaction fee or variable transaction fees on a per transaction basis. For variable transaction fees, we charge clients fees based on the mix of products traded and the volume of transactions executed.

Transaction volume is determined by using either a measure of the notional volume of the products traded or a count of the number of trades. We typically charge higher fees for products that are less actively traded. In addition, because transaction fees are sometimes subject to fee plans with tiered pricing based on product mix, volume, monthly minimums and monthly maximum fee caps, average transaction fees per million generated for a client may vary each month depending on the mix of products and volume traded. Furthermore, because transaction fees vary by geographic region, product type and trade size, our revenues may not correlate with volume growth.

We earn commission revenue from our electronic and voice brokerage services on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. For TBA-MBS, U.S. Treasury and repurchase agreement transactions executed by our wholesale clients, we also generate revenue from fixed commissions that are generally invoiced monthly.

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Subscription Fees

We earn subscription fees primarily for granting clients access to our markets for trading and market data. For a limited number of products, we only charge subscription fees and no transaction fees or commissions. Subscription fees are generally generated on a fixed price basis.

For purposes of our discussion of our results of operations, we include LSEG market data fees in subscription fees. We earn fixed license fees from our market data license agreement with LSEG. We also earn a revenue share for certain data services which are provided to LSEG and then sold by LSEG to its customers. Our revenue share revenues may fluctuate from period to period depending on the revenue achieved by LSEG during the applicable fee earning period.

Operating Expenses

Employee Compensation and Benefits

Employee compensation and benefits expense consists of wages, employee benefits, bonuses, commissions, stock-based compensation cost and related taxes. Factors that influence employee compensation and benefits expense include revenue and earnings growth, hiring new employees and trading activity which generates broker commissions. We expect employee compensation and benefits expense to increase as we hire additional employees to support revenue and earnings growth. As a result, employee compensation and benefits can vary from period to period.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense consists of costs relating to the depreciation and amortization of acquired and internally developed software, other intangible assets, leasehold improvements, furniture and equipment.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expense consists of travel and entertainment, marketing, value-added taxes, state use taxes, foreign currency transaction gains and losses, gains and losses on foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into for foreign exchange risk management purposes relating to operating activities, charitable contributions, other administrative expenses and credit loss expense. We expect general and administrative expense to increase as we expand the number of our employees and product offerings and grow our operations.

Technology and Communications

Technology and communications expense consists of costs relating to software and hardware maintenance, our internal network connections, data center costs, clearance and other trading platform related transaction costs and data feeds provided by third-party service providers, including LSEG. Factors that influence technology and communications expense include trading volumes and our investments in innovation, data strategy and cybersecurity.

Professional Fees

Professional fees consist primarily of accounting, tax and legal fees and fees paid to technology and software consultants to maintain our trading platforms and infrastructure, as well as costs related to business acquisition transactions.

Occupancy

Occupancy expense consists of operating lease rent and related costs for office space and data centers leased in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment reflects changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our estimated future tax savings.

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Net Interest Income (Expense)

Interest income consists of interest earned from our cash deposited with large commercial banks and money market funds. Interest expense consists of commitment fees payable on, and, if applicable, interest payable on any borrowings outstanding under our credit facility.

Other Income (Loss), Net

Other income (loss), net consists of any income or loss earned from investments, any mark-to-market adjustments or impairments recorded on investments, unrealized and realized gain/loss on foreign exchange derivative contracts entered into for foreign exchange risk management purposes relating to investing activities and any other non-operating items.

Income Taxes

We are subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our taxable income, including our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. Income taxes also include unincorporated business taxes on income earned or losses incurred for conducting business in certain state and local jurisdictions, income taxes on income earned or losses incurred in foreign jurisdictions on certain operations and federal and state income taxes on income earned or losses incurred, both current and deferred, on subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes.

Net Income Attributable to Non-Controlling Interests

We are the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result of this control, and because we have a substantial financial interest in TWM LLC, we consolidate the financial results of TWM LLC and report a non-controlling interest in our consolidated financial statements, representing the economic interests of TWM LLC held by Continuing LLC Owners. Income or loss is attributed to the non-controlling interests based on the relative ownership percentages of LLC Interests held during the period by us and any Continuing LLC Owners.

In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, the TWM LLC Agreement was amended and restated to, among other things, (i) provide for LLC Interests and (ii) exchange all of the then existing membership interests in TWM LLC for LLC Interests. LLC Interests held by Continuing LLC Owners are redeemable in accordance with the TWM LLC Agreement, at the election of such holders, for newly issued shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as the case may be, on a one-for-one basis. In the event of such election by a Continuing LLC Owner, we may, at our option, effect a direct exchange of Class A common stock or Class B common stock for such LLC Interests of such Continuing LLC Owner in lieu of such redemption. In connection with any redemption or exchange, we will receive a corresponding number of LLC Interests, increasing our total ownership interest in TWM LLC. Following the completion of the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO, we owned 64.3% of TWM LLC and Continuing LLC Owners owned the remaining 35.7% of TWM LLC. As of December 31, 2023, we owned 90.2% of TWM LLC and Continuing LLC Owners owned the remaining 9.8% of TWM LLC.

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Results of Operations

For the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022

The following table sets forth a summary of our statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:

Year Ended
December 31,
20232022$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Total revenue$1,338,219$1,188,781$149,43812.6%
Total expenses832,950776,20856,7427.3%
Operating income505,269412,57392,69622.5%
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment(9,517)13,653(23,170)(169.7)%
Net interest income (expense)65,35011,90753,443448.8%
Other income (loss), net(13,122)(1,000)(12,122)N/M
Income before taxes547,980437,133110,84725.4%
Provision for income taxes(128,477)(77,520)(50,957)65.7%
Net income419,503359,61359,89016.7%
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests54,63750,2754,3628.7%
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$364,866$309,338$55,52818.0%

N/M = not meaningful

Revenues

Our revenues for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20232022
$% of Total Revenue$% of Total Revenue$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Transaction fees and commissions$1,078,34480.6%$950,26979.9%$128,07513.5%
Subscription fees (1)248,30818.6228,64319.219,6658.6%
Other11,5670.99,8690.81,69817.2%
Total revenue$1,338,219100.0%$1,188,781100.0%$149,43812.6%
Components of total revenue growth:
Constant currency change (2)12.2%
Foreign currency impact0.4%
Total revenue growth12.6%

(1)Subscription fees for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 include $64.3 million and $62.7 million, respectively, of LSEG market data fees (formerly referred to as Refinitiv market data fees).

(2)Constant currency revenue change, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined as total revenue change excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Total revenue excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations is calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s total revenue using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use constant currency change as a supplemental metric to evaluate our underlying total revenue performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing constant currency change provides a useful comparison of our total revenue performance and trends between periods.

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Our diversified offering across products, client sectors and geographies supported sustained growth amidst a complex macroeconomic backdrop, including historic interest rate moves, geopolitical uncertainty and sustained broader market rate volatility. The primary driver of the $149.4 million increase in revenue was related to a $128.1 million increase in transaction fees and commissions to $1.1 billion for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $950.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily due to higher revenues for rates derivatives products, U.S. and European corporate bonds, U.S. and European government bonds and certificates of deposit.

Our total revenue by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20232022$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$695,434$605,406$90,02814.9%
Credit367,394331,80335,59110.7%
Equities95,29593,4741,8211.9%
Money Markets63,01049,95813,05226.1%
Market Data94,07485,9138,1619.5%
Other23,01222,2277853.5%
Total revenue$1,338,219$1,188,781$149,43812.6%

Our variable and fixed revenues by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20232022$ Change% Change
VariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixed
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$462,132$233,302$383,780$221,626$78,352$11,67620.4%5.3%
Credit338,98128,413305,76026,04333,2212,37010.9%9.1%
Equities86,0039,29284,3549,1201,6491722.0%1.9%
Money Markets45,83017,18032,30617,65213,524(472)41.9%(2.7)%
Market Data26893,80685,9132687,893N/M9.2%
Other23,01222,2277853.5%
Total revenue$933,214$405,005$806,200$382,581$127,014$22,42415.8%5.9%

N/M = not meaningful

The key drivers of the change in total revenue by asset class are summarized as follows:

Rates. Revenues from our rates asset class increased by $90.0 million or 14.9% to $695.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $605.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for rates derivatives products and U.S. and European government bonds and an increase in fixed subscription fees.

Credit. Revenues from our credit asset class increased by $35.6 million or 10.7% to $367.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $331.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for U.S. and European corporate bonds, partially offset by lower variable transaction fees and commissions on lower trading volumes for credit derivatives products.

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Equities. Revenues from our equities asset class increased by $1.8 million or 1.9% to $95.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $93.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for equity derivative products, partially offset by lower variable transaction fees and commissions on lower trading volumes for European ETFs.

Money Markets. Revenues from our money markets asset class increased by $13.1 million or 26.1% to $63.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $50.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily due to higher variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for certificates of deposit and repurchase agreements.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data asset class increased by $8.2 million or 9.5% to $94.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $85.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was derived primarily from increased proprietary third party market data fees, increased trade reporting services (APA) revenue and increased LSEG market data fees driven primarily from the amended and restated market data license agreement effective as of November 1, 2023 discussed above in “—Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance—2023 LSEG Market Data Agreement.”

Other. Revenues from our other asset class remained relatively flat at $23.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $22.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, with a modest increase of $0.8 million or 3.5%.

We generate revenue from a diverse portfolio of client sectors. Our total revenue by client sector for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20232022$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Institutional$797,038$719,211$77,82710.8%
Wholesale312,586273,18939,39714.4%
Retail134,521110,46824,05321.8%
Market Data94,07485,9138,1619.5%
Total revenue$1,338,219$1,188,781$149,43812.6%

Institutional. Revenues from our institutional client sector increased by $77.8 million or 10.8% to $797.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $719.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was derived primarily from higher revenues for rates derivatives products, U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. and European government bonds, partially offset by lower revenues for credit derivatives products.

Wholesale. Revenues from our wholesale client sector increased by $39.4 million or 14.4% to $312.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $273.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was derived primarily from higher revenues for U.S. and European corporate bonds and U.S. government bonds.

Retail. Revenues from our retail client sector increased by $24.1 million or 21.8% to $134.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $110.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was derived primarily from higher revenues for certificates of deposit, U.S. government bonds and U.S. corporate bonds.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data client sector increased by $8.2 million or 9.5% to $94.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $85.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was derived primarily from increased proprietary third party market data fees, increased trade reporting services (APA) revenue and increased LSEG market data fees driven primarily from the amended and restated market data license agreement effective as of November 1, 2023 discussed above in “—Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance—2023 LSEG Market Data Agreement.”

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Our revenues and client base are also diversified by geography. Our total revenue by geography (based on client location) for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20232022$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
U.S.$850,338$760,642$89,69611.8%
International487,881428,13959,74214.0%
Total revenue$1,338,219$1,188,781$149,43812.6%

U.S. Revenues from U.S. clients increased by $89.7 million or 11.8% to $850.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $760.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily due to higher revenues for U.S. corporate bonds, U.S. government bonds, rates derivatives products and certificates of deposit.

International. Revenues from International clients increased by $59.7 million or 14.0% to $487.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $428.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 primarily due to higher revenues for rates derivatives products, European corporate bonds, European government bonds and higher market data revenue, offset by lower revenues for credit derivatives products and European ETFs.

Operating Expenses

Our expenses for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20232022$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Employee compensation and benefits$460,305$432,421$27,8846.4%
Depreciation and amortization185,350178,8796,4713.6%
Technology and communications77,50665,85711,64917.7%
General and administrative51,49546,5614,93410.6%
Professional fees42,36437,7644,60012.2%
Occupancy15,93014,7261,2048.2%
Total expenses$832,950$776,208$56,7427.3%

Employee Compensation and Benefits. Expenses related to employee compensation and benefits increased by $27.9 million or 6.4% to $460.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $432.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to an increase in headcount and related salaries and benefits as well as increases in incentive compensation expense and commissions tied to our operating performance, partially offset by $15.0 million in non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes relating to the retirement of our former CEO incurred during the year ended December 31, 2022 that did not recur during 2023.

Depreciation and Amortization. Expenses related to depreciation and amortization increased by $6.5 million or 3.6% to $185.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $178.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to increases in amortization of software development costs and hardware driven by increases in investment in our infrastructure and expense relating to the assets acquired in connection with the August 31, 2023 Yieldbroker acquisition.

Technology and Communications. Expenses related to technology and communications increased by $11.6 million or 17.7% to $77.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $65.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to investment in our data strategy and infrastructure and increased data and clearance fees driven primarily by higher trading volumes period-over-period.

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General and Administrative. Expenses related to general and administrative costs increased by $4.9 million or 10.6% to $51.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $46.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to an increase in realized and unrealized foreign currency losses, which increased by $3.4 million to $0.8 million in losses for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $2.6 million in gains for the year ended December 31, 2022. The change was primarily driven by the change in fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts used in connection with our foreign currency risk management program, partially offset by a decrease in foreign currency re-measurement losses on transactions in nonfunctional currencies.

Professional Fees. Expenses related to professional fees increased by $4.6 million or 12.2% to $42.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $37.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to increased legal and other costs related to acquisitions.

Occupancy. Expenses related to occupancy costs increased by $1.2 million or 8.2% to $15.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to $14.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The increase was primarily due to higher data center rent expense primarily driven by the completion of the NFI Acquisition technology integration during the three months ended March 31, 2023 and the relocation of data centers to locations providing enhanced infrastructure and improved performance.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment decreased by $23.2 million or 169.7% to $9.5 million of expense for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $13.7 million of income for the year ended December 31, 2022, due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions, which impacted our estimated future tax savings.

Net Interest Income (Expense)

Net interest income increased by $53.4 million or 448.8% to $65.4 million of net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $11.9 million of net interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily due to an increase in interest income earned relating to an increase in our average invested cash balance and an increase in interest rates period over period.

Other Income (Loss), Net

Other loss increased by $12.1 million to $13.1 million loss for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $1.0 million of loss for the year ended December 31, 2022. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we recognized a loss of $11.1 million due to the impairment of a minority equity investment and a $1.3 million loss in connection with unwinding the out-of-the-money foreign currency call option entered into in order to partially mitigate the foreign currency exposure on the payment of the purchase price for the Yieldbroker Acquisition. See Note 4 – Acquisitions to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details. During the year ended December 31, 2023, we also recognized a $0.7 million loss due to a net reduction in the tax indemnification receivables from Refinitiv relating to the settlement of the tax matter for less than the previously estimated amount. See Note 9 – Income Taxes to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further details. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we recognized a $1.0 million loss due to the write-off of an investment that was determined to be uncollectible.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense increased by $51.0 million or 65.7% to $128.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 from $77.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. The provision for income taxes includes U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign taxes. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2023 was approximately 23.4%, compared with 17.7% for the year ended December 31, 2022. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2023 differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to state and local taxes net of the benefit related to the effect of non-controlling interest. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2022 differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to state and local taxes including the tax impact of state apportionment rates changes on total tax expense as a result of the remeasurement of the Company’s net tax deferred asset, the effect of non-controlling interests and the tax impact of the exercise of equity compensation.

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Effects of Inflation

While inflation may impact our revenues and operating expenses, we believe the effects of inflation, if any, on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. However, there can be no assurance that our results of operations and financial condition will not be materially impacted by inflation in the future. See “— Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance — Economic Environment” above.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

Liquidity describes the ability of a company to generate sufficient cash flows to meet the cash requirements of its business operations, including working capital needs to meet operating expenses, debt service, acquisitions, other commitments and contractual obligations. We consider liquidity in terms of cash on hand, cash flows from operations and availability under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility and their sufficiency to fund our operating and investing activities.

Historically, we have generated significant cash flows from operations and have funded our business operations through cash on hand and cash flows from operations.

Our primary cash needs are for day to day operations, working capital requirements, clearing margin requirements, capital expenditures primarily for software and equipment, our expected dividend payments and our share repurchase program. In addition, we are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

We expect to fund our short and long-term liquidity requirements through cash and cash equivalents and cash flows from operations. While historically we have generated significant and adequate cash flows from operations, in the case of an unexpected event in the future or otherwise, we may fund our liquidity requirements through borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

We believe that our projected cash position, cash flows from operations and, if necessary, borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility, will be sufficient to fund our liquidity requirements for at least the next 12 months. However, our future liquidity requirements could be higher than we currently expect as a result of various factors. For example, any future investments, acquisitions, joint ventures or other similar transactions, which we consider from time to time, may reduce our cash balance or require additional capital. In addition, our ability to continue to meet our future liquidity requirements will depend on, among other things, our ability to achieve anticipated levels of revenues and cash flows from operations and our ability to manage costs and working capital successfully, all of which are subject to general economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. In the event we require any additional capital, it will take the form of equity or debt financing, or both, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise any such financing on terms acceptable to us or at all.

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $1.7 billion and $1.3 billion, respectively. All cash and cash equivalents were held in accounts with financial institutions or money market funds such that the funds are immediately available or in fixed term deposits or investments with a maximum maturity of three months. See Part II, Item 7A. – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk – Credit Risk” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Factors Influencing Our Liquidity and Capital Resources

Dividend Policy

Subject to legally available funds, we intend to pay quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock equal to $0.10 per share. As discussed below, our ability to pay these quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock will depend on distributions to us from TWM LLC.

The declaration, amount and payment of any dividends will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our and our subsidiaries’ results of operations, capital requirements, financial condition, business prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable laws and other factors that our board of directors deem relevant. Because we are a holding company and all of our business is conducted through our subsidiaries, we expect to pay dividends, if any, only from funds we receive from our subsidiaries. Accordingly, our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders is dependent on the earnings and distributions of funds from our subsidiaries. As the sole manager of TWM LLC, we intend to cause, and will rely on, TWM LLC to make distributions in respect of LLC Interests to fund our dividends. If TWM LLC is unable to cause these subsidiaries to make distributions, it may have inadequate funds to distribute to us and we may be unable to fund our dividends. In addition, when TWM LLC makes distributions to us, the other holders of LLC Interests will be entitled to receive proportionate distributions based on their economic interests in TWM LLC at the time of such distributions.

Our board of directors will periodically review the cash generated from our business and the capital expenditures required to finance our growth plans and determine whether to modify the amount of regular dividends and/or declare any periodic special dividends. Any future determination to change the amount of dividends and/or declare special dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent upon then-existing conditions and other factors that our board of directors considers relevant. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Organizational Structure and Governance — Our principal asset is our equity interest in TWM LLC, and, accordingly, we depend on distributions from TWM LLC to pay our taxes and expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement” and “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Ownership of our Class A Common Stock — We intend to continue to pay regular dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock, but our ability to do so may be limited.”

Cash Dividends

On February 2, 2024, the board of directors of Tradeweb Markets Inc. declared a cash dividend of $0.10 per share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock for the first quarter of 2024. This dividend will be payable on March 15, 2024 to stockholders of record as of March 1, 2024. The February 2024 dividend declaration of $0.10 represents a 11.1% per share increase from our historical quarterly dividend of $0.09. During 2023, Tradeweb Markets Inc. paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.09 per share to holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock in an aggregate amount totaling $75.9 million.

Cash Distributions

On February 2, 2024, Tradeweb Markets Inc., as the sole manager, approved a distribution by TWM LLC to its equityholders, including Tradeweb Markets Inc., in an aggregate amount of $62.1 million, as adjusted by required state and local tax withholdings that will be determined prior to the record date of March 1, 2024, payable on March 13, 2024.

During 2023, TWM LLC made quarterly cash distributions to its equityholders in an aggregate amount totaling $119.4 million, including distributions to Tradeweb Markets Inc. totaling $107.0 million and distributions to non-controlling interests totaling $12.4 million. The proceeds of the cash distributions were used by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to fund dividend payments, taxes and expenses.

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Share Repurchase Program

In February 2021, the board of directors authorized $150.0 million of total repurchases of the Company’s Class A common stock (the “2021 Share Repurchase Program”), which was completed in October 2022. On December 5, 2022, the Company announced that the board of directors had authorized a new share repurchase program (the “2022 Share Repurchase Program”). The 2022 Share Repurchase Program was authorized to continue to offset annual dilution from stock-based compensation plans, as well as to opportunistically repurchase our Class A common stock. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program authorizes the purchase of up to $300.0 million of our Class A common stock at the Company’s discretion and has no termination date. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program can be effected through regular open-market purchases (which may include repurchase plans designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1), through privately negotiated transactions or through accelerated share repurchases, each in accordance with applicable securities laws and other restrictions. The amounts, timing and manner of the repurchases will be subject to general market conditions, the prevailing price and trading volumes of our Class A common stock and other factors. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program does not require the Company to acquire a specific number of shares and may be suspended, amended or discontinued at any time. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company acquired a total of 485,730 shares of Class A common stock, at an average price of $72.48, for purchases totaling $35.2 million, pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program. As of December 31, 2023, a total of $239.8 million remained available for repurchase pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program.

Other Share Repurchases

In addition to the share repurchase programs discussed above, we may also withhold shares to cover the payroll tax withholding obligations upon the exercise of stock options and vesting of PRSUs and RSUs.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company withheld 715,101 shares of common stock from employee stock option, PRSU and RSU awards, at an average price per share of $72.02 and an aggregate value of $51.5 million based on the price of the Class A common stock on the date the relevant withholding occurred.

Tax Receivable Agreement

We are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. See Note 10 – Tax Receivable Agreement to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details regarding the requirements for these payments. Although the actual timing and amount of any payments that may be made under the Tax Receivable Agreement will vary, we expect the payments required will be significant. Any payments made by us under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally reduce the amount of overall cash flows that might have otherwise been available to us or to TWM LLC. These payments will offset some of the tax benefits that we expect to realize as a result of the ownership structure of TWM LLC. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement for any reason, the unpaid amounts generally will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid by us. The first payment of the Tax Receivable Agreement was made in January 2021. As of December 31, 2023, total amounts due to the Continuing LLC Owners under the Tax Receivable Agreement were $457.5 million, substantially all due to be paid over 15 years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests.

Liabilities under the Tax Receivable Agreement include amounts to be paid to Continuing LLC Owners, assuming we will have sufficient taxable income over the term of the Tax Receivable Agreement to utilize the related tax benefits. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. The Company is subject to CAMT, which is expected to change the estimated period in which the payments will be made, as reflected in the payment schedule below. As of December 31, 2023, we had the following obligations expected to be paid pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement:

Payments due by period
TotalLess than 1 year1 to 3 years3 to 5 yearsMore than 5 years
(in thousands)
Tax receivable agreement liability$457,523$26,804$101,421$91,400$237,898

In addition to the above, our tax receivable agreement liability and future payments thereunder are expected to increase as we realize (or are deemed to realize) an increase in tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from any future purchases, redemptions or exchanges of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. We currently expect to fund these future tax receivable agreement liability payments from some of the realized cash tax savings as a result of this increase in tax basis.

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Indebtedness

As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we had no outstanding indebtedness.

On November 21, 2023, TWM LLC terminated the revolving credit facility entered into in April 2019 and replaced it with a new 2023 Revolving Credit Facility entered into with a syndicate of banks. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility provides borrowing capacity to be used to fund ongoing working capital needs, letters of credit and for general corporate purposes, including potential future acquisitions and expansions.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility permits borrowings of up to $500.0 million by TWM LLC. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, we will be able to increase the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility by $250.0 million with the consent of the lenders participating in the increase. Borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility may be, at the option of the Company, in US Dollars, Euros or Sterling. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility also provides for the issuance of up to $5.0 million of letters of credit as well as borrowings on same-day notice, referred to as swingline loans, in an amount of up to $50.0 million. The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility will mature on November 21, 2028.

As of December 31, 2023, there were $0.5 million in letters of credit issued under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility, respectively and no borrowings outstanding. As of December 31, 2023, we had availability of $499.5 million.

Borrowings under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a rate equal to, at the Company’s option, either (a) a base rate equal to the greatest of (i) the administrative agent’s prime rate, (ii) the federal funds effective rate plus ½ of 1.00% and (iii) one month Term SOFR plus 1.00% plus a credit adjustment spread of 0.10%, in each case plus a margin based on the Company’s consolidated net leverage ratio ranging from 0.25% to 0.75%, or (b) a rate equal to (i) in the case of borrowings in US Dollars, Term SOFR plus a credit adjustment spread of 0.10%, subject to a 0.00% floor, (ii) in the case of borrowings in Sterling, SONIA subject to a 0.00% floor, and (iii) in the case of borrowings in Euros, EURIBOR, subject to a 0.00% floor, in each case plus a margin based on the Company’s consolidated net leverage ratio ranging from 1.25% to 1.75%. The agreement also includes a commitment fee of 0.25% for available but unborrowed amounts We are also required to pay customary letter of credit fees and agency fees.

We have the option to voluntarily repay outstanding loans at any time without premium or penalty other than customary “breakage” costs with respect to Term SOFR, SONIA and EURIBOR loans. There will be no scheduled amortization under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility. The principal amount outstanding will be due and payable in full at maturity.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility is unsecured and as of December 31, 2023, obligations under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility are not guaranteed by any of the Company’s subsidiaries.

The credit agreement that governs the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, restrict the ability of (i) TWM LLC to merge or consolidate with other entities, (ii) the subsidiaries of TWM LLC to incur or guarantee indebtedness and (iii) TWM LLC and its subsidiaries to create or incur liens.

The 2023 Revolving Credit Facility contains a financial covenant requiring compliance with a (i) maximum total net leverage ratio tested as of the last day of each fiscal quarter not to exceed 3.5 to 1.0 (increasing to 4.0 to 1.0 for the four-quarter period following a material acquisition and the fiscal quarter in which such material acquisition is consummated) and (ii) minimum cash interest coverage ratio tested as of the last day of each fiscal quarter not less than 3.0 to 1.0.

The credit agreement that governs the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility also contains certain affirmative covenants and events of default customary for facilities of this type, including relating to a change of control. If an event of default occurs, the lenders under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility will be entitled to take various actions, including the acceleration of amounts due under the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

As of December 31, 2023, we were in compliance with all the covenants set forth in the 2023 Revolving Credit Facility.

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Operating Lease Obligations

We have operating leases for corporate offices and data centers with initial lease terms ranging from one to 10 years. Our operating lease obligations are primarily related to rental payments under lease agreements for office space in the United States and the United Kingdom through December 2027. In December 2023, the lease for our New York headquarters was extended for an amended term through December 2024, as we continue to evaluate our office space needs for the future. As of December 31, 2023, our operating lease liabilities totaled $27.5 million, with payments pursuant to these obligations due within the next 12 months and thereafter totaling $12.3 million and $17.6 million, respectively.

Capital Expenditures

Our business also requires continued investment in our technology for product innovation, proprietary technology architecture, operational reliability and cybersecurity. We expect total cash paid for non-acquisition related capital expenditures and software development costs for fiscal 2024 to be between $75 million and $83 million, compared to expenditures of $61.8 million and $60.1 million in fiscal years 2023 and 2022, respectively, with the midpoint of our 2024 capital expenditure guidance up 28% versus fiscal year 2023 primarily due to anticipated capitalized integration spend associated with the acquisitions of Yieldbroker and r8fin. Excluding the 2024 integration and other one-time spend, the mid-point growth is projected to be approximately 15% higher year over year.

Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements

Certain of our U.S. subsidiaries are registered as broker-dealers, SEFs or introducing brokers and are subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and CFTC. These rules contain minimum net capital or other financial resource requirements, as defined in the applicable regulations. These rules may also require a significant part of the registrants’ assets be kept in relatively liquid form. Certain of our foreign subsidiaries are regulated by the FCA in the UK, the Nederlandsche Bank in the Netherlands, the Japanese Financial Services Agency, the Japanese Securities Dealers Association and other foreign regulators, and must maintain financial resources, as defined in the applicable regulations, in excess of the applicable financial resources requirement. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, each of our regulated subsidiaries had maintained sufficient net capital or financial resources to at least satisfy their minimum requirements, which in aggregate were $76.7 million and $69.1 million, respectively. We maintain capital balances in these subsidiaries in excess of our minimum requirements in order to satisfy working capital needs and to ensure that we have enough cash on hand to satisfy margin requirements and credit risk, including the excess capital expectations of our clients. The Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (“FICC”) and some of our clearing brokers require us to post collateral on unsettled positions, included within deposits with clearing organizations in our consolidated statements of financial condition. Collateral amounts are marked to market on a daily basis, requiring us to pay or receive margin amounts as part of the daily funds settlement. Margin call requirements can vary significantly across periods based on daily market changes and may represent a significant and unpredictable use of our liquidity.

At times, transactions executed on our wholesale platform fail to settle due to the inability of a transaction party to deliver or receive the transacted security. Until the failed transaction settles, we will recognize a receivable from (and a matching payable to) brokers and dealers and clearing organizations for the proceeds from the unsettled transaction. The impact on our liquidity and capital resources is minimal as receivables and payables for failed transactions are usually recognized simultaneously and predominantly offset. However, from time to time, we enter into repurchase and/or reverse repurchase agreements to facilitate the clearance of securities relating to fails to deliver or receive. We seek to manage credit exposure related to these agreements to repurchase (or reverse repurchase), including the risk related to a decline in market value of collateral (pledged or received), by entering into agreements to repurchase with overnight or short-term maturity dates and only entering into repurchase transactions with netting members of the FICC. The FICC operates a continuous net settlement system, whereby as trades are submitted and compared, the FICC becomes the counterparty.

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Historically we have used ICBC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited to clear U.S. Treasury trades executed by non-FICC members on our wholesale trading platform. Under that arrangement, ICBC submitted our trades from non-FICC members to the FICC under the ICBC netting account with the FICC. Following the November 2023 ransomware attack on some ICBC operating systems, including those used to clear U.S. Treasury and repurchase agreement financings, we have and may continue to self-clear these U.S. Treasury trades. As a result, this increased the number of trades that settle over the fed wire, instead of FICC clearing, and accordingly we have experienced and may continue to experience, an increase in the number of U.S. Treasury failed settlement transactions. As of December 31, 2023, we recorded a $381.2 million receivable and a $351.9 million payable from/to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations related to failed settlement transactions, entered into a repurchase transaction in the amount of $21.6 million and we self-funded the remaining $7.7 million difference between the fail to deliver and fail to receive. All of the above failed settlement transactions and the securities sold under agreements to repurchase outstanding as of December 31, 2023 were fully settled during January 2024. See below for further details regarding the changes to working capital as a result of these failed settlement transactions.

Working Capital

Working capital is defined as current assets minus current liabilities. Current assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, deposits with clearing organizations, accounts receivable and receivable and due from affiliates. Current liabilities consist of securities sold under agreements to repurchase, payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, accrued compensation, deferred revenue, payable and due to affiliates, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, lease liabilities and tax receivable agreement liability. Changes in working capital, which impact our cash flows provided by operating activities, can vary depending on factors such as delays in the collection of receivables, changes in our operating performance, changes in trading patterns, changes in client billing terms and other changes in the demand for our platforms and solutions.

Our working capital as of December 31, 2023 and 2022 was as follows:

December 31,
20232022
(in thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents$1,706,468$1,257,229
Restricted cash1,0001,000
Receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations381,17811,632
Deposits with clearing organizations36,80623,906
Accounts receivable168,407142,676
Receivable and due from affiliates1922,728
Total current assets2,294,0511,439,171
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase21,612
Payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations351,86411,264
Accrued compensation164,329150,884
Deferred revenue25,74622,827
Payable and due to affiliates1,3277,232
Current portion of:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities56,87846,099
Lease liabilities11,34711,265
Tax receivable agreement liability26,8045,791
Total current liabilities659,907255,362
Total working capital$1,634,144$1,183,809

Current Assets

Current assets increased to $2.3 billion as of December 31, 2023 from $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2022 primarily due to an increase in cash and cash equivalents (see “—Cash Flows” below) and receivables from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations resulting from a higher value of fails to deliver as a result of increased unsettled wholesale platform transactions, all of which settled in January 2024.

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Current Liabilities

Current liabilities increased to $659.9 million as of December 31, 2023 from $255.4 million as of December 31, 2022 primarily due to an increase in the payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations and securities sold under agreements to repurchase resulting from a higher value of fails to deliver as a result of increased unsettled wholesale platform transactions, all of which settled in January 2024 and an increase in the current portion of the tax receivable agreement liability as a result of an increase in our taxable income.

See “—Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements” above for a discussion on how capital requirements can impact our working capital.

Cash Flows

Our cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
202320222021
(in thousands)
Net cash provided by operating activities$746,089$632,822$578,021
Net cash used in investing activities(132,765)(60,096)(259,110)
Net cash used in financing activities(168,174)(276,703)(136,100)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash4,089(10,842)(2,043)
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash$449,239$285,181$180,768

Operating Activities

Operating activities consist primarily of net income adjusted for noncash items that primarily include depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense and deferred tax expense. Cash flows from operating activities can fluctuate significantly from period-to-period as working capital needs and the timing of payments for accrued compensation (primarily in the first quarter) and other items impact reported cash flows.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $746.1 million, an increase of $113.3 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2022, primarily driven by an increase in net income during 2023, including the adjustment to net income to add back non-cash related items such as deferred tax expense and the tax receivable liability adjustment and including an increase in net interest income, partially offset by changes in working capital.

Investing Activities

Investing activities consist primarily of software development costs, investments in technology hardware, purchases of equipment and other tangible assets, business acquisitions and investments.

Net cash used in investing activities was $132.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, which consisted of $69.7 million of total net cash paid for the Yieldbroker acquisition (net of cash acquired), $43.2 million of capitalized software development costs, $18.5 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements and $1.3 million of cash paid for a foreign currency call option, net of sales proceeds. Net cash used in investing activities was $60.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, which consisted of $36.9 million of capitalized software development costs and $23.2 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2023 was $168.2 million, and was primarily driven by $35.2 million in share repurchases pursuant to our share repurchase programs, $36.1 million in payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs, net of proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises and $75.9 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders. Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $276.7 million, and was primarily driven by $99.3 million in share repurchases pursuant to our share repurchase programs, $91.5 million in payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs, net of proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises and $66.0 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders.

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Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Free Cash Flow

In addition to cash flow from operating activities presented in accordance with GAAP, we use Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP measure, to measure liquidity. Free Cash Flow is defined as cash flow from operating activities less non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

We present Free Cash Flow because we believe it is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated from our core operations after non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

Free Cash Flow has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider Free Cash Flow in isolation or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or any other liquidity measure determined in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment. In addition, in evaluating Free Cash Flow, you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenditures similar to the adjustments in the presentation of Free Cash Flow. In addition, Free Cash Flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of our cash flow from operating activities to Free Cash Flow for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:

Year Ended
December 31,
202320222021
(in thousands)
Cash flow from operating activities$746,089$632,822$578,021
Less: Capitalization of software development costs(43,235)(36,882)(34,470)
Less: Purchases of furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements(18,529)(23,214)(16,878)
Free Cash Flow$684,325$572,726$526,673

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

In addition to net income, net income margin and net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., each presented in accordance with GAAP, we present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin as non-GAAP measures of our operating performance and Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income per diluted share (“Adjusted Diluted EPS”) as non-GAAP measures of our profitability.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income before net interest income/expense, provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss.

Adjusted EBIT is defined as net income before net interest income/expense and provision for income taxes, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss.

Net income margin is defined as net income, divided by revenue for the applicable period. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin are defined as Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBIT, respectively, divided by revenue for the applicable period.

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We present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin because we believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. For example, we exclude non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award as defined in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 to management and other employees as well as payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options during the applicable period. We believe it is useful to exclude this stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll taxes because the amount of expense associated with the Special Option Award and the post-IPO option awards in 2019 may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. Beginning on August 30, 2021, we also exclude the non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our former CFO and beginning on February 11, 2022 the incremental non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our retired CEO and related payroll taxes are also excluded, as we do not consider these expenses indicative of our core ongoing operating performance. The accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our former CFO and retired CEO was fully amortized on January 4, 2022 and December 31, 2022, respectively. In addition, we exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustments discussed below under “— Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Tax Receivable Agreement.” We believe it is useful to exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustment because the recognition of income during a period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statements of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions, or other factors that may impact our tax savings, may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. We also believe it is useful to exclude merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs as the incremental direct costs related to completed and potential acquisitions and related integrations are not indicative of our core ongoing operating performance. With respect to Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin, we believe it is useful to exclude the depreciation and amortization of tangible and intangible assets resulting from acquisitions and the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction in order to facilitate a period-over-period comparison of our financial performance.

Management and our board of directors use Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin to assess our financial performance and believe they are helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate and capital investments. Further, our executive incentive compensation is based in part on components of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

Adjusted Net Income is defined as net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock of Tradeweb Markets Inc., adjusted for certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and other income and loss. Adjusted Net Income also gives effect to certain tax related adjustments to reflect an assumed effective tax rate. Adjusted Diluted EPS is defined as Adjusted Net Income divided by the diluted weighted average number of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding for the applicable period (including the effect of potentially dilutive securities determined using the treasury stock method), plus the weighted average number of other participating securities reflected in earnings per share using the two-class method, plus the assumed full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock.

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We use Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS as supplemental metrics to evaluate our business performance in a way that also considers our ability to generate profit without the impact of certain items. We exclude stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and the post-IPO option awards in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options, non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our former CFO and retired CEO and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs and acquisition and Refinitiv Transaction-related depreciation and amortization for the reasons described above. Each of the normal recurring adjustments and other adjustments described in the definition of Adjusted Net Income helps to provide management with a measure of our operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations or are non-cash expenses. In addition to excluding items that are non-recurring or may not be indicative of our ongoing operating performance, by assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests, we believe that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for Tradeweb Markets Inc. facilitate comparisons with other companies that have different organizational and tax structures, as well as comparisons period over period, because it eliminates the effect of any changes in net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. driven by increases in our ownership of TWM LLC, which are unrelated to our operating performance.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider these non-GAAP financial measures in isolation or as alternatives to net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., net income, net income margin, operating income, gross margin, earnings per share or any other financial measure derived in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment and, as applicable, the reasons we consider it appropriate for supplemental analysis. In addition, in evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

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The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income and net income margin to Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:

Year Ended
December 31,
202320222021
(dollars in thousands)
Net income$419,503$359,613$273,108
Merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs (1)8,0421,0695,073
Net interest (income) expense(65,350)(11,907)1,590
Depreciation and amortization185,350178,879171,308
Stock-based compensation expense (2)2,94720,40916,509
Provision for income taxes128,47777,52096,875
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (3)(47)4,409(4,702)
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (4)9,517(13,653)(12,745)
Other (income) loss, net13,1221,000
Adjusted EBITDA$701,561$617,339$547,016
Less: Depreciation and amortization(185,350)(178,879)(171,308)
Add: D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (5)127,731126,659124,580
Adjusted EBIT$643,942$565,119$500,288
Net income margin31.3%30.3%25.4%
Adjusted EBITDA margin52.4%51.9%50.8%
Adjusted EBIT margin48.1%47.5%46.5%

(1)Represents incremental direct costs associated with the acquisition and integration of completed and potential mergers and acquisitions. These costs generally include legal, consulting, advisory, due diligence, severance and other third party costs incurred that directly relate to the acquisition transaction or its integration.

(2)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with the exercise of such options. During the year ended December 31, 2022, this adjustment also includes $15.0 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our retired CEO. During the year ended December 31, 2021, this adjustment also includes $1.7 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former CFO.

(3)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(4)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(5)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from acquisitions and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

Year Ended
December 31,
20232022Basis Point ChangeConstant Currency Basis Point Change (1)
Adjusted EBITDA margin52.4%51.9%+49 bps+100 bps
Adjusted EBIT margin48.1%47.5%+58 bps+107 bps

(1)The changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin, both on a constant currency basis, are non-GAAP financial measures, and are defined as the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations are calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s results using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis as supplemental metrics to evaluate our underlying margin performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis provide useful comparisons of our Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin and trends between periods.

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The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. and net income, as applicable, to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:

Year Ended
December 31,
202320222021
(in thousands except per share amounts)
Earnings per diluted share$1.71$1.48$1.09
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$364,866$309,338$226,828
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (1)54,63750,27546,280
Net income419,503359,613273,108
Provision for income taxes128,47777,52096,875
Merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs (2)8,0421,0695,073
D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (3)127,731126,659124,580
Stock-based compensation expense (4)2,94720,40916,509
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (5)(47)4,409(4,702)
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (6)9,517(13,653)(12,745)
Other (income) loss, net13,1221,000
Adjusted Net Income before income taxes709,292577,026498,698
Adjusted income taxes (7)(173,777)(126,946)(109,713)
Adjusted Net Income$535,515$450,080$388,985
Adjusted Diluted EPS (8)$2.26$1.90$1.63

(1)Represents the reallocation of net income attributable to non-controlling interests from the assumed exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock.

(2)Represents incremental direct costs associated with the acquisition and integration of completed and potential mergers and acquisitions. These costs generally include legal, consulting, advisory, due diligence, severance and other third party costs incurred that directly relate to the acquisition transaction or its integration.

(3)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from acquisitions and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

(4)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with the exercise of such options. During the year ended December 31, 2022, this adjustment also includes $15.0 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our retired CEO. During the year ended December 31, 2021, this adjustment also includes $1.7 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former CFO.

(5)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(6)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(7)Represents corporate income taxes at an assumed effective tax rate of 24.5% applied to Adjusted Net Income before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 22% the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

(8)For a summary of the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS, see “Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding and Adjusted Diluted EPS” below.

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The following table summarizes the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:

Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding and Adjusted Diluted EPSYear Ended
December 31,
202320222021
Diluted weighted average shares of Class A and Class B common stock outstanding212,668,808208,400,040207,254,840
Weighted average of other participating securities (1)270,249193,441
Assumed exchange of LLC Interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock (2)23,902,37928,830,68630,699,577
Adjusted diluted weighted average shares outstanding236,841,436237,424,167237,954,417
Adjusted Net Income (in thousands)$535,515$450,080$388,985
Adjusted Diluted EPS$2.26$1.90$1.63

(1)Represents weighted average unvested restricted stock units and unsettled vested performance-based restricted stock units issued to certain retired or terminated employees that are entitled to non-forfeitable dividend equivalent rights and are considered participating securities prior to being issued and outstanding shares of common stock in accordance with the two-class method used for purposes of calculating earnings per share. See Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of the two-class method.

(2)Assumes the full exchange of the weighted average of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock, resulting in the elimination of the non-controlling interests and recognition of the net income attributable to non-controlling interests.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP which requires us to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. These estimates and assumptions are based on judgment and the best available information at the time. Management bases its estimates on historical experience, observance of trends in particular areas, information available from outside sources and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Information from these sources form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that may not be readily apparent from other sources. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Management evaluates its accounting policies, estimates and judgments on an on-going basis.

Management evaluated the development and selection of its critical accounting policies and estimates and believes that the following policies are most critical to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, and that require our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments in estimating the effect of inherent uncertainties. Our most critical policies and estimates include business combinations, revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, current and deferred income taxes and the tax receivable agreement liability. With respect to critical accounting policies and estimates, even a relatively minor variance between actual and expected experience can potentially have a materially favorable or unfavorable impact on subsequent results of operations. More information on all of our significant accounting policies can be found in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Business Combinations

Business combinations are accounted for under the purchase method of accounting pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”). The total cost of an acquisition is allocated to the underlying net assets based on their respective estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. The fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed is determined based on assumptions that reasonable market participants would use in the principal (or most advantageous) market for the asset or liability. Determining the fair value of certain assets acquired and liabilities assumed is judgmental in nature and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including assumptions with respect to future cash flows, discount rates, growth rates, customer attrition rates and asset lives.

The most significant accounting estimate associated with the Yieldbroker Acquisition that closed in August 2023 was the valuation of the acquired definite-lived intangible customer relationship asset (the “Customer Relationships”), which was valued at approximately $39.7 million as of the date of the closing of the acquisition. The majority of the residual total purchase price of $40.3 million, net of cash acquired and prior to working capital and other closing adjustments, was primarily allocated to goodwill, which was measured at approximately $35.3 million as of the date of the closing of the acquisition. We utilized the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist to determine the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of the closing of the acquisition. Management is responsible for these valuations and appraisals.

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The valuation of the Customer Relationships primarily included significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), creating a significant level of estimation uncertainty. Customer Relationships were valued using the income approach, specifically a multi-period excess earnings method. The excess earnings method examines the economic returns contributed by the identified tangible and intangible assets of a company, and then examines the excess return that is attributable to the intangible asset being valued. The discount rate used reflects the amount of risk associated with the hypothetical cash flows for the Customer Relationships relative to the overall business. In developing a discount rate for the Customer Relationships, the Company estimated a weighted-average cost of capital for the overall business and employed an intangible asset risk premium to this rate when discounting the excess earnings related to Customer Relationships. The resulting discounted cash flows were then tax-affected at the applicable statutory rate. For GAAP purposes, the Customer Relationships will be amortized over a useful life of 13 years. Any changes in the discount rate used for valuing the Customer Relationships or the estimated useful life used for amortization purposes could have a material impact on our consolidated statements of financial condition and consolidated statement of income. Any increases or decreases in the allocation of purchase price to Customer Relationships, which is an amortizable asset, would be offset by a corresponding decrease or increase in goodwill, which is an indefinite-lived asset, not subject to amortization and as a result would impact the asset balances recorded on our consolidated statements of financial condition as well as the amortization expense recorded on our consolidated statement of income over the life of the asset. Any changes in the estimated useful life of the Customer Relationships would also impact timing of the reduction of the net balance of intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization on our consolidated statements of financial condition and the timing of the recognition of amortization expense on our consolidated statement of income.

Revenue Recognition

We enter into contracts with our clients to provide a stand-ready connection to our electronic marketplaces, which facilitates the execution of trades by our clients. The access to our electronic marketplaces, including market data and continuous pricing data refreshes and the processing of trades thereon are highly interrelated and are considered a single performance obligation satisfied over time as the client simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit from our performance. This performance obligation constitutes a series of services that are substantially the same in nature and are provided over time using the same measure of progress. For our services, we earn subscription fees for granting access to our electronic marketplaces.

We earn transaction fees and/or commissions from transactions executed on our trading platforms, including commission revenue from electronic and voice brokerage transacted on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. Fixed monthly transaction fees or commissions or monthly transaction fee or commission minimums are generally earned on a monthly basis in the period the stand-ready trading services are provided. Variable transaction fee or commission revenue is recognized and recorded on a trade-date basis when the individual trade occurs. Variable discounts or rebates on transaction fees or commissions are generally earned and applied monthly or quarterly, are resolved within the same reporting period and are recorded as a reduction to revenue in the period the relevant trades occur.

We earn fees from LSEG relating to the sale of market data to LSEG, which distributes that data. Included in these fees are real-time market data fees which are recognized monthly on a straight-line basis as Refinitiv receives and consumes the benefit evenly, over the contact period, as the data is provided, and fees for historical data sets which are recognized when the historical data set is provided to Refinitiv.

We are required to make significant judgments for the LSEG market data fees. Significant judgments used in accounting for this contract include the following determinations:

•The provision of real-time market data feeds and historical data sets are distinct performance obligations.

•The performance obligations under this contract are recognized over time from the initial delivery of the data feeds until the end of the contract term or at a point in time upon delivery of each historical data set.

•The transaction prices for the performance obligations were determined by using an adjusted market assessment analysis. Inputs in this analysis included publicly available price lists for data sets provided by other companies, planned internal pricing strategies and other market data points and adjustments obtained through consultations with market data industry experts regarding estimating a standalone selling price for each performance obligation.

During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, there were no material changes in the methodology or assumptions used to determine the Refinitiv market data fees.

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Stock-Based Compensation

The stock-based payments received by the employees of the Company are accounted for as equity awards. The Company measures and recognizes the cost of employee services received in exchange for awards of equity instruments based on their estimated fair values measured as of the grant date. For performance-based restricted stock units that vest based on market conditions, the Company recognizes stock-based compensation based on the estimated grant date fair value of the awards computed with the assistance of a valuation specialist using a Monte Carlo simulation on a binomial model, which represents a significant accounting estimate given the significant level of estimation uncertainty relating to the selection of valuation assumptions required for the valuation. The significant assumptions used to estimate the fair value of the performance-based restricted stock units that vest based on market conditions are years of maturity, annualized volatility and the risk-free interest rate. The maturity period represents the period of time that the award granted was modeled into the future, the risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of measurement corresponding with the maturity period of the award and the expected volatility is based upon historical volatility of the Company’s Class A common stock. On March 15, 2023, we granted 251,113 performance-based restricted stock units that vest based on market conditions with a grant date fair value totaling $24.7 million, which will be amortized into expense on a straight-line basis through December 31, 2025. The significant assumptions used in determining the grant date fair value of the award were a maturity of 2.8 years, annualized volatility of 28.81% and a risk-free interest rate of 3.77%. A change in any of the assumptions used to value these awards could materially affect stock-based compensation expense recorded in the current and future periods.

Income Taxes

Tradeweb Markets Inc. is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its taxable income, including its allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and is taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. TWM LLC records taxes for conducting business in certain state, local and foreign jurisdictions and records U.S. federal taxes for subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes. We currently record deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and measure the deferred taxes using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when such temporary differences are expected to reverse. The measurement of deferred taxes often involves the exercise of significant judgment related to the realization of tax basis. Our deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect our assessment that tax positions taken in filed tax returns and the resulting tax basis are more likely than not to be sustained if they are audited by taxing authorities. Assessing tax rates that we expect to apply and determining the years when the temporary differences are expected to affect taxable income requires judgment about the future apportionment of our income among the jurisdictions in which we operate. Any changes in our practices or judgments involved in the measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations.

In connection with recording deferred tax assets and liabilities, we record valuation allowances when we believe that it is more likely than not that the Company will not be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future. We evaluate our deferred tax assets quarterly to determine whether adjustments to our valuation allowance are appropriate in light of changes in facts or circumstances, such as changes in tax law, interactions with taxing authorities and developments in case law. In making this evaluation, we rely on our recent history of pre-tax earnings, our forecasts of future earnings and the nature and timing of future deductions and benefits represented by the deferred tax assets, all of which involve the exercise of significant judgment. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we have no valuation allowance established on gross deferred tax assets totaling $687.4 million and $698.1 million, respectively. If forecasts of future earnings and the nature and estimated timing of future deductions and benefits change in the future, we may determine that existing valuation allowances must be revised or new valuation allowances created, any of which could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations. See Note 9 – Income Taxes to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the provision for income taxes in our consolidated statements of income. Accrued interest and penalties are included within accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities in our consolidated statements of financial condition. A U.S. shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) is required to include in income, as a deemed dividend, the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) of the CFC. We have elected to treat taxes due on future U.S. inclusions in taxable income of GILTI as a current period expense when incurred.

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Tax Receivable Agreement

Tradeweb Markets Inc. entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners which provides for the payment by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to a Continuing LLC Owner of 50% of the amount of U.S. federal, state and local income or franchise tax savings, if any, that Tradeweb Markets Inc. actually realizes (or in some circumstances is deemed to realize) as a result of (i) increases in the tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from (a) the purchase of LLC Interests from such Continuing LLC Owner, including with the net proceeds from the IPO, the October 2019 and April 2020 follow-on offerings and any future offering or (b) redemptions or exchanges by such Continuing LLC Owner of LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock or for cash, as applicable, and (ii) certain other tax benefits related to Tradeweb Markets Inc. making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Substantially all payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement are payable over the 15 years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests. The timing of the payments over the 15 year period is dependent upon our annual taxable income over the same period. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. This requires significant judgment relating to projecting future earnings, the geographic mix of those earnings and the timing of deferred taxes becoming current.

The impact of any changes in the total projected obligations recorded under the Tax Receivable Agreement as a result of actual changes in the geographic mix of our earnings, changes in tax legislation and tax rates or other factors that may impact our actual tax savings realized will be reflected in income before taxes in the period in which the change occurs.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

See Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of recent accounting pronouncements.

FY 2022 10-K MD&A

SEC filing source: 0001758730-23-000047.

Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary. Confidence: high. Filing date: 2023-02-24. Report date: 2022-12-31.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the sections titled “Introductory Note”, “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures” and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and other information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to those differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following discussion includes a comparison of our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and capital resources for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. A comparison of our results of operations, cash flows and liquidity and capital resources from the years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 may be found in Part II, Item 7. – “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Overview

We are a leader in building and operating electronic marketplaces for our global network of clients across the financial ecosystem. Our network is comprised of clients across the institutional, wholesale and retail client sectors, including many of the largest global asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, central banks, banks and dealers, proprietary trading firms and retail brokerage and financial advisory firms, as well as regional dealers. Our marketplaces facilitate trading across a range of asset classes, including rates, credit, equities and money markets. We are a global company serving clients in over 65 countries with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. We believe our proprietary technology and culture of collaborative innovation allow us to adapt our offerings to enter new markets, create new platforms and solutions and adjust to regulations quickly and efficiently. We support our clients by providing solutions across the trade lifecycle, including pre-trade, execution, post-trade and data.

Our institutional client sector serves institutional investors in over 65 countries around the globe and across over 25 currencies. We connect institutional investors with pools of liquidity using our flexible order and trading systems. Our clients trust the integrity of our markets and recognize the value they get by trading electronically: enhanced transparency, competitive pricing, efficient trade execution and regulatory compliance.

In our wholesale client sector, we provide a broad range of electronic, voice and hybrid platforms to more than 300 dealers and financial institutions with more than 100 actively trading on our electronic or hybrid markets with our Dealerweb platform. This platform was launched in 2008 following the acquisition of inter-dealer broker Hilliard Farber & Co., Inc. In 2011, we acquired the brokerage assets of Rafferty Capital Markets and in June 2021, we acquired Nasdaq’s U.S. fixed income electronic trading platform (formerly known as eSpeed) (the “NFI Acquisition”). Today, Dealerweb actively competes across a range of rates, credit, money markets, derivatives and equity markets.

In our retail client sector, we provide advanced trading solutions for financial advisory firms and traders with our Tradeweb Direct platform. We entered the retail sector in 2006 and launched our Tradeweb Direct platform following the 2013 acquisition of BondDesk Group LLC, which was built to bring innovation and efficiency to the wealth management community. Tradeweb Direct has provided financial advisory firms access to live offerings, accurate pricing in the marketplace and fast execution.

Our markets are large and growing. Electronic trading continues to increase across the markets in which we operate as a result of market demand for greater transparency, higher execution quality, operational efficiency and lower costs, as well as regulatory changes. We believe our deep client relationships, asset class breadth, geographic reach, regulatory knowledge and scalable technology position us to continue to be at the forefront of the evolution of electronic trading. Our platforms provide transparent, efficient, cost-effective and compliant trading solutions across multiple products, regions and regulatory regimes. As market participants seek to trade across multiple asset classes, reduce their costs of trading and increase the effectiveness of their trading, including through the use of data and analytics, we believe the demand for our platforms and electronic trading solutions will continue to grow.

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Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance

CEO Transition

On February 16, 2022, we announced that Mr. Lee Olesky would retire as Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Company, effective December 31, 2022. On February 11, 2022, the board of directors elected our then-current President, Mr. Billy Hult, to succeed Mr. Olesky as CEO of the Company, effective January 1, 2023. Following his retirement as CEO, Mr. Olesky has continued in his role as Chairman of the board of directors.

As of the beginning of Mr. Olesky’s six month notice period under our 2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, there were (i) approximately $6.7 million in total unamortized stock-based compensation associated with equity awards previously granted to Mr. Olesky plus (ii) $5.0 million in unamortized stock-based compensation awards granted to Mr. Olesky during 2022 that were accelerated and amortized into expense over a revised estimated service period that ended on August 11, 2022, the date that such six month notice period ended. In addition, in December 2022, $5.5 million in stock-based compensation awards, relating to 2022 performance, were granted to Mr. Olesky and immediately recognized into expense upon grant. Of these amounts, $3.1 million represents regular amortization that would have been recognized through August 11, 2022 if Mr. Olesky had not announced his retirement and $14.1 million represents accelerated stock-based compensation (the “CEO Retirement Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense”) that is excluded from our non-GAAP measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income as it is recorded as expense. Total amortization amounts disclosed were based on a 100% multiplier achieved for the 2022 performance-based restricted stock units and were adjusted, up by $0.7 million, based on the final performance multiplier achieved for the year ended December 31, 2022. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for further details. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we incurred a total of $15.0 million in CEO Retirement Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense and related payroll taxes.

President Transition

On July 13, 2022, we announced that the board of directors appointed Mr. Thomas Pluta as our next President effective as of January 1, 2023. Mr. Pluta succeeded Mr. Hult in this role, when, as previously announced and discussed above, Mr. Hult assumed the position of CEO of the Company on January 1, 2023. Mr. Pluta joined the Company as President-elect on October 3, 2022. Upon announcement, Mr. Pluta was a standing non-independent member of our board of directors and has remained on the board in his new role.

CFO Transition

On August 30, 2021, our Board of Directors appointed Sara Furber to serve as our new Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), effective September 7, 2021. She succeeded Robert Warshaw, our former CFO, who left the Company following a period of transition ending on January 4, 2022. In connection with her employment offer, Ms. Furber was granted RSUs and PRSUs with grant date fair values totaling $3.9 million, collectively referred to as the “CFO Special Equity Awards”. See Note 13 – Stock-Based Compensation Plans to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details of the CFO Special Equity Awards. As of August 30, 2021, there was approximately $1.8 million in unamortized stock-based compensation expense associated with equity awards previously granted to Mr. Warshaw, which was accelerated and amortized into expense over a revised estimated service period ending on January 4, 2022 (the “Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense”). During the year ended December 31, 2021, we incurred a total of $1.3 million in GAAP stock-based compensation expense relating to the CFO Special Equity Awards and $1.7 million relating to the Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense. The Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense is excluded from our non-GAAP measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income.

COVID-19

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been focused on keeping our employees safe, helping our staff and clients stay connected and ensuring our platforms operate efficiently. Throughout the pandemic, we implemented a series of measures to protect the health and safety of our employees. During 2022, we, like many companies, began to transition our workforce back to the office. Our office re-entry policy set out guidance to protect employee safety and implement, at a minimum, the local regulations including, where applicable, masking mandates, vaccination status for in-person work, quarantine time, testing requirements, appropriate distancing measures and capacity limitations. Our Workplace Safety Committee is governed by the heads of Risk, Human Resources, Facilities, Operations, Technology, and Marketing and meets in frequencies determined by the necessity and severity of the current conditions. We will continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19, including any related variants, and will adjust our plans accordingly.

In light of the market volatility and economic disruption that has arisen in the wake of the pandemic, we have worked closely with our clients to provide flexible, stable, resilient and secure access to our platforms across our multi-asset offerings so they can reliably manage their core cash and derivatives needs in the diverse geographic, product and customer sector markets we serve. Our employees and clients together have adapted to working remotely or on a hybrid basis.

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We are focused on minimizing any future disruptive impact of COVID-19 on our business. Although we have implemented risk management and contingency plans and taken preventive measures and other precautions, our efforts to mitigate the effects of any disruptions may prove to be inadequate. Further, as the COVID-19 situation is unprecedented and continuously evolving, COVID-19, including any related variants, may also affect our operating and financial results in a manner that is not presently known to us or in a manner that we currently do not consider to present significant risks to our operations. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the risks described in Part I, Item 1A. – “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Economic Environment

Our business is impacted by the overall market activity and, in particular, trading volumes and market volatility. Lower volatility may result in lower trading volume for our clients and may negatively impact our operating performance and financial condition. Factors that may impact market activity in 2023 include, among other things, evolving monetary policies of central banks, economic, political and social conditions, and legislative, regulatory or government policy changes.

Because the majority of our financial assets are short-term in nature, they are not significantly affected by inflation. However, the rate of inflation may affect our expenses, such as employee compensation and benefits and technology and communication expenses, which may not be readily recoverable in the prices of our services. We believe any effects of inflation on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during any of the periods presented in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. To the extent inflation, along with other factors, continue to result in rising interest rates and have other adverse effects on the securities markets and the overall economy, they may adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

While our business is impacted by the overall activity of the market and market volatility, our revenues consist of a mix of fixed and variable fees that partially mitigates this impact. More importantly, we are actively engaged in the further electronification of trading activities, which will help mitigate this impact as we believe secular growth trends can partially offset market volatility risk.

Regulatory Environment

Our business is subject to extensive regulations in the United States and internationally, which may expose us to significant regulatory risk and cause additional legal costs to ensure compliance. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Regulation.” The existing legal framework that governs the financial markets is periodically reviewed and amended, resulting in enforcement of new laws and regulations that apply to our business. The current regulatory environment in the United States and abroad may be subject to future legislative and regulatory changes driven by U.S. and global issues and priorities. The impact of any changes in the legal or regulatory landscape on us and our operations remains uncertain. Compliance with regulations may require us to dedicate additional financial and operational resources, which may adversely affect our profitability. In addition, compliance with regulations may require our clients to dedicate significant financial and operational resources, which may negatively affect their ability to pay our fees and use our platforms and, as a result, our profitability. However, under certain circumstances regulation may increase demand for our platforms and solutions, and we believe we are well positioned to benefit from any potential increased electronification due to regulatory changes as market participants seek platforms that meet regulatory requirements and solutions that help them comply with their regulatory obligations.

Competitive Environment

We and our competitors compete to introduce innovations in market structure and new electronic trading capabilities. While we endeavor to be a leader in innovation, new trading capabilities of our competitors are also adopted by market participants. On the one hand, this increases liquidity and electronification for all participants, but it also puts pressure on us to further invest in our technology and to innovate to ensure the continued growth of our network of clients and continued improvement of liquidity, electronic processing and pricing on our platforms. Our ability to compete is influenced by key factors such as (i) developments in trading platforms and solutions, (ii) the liquidity we provide on transactions, (iii) the transaction costs we incur in providing our solutions, (iv) the efficiency in execution of transactions on our platforms, (v) our ability to hire and retain talent and (vi) our ability to maintain the security of our platforms and solutions. Our competitive position is also influenced by the familiarity and integration of our clients with our electronic, voice and hybrid systems. When either a client wants to trade in a new product or we want to introduce a new product, trading protocol or other solution, we believe we benefit from our clients’ familiarity with our offerings as well as our integration into their order management systems and back offices. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Competition” for more detail on our competitors.

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Technology and Cybersecurity Environment

Our business and its success are largely impacted by the introduction of increasingly complex and sophisticated technology systems and infrastructures and new business models. Offering specialized trading venues and solutions through the development of new and enhanced platforms is essential to maintaining our level of competitiveness in the market and attracting new clients seeking platforms that provide advanced automation and better liquidity. We believe we will continue to increase demand for our platforms and solutions and the volume of transactions on our platforms, and thereby enhance our client relationships, by responding to new trading and information requirements through utilizing technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices in an effective and efficient way. We plan to continue to focus on and invest in technology infrastructure initiatives and continually improve and expand our platforms and solutions to further enhance our market position. We experience cyber-threats and attempted security breaches. If these were successful, these cybersecurity incidents could impact revenue and operating income and increase costs. We therefore continue to make investments to strengthen our cybersecurity infrastructure, which may result in increased costs.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Environment

We earn revenues, pay expenses, hold assets and incur liabilities in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates can affect our results of operations from period to period. In particular, fluctuations in exchange rates for non-U.S. dollar currencies may reduce the U.S. dollar value of revenues, earnings and cash flows we receive from non-U.S. markets, increase our operating expenses (as measured in U.S. dollars) in those markets, negatively impact our competitiveness in those markets or otherwise adversely impact our results of operations or financial condition. Future fluctuations of foreign currency exchange rates and their impact on our results of operations and financial condition are inherently uncertain. As we continue to grow the size of our global operations, these fluctuations may be material. See Part II, Item 7A. – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk – Foreign Currency and Derivative Risk” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, for the change in revenue and operating income caused by fluctuations in foreign currency rates and realized and unrealized gains/losses from foreign currency during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

Recent Developments

On February 16, 2023, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) appointed Mr. Troy Dixon as an independent director of the Board, effective as of March 1, 2023. Mr. Dixon is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Hollis Park Partners LP, an alternative asset manager that specializes in structured products, a position he has held since 2013. Mr. Dixon has nearly thirty years of industry experience, including leading residential mortgage-backed securities trading at UBS Inc. from 2002 to 2006 and at Deutsche Bank from 2006 to 2013.

Taxation

In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, we became the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result, beginning with the second quarter of 2019, we became subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. Our actual effective tax rate is impacted by our ownership share of TWM LLC, which has increased over time primarily due to Continuing LLC Owners redeeming or exchanging their LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as applicable, and our purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. Furthermore, in connection with the IPO, we entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement pursuant to which we began to make payments in January 2021, and we expect future payments to be significant. We intend to continue to cause TWM LLC to make distributions in an amount sufficient to allow us to pay our tax obligations, operating expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, and our quarterly cash dividends, as and when declared by our board of directors.

On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (“IRA”) into law. The IRA establishes a 15% corporate minimum tax effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022, and imposes a 1% excise tax on the repurchase after December 31, 2022 of stock by publicly traded U.S. corporations. We are currently evaluating the impacts, if any, of the provisions of the IRA however, do not expect a material impact to our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. We do not currently anticipate the adoption of the IRA will have an impact to our non-GAAP adjusted effective tax rate used for purposes of calculating our non-GAAP measure of Adjusted Net Income.

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Components of our Results of Operations

Revenues

Our revenue is derived primarily from transaction fees, commissions, subscription fees and market data fees.

Transaction Fees and Commissions

We earn transaction fees from transactions executed on our trading platforms through various fee plans. Transaction fees are generated on both a variable and fixed price basis and vary by geographic region, product type and trade size. For most of our products, clients pay both fixed minimum monthly transaction fees and variable transaction fees on a per transaction basis in excess of the monthly minimum. For certain of our products, clients also pay a subscription fee in addition to the minimum monthly transaction fee. For other products, instead of a minimum monthly transaction fee, clients pay a subscription fee and a fixed transaction fee or variable transaction fees on a per transaction basis. For variable transaction fees, we charge clients fees based on the mix of products traded and the volume of transactions executed.

Transaction volume is determined by using either a measure of the notional volume of the products traded or a count of the number of trades. We typically charge higher fees for products that are less actively traded. In addition, because transaction fees are sometimes subject to fee plans with tiered pricing based on product mix, volume, monthly minimums and monthly maximum fee caps, average transaction fees per million generated for a client may vary each month depending on the mix of products and volume traded. Furthermore, because transaction fees vary by geographic region, product type and trade size, our revenues may not correlate with volume growth.

We earn commission revenue from our electronic and voice brokerage services on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. For TBA-MBS, U.S. treasury and repurchase agreement transactions executed by our wholesale clients, we also generate revenue from fixed commissions that are generally invoiced monthly.

Subscription Fees

We earn subscription fees primarily for granting clients access to our markets for trading and market data. For a limited number of products, we only charge subscription fees and no transaction fees or commissions. Subscription fees are generally generated on a fixed price basis.

For purposes of our discussion of our results of operations, we include Refinitiv market data fees in subscription fees. We earn fixed license fees from our market data license agreement with Refinitiv. We also earn royalties from Refinitiv for referrals of new Eikon (a Refinitiv data platform) customers based on customer conversion rates. Royalties may fluctuate from period to period depending on the numbers of customer conversions achieved by Refinitiv during the applicable royalty fee earning period, which is typically five years from the date of the initial referral.

Operating Expenses

Employee Compensation and Benefits

Employee compensation and benefits expense consists of wages, employee benefits, bonuses, commissions, stock-based compensation cost and related taxes. Factors that influence employee compensation and benefits expense include revenue and earnings growth, hiring new employees and trading activity which generates broker commissions. We expect employee compensation and benefits expense to increase as we hire additional employees to support revenue and earnings growth. As a result, employee compensation and benefits can vary from period to period.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense consists of costs relating to the depreciation and amortization of acquired and internally developed software, other intangible assets, leasehold improvements, furniture and equipment.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expense consists of travel and entertainment, marketing, value-added taxes, state use taxes, foreign currency transaction gains and losses, gains and losses on foreign currency forward contracts entered into for foreign exchange risk management purposes, charitable contributions, other administrative expenses and credit loss expense. We expect general and administrative expense to increase as we expand the number of our employees and product offerings and grow our operations.

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Technology and Communications

Technology and communications expense consists of costs relating to software and hardware maintenance, our internal network connections, data center costs, clearance and other trading platform related transaction costs and data feeds provided by third-party service providers, including Refinitiv. Factors that influence technology and communications expense include trading volumes and our investments in innovation, data strategy and cybersecurity.

Professional Fees

Professional fees consist primarily of accounting, tax and legal fees and fees paid to technology and software consultants to maintain our trading platforms and infrastructure, as well as costs related to business acquisition transactions.

Occupancy

Occupancy expense consists of operating lease rent and related costs for office space and data centers leased in North America, Europe and Asia.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment reflects changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

Net Interest Income (Expense)

Interest income consists of interest earned from our cash deposited with large commercial banks and money market funds. Interest expense consists of commitment fees payable on, and, if applicable, interest payable on any borrowings outstanding under, the Revolving Credit Facility.

Income (Loss) from Investments

Income (loss) from investments consists of income and losses earned from investments.

Income Taxes

We are subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our taxable income, including our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. Income taxes also include unincorporated business taxes on income earned or losses incurred for conducting business in certain state and local jurisdictions, income taxes on income earned or losses incurred in foreign jurisdictions on certain operations and federal and state income taxes on income earned or losses incurred, both current and deferred, on subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes.

Net Income Attributable to Non-Controlling Interests

We are the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result of this control, and because we have a substantial financial interest in TWM LLC, we consolidate the financial results of TWM LLC and report a non-controlling interest in our consolidated financial statements, representing the economic interests of TWM LLC held by Continuing LLC Owners. Income or loss is attributed to the non-controlling interests based on the relative ownership percentages of LLC Interests held during the period by us and any Continuing LLC Owners.

In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, the TWM LLC Agreement was amended and restated to, among other things, (i) provide for LLC Interests and (ii) exchange all of the then existing membership interests in TWM LLC for LLC Interests. LLC Interests held by Continuing LLC Owners are redeemable in accordance with the TWM LLC Agreement, at the election of such holders, for newly issued shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as the case may be, on a one-for-one basis. In the event of such election by a Continuing LLC Owner, we may, at our option, effect a direct exchange of Class A common stock or Class B common stock for such LLC Interests of such Continuing LLC Owner in lieu of such redemption. In connection with any redemption or exchange, we will receive a corresponding number of LLC Interests, increasing our total ownership interest in TWM LLC. Following the completion of the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO, we owned 64.3% of TWM LLC and Continuing LLC Owners owned the remaining 35.7% of TWM LLC. As of December 31, 2022, we owned 88.7% of TWM LLC and Continuing LLC Owners owned the remaining 11.3% of TWM LLC.

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Results of Operations

For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021

The following table sets forth a summary of our statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:

Year Ended
December 31,
20222021$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Total revenue$1,188,781$1,076,447$112,33410.4%
Total expenses776,208717,61958,5898.2%
Operating income412,573358,82853,74515.0%
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment13,65312,7459087.1%
Net interest income (expense)11,907(1,590)13,497(848.9)%
Income (loss) from investments(1,000)(1,000)N/M
Income before taxes437,133369,98367,15018.1%
Provision for income taxes(77,520)(96,875)19,355(20.0)%
Net income359,613273,10886,50531.7%
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests50,27546,2803,9958.6%
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$309,338$226,828$82,51036.4%

N/M = not meaningful

Revenues

Our revenues for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20222021
$% of Total Revenue$% of Total Revenue$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Transaction fees and commissions$950,26979.9%$846,35478.6%$103,91512.3%
Subscription fees (1)228,64319.2219,60920.49,0344.1%
Other9,8690.810,4841.0(615)(5.9)%
Total revenue$1,188,781100.0%$1,076,447100.0%$112,33410.4%
Components of total revenue growth:
Constant currency change (2)14.0%
Foreign currency impact(3.6)%
Total revenue growth10.4%

(1)Subscription fees for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 include $62.7 million and $61.2 million, respectively, of Refinitiv market data fees.

(2)Constant currency revenue change, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined as total revenue change excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Total revenue excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations is calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s total revenue using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use constant currency change as a supplemental metric to evaluate our underlying total revenue performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing constant currency change provides a useful comparison of our total revenue performance and trends between periods.

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Our diversified offering across products, client sectors and geographies supported sustained growth amidst a complex macroeconomic backdrop, including evolving central bank policy, sustained elevated volatility, economic concerns and a stronger U.S. dollar. The primary driver of the $112.3 million increase in revenue is related to a $103.9 million increase in transaction fees and commissions to $950.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $846.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, primarily due to increased volumes and fees for rates derivatives products, municipals, U.S. ETFs, U.S. government bonds and U.S. corporate bonds.

Our total revenue by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20222021$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$605,406$562,878$42,5287.6%
Credit331,803292,43739,36613.5%
Equities93,47471,07622,39831.5%
Money Markets49,95844,2945,66412.8%
Market Data85,91382,1423,7714.6%
Other22,22723,620(1,393)(5.9)%
Total revenue$1,188,781$1,076,447$112,33410.4%

Our variable and fixed revenues by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20222021$ Change% Change
VariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixed
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$383,780$221,626$338,395$224,483$45,385$(2,857)13.4%(1.3)%
Credit305,76026,043266,36726,07039,393(27)14.8%(0.1)%
Equities84,3549,12060,57910,49723,775(1,377)39.2%(13.1)%
Money Markets32,30617,65227,88416,4104,4221,24215.9%7.6%
Market Data85,91382,1423,7714.6%
Other22,22723,620(1,393)(5.9)%
Total revenue$806,200$382,581$693,225$383,222$112,975$(641)16.3%(0.2)%

The key drivers of the change in total revenue by asset class are summarized as follows:

Rates. Revenues from our rates asset class increased by $42.5 million or 7.6% to $605.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $562.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for rates derivatives products and U.S. government bonds, partially offset by lower trading volumes for mortgages as historically high mortgage rates and inflation during 2022 impacted issuance and trading activity in mortgage products.

Credit. Revenues from our credit asset class increased by $39.4 million or 13.5% to $331.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $292.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for municipals, U.S. corporate bonds and credit derivatives products.

Equities. Revenues from our equities asset class increased by $22.4 million or 31.5% to $93.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $71.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for U.S. and European ETFs.

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Money Markets. Revenues from our money markets asset class increased by $5.7 million or 12.8% to $50.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $44.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for certificates of deposit and repurchase agreements.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data asset class increased by $3.8 million or 4.6% to $85.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $82.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was derived primarily from increased third party market data fees and Refinitiv market data fees.

Other. Revenues from our other asset class decreased by $1.4 million or 5.9%, to $22.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 compared to $23.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to decreased fees from retail client fee minimums.

We generate revenue from a diverse portfolio of client sectors. Our total revenue by client sector for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20222021$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Institutional$719,211$668,812$50,3997.5%
Wholesale273,189254,92718,2627.2%
Retail110,46870,56639,90256.5%
Market Data85,91382,1423,7714.6%
Total revenue$1,188,781$1,076,447$112,33410.4%

Institutional. Revenues from our institutional client sector increased by $50.4 million or 7.5% to $719.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $668.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was derived primarily from increased volumes for rates derivatives products, U.S. ETFs and credit derivatives products, partially offset by lower trading volumes for mortgages as historically high mortgage rates and inflation during 2022 impacted issuance and trading activity in mortgage products.

Wholesale. Revenues from our wholesale client sector increased by $18.3 million or 7.2% to $273.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $254.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was derived primarily from increased volumes for U.S. government bonds.

Retail. Revenues from our retail client sector increased by $39.9 million or 56.5% to $110.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $70.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was derived primarily from increased volumes for municipals, U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. government bonds.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data client sector increased by $3.8 million or 4.6% to $85.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $82.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was derived primarily from increased third party market data fees and Refinitiv market data fees.

Our revenues and client base are also diversified by geography. Our total revenue by geography (based on client location) for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20222021$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
U.S.$760,642$673,223$87,41913.0%
International428,139403,22424,9156.2%
Total revenue$1,188,781$1,076,447$112,33410.4%

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U.S. Revenues from U.S. clients increased by $87.4 million or 13.0% to $760.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $673.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 primarily due to higher revenues for municipals, U.S. ETFs and U.S. corporate bonds.

International. Revenues from International clients increased by $24.9 million or 6.2% to $428.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $403.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. Fluctuations in foreign currency rates decreased our total International revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 by $37.4 million when comparing to International revenues for the year ended December 31, 2022 determined using constant currency foreign currency exchange rates. Excluding this foreign currency impact, international revenues increased by $62.3 million or 15.5% primarily due to higher revenues for rates derivatives products, European government bonds, credit derivatives products and European ETFs.

Operating Expenses

Our expenses for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20222021$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Employee compensation and benefits$432,421$407,260$25,1616.2%
Depreciation and amortization178,879171,3087,5714.4%
Technology and communications65,85756,1899,66817.2%
General and administrative46,56132,15314,40844.8%
Professional fees37,76436,1811,5834.4%
Occupancy14,72614,5281981.4%
Total expenses$776,208$717,619$58,5898.2%

Employee Compensation and Benefits. Expenses related to employee compensation and benefits increased by $25.2 million or 6.2% to $432.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $407.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was primarily due to an increase in salaries and benefits as a result of increased employee headcount. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we also incurred a total of $15.0 million in stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes relating to the CEO Retirement Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense. See “— Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance — CEO Transition” for further details. During the year ended December 31, 2021 we incurred a total of $1.7 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former CFO.

Depreciation and Amortization. Expenses related to depreciation and amortization increased by $7.6 million or 4.4% to $178.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $171.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in depreciation and amortization expense was primarily the result of assets acquired in connection with the NFI Acquisition. Also contributing to the increase were longer estimated useful lives of computer software and the adjusted fair value of the assets that were established in connection with pushdown accounting on October 1, 2018 (see Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies — Pushdown Accounting, to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for details). Assets which may have been fully depreciated or amortized prior to the application of pushdown accounting are still being depreciated or amortized in these periods.

Technology and Communications. Expenses related to technology and communications increased by $9.7 million or 17.2% to $65.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $56.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was primarily due to increased investment in our data strategy and infrastructure and increased data and clearance fees driven primarily by higher trading volumes period over period.

General and Administrative. Expenses related to general and administrative costs increased by $14.4 million or 44.8% to $46.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $32.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was primarily due to higher travel and entertainment expenses, as the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to a reduction in expenses during 2021. Also contributing to the increase were realized and unrealized foreign currency gains, which decreased by $2.4 million to $2.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $5.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The change was primarily driven by the change in fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts used in connection with our foreign currency risk management program, partially offset by a decrease in foreign currency re-measurement losses on transactions in nonfunctional currencies.

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Professional Fees. Expenses related to professional fees increased by $1.6 million or 4.4% to $37.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $36.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase was primarily the result of increased legal fees during 2022, partially offset by acquisition transaction costs related to the NFI Acquisition incurred during the year ended December 31, 2021.

Occupancy. Expenses related to occupancy costs remained relatively flat at $14.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 as compared to $14.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment increased by $0.9 million to $13.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $12.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

Net Interest Income (Expense)

Net interest income increased by $13.5 million to $11.9 million of net interest income for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $1.6 million of net interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2021, primarily due to an increase in interest income earned as a result of an increase in our average invested cash balance and an increase in interest rates period over period.

Income (Loss) From Investments

Our net loss from investments increased to $1.0 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 due to a write-off of an investment that was determined to be uncollectible.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense decreased by $19.4 million to $77.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2022 from $96.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The provision for income taxes includes U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign taxes. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2022 was approximately 17.7%, compared with 26.2% for the year ended December 31, 2021. The effective tax rate for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to the state and local taxes including the tax impact of state apportionment rates changes on total tax expense as a result of the remeasurement of the Company’s net tax deferred asset, the effect of non-controlling interests and the tax impact of the exercise of equity compensation.

Effects of Inflation

While inflation may impact our revenues and operating expenses, we believe the effects of inflation, if any, on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. However, there can be no assurance that our results of operations and financial condition will not be materially impacted by inflation in the future. See “— Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance — Economic Environment” above.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

Liquidity describes the ability of a company to generate sufficient cash flows to meet the cash requirements of its business operations, including working capital needs to meet operating expenses, debt service, acquisitions, other commitments and contractual obligations. We consider liquidity in terms of cash on hand, cash flows from operations and availability under the Revolving Credit Facility and their sufficiency to fund our operating and investing activities.

Historically, we have generated significant cash flows from operations and have funded our business operations through cash on hand and cash flows from operations.

Our primary cash needs are for day to day operations, working capital requirements, clearing margin requirements, capital expenditures primarily for software and equipment, our expected dividend payments and our share repurchase program. In addition, we are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

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We expect to fund our short and long-term liquidity requirements through cash and cash equivalents and cash flows from operations. While historically we have generated significant and adequate cash flows from operations, in the case of an unexpected event in the future or otherwise, we may fund our liquidity requirements through borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility.

We believe that our projected cash position, cash flows from operations and, if necessary, borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility, will be sufficient to fund our liquidity requirements for at least the next 12 months. However, our future liquidity requirements could be higher than we currently expect as a result of various factors. For example, any future investments, acquisitions, joint ventures or other similar transactions, which we consider from time to time, may reduce our cash balance or require additional capital. In addition, our ability to continue to meet our future liquidity requirements will depend on, among other things, our ability to achieve anticipated levels of revenues and cash flows from operations and our ability to manage costs and working capital successfully, all of which are subject to general economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. In the event we require any additional capital, it will take the form of equity or debt financing, or both, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise any such financing on terms acceptable to us or at all.

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $1.3 billion and $972.0 million, respectively. All cash and cash equivalents were held in accounts with financial institutions or money market funds such that the funds are immediately available or in fixed term deposits with a maximum maturity of three months.

Factors Influencing Our Liquidity and Capital Resources

Dividend Policy

Subject to legally available funds, we intend to pay quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock equal to $0.09 per share. As discussed below, our ability to pay these quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock will depend on distributions to us from TWM LLC.

The declaration, amount and payment of any dividends will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our and our subsidiaries’ results of operations, capital requirements, financial condition, business prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable laws and other factors that our board of directors deem relevant. Because we are a holding company and all of our business is conducted through our subsidiaries, we expect to pay dividends, if any, only from funds we receive from our subsidiaries. Accordingly, our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders is dependent on the earnings and distributions of funds from our subsidiaries. As the sole manager of TWM LLC, we intend to cause, and will rely on, TWM LLC to make distributions in respect of LLC Interests to fund our dividends. If TWM LLC is unable to cause these subsidiaries to make distributions, it may have inadequate funds to distribute to us and we may be unable to fund our dividends. In addition, when TWM LLC makes distributions to us, the other holders of LLC Interests will be entitled to receive proportionate distributions based on their economic interests in TWM LLC at the time of such distributions.

Our board of directors will periodically review the cash generated from our business and the capital expenditures required to finance our growth plans and determine whether to modify the amount of regular dividends and/or declare any periodic special dividends. Any future determination to change the amount of dividends and/or declare special dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent upon then-existing conditions and other factors that our board of directors considers relevant. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Organizational Structure and Governance — Our principal asset is our equity interest in TWM LLC, and, accordingly, we depend on distributions from TWM LLC to pay our taxes and expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement” and “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Ownership of our Class A Common Stock — We intend to continue to pay regular dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock, but our ability to do so may be limited.”

Cash Dividends

On February 2, 2023, the board of directors of Tradeweb Markets Inc. declared a cash dividend of $0.09 per share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock for the first quarter of 2023. This dividend will be payable on March 15, 2023 to stockholders of record as of March 1, 2023. The February 2023 dividend declaration of $0.09 represents a 12.5% per share increase from our historical quarterly dividend of $0.08 per share. During 2022, Tradeweb Markets Inc. paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.08 per share to holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, in an aggregate amount totaling $66.0 million.

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Cash Distributions

On February 2, 2023, Tradeweb Markets Inc., as the sole manager, approved a distribution by TWM LLC to its equityholders, including Tradeweb Markets Inc., in an aggregate amount of $20.3 million, as adjusted by required state and local tax withholdings that will be determined prior to the record date of March 1, 2023, payable on March 13, 2023.

During 2022, TWM LLC made quarterly cash distributions to its equityholders in an aggregate amount totaling $88.4 million, including distributions to Tradeweb Markets Inc. totaling $77.5 million and distributions to non-controlling interests totaling $10.9 million. The proceeds of the cash distributions were used by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to fund dividend payments, taxes and expenses.

Share Repurchase Program

On February 4, 2021, we announced that our board of directors authorized a share repurchase program (the “2021 Share Repurchase Program”), primarily to offset annual dilution from stock-based compensation plans. The 2021 Share Repurchase Program authorized the purchase of up to $150.0 million of our Class A common stock at the Company’s discretion through the end of fiscal year 2023. The 2021 Share Repurchase Program was effected through regular open-market purchases (which included repurchase plans designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1). The amounts and timing of the repurchases were subject to general market conditions and the prevailing price and trading volumes of our Class A common stock. The 2021 Share Repurchase Program did not require the Company to acquire a specific number of shares and was able to be suspended, amended or discontinued at any time. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company acquired a total of 959,869 shares of Class A common stock, at an average price of $77.43, for purchases totaling $74.3 million pursuant to the 2021 Share Repurchase Program. As of December 31, 2022, no shares remained available for repurchase pursuant to the 2021 Share Repurchase Program.

On December 5, 2022, we announced that our board of directors authorized a new share repurchase program (the “2022 Share Repurchase Program”), to continue to offset annual dilution from stock-based compensation plans, as well as to opportunistically repurchase our stock. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program authorizes the purchase of up to $300.0 million of our Class A common stock at the Company’s discretion and has no termination date. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program can be effected through regular open-market purchases (which may include repurchase plans designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1), through privately negotiated transactions or through accelerated share repurchases, each in accordance with applicable securities laws and other restrictions. The amounts, timing and manner of the repurchases will be subject to general market conditions, the prevailing price and trading volumes of our Class A common stock and other factors. The 2022 Share Repurchase Program does not require the Company to acquire a specific number of shares and may be suspended, amended or discontinued at any time. During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company acquired a total of 387,198 shares of Class A common stock, at an average price of $64.57, for purchases totaling $25.0 million pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program. As of December 31, 2022, a total of $275.0 million remained available for repurchase pursuant to the 2022 Share Repurchase Program.

Other Share Repurchases

In addition to the share repurchase programs discussed above, we may also withhold shares to cover the payroll tax withholding obligations upon the exercise of stock options and vesting of PRSUs and RSUs.

During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company withheld 1,074,467 and 983,072 shares, respectively, of common stock from employee stock option, PRSU and RSU awards, at an average price per share of $94.64 and $72.25, respectively, and an aggregate value of $101.7 million and $71.0 million, respectively, based on the price of the Class A common stock on the date the relevant withholding occurred.

Tax Receivable Agreement

We are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. See Note 10 – Tax Receivable Agreement to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details regarding the requirements for these payments. Although the actual timing and amount of any payments that may be made under the Tax Receivable Agreement will vary, we expect the payments required will be significant. Any payments made by us under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally reduce the amount of overall cash flows that might have otherwise been available to us or to TWM LLC. These payments will offset some of the tax benefits that we expect to realize as a result of the ownership structure of TWM LLC. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement for any reason, the unpaid amounts generally will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid by us. The first payment of the Tax Receivable Agreement was made in January 2021. As of December 31, 2022, total amounts due to the Continuing LLC Owners under the Tax Receivable Agreement were $425.7 million, substantially all due to be paid over 15 years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests.

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Liabilities under the Tax Receivable Agreement include amounts to be paid to Continuing LLC Owners, assuming we will have sufficient taxable income over the term of the Tax Receivable Agreement to utilize the related tax benefits. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. As of December 31, 2022, we had the following obligations expected to be paid pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement:

Payments due by period
TotalLess than 1 year1 to 3 years3 to 5 yearsMore than 5 years
(in thousands)
Tax receivable agreement liability$425,724$5,791$77,677$42,340$299,916

In addition to the above, our tax receivable agreement liability and future payments thereunder are expected to increase as we realize (or are deemed to realize) an increase in tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from any future purchases, redemptions or exchanges of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. We currently expect to fund these future tax receivable agreement liability payments from some of the realized cash tax savings as a result of this increase in tax basis.

Indebtedness

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had no outstanding indebtedness.

On April 8, 2019, TWM LLC entered into the Revolving Credit Facility with a syndicate of banks. The Revolving Credit Facility was subsequently amended on November 7, 2019. The Revolving Credit Facility provides borrowing capacity to be used to fund our ongoing working capital needs, letters of credit and for general corporate purposes, including potential future acquisitions and expansions.

The Revolving Credit Facility permits borrowings of up to $500.0 million by TWM LLC. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, we will be able to increase the Revolving Credit Facility by $250.0 million with the consent of lenders participating in the increase. The Revolving Credit Facility provides for the issuance of up to $5.0 million of letters of credit as well as borrowings on same-day notice, referred to as swingline loans, in an amount of up to $30.0 million. The Revolving Credit Facility will mature on April 8, 2024.

As of December 31, 2022, there were $0.5 million in letters of credit issued under the Revolving Credit Facility and no borrowings outstanding. As of December 31, 2022, we had availability of $499.5 million.

Under the terms of the credit agreement that governs the Revolving Credit Facility, borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a rate equal to, at our option, either (a) a base rate equal to the greatest of (i) the administrative agent’s prime rate, (ii) the federal funds effective rate plus ½ of 1.0% and (iii) one month LIBOR plus 1.0%, in each case plus 0.75%, or (b) LIBOR plus 1.75%, subject to a 0.00% floor. The credit agreement also requires that we pay a commitment fee of 0.25% for available but unborrowed amounts. We are also required to pay customary letter of credit fees and agency fees.

We have the option to voluntarily repay outstanding loans at any time without premium or penalty other than customary “breakage” costs with respect to LIBOR loans.

There will be no scheduled amortization under the Revolving Credit Facility. The principal amount outstanding will be due and payable in full at maturity.

Obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are guaranteed by our existing and future direct and indirect material wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions. The Revolving Credit Facility is secured by a first-priority security interest in substantially all of the assets of TWM LLC and the guarantors under the facility, subject to certain exceptions.

The credit agreement that governs the Revolving Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, restrict the ability of TWM LLC and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries to:

•incur additional indebtedness and guarantee indebtedness;

•create or incur liens;

•pay dividends and distributions or repurchase capital stock;

•make investments, loans and advances; and

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•enter into certain transactions with affiliates.

The Revolving Credit Facility contains a financial covenant requiring compliance with a (i) maximum total net leverage ratio tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter not to exceed 3.5 to 1.0 (increasing to 4.0 to 1.0 for the four-quarter period following a material acquisition and the fiscal quarter in which such material acquisition is consummated) and (ii) minimum cash interest coverage ratio tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter not less than 3.0 to 1.0.

The credit agreement that governs the Revolving Credit Facility also contains certain affirmative covenants and events of default customary for facilities of this type, including relating to a change of control. If an event of default occurs, the lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility will be entitled to take various actions, including the acceleration of amounts due under the Revolving Credit Facility and all actions permitted to be taken by secured creditors under applicable law.

As of December 31, 2022, we were in compliance with all the covenants set forth in the Revolving Credit Facility.

Operating Lease Obligations

We have operating leases for corporate offices and data centers with initial lease terms ranging from one to 10 years. Our operating lease obligations are primarily related to rental payments under lease agreements for office space in the United States and the United Kingdom through December 2027. In March 2022, the lease for our New York headquarters was extended for an amended term through December 2023, as we continue to evaluate our office space needs for the future. As of December 31, 2022, our operating lease liabilities totaled $27.9 million, with payments pursuant to these obligations due within the next 12 months and thereafter totaling $11.9 million and $17.5 million, respectively.

Capital Expenditures

Our business also requires continued investment in our technology for product innovation, proprietary technology architecture, operational reliability and cybersecurity. We expect total capital expenditures and software development costs for fiscal 2023 to be between $56 million and $62 million, compared to expenditures of $60.1 million in fiscal year 2022 and $51.3 million in fiscal year 2021, with the midpoint of our 2023 capital expenditure guidance at slightly lower than fiscal year 2022 due to the acceleration of certain infrastructure enhancements during 2022.

Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements

Certain of our U.S. subsidiaries are registered as broker-dealers, SEFs or introducing brokers and are subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and CFTC. These rules contain minimum net capital or other financial resource requirements, as defined in the applicable regulations. These rules may also require a significant part of the registrants’ assets be kept in relatively liquid form. Certain of our foreign subsidiaries are regulated by the FCA in the UK, the Nederlandsche Bank in the Netherlands, the Japanese Financial Services Agency, the Japanese Securities Dealers Association and other foreign regulators, and must maintain financial resources, as defined in the applicable regulations, in excess of the applicable financial resources requirement. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, each of our regulated subsidiaries had maintained sufficient net capital or financial resources to at least satisfy their minimum requirements, which in aggregate were $69.1 million and $66.7 million, respectively. We maintain capital balances in these subsidiaries in excess of our minimum requirements in order to satisfy working capital needs and to ensure that we have enough cash on hand to satisfy margin requirements and credit risk, including the excess capital expectations of our clients. The Fixed Income Clearing Corporation (“FICC”) and some of our clearing brokers require us to post collateral on unsettled positions, included within deposits with clearing organizations in our consolidated statements of financial condition. Collateral amounts are marked to market on a daily basis, requiring us to pay or receive margin amounts as part of the daily funds settlement. Margin call requirements can vary significantly across periods based on daily market changes and may represent a significant and unpredictable use of our liquidity.

At times, transactions executed on our wholesale platform fail to settle due to the inability of a transaction party to deliver or receive the transacted security. Until the failed transaction settles, we will recognize a receivable from (and a matching payable to) brokers and dealers and clearing organizations for the proceeds from the unsettled transaction. The impact on our liquidity and capital resources is minimal as receivables and payables for failed transactions are usually recognized simultaneously and predominantly offset. However, from time to time, we enter into repurchase and/or reverse repurchase agreements to facilitate the clearance of securities relating to fails to deliver or receive. We seek to manage credit exposure related to these agreements to repurchase (or reverse repurchase), including the risk related to a decline in market value of collateral (pledged or received), by entering into agreements to repurchase with overnight or short-term maturity dates and only entering into repurchase transactions with netting members of the FICC. The FICC operates a continuous net settlement system, whereby as trades are submitted and compared, the FICC becomes the counterparty.

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Working Capital

Working capital is defined as current assets minus current liabilities. Current assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, deposits with clearing organizations, accounts receivable and receivable from affiliates. Current liabilities consist of payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, accrued compensation, deferred revenue, payable to affiliates, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, lease liabilities and tax receivable agreement liability. Changes in working capital, which impact our cash flows provided by operating activities, can vary depending on factors such as delays in the collection of receivables, changes in our operating performance, changes in trading patterns, changes in client billing terms and other changes in the demand for our platforms and solutions.

Our working capital as of December 31, 2022 and 2021 was as follows:

December 31,
20222021
(in thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents$1,257,229$972,048
Restricted cash1,0001,000
Receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations11,632
Deposits with clearing organizations23,90620,523
Accounts receivable142,676129,937
Receivable from affiliates63,313
Total current assets1,436,4491,126,821
Payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations11,264
Accrued compensation150,884154,824
Deferred revenue22,82724,930
Payable to affiliates1,4144,860
Current portion of:
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities51,91738,214
Lease liabilities11,2657,534
Tax receivable agreement liability5,7919,078
Total current liabilities255,362239,440
Total working capital$1,181,087$887,381

Current Assets

Current assets increased to $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2022 from $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2021 primarily due to an increase in cash and cash equivalents (see “—Cash Flows” below).

Current Liabilities

Current liabilities increased to $255.4 million as of December 31, 2022 from $239.4 million as of December 31, 2021 primarily due an increase in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, primarily as a result of an increase in current income tax expense.

See “—Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements” above for a discussion on how capital requirements can impact our working capital.

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Cash Flows

Our cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
202220212020
(in thousands)
Net cash provided by operating activities$632,822$578,021$443,234
Net cash used in investing activities(60,096)(259,110)(62,536)
Net cash used in financing activities(276,703)(136,100)(52,693)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash(10,842)(2,043)2,564
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash$285,181$180,768$330,569

Operating Activities

Operating activities consist primarily of net income adjusted for noncash items that primarily include depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense and deferred tax expense. Cash flows from operating activities can fluctuate significantly from period-to-period as working capital needs and the timing of payments for accrued compensation (primarily in the first quarter) and other items impact reported cash flows.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $632.8 million, an increase of $54.8 million as compared to the year ended December 31, 2021, primarily driven by an increase in net income during 2022, partially offset by changes in working capital.

Investing Activities

Investing activities consist primarily of software development costs, investments in technology hardware, purchases of equipment and other tangible assets, business acquisitions and investments.

Net cash used in investing activities was $60.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2022, which consisted of $36.9 million of capitalized software development costs and $23.2 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements. Net cash used in investing activities was $259.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, which consisted of $207.8 million in total net cash paid related to the NFI Acquisition (net of cash acquired), $34.5 million of capitalized software development costs and $16.9 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements.

Financing Activities

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $276.7 million, and was primarily driven by $99.3 million in share repurchases pursuant to our share repurchase programs, $91.5 million in payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs, net of proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises and $66.0 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders. Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $136.1 million, and was primarily driven by $75.7 million in share repurchases pursuant to our 2021 Share Repurchase Program and $64.6 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders, partially offset by $22.1 million in net proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises, net of related stock-based compensation payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Free Cash Flow

In addition to cash flow from operating activities presented in accordance with GAAP, we use Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP measure, to measure liquidity. Free Cash Flow is defined as cash flow from operating activities less non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

We present Free Cash Flow because we believe it is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated from our core operations after non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

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Free Cash Flow has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider Free Cash Flow in isolation or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or any other liquidity measure determined in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment. In addition, in evaluating Free Cash Flow, you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenditures similar to the adjustments in the presentation of Free Cash Flow. In addition, Free Cash Flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of our cash flow from operating activities to Free Cash Flow for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020:

Year Ended
December 31,
202220212020
(in thousands)
Cash flow from operating activities$632,822$578,021$443,234
Less: Capitalization of software development costs(36,882)(34,470)(31,046)
Less: Purchases of furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements(23,214)(16,878)(11,490)
Free Cash Flow$572,726$526,673$400,698

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

In addition to net income, net income margin and net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., each presented in accordance with GAAP, we present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin as non-GAAP measures of our operating performance and Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income per diluted share (“Adjusted Diluted EPS”) as non-GAAP measures of our profitability.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income before net interest income/expense, provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and income and loss from investments.

Adjusted EBIT is defined as net income before net interest income/expense and provision for income taxes, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and income and loss from investments.

Net income margin is defined as net income, divided by revenue for the applicable period. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin are defined as Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBIT, respectively, divided by revenue for the applicable period.

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We present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin because we believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance. For example, we exclude non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award as defined in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 to management and other employees as well as payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options during the applicable period. We believe it is useful to exclude this stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll taxes because the amount of expense associated with the Special Option Award and the post-IPO option awards in 2019 may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. Beginning on August 30, 2021, we also exclude the non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our former CFO and beginning on February 11, 2022 the incremental non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our retired CEO, the CEO Retirement Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense discussed above under “— Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance — CEO Transition,” and related payroll taxes are also excluded, as we do not consider these expenses indicative of our core ongoing operating performance. The accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our former CFO and retired CEO was fully amortized on January 4, 2022 and December 31, 2022, respectively. In addition, we exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustments discussed below under “— Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Tax Receivable Agreement.” We believe it is useful to exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustment because the recognition of income during a period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions, or other factors that may impact our tax savings, may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. We also believe it is useful to exclude merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs as the incremental direct costs related to acquisitions and the related integration are not indicative of our core ongoing operating performance. With respect to Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin, we believe it is useful to exclude the depreciation and amortization of tangible and intangible assets resulting from acquisitions and the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction in order to facilitate a period-over-period comparison of our financial performance.

Management and our board of directors use Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin to assess our financial performance and believe they are helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate and capital investments. Further, our executive incentive compensation is based in part on components of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

Adjusted Net Income is defined as net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock of Tradeweb Markets Inc., adjusted for certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts, gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash and income and loss from investments. Adjusted Net Income also gives effect to certain tax related adjustments to reflect an assumed effective tax rate. Adjusted Diluted EPS is defined as Adjusted Net Income divided by the diluted weighted average number of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding for the applicable period (including the effect of potentially dilutive securities determined using the treasury stock method), plus the weighted average number of other participating securities reflected in earnings per share using the two-class method, plus the assumed full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock.

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We use Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS as supplemental metrics to evaluate our business performance in a way that also considers our ability to generate profit without the impact of certain items. We exclude stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and the post-IPO option awards in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options, non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense associated with our former CFO and related payroll taxes, CEO Retirement Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs and acquisition and Refinitiv Transaction-related depreciation and amortization for the reasons described above. Each of the normal recurring adjustments and other adjustments described in the definition of Adjusted Net Income helps to provide management with a measure of our operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations or are non-cash expenses. In addition to excluding items that are non-recurring or may not be indicative of our ongoing operating performance, by assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests, we believe that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for Tradeweb Markets Inc. facilitate comparisons with other companies that have different organizational and tax structures, as well as comparisons period over period, because it eliminates the effect of any changes in net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. driven by increases in our ownership of TWM LLC, which are unrelated to our operating performance.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider these non-GAAP financial measures in isolation or as alternatives to net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., net income, net income margin, operating income, gross margin, earnings per share or any other financial measure derived in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment and, as applicable, the reasons we consider it appropriate for supplemental analysis. In addition, in evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

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The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income and net income margin to Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020:

Year Ended
December 31,
202220212020
(dollars in thousands)
Net income$359,613$273,108$218,390
Merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs (1)1,0695,073
Net interest (income) expense(11,907)1,590316
Depreciation and amortization178,879171,308153,789
Stock-based compensation expense (2)20,40916,50913,025
Provision for income taxes77,52096,87556,074
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (3)4,409(4,702)6,279
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (4)(13,653)(12,745)(11,425)
(Income) loss from investments1,000
Adjusted EBITDA$617,339$547,016$436,448
Less: Depreciation and amortization(178,879)(171,308)(153,789)
Add: D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (5)126,659124,580110,187
Adjusted EBIT$565,119$500,288$392,846
Net income margin30.3%25.4%24.5%
Adjusted EBITDA margin51.9%50.8%48.9%
Adjusted EBIT margin47.5%46.5%44.0%

(1)Represents incremental direct costs associated with the acquisition and integration of completed and potential mergers and acquisitions. These costs generally include legal, consulting, advisory, due diligence, severance and other third party costs incurred that directly relate to the acquisition transaction or its integration.

(2)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with the exercise of such options totaling $5.4 million, $14.8 million and $13.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2022, this adjustment also includes $15.0 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our retired CEO. During the year ended December 31, 2021, this adjustment also includes $1.7 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former CFO.

(3)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(4)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(5)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from the NFI Acquisition and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

Year Ended
December 31,
20222021Basis Point ChangeConstant Currency Basis Point Change (1)
Adjusted EBITDA margin51.9%50.8%111 bps113 bps
Adjusted EBIT margin47.5%46.5%106 bps116 bps

(1)The changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin, both on a constant currency basis, are non-GAAP financial measures, and are defined as the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations are calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s results using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis as supplemental metrics to evaluate our underlying margin performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis provide useful comparisons of our Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin and trends between periods.

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The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. and net income, as applicable, to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020:

Year Ended
December 31,
202220212020
(in thousands except per share amounts)
Earnings per diluted share$1.48$1.09$0.88
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$309,338$226,828$166,296
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (1)50,27546,28052,094
Net income359,613273,108218,390
Provision for income taxes77,52096,87556,074
Merger and acquisition transaction and integration costs (2)1,0695,073
D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (3)126,659124,580110,187
Stock-based compensation expense (4)20,40916,50913,025
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (5)4,409(4,702)6,279
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (6)(13,653)(12,745)(11,425)
(Income) loss from investments1,000
Adjusted Net Income before income taxes577,026498,698392,530
Adjusted income taxes (7)(126,946)(109,713)(86,357)
Adjusted Net Income$450,080$388,985$306,173
Adjusted Diluted EPS (8)$1.90$1.63$1.31

(1)Represents the reallocation of net income attributable to non-controlling interests from the assumed exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock.

(2)Represents incremental direct costs associated with the acquisition and integration of completed and potential mergers and acquisitions. These costs generally include legal, consulting, advisory, due diligence, severance and other third party costs incurred that directly relate to the acquisition transaction or its integration.

(3)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from the NFI Acquisition and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

(4)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with the exercise of such options totaling $5.4 million, $14.8 million and $13.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2022, this adjustment also includes $15.0 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our retired CEO. During the year ended December 31, 2021, this adjustment also includes $1.7 million of non-cash accelerated stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes associated with our former CFO.

(5)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(6)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(7)Represents corporate income taxes at an assumed effective tax rate of 22% applied to Adjusted Net Income before income taxes for each of the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

(8)For a summary of the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS, see “Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding and Adjusted Diluted EPS” below.

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The following table summarizes the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS for the periods presented:

Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding and Adjusted Diluted EPSYear Ended
December 31,
202220212020
Diluted weighted average shares of Class A and Class B common stock outstanding208,400,040207,254,840188,223,032
Weighted average of other participating securities (1)193,441
Assumed exchange of LLC Interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock (2)28,830,68630,699,57745,828,289
Adjusted diluted weighted average shares outstanding237,424,167237,954,417234,051,321
Adjusted Net Income (in thousands)$450,080$388,985$306,173
Adjusted Diluted EPS$1.90$1.63$1.31

(1)Represents weighted average unvested restricted stock units and unsettled vested performance-based restricted stock units issued to certain retired executives that are entitled to non-forfeitable dividend equivalent rights and are considered participating securities prior to being issued and outstanding shares of common stock in accordance with the two-class method used for purposes of calculating earnings per share. See Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for a discussion of the two-class method.

(2)Assumes the full exchange of the weighted average of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock, resulting in the elimination of the non-controlling interests and recognition of the net income attributable to non-controlling interests.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP which requires us to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. These estimates and assumptions are based on judgment and the best available information at the time. Management bases its estimates on historical experience, observance of trends in particular areas, information available from outside sources and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Information from these sources form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that may not be readily apparent from other sources. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Management evaluates its accounting policies, estimates and judgments on an on-going basis.

Management evaluated the development and selection of its critical accounting policies and estimates and believes that the following policies are most critical to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, and that require our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments in estimating the effect of inherent uncertainties. Our most critical policies and estimates include revenue recognition, current and deferred income taxes and the tax receivable agreement liability. With respect to critical accounting policies and estimates, even a relatively minor variance between actual and expected experience can potentially have a materially favorable or unfavorable impact on subsequent results of operations. More information on all of our significant accounting policies can be found in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Revenue Recognition

We enter into contracts with our clients to provide a stand-ready connection to our electronic marketplaces, which facilitates the execution of trades by our clients. The access to our electronic marketplaces, including market data and continuous pricing data refreshes and the processing of trades thereon are highly interrelated and are considered a single performance obligation satisfied over time as the client simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit from our performance. This performance obligation constitutes a series of services that are substantially the same in nature and are provided over time using the same measure of progress. For our services, we earn subscription fees for granting access to our electronic marketplaces.

We earn transaction fees and/or commissions from transactions executed on our trading platforms, including commission revenue from electronic and voice brokerage transacted on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. Fixed monthly transaction fees or commissions or monthly transaction fee or commission minimums are generally earned on a monthly basis in the period the stand-ready trading services are provided. Variable transaction fee or commission revenue is recognized and recorded on a trade-date basis when the individual trade occurs. Variable discounts or rebates on transaction fees or commissions are generally earned and applied monthly or quarterly, are resolved within the same reporting period and are recorded as a reduction to revenue in the period the relevant trades occur.

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We earn fees from Refinitiv relating to the sale of market data to Refinitiv, which redistributes that data. Included in these fees are real-time market data fees which are recognized monthly on a straight-line basis as Refinitiv receives and consumes the benefit evenly, over the contact period, as the data is provided, and fees for historical data sets which are recognized when the historical data set is provided to Refinitiv.

We are required to make significant judgments for the Refinitiv market data fees. Significant judgments used in accounting for this contract include the following determinations:

•The provision of real-time market data feeds and annual historical data sets are distinct performance obligations.

•The performance obligations under this contract are recognized over time from the initial delivery of the data feeds or each historical data set until the end of the contract term.

•The transaction price for the performance obligations is determined by using a market assessment analysis. Inputs in this analysis include a consultant study which determined the overall value of our market data and pricing information for historical data sets provided by other companies.

During the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, there were no material changes in the assumptions used to determine the Refinitiv market data fees.

Income Taxes

Tradeweb Markets Inc. is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its taxable income, including its allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and is taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. TWM LLC records taxes for conducting business in certain state, local and foreign jurisdictions and records U.S. federal taxes for subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes. We currently record deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and measure the deferred taxes using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when such temporary differences are expected to reverse. The measurement of deferred taxes often involves the exercise of significant judgment related to the realization of tax basis. Our deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect our assessment that tax positions taken in filed tax returns and the resulting tax basis are more likely than not to be sustained if they are audited by taxing authorities. Assessing tax rates that we expect to apply and determining the years when the temporary differences are expected to affect taxable income requires judgment about the future apportionment of our income among the jurisdictions in which we operate. Any changes in our practices or judgments involved in the measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations.

In connection with recording deferred tax assets and liabilities, we record valuation allowances when we believe that it is more likely than not that the Company will not be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future. We evaluate our deferred tax assets quarterly to determine whether adjustments to our valuation allowance are appropriate in light of changes in facts or circumstances, such as changes in tax law, interactions with taxing authorities and developments in case law. In making this evaluation, we rely on our recent history of pre-tax earnings, our forecasts of future earnings and the nature and timing of future deductions and benefits represented by the deferred tax assets, all of which involve the exercise of significant judgment. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we established a valuation allowance of none and $0.7 million on gross deferred tax assets totaling $698.1 million and $625.4 million, respectively. If forecasts of future earnings and the nature and estimated timing of future deductions and benefits change in the future, we may determine that existing valuation allowances must be revised or new valuation allowances created, any of which could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations. See Note 9 – Income Taxes to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the provision for income taxes in our consolidated statements of income. Accrued interest and penalties are included within accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities in our consolidated statements of financial condition. A U.S. shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) is required to include in income, as a deemed dividend, the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) of the CFC. We have elected to treat taxes due on future U.S. inclusions in taxable income of GILTI as a current period expense when incurred.

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Tax Receivable Agreement

Tradeweb Markets Inc. entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners which provides for the payment by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to a Continuing LLC Owner of 50% of the amount of U.S. federal, state and local income or franchise tax savings, if any, that Tradeweb Markets Inc. actually realizes (or in some circumstances is deemed to realize) as a result of (i) increases in the tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from (a) the purchase of LLC Interests from such Continuing LLC Owner, including with the net proceeds from the IPO, the October 2019 and April 2020 follow-on offerings and any future offering or (b) redemptions or exchanges by such Continuing LLC Owner of LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock or for cash, as applicable, and (ii) certain other tax benefits related to Tradeweb Markets Inc. making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Substantially all payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement are payable over the 15 years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests. The timing of the payments over the 15 year period is dependent upon our annual taxable income over the same period. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. This requires significant judgment relating to projecting future earnings, the geographic mix of those earnings and the timing of deferred taxes becoming current.

The impact of any changes in the total projected obligations recorded under the Tax Receivable Agreement as a result of actual changes in the geographic mix of our earnings, changes in tax legislation and tax rates or other factors that may impact our actual tax savings realized will be reflected in income before taxes in the period in which the change occurs.

FY 2021 10-K MD&A

SEC filing source: 0001758730-22-000006.

Extracted structurally from real Item 7 body heading to real Item 7A/8 boundary. Confidence: high. Filing date: 2022-02-24. Report date: 2021-12-31.

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.

The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the sections titled “Introductory Note” and our audited consolidated financial statements and related notes and other information included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to those differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below and those discussed in the sections titled “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The following discussion includes a comparison of our Financial Results, Cash Flow Comparisons and Liquidity and Capital Resources for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. A discussion of changes in our Financial Results, and Cash Flow Comparisons and Liquidity and Capital Resources from the year ended December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2019 may be found in Part II, Item 7. – “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020.

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Overview

We are a leader in building and operating electronic marketplaces for our global network of clients across the financial ecosystem. Our network is comprised of clients across the institutional, wholesale and retail client sectors, including many of the largest global asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, central banks, banks and dealers, proprietary trading firms and retail brokerage and financial advisory firms, as well as regional dealers. Our marketplaces facilitate trading across a range of asset classes, including rates, credit, equities and money markets. We are a global company serving clients in over 65 countries with offices in North America, Europe and Asia. We believe our proprietary technology and culture of collaborative innovation allow us to adapt our offerings to enter new markets, create new platforms and solutions and adjust to regulations quickly and efficiently. We support our clients by providing solutions across the trade lifecycle, including pre-trade, execution, post-trade and data.

Our institutional client sector serves institutional investors in over 45 markets across over 25 currencies, and in over 65 countries around the globe. We connect institutional investors with pools of liquidity using our flexible order and trading systems. Our clients trust the integrity of our markets and recognize the value they get by trading electronically: enhanced transparency, competitive pricing, efficient trade execution and regulatory compliance.

In our wholesale client sector, we provide a broad range of electronic, voice and hybrid platforms to more than 300 dealers and financial institutions with more than 100 actively trading on our electronic or hybrid markets with our Dealerweb platform. This platform was launched in 2008 following the acquisition of inter-dealer broker Hilliard Farber & Co., Inc. In 2011, we acquired the brokerage assets of Rafferty Capital Markets and in June 2021, we acquired Nasdaq’s U.S. fixed income electronic trading platform (formerly known as eSpeed) (the “NFI Acquisition”). Today, Dealerweb actively competes across a range of rates, credit, money markets, derivatives and equity markets.

In our retail client sector, we provide advanced trading solutions for financial advisory firms and traders with our Tradeweb Direct platform. We entered the retail sector in 2006 and launched our Tradeweb Direct platform following the 2013 acquisition of BondDesk Group LLC, which was built to bring innovation and efficiency to the wealth management community. Tradeweb Direct has provided financial advisory firms access to live offerings, accurate pricing in the marketplace and fast execution.

Our markets are large and growing. Electronic trading continues to increase across the markets in which we operate as a result of market demand for greater transparency, higher execution quality, operational efficiency and lower costs, as well as regulatory changes. We believe our deep client relationships, asset class breadth, geographic reach, regulatory knowledge and scalable technology position us to continue to be at the forefront of the evolution of electronic trading. Our platforms provide transparent, efficient, cost-effective and compliant trading solutions across multiple products, regions and regulatory regimes. As market participants seek to trade across multiple asset classes, reduce their costs of trading and increase the effectiveness of their trading, including through the use of data and analytics, we believe the demand for our platforms and electronic trading solutions will continue to grow.

Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance

CFO Transition

On August 30, 2021, our Board of Directors appointed Sara Furber to serve as our new Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), effective September 7, 2021. Ms. Furber joins us from U.S. equity exchange operator IEX Group, where she was CFO since 2018. She previously spent two decades in senior roles at Morgan Stanley and Bank of America Merrill Lynch. She succeeds Robert Warshaw, our former CFO, who has left the Company following a period of transition ending on January 4, 2022 (the “CFO Transition Period”).

In connection with her employment offer, Ms. Furber was granted 44,589 restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and 4,270 target performance-based restricted share units (“PRSUs”), such RSUs and PRSUs collectively referred to as the “CFO Special Equity Awards,” with grant date fair values totaling $3.9 million. See Note 13 – Stock-Based Compensation Plans to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details of the CFO Special Equity Awards.

As of August 30, 2021, there was approximately $1.8 million in unamortized stock-based compensation expense associated with equity awards previously granted to Mr. Warshaw, which was accelerated and amortized into expense over a revised estimated service period ending on January 4, 2022 (the “Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense”).

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As a result of expenses incurred in connection with the RSUs granted as part of the CFO Special Equity Awards, 43% of which will vest on March 31, 2022, the Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense and payment of salary and bonus for Ms. Furber and Mr. Warshaw during the CFO Transition Period, we expect to incur higher than average employee compensation and benefits expense during the period from August 30, 2021 through March 31, 2022. During the year ended December 31, 2021, we incurred a total of $1.3 million in GAAP stock-based compensation expense relating to the CFO Special Equity Awards and $1.7 million relating to the Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense. The Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense will be excluded from our non-GAAP measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for further details and a reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measure.

COVID-19

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been focused on keeping our employees safe, helping our clients stay connected and ensuring our markets operate efficiently through this period of unprecedented market volatility. We have implemented a series of measures to protect the health and safety of our employees. Our successful transition to remote work, nearly two years ago, reflected our commitment to keeping employees safe, helping clients succeed and playing a positive role in markets. Those same priorities guide our approach to our robust and safe return to the office. Beginning in June 2021, many roles within Tradeweb had transitioned to a hybrid approach in our return to the office plans. Our creative and flexible return to the office plans aim to keep driving our business forward and allow safe collaboration and positive team dynamics. We will continue to monitor the impact of COVID-19, including any related variants, and will adjust our plans accordingly.

In light of the market volatility and economic disruption that has arisen in the wake of the pandemic, we have worked closely with our clients to provide flexible, stable, resilient and secure access to our platforms across our multi-asset offerings so they can reliably manage their core cash and derivatives needs in the diverse geographic, product and customer sector markets we serve. Our employees and clients together have adapted to working remotely.

We currently are determined to minimize any future disruptive impact of COVID-19 on our business. Although we have implemented risk management and contingency plans and taken preventive measures and other precautions, our efforts to mitigate the effects of any disruptions may prove to be inadequate. Due to the uncertainty of the duration and severity of COVID-19, the speed with which this pandemic has developed and persists, the spread of various COVID-19 variants, the uncertainty as to what governmental measures may yet be taken in response to the pandemic and the unpredictable effect on our business, our employees and our clients, we are not able to reasonably estimate the extent of any potential impact of COVID-19 on our financial condition or results of operations at this time, but the impact could potentially be material. Even after the COVID-19 outbreak has subsided, we may continue to experience impacts to our business as a result of the virus’ global economic impact and any recession that may occur in the future. Further, as the COVID-19 situation is unprecedented and continuously evolving, COVID-19 may also affect our operating and financial results in a manner that is not presently known to us or in a manner that we currently do not consider to present significant risks to our operations.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the risks described in Part I, Item 1A. – “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K, including, but not limited to, those relating to changes in economic, political, social and market conditions and the impact of these changes on trading volumes; consolidation and concentration in the financial services industry; our dependence on dealer clients; systems failures, interruptions, delays in services, cybersecurity incidents, unforeseen or catastrophic events and any resulting interruptions; our international operations; and our dependence on our senior management team and other qualified personnel.

Economic Environment

Our business is impacted by the overall market activity and, in particular, trading volumes and market volatility. Lower volatility is correlated to lower liquidity, which may result in lower trading volume for our clients and may negatively impact our operating performance and financial condition. Factors that may impact market activity in 2022 include, among other things, economic, political and social conditions, legislative, regulatory or government policy changes, including related to COVID-19. As a result, our business is sensitive to slow trading environments and the continuity of conservative monetary policies of central banks internationally, which tend to lessen volatility.

While our business is impacted by the overall activity of the market and market volatility, our revenues consist of a mix of fixed and variable fees that partially mitigates this impact. More importantly, we are actively engaged in the further electronification of trading activities, which will help mitigate this impact as we believe secular growth trends can partially offset market volatility risk.

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Regulatory Environment

Our business is subject to extensive regulations in the United States and internationally, which may expose us to significant regulatory risk and cause additional legal costs to ensure compliance. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Regulation.” The existing legal framework that governs the financial markets is periodically reviewed and amended, resulting in enforcement of new laws and regulations that apply to our business. The current regulatory environment in the United States may be subject to future legislative changes driven by President Biden’s administration and its priorities. The impact of any reform efforts on us and our operations remains uncertain. For example, as a result of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU (“Brexit”), which occurred on January 31, 2020, and the end of the UK-EU transition period, which occurred on December 31, 2020, we are currently subject to two separate and distinct legal regimes in Europe. We have incurred additional costs to establish a new regulated subsidiary in the Netherlands, and over time there may be a divergence of regulatory requirements as between the UK and EU. Compliance with regulations may require us to dedicate additional financial and operational resources, which may adversely affect our profitability. In addition, compliance with regulations may require our clients to dedicate significant financial and operational resources, which may negatively affect their ability to pay our fees and use our platforms and, as a result, our profitability. However, under certain circumstances regulation may increase demand for our platforms and solutions, and we believe we are well positioned to benefit from any potential increased electronification due to regulatory changes as market participants seek platforms that meet regulatory requirements and solutions that help them comply with their regulatory obligations.

Competitive Environment

We and our competitors compete to introduce innovations in market structure and new electronic trading capabilities. While we endeavor to be a leader in innovation, new trading capabilities of our competitors are also adopted by market participants. On the one hand, this increases liquidity and electronification for all participants, but it also puts pressure on us to further invest in our technology and to innovate to ensure the continued growth of our network of clients and continued improvement of liquidity, electronic processing and pricing on our platforms. Our ability to compete is influenced by key factors such as (i) developments in trading platforms and solutions, (ii) the liquidity we provide on transactions, (iii) the transaction costs we incur in providing our solutions, (iv) the efficiency in execution of transactions on our platforms, (v) our ability to hire and retain talent and (vi) our ability to maintain the security of our platforms and solutions. Our competitive position is also influenced by the familiarity and integration of our clients with our electronic, voice and hybrid systems. When either a client wants to trade in a new product or we want to introduce a new product, trading protocol or other solution, we believe we benefit from our clients’ familiarity with our offerings as well as our integration into their order management systems and back offices. See Part I, Item 1. – “Business – Competition” for more detail on our competitors.

Technology and Cybersecurity Environment

Our business and its success are largely impacted by the introduction of increasingly complex and sophisticated technology systems and infrastructures and new business models. Offering specialized trading venues and solutions through the development of new and enhanced platforms is essential to maintaining our level of competitiveness in the market and attracting new clients seeking platforms that provide advanced automation and better liquidity. We believe we will continue to increase demand for our platforms and solutions and the volume of transactions on our platforms, and thereby enhance our client relationships, by responding to new trading and information requirements by utilizing technological advances and emerging industry standards and practices in an effective and efficient way. We plan to continue to focus on and invest in technology infrastructure initiatives and continually improve and expand our platforms and solutions to further enhance our market position. We experience cyber-threats and attempted security breaches. If these were successful, these cybersecurity incidents could impact revenue and operating income and increase costs. We therefore continue to make investments, which may result in increased costs, to strengthen our cybersecurity measures.

Foreign Currency Exchange Rate Environment

We earn revenues, pay expenses, hold assets and incur liabilities in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates can affect our results of operations from period to period. In particular, fluctuations in exchange rates for non-U.S. dollar currencies may reduce the U.S. dollar value of revenues, earnings and cash flows we receive from non-U.S. markets, increase our operating expenses (as measured in U.S. dollars) in those markets, negatively impact our competitiveness in those markets or otherwise adversely impact our results of operations or financial condition. Future fluctuations of foreign currency exchange rates and their impact on our results of operations and financial condition are inherently uncertain. As we continue to grow the size of our global operations, these fluctuations may be material. See Part II, Item 7A. – “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk – Foreign Currency and Derivative Risk” elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

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Recent Developments

Chairman of the Board of Directors

On February 16, 2022, we announced that Mr. Martin Brand, previously the Chairman of our Board of Directors (the “Board”), stepped down as Chairman and resigned from the Board effective February 11, 2022. Mr. Brand’s resignation was not the result of any disagreement with the Company.

In connection with Mr. Brand’s resignation, the Board elected Mr. Lee Olesky, our co-founder and CEO and a member of the Board since March 2019, as Chairman of the Board, effective February 11, 2022. Ms. Paula Madoff, who has also served on the Board since March 2019, was elected Lead Independent Director effective February 11, 2022.

CEO Transition

On February 16, 2022, we announced that Mr. Olesky will retire as CEO of the Company effective December 31, 2022. On February 11, 2022, the Board elected our President, Mr. Billy Hult, to succeed Mr. Olesky as CEO of the Company, effective January 1, 2023. Mr. Olesky will stay on with the Company in the position of Chairman of the Board, and accordingly will continue to serve in his capacity as a director of the Company.

During 2022, we currently expect that approximately $7.7 million in unamortized stock-based compensation associated with equity awards previously granted to Mr. Olesky, or contractually obligated to be granted to Mr. Olesky in 2022, will be accelerated into expense in 2022 (the “CEO Retirement Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense”). While Mr. Olesky will retire as CEO effective December 31, 2022, the CEO Retirement Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense will be amortized over a revised estimated service period ending on August 11, 2022, the date that ends his required six month notice period under our 2019 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan. The CEO Retirement Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense will be excluded from our non-GAAP measures of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Net Income. See “—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below for further details.

Taxation

In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, we became the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result, beginning with the second quarter of 2019, we became subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. Our actual effective tax rate is impacted by our ownership share of TWM LLC, which will increase over time primarily as the Continuing LLC Owners redeem or exchange their LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as applicable, or as we purchase LLC Interests from the Continuing LLC Owners. Furthermore, in connection with the IPO, we entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement pursuant to which we began to make payments in January 2021, and we expect future payments to be significant. We intend to cause TWM LLC to make distributions in an amount sufficient to allow us to pay our tax obligations, operating expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement, and our quarterly cash dividends, as and when declared by our board of directors.

Components of our Results of Operations

Revenues

Our revenue is derived primarily from transaction fees, commissions, subscription fees and market data fees.

Transaction Fees and Commissions

We earn transaction fees from transactions executed on our trading platforms through various fee plans. Transaction fees are generated on both a variable and fixed price basis and vary by geographic region, product type and trade size. For most of our products, clients pay both fixed minimum monthly transaction fees and variable transaction fees on a per transaction basis in excess of the monthly minimum. For certain of our products, clients also pay a subscription fee in addition to the minimum monthly transaction fee. For other products, instead of a minimum monthly transaction fee, clients pay a subscription fee and variable or fixed transaction fees on a per transaction basis. For variable transaction fees, we charge clients fees based on the mix of products traded and the volume of transactions executed.

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Transaction volume is determined by using either a measure of the notional volume of the products traded or a count of the number of trades. We typically charge higher fees for products that are less actively traded. In addition, because transaction fees are sometimes subject to fee plans with tiered pricing based on product mix, volume, monthly minimums and monthly maximum fee caps, average transaction fees per million generated for a client may vary each month depending on the mix of products and volume traded. Furthermore, because transaction fees vary by geographic region, product type and trade size, our revenues may not correlate with volume growth.

We earn commission revenue from our electronic and voice brokerage services on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. For TBA-MBS, U.S. treasury and repurchase agreement transactions executed by our wholesale clients, we also generate revenue from fixed commissions that are generally invoiced monthly.

Subscription Fees

We earn subscription fees primarily for granting clients access to our markets for trading and market data. For a limited number of products, we only charge subscription fees and no transaction fees or commissions. Subscription fees are generally generated on a fixed price basis.

For purposes of our discussion of our results of operations, we include Refinitiv (formerly Thomson Reuters) market data fees in subscription fees. We earn fixed license fees from our market data license agreement with Refinitiv. We also earn royalties from Refinitiv for referrals of new Eikon (a Refinitiv data platform) customers based on customer conversion rates. Royalties may fluctuate from period to period depending on the numbers of customer conversions achieved by Refinitiv during the applicable royalty fee earning period, which is typically five years from the date of the initial referral.

Operating Expenses

Employee Compensation and Benefits

Employee compensation and benefits expense consists of wages, employee benefits, bonuses, commissions, stock-based compensation cost and related taxes. Factors that influence employee compensation and benefits expense include revenue and earnings growth, hiring new employees and trading activity which generates broker commissions. We expect employee compensation and benefits expense to increase as we hire additional employees to support our revenue and earnings growth. As a result, employee compensation and benefits can vary from period to period.

Depreciation and Amortization

Depreciation and amortization expense consists of costs relating to the depreciation and amortization of acquired and internally developed software, other intangible assets, leasehold improvements, furniture and equipment.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expense consists of travel and entertainment, marketing, value-added taxes, state use taxes, foreign currency transaction gains and losses, gains and losses on foreign currency forward contracts entered into for foreign exchange risk management purposes, charitable contributions, other administrative expenses and credit loss expense. We expect general and administrative expense to increase as we expand the number of our employees and product offerings and grow our operations.

Technology and Communications

Technology and communications expense consists of costs relating to software and hardware maintenance, our internal network connections, data center costs, clearance and other trading platform related transaction costs and data feeds provided by third-party service providers, including Refinitiv. Factors that influence technology and communications expense include trading volumes and our investments in innovation, data strategy and cybersecurity.

Professional Fees

Professional fees consist primarily of accounting, tax and legal fees and fees paid to technology and software consultants to maintain our trading platforms and infrastructure, as well as costs related to business acquisition transactions.

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Occupancy

Occupancy expense consists of operating lease rent and related costs for office space and data centers leased in North America, Europe and Asia.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment reflects changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

Net Interest Income (Expense)

Interest income consists of interest earned from our cash deposited with large commercial banks and money market funds. Beginning with the second quarter of 2019, interest expense consists of commitment fees payable on, and, if applicable, interest payable on any borrowings outstanding under, the Revolving Credit Facility.

Income Taxes

Beginning with the second quarter of 2019, we became subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to our taxable income, including our allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and are taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. Income taxes also include unincorporated business taxes on income earned or losses incurred for conducting business in certain state and local jurisdictions, income taxes on income earned or losses incurred in foreign jurisdictions on certain operations and federal and state income taxes on income earned or losses incurred, both current and deferred, on subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes.

Net Income Attributable to Non-Controlling Interests

We are the sole manager of TWM LLC. As a result of this control, and because we have a substantial financial interest in TWM LLC, we consolidate the financial results of TWM LLC and report a non-controlling interest in our consolidated financial statements, representing the economic interests of TWM LLC held by the Continuing LLC Owners. Income or loss is attributed to the non-controlling interests based on the relative ownership percentages of LLC Interests held during the period by us and the Continuing LLC Owners.

In connection with the Reorganization Transactions, the TWM LLC Agreement was amended and restated to, among other things, (i) provide for LLC Interests and (ii) exchange all of the then existing membership interests in TWM LLC for LLC Interests. LLC Interests held by the Continuing LLC Owners are redeemable in accordance with the TWM LLC Agreement, at the election of such holders, for newly issued shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, as the case may be, on a one-for-one basis. In the event of such election by a Continuing LLC Owner, we may, at our option, effect a direct exchange of Class A common stock or Class B common stock for such LLC Interests of such Continuing LLC Owner in lieu of such redemption. In connection with any redemption or exchange, we will receive a corresponding number of LLC Interests, increasing our total ownership interest in TWM LLC. Following the completion of the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO, we owned 64.3% of TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners owned the remaining 35.7% of TWM LLC. As of December 31, 2021, we owned 86.9% of TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners owned the remaining 13.1% of TWM LLC.

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Results of Operations

For the Years Ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020

The following table sets forth a summary of our statements of income for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:

Year Ended
December 31,
20212020$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Total revenue$1,076,447$892,659$183,78820.6%
Total expenses717,619629,30488,31514.0%
Operating income358,828263,35595,47336.3%
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment12,74511,4251,32011.6%
Net interest income (expense)(1,590)(316)(1,274)403.2%
Income before taxes369,983274,46495,51934.8%
Provision for income taxes(96,875)(56,074)(40,801)72.8%
Net income273,108218,39054,71825.1%
Less: Net income attributable to non-controlling interests46,28052,094(5,814)(11.2)%
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc.$226,828$166,296$60,53236.4%

Revenues

Our revenues for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20212020
$% of Total Revenue$% of Total Revenue$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Transaction fees and commissions$846,35478.6%$681,58876.4%$164,76624.2%
Subscription fees (1)219,60920.4202,06422.617,5458.7%
Other10,4841.09,0071.01,47716.4%
Total revenue$1,076,447100.0%$892,659100.0%$183,78820.6%
Components of total revenue growth:
Constant currency growth (2)19.3%
Foreign currency impact1.3%
Total revenue growth20.6%

(1)Subscription fees for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 include $61.2 million and $59.7 million, respectively, of Refinitiv market data fees.

(2)Constant currency growth, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined as total revenue growth excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Total revenue excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations is calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s total revenue using the annual average exchange rates for 2020. We use constant currency growth as a supplemental metric to evaluate our underlying total revenue performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing constant currency growth provides a useful comparison of our total revenue performance and trends between periods.

The primary driver of the $183.8 million increase in revenue is related to a $164.8 million increase in transaction fees and commissions to $846.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $681.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily due to increased volumes and fees for U.S. and European corporate bonds, rates derivatives products and U.S. government bonds.

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Our total revenue by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20212020$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$562,878$476,327$86,55118.2%
Credit292,437212,55479,88337.6%
Equities71,07661,7099,36715.2%
Money Markets44,29442,6201,6743.9%
Market Data82,14276,5215,6217.3%
Other23,62022,9286923.0%
Total revenue$1,076,447$892,659$183,78820.6%

Our variable and fixed revenues by asset class for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20212020$ Change% Change
VariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixedVariableFixed
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Rates$338,395$224,483$270,826$205,501$67,569$18,98224.9%9.2%
Credit266,36726,070189,78922,76576,5783,30540.3%14.5%
Equities60,57910,49751,53610,1739,04332417.5%3.2%
Money Markets27,88416,41026,30816,3121,576986.0%0.6%
Market Data82,14276,5215,6217.3%
Other23,62022,9286923.0%
Total revenue$693,225$383,222$538,459$354,200$154,766$29,02228.7%8.2%

The key drivers of the change in total revenue by asset class are summarized as follows:

Rates. Revenues from our rates asset class increased by $86.6 million or 18.2% to $562.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $476.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to variable transaction fees and commissions earned on higher trading volumes for rates derivatives products and U.S. and European government bonds.

Credit. Revenues from our credit asset class increased by $79.9 million or 37.6% to $292.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $212.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for U.S. and European corporate bonds.

Equities. Revenues from our equities asset class increased by $9.4 million or 15.2% to $71.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $61.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for U.S. and European ETFs.

Money Markets. Revenues from our money markets asset class increased by $1.7 million or 3.9% to $44.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $42.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to variable transaction fees and commissions on higher trading volumes for repurchase agreements, partially offset by lower revenues from certificates of deposit.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data asset class increased by $5.6 million or 7.3% to $82.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $76.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was derived from increased third party market data fees, Refinitiv market data fees and revenue from our APA reporting service.

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Other. Revenues from our other asset class increased by $0.7 million or 3.0%, to $23.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 compared to $22.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to increased fees from retail client fee minimums.

We generate revenue from a diverse portfolio of client sectors. Our total revenue by client sector for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20212020$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
Institutional$668,812$554,330$114,48220.7%
Wholesale254,927185,45669,47137.5%
Retail70,56676,352(5,786)(7.6)%
Market Data82,14276,5215,6217.3%
Total revenue$1,076,447$892,659$183,78820.6%

Institutional. Revenues from our institutional client sector increased by $114.5 million or 20.7% to $668.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $554.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was derived primarily from increased volumes for rates derivatives products, U.S. and European corporate bonds, U.S. and European government bonds and ETFs.

Wholesale. Revenues from our wholesale client sector increased by $69.5 million or 37.5% to $254.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $185.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was derived primarily from increased volumes for U.S. and European corporate bonds and U.S. government bonds.

Retail. Revenues from our retail client sector decreased by $5.8 million or 7.6% to $70.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $76.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The decrease was derived primarily from lower revenues from certificates of deposit and U.S. corporate bonds, partially offset by increased fees from structured products.

Market Data. Revenues from our market data client sector increased by $5.6 million or 7.3% to $82.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $76.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was derived from increased third party market data fees, Refinitiv market data fees and revenue from our APA reporting service.

Our revenues and client base are also diversified by geography. Our total revenue by geography (based on client location) for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the resulting dollar and percentage changes, were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20212020$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Revenues
U.S.$673,223$570,064$103,15918.1%
International403,224322,59580,62925.0%
Total revenue$1,076,447$892,659$183,78820.6%

U.S. Revenues from U.S. clients increased by $103.2 million or 18.1% to $673.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $570.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to higher revenues for U.S. corporate bonds and U.S. government bonds.

International. Revenues from International clients increased by $80.6 million or 25.0% to $403.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $322.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 primarily due to higher revenues for rates derivatives products, European corporate bonds and ETFs. Fluctuations in foreign currency rates for the year ended December 31, 2021 increased our International total revenue by $11.4 million.

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Operating Expenses

Our expenses for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
20212020$ Change% Change
(dollars in thousands)
Employee compensation and benefits$407,260$349,658$57,60216.5%
Depreciation and amortization171,308153,78917,51911.4%
Technology and communications56,18947,5008,68918.3%
General and administrative32,15334,822(2,669)(7.7)%
Professional fees36,18128,8757,30625.3%
Occupancy14,52814,660(132)(0.9)%
Total expenses$717,619$629,304$88,31514.0%

Employee Compensation and Benefits. Expenses related to employee compensation and benefits increased by $57.6 million or 16.5% to $407.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $349.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily due to increases in incentive compensation and commissions tied to operating performance and salaries and benefits as a result of increased employee headcount.

Depreciation and Amortization. Expenses related to depreciation and amortization increased by $17.5 million or 11.4% to $171.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $153.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in depreciation and amortization expense was primarily the result of the longer estimated useful lives of computer software and the adjusted fair value of the assets that were established in connection with pushdown accounting on October 1, 2018 (see Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies — Pushdown Accounting, to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K). Assets which may have been fully depreciated or amortized prior to the application of pushdown accounting are still being depreciated or amortized in these periods. Also contributing to the change was an increase in depreciation and amortization expense relating to the assets acquired in connection with the June 25, 2021 NFI Acquisition.

Technology and Communications. Expenses related to technology and communications increased by $8.7 million or 18.3% to $56.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $47.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily due to increased clearance, data and client service fees driven primarily by higher trading volumes period over period and increased investment in our data strategy and cybersecurity.

General and Administrative. Expenses related to general and administrative costs decreased by $2.7 million or 7.7% to $32.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $34.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The decrease was primarily due to foreign exchange. Realized and unrealized foreign currency gains totaled $5.0 million during the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to $5.0 million in losses during the year ended December 31, 2020. The change was primarily driven by an increase in fair value of our foreign currency forward contracts used in connections with our foreign currency risk management program, which was partially offset by an increase in foreign currency re-measurement losses on transactions in nonfunctional currencies. The decrease was primarily offset by higher travel and entertainment expenses, as COVID-19 contributed to a reduction in expenses during 2020 and early 2021.

Professional Fees. Expenses related to professional fees increased by $7.3 million or 25.3% to $36.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $28.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase was primarily due to acquisition transaction costs related to the NFI Acquisition and higher consulting fees.

Occupancy. Expenses related to occupancy costs remained relatively flat at $14.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to $14.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2020.

Tax Receivable Agreement Liability Adjustment

The tax receivable agreement liability adjustment increased by $1.3 million to $12.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $11.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

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Net Interest Income (Expense)

Net interest expense increased by $1.3 million to $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $0.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 due to a decrease in annual interest rates.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense increased by $40.8 million to $96.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 from $56.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The provision for income taxes includes U.S. federal, state, local, and foreign taxes. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2021 was approximately 26.2%, compared with 20.4% for the year ended December 31, 2020. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2021 differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to state and local taxes including the tax impact of state apportionment rate changes on total tax expense as a result of the remeasurement of the Company’s net deferred asset, partially offset by the effect of non-controlling interests and the tax impact of the exercise of equity compensation. The effective tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2020 differed from the U.S. federal statutory rate of 21.0% primarily due to the effect of non-controlling interests and the tax impact of the exercise of equity compensation, partially offset by state, local and foreign taxes.

Effects of Inflation

While inflation may impact our revenues and operating expenses, we believe the effects of inflation, if any, on our results of operations and financial condition have not been significant. However, there can be no assurance that our results of operations and financial condition will not be materially impacted by inflation in the future.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

Overview

Liquidity describes the ability of a company to generate sufficient cash flows to meet the cash requirements of its business operations, including working capital needs to meet operating expenses, debt service, acquisitions, other commitments and contractual obligations. We consider liquidity in terms of cash on hand, cash flows from operations and availability under the Revolving Credit Facility and their sufficiency to fund our operating and investing activities.

Historically, we have generated significant cash flows from operations and have funded our business operations through cash on hand and cash flows from operations.

Our primary cash needs are for day to day operations, working capital requirements, clearing margin requirements, capital expenditures primarily for software and equipment, our expected dividend payments and our share repurchase program. In addition, we are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement.

We expect to fund our short and long-term liquidity requirements through cash and cash equivalents and cash flows from operations. While historically we have generated significant and adequate cash flows from operations, in the case of an unexpected event in the future or otherwise, we may fund our liquidity requirements through borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility.

We believe that our projected cash position, cash flows from operations and, if necessary, borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility, will be sufficient to fund our liquidity requirements for at least the next 12 months. However, our future liquidity requirements could be higher than we currently expect as a result of various factors. For example, any future investments, acquisitions, joint ventures or other similar transactions, which we consider from time to time, may reduce our cash balance or require additional capital. In addition, our ability to continue to meet our future liquidity requirements will depend on, among other things, our ability to achieve anticipated levels of revenues and cash flows from operations and our ability to manage costs and working capital successfully, all of which are subject to general economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. In the event we require any additional capital, it will take the form of equity or debt financing, or both, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise any such financing on terms acceptable to us or at all.

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $972.0 million and $791.3 million, respectively. All cash and cash equivalents were held in accounts with banks or money market funds such that the funds are immediately available or in fixed term deposits with a maximum maturity of three months.

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Factors Influencing Our Liquidity and Capital Resources

Dividend Policy

Subject to legally available funds, we intend to continue to pay quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock equal to $0.08 per share. As discussed below, our ability to pay these quarterly cash dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock will depend on distributions to us from TWM LLC.

The declaration, amount and payment of any dividends will be at the sole discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our and our subsidiaries’ results of operations, capital requirements, financial condition, business prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable laws and other factors that our board of directors deem relevant. Because we are a holding company and all of our business is conducted through our subsidiaries, we expect to pay dividends, if any, only from funds we receive from our subsidiaries. Accordingly, our ability to pay dividends to our stockholders is dependent on the earnings and distributions of funds from our subsidiaries. As the sole manager of TWM LLC, we intend to cause, and will rely on, TWM LLC to make distributions in respect of LLC Interests to fund our dividends. If TWM LLC is unable to cause these subsidiaries to make distributions, it may have inadequate funds to distribute to us and we may be unable to fund our dividends. In addition, when TWM LLC makes distributions to us, the other holders of LLC Interests will be entitled to receive proportionate distributions based on their economic interests in TWM LLC at the time of such distributions.

Our board of directors will periodically review the cash generated from our business and the capital expenditures required to finance our growth plans and determine whether to modify the amount of regular dividends and/or declare any periodic special dividends. Any future determination to change the amount of dividends and/or declare special dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will be dependent upon then-existing conditions and other factors that our board of directors considers relevant. See “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to our Organizational Structure and Governance — Our principal asset is our equity interest in TWM LLC, and, accordingly, we depend on distributions from TWM LLC to pay our taxes and expenses, including payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement” and “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Ownership of our Class A Common Stock — We intend to continue to pay regular dividends on our Class A common stock and Class B common stock, but our ability to do so may be limited.”

Cash Dividends

On February 2, 2022, the board of directors of Tradeweb Markets Inc. declared a cash dividend of $0.08 per share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock for the first quarter of 2022. This dividend will be payable on March 15, 2022 to stockholders of record as of March 1, 2022.

During 2021, Tradeweb Markets Inc. paid quarterly cash dividends of $0.08 per share to holders of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, in an aggregate amount totaling $64.6 million.

Cash Distributions

On February 1, 2022, Tradeweb Markets Inc., as the sole manager, approved a distribution by TWM LLC to its equityholders, including Tradeweb Markets Inc., in an aggregate amount of $16.7 million, as adjusted by required state and local tax withholdings as well as increases in Tradeweb Markets Inc. shares, that will be determined prior to the record date of March 1, 2022, payable on March 11, 2022.

During 2021, TWM LLC made a quarterly cash distribution to its equityholders in an aggregate amount totaling $84.8 million, including distributions to Tradeweb Markets Inc. totaling $73.7 million and distributions to non-controlling interests totaling $11.1 million. The proceeds of the cash distributions were used by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to fund dividend payments, taxes and expenses.

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Share Repurchase Program

On February 4, 2021, we announced that our board of directors authorized a new share repurchase program (the “Share Repurchase Program”), primarily to offset annual dilution from stock-based compensation plans. The Share Repurchase Program authorizes the purchase of up to $150.0 million of our Class A common stock at the Company’s discretion through the end of fiscal year 2023. The Share Repurchase Program will be effected primarily through regular open-market purchases (which may include repurchase plans designed to comply with Rule 10b5-1). The amounts and timing of the repurchases will be subject to general market conditions and the prevailing price and trading volumes of our Class A common stock. The Share Repurchase Program does not require the Company to acquire a specific number of shares and may be suspended, amended or discontinued at any time. The Company began purchasing shares pursuant to the Share Repurchase Program during the second quarter of 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company acquired a total of 901,968 shares of Class A common stock, at an average price of $83.90, for purchases totaling $75.7 million.

Other Share Repurchases

In addition to the Share Repurchase Program discussed above, we may also withhold shares to cover the payroll tax withholding obligations upon the exercise of stock options and vesting of PRSUs and RSUs.

During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company withheld 983,072 and 1,509,321 shares, respectively, of common stock from employee stock option, PRSU and RSU awards, at an average price per share of $72.25 and $50.47, respectively, and an aggregate value of $71.0 million and $76.2 million, respectively, based on the price of the Class A common stock on the date the relevant withholding occurred.

Tax Receivable Agreement

We are obligated to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. See Note 10 – Tax Receivable Agreement to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for additional details regarding the requirements for these payments. Although the actual timing and amount of any payments that may be made under the Tax Receivable Agreement will vary, we expect the payments required will be significant. Any payments made by us under the Tax Receivable Agreement will generally reduce the amount of overall cash flows that might have otherwise been available to us or to TWM LLC. These payments will offset some of the tax benefits that we expect to realize as a result of the ownership structure of TWM LLC. To the extent that we are unable to make payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement for any reason, the unpaid amounts generally will be deferred and will accrue interest until paid by us. As of December 31, 2021, total amounts due to the Continuing LLC Owners under the Tax Receivable Agreement were $412.4 million, substantially all due to be paid over 15 years. The first payment of the Tax Receivable Agreement was made in January 2021.

Liabilities under the Tax Receivable Agreement include amounts to be paid to Continuing LLC Owners, assuming we will have sufficient taxable income over the term of the Tax Receivable Agreement to utilize the related tax benefits. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. As of December 31, 2021, we had the following obligations expected to be paid pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement:

Payments due by period
TotalLess than 1 year1 to 3 years3 to 5 yearsMore than 5 years
(in thousands)
Tax receivable agreement liability$412,449$9,078$92,228$51,787$259,356

In addition to the above, our tax receivable agreement liability and future payments thereunder are expected to increase as we realize (or are deemed to realize) an increase in tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from any future purchases, redemptions or exchanges of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners. We currently expect to fund these future tax receivable agreement liability payments from some of the realized cash tax savings as a result of this increase in tax basis.

Indebtedness

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we had no outstanding indebtedness.

On April 8, 2019, TWM LLC entered into the Revolving Credit Facility with a syndicate of banks. The Revolving Credit Facility was subsequently amended on November 7, 2019. The Revolving Credit Facility provides borrowing capacity to be used to fund our ongoing working capital needs, letters of credit and for general corporate purposes, including potential future acquisitions and expansions.

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The Revolving Credit Facility permits borrowings of up to $500.0 million by TWM LLC. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, we will be able to increase the Revolving Credit Facility by $250.0 million with the consent of lenders participating in the increase. The Revolving Credit Facility provides for the issuance of up to $5.0 million of letters of credit as well as borrowings on same-day notice, referred to as swingline loans, in an amount of up to $30.0 million. The Revolving Credit Facility will mature on April 8, 2024.

As of December 31, 2021, there were $0.5 million in letters of credit issued under the Revolving Credit Facility and no borrowings outstanding. As of December 31, 2021, we had availability of $499.5 million.

Under the terms of the credit agreement that governs the Revolving Credit Facility, borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a rate equal to, at our option, either (a) a base rate equal to the greatest of (i) the administrative agent’s prime rate, (ii) the federal funds effective rate plus ½ of 1.0% and (iii) one month LIBOR plus 1.0%, in each case plus 0.75%, or (b) LIBOR plus 1.75%, subject to a 0.00% floor. The credit agreement also requires that we pay a commitment fee of 0.25% for available but unborrowed amounts.  We are also required to pay customary letter of credit fees and agency fees.

We have the option to voluntarily repay outstanding loans at any time without premium or penalty other than customary “breakage” costs with respect to LIBOR loans.

There will be no scheduled amortization under the Revolving Credit Facility. The principal amount outstanding will be due and payable in full at maturity.

Obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are guaranteed by our existing and future direct and indirect material wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions. The Revolving Credit Facility is secured by a first-priority security interest in substantially all of the assets of TWM LLC and the guarantors under the facility, subject to certain exceptions.

The credit agreement that governs the Revolving Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, restrict the ability of TWM LLC and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries to:

•incur additional indebtedness and guarantee indebtedness;

•create or incur liens;

•pay dividends and distributions or repurchase capital stock;

•make investments, loans and advances; and

•enter into certain transactions with affiliates.

The Revolving Credit Facility contains a financial covenant requiring compliance with a (i) maximum total net leverage ratio tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter not to exceed 3.5 to 1.0 (increasing to 4.0 to 1.0 for the four-quarter period following a material acquisition and the fiscal quarter in which such material acquisition is consummated) and (ii) minimum cash interest coverage ratio tested on the last day of each fiscal quarter not less than 3.0 to 1.0.

The credit agreement that governs the Revolving Credit Facility also contains certain affirmative covenants and events of default customary for facilities of this type, including relating to a change of control. If an event of default occurs, the lenders under the Revolving Credit Facility will be entitled to take various actions, including the acceleration of amounts due under the Revolving Credit Facility and all actions permitted to be taken by secured creditors under applicable law.

As of December 31, 2021, we were in compliance with all the covenants set forth in the Revolving Credit Facility.

Operating Lease Obligations

We have operating leases for corporate offices and data centers with initial lease terms ranging from one to 10 years. Our operating lease obligations are primarily related to rental payments under lease agreements for office space in the United States and the United Kingdom through December 2027. The lease for our New York headquarters expires in December 2022 and a new lease has not yet been finalized. As of December 31, 2021, our operating lease liabilities totaled $24.3 million, with payments pursuant to these obligations due within the next twelve months and thereafter totaling $8.1 million and $17.8 million, respectively.

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Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements

Certain of our U.S. subsidiaries are registered as broker-dealers, SEFs or introducing brokers and are subject to the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and CFTC. These rules contain minimum net capital or other financial resource requirements, as defined in the applicable regulations. These rules may also require a significant part of the registrants’ assets be kept in relatively liquid form. Certain of our foreign subsidiaries are regulated by the FCA in the UK, the Nederlandsche Bank in the Netherlands, the Japanese Financial Services Agency, the Japanese Securities Dealers Association and other foreign regulators, and must maintain financial resources, as defined in the applicable regulations, in excess of the applicable financial resources requirement. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, each of our regulated subsidiaries had maintained sufficient net capital or financial resources to at least satisfy their minimum requirements, which in aggregate were $66.7 million and $65.1 million, respectively. We maintain capital balances in these subsidiaries in excess of our minimum requirements in order to satisfy working capital needs and to ensure that we have enough cash on hand to satisfy margin requirements and credit risk, including the excess capital expectations of our clients. The FICC and some of our clearing brokers require us to post collateral on unsettled positions, included within deposits with clearing organizations in our consolidated statements of financial condition. Collateral amounts are marked to market on a daily basis, requiring us to pay or receive margin amounts as part of the daily funds settlement. Margin call requirements can vary significantly across periods based on daily market changes and may represent a significant and unpredictable use of our liquidity.

At times, transactions executed on our wholesale platform fail to settle due to the inability of a transaction party to deliver or receive the transacted security. Until the failed transaction settles, we will recognize a receivable from (and a matching payable to) brokers and dealers and clearing organizations for the proceeds from the unsettled transaction. The impact on our liquidity and capital resources is minimal as receivables and payables for failed transactions are usually recognized simultaneously and predominantly offset.  However, from time to time, we enter into repurchase and/or reverse repurchase agreements to facilitate the clearance of securities relating to fails to deliver or receive. Credit exposure related to these agreements to repurchase, including the risk related to a decline in market value of collateral (pledged or received), is managed by entering into agreements to repurchase with overnight or short-term maturity dates and only entering into repurchase transactions with netting members of the FICC. The FICC operates a continuous net settlement system, whereby as trades are submitted and compared, the FICC becomes the counterparty.

Our business also requires continued investment in our technology for product innovation, proprietary technology architecture, operational reliability and cybersecurity. We expect total capital expenditures and software development costs for fiscal 2022 to be between $62.0 million and $68.0 million, compared to expenditures of $51.0 million in fiscal 2021, with the increase primarily driven by technology investments. We expect approximately 20% of our 2022 capital expenditures to be non-recurring.

Working Capital

Working capital is defined as current assets minus current liabilities. Current assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, deposits with clearing organizations, accounts receivable and receivable from affiliates. Current liabilities consist of payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations, accrued compensation, deferred revenue, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, employee equity compensation payable, lease liability, payable to affiliates and tax receivable agreement liability. Changes in working capital, which impact our cash flows provided by operating activities, can vary depending on factors such as delays in the collection of receivables, changes in our operating performance, changes in trading patterns, changes in client billing terms and other changes in the demand for our platforms and solutions.

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Our working capital as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 was as follows:

December 31,
20212020
(in thousands)
Cash and cash equivalents$972,048$791,280
Restricted cash1,0001,000
Receivable from brokers and dealers and clearing organizations368
Deposits with clearing organizations20,52311,671
Accounts receivable129,937105,286
Receivable from affiliates3,313111
Total current assets1,126,821909,716
Payable to brokers and dealers and clearing organizations252
Accrued compensation154,824129,288
Deferred revenue24,93023,193
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities38,21442,077
Employee equity compensation payable1,900
Payable to affiliates4,8605,142
Current portion of:
Lease liabilities7,53410,813
Tax receivable agreement liability9,07816,832
Total current liabilities239,440229,497
Total working capital$887,381$680,219

Current Assets

Current assets increased to $1.1 billion as of December 31, 2021 from $909.7 million as of December 31, 2020 primarily due to an increase in cash and cash equivalents (see “—Cash Flows” below) and accounts receivable as a result of increased revenues and earnings.

Current Liabilities

Current liabilities increased to $239.4 million as of December 31, 2021 from $229.5 million as of December 31, 2020 primarily due to an increase in accrued compensation.

See “—Other Cash and Liquidity Requirements” above for a discussion on how capital requirements can impact our working capital.

Cash Flows

Our cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were as follows:

Year Ended
December 31,
202120202019
(in thousands)
Net cash provided by operating activities$578,021$443,234$311,003
Net cash used in investing activities(259,110)(62,536)(44,462)
Net cash used in financing activities(136,100)(52,693)(218,142)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash(2,043)2,5642,008
Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash$180,768$330,569$50,407

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Operating Activities

Operating activities consist primarily of net income adjusted for noncash items that primarily include depreciation and amortization and stock-based compensation expense. Cash flows from operating activities can fluctuate significantly from period-to-period as working capital needs and the timing of payments for accrued compensation (primarily in the first quarter) and other items impact reported cash flows.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $578.0 million, and was primarily driven by an increase in revenue.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $443.2 million, and was primarily driven by an increase in revenue and a decrease in cash taxes.

Net cash provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $311.0 million, and was primarily driven by an increase in revenue.

Investing Activities

Investing activities consist primarily of software development costs, investments in technology hardware, purchases of equipment and other tangible assets, business acquisitions and investments.

Net cash used in investing activities was $259.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021, which consisted of $207.8 million in total net cash paid related to the NFI Acquisition (net of cash acquired), $34.5 million of capitalized software development costs and $16.9 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements.

Net cash used in investing activities was $62.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2020, which consisted of $31.0 million of capitalized software development costs, a $20.0 million purchase of an equity investment and $11.5 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements.

Net cash used in investing activities was $44.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2019, which consisted of $28.7 million of capitalized software development costs and $15.8 million of purchases of furniture, equipment, purchased software and leasehold improvements.

Financing Activities

Financing activities consist primarily of repurchases of our Class A stock, purchases of LLC Interests and cash dividends to our Class A common stockholders and Class B common stockholders.

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was $136.1 million, and was primarily driven by $75.7 million in share repurchases pursuant to the Share Repurchase Program and $64.6 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders, partially offset by $22.1 million in net proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises, net of related stock-based compensation payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs.

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2020 was $52.7 million, and was primarily driven by $626.3 million in purchases of LLC Interests and shares of Class A common stock from certain Bank Stockholders and members of management using the net proceeds from the April 2020 follow-on offering, $58.1 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders, and $16.8 million in capital distributions to non-controlling interests, partially offset by $24.7 million in net proceeds from stock-based compensation option exercises, net of related stock-based compensation payroll tax payments for options, PRSUs and RSUs.

Net cash used in financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2019 was $218.1 million, and was primarily driven by $1,971.2 million in purchases of LLC Interests and shares of Class A common stock from certain Bank Stockholders and members of management using the net proceeds from the IPO and the October 2019 follow-on offering, $120.0 million in pre-IPO capital distributions which includes a one-time distribution of $100.0 million paid to the Original LLC Owners in connection with the IPO, $38.3 million in capital distributions to non-controlling interests and $35.9 million in cash dividends to our Class A and Class B common stockholders.

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Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Free Cash Flow

In addition to cash flow from operating activities presented in accordance with GAAP, we use Free Cash Flow, a non-GAAP measure, to measure liquidity. Free Cash Flow is defined as cash flow from operating activities less non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

We present Free Cash Flow because we believe it is a useful indicator of liquidity that provides information to management and investors about the amount of cash generated from our core operations after non-acquisition related expenditures for capitalized software development costs and furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements.

Free Cash Flow has limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider Free Cash Flow in isolation or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or any other liquidity measure determined in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment. In addition, in evaluating Free Cash Flow, you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenditures similar to the adjustments in the presentation of Free Cash Flow. In addition, Free Cash Flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of our cash flow from operating activities to Free Cash Flow for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019:

Year Ended
December 31,
202120202019
(in thousands)
Cash flow from operating activities$578,021$443,234$311,003
Less: Capitalization of software development costs(34,470)(31,046)(28,681)
Less: Purchases of furniture, equipment and leasehold improvements(16,878)(11,490)(15,781)
Free Cash Flow$526,673$400,698$266,541

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

In addition to net income and net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., each presented in accordance with GAAP, we present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin as non-GAAP measures of our operating performance and Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Net Income per diluted share (“Adjusted Diluted EPS”) as non-GAAP measures of our profitability.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income before net interest income/expense, provision for income taxes and depreciation and amortization, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including transaction and other costs related to the NFI Acquisition, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts and gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash.

Adjusted EBIT is defined as net income before net interest income/expense and provision for income taxes, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including transaction and other costs related to the NFI Acquisition, certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts and gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash.

Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin are defined as Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBIT, respectively, divided by revenue for the applicable period.

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We present Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin because we believe they assist investors and analysts in comparing our operating performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that we do not believe are indicative of our core operating performance.  For example, we exclude non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and options awarded to management and other employees following the IPO during 2019 as well as payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options during the applicable period. We believe it is useful to exclude this stock-based compensation expense and associated payroll taxes because the amount of expense associated with the Special Option Award and the post-IPO option awards in 2019 may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. We did not exclude any non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with options that may be awarded to management and other employees during 2021. Beginning on August 30, 2021, we also exclude the non-cash Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense discussed above under “— Trends and Other Factors Impacting Our Performance — CFO Transition,” and related payroll taxes, as we do not consider this expense indicative of our core ongoing operating performance. The Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense was fully amortized by January 4, 2022. In addition, we exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustments discussed below under “— Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates — Tax Receivable Agreement.” We believe it is useful to exclude the tax receivable agreement liability adjustment because the recognition of income during a period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in our consolidated statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions, or other factors that may impact our tax savings, may not directly correlate to the underlying performance of our business and will vary across periods. We also believe it is useful to exclude the transaction and other costs related to the NFI Acquisition as costs related to the acquisition are not indicative of our core operating performance. With respect to Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin, we believe it is useful to exclude the depreciation and amortization of tangible and intangible assets resulting from acquisitions and the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction in order to facilitate a period-over-period comparison of our financial performance.

Management and our board of directors use Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin to assess our financial performance and believe it is helpful in highlighting trends in our core operating performance, while other measures can differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate and capital investments. Further, our executive incentive compensation is based in part on components of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin.

Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS

We present Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for Tradeweb Markets Inc. for post-IPO periods and Tradeweb Markets LLC for pre-IPO periods.  As discussed below, because Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS give effect to certain tax related adjustments to reflect an assumed effective tax rate for all periods presented and, for post-IPO periods, assumes all LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests are exchanged for shares of Class A or Class B common stock, we believe that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for Tradeweb Markets Inc. and Tradeweb Markets LLC are comparable.

Adjusted Net Income is defined as net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock of Tradeweb Markets Inc. (for post-IPO periods) and net income (for pre-IPO periods), each adjusted for certain stock-based compensation expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, transaction and other costs related to the NFI Acquisition, depreciation and amortization related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction, unrealized gains and losses from outstanding foreign currency forward contracts and gains and losses from the revaluation of foreign denominated cash. Adjusted Net Income also gives effect to certain tax related adjustments to reflect an assumed effective tax rate and, for pre-IPO periods, assumes TWM LLC was subject to a corporate tax rate for the periods presented. Adjusted Diluted EPS is defined as Adjusted Net Income divided by the diluted weighted average number of shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding for the applicable period (including the effect of potentially dilutive securities determined using the treasury stock method), assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock, for post-IPO periods, and the diluted weighted average number of shares of TWM LLC outstanding for the applicable period (including the effect of potentially dilutive securities determined using the treasury stock method), for pre-IPO periods.

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We use Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS as supplemental metrics to evaluate our business performance in a way that also considers our ability to generate profit without the impact of certain items. We exclude stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and the post-IPO option awards in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options, the Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense and related payroll taxes, tax receivable agreement liability adjustments, acquisition-related costs and acquisition and Refinitiv Transaction-related depreciation and amortization for the reasons described above. Each of the normal recurring adjustments and other adjustments described in the definition of Adjusted Net Income helps to provide management with a measure of our operating performance over time by removing items that are not related to day-to-day operations or are non-cash expenses. In addition to excluding items that are non-recurring or may not be indicative of our ongoing operating performance, by assuming the full exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests, we believe that Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for Tradeweb Markets Inc. facilitate comparisons with other companies that have different organizational and tax structures, as well as comparisons period over period, because it eliminates the effect of any changes in net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. driven by increases in our ownership of TWM LLC, which are unrelated to our operating performance.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS have limitations as analytical tools, and you should not consider these non-GAAP financial measures in isolation or as alternatives to net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc., net income, operating income, gross margin, earnings per share or any other financial measure derived in accordance with GAAP. You are encouraged to evaluate each adjustment and, as applicable, the reasons we consider it appropriate for supplemental analysis. In addition, in evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS you should be aware that in the future, we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments in the presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT, Adjusted EBIT margin, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries.

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The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBIT and Adjusted EBIT margin for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019:

Year Ended
December 31,
202120202019
(dollars in thousands)
Net income$273,108$218,390$173,024
Acquisition transaction costs (1)5,073
Net interest (income) expense1,590316(2,373)
Depreciation and amortization171,308153,789139,330
Stock-based compensation expense (2)16,50913,02525,098
Provision for income taxes96,87556,07452,302
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (3)(4,702)6,279(1,085)
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (4)(12,745)(11,425)(33,134)
Adjusted EBITDA$547,016$436,448$353,162
Less: Depreciation and amortization(171,308)(153,789)(139,330)
Add: D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (5)124,580110,18797,565
Adjusted EBIT$500,288$392,846$311,397
Adjusted EBITDA margin (6)50.8%48.9%45.5%
Adjusted EBIT margin (6)46.5%44.0%40.2%

(1)Represents transaction and other costs related to the NFI Acquisition, which closed in June 2021. Acquisition-related costs primarily include legal, consulting and advisory fees and severance costs incurred that relate to the acquisition transaction.

(2)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options during the applicable period. Beginning on August 30, 2021, this adjustment also includes the non-cash Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense, and related payroll taxes, which totaled $1.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2021.

(3)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(4)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(5)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from the NFI Acquisition and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

(6)For the year ended December 31, 2021, Adjusted EBITDA margin increased compared to the prior year period by 192 basis points, or 211 basis points on a constant currency basis. For the year ended December 31, 2021, Adjusted EBIT margin increased compared to the prior year period by 247 basis points, or 263 basis points on a constant currency basis. The changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis, which are non-GAAP financial measures, are defined as the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations. Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations are calculated by translating the current period and prior period’s results using the annual average exchange rates for the prior period. We use the changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis as supplemental metrics to evaluate our underlying margin performance between periods by removing the impact of foreign currency fluctuations. We believe that providing changes in Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin on a constant currency basis provide useful comparisons of our Adjusted EBITDA margin and Adjusted EBIT margin and trends between periods.

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The table set forth below presents a reconciliation of net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. and net income, as applicable, to Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019:

Year Ended
December 31,
202120202019
(in thousands except per share amounts)
Earnings per diluted share (1)$0.19(b)
$1.09(a)$0.88(a)$0.54(a)
Pre-IPO net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets LLC (1)$$$42,352(b)
Net income attributable to Tradeweb Markets Inc. (1)226,828(a)166,296(a)83,769(a)
Net income attributable to non-controlling interests (1)(2)46,280(a)52,094(a)46,903(a)
Net income273,108(a)218,390(a)173,024(a)(b)
Provision for income taxes96,87556,07452,302
Acquisition transaction costs (3)5,073
D&A related to acquisitions and the Refinitiv Transaction (4)124,580110,18797,565
Stock-based compensation expense (5)16,50913,02525,098
Foreign exchange (gains) / losses (6)(4,702)6,279(1,085)
Tax receivable agreement liability adjustment (7)(12,745)(11,425)(33,134)
Adjusted Net Income before income taxes498,698392,530313,770
Adjusted income taxes (8)(109,713)(86,357)(82,835)
Adjusted Net Income$388,985$306,173$230,935
Adjusted Diluted EPS (1)(9)$0.23(b)
$1.63(a)$1.31(a)$0.77(a)

(1)In April 2019, we completed the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO.  Therefore, certain earnings information is being presented separately for Tradeweb Markets LLC and Tradeweb Markets Inc.

(a)Presents information for Tradeweb Markets Inc. (post-IPO period).

(b)Presents information for Tradeweb Markets LLC (pre-IPO period).

See “Introductory Note – Basis of Presentation” and Note 18 – Earnings Per Share to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

(2)For post-IPO periods, represents the reallocation of net income attributable to non-controlling interests from the assumed exchange of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock.

(3)Represents transaction and other costs related to the NFI Acquisition, which closed in June 2021. Acquisition-related costs primarily include legal, consulting and advisory fees and severance costs incurred that relate to the acquisition transaction.

(4)Represents intangible asset and acquired software amortization resulting from the NFI Acquisition and intangible asset amortization and increased tangible asset and capitalized software depreciation and amortization resulting from the application of pushdown accounting to the Refinitiv Transaction (where all assets were marked to fair value as of the closing date of the Refinitiv Transaction).

(5)Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expense associated with the Special Option Award and post-IPO options awarded in 2019 and payroll taxes associated with exercises of such options during the applicable period. Beginning on August 30, 2021, this adjustment also includes the non-cash Former CFO Accelerated Stock-Based Compensation Expense, and related payroll taxes, which totaled $1.7 million during the year ended December 31, 2021.

(6)Represents unrealized gain or loss recognized on foreign currency forward contracts and foreign exchange gain or loss from the revaluation of cash denominated in a different currency than the entity’s functional currency.

(7)Represents income recognized during the applicable period due to changes in the tax receivable agreement liability recorded in the statement of financial condition as a result of changes in the mix of earnings, tax legislation and tax rates in various jurisdictions which impacted our tax savings.

(8)Represents corporate income taxes at an assumed effective tax rate of 22.0% applied to Adjusted Net Income before income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 and 26.4% applied to Adjusted Net Income before income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2019. For pre-IPO periods, this adjustment assumes Tradeweb Markets LLC was subject to a corporate tax rate for the periods presented.

(9)For a summary of the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS, see “Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding” below.

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The following table summarizes the calculation of Adjusted Diluted EPS for the periods presented:

Post-IPO PeriodPre-IPO Period
Reconciliation of Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding to Adjusted Diluted Weighted Average Shares OutstandingYear EndedNine Months EndedThree Months Ended
December 31,December 31,March 31,
2021202020192019
Diluted weighted average TWM LLC shares outstanding (1)223,320,457
Diluted weighted average shares of Class A and Class B common stock outstanding (1)207,254,840188,223,032156,540,246
Assumed exchange of LLC Interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock (2)30,699,57745,828,28974,279,741
Adjusted diluted weighted average shares outstanding237,954,417234,051,321230,819,987223,320,457
Adjusted Net Income (in thousands)$388,985$306,173$178,745$52,190
Adjusted Diluted EPS$1.63$1.31$0.77$0.23

(1)Due to the Reorganization Transactions and the IPO completed in April 2019, shares outstanding during the year ended December 31, 2019 represent shares of TWM LLC (pre-IPO period) and shares of Class A and Class B common stock of Tradeweb Markets Inc. (post-IPO period). Shares outstanding during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 represent shares of Class A and Class B Common Stock of Tradeweb Markets Inc. (post-IPO period).

(2)Assumes the full exchange of the weighted average of all outstanding LLC Interests held by non-controlling interests for shares of Class A or Class B common stock, resulting in the elimination of the non-controlling interests and recognition of the net income attributable to non-controlling interests.

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Our consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP which requires us to make estimates and assumptions about future events that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Management evaluates its accounting policies, estimates and judgments on an on-going basis.

Management evaluated the development and selection of its critical accounting policies and estimates and believes that the following policies are most critical to the portrayal of our financial condition and results of operations, and that require our most difficult, subjective or complex judgments in estimating the effect of inherent uncertainties. With respect to critical accounting policies and estimates, even a relatively minor variance between actual and expected experience can potentially have a materially favorable or unfavorable impact on subsequent results of operations. More information on all of our significant accounting policies can be found in Note 2 – Significant Accounting Policies to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates and assumptions are based on judgment and the best available information at the time. Management bases its estimates on historical experience, observance of trends in particular areas, information available from outside sources and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Information from these sources form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that may not be readily apparent from other sources. Therefore, actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Such estimates include business combination purchase price allocations, intangible assets, goodwill, software development costs, revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, current and deferred income taxes and the tax receivable agreement liability.

Business Combinations

Business combinations are accounted for under the purchase method of accounting pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”). The total cost of an acquisition is allocated to the underlying net assets based on their respective estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair values of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. The fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed is determined based on assumptions that reasonable market participants would use in the principal (or most advantageous) market for the asset or liability. Determining the fair value of certain assets acquired and liabilities assumed is judgmental in nature and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including assumptions with respect to future cash flows, discount rates, growth rates, customer attrition rates and asset lives.

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The most significant accounting estimate associated with the June 2021 NFI Acquisition was the valuation of the acquired definite-lived intangible customer relationship asset (the “Customer Relationships”), which was valued at approximately $101.3 million, as adjusted based on the final purchase price allocation. The majority of the residual total purchase price of $190.0 million, net of cash acquired, net of deposits with clearing organizations acquired and prior to working capital adjustments, was primarily allocated to goodwill, which was valued at approximately $85.5 million, as adjusted based on the final purchase price allocation. We utilized the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist to determine the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the date of acquisition. Management is responsible for these valuations and appraisals.

The valuation of the Customer Relationships primarily included significant unobservable inputs (Level 3), creating a significant level of estimation uncertainty. Customer Relationships were valued using the income approach, specifically a multi-period excess earnings method. The excess earnings method examines the economic returns contributed by the identified tangible and intangible assets of a company, and then examines the excess return that is attributable to the intangible asset being valued. The discount rate used reflects the amount of risk associated with the hypothetical cash flows for the Customer Relationships relative to the overall business. In developing a discount rate for the Customer Relationships, the Company estimated a weighted-average cost of capital for the overall business and employed an intangible asset risk premium to this rate when discounting the excess earnings related to Customer Relationships. The resulting discounted cash flows were then tax-affected at the applicable statutory rate. A discounted tax amortization benefit was also added to the fair value of the assets under the assumption that the Customer Relationships would be amortized for tax purposes over a period of 15 years. For GAAP purposes, the Customer Relationships will be amortized over a useful life of 13 years. Any changes in the discount rate used for valuing the Customer Relationships or the estimated useful life used for amortization purposes could have a material impact on our consolidated statements of financial condition and consolidated statement of income. Any increases or decreases in the allocation of purchase price to Customer Relationships, which is an amortizable asset, would be offset by a corresponding decrease or increase in goodwill, which is an indefinite-lived asset, not subject to amortization and as a result would impact the asset balances recorded on our consolidated statements of financial condition as well as the amortization expense recorded on our consolidated statement of income over the life of the asset. Any changes in the estimated useful life of the Customer Relationships would also impact timing of the reduction of the net balance of intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization on our consolidated statements of financial condition and the timing of the recognition of amortization expense on our consolidated statement of income. During the fourth quarter of 2021, the Company recorded final working capital and purchase price adjustments which resulted in a $0.1 million decrease in accounts receivable, $2.0 million increase in Customer Relationships, $0.9 million decrease in other assets, $0.4 million decrease in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities, and a $2.5 million decrease in goodwill. The final purchase price allocation as described above and in Note 4 – Acquisitions to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K reflects these final adjustments.

Revenue Recognition

We enter into contracts with our clients to provide a stand-ready connection to our electronic marketplaces, which facilitates the execution of trades by our clients. The access to our electronic marketplaces including market data and continuous pricing data refreshes and the processing of trades thereon are highly interrelated and are considered a single performance obligation satisfied over time as the client simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit from our performance. This performance obligation constitutes a series of services that are substantially the same in nature and are provided over time using the same measure of progress. For our services, we earn subscription fees for granting access to our electronic marketplaces.

We earn transaction fees and/or commissions from transactions executed on our trading platforms, including commission revenue from electronic and voice brokerage transacted on a riskless principal basis. Riskless principal revenues are derived on matched principal transactions where revenues are earned on the spread between the buy and sell price of the transacted product. Fixed monthly transaction fees or commissions or monthly transaction fee or commission minimums are generally earned on a monthly basis in the period the stand-ready trading services are provided. Variable transaction fee or commission revenue is recognized and recorded on a trade-date basis when the individual trade occurs. Variable discounts or rebates on transaction fees or commissions are generally earned and applied monthly or quarterly, are resolved within the same reporting period and are recorded as a reduction to revenue in the period the relevant trades occur.

We earn fees from Refinitiv relating to the sale of market data to Refinitiv, which redistributes that data. Included in these fees are real-time market data fees which are recognized monthly on a straight-line basis as Refinitiv receives and consumes the benefit evenly, over the contact period, as the data is provided, and fees for historical data sets which are recognized when the historical data set is provided to Refinitiv.

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We are required to make significant judgements for the Refinitiv market data fees. Significant judgements used in accounting for this contract include the following determinations:

•The provision of real-time market data feeds and annual historical data sets are distinct performance obligations.

•The performance obligations under this contract are recognized over time from the initial delivery of the data feeds or each historical data set until the end of the contract term.

•Determining the transaction price for the performance obligations by using a market assessment analysis. Inputs in this analysis include a consultant study which determined the overall value of our market data and pricing information for historical data sets provided by other companies.

During the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, there were no material changes in the assumptions used to determine the Refinitiv market data fees.

Income Taxes

Tradeweb Markets Inc. is subject to U.S. federal, state and local income taxes with respect to its taxable income, including its allocable share of any taxable income of TWM LLC, and is taxed at prevailing corporate tax rates. TWM LLC is a multiple member limited liability company taxed as a partnership and accordingly any taxable income generated by TWM LLC is passed through to and included in the taxable income of its members, including to us. TWM LLC records taxes for conducting business in certain state, local and foreign jurisdictions and records U.S. federal taxes for subsidiaries that are taxed as corporations for U.S. tax purposes. We currently record deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and measure the deferred taxes using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when such temporary differences are expected to reverse. The measurement of deferred taxes often involves the exercise of significant judgment related to the realization of tax basis. Our deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect our assessment that tax positions taken in filed tax returns and the resulting tax basis are more likely than not to be sustained if they are audited by taxing authorities. Assessing tax rates that we expect to apply and determining the years when the temporary differences are expected to affect taxable income requires judgment about the future apportionment of our income among the jurisdictions in which we operate. Any changes in our practices or judgments involved in the measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations.

In connection with recording deferred tax assets and liabilities, we record valuation allowances when we believe that it is more likely than not that the Company will not be able to realize its deferred tax assets in the future. We evaluate our deferred tax assets quarterly to determine whether adjustments to our valuation allowance are appropriate in light of changes in facts or circumstances, such as changes in tax law, interactions with taxing authorities and developments in case law. In making this evaluation, we rely on our recent history of pre-tax earnings, our forecasts of future earnings and the nature and timing of future deductions and benefits represented by the deferred tax assets, all of which involve the exercise of significant judgment. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we established a valuation allowance of $0.7 million and $0.1 million on gross deferred tax assets totaling $625.4 million and $585.1 million, respectively. If forecasts of future earnings and the nature and estimated timing of future deductions and benefits change in the future, we may determine that existing valuation allowances must be revised or new valuation allowances created, any of which could materially impact our financial condition or results of operations. See Note 9 – Income Taxes to our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the provision for income taxes in our consolidated statements of income. Accrued interest and penalties are included within accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities in our consolidated statements of financial condition. A U.S. shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation (“CFC”) is required to include in income, as a deemed dividend, the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) of the CFC. We have elected to treat taxes due on future U.S. inclusions in taxable income of GILTI as a current period expense when incurred.

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Tax Receivable Agreement

Tradeweb Markets Inc. entered into a Tax Receivable Agreement with TWM LLC and the Continuing LLC Owners which provides for the payment by Tradeweb Markets Inc. to a Continuing LLC Owner of 50% of the amount of U.S. federal, state and local income or franchise tax savings, if any, that Tradeweb Markets Inc. actually realizes (or in some circumstances is deemed to realize) as a result of (i) increases in the tax basis of TWM LLC’s assets resulting from (a) the purchase of LLC Interests from such Continuing LLC Owner, including with the net proceeds from the IPO, the October 2019 and April 2020 follow-on offerings and any future offering or (b) redemptions or exchanges by such Continuing LLC Owner of LLC Interests for shares of Class A common stock or Class B common stock or for cash, as applicable, and (ii) certain other tax benefits related to Tradeweb Markets Inc. making payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement. Substantially all payments due under the Tax Receivable Agreement are payable over the fifteen years following the purchase of LLC Interests from Continuing LLC Owners or redemption or exchanges by Continuing LLC Owners of LLC Interests. The timing of the payments over the fifteen year period is dependent upon our annual taxable income over the same period. In determining the estimated timing of payments, the current year’s taxable income is used to extrapolate an estimate of future taxable income. This requires significant judgment relating to projecting future earnings, the geographic mix of those earnings and the timing of deferred taxes becoming current.

The impact of any changes in the total projected obligations recorded under the Tax Receivable Agreement as a result of actual changes in the geographic mix of our earnings, changes in tax legislation and tax rates or other factors that may impact our actual tax savings realized will be reflected in income before taxes in the period in which the change occurs.