Citadel Securities has appointed former Wintermute executive Willis Croft as head of business development for digital assets, signalling a further expansion of the market maker's cryptocurrency operations, according to a report by eFinancialCareers.

London-based Croft joined the firm in October after serving as a director of business development and partnerships at Wintermute, a cryptocurrency-focused algorithmic trading firm. He previously held a vice-president position at Genesis, the digital asset trading business that ceased operations in 2023.

The appointment follows Citadel Securities' growing involvement in cryptocurrency markets, having outlined plans in early 2025 to provide liquidity to major exchanges including Coinbase and Binance. The firm subsequently began supplying liquidity to Kraken, in which it invested $200m in November 2025.

Citadel Securities is also recruiting systematic cryptocurrency traders as it builds out its digital assets division. Recent job advertisements describe the business as fast-growing and seek candidates with experience in centralised cryptocurrency exchanges and systematic trading strategies.

The expansion marks a shift in the firm's approach to digital assets, following earlier scepticism from founder Ken Griffin. It also reflects growing competition among established electronic market makers and specialist cryptocurrency trading firms as institutional participation in digital asset markets develops.