The Security Traders Association of New York (STANY) will host its 90th Markets Conference & Reception on April 13 from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the NYSE. This year’s event will bring together key voices from across the trading ecosystem to examine how market structure, technology, and regulation are reshaping the industry. With a program that balances timely challenges and emerging opportunities, the conference offers attendees a comprehensive view of where the markets stand today and where they’re headed next. Traders Magazine caught up with Kimberly Unger, the Executive Director and CEO, to learn more.
What can attendees expect from this year’s annual STANY Conference?
This year’s STANY Conference is built around one central idea: markets are evolving faster than ever and the industry needs to keep pace.
The agenda reflects that shift, with a strong focus on market structure, liquidity, and regulation, alongside deeper dives into technology-driven change. From ETFs and retail trading to digital assets and extended trading hours, the program captures both the current state of the market and where it’s heading next.
The conference brings together regulators, exchanges, broker-dealers, and technology providers in one room, creating a forum not just for discussion, but for alignment across the ecosystem.
Equally important, the conference creates space for connection—through networking sessions, the Women in Finance programming, and a closing reception—ensuring that insights extend beyond the panels into meaningful industry relationships.
Which panels or fireside chats are must-attend, and what key insights will they offer?
A few sessions stand out as essential viewing:
- The SEC fireside conversation on market structure will provide critical insight into regulatory priorities and how policymakers are thinking about fairness, resiliency, and competition.
- “The New Playing Field: How Infrastructure Shapes…” gets to the core of how technology and connectivity are redefining execution and access.
- “AI and Us: Collaborator or Competitor?” moves beyond theory, focusing on how AI is already influencing trading workflows and decision-making.
- “The Great Convergence: Tokenized Assets…” highlights the growing overlap between traditional finance and digital markets—one of the most important structural shifts underway.
- “24-Hour Trading – It’s an Hour Away” addresses a near-term reality that has significant implications for liquidity, operations, and global competition.
Together, these sessions offer a clear view into both regulatory direction and market innovation. That said, there really is something for everyone, so essential viewing will be different depending on your personal focus and place in the ecosystem. We hope and expect all discussions to have good attendance and deliver value.
Topics like AI, stablecoins, and prediction markets have been recurring. How will this year’s discussions go deeper or offer fresh perspectives?
The conversation is shifting from exploration to execution.
Rather than asking what these technologies could do, this year’s panels focus on what they’re already doing and what challenges remain. AI discussions, for example, center on deployment across trading, surveillance, and analytics. Digital asset conversations move toward integration—how tokenization and stablecoins fit within existing market infrastructure.
Sessions like “Pricing the Unknown: Innovation and Risk in Evolving Markets” also push into less-charted territory, examining how new instruments and venues are reshaping price discovery and risk frameworks.
I expect these to be more practical, outcomes-driven conversations than in years past.
How are speakers and panels selected to balance traditional trading topics with cutting-edge innovations?
Speaker selection is highly intentional and reflects STANY’s role at the intersection of market structure and innovation.
We bring together a mix of:
- Senior leaders from broker-dealers, exchanges, and asset managers
- Regulatory voices
- Technology innovators and emerging market participants
Panels are curated to ensure diverse perspectives, pairing traditional market experts with those driving newer models like crypto trading, retail engagement, and AI-driven strategies.
This balance allows us to ground forward-looking conversations in the realities of today’s market structure, ensuring discussions are both innovative and actionable.
What trends or market shifts do you anticipate will dominate conversations at the conference this year?
Several themes are likely to drive discussion:
- The move toward extended and 24-hour trading
- Continued growth and product innovation in asset classes like EFTs and options
- The convergence of traditional and digital assets, particularly through tokenization
- Increased focus on execution quality, data transparency, and venue analysis
- The maturation of AI as a core trading tool
And of course, important to all these discussions is the role of the SEC, CFTC and FINRA and the need for well-designed regulations. Taken together, these trends point to a market that is becoming more continuous, more data-driven, and more interconnected across asset classes.
For first-time attendees, what would you say is the key takeaway or action they should leave with after the conference?
First-time attendees should leave with two things: clarity and connection.
Clarity in understanding where the market is heading, particularly how structural changes and technological advancements will impact their business.
And connection—with peers, potential partners, and industry leaders. The STANY Conference is uniquely positioned to bring together decision-makers across the ecosystem, and those relationships are often just as valuable as the content itself.
If attendees walk away with one actionable insight they can apply to their organization—and a few meaningful new relationships—then the conference has delivered real value.
