Little-known Getco is key player in high-frequency trading

Getco LLC might not be a household name, but the private Chicago-based company with fewer than 250 employees is one of the largest players in high-frequency trading, often accounting for as much as 20% of daily trading volume of many stocks. Getco, which stands for Global Electronic Trading Co., has become one of the five largest traders when measured by volume in stocks and other electronically traded instruments. "They are probably the biggest market maker in the U.S. stock market," said Justin Schack, a vice president at Rosenblatt Securities.

All this has been profitable for Getco, which earned about $400 million in 2008, trading mostly with its own money, people familiar with its finances say.

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