FIA has launched FIA Markets Academy, a new global education platform designed to equip futures and derivatives professionals with the skills needed in today’s increasingly complex markets.
FIA Markets Academy combines the long-standing work of the Institute for Financial Markets (IFM), an independent affiliate of FIA, with FIA’s broader educational resources, creating a single, modernised resource for industry training.
“By bringing IFM fully into FIA and modernising its curriculum, we are preserving a trusted educational legacy while reimagining how the industry trains the next generation of professionals in a rapidly changing environment,” says Guy Sheetz, FIA’s senior vice president, CFO & CAO who oversees the Markets Academy programme.
Founded in 1989, IFM educated thousands of market participants, regulators, exchange and clearing staff for more than three decades. It was one of the original ethics training providers authorised by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.The new Academy responds to structural changes in the industry, including the decline of physical exchange floors that once played a central role in training new entrants. By combining online learning with virtual live instruction, the platform aims to replicate practical, on-the-job training in a format accessible to a global audience.
“In today’s global markets with geographically dispersed personnel, the need for consistent, high-quality education has never been greater,” says Sheetz. “FIA Markets Academy reflects FIA’s commitment to helping market participants at every stage of their career build the knowledge and judgement needed to support resilient, well-functioning markets.”
FIA Markets Academy offers a growing library of online courses, including global exchange programmes, mandated training such as ethics, anti-money laundering and market conduct. Learners can earn a Give-Up Specialist certificate by successfully completing five courses: Anatomy of a Futures Broker, Give-Up Essentials, Give-Up Essentials: Troubleshooting Real-World Scenarios, Average Pricing, and Navigating Give-Up Agreements. The give-up specialist courses in addition to courses on Position Transfers, Margin and Collateral, and Deliveries will complete an Operations certificate programme.
FIA Markets Academy will launch an internship package in April, which will include Futures 101, Lifecycle of a Trade, Exchange Fundamentals and Anatomy of a Futures Broker, plus e-Flash Cards and an end-of-programme assessment.
Virtual live courses currently cover topics including the Basics of Clearing, Commodities and Swaps. New courses planned for Q1 include Predication Markets and Risk Management 101. In addition to paid courses, the Academy provides free educational resources through its Get Smart series. These include short courses, webinars, articles and papers addressing market structure, emerging trends and developments across the trade lifecycle. Courses on Blockchain, Tokenisation, AI and Ethics will be added to the Get Smart library in Q1.
In alignment with FIA’s mission, the IFM has been reorganised under the FIA Markets Academy banner, with course materials updated to reflect current regulatory, technological and operational realities. It operates with a sole focus on education and remains separate from FIA’s policy and advocacy work.
Curriculum development is guided by advisory committees and subject-matter experts, ensuring that courses are developed by the industry for the industry. FIA continues to work closely with regulators and exchanges on course content, maintaining IFM’s long tradition of collaboration on compliance and professional standards.
Training is designed for futures market participants including futures commission merchants, introducing brokers, principal traders, hedgers and fund managers, as well as exchanges and CCPs seeking broader insight into market functions. Courses are available globally through online registration, with member and volume discounts offered, and bespoke training available for firms with specific needs.
