NinjaTrader Group has established a new executive position dedicated to artificial intelligence and prediction markets, appointing Brian Weis as its inaugural chief innovation and AI officer. Weis, previously the company’s chief product officer, will now oversee AI agent development, the Model Context Protocol (MCP), and the growth of prediction market offerings.

This leadership change reflects NinjaTrader’s evolving strategy following its acquisition by Kraken, the crypto exchange that completed a $1.5 billion purchase of the Chicago-based futures broker in mid-2025. While the announcement did not explicitly mention Kraken, the creation of the AI-focused role aligns with the broader ambitions that have shaped NinjaTrader’s recent product development.

Over the past year, NinjaTrader has made significant moves in the prediction market space. In March, it launched NinjaTrader Connect, a B2B platform enabling brokers and fintech firms to offer regulated futures and prediction market products via a single API. This expansion taps into a burgeoning market, where trading volumes hit $44 billion in 2025, drawing increased attention from brokers and technology providers alike.

Alongside these efforts, NinjaTrader delivers a competitive edge with its registration with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and membership in the National Futures Association (NFA). These regulatory credentials provide institutional confidence that rivals without such approvals could take years to achieve.

To fill Weis’s former role, NinjaTrader appointed Stephen Yi as chief product officer. Yi brings extensive experience from his decade-long tenure at Jump Trading, a leading high-frequency trading firm, followed by leadership roles in digital consultancy. His arrival complements the company's push toward integrating advanced technology and product innovation.

CEO Martin Franchi emphasized that AI is set to transform investment and trading activities fundamentally. He noted that both senior appointments reinforce NinjaTrader’s commitment to ensuring its clients remain at the forefront of this transformation, particularly as prediction markets take on an increasingly central role in the financial landscape.