Don Kaufman is one of the financial industry’s most recognized strategists and educational authorities. With over two decades of hands-on market experience, Don has helped millions of traders cut through Wall Street’s noise and build systematic, repeatable approaches to the markets.
His career began at thinkorswim in 2000, where he served as Chief Derivatives Instructor — helping build what became the gold standard in retail options education. When TD Ameritrade acquired thinkorswim in 2009, Don stayed on as Director of the Trader Group, guiding over 7 million traders through the platform’s educational content.
In 2015, Don stepped away to co-found TheoTrade — a mission-driven platform built to democratize the institutional-level trading knowledge that Wall Street had long kept to itself. His expertise spans equities, options, futures, currencies, volatility, and risk management.
Don's Trading Desk
Every trading day, Don delivers his unfiltered take directly to your inbox. Market insights, trade ideas, volatility reads, and real talk from a former market maker who’s seen it all — completely free.
This isn’t a generic recap. It’s Don’s actual morning read: what he’s watching, what he’s trading, and what everyone else is missing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Don Kaufman?
– Don Kaufman is a professional trader, trading educator, and co-founder of TheoTRADE. He’s best known for teaching options trading, volatility analysis, and active trading strategies focused on indices like SPX/XSP.
What did Don Kaufman do at TD Ameritrade?
– At TD Ameritrade, Don Kaufman served as Director of the Trader Group. According to TheoTRADE and conference bios, he helped oversee thinkorswim educational content, trader coaching, and the development of retail trading education programs
Is Don Kaufman a real trader?
– Yes. Don Kaufman is widely regarded as an active trader and educator specializing in options, volatility, and market structure. His content regularly centers around live market analysis, risk management, SPX/XSP options strategies, and volatility-based setups. He has over two decades of experience in the trading industry and built much of his reputation through thinkorswim and TheoTRADE education.
What is Don Kaufman’s trading style?
His approach centers on:
- Probability over prediction
- Volatility analysis
- Risk-defined trading
- Portfolio hedging
- Market structure and order flow
What makes Don Kaufman’s approach different?
He focuses heavily on:
- Implied volatility
- Expected move analysis
- Dealer hedging activity
- Institutional market mechanics
rather than simple chart patterns or predictions.