About
AQR Capital is a quantitative investment manager founded by Cliff Asness in 1998. Rebounded from $95B AUM in 2022 to $179B in 2025 after adding a record $65B in a single year. Five-year annualized returns of 15-20%. Flagship Apex strategy manages $5.3B with 15.6% returns YTD. Known for systematic approach to alternative risk premia, managed futures, and long-short equity strategies.
Key Facts
- [1]Founded: Founded in 1998 in Greenwich, United States.
- [2]Employees: Employee count: 1,001-5,000.
- [3]Website: Official website: aqr.com.
- [4]AI Technology: Core AI/ML technologies: Reinforcement Learning.
- [5]Region: Region: Americas (United States).
Founders
Cliff Asness
Co-founder & Managing Principal
David Kabiller
Co-founder
John Liew
Co-founder
Robert Krail
Co-founder
AI Technology
Reinforcement Learning
Reinforcement learning for trading and portfolio optimization
Classification
Market Segments
Tech Stack Layers
Details
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is AQR Capital?
AQR Capital is a quantitative investment manager founded by Cliff Asness in 1998. Rebounded from $95B AUM in 2022 to $179B in 2025 after adding a record $65B in a single year. Five-year annualized returns of 15-20%. Flagship Apex strategy manages $5.3B with 15.6% returns YTD. Known for systematic approach to alternative risk premia, managed futures, and long-short equity strategies. AQR Capital is classified in the Trading & Markets segment at the Models layer of the financial AI stack.
Who founded AQR Capital?
AQR Capital was founded by Cliff Asness (Co-founder & Managing Principal), David Kabiller (Co-founder), John Liew (Co-founder), and Robert Krail (Co-founder) in 1998 in Greenwich, United States. The company has been operating for 28 years.
What AI technology does AQR Capital use?
AQR Capital primarily leverages Reinforcement Learning technology. Reinforcement learning for trading and portfolio optimization. Within the Trading & Markets segment, 17 companies use this technology.
What market segment does AQR Capital operate in?
AQR Capital operates in the Trading & Markets market segment. AI-powered trading and markets companies are transforming how financial instruments are bought, sold, and priced across global exchanges. These companies apply machine learning to algorithmic trading, market making, order execution, and quantitative strategy development.
Where is AQR Capital headquartered?
AQR Capital is headquartered in Greenwich, United States. The company operates in the Americas region. The team consists of 1,001-5,000 employees. United States is home to 324 financial AI companies tracked by AIFI Map.
Who are AQR Capital's competitors?
Companies similar to AQR Capital in the Trading & Markets space include Feedzai ($431M raised), Sardine ($170M raised), Hawk AI ($83M raised), Resistant AI ($55M raised), Flagright ($8M raised). These companies operate in related areas of financial AI: Feedzai focuses on ai-native fraud and financial crime prevention platform for major banks. Sardine focuses on ai risk platform for fraud, credit, and compliance. Hawk AI focuses on ai-powered aml and fraud detection for banks and fintechs. (Based on AIFI Map classification data.)
What products does AQR Capital offer?
AQR Capital builds models-layer solutions for the financial services industry. The company's core offering: Quantitative investment management. The platform is powered by Reinforcement Learning technology.