The Modern Markets Initiative is an advocacy effort organized by some of the industry’s leading quantitative trading firms. The initiative is focused on demonstrating the benefits of algorithmic or quantitative trading, often referred to as high-frequency trading, in today’s modern markets. In an electronic marketplace, technological innovations have contributed to greater market efficiency for market participants as well as the regulators responsible for market oversight. High frequency trading firms and the market professionals behind them are harnessing technology to enhance price transparency and increase access to markets for investors that was previously only available to a select few. Investors, particularly the retail investor, have benefited from the modernization of both market technology and regulations, providing a marketplace with lower costs that is also more efficient, transparent and competitive. The Modern Markets Initiative aims to engage and inform policymakers, media stakeholders, regulators and investors about the value provided by high frequency trading and modern market professionals, as well as the essential role technological innovations play in increasing the integrity of today’s marketplace.