JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM) is making moves to stay ahead in the increasingly competitive world of electronic trading. The bank just created a new quantitative trading and research group aimed at boosting its data-driven and automated trading capabilities, according to an internal memo reported by Bloomberg.

Leadership Shift for the Quant Push

Chi Nzelu, who previously ran global fixed income, currency, and commodities electronic trading, is taking charge of the new group. He's stepping into the role previously held by Olivier Robert, signaling a strategic pivot as JPMorgan looks to sharpen its edge against fast-growing electronic trading competitors.

Strong Quarter Sets the Stage

The reorganization follows a solid fourth-quarter performance. JPMorgan posted net income of $13.0 billion, or $4.63 per share, down 7% year over year. But adjusted earnings per share came in at $5.23, beating analyst expectations of $4.92. The difference? A $2.2 billion credit reserve related to the forward purchase commitment of Apple's (AAPL) credit card portfolio.

Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon emphasized the bank's broad-based strength in 2025, highlighting the addition of 1.7 million checking accounts and 10.4 million credit cards, while wealth management households surpassed 3 million.

Asset & Wealth Management revenue jumped 13% to a record $6.5 billion, driven by $553 billion in annual net inflows that pushed total client assets above $7 trillion.

Looking forward, Dimon pointed to the Apple Card as a strategic deployment of excess capital and noted that the U.S. economy remains resilient, with steady consumer spending and healthy businesses supporting continued growth.

JPMorgan shares have climbed more than 23% over the past year. On Thursday, JPM shares were up 0.96% at $310.83.