[3] Van der Moolen, which at its peak was one of the largest registered market makers on the New York Stock Exchange, filed for bankruptcy in September 2009 after mounting losses.

Van der Moolen became a limited liability company in December 1986 and soon afterwards was listed on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX).

[5] In 2001, Van der Moolen launched VDM Bonds to provide fixed income liquidity in less-than-wholesale transaction sizes to banks and other intermediaries.

[14] Regulatory changes which slashed margins for market makers and allowed a flood of new competition for trading volume significantly impaired the profitability of this VDM unit.

[16][17] On August 10, 2009, Van der Moolen requested protection from its creditors a short time after opening its new headquarters near Amsterdam airport.

The Dutch investor group VEB and insurer ASR Nederland NV had asked the Enterprise Chamber to investigate the firm's management.