Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Cash flows from operating activities
Net Income (loss)	$ 827,234	$ 1,120,913	$ (103,705)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	67,816	66,741	65,644
Amortization of purchased intangibles and acquired capitalized software	69,668	74,254	70,595
Debt issue cost related to debt refinancing and prepayment	649	7,555	41,134
Amortization of debt issuance costs and deferred financing fees	6,939	26,148	11,720
Termination of office leases	28,138	9,608	66,452
Share-based compensation	55,751	59,838	71,728
Deferred taxes	34,617	21,601	(18,691)
Gain on sale of MATCHNow	0	(58,652)	0
Other	(5,556)	(1,926)	(23,446)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Securities borrowed	75,694	503,747	(515,897)
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	(96,587)	120,166	(127,557)
Receivables from broker-dealers and clearing organizations	657,199	(365,422)	110,977
Trading assets, at fair value	(1,141,224)	(350,041)	(125,246)
Receivables from customers	68,002	(110,947)	29,733
Operating lease right-of-use assets	33,930	39,659	(241,345)
Other assets	59,209	(48,472)	25,133
Securities loaned	193,792	(651,843)	452,397
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase	53,090	120,493	58,881
Payables to broker-dealers and clearing organizations	(267,126)	(9,323)	107,266
Payables to customers	(63,827)	29,107	(37,560)
Trading liabilities, at fair value	587,071	425,750	22,552
Operating lease liabilities	(36,595)	(50,024)	265,671
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(36,258)	81,954	(37,665)
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,171,626	1,060,884	168,771
Cash flows from investing activities
Development of capitalized software	(35,508)	(31,471)	(48,492)
Acquisition of property and equipment	(24,562)	(28,888)	(9,320)
Proceeds from sale of investments	0	7,620	0
Proceeds from sale of MATCHNow	0	60,592	0
ITG Acquisition, net of cash acquired, described in Note 3	0	0	(835,581)
Other investing activities	(27,279)	(10,412)	(6,250)
Net cash used in investing activities	(87,349)	(2,559)	(899,643)
Cash flows from financing activities
Dividends to stockholders and distributions from Virtu Financial to noncontrolling interest	(548,017)	(484,415)	(211,635)
Repurchase of Class C common stock	(3,454)	0	(196)
Purchase of treasury stock	(427,453)	(49,864)	(15,878)
Stock options exercised	10,042	16,440	931
Short-term borrowings, net	(2,017)	(10,514)	39,935
Proceeds from long-term borrowings	0	0	1,492,500
Repayment of long term borrowings	(36,737)	(288,500)	(500,000)
Tax receivable agreement obligations	(16,505)	(13,286)	0
Debt issuance costs	(2,658)	(9,779)	(35,702)
Warrants exercised	68,940	0	0
Issuance of common stock in connection with secondary offering, net of offering costs	0	0	(375)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(957,859)	(839,918)	769,580
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(12,470)	15,318	(1,475)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	113,948	233,725	37,233
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted or segregated cash, beginning of period	1,007,005	773,280	736,047
Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted or segregated cash, end of period	1,120,953	1,007,005	773,280
Supplementary disclosure of cash flow information
Cash paid for interest	159,864	173,645	205,433
Cash paid for taxes	134,878	248,532	12,273
Non-cash investing activities
Share-based and accrued incentive compensation to developers relating to capitalized software	17,239	14,773	2,135
Cash Flow Noncash Financing Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Tax receivable agreement described	$ 311	$ (1,388)	$ (5,811)