Victor Wong Wins Young Achiever of the Year at the 2025 US FinTech Awards

 

The US FinTech Awards took place in November 2025 at The Rooftop at Edison Ballroom in New York City, bringing together and celebrating professionals across the financial technology industry. Matrix Applications proudly sponsored the ceremony and was shortlisted in several categories, including FinTech of the Year and Innovator of the Year. Our colleagues attending the event, including Stephen Mellert, Matt Rafizadeh, Joseph Mitchell, Rohan Parikh and Colleen Judge were excited to celebrate and cheer on Victor's achievement!

Victor Wong is more than a Junior Software Engineer; he's a catalyst for transformation at Matrix Applications, consistently demonstrating the drive, innovation, and leadership of a true Young Achiever. Since graduating Magna Cum Laude from NYU in 2023 with as a double major in Computer Science and Data Science, and bringing experience from Meta Platforms, Victor has left a lasting mark on both clients and the firm.

 

From the beginning, Victor distinguished himself with an extraordinary blend of enthusiasm and aptitude. He rapidly mastered complex systems, seamlessly engaged with sophisticated trading platforms, and immediately began redesigning key interfaces with modern tools. This exceptional agility and proactive embrace of new technologies instantly set him apart from his peers.

Victor’s impact is perhaps best exemplified by his leadership on three pivotal initiatives: Falcon, Stork, and two foundational intern programs. He has organically evolved into a dual-force contributor—driving critical system engineering while nurturing talent development across the firm.
 
Victor's impact is evident in his end-to-end leadership of Project Falcon, where he developed a web application that revolutionized how trade files are handled for Tradeblazer, Matrix’s premier post-trade platform. This new system replaced an outdated, email-based method, directly streamlining communication and improving efficiency. He meticulously managed the entire project lifecycle, from leading development and conducting presentations to organizing documentation and integrating user feedback, ensuring a high-quality final product.

Victor’s leadership continued as Team Lead for Project Stork, a pivotal initiative focused on ensuring the safety and integrity of Matrix's high-gate messaging system to TradeBlazer. Victor clarified intricate project specifications and oversaw the complete development lifecycle. Leading the team, he executed a full-stack development that created robust testing cases for TradeBlazer, meticulously testing trades using cutting-edge FIX/J technology. Stork dramatically improved efficiency and security by automating the product manager's testing process and enabling batch processing of diverse trade cases. Furthermore, this project saw Victor pioneer the introduction of a UI end-to-end testing program for automated user experience testing and initiate a developer rotation program to familiarize engineers with diverse parts of the stack.

Beyond specific projects, Victor has significantly enhanced core development practices. Within the Tradeblazer team, he pioneered setting up the development environment in Smalltalk. Recognizing the learning curve, he documented the intricate process to streamline onboarding for the entire team. He further innovated by evaluating and implementing collaboration processes, actively pushing for seamless team integration in this challenging environment. His adaptability allowed him to quickly onboard and implement multiple UI changes for clients.
Victor's career progression from junior engineer to team lead and, subsequently, to the impactful role of intern manager, underscores his commitment to the firm's future. As intern manager, he moved beyond traditional mentorship, developing comprehensive onboarding plans, providing consistent weekly feedback, and curating bespoke projects tailored to individual goals. He actively fostered a supportive environment, playing a pivotal role in establishing a standardized curriculum for Matrix's developer training program. The success of these programs is evident in the remarkable products Matrix's former interns continue to create, solidifying Victor's commitment to cultivating talent and driving innovation within the fintech landscape.

Beyond development and mentorship, Victor's involvement extends to strategic organizational improvements. He actively engaged with companies specializing in reporting tools, such as Qlik and Microsoft BI. His thorough research and effective communication directly enabled Matrix to select a reporting tool that best aligned with the firm's strategic needs.
 
Victor consistently elevates Matrix's technological capabilities, proactively enhancing the tech stack to create a secure and efficient digital environment. He rapidly expanded his skill set to implement SSL backend security and introduce SSO login systems for new databases, directly bolstering the firm's critical security posture. Beyond reactive measures, Victor continually champions proactive technology updates and team integration. For example, he has changed real-time data rendering so future project migrations are feasible and efficient. His commitment to robust systems was further solidified with Project Stork.

He has revolutionized frontend design and authentication processes, most notably through his work on Falcon's frontend development. Victor didn't just implement; he actively proposed new design methodologies and advocated for state-of-the-art UI/UX technologies. These were rigorously user-tested to ensure platforms precisely met client needs. His influence extended to subsequent projects where he introduced automated end-to-end testing for frontend and JUnit testing for backend validation, ensuring robust and reliable systems. Furthermore, his work on the intern project showcased this commitment by pioneering and implementing SSO authentication in Angular.

Victor's commitment extends far beyond technical tasks; he is a driving force in fostering a collaborative and supportive work environment. He actively assists other teams, including interviewing new marketing interns and participating in their events. More profoundly, Victor makes a conscious effort to build strong connections and foster relationships with interns and teammates, prioritizing their wellness and happiness. This genuine care directly led to a highly successful internship program with a 100% return rate.

 

Victor established a standardized workflow for user-experience testing, feedback, and development. This critical initiative resulted in a more user-friendly website and a significantly enriched client experience. Victor's unwavering drive to make a difference, combined with his unique perspective, continually showcases his passion for continuous innovation and his lasting, positive impact at Matrix.

Victor recognizes the critical importance of hands-on client experience in the fintech industry. To deepen his understanding and bridge the gap between development and operations, he is actively pursuing FINRA Series 7 and Series 99 certifications—targeting both client servicing and post-trade settlement domains. This initiative reflects his commitment to integrating technical expertise with financial acumen, ensuring that his engineering solutions are informed by real-world financial workflows. From software development to finance, Victor remains relentless in expanding his industry knowledge, driven by a firm belief that continuous learning is the key to transforming the future of fintech.

 

About the US FinTech Awards

The US FinTech Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of the nation's top financial technology innovators. As the premier event for recognizing excellence in fintech, these awards highlight advancements across the industry, from payments to blockchain. Judged by an independent panel of experts, the awards culminate in a prestigious ceremony in New York City, fostering networking and collaboration among the brightest minds in fintech. 

www.usfintechawards.com