Yes, they pay short term capital gains taxed as ordinary income for equities. For futures they pay a blended 60/40 long-term/short-term rate, since all the futures trading is taxed that way (including for retail)

Pretty much, except for Susquehanna. See https://www.propublica.org/article/jeff-yass-susquehanna-tik... for details.

Assuming it is accurate, the final sentence in this article is especially notable.

They'll have their cost centers in places like NY and London incorporated separately, making consistent losses, and then the arm doing actual trading will be in Bermuda or somewhere with 0% business tax.

Under this structure, how are trading profits shifted to the cost centres to pay for operating expenses?

Licensing IP would probably do it. Oh, the other direction - just make some returns in the place with operating costs.

These kinds of firms are one big reason we need a sales tax on stock trades. Stable, long-term investments are much better for the economy.

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Why should that be less?