A British billionaire trader is offering to pay student interns $US35,000 ($53,000) a month to join his trading empire amid an escalating war for tech talent.

Alex Gerko, who runs XTX Markets, is advertising for postgraduates to join the firm on a 12 to 14-week research internship where they stand to earn between $US105,000 and $US122,500 in total.

A recent advert on the company’s website says the company is seeking a candidate who is “eager to push the boundaries of high-risk, high-reward AI research”.

The position is based four days a week in XTX’s New York offices, and will pay a “a generous sign-on bonus” so candidates can rent a flat in the area.

XTX is planning to pay its interns more than three times the average monthly salary in New York, where a typical worker is paid $US7046.

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