<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-09-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001094831</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ESPEED INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>espd</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001024896</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CANTOR FITZGERALD L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>110 EAST 59TH STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22626515</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class B Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Class A Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>22090525</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>22090525</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeHolding>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Filed to indicate a change in form of beneficial ownership (from indirect to direct) with respect to certain shares as a result of a September 14, 2005 pro rata distribution from Cantor Fitzgerald Securities (&quot;CFS&quot;) to Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. (&quot;CFLP&quot;) and CF Group Management, Inc. (&quot;CFGM&quot;), the partners of CFS, in the following manner: 535,990 shares of Class A Common Stock and 19,449,055 shares of Class B Common Stock to CFLP and 1,343 shares of Class A Common Stock and 48,745 shares of Class B Common Stock to CFGM.  The change in form of ownership with respect to the shares subject to the pro rata distribution is exempt under Rule 16a-13 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Shares consist of 535,990 shares of Class A Common Stock and 22,090,525 shares of Class B Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The shares of Class B Common Stock are convertible at any time on a one-for-one basis into shares of Class A Common Stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Howard W. Lutnick, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-09-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
