TradeKing Group, Inc., an innovator in online financial services, today celebrated its 10th year of operation — a decade distinguished by the firm’s focus on helping to level the playing field for independent investors with low prices, powerful investing tools and outstanding client service to help them better plan for and meet their financial goals.
“It’s remarkable to consider how the financial services landscape has changed since TradeKing’s founding in 2005,” said Donato Montanaro, CEO of TradeKing Group. “There was no such thing in 2005 as an iPhone or Twitter, the Dow Jones closed that year just below 10,600, and financial advice came almost exclusively from pricey, brick-and-mortar institutions. I’m incredibly proud of the progress TradeKing and others in our industry have achieved in making investing affordable, understandable and easily accessible for the independent investor.”
View this video for Don’s reflections on the past 10 years.
To mark its 10 years in business, TradeKing Group reflected on the biggest and boldest investing shifts that have taken place since 2005:
10. Complicated Pricing Bows Out
The days of complicated multi-tiered investing fees and commissions in tiny print becomes a thing of the past, as the industry moves towards low, flat, “plain English” fees.
9. Social Media Storms the Markets
With the rise of social media and the integration of social tools into online investing platforms, independent investors no longer need to go it alone and can instead learn from the successes and miscues of their peers. Further, social media becomes a self-service channel for investors, enabling the sharing of knowledge and insights among communities. It also becomes a public venue for comments, the occasional hoax, and live comparison-shopping.
8. Independent Traders Add Options to Their Toolkit
Thanks to an increased emphasis on options education, more traders add options as a potential strategy in their arsenal to navigate volatile financial markets.
7. Volatile Markets Have Become the New Normal
Volatile markets have resulted in traders no longer taking a “set-it-and-forget-it” approach, but rather paying closer attention to the markets and their holdings – being more proactive and opportunistic as a whole.
6. Mobile Ushers in Anytime, Anywhere Trading
With the advent of the iPhone, along with tablets, phablets and other devices, traders can now execute from the palms of their hand – whether they’re cruising at 35,000 feet, at the beach, or anywhere in between.
5. Traders School Themselves – and Each Other
More online educational resources – including live events, webinars, and blogs – enable self-directed traders to spot and capitalize on breakout trends and leverage new strategies to take their trading to more sophisticated levels.
4. Retail Traders Take Cues from the Pros
Access to capabilities such as advanced charting, real-time quotes and data feeds, as well as an expanded array of asset classes, help to lower the barriers that have long stood between Wall Street and Main Street investors.
3. The Need for Speed: The Advent of Programmed Trading
Retail investors finally gain access to algorithms once only available to institutional traders; programmed trading breaks up large orders by executing those orders throughout the day, rather than submitted at once, which would incur market impact.
2. Futures and Forex Extend Trading Strategies
More traders turn to asset classes such as Futures and Forex to extend trading strategies, take advantage of new market opportunities.
1. The Rise of the Robos
The financial advisory world gets turned on its head with the rise of the robo investors and other online advisory services – investors benefit from lower investment minimums, convenience and low cost without sacrificing portfolio performance.
TradeKing has also launched a 10th Anniversary microsite (www.tradeking.com/anniversary) that highlights key firm milestones, a “then-and-now” photo tribute to its founding team, personal stories of individuals whose lives have been impacted by TradeKing, and other anniversary data points and visuals.
TradeKing Group, Inc. consists of companies with a singular focus on helping the independent investor succeed. TradeKing Securities, LLC, is TradeKing’s flagship online broker/dealer for self-directed investors looking for a modern trading experience on any device at a simple, low price1. TradeKing Advisors, Inc., an SEC registered investment advisor, offers investors a range of affordable, professionally-managed portfolios through an automated and fully-transparent online process, while TKconnect, LLC aims to provide an extensive set of educational, informative and entertaining content and social collaboration channels. MB Trading, the latest addition to the TradeKing Group portfolio of companies, offers a powerful, active trading platform for the most seasoned traders.
MB Trading, IB member FINRA, SIPC; MB Trading Futures, Inc. IB and member NFA. Futures trading is offered to self-directed investors through MB Trading Futures. MB Trading and MB Trading Futures are referred to collectively herein as “MB Trading.”
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1 Please see www.tradeking.com/rates for more details on trade commissions for low priced stock, bonds, mutual funds and other securities.
Options involve risk and are not suitable for all investors. Click here to review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options brochure before you begin trading options. Options investors may lose the entire amount of their investment in a relatively short period of time.
Online trading has inherent risks due to system response and access times that vary due to market conditions, system performance and other factors. An investor should understand these and additional risks before trading.
All investments involve risk, losses may exceed the principal invested, and the past performance of a security, industry, sector, market, or financial product does not guarantee future results or returns.
Trading in futures is speculative in nature and not appropriate for all investors. Investors should only use risk capital when trading futures because there is always the risk of substantial loss.
TradeKing Securities provides self-directed investors with discount brokerage services, and does not make recommendations or offer investment, financial, legal or tax advice. The content of this press release is provided for educational and informational purposes only, does not constitute a recommendation to enter in any of the securities transactions or to engage in any of the investment strategies presented herein, and does not represent the opinions of TradeKing or its employees.
Forex trading involves significant risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Increasing leverage increases risk. Before deciding to trade forex, you should carefully consider your financial objectives, level of investing experience, and ability to take financial risk. Any opinions, news, research, analyses, prices or other information contained does not constitute investment advice. Read the full disclosure. Please note that spot gold and silver contracts are not subject to regulation under the U.S. Commodity Exchange Act. TradeKing Forex, LLC acts as an introducing broker to GAIN Capital Group, LLC (“GAIN Capital”). Your forex account is held and maintained at GAIN Capital who serves as the clearing agent and counterparty to your trades. GAIN Capital is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and is a member of the National Futures Association (NFA) (ID # 0339826). TradeKing Forex, LLC. is a member of the National Futures Association (ID # 0408077).
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