Wall Street firms and small investors are exchanging more equity and debt instruments while on the go through (presumably secure) mobile apps. Financial trading via mobile devices is expected to grow to nearly $40 billion in 2014, representing a 60 percent increase in compound annualized growth rates.
On April 25, Fidelity Investments announced that its clients will now have mobile access to their brokerage accounts through Microsoft’s Windows Phone 8 app. The firm announced that it wants to help clients “manage their investments on the go” by providing “watch lists, account information, real-time quotes and the ability to trade stocks, ETFs, mutual funds and options” on their cellphones.
Regulators are also updating their rules to allow for mobile and online trades. Earlier this month, the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) announced that stock brokers in the Asian country will be permitted to execute trades on cellphones and mobile tablets. “We believe [the service] will further expand brokers’ reach to investors and boost activity in the stock market in a significant way,” said PSE president Hans Sicat.
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Innovation within already sophisticated IT platforms is upping the ante for speculators and risk managers. Some expect mobile to reduce exposure on a real-time basis. A trader visiting Europe can reduce portfolio risk or act on emerging data in real-time.
“An online trading platform should be designed in such a way that it is straight-forward for any trader to use,” according to Banc De Binary analyst Sophie May. “The decision about when, and at what exact market value, to open a trade is vital … It is therefore crucial that the rates visible on the platform are the most accurate and as close to the real, live rates as they can be.”
In his April 2013 press conference PSE president Sicat added, “Having [a mobile] system in place for the investors will allow them to enter and monitor their orders online. The system is designed to also let investors trade using their mobile phones and tablets.” In the Philippines, online trading has grown by 42 percent annually in the past five years.
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Frank Cern
May 2, 2013 at 1:23 am
I think it’s about time. Mobile is quick and efficient and just about everyone is using it. Security may be somewhat of an issue though…
Julius Leonhart
June 16, 2013 at 7:53 am
mobile phones these days are vast, mobile trading is everywhere. Anyway great post!
Maya
July 7, 2013 at 2:43 pm
Hay, thanks for the useful information. I think mobile phones and tablets are really the next generation technology and people use them every day, so why not use them even for trading, Great blog, keep on good work.