August 27, 2021
1. Do you have one or more online trading or investment accounts?
Yes, I have one or more accounts that I access both online using a computer and using a mobile app.
2. If your response to Question 1 is Yes, do you think you would trade or invest if you could not do so online using a computer or using a mobile app?
No
3. On average, how often do you access your online account?
Once to a few times per month
4. On average, how often are trades made in your online account, whether by you or someone else?
Less often than once a month.
5. If you access your account online, did you have the account first, and only began to access it electronically later? Or did you open the account with the idea that you would access it electronically immediately?
I downloaded an app or visited a website first, and then opened up an account with the company
6. My goals for trading or investing in my online account are (check all that apply):
Save and grow my money for short-term goals (in the next year or two)
Save and grow my money for medium- to long-term goals
7. What would you like us to know about your experience with the features of your online trading or investment platform? (Examples of features are: social networking tools games, streaks, or contests with prizes points, badges, and leaderboards notifications celebrations for trading visual cues, like changing colors ideas presented at order placement or other curated lists or features subscription and membership tiers or chatbots.)
Personally, I think the gamification of investing are things that a casino would do. I also don't think affiliate programs with incentives (such as '2 free stocks if you sign up') to get people on board should exist. It should not be based on who will give a sign up bonus, but who is providing the best service.
8. If you were trading or investing prior to using an online account, how have your investing and trading behaviors changed since you started using your online account? (For example, the amount of money you have invested, your interest in learning about investing and saving for retirement, the amount of time you have spent trading, your knowledge of financial products, the number of trades you have made, the amount of money you have made in trading, your knowledge of the markets, the number of different types of financial products you have traded, or your use of margin.)
9. How much experience do you have trading or investing in the following products (None, 12 months, 1-2 years, 2-5 years, 5+ years):
Stocks : 1-2 Years
Bonds : None
Options : None
Mutual Funds : 5+ Years
ETFs : None
Futures : None
Cryptocurrencies : 5+ Years
Commodities : None
ClosedEnd Funds : None
Money Market Funds : 5+ Years
Variable Insurance Products : None
Business Development Companies : 5+ Years
Unit Investment Trusts : None
10. What is your understanding, if any, of the circumstances under which trading or investing in your account can be suspended or restricted?
I took the time to understand this when first starting out. I discussed questions I had with the investment platform support.
11. What else would you like us to know positive or negative - about your experience with online trading and investing?
I think people are losing faith in the markets. There is so much corruption and so many loopholes. It's discouraging and it's making me question if the markets were, or if they ever will be a truly free market. It often feels as if the rules only apply to retail. For example, how can there be so many people or companies that have been fined numerous time, or even those who pled guilty to insider trading that are still trading in the markets today? These are bad actors. They should not be allowed in the market. The small SEC fines do nothing, and these big entities see it as the cost of doing business. When the fines are so small how can you deter these bad actors from doing this again?