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 online, either using a computer or a mobile app but I also access the account(s) in other ways (e.g., by calling or visiting in person).
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?
Daily/more than once a day
4. On average, how often are trades made in your online account, whether by you or someone else?
Once to a few times per 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 had a pre-existing account and downloaded an app or visited a website to access my account
6. My goals for trading or investing in my online account are (check all that apply):
Keep the amount of money I have, while keeping up with inflation
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.)
Not shutting off the buy button would be a start, and maybe revoking trading licenses to market manipulators too.
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.)
If you're money isnt invested and making 6-7% a year to meet inflation you're losing buying power. Theres no room to being risk averse
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 : 5+ Years
Bonds : None
Options : Less Than 12 Months
Mutual Funds : 5+ Years
ETFs : 5+ Years
Futures : None
Cryptocurrencies : 1-2 Years
Commodities : None
ClosedEnd Funds : None
Money Market Funds : 5+ Years
Variable Insurance Products : None
Business Development Companies : None
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?
Insider trading, fraud, any number of market manipulations can get your account suspended. But only only big players really have access to the means and motive to perpetrate crimes like these and they usually get slapped with a pittance of a fine. It's really just the cost of doing business for them.
11. What else would you like us to know positive or negative - about your experience with online trading and investing?
Investing so far as retail is concerned is so far removed from what wall st has access too. Big money has the edge when it comes to trading, they have up to date information, high frequency trades, dark pools and numerous other tools at their disposal that the common man cant compete with. Not only that but theres a bad situation with the regulatory capture. From my research I've noticed a major breaches of ethical standards and conflict of interest. Numerous people moving back and forth from public to private in whatever direction to serve their purpose. Another thing I'd like to bring up is dark pools. I understand has its purpose, but that purpose has been warped and skewed to serve to stifle price discovery and a highway to rehypothecate shares, that along with obligation warehouses. I could go on for a while but let me just state my concerns in order of importance. There needs to be better regulation for naked shorting, dark pools, swaps, rehypothication, options trading, obligation warehouses, oversight of SROs, and fines or trading license revocation for repeat offenders. Thank you for your time