August 28, 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?
Yes
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 a week.
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):
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.)
I don't think gamifying is the issue as it is 2021 and those born in the digital age are legally allowed to trade so it only makes sense for a market to evolve. Issue I have is the lack of oversight on these features as it seems SEC and other controllers are unwilling to evolve alongside which creates growing gaps and loopholes for hedgefunds and brokers. I run a department in data analytics in the financial sector and leadership focus is always centered around profiling customers, I would love to work at SEC and bring some innovation to help evolve alongside these big corporations to balance out the gameification generation.
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.)
I invest more because it is easier. It allows me to feel part of the market despite having retail trading restrictions. Big problem there.
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 : 5+ Years
Options : 1-2 Years
Mutual Funds : 1-2 Years
ETFs : 1-2 Years
Futures : 1-2 Years
Cryptocurrencies : 5+ Years
Commodities : Less Than 12 Months
ClosedEnd Funds : None
Money Market Funds : Less Than 12 Months
Variable Insurance Products : 2-5 Years
Business Development Companies : 2-5 Years
Unit Investment Trusts : 2-5 Years
10. What is your understanding, if any, of the circumstances under which trading or investing in your account can be suspended or restricted?
Do not make x amount of trades in a week or will be flagged. Unfair advantage unless I pay for more rights. Not an open, free market. Clearly handicapped as a retail investor.
11. What else would you like us to know positive or negative - about your experience with online trading and investing?
Having the ability to trade online and track my money at anytime is extremely positive, but the consequences of not being able to access the same interfaces or times that hedgefunds or private licensed individuals is ludacris. I work in analytics so I understand the amount of data retail investors are just handing out to those I mentioned above during open market hours and that allows those above to use this data for after/premarket manipulation. That is what makes it a negative experience. If we all had the same accessibility it would at least help buy some time for controllers to catch up a bit on the wicked problem that is the market. My name is Joshua Janes and would be more than happy for further, more in depth surveys/conversations that are more solution driven on the topic.