Subject: File No. S7-10-21
From: Michelle Wermuth
Affiliation: Photographer, Business Owner

August 30, 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?
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 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):
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.)
Trading notifications are key, less interested in game play, would like features allowing me to research more and to have access to the same information that the big guys have

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.)
First investment was made via a broker calling us. Not a good experience.
Since the advent of easier to use trading platforms by large brokerages, trading has become easy. I have made numerous trades and experimented in OTC trades as well as penny stocks that I never would have considered or even known about before. I have learned a lot by being able to be in control of my own trades.
I would to play the options market as I enjoy the higher risk plays. I never would have even considered it before online trading became easier.

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 : Less Than 12 Months
Bonds : None
Options : None
Mutual Funds : None
ETFs : None
Futures : None
Cryptocurrencies : 1-2 Years
Commodities : None
ClosedEnd Funds : None
Money Market Funds : None
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?
I cannot see any reason why trading/investing should/would be suspended in my account.

11. What else would you like us to know positive or negative - about your experience with online trading and investing?
Investing in heavily shorted companies has opened my eyes to the inequality that the retail investor has compared to the large hedge funds with multi millions of dollars. Making the market a more equal fair place to trade would make it easier for the individual person to have more power over their own money. More individuals would invest it the market was open and transparent.