September 25, 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 a week
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 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 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 pay attention to the \"trading ideas\". I like the price change push notifications for my investments.
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 have learned a lot more about investing, and my activity level is greater, but I don't yet have enough data to know if my long-term returns have improved.
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 : Less Than 12 Months
Mutual Funds : 5+ Years
ETFs : 5+ Years
Futures : None
Cryptocurrencies : Less Than 12 Months
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?
My understanding is that any time the large institutions (banks, hedge funds) are in danger of losing a lot of money, they will strong arm the brokerages into restricting trading on some securities, thereby manipulating the price in a certain direction. They then use their knowledge of the manipulated price direction to take positions that they can greatly profit from.
11. What else would you like us to know positive or negative - about your experience with online trading and investing?
I have, over the past year, become convinced that the system is rigged in favor of the big institutions and that they are allowed to commit financial crimes with impunity. For example, there are many examples of hedge funds or market makers \"forgetting\" to mark sales as short and/or failing to deliver shorted shares. They greatly profit from these activities but then are assessed a small fine which is much smaller than the illegal gains they have accrued. There is also significant indirect evidence that certain securities are being naked short sold to an extent greater than the actual number of shares issued, although the system is set up to minimize reporting requirements by the big institutions and keep retail investors in the dark, so retail investors can't prove this activity.