The purpose of this research is to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of discount & online brokerage firms (as well as the consumer direct offerings from some no-load mutual fund companies), with specific attention being paid to the big three firms (Schwab Investor Services, Fidelity Investments, & E*Trade Financial), three other unique competitors (Interactive Brokers Group, Merrill Edge, & Vanguard Brokerage Services), and five rapidly emerging firms (Coinbase Global, eToro Group, Robinhood Markets, Stash Financial, & Webull).
This research starts with a context setting chapter, and then addresses the historical phases of discount & online brokerage firms, including:
- Branches, Telephones, & Software Trading Phase
- Online Trading Phase
- App-Based Trading & Financial Advice Phase
- B2C FinTech Firms Emergence Phase
This research defines distinct market segments of discount & online brokerage firms, including:
- Discount Brokerage Firms
- Online Brokerage Firms
This research analyzes the competitive factors for discount & online brokerage firms, including:
- Account Types & Minimums
- Investment Products & Research
- Commissions, Fees, & Margin Interest Rates
- Technology Platforms
- Customer Service
- Corporate Structures
This research outlines key service providers to discount & online brokerage firms, including:
- Technology Infrastructure Platforms & Clearing Brokers
- Market Data, News, Research, & Tools Providers
- Open-End Mutual Funds, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), & Other Product Companies
And this research makes several future predictions for discount & online brokerage firms, including:
- Substantial Growth for Discount & Online Brokerage Firms
- Dominant & Increasing Market Share for Discount Brokerage Firms But with the Continuing Emergence of New B2C FinTech Firms
- Broadening Product Offers to Retain Low Balance & Young Millennial Clients, Including Fractional Shares, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), & Digital Assets (Cryptocurrencies)
- Continuing Regulatory Scrutiny for Discount & Online Brokerage Firms
- Continuing Challenging International (Non-United States) Opportunities for Discount & Online Brokerage Firms
- Continuing Modest Discount & Online Brokerage Firm Venture Capital Investing
- Continuing Modest Discount & Online Brokerage Firms Mergers & Acquisitions Activity
- Continuing Limited Discount & Online Brokerage Firm Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)