Facts, Facts and More Facts: Online Brokerage – Blog

In any given quarter, roughly three-quarters of all online brokerage accounts do not trade, yet these accounts make-up half of the channel’s asset base. This highlights the fact that the channel’s audience has grown well beyond its original target of active traders. Traditionally, online brokerage firms have encouraged activity by lowering trading commissions but this strategy may have less appeal to buy-and-hold investors. While the lower cost of trades remains a key component of the channel’s value proposition, firms are increasingly focusing on building engaged long-term investors through a shelf of innovative products and services. For more on this, check out our special feature on the online brokerage channel in the latest issue of the Retail Brokerage Report at http://investoreconomics.com/issue/the-retail-brokerage-report. Posted by Guy Armstrong guy@iei.ca.