Tech and Trading: From Stocks to Shares and Even Slots, Being Online Is Where The Smart Money Is Now

 

 

For those old enough to remember it, there was a comedy film named “Trading Places.” Ostensibly, this was about the different social starts people have in life and how it affects their living standards. Beyond that general message, there was plenty of material related to trading, as the name would also suggest. Why do I mention this? Well, when it comes to the (fictional) stocks and shares being traded throughout that movie, it is done on trading floors and what would now be considered very basic computer monitors. This was old school, old tech, and old hat, as it were. 

 

These days, though there are of course still bear pits, stock market trading floors, and old-school trading methods still in existence, the role of tech in trading is more influential than ever. When it comes to stocks and shares, tech and trading are almost inseparable. As an aside, albeit a relevant one (in my opinion), tech is now inseparable, with many fiscal and fun-related activities. As someone who loves a good casino game, I find that tech has been transformative. Much like the ability to trade using tech, I can play slots Canada wide on any device, whenever and wherever I want (as a Canadian citizen as well as a UK one). 

 

This casino-esque ability to indulge anywhere and almost everywhere is also true of trading, which has been taken to a whole new level, as well as a much wider consumer base with the harnessing of technological power, capabilities, and almost constant advancements. But just how much has technology brought trading to more people, and how has it enabled even the most experienced traders to change the way they work, buy, sell, and invest? It’s an interesting set of questions, and taking a deeper look may at least deliver some valuable perspicacity. 

From crypto to commodities, global trading markets are, to me and millions of others, genuinely fascinating, incredibly important, and never without incident and interest. Whether it is the febrile atmosphere that shapes the City of London or the Wall Street buzz, the world of stocks and shares delivers excitement. In the past, I think it is fair to say, the world of trading was very much seen as something that was done by professional traders, in the places we mentioned above and other global finance establishments. But that has all changed, and so has the trading landscape overall. 

 

One of the main ways trading has evolved is the way in which it is now a digital activity as much as it is a fiscal one. Dabbling or investing in the markets is now far more mainstream than it used to be, and the fact that it can be done online, on many different devices, in real-time and almost anywhere you happen to be has revolutionized this industry. We have come so far that online trading now includes cryptocurrency trading, alongside more traditional stocks and shares, where you can buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether and more. Even the number of cryptocurrencies backs up the fact that digital currencies and trading are becoming ever more mainstream. 

 

What these digital destinations, be they websites, apps, or other trading platforms have done is allow more people to access trading markets. In addition, the wealth of online information about how to trade, where to trade, tips about stocks, and other industry insights has also made these digital trading opportunities more accessible in terms of knowledge. Combined, these online factors mean people without necessarily a lot of money or indeed deep knowledge of the trading world can both learn and invest in a way that was simply not available to them in the past. 

 

Trading online is a global behemoth, an industry worth billions upon billions, and one that shows no sign of slowing. So, just how big is this relatively new sector or the online trading platform market? Well, let’s look at the pure numbers; they can always be relied on to tell the story. By the close of 2023, the overall online trading platform market size was estimated to be at a value of a shade under US$10 billion. If that is not impressive enough, some expert predictions from industry insiders have suggested that this will rise to be worth over US$15 billion by the close of 2024. 

 

Those numbers are huge, representing a year-on-year growth of over 6%, a healthy acceleration by most standards, but if you want to drill down further, take a look at the user numbers, which suggest that being online truly is the future of trading. In some of the more recent statistics released, the number of private users of online trading apps worldwide had reached over 137 million, a significant rise year on year, and one that projections suggest will also continue. As discussed earlier, this is partly due to the wealth of online trading information now found online, from the best trading apps to the best stock options and much more aside. So-called “amateur traders” are now more numerous than ever, and the online destinations affording them the option to grow are also on the up, so that number will clearly increase. 

 

Ultimately, the link between trading and technology is clear, it is transformative, and it is an ongoing evolution for both traders. When I say in my headline that is where money is at now, what I mean is that, although traditional stocks and trading are still very much important fiscal elements, the advent of online trading and digital financial transactions has, and continues to change where people look for trading options. With all this considered, it looks like the marriage between tech and trading is in for a prosperous future.