The introduction of smartphones, social media, and the internet has truly revolutionized the world of trading. In a golden era for public equity trading, apps like Robinhood, Revolut, eToro, and Public have democratized investing for everyone. An investor may now do so in minutes with their phone via these platforms.
This trend has created trillions of dollars of volume, certified the next generation of unicorns, and, in many ways, defined 2020.
Compare this to a few decades ago, when buying stocks meant driving to a brick-and-mortar stock brokerage, talking with your financial advisor, arranging instructions, and waiting days for those to be processed, all with unknown and often egregious fees.
The public trading landscape has changed dramatically in recent years, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
Crypto trading changed everything. The 24/7, global, permissionless nature of crypto exchanges created a new opportunity for investors. For the first time, anyone with an internet connection could trade any asset, anywhere, anytime.