In this day and age, people are now living a fast-paced lifestyle especially the younger generation. Almost everything has been transformed digitally to fit their needs and that includes trading and investing.
Launched in 2013, Robinhood is a smartphone mobile application that offers commission-free investment and stock trading. Its users can invest in stocks, ETFs, cryptocurrency, and other securities at no cost. Most of the Robinhood users are millennials due to its easy-to-use interface, essential investment products, free of commissions, and no required account minimum.
CAN YOU USE ROBINHOOD FOR DAY TRADING?
Yes, Robinhood can be used for day trading but with a few restrictions. Under the SEC rules, the minimum required account balance for day trading is $25,000 especially if he plans to make four or more trades in a five-day period. Once he complies with this, he is qualified to become a pattern day trader (PDT). However, failure to comply means the account will be flagged and suspended for making any trades until the minimum account balance is restored.
With that said, you can actually still day trade even if your account has less than $25,000. You only need to make sure that you are not going beyond three trades in a five-day trading period.
IS ROBINHOOD ACTUALLY FREE?
Robinhood has no fees and is free commissions, allowing the users to save money by cutting costs that can be usually found on other brokerage platforms. However, if you want to trade on margins, you will need to pay for a small fee for the premium account, Robinhood Gold.
IS ROBINHOOD GOOD FOR BEGINNERS?
Robinhood has been designed for beginner investors and traders. The younger demographic likes to use Robinhood due to the following features:
Cost-free and commission-free
No account minimum required
Easy-to-use app and streamlined interface
Free bank transfers
When you are just starting out, Robinhood is a great platform to work on. Since there is no account minimum, you can already open an account with as little as $100.
IS THE ROBINHOOD APP SAFE?
Using the Robinhood app is safe and secure as you can only access through FaceID, TouchID, or a custom pin code. You may also sign in to your account using two-factor authentication via an authenticator app or via text message.
CAN YOU ACTUALLY MAKE MONEY ON ROBINHOOD?
As a beginner, you might be rushing to make profits from your trades on Robinhood due to its streamlined interface. However, in order to actually make money, you need to follow these guidelines:
Study the market before anything else
Make a trading plan and make sure to stick it
Only trade with money you can actually afford to lose
Be patient
You will probably incur losses during your first trades but let them be a lesson for the future. Learn from the mistakes and keep practicing.
IS ROBINHOOD FDIC INSURED?
Robinhood is Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC)-insured rather than FDIC since it is a registered broker-dealer in SEC.
HOW CAN I GET FREE STOCK ON ROBINHOOD?
A great feature of Robinhood is that you can get free stock just by inviting your friends to sign up for an account. Whenever you refer a friend, you will both get free stock after the account is approved. However, it does not mean that you and your friend will both get the same stock. The value of the share ranges from $2.50 to $200 and will be based on the market movement.
To get your free stock, follow these steps:
Open the Robinhood app
Tap the account icon in the bottom right corner
Tap “Invite friends, get free stock”
Tap Invite friends
Choose who you want to invite and wait for them to sign up to earn your free stock
You may receive up to $500 in free stocks which you can check through the History tab in your app.
HOW SECURE IS ROBINHOOD?
Robinhood has high-level security measures in place to protect a user’s account. Some of its security measures are:
Using industry-standard BCrypt hashing algorithm for account passwords
Encryption of sensitive details such as social security numbers
Banking credentials are accessed through third-party integrations
HOW DOES ROBINHOOD APP MAKE MONEY?
Since Robinhood does not make money through commissions, it generates revenue through other means. How do they actually make money?
Through interest from customer cash and stocks.
Through its premium account, Robinhood Gold
Through marginal interest and margin lending
Through high-frequency trading and order flow
Through rebates
IS ROBINHOOD SAFE BANK ACCOUNT?
Linking your bank account to Robinhood is needed to fund your trading account. A lot of people may feel wary of giving their bank credentials but Robinhood offers a secure way for it. Once the bank account is verified, Robinhood will not store the information and can only access it through third-party integrations.
IS ROBINHOOD A GOOD BROKER?
Robinhood is a great broker for beginner traders and investors. This trading platform has zero trading fees, no commission fees, and no account minimum. Its mobile app is very easy to use and perfect for those who do not want to be overwhelmed with too many features.
With Robinhood, you can access analyst ratings, market commentary, price data and the current share price of a security, and a list of recently-bought stocks to make it easier for users to identify profitable assets.
DAY TRADING ONLINE
Day trading is the buying and selling of one or more financial instruments such as stocks, forex, or futures within a day. It is a type of short-term trading wherein you will monitor any price changes in the market throughout the day no matter how big or small it is. Day traders heavily rely on the price volatility in the market in order to make a profit. Anybody who wants to get in the day trading game needs to be highly knowledgeable about what they are going into. Day trading requires a trader to be well-prepared and to develop a strategy that will aid in earning a profit while minimizing losses.
How Do I Buy Stocks Online Without A Broker?
When it comes to trading, a broker or even a brokerage account is recommended to get the best possible trades as possible. However, you can actually buy stocks without the need of a broker. An advantage of buying stocks without a broker is that you will not have to pay a fee unlike when getting the services of a broker. There are two ways you can buy stocks online without a broker: direct stock purchase plans and dividend reinvestment plans.
Direct stock purchase plans allow a trader to buy stock directly from the company without a fee. You can invest in small amounts and you can schedule purchases weekly or monthly, effectively reducing the risk of losses. Payments can be done through check or automatic bank debit. Some companies allow employees to buy their stocks and would deduct these purchases from their salary. One drawback of direct stock purchase plans is that you cannot stop the purchase of the stocks even if the price falls.
Dividend reinvestment plans (DRIPs) allow a trader to buy additional shares with dividends for small or no charges depending on the plan. You can combine these dividends into more stocks. Although the amount of the stock might be small, it will benefit in the long run especially if you choose to keep it. The downside of DRIP is that a company has the power to end the plan at any given time.
Can You Really Make Money Day Trading?
Although many traders have shared that it is difficult to make a profit through day trading, it is not impossible. Because you need to monitor small price changes in the market throughout the day, you need to be focused at all times. But, of course, you also need to have a solid trading strategy before you day trade. The success of your trading session heavily depends on how you stick to your strategy. You may only make small profits, but with a good strategy, you can still minimize losses.
How Much Money Should I Start Investing With?
As much as it is tempting to invest big amounts, you need to start small first. You can invest in $500 to $1,000 in your first trades. As you get enough experience, you will then add more money to your investments. Most successful traders only invest 2% of their capital for trading.
Is Pattern Day Trading Illegal?
No, pattern day trading is not illegal. PDT is when a trader makes four or more trades in a five-day period while maintaining an account balance of $25,000. However, there is one rule you need to follow when you qualify as a pattern day trader- you should maintain the balance of $25,000. When it falls below the required amount, your account will be flagged and you will be unable to make another trade unless you restore the balance.
