- The rising interest in U.S. markets among international traders is being hindered by a lack of user-friendly platforms.
- Next-generation traders are seeking integrated, comprehensive solutions that cater to their digital-first approach.
- Customization and advanced tools are key to creating a seamless trading experience for these sophisticated users.
As international traders increasingly turn to U.S. markets, the need for user-friendly platforms with advanced features is becoming more apparent. This article explores why a seamless user experience is crucial to making U.S. markets more accessible to international traders.
The Rising Interest in U.S. Markets
International and regional equities, and bonds are showing a relatively lackluster performance amid inflationary pressures and broader uncertainty. In contrast, the U.S. has been called the “undisputed home” for trading stocks of rising companies, with market participants outside of the U.S. flocking to American markets. The FTSE 100 index was up 3.8% year-over-year, while the S&P 500 moved up almost 25% for 2023. The growing interest in U.S. markets is bolstered by returns, with U.S. equities reaching a total return of 26% for 2023, outpacing non-U.S. developed market equity returns of 19% and emerging markets at 10%.
The Need for User-Friendly Platforms
Global traders and investors want in on U.S. equities and derivatives. The challenge they often face upon onboarding, however, is an age-old lack of coherence and efficiency from platforms that allow them to trade, analyze data and learn about market forces. Historically, traders needed to navigate across multiple platforms, resulting in a less-than-optimal user experience. The experience of trading was time-consuming and often inefficient. A single platform with an intuitive user experience and a range of capabilities—including robust account aggregation, technical research, and in-demand tools—will go a long way to serve younger, digital-first investors.
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Customization and Advanced Tools
Customization is also at the heart of building a smooth experience for sophisticated, digital-first generations. To deliver this, leading-edge providers need to provide a suite of innovative tools. These can offer advanced charting and visualization capabilities, the ability to create programmatic strategies without needing a degree in computing, and backtesting capabilities with minimal friction.
Conclusion
As international market participants increasingly pursue the U.S. market, a comprehensive platform will help save traders time and money as they develop winning strategies. In addition, as the average age of a trader gets younger, they will increasingly demand trading experiences combining intelligent tools with user-focused personalized services that enable them to optimize their trading style and experience. Technology, along with personalized service, is democratizing access to sophisticated trading tools across individual and institutional segments, making it possible to execute sophisticated trades that were once only possible through human interventions.
