London, July 16, 2013 – eToro, the world’s largest social investment network, has today added stocks to its social investment platform, giving consumers a fundamentally new way to engage with major brands they believe in.
Crucially – and unlike conventional equity trading – eToro’s users can invest any amount in their stock of choice, and need not stump up the price of individual shares. This is known as fractional stock investment. The move opens up the world’s stock markets to a greater number of everyday investors via a completely new channel, empowering users to invest in and connect with their favourite brands in a simple, engaging, and transparent way. Initially, 60 well-known stocks will be available to trade.
“eToro breaks down the barriers to the world of finance for those who don’t have access to the traditional way of investing,” says Yoni Assia, Founder and CEO of eToro. “By adding stocks from major household names to our social network, we are encouraging our users to engage with well-known brands in a different way – a way not deemed possible before – through the buying and selling of stocks on our platform. We are basically empowering consumers, allowing them to become truly engaged with the brands that touch their lives.”
Assia continues: “The power of the everyday investor is not to be underestimated – their sentiment holds the key to the future of these brands and we are helping crystallise the bond between the everyday consumer and some of the world’s biggest companies. In doing so we are unlocking the markets, providing even first time investors with easy access to a world previously inaccessible to them.”
eToro allows its investors to benefit from the wisdom of crowds, reflected through the aggregated experience and knowledge of almost 3 million users. By enabling users to see, follow and copy other users within the community, eToro has introduced the concept of the people-based portfolio. Users can choose to automatically copy any other user from within the eToro social network, while setting certain limits to keep investment within specific thresholds. Results have shown that copy trading delivers returns 30 per cent greater than standard manual trading. The minimum required investment to open an account is $50.
A full list of stocks available on the eToro Social Investment platform can be found at: https://openbook.etoro.com/markets/stocks/
eToro is regulated by the FCA in the UK. It operates under the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) in Europe.