Online trading flourished during the dot-com boom and remains a popular way for individual investors to manage their portfolios. Long gone are the days when one needed to call a stockbroker to trade stock and the high fees associated with such one-on-one transactions.
Traditional online trading is conducted using a Web browser and an online broker. To place an order, a client logs on to a broker's Web site and the broker submits it to the market.
But even this method may result in a slower execution of the order. New advances in technology have made the process faster and more efficient.
Direct Access Trading, also known as DAT, has quickly become the choice for both casual and serious investors. One company helping individuals harness the power of this technology is RushTrade.
Using special software, customers place orders to buy and sell securities that are routed to the market using direct access technology. The software analyzes which route will allow for the best execution.
Direct Access Trading can shave anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes off transaction times. By executing orders quicker, investors get the best price available without having to wait for a middleman to execute the order. Faster transaction speed is not the only benefit of Direct Access Trading over traditional online trading; lower-cost bulk transactions are another plus.
Traders find such speed and cost-effectiveness attractive, regardless of whether they trade a few times per quarter or many times a day. Companies like RushTrade have structured commission schedules that fit any type of investor.
