The world of investing has changed dramatically over the past 10 years. In 2015, Robinhood HOOD was launched and widely viewed as the first app that allowed commission-free trading; many other firms have followed suit.

Events like the GameStop Short Squeeze have provided retail investors with more stake in the game. The landscape for retail investors has seemingly never been so exciting and has never inspired so much buzz.

The numbers speak for themselves. The per-capita value of the U.S. stock market increased nearly 10 times over the past three decades, compared to only a 15% increase in inflation-adjusted median full-time earnings. Retail investors accounted for 52% of global assets under management in 2021 and are expected to grow their share to 61% by 2030. Technology is disrupting the financial services industry, and stock trading apps are also gaining popularity commensurately.

As part of the same trend, stock market-focused social investing apps have also been performing well. While stock communities have always been popular on platforms like Reddit, Youtube, and Twitter, now dedicated social media platforms have been created for traders. StockTwits, which started out as a Twitter page and transformed into an app, saw a 50% user increase in 2021 which brought their user base to 6 million. Its clear that stock market-focused social media apps are working as intended and are a crucial part of information sharing and community.

While apps like StockTwits are doing well, they are missing out on two key components real-time discussion and in-app trading across multiple brokers.

Equichat looks to stand out against the crowd as a crossover between a trading app and messaging platform with reliable real-time information for investors. The stock messaging app allows investors to discover and explore over 10,000 dedicated stock channels across all major U.S. stock exchanges. Of all the social media-style apps, Equichat is the only app to offer in-app trading and instant news alerts. For traders, this offers a convenient one-stop-shop alternative where investors on different brokerage platforms can come together to have real conversations from right within the app they use to trade.

Equichat has broker integration with ETrade, TD Ameritrade, Robinhood, and Webull.

The app has several features that combine the benefits of social media apps like StockTwits and the practical nature of trading platforms: Real-Time Discussion: Chat with like-minded investors across 10,000+ dedicated stock channels Broker Connect: Link up your online broker and trade stocks right from the app; current integrations include ETrade, TD Ameritrade, Robinhood, and Webull Streaming Newswire: Market-moving press releases delivered in real-time as they cross the wires Follow Feed: Create a custom Follow Feed to track the activity of other investors and traders Custom Watchlist: Build your custom stock Watchlist and share it with other investors Direct Messaging: Meet fellow shareholders, discuss new ideas, and expand your investor network

Equichat seeks to bridge the gap between trading and community through its social investing app, something that could especially appeal to the younger generations.

Gen Z and millennials are earning more, saving more, and investing earlier than previous generations. For example, 31% of millennials started investing before they turned 21; in comparison, only 9% of baby boomers and 14% of Gen X invested that early.

Apps like Equichat could be a crucial part of expanding investor options and appealing to the younger generations, as the platform successfully creates a space where investors can connect with one another, share ideas, and learn from each other's experiences.

Featured photo by Wance Paleri on Unsplash

This post contains sponsored advertising content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.