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With the advent of technology, trading stocks online is all you can see people talk about! As per the Million Trader report, in 2017, over 4.3 million traders have emerged worldwide. This number was global and not just restricted to Hong Kong, London, New York, etc.
With the increasing demand for smartphones, trading is more favored by millennials. They are attracted towards low charges and skills to trace the activities in real hours with other advantages.
But how to calculate the number of traders?
How Many People Trade Stocks?
There are from 13.8 up to 50 million stocks traders around the world while around 4.3 million active stock traders. The exact number is hard to calculate because today most people have cell phones and everybody can try trading, even without investment (Robinhood free stocks). Additionally, people donate or inherit shares and use several thousand various registered brokers worldwide so it is very hard to track the numbers of traders.
It is very hard to calculate the number of stocks traders in situations where it is hard to make a distinction between long-term investors and short-term traders, and active traders and “traders in an attempt”.
Let us see some stats published by Modern Trader survey:
| Continent/Region | Approx. number of online traders |
|---|---|
| Asia | 4630400 |
| North America | 2170500 |
| Europe | 2170500 |
| Africa | 1881100 |
| Middle East | 1403590 |
| South America | 868200 |
| Central America | 484745 |
| Oceania | 274930 |
| Rank | Country | Approx. number of online traders |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Kingdom | 405160 |
| 2 | Germany | 217050 |
| 3 | Italy | 217050 |
| 4 | France | 188110 |
| 5 | Romania | 159170 |
| 6 | Spain | 140359 |
| 7 | Netherlands | 94055 |
| 8 | Poland | 88267 |
| 9 | Denmark | 53539 |
| 10 | Russia | 52092 |
| 11 | Hungary | 44857 |
| 12 | Bulgaria | 43410 |
| 13 | Greece | 43410 |
| 14 | Sweden | 41963 |
| 15 | Portugal | 39069 |
| 16 | Ireland | 36175 |
| 17 | Czech Republic | 31834 |
| 18 | Norway | 30387 |
| 19 | Ukraine | 28940 |
| 20 | Switzerland | 28940 |
| 21 | Austria | 27493 |
| 22 | Croatia | 26046 |
| 23 | Lithuania | 23152 |
| 24 | Belgium | 20258 |
| 25 | Slovenia | 17364 |
| 26 | Slovakia | 17364 |
| 27 | Estonia | 17364 |
| 28 | Serbia | 12878.3 |
| 29 | Finland | 12154.8 |
| 30 | Kosovo | 10563.1 |
| 31 | Albania | 8682 |
| 32 | Latvia | 8682 |
| 33 | Malta | 6511.5 |
| 34 | Moldova | 5498.6 |
| 35 | Iceland | 3906.9 |
| 36 | Luxembourg | 3038.7 |
| 37 | Belarus | 2749.3 |
| 38 | Montenegro | 1591.7 |
Why do people avoid stocks trading?
People avoid trading markets because they think that only wealthy and knowledgeable people trade. Additionally, even they try to trade, they give up because of high expectations from online trading. However, sometimes market conditions reject people to trade such as COVID or the recent market crash.
Many individuals are still skeptical of the returns that trading brings for their funds. This fear is dominated by many fears. These include:
- Only wealthy investors trade
Some people think by being devoid of funds, you can get nowhere in the trading world. That is not even a part of the full truth. However, a report by GOBankingRates shows that a mere 10% of 1000 respondents say that they invest because of lack of funds or losing them.
To trade, you shouldn’t have to be oozing with money. This can be a setback but not merely a factor to stop you from trading.
Emotions come into play because less money makes you more attached than having a lot of money. The fear of losing out money due to irrational decisions stops people in their steps.
- No trust in trading
The trading world is stifled with rumors all over the internet. They say that it is filled with shady brokerages and faulty tricks. And the prevalent risk also makes people reluctant to put their money in this venue.
Furthermore, the trading market crashes inevitably at some times. Just like the “Global Financial Crisis” of 2007-2008. Hence, making it another reason that people tend to stay away from the market.
- Less information about trading
It is easy to open an account at a brokerage anytime if you are above 18. However, many people are still devoid of this information and think that only rich people have the right to open a brokerage account.
A subtle lack of information is also a major contributing factor as to why many traders lose out on their funds in the market. However, to acquire this knowledge, these new traders often look at unsuitable places for the answers. Hence, digging a deeper hole. Another hurdle in trading for profits is people yearning more for shortcuts than hard but effective methods.
In a survey, it was shown that only 14% of people tend to invest in a financial consultant while trading.
To get good returns in the market, you need to:
- Develop an effective plan.
- Analyze and fund the best buying and selling opportunities.
- Implement effective strategies to maximize profits and minimize losses, like setting up a stop-loss or take-profit point.
- Keep improving in the above aspects.
- Do not have high expectations from online trading
Every fruitful investment also comes with a certain degree of risk that you cannot skip. Still, many people do stock trading recklessly or jump in without any knowledge or forethought. Hence, losing their long-term savings.
The market conditions
The market conditions also largely influence whether the investors will be making money or losing out.
For instance, due to COVID-19, there is a hike in the number of trades as people are bound to their homes. However, many proficient investors have still kept their distance from the market due to coronavirus and the U.S. presidential elections.
Make trades that bring returns
Gaining good returns requires discipline on your part. You have to keep following through with this action after every successful trade if you want to create good money. Hence, investing is a long-term investment.
New traders lack both the patience and discipline to create strategies that benefit them. Hence, they don’t get many profits out of it. If you enter the trade market with the idea of making some quick bucks, stop there and reassess your goals.
To be successful, you need to be determined and dedicated to learning and trying hard. To generate profits consistently, you first have to become a great trader. The application is not very complex. You can also buy index funds to create profit in the long run by holding them. Hence, accumulating good profits.
So, let’s discuss some ways to ensure that you become a good trader:
- Always create a plan and hit and try with different methods.
- Don’t try to get in with the crowd. Do your research, fundamentals of stocks, and historical data about performance. Sell or buy based on calculated measures and not on the spur of the moment.
- The online trading market has moved for some time. Hence, if you are not very experienced in trading, purchase an index fund and retain it to grow after some time.
- Avoid trading on the short-term volatility factors. If you monitor the trade too much, you will keep tracking the market. Moreover, overcaution can prompt you to exit even the most profitable trades.
- Don’t be too greedy and get drawn into scams. You have to gain knowledge and move forward with utter cautiousness.
- Expand your portfolio. Invest in varied funds from different industries. Hence, you will meet your goals without many hurdles.
Final thoughts
Stock prices increase and decrease as per their nature. However, trading is a very lucrative way to enhance your wealth over time. You can start even with limited funds as there is no limitation. All you need is a little motivation, research, and dedication. Once you navigate through the market, you will start getting the hang of it.
He is an expert in financial niche, long-term trading, and weekly technical levels.
The primary field of Igor's research is the application of machine learning in algorithmic trading.
Education: Computer Engineering and Ph.D. in machine learning.
Igor regularly publishes trading-related videos on the Fxigor Youtube channel.
To contact Igor write on:
igor@forex.in.rs
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