Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Trading

14 May 2024

By: BlinkX Research Team

Online trading has grown in popularity over the past few years, thanks to the major advantages it brings, such as accessibility and convenience. Investors can buy & sell assets from the convenience of their homes with just a few clicks with their online trading account. Ease of trading is the key advantage of online trading. Moreover, online trading allows you to trade from anywhere and anytime, even from multiple devices.

However, there are some limitations of online trading too. They mainly include technical issues and risks of cyber security on online platforms. So, online trading has benefits, but some disadvantages need to be taken into account. To assist you in determining whether online trading is the best strategy for you, we shall examine both the advantages and disadvantages of online trading in this post.

What is Online Trading?

Online trading refers to the buying and selling of securities like stocks, exchange, traded funds (ETFs), derivatives, bonds etc using an online trading platform. The platform can be web-based or a mobile app. For online trading individuals have to open a trading account. It facilitates placing buy and sell orders.

Online trading facilitates trading various financial instruments directly from your home. Earlier, investors had to call on the trading floor in India and give their buy and call orders. However, online trading allows you to easily place your orders from anywhere. It makes trading in the financial market effortless. So, the advent of online trading facilities made share market trading simple and convenient.

Table of Content

What is Online Trading?
Advantages of Online Trading
Disadvantages of Online Trading
How Does Online Trading Work?

Advantages of Online Trading

Now, let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of online trading. First, let’s explore the advantages of online trading. There are several benefits. When broadly classified, the six main advantages of online trading are as follows:

Convenience

The convenience that online trading offers is among its most important benefits. With online trading, traders and investors can buy and sell securities whenever they want, from any location in the world, provided they have access to the internet. This implies that even when they are far from their desks, like on vacations, investors can respond promptly to stock market movements.
Instant Trading Speeds

The next obvious benefit of online share trading is the speed at which you can execute your trades. Before the system of online trading came into being, executing a trade was an arduous process. Today, with a click on your iOS or Android App, you can execute your trade within seconds.
Lower Fees

Compared to traditional brokerages, online trading often has lower fees. Online brokerages can pass those savings on to their customers because they don't have the overhead expenses related to running physical offices and paying brokers. Therefore for many investors, online trading is a more economical choice.
Decreased Dependency on the Broker

Additionally, online trading gives investors greater authority over their money. Instead of contacting their broker to place traders, investors can execute trades directly using their trading account on their phone or computer device. This means that investors and traders don’t have to worry about an incompetent broker not being able to execute your trade on a timely basis or, even worse, a dubious one extorting your money. All one needs today is a reliable broking app.
Increased Access to Information

On the flip side, investors have access to a lot of information through online trading platforms, which can aid them in making wise investment choices. To assist investors in staying current with market trends and spotting potential opportunities, several online trading platforms include real-time market information, news feeds, and analytical tools.
Increased Transparency

The trading procedure is more transparent because of online trading. To have a clear image of their investment activities, investors can see their account balances, past transactions, and trade approvals in real-time. Investors who benefit from this transparency will be better able to manage their investments and make educated decisions.

Disadvantages of Online Trading

Now that we have gone through the main advantages of online trading, it is time to look at the disadvantages of online trading. Here, we will focus on four main limitations of online trading.

Technical Difficulties

Online trading relies heavily on technology; so the emergence of any technical issues may lead to major disruptions in your trading day. For example, due to technical problems like system outages, slow internet connectivity, etc, investors might not be able to place trades or access their accounts. These technical problems can be inconvenient and even lead to missed investment opportunities.
Risk of Cybersecurity Breaches

On online trading platforms, cybersecurity flaws can put investors' personal data & financial assets in danger. Hackers may take account numbers, passwords, and other sensitive information to use for identity theft and other fraudulent activities. However, this issue can be mitigated by using strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and logging out of your account when it's not in use.
Potential for Emotional Trading

Compared to traditional trading, online trading can be a lot more emotionally taxing—that is because many investors or traders are constantly glued to their trading screens. This may result in investors making rash decisions when things are not going their way, due to market volatility in the market or poor trading decisions. That may very well lead to bad investing decisions, which could give lower returns or also make for a loss-making trade.
Limited Understanding of the Markets

Investors have access to a multitude of information through online trading platforms, however, investors may still not be able to make the best investment choices—they may fail to interpret the data correctly. Investors may turn to the internet instead of seeking the advice of a qualified financial professional when they help to make sound investment decisions.

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How Does Online Trading Work?

Your order is completed in a matter of seconds when you use an online trading platform to purchase or sell stocks. However, the following things take place during online trading.

First an individual has to place his order.
The order is put in a database.
The platform searches for the right match for the order. When a buyer and seller are found, both sides receive a confirmation message.
The regulator is informed about both the order and the price. Regulators oversee all the trading activity.
Both the buyer and seller receive a contract.
After this, both their brokers complete the transaction.
When this procedure is complete, the funds or shares are formally credited to your account.

Conclusion
There are both advantages and disadvantages of online trading. Online trading offers various benefits, such as convenience, speed, reduced costs and broker dependency, more access to information, and increased transparency. However, you should also take into account the drawbacks such as technical issues, cybersecurity breaches, emotional trading, and the investor’s limited ability to interpret data. So, it's crucial for investors to properly understand the advantages and disadvantages of online trading if they look to invest in the markets. Additionally, if you are new to trading and need help understanding it, you may check out the user-friendly online trading app, which provides online support and direction.

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FAQs on Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Trading

Is online trading suitable for beginners?

Beginners who are prepared to put in the time to learn about the markets and create a sound investment strategy may find success with online trading. Beginners should start with minimal deposits until they are comfortable with the process and should be informed of the potential risks associated with trading.

Can online trading platforms provide investment advice?

Most online trading platforms, especially the free ones, can offer access to a plethora of data and analytical tools to investors, but they are not intended to offer personalised investing advice. Thus, before making any investments, investors should do their own research and speak with a financial counsellor.

Are there tax implications in online share trading?

Yes, whether you trade online or trade offline, your profits will be subject to either long-term capital gains or short-term capital gains.

Is online share trading regulated?

Yes, financial regulatory organisations like the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) typically oversee online share trading in India.

What should I consider when choosing an online trading app?

Investors should take into account elements like fees, user-friendliness, available investment possibilities, customer service, and regulatory compliance when selecting an online trading app.

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