One may now open a retirement savings account with Robinhood, the popular stock trading app that enables day trading and meme stocks. The move definitely contributes to the longevity of the platform which positions itself "in more direct competition with traditional brokerages" but it also recognizes the relevant uncertainty and anxiety that many people are living through right now.
The San Francisco-based Robinhood has stated that with its retirement savings account, its platform will appeal more to gig workers in particular. This is important for user retention as the company reports "43% of its customers to be in the gig economy."
With this new feature, the app will not charge a management fee and will not take commissions on investments.
Retirement Savings Accounts
Robinhood Pivots to a More Comprehensive Service Plan
Trend Themes
1. Robinhood Retirement Accounts - Robinhood's new retirement savings account feature is a disruptive innovation opportunity that could challenge traditional brokerages and appeal to gig workers.
2. Commission-free Investing - Robinhood's commission-free investing model is a trend that could disrupt the investment industry, giving consumers more choice and reducing costs.
3. Robo-advising - Robinhood's platform, which includes features like robo-advising and self-directed trading, is a trend that younger investors may increasingly favor over traditional, in-person financial advising.
Industry Implications
1. Investment Services - Robinhood's retirement account feature could disrupt the investment services industry by offering commission-free investing targeted at gig workers.
2. Finance Technology - Robinhood's platform leverages technology disruptively, allowing for easy, self-directed trading and robo-advising, which may shift the balance of power in finance to technology-enabled firms.
3. Gig Economy - Robinhood's focus on the gig economy suggests that the investment industry must increasingly serve the needs of this growing segment, which could create new opportunities for investment platforms.