Traditional Brokerage
Traditional brokerage refers to financial services platforms, typically offered by established firms like Charles Schwab, Fidelity, or TD Ameritrade, that enable investors to buy and sell securities such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds through human brokers or online interfaces. These platforms provide access to financial markets, investment research, and account management tools, often with a focus on long-term investing and retirement planning. They are characterized by regulatory compliance, comprehensive customer support, and integration with banking services.
Developers should learn about traditional brokerage when building fintech applications, financial data integrations, or tools for investment analysis, as it provides foundational knowledge of market operations, regulatory requirements (e.g., SEC rules), and user workflows in wealth management. It is essential for roles in financial software development, such as creating trading algorithms, portfolio management systems, or APIs that connect to brokerage services, where understanding transaction processing and security protocols is critical.