Electronic trading platform

In finance, an electronic trading platform, also known as an online trading platform, is a software program used to place orders for financial products over a network with a financial intermediary. Products traded include stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities and derivatives, through intermediaries such as brokers, market makers, investment banks or stock exchanges, or directly between members of the platform. The platforms allow trading from any location, in contrast to traditional floor trading using open outcry. The term is sometimes also used for the trading software alone. Electronic trading platforms typically stream live market prices and may provide tools such as charting packages, news feeds and account management. Some give individuals access to markets formerly reachable only by specialist firms using direct market access, and some support automated strategies based on technical analysis or high-frequency trading. They are usually mobile-friendly and available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, contributing to the growth of retail investing.