TechRound spoke to Daniel Slutzkin, the Country Manager for the UK and Europe for Stake (hellostake.com) – an online trading platform which has seen its customer base increase six-fold in the last year and last month complete a funding round of $30 million.
How Did Stake Come About?
“Stake was founded by two entrepreneurs in Australia who felt they wanted better access to the US markets. The process of buying and trading shares in Australia was similar to the UK, there were a handful of traditional brokers and the process was very slow and expensive. This clearly highlighted a need for a significant improvement in both process and cost.”
“Stake’s proposition was launched to allow its users the ability to download an app, and within minutes have access to thousands of stocks and ETFs. Currently Stake offers more than 4,400 stocks and ETFs and we are continually adding new ones to the platform.By offering ETFs, users have the ability to trade in all conditions, irrespective of the direction of the market.”
“Users need to be over 18 years of age to set up an account and once the account is funded, shares can be bought immediately. With Stake’s completely commission-free model, users can trade as many times as they want without incurring any fees. Funds can also be left in US Dollars in customer accounts, so there is no need to withdraw money upon the sale of a stock. Funds can sit in an account for as long as the customer wishes until being ready to make the next trade, whenever that time comes. Ultimately, it’s an easier and more cost-effective way to buy and sell shares.”
How Has Covid Impacted the Company and What Has The Business Learned So Far?
“Covid has certainly contributed to this wave of retail investing. The share of retail investors overall has jumped significantly and working from home during Covid meant more time to watch the markets closely.”
“We have also found that it is not just the usual high profile tech stocks that are being traded now, investors are getting more clued-up on market behaviour and are making smarter investments in companies that are not as well-known”
“Stake also provides users the benefit of being able to buy fractions of shares, allowing the ability to invest in a company that previously would not have been possible due to a high stock price. This certainly makes Stake’s service available to a much wider audience than traditional brokers.”
What is The Fee Structure?
“Stake takes a fee of 0.5% when customers fund their account and the same 0.5% when making a withdrawal. Trading of stocks incurs no cost and as customers are not forced to convert their Dollars to Sterling after each sale, they can leave the funds in their Stake account and it will not cost them anything. A Stake Black offering is also available for an additional fee and provides customers with extra trading facilities and research information.”
What Are Stake’s Plans for Growth?
“In the last 18 months alone, Stake has expanded to 3 markets outside of Australia. With our recent $30 million funding round from Tiger Global and partners of DST Global, we are well positioned for continued global expansion and further investment in the product.”
For more information and to download Stake, please visit: www.hellostake.com
