Computers changed my career forever…
There’s no question about that. After all, when I started on Wall Street in the late 1960s, we drew our charts by hand – that is, if my boss approved of them at all.
Today, everything runs on code. From trading systems to children’s toys, computers are everywhere.
But until now, one area lagged woefully behind. I’m sure you’ve experienced it…
Everyone has sent money by check or bank transfer. When you do that, it takes a few days to “clear.”
That’s just part of life in America.
In fact, the way people move money around in the U.S. hasn’t changed in a meaningful way since the 1970s. We’re still using the old “automated clearinghouse” system.
But… that’s all about to change.
The Federal Reserve wants the movement of money to settle instantly. It doesn’t want the hassle of dealing with days of cash transfers hanging in limbo within the system.
It’s time for a new way. And the central bank just launched it yesterday.
So today, let’s look at this topic from the investor’s perspective…
Since you’re reading this essay, you’re probably a financial-news junkie like me. So I’m guessing you’ve seen some headlines about the new “FedNow” system.
The system has been in the works for the past four years. And just yesterday, the Fed went live with it.
The idea behind it really is as straightforward as it sounds…
The Fed wants people to be able to move their money and instantly settle transactions up to $500,000. As I said, it typically takes several days for funds to “clear” after a transfer.
That’s not how most of the developed world operates. The U.S. is an outlier.
With the new system, transfers should be able to settle every day of the week (including Sundays). And they’ll be able to settle 24 hours a day, even when banks are closed.
Now, on its own, this new system doesn’t sound like an investment story. But it is.
Here’s how…
You see, so-called “retail” investor participation has soared over the past decade. More mom-and-pop investors are getting into the financial markets than ever before.
At the start of this year, retail trading hit yet another all-time high. At that peak, it accounted for roughly 23% of all the trading volume in the market.
Folks, it’s hard to understate the significance of this stat…
After all, these days, Wall Street features computers that trade faster than humans can think. Despite that, retail investors still account for nearly a quarter of the market.
Now, the Fed is delivering a way to move money around within seconds.
So in the coming months, it will be even easier for these retail investors to move money to their brokerage accounts. And it will be even easier to move money out of them, too.
Put simply, the easier money is to move around, the easier it is for folks to take part in the markets. And at the same time, they can quickly pull their money out when they’re feeling squeezed.
So what can we expect from this change?
On an individual level, you might not even notice it at first. But as the new system rolls out, we’ll see people doing more of what they do best…
They’ll keep optimizing their money management. They’ll move funds around based on what they want, how they feel, and where they think they’ll get the best bang for their buck.
Because of this change, I expect that the number of retail investors taking part in the market will only keep growing.
So buckle up… the retail-investor party is just getting started.
Good investing,
Marc Chaikin
