What is direct market access trading?

In the financial markets, sell-side firms offer their direct market access trading platforms and technology to buy-side firms who wish to control the direct market access trading activities for their investment portfolios.

What is the best direct access trading platform?

What makes TOS one of the best direct access trading platforms is that there are also no steep monthly trading platform fees or platform access requirements that many other competitors impose. TOS is known for great customer service, and their versatile, powerful, customizable direct market access trading platform.

What is direct access and how does it work?

Even if the order is not routed through an ECN, the direct access system also gives the trader direct access to market maker orders. Many of the orders floating around are placed by market makers either from their own firm's trading accounts or on behalf of their clients, which may often be large financial institutions.

Do individual investors have direct market access?

Individual investors typically do not have direct market access but usually rely on an intermediary brokerage firm for trade execution. Investment banks and other sell-side firms use sophisticated electronic trading technology that allows them direct market access to the exchanges.