Vol: 15, Issue: 3 2025

Page: 63-73

The Rise of Retail Investors: How Technology Changed the Game

Raghav Sharma

Received Date: 2025-05-31

Accepted Date: 2025-07-30

Published Date: 2025-08-05

http://doi.org/10.37648/ijtbm.v15i03.005

This paper explains the emergence of retail investors and looks at the variables influencing this shift, paying special attention to the part played by technology. The evolution of investing has changed as a result of the development of investment tools, mobile applications, and the removal of conventional brokerage costs. The research also explores how social media affects investing behaviour, the dangers and difficulties faced by retail investors, and the regulatory measures used to control this expanding market. This study seeks to clarify the future of retail investment and its consequences for the financial ecosystem by examining case studies like GameStop and the emergence of fintech platforms in India.

References

• CNBC. (2021, January 29). Robinhood and the GameStop mania: What happened. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/29/what-happened-with-gamestop-robinhood-and-wallstreetbets.html
• Financial Times. (n.d.). India derivatives crackdown hits online brokers. https://www.ft.com/content/0b4a779e-4732-4cac-8249-fac33e727b50
• JPMorgan Chase Institute. (n.d.). Retail investors and market risk during the pandemic. https://www.jpmorganchase.com/institute/all-topics/financial-health-wealth-creation/retail-risk-investors-portfolios-during-the-pandemic
• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). (n.d.). Investor protection initiatives & derivatives data reports. https://www.sebi.gov.in
• The Economist. (2025, May 1). The risky world of private assets opens up to retail investors. https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/05/01/the-risky-world-of-private-assets-opens-up-to-retail-investors
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). (n.d.). Retail trading and investor protection reports. https://www.sec.gov
• Wikipedia. (n.d.). Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Securities_and_Exchange_Board_of_India
• Zerodha Varsity. (n.d.). Investing basics and advanced concepts. https://zerodha.com/varsity