Once dominated by institutional investors, the options market is now seeing a surge in activity from individual traders, thanks to enhanced access to educational resources, advanced trading tools, and more sophisticated execution capabilities, according to Neil McDonald, CEO of Moomoo US, a global investment and trading platform.
Retail investors are no longer confined to basic stock trading. Many are leveraging multi-leg options strategies, hedging against market volatility, and even generating income through tactics like call overwriting, McDonald said.
He highlighted how this shift is redefining the market: “There is a misconception that trading options is purely speculative.”
“In fact, we see many retail investors using options to protect their portfolios or for yield enhancement, particularly in response to increased market volatility,” he told Traders Magazine.
This growing sophistication is largely attributed to the democratization of tools and information. Retail traders now have access to the same data, quantitative analysis, and execution speeds that were once the exclusive domain of hedge funds and proprietary trading desks.
“Retail options traders today have as much access to market information, quantitative tools, and execution speeds as institutional traders,” said McDonald. “They are much more educated about markets, in part thanks to news and investor forums online,” he said.
While options trading presents significant opportunities, it also comes with inherent risks. According to McDonald, online brokerage platforms face the challenge of making options trading accessible while ensuring that traders understand the complexities involved.
McDonald emphasized the importance of a structured approach to risk management: “Ensuring traders have the knowledge and tolerance for the risks involved is a balance that must be carefully managed.”
One approach taken by trading platforms is the implementation of tiered access to options strategies. Traders often progress through different levels based on experience, ensuring they are not exposed to complex strategies like writing naked options before they are ready.
“As a beginner options trader, only single-leg options are available, which limits the level of risk taken to the value of the option premium,” McDonald explained.
With the retail options market growing, regulatory oversight is a key area of focus. While McDonald doesn’t foresee immediate regulatory changes, he acknowledges that platforms must remain vigilant.
“We are continuously monitoring the regulatory landscape for decisions that could impact both the market and retail options traders,” he noted.
One of the most significant developments in recent years is the increased collaboration between trading platforms and major exchanges. These partnerships aim to bridge the longstanding informational gap between retail and institutional investors.
“This complete re-balancing of the longstanding informational asymmetry between retail and institutional investors has been driven by the demand for data from trading platforms,” McDonald said.
He further said that technology is playing a crucial role in empowering retail traders. New tools, such as options strategy builders and no-code algorithmic trading, are allowing traders to design and test complex strategies with ease.
“A standout tool for me is the options strategy builder,” McDonald shared. “Investors can input their goal for returns and timeframe, and the strategy builder will generate potential options to buy and sell, sophisticated scenario analysis, and then back-test the strategy using market data,” he said.
Additionally, social trading is reshaping investor engagement. Many platforms now facilitate discussions among traders from different global markets, providing a broader perspective on investment opportunities.
“What is particularly special about the online trading community is that investors can receive feedback not only from peers based in the U.S. but from international markets who may have a completely different view on a stock,” McDonald said. “It breaks traders out of their echo chambers.”
Looking ahead, McDonald envisions a future where retail traders continue to gain greater access to institutional-grade tools and insights. “2025 is the year of the global options retail investor,” he asserted. “We want to empower traders to make the most of every opportunity.”
