Retail investors, or non-professional investors, are individuals who trade on the markets. Most commonly seen with retail trading, investors purchase and sell equity, debt and other investment vehicles through a broker, mutual fund or bank. The vast majority of trading is executed through traditional methods including brokerages, both online and physical.

Retail trading is mainly focused on providing sole benefits to the account owner, and not usually will the account be used to trade for other people. More commonly retail trading accounts are self-managed by the account holder and all capital, decisions, and ideas are solely chosen by them.

The key difference between retail investments, and institutional investments, is the quantity of capital that is being traded, retail traders more often than not are trading with their own funds, and in a less frequent manner than those who are managing other people’s capital. Retail investors, who choose to go down the route of managing their own portfolio are driven by personal, life, and work goals that need financing, but do not want the assistance of a financial professional.