Retail trading participation among the younger generation needs a boost, as those between the ages of 20 and 30 are increasingly disinclined to invest in the stock market. Thus, a concerted effort is necessary to stimulate retail participation.

In terms of value traded, the participation rate of retail investors is an average of 25.7% in 2022, data from the Securities Commission Malaysia shows. While it is lower than 34.6% in 2021, it is still above the pre-pandemic five-year average of 18.8%.

New products are integral to increasing retail participation. Maybank Investment Bank (Maybank IB) is a full-fledged broker that has full-value offerings, including advisory solutions, research, innovative corporate access, tailored structured products, share margin facilities and personalised trading services.

This is where the Maybank Trade MY App comes into play. Maybank IB aims to democratise investing by cutting through the noise with the Maybank Trade MY App. This seamless and secure platform caters for both novice and experienced traders, helping them navigate the complexities of financial markets with confidence.

As stock trading becomes more seamless and user-friendly with the use of technology, more people are inclined to explore and learn trading, thus making it more accessible to a larger demographic. The use of mobile apps overcomes traditional challenges such as complex trading platforms and a lack of convenience in managing investments.

Now, traders expect application processes to be simple and quick with easy access to training material on how to use the apps. In addition, research done by Kantar for Maybank IB shows that 69% of respondents of varying stock trading proficiencies prioritise the ease and usefulness of charting tools available on trading apps.

The Maybank Trade MY App encompasses a robust trading platform, educational resources and market insights. These are all presented through a customisable dashboard.

Currently, the Maybank Trade MY App provides investors with the ability to buy and sell investment products listed on Bursa Malaysia. These products include equities, warrants, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

“We’re planning to introduce foreign trading capabilities into the app in the near future, which will expand investment opportunities beyond Malaysia, allowing for greater diversification and portfolio growth. Meanwhile, clients can trade foreign stocks from 16 markets on our web platforms,” says Tengku Ariff Azhar Tengku Mohamed, officer-in-charge and chief operating officer of Maybank IB.

Launched on April 15 this year, the app saw more than 50,000 downloads in less than three months, with 76% of users surveyed being overall satisfied with their experience.

“Investor behaviour is varied. Some like to seek knowledge and digest information from a wide variety of sources before making their own decisions, while others prefer more guidance or to have one or a handful of trusted sources they can turn to. With the Maybank Trade MY App, we have incorporated plenty of resources for investors,” says Ariff.

“It includes our award-winning research in full or bite-size, technical charting tool TradingView, which provides access to real-time market data, and model portfolios to cater for different needs. This is supplemented by our year-round webinars featuring both in-house and invited speakers, alongside educational content via our other channels.”

Some people find it difficult to invest because of limited knowledge. It requires a lot of effort to perform research and have a better understanding of a stock before buying.

Maybank IB aims to overcome this through insights and strategies delivered by its award-winning research team.

Intelligence is distilled into the investors’ palms through the Maybank Trade MY App, says Ariff. Investors are empowered on their trading journey to make informed decisions, whether through fundamental or technical analysis. They can quickly zoom in to research calls and target prices for stocks under coverage.

Maybank IB boasts research coverage that is among the widest in Malaysia, spanning 114 companies, in addition to macroeconomic and thematic reports. Furthermore, a comprehensive market outlook encompassing both macro and equities is published biannually. Both fundamental and technical analyses of equities are covered.

“Our chief economist has been consistently voted the best economist in Malaysia and many of our sector analysts have also been recognised as top-notch. We are also at the forefront of ESG research, having set up a dedicated team and committed to investing RM1.6 million over two years to elevate our ESG research,” says Ariff.

The Maybank Trade MY App was developed in response to plugging the gap in what investors need, aligned with Maybank’s M25+ strategic thrusts of intensifying customer centricity and digitalisation. We want to make investing seamless, secure and smart for all levels of users, says Ariff.

To do this, Maybank IB revamped the underlying technology stack on the app by using a hybrid technology platform for all three major mobile operating systems to provide synchronicity and stability.

For instance, self-service functions such as deposit, withdrawal and contract settlements can be done on the app to allow investors to perform transactions with convenience. In addition, Bursa Malaysia’s newsfeed is integrated into the app.

With model portfolios built into the app, investors can save time on stock picking. The customisable dashboard and user-friendly interface allow investors to zoom in on the necessary information to make decisions.

The Maybank Trade MY App will continue to innovate and leverage Maybank’s capabilities to bring the best trading experience to investors and encourage more people to learn about securities investing as a way to diversify their portfolios and build their wealth.

“For investors, my advice is to stay informed, diversified and disciplined in their investment approach. Take advantage of the resources and insights available through the Maybank Trade MY App to make informed decisions,” says Ariff.

“Ultimately, we want to create awareness and education through the tools in the app. At the touch of a button, investors can make their own investment decisions with assistance from us. We want to be known as the broker that is synonymous with easy investing, and to democratise the ability to invest and grow their wealth.”