Harry Temkin is Chief Digital Officer at DriveWealth, a leading financial technology platform providing brokerage as a service.
Gone are the days of investors living by the clock, when the New York Stock Exchange would adhere to a 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. trading day. Fixed hours were a staple of securities trading mindsets. Once the bell rang at 4, anything outside those hours was tomorrow’s problem.
That was then, and this is now.
The global investing landscape operates around the clock, powered by digital infrastructure that connects investors to opportunities anytime, anywhere. The walls separating Wall Street from Main Street—and saving from investing—are coming down fast.
Now is the time for investing experiences that meet investors where they are and when they are ready to begin their journey.
A New Medium For Investors
In the new market realm, modern investors approach trading through a mobile-first lens. Long gone is the habit of logging in to a desktop brokerage app at day’s end; now market mavens check portfolios between texts, trades and purchases. For them, the investing experience must be intuitive, visual and instantaneous—and major trading exchanges are getting on board, aware that investors prefer to learn by doing.
Mobile investors often start small, buying just a few dollars’ worth of a favorite brand and building confidence through repetition. Exhibit A is fractional shares, which have turned trading into a robust, wide-open on-ramp to financial literacy.
For this new wave of investors, every micro-investment is an opportunity for education and empowerment. This generation isn’t asking for access; they expect it. They want to invest where they pay, shop and save—within a single digital ecosystem. That expectation has ushered in a new era of connectivity across trading platforms.
From Embedded Finance To Everyday Finance
The immediacy equation replaces financial planning by appointment.
Before digital technology reached Wall Street, investors set aside time to manage money, transfer funds and choose investments. Now, investing is woven into daily life—tracking accounts, executing trades and researching assets on a mobile phone, much like handling household finances.
The trend is pervasive, even silent. Every time a consumer rounds up a purchase or reinvests cash-back rewards, they’re participating in the market—often without realizing it. Embedded finance makes that possible by bringing investing capabilities to where consumers already spend their time.
The growing demand for digital wallets, particularly “super wallets,” is reshaping the embedded financial ecosystem by encouraging a more seamless experience between spending and investing. CashApp and Revolut (partners of my company, DriveWealth) are among the wallets that offer users access to a broad range of financial tools allowing them to send, receive, invest and manage their money, ultimately enabling them to make more informed financial decisions within one platform.
OnePay recently shared its latest wallet expansion (in partnership with DriveWealth) that now offers access to ETF and stock investing, enabling users to move from paying a friend to buying a fraction of a share in just a few taps. With OnePay, millions can now save, spend, borrow and grow—all within one platform. That seamless movement underscores a deeper shift: Investing no longer feels like a separate specialized activity. It feels normal.
To achieve that level of fluidity, though, the underlying systems must perform flawlessly. Payments, brokerage and market infrastructure need to communicate securely, compliantly and at scale in milliseconds. That’s where modern infrastructure comes in, whether it’s a Venmo payment or a $10 purchase of Netflix stock.
Building Infrastructure For Everyone
At my company, we’re at the foundation of the global investment landscape, delivering the critical infrastructure that powers millions of small transactions with the same precision once reserved for large institutional trades.
On the securities trading front, the principle is simple: Every trade matters equally. Whether an investor buys $5 or $500,00 of stock, the system must process it instantly, accurately and transparently.
That level playing field is vital for inclusion. When technology treats every investor equally—regardless of account size or location—true democratization follows. It also fosters lifelong engagement, as early, low-friction investing experiences often encourage people to stay active in the markets over time.
This infrastructure must also be durable and reliable. As trading windows expand and investors expect constant access, systems must evolve to support true 24-hour participation. In this market, there’s no “after hours” for fixes. Systems must remain up, secure and compliant. Durability isn’t glamorous, but it’s what everyday investors trust.
That means designing technology that can scale, respond and comply across jurisdictions. It means deploying APIs fast enough to meet user expectations and resilient enough to handle high-volatility markets.
Leveraging The Power Of Integration
Integration between payment networks, brokerage platforms and digital wallets has removed the friction that once defined retail investing. Users no longer need to move money manually or wait days for funds to clear.
Now, they can invest in a stock as easily as buying a cup of coffee—sometimes, quite literally, both at once. Imagine purchasing a $6 latte and $6 of Starbucks stock in one motion. That’s not a thought experiment; it’s happening now.
This shift has a profound psychological effect. When investing feels natural, people participate more consistently. As it becomes part of everyday spending, financial inclusion expands exponentially.
Where We Go Next
The convergence of payments and investing is creating a new financial rhythm where money is always in motion and opportunity never clocks out.
This offers investors freedom to participate and build wealth. For innovators, it’s a call to ensure speed, security and inclusion.
At my company, I’ve seen this transformation firsthand. I’ve had a front-row seat to market shifts like the rise of embedded finance, fractional shares and digital wallets—innovations reshaping how people invest and what it means to be an investor today.
Most importantly, the investment frontier is no longer about who has access to the markets. It’s about how seamlessly and how meaningfully we can connect the next billion investors to their next share of stock, one digital click at a time.
The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.
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