Retail investors are revolutionizing the stock market. So stop calling them ‘dumb money.’

Retail investors are revolutionizing the stock market. So stop calling them ‘dumb money.’

You no longer need this many screens to be able to effectively trade the stock market.







Stephane De Sakutin















Retail investing “” that is individuals trading outside of big money Wall Street firms “” is shaking up the stock market and becoming more popular.

Wall Street usually calls retail investors "dumb money," bit it's time to put the derogatory name to rest “” if only because retail investors have proven to be smarter than Wall Street in many cases.

The rise of individual investing is a good thing and should be supported, not cracked down on with new regulation.

Increasing education for retail investors is better than trying to hold back their ability to do what they want with their money.

Jennifer Schulp is the Director of Financial Regulation Studies at the Cato Institute's Center for Monetary and Financial Alternatives

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author.

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Are you "dumb money?" I am. You probably are too. Wall Street institutions “” so-called "smart money" “” usually throw around the phrase to describe investment activity