GCash, InvestaTrade link up to boost GStocks
Financial super app GCash has teamed up with technology provider InvestaTrade to power its equities channel GStocks, aiming to offer a more “beginner-friendly” approach to demystify stock market investing.
GCash and InvestaTrade have launched an upgraded GStocks platform within the GCash app, allowing retail investors to participate in the stock market in just minutes, GCash said in a press statement on Wednesday.
“Financial tools only work if people actually feel ready to use them. This partnership is about meeting people where they are and giving them room to grow at their own pace,” GCash general manager for wealth management Arjun Varma said.
“Our goal has always been to use technology to break down barriers to investing. With GStocks PH and InvestaTrade, we’re making it easier for more Filipinos to take that first step with tools designed to help jumpstart their financial journey,” he added.
AB Capital Securities remains the sole stock brokerage of GCash, a unit of Globe Telecoms. However, the app shifted to a new technology provider to improve the user experience, industry sources explained.
The partnership with InvestaTrade is seen to bring additional credibility and community-based learning to the platform. Since 2015, Investa has been offering accessible tools, market insight and educational content aimed at helping everyday Filipinos make sense of the stock market.
“We’ve always believed that investing should be made accessible for every Filipino. This has been our mission since day one. This collaboration allows us to take what we’ve built at Invests—tools, education and a supportive community—and make it available to a wider audience through GCash,” Investa CEO and cofounder JC Bisnar said.
“This collaboration also highlights the importance of technology in making investing more accessible. By leveraging the seamless experience and advanced features of the InvestaTrade platform, in synergy with GCash, we aim to simplify the learning curve and equip first-time and experienced users alike with reliable tools,” said Investa chief technology officer and cofounder Airwyn Tin.
As of June 2024, stock market accounts recorded by the Philippine Stock Exchange reached 2.86 million, of which 99 percent belonged to local investors. This number represented only about 4.1 percent of the country’s roughly 70 million adult population.
The upgraded GStocks experience aims to “drive stronger literacy and ease stock selection with a more intuitive platform that features built-in educational content.”
The platform is also designed to be as user-friendly and accessible as possible, even to first-time investors.
