TD Ameritrade CEO confirms REAL demand for Bitcoin, while the company braves up to integrate in-vehicle software platforms such as Amazon’s Echo Auto, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay to customers trade stocks on their cars.
Everyone could see this morning’s Fake News kerfuffle, sparked by Mati Greenspan, a prominent crypto analyst, where he unintentionally hinted at TD Ameritrade’s entrance into Bitcoin retail market.
Bitcoin trading is now available @TDAmeritrade!!!
Been waiting a while for this. Ameritrade is one of the US's oldest and largest online brokers.
As of September, client equity totaled $1.279 trillion.
The floor gates to BTC are now officially open. https://t.co/9gBo3zSuUZ
— Mati (@MatiGreenspan) July 23, 2019
The error caused Twitter to explode with a number of key industry’s news outlets reporting this story.
looks like you‘re not the only one 😂 pic.twitter.com/4OXl72XYP5
— BTC | Crypto | Switzerland 🇨🇭 (@SwissXRP) July 23, 2019
Be as it may, while TD Ameritrade is nor entering retail Bitcoin market, nor launching Bitcoin Futures to wider public (now the service is limited to specific clients only), the company’s CEO Tim Hockey confirmed that the brokerage is seeing REAL demand, especially for the flagship cryptocurrency – Bitcoin:
“But cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are drawing increasing interest from investors, and they want to trade it. Clients are asking for it.”
Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are gaining increasing acceptance from investors. But since Facebook unveiled plans to launch its own digital currency, they’ve attracted scrutiny from United States politicians in Washington. But is it actually a bad sign? Hockey said:
“Especially given the discussions around Libra and the rebound in Bitcoin, there’s heightened interest again.”
With Facebook’s Libra being in the center of regulators’ attention and many being confused whether Libra is a foe or friend, it appears that instead of the social networking giant’s option, politicians (and investors) are interested in Bitcoin. Hockey stated:
“There is a lot of regulatory scrutiny, whether it be for Libra or crypto generally. We would like to be able to participate, but we want to be comfortable with the risk to our clients and ourselves in a world where crypto has still got lots of debate about a number of items that we’re all hearing about.”
TD Ameritrade Launches a Suite of In-Vehicle Experiences
Imagine analyzing stocks while sitting behind the wheel. It sounds exciting, right?
Now, that’s the invention that TD Ameritrade has coordinated with in-vehicle software platforms such as Amazon‘s Echo Auto, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay to offer clients the ease to receive the latest financial news or check their stock portfolio while driving behind the wheel.
Currently, clients are unable to conduct trades within the car. Although that sounds like “another next Step,” considering TD Ameritrade’s trajectory. Customers already can trade through a mobile app or desktop computer, over the phone, very recently via Amazon Alexa-enabled gadgets.
Instead, the feature will vary depending on which in-vehicle software system client have. For individuals with Apple CarPlay, clients can keep updated of trending market news with the latest TDAN Radio app from the TD Ameritrade Network. The system will broadcast news live through audio streaming designed for CarPlay.
Drivers using the Echo Auto and Android Auto platform have the choice to utilize voice commands to unlock market sector updates and performance summaries, confirm account balances, hear real-time quotes, and portfolio performance.
The head of strategic partnerships and emerging technologies at TD Ameritrade, Sunayna Tuteja said in a statement:
next“In a connected world like ours, we have to meet investors where they are, whether at home, in the office, or on the go. In-vehicle technology offers a new type of connectivity that further breaks down barriers to accessing financial education and markets.”