Tapping the screen: What drives retail investors on trading apps?

¹ Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India
² Department of Business Administration, Manipal University, Jaipur, India
³ Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Pune, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), India

Abstract

The study aims to explore the key attributes that influence the decision-making processes of retail investors when investing through trading applications. Utilising a structured questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale, the research gathers both demographic data and responses related to various factors impacting investment choices. Respondents are recruited through snowball sampling, primarily via WhatsApp and other social media platforms, to ensure wide outreach among app-based retail investors. The insights derived from this study are intended to benefit multiple stakeholders. Investment advisors and trading app developers can leverage the findings to attract new investors and enhance user engagement, while government regulators can use the results to craft targeted financial education initiatives. Although prior research has investigated investor behaviour, limited attention has been given to the evolving patterns of retail investment behaviour in the context of emerging technologies—particularly mobile trading applications. This study seeks to bridge that gap by providing a contemporary understanding of retail investor psychology in the digital investment era.