OTC stocks or Over The Counter stocks have been traditionally done by the use of the phone or by buying them directly from brokers. This has been the common routine of trading these stocks.
But we have entered the information technology era. We have witnessed the birth, the growth and the encompassing power of the internet. Ever since the surfacing of the internet, online stock trading has been a common practice nowadays. Majority of the stock trades are accomplished via online systems. These systems are commonly known as Trading Software Platforms. With this evolution, the online OTCBB was born.
The OTCBB which stands for Over The Counter Bulletin Board is a highly developed online trading service for OTC stocks which is offered by the NASD or the National Association of Securities Dealers. It is very meticulous as it shows volume information, real-time quotes and recent sale prices of OTC over the counter stocks. The OTCBB requires its listed companies to organize and file up to date financial statements with the SEC. Listing requirements which are commonly found on the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq are not compulsory, and even without these requirements, traders can start to trade.
An online OTC stock trading session follows a simple routine. An online broker gives you access, which is called stock trading, to the OTCBB market. This access will eventually authorize you to buy and sell OTC stocks on a real-time basis which can be compared to an online stock market trader. The whole scheme offers numerous advantages which would render the traditional ways outdated.
OTC stocks trading online can be very time-saving, effortless and gives its patron real time access. The investor can trade stocks even without the services of a stock broker since everything is accessible. Execution of orders can be done in a speedy manner. The system also gives direct access to major OTCBB markets such as DOMS, Finance 500, SBSH, Citigroup and ARCA etc.
A number of trading brokers may offer the investor the capability to trade options, futures, commodities, pink sheet securities and stock markets using a single system and a trading account. Several brokers offer flat fees for trading unrestricted number of stocks at single deal. Real-time in depth account details, real-time customer support and the access to impede major market makers are additional gains which may attract investors to support the online OTCBB system.
OTC stocks trading software platforms which stock brokerage firms use are usually conventional stock trading software. Sometimes this software may be modified for distinctive encryption methods for protecting the deals.
With these particulars, it is a given fact that online OTCBB is becoming a well-known way to trade OTC stocks. The convenience and advantages that it can offer proves to be very appealing to investors who are willing to enter this industry. Some people consider the OTCBB as risky and a number of online brokers are not yet ready to offer the OTCBB system.
But regardless of these minor inconsistencies, after a few more years, it is very probable that more and more brokerage firms will eventually offer this kind of service to potential investors, making online OTCBB more available to majority of the population.