If you’ve got a stash of cash sitting idle and a vague plan to start investing someday, Trading 212 is designed to help you reach that goal.
Here’s how Trading 212 helps your money grow, from their handy practice account to daily interest, free fractional shares, and more.
First things first: what is Trading 212?
Most people put off investing for two reasons: it seems expensive, and it looks complicated.
Trading 212 is an investment app designed to simplify the process, letting you buy real stocks and ETFs, commission-free.
And there’s no need to shell out your life savings to get started, either — you can start investing with a single euro, and learn the tricks of the trade with a free practice account.
Which Trading 212 features are most useful for investors?
Needless to say, plenty of apps promise to make investing cheaper and more accessible, but fail to deliver.
What sets Trading 212 apart, however, are a handful of specific features that lower the barrier to entry and do the heavy lifting for you. Here are five that we found super useful on our investment journey.
1. You can learn the ropes with virtual money in a practice account
If you’re a beginner investor, you may not feel ready to part with a chunk of your hard-earned euros just yet.
To ease this fear, Trading 212 lets you open a practice account loaded with virtual money, so you can trial the platform without risking your own funds.
You’ll get a feel for how buying and selling investments works, understand how your portfolio changes, and learn more about risk management.
2. You can access global giants, thanks to fractional shares
It’s sad, but true: some shares are eyewateringly expensive.
Trying to own part of a big-name company can easily set you back hundreds (sometimes even thousands!) of euros, which is out of reach for many investors.
However, Trading 212’s fractional shares fix that. Instead of buying a whole share in a famous company, they let you buy a slice of one.
This way, you can effectively build a portfolio across countless household names, without needing a salary that rivals Jeff Bezos’.
3. You can earn daily interest on your uninvested cash
While you’re waiting for the perfect opportunity to invest your cash, inflation quietly whittles away at what your money is actually worth.
But even if you’re still undecided on which stock or ETF to purchase, Trading 212 offers you a chance to put your cash to work.
Should you opt to earn interest, you can access EUR rates up to 4.2% (paid daily!), with the freedom to withdraw whenever you fancy, and no minimums or limits.
As your money is held in qualifying money market funds and banks, it’s less risky than investing it all — and nets you higher interest than a traditional Dutch savings account.
4. You can ditch exchange fees by investing across 12 global currencies
If you buy a US stock with a euro trading account, you’ll often get hit with a currency conversion fee. While relatively small fry individually, these costs stack up, especially if you regularly trade in foreign stocks.
In contrast, Trading 212’s multi-currency account lets you deposit and invest in 12 global currencies, including USD, EUR, and GBP.
Just convert your money once (with a fee capped at 0.15%), then trade in the asset’s own currency, saving you the hassle of needing to pay FX costs on every transaction.
5. You can automate your investments with Pies
Does picking individual shares and ETFs sound like way too much work? Well, then you’re bound to be a fan of Trading 212’s Pies.
While there’s no delicious apple and cinnamon involved, these Pies are ready-made portfolios that invest automatically for you. Just set your goal and a recurring contribution, which can be as low as €1 per month.
You can also build your very own Pie from scratch, choosing which companies and ETFs go in, and what share of your funds each one gets. Trading 212 does the rest for you!
Enjoy up to €100 in free fractional shares when you first sign up
If you’re ready and raring to give Trading 212 a go, we’ve got a little something to help you get started. 👇
Sign up with the code REVIEW, and you’ll receive up to €100 in free fractional shares to kick off your investment journey.
From there, the practice account, daily interest, and Pies are your best friends when it comes to making investing more accessible. Remember, building your investments is a steady walk, not a steep climb.
Have you started investing yet, or are you still on the fence? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
Disclaimer: When investing, your capital is at risk. Spreads and, where applicable, FX fees and product-related costs apply.