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How Retail Investors Finally Got Into IPOs
Hey there,
Alberto here with this week's Thursday newsletter.
Before we get to today's investment opportunity, I want to talk about something that's fundamentally reshaping markets: the rise of retail investors.
Retail investors now drive 25% of all US equity trading volume. That's up from just 10% a decade ago.
Goldman Sachs just released research showing retail investors aren't just participants anymore—they're shaping markets, moving prices, and getting access to opportunities that used to be Wall Street's exclusive domain.
Today we're covering that shift. And then showing you exactly how it applies to this week's Premium opportunity: pre-IPO shares in Stripe at $48.50.
Rise of the Retail Investor “Goldman”
In today's newsletter:
How retail investors went from 10% to 25% of market volume
What Goldman Sachs says about retail's market impact
This week's Premium opportunity: Stripe (members only).
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From Sidelines to Center Stage
Ten years ago, retail investors accounted for about 10% of US equity trading volume. Institutional investors, hedge funds, pension funds, and
banks dominated everything.
Today? Retail is 25% of the market.
That's not a marginal increase. That's a structural shift in who controls capital flows.
Goldman Sachs Research just published an analysis on this phenomenon, and the numbers are striking. Retail investors aren't just buying more stocks—they're influencing price discovery, driving volatility in specific names, and accessing opportunities faster than ever before.
What Changed
Three things converged to create this shift:
1. Zero-commission trading - Robinhood forced the industry to drop trading fees. Suddenly, buying 10 shares didn't cost you $20 in commissions. That opened markets to millions of new investors.
2. Fractional shares - You don't need $1,000 to buy Amazon anymore. You can buy $10 worth. That democratized access to high-priced stocks.
3. Social media and information - Reddit, Twitter, YouTube, Discord. Retail investors now share research, coordinate strategies, and move faster than institutional analysts. GameStop wasn't a fluke—it was a preview of organized retail power.
The result? Retail investors went from price-takers to price-makers.
Why Goldman Cares
When Goldman Sachs publishes research on retail investors, they're not doing it out of academic curiosity.
They're doing it because retail now moves markets in ways institutions have to account for.
Options activity from retail traders impacts how market makers hedge. Meme stock rallies create volatility that affects broader indices. And retail's preference for growth stocks and tech names influences sector allocations.
The old Wall Street gatekeeping model is breaking down. And that creates opportunities—if you know where to look.
The Private Market Extension
Here's what Goldman's research doesn't cover but should: retail investors are now entering private markets at unprecedented scale.
Pre-IPO investing used to require VC connections or $1M+ minimums through wealth managers. Now platforms give accredited investors direct access starting at $1K-$5K.
The same democratization happening in public markets is happening in private markets. You don't need to wait for the IPO anymore. You can buy pre-IPO shares in companies like Stripe, SpaceX, and Databricks—before they trade publicly.
That's the shift we're capitalizing on at Founderscrowd.
Enjoy your Thursday. For This Week's Premium Opportunity: Stripe at $48.50, only for those who are in our community.
For the rest, see you Saturday and Sunday for our weekly tech roundup.
Stay sharp,
Alberto Rosado
Co-founder, Founderscrowd Capital
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