History & SocietyScience & TechBiographiesAnimals & NatureGeography & TravelArts & CultureGames & QuizzesVideosOn This DayOne Good FactDictionaryCompanionsDemystifiedImage GalleriesInfographicsListsPodcastsSpotlightSummariesThe ForumTop Questions#WTFact100 WomenBritannica KidsSaving EarthSpace Next 50Student Center
Britannica Money
Investing

Markets & Regulation

Composite photo of a judge's gavel and stock exchange screen.
Investing
Financial regulators: The market police
Guardians of the markets.
Composite photo of a bank sign, trading floor, and stock screens.
Investing
Financial market participants: Market makers, institutional investors, and you and me
It takes all kinds to make a market.

Recently Posted

Retail investors vs. institutional investors: Bridging the divideThe small money can still be the smart money.
How T+1 settlement transforms securities transactionsWhat a difference a day makes.
5 ethical questions about artificial intelligenceThere will be consequences.

See All

5 ethical questions about artificial intelligence
There will be consequences.
5 ways that artificial intelligence is changing how we work
Is AI threatening or empowering?
Angel investor vs. venture capitalist: What’s the difference?
Do angels lead the way where VCs fear to tread?
Arbitrage and the invisible hand: Enhancing price efficiency across markets
From Adam Smith to market makers (and Airbnb)
Chapter 11 bankruptcy: A little breathing room while a company restructures
Relieve, reorganize, renegotiate—and hopefully, don’t repeat.
Entrepreneurs vs. small business owners and corporate executives: What’s the difference?
Building a business from the ground up—and assuming the risk.
Equity crowdfunding: A bold new frontier for investors and entrepreneurs?
Crowdfunding just got leveled up.
Financial market participants: Market makers, institutional investors, and you and me
It takes all kinds to make a market.
Financial regulators: The market police
Guardians of the markets.
General partner vs. limited partner: Differences, pros, and cons
Rights, responsibilities, and risks.
How different types of banks operate in the financial system
Connecting surplus with need.
How joint ventures help companies expand opportunities
The lowdown on joining up.
How start-ups move from seed funding to Series C
Nurturing a start-up.
How T+1 settlement transforms securities transactions
What a difference a day makes.
Introduction to financial markets: What are markets, and why do they exist?
Finding a fair price and allowing for easy exchange.
IPO need-to-knows: Basics of initial public offerings
A company’s way to say “hello.”
Market makers: Keeping markets efficient, liquid, and robust
They bridge the gap between buyer and seller.
Mergers, acquisitions, and other ways companies join forces
The risk is huge, and so is the reward.
Payment for order flow: How it works and why it matters
The price of low (and zero) commissions.
Primary markets and secondary markets: Two important cogs in the wheel of capitalism
Buy and sell—not necessarily at bargain prices.
Regulation of the OTC derivatives market: Before and after the Dodd-Frank Act
Making the swaps market work, even in times of crisis.
Retail investors vs. institutional investors: Bridging the divide
The small money can still be the smart money.
Shining a light on shadow banking: Benefits, risks, and regulations
We all use them, even if we don’t know it.
Special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs)
A twist on IPO investing.
The broker and the exchange: Getting the order filled
Who all is involved in your trades?
The life cycle of a buy or sell order: How trades happen
Complex transactions in the blink of an eye.
What is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) report?
The sustainability scorecard.
What is a DPO? Taking a direct approach to the public markets
Like an IPO, but different.
What is investment banking? Connecting investors to corporate growth
From primary markets to advisory services.
What to know about artificial intelligence and regulation
It’s still early days.