Online Trading Pioneer Don Montanaro Appointed President of Firstrade

Former co-founder and CEO of TradeKing brings decades of experience
to bolster and expand company offerings.

New York, NY – January 11, 2024 – Firstrade, the leading online brokerage firm nearing its 40th anniversary, today announced the appointment of Don Montanaro as its new President.

Montanaro brings over 30 years of leadership experience, serving at the forefront of the retail trading industry with a background including strategic planning and execution, product, marketing and customer service leadership, risk management, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements in brokerage and more broadly in the fintech sector.

“Don’s proven leadership in the online brokerage industry is unparalleled, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the Firstrade team. A proven leader, Don possesses a vision for innovation that aligns perfectly with our mission,” said John Liu, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Firstrade. “As we continue to grow, Don’s expertise and knowledge will prove to be valuable ingredients in our success. We are excited to work alongside one of the industry’s best.”

In 1997, Don founded SURETRADE, a ground-breaking subsidiary of Quick & Reilly, which was acquired by Fleet Financial and later Bank of America. Among other innovations, SURETRADE was the first brokerage firm to answer client questions via chat channels, and beginning in 1998 was the first to provide AI-generated email answers to its clients. Don led SURETRADE’s growth into one of the largest global online retail brokerage firms in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 2005 Montanaro founded TradeKing, driving more innovation in the retail trading industry. TradeKing was the first brokerage firm deploying social networking technologies to connect with clients, wherein Don was the first CEO of any financial services firm to interact directly and publicly with his clients and others in real time. Montanaro charted the company’s business course, overseeing TradeKing through tremendous growth up through its successful sale to Ally Financial in 2016. Don earned his J.D. from The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law and his B.A. from The University of Notre Dame.

In his new role, Don will support current and new Firstrade clients, formulating business line strategies and driving growth initiatives for the company.

“Retail traders know they can trust Firstrade’s trader-first mentality thanks to the company’s 39-year track record. Amid the constantly evolving nature of the online brokerage industry, Firstrade empowers both new and seasoned investors with cutting-edge tools and features, always putting the client first,” said Don Montanaro, President of Firstrade. “I am honored to assist in leading the company into its next phase, helping more and more people take control of their financial future.”

For more information on Firstrade, please visit firstrade.com.

---

About Firstrade

At Firstrade, "Clients' Experience First" remains our guiding principle. We champion our clients with exceptional service and cutting-edge financial solutions at the lowest cost.

Established in 1985, Firstrade stands as a leading online brokerage, offering commission-free trades on stocks, ETFs, options and mutual funds, complemented by a selection of fixed income products. Alongside its diverse product line, Firstrade provides no-fee IRA retirement services and advanced tools, empowering self-directed investors to confidently navigate their financial future. Firstrade is a registered member ​​​​​of the​ Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). For more information, visit https://www.firstrade.com.

Media Relations Contact:
5W Public Relations
Firstrade@5WPR.com

Top 25 Most Traded Stocks & ETFs by Investors at Firstrade in December

Here’s the full list of top favored stocks and ETFs among Firstrade investors in the last month:

1. Tesla Inc (TSLA)

2. NVIDIA Corp (NVDA)

3. ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ)

4. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)

5. ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF (SQQQ)

6. Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (SOXL)

7. iShares 20 Plus Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)

8. Apple Inc (AAPL)

9. Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X Shares ETF (TMF)

10. Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR)

11. Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (QQQ)

12. Marathon Digital Holdings Inc (MARA)

13. Microsoft Corp (MSFT)

14. Coinbase Global Inc (COIN)

15. Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares (SOXS)

16. Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (TSM)

17. Alphabet Inc Class A (GOOGL)

18. Alphabet Inc Class C (GOOG)

19. Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF (VOO)

20. Upstart Holdings Inc (UPST)

21. Intel Corporation (INTC)

22. Pfizer Inc. (PFE)

23. Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)

24. Arm Holdings PLC - ADR (ARM)

25. Micron Technology Inc (MU)

Boost Your 2024 Investments: Up to $5,000 Cash Bonus Awaits with Firstrade!

Welcome 2024 with Firstrade! Dive into your investment journey and grab the chance to earn up to $5,000 in cash bonuses. Just open and fund a new Firstrade account by February 2nd, 2024. This special offer is available to all U.S. residents keen on starting their investment journey with an individual, joint, or custodial account. Don’t delay—join Firstrade now and take your 2024 investments to new heights!

How to get a new account bonus with Firstrade:

• Open an account using the Open An Account button on our New Year Cash Bonus Promotion page.

• After receiving your new account confirmation email, you need to fund at least $5000 to your account within 30 days to participate in this promotion.

The bonus tiers and required deposit amounts are as follows:

Check out this link to learn more about our promotion.

Don't miss out, open and fund your account today and enjoy these gifts from Firstrade to help you get started on your investing journey. Cheers!

Top 25 Most Traded Stocks & ETFs by Investors at Firstrade in November

Here’s the full list of top favored stocks and ETFs among Firstrade investors in the last month:

1. Tesla Inc (TSLA)

2. NVIDIA Corp (NVDA)

3. ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ)

4. ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF  (SQQQ)

5. Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (SOXL)

6. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)

7. Apple Inc (AAPL)

8. Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR)

9. Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (QQQ)

10. iShares 20 Plus Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)

11. Microsoft Corp (MSFT)

12. Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (TSM)

13. Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares (SOXS)

14. Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)

15. Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X Shares ETF (TMF)

16. Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF (VOO)

17. Unity Software Inc (U)

18. Alphabet Inc Class C (GOOG)

19. Coinbase Global Inc (COIN)

20. Super Micro Computer Inc (SMCI)

21. Arm Holdings PLC - ADR (ARM)

22. Alphabet Inc Class A (GOOGL)

23. Intel Corporation (INTC)

24. Walt Disney Co (DIS)

25. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd - ADR (BABA)

Top 25 Most Traded Stocks & ETFs by Investors at Firstrade in October

Here’s the full list of top favored stocks and ETFs among Firstrade investors in the last month:

1. Tesla Inc (TSLA)

2. NVIDIA Corp (NVDA)

3. ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ)

4. ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF  (SQQQ)

5. Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (SOXL)

6. Apple Inc (AAPL)

7. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)

8. iShares 20 Plus Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)

9. Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (QQQ)

10. Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (TSM)

11. Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bear 3X Shares (SOXS)

12. Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF (VOO)

13. Microsoft Corp (MSFT)

14. Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN)

15. Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR)

16. ProShares Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF (UVXY)

17. Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ETF (VTI)

18. Alphabet Inc Class A (GOOGL)

19. Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bull 3X Shares ETF (TMF)

20. Alphabet Inc Class C (GOOG)

21. Meta Platforms Inc (META)

22. Arm Holdings PLC - ADR (ARM)

23. Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund ETF (VT)

24. Coca-Cola Co (KO)

25. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)