Brokerage firms are licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to buy and sell securities for clients and for their own accounts. When a brokerage firm sells securities it owns, it is said to be acting as a principal in that transaction. Firms frequently maintain research departments for their own and their clients' benefit, and increasingly they provide a range of financial products and services, including financial planning, asset management, and educational programs. Online brokerage firms, discount brokerage firms, and some traditional full-service brokerage firms encourage customers to trade electronically and provide a wealth of investment information on their websites.
Barry Goldsmith
| APA | Barry Goldsmith. (2010). brokerage firm. Retrieved September 29, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/brokerage_firm/definitions/1148999 |
| Chicago | Barry Goldsmith. 2010. "brokerage firm" http://smartdefine.org/brokerage_firm/definitions/1148999 (accessed September 29, 2026). |
| Harvard | Barry Goldsmith 2010, brokerage firm, Smart Define, viewed 29 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/brokerage_firm/definitions/1148999>. |
| MLA | Barry Goldsmith. "brokerage firm" 21 October 2010. Web. 29 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/brokerage_firm/definitions/1148999> |