As a smaller investor (net worth <$1,000,000), I find that there is great value in being able to trade with a leveraged product. By using a leveraged product that does not require me to use personal margin, I can keep myself debt free, use a leveraged product, obtain the benefit of either rising or falling markets, and hedge long or short. I trade and focus on the S&P 500 only. There is a great deal of high quality research and comparisons with the S&P. Each day, the market goes up or down. I generally trade weekly or bi-weekly. By being on the right side of the trade, I can generate alpha, impossible with trading using SPY only. For example, UPRO (long) generally moves 3x the S&P 500 up or down. SPXU (short) generally moves inversely 3x the S&P 500 up or down. This is not hard to understand. I am a self-directed trader. I formerly had all of my accounts at Vanguard (Roth IRA, Beneficiary IRA, Brokerage) until Vanguard informed me that they would no longer allow the use of leveraged investment instruments. On being informed of this, I moved ALL of my assets out of Vanguard. I currently use TD Ameritrade. Having the freedom to trade using the investment instruments of MY CHOICE is a very important aspect of personal freedom. I am completely opposed to having the government, thinking they know better, blocking me from the few, truly advantageous investment instruments non-accredited investors are ALLOWED to use. Accredited investors have a whole other universe of investment instruments and opportunities the little guy is not allowed to use, access, or often, even know about. There are already enough bans on investment instruments for the little guy. As an investor, I do not need to be protected from myself. ProFunds S&P 500 leveraged long (UPRO) and short (SPXU) are straightforward to use and understand. The American public does not need babysitting or more regulations. Please get out of the way and let Americans do what Americans do best: take risks and reap the rewards.
Ruben Rivera Comment On Regulatory Notice 22-08
As a smaller investor (net worth <$1,000,000), I find that there is great value in being able to trade with a leveraged product. By using a leveraged product that does not require me to use personal margin, I can keep myself debt free, use a leveraged product, obtain the benefit of either rising or falling markets, and hedge long or short. I trade and focus on the S&P 500 only. There is a great deal of high quality research and comparisons with the S&P. Each day, the market goes up or down. I generally trade weekly or bi-weekly. By being on the right side of the trade, I can generate alpha, impossible with trading using SPY only. For example, UPRO (long) generally moves 3x the S&P 500 up or down. SPXU (short) generally moves inversely 3x the S&P 500 up or down. This is not hard to understand. I am a self-directed trader. I formerly had all of my accounts at Vanguard (Roth IRA, Beneficiary IRA, Brokerage) until Vanguard informed me that they would no longer allow the use of leveraged investment instruments. On being informed of this, I moved ALL of my assets out of Vanguard. I currently use TD Ameritrade. Having the freedom to trade using the investment instruments of MY CHOICE is a very important aspect of personal freedom. I am completely opposed to having the government, thinking they know better, blocking me from the few, truly advantageous investment instruments non-accredited investors are ALLOWED to use. Accredited investors have a whole other universe of investment instruments and opportunities the little guy is not allowed to use, access, or often, even know about. There are already enough bans on investment instruments for the little guy. As an investor, I do not need to be protected from myself. ProFunds S&P 500 leveraged long (UPRO) and short (SPXU) are straightforward to use and understand. The American public does not need babysitting or more regulations. Please get out of the way and let Americans do what Americans do best: take risks and reap the rewards.