Crypto exchange FTX is getting into stock trading

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

The Wall Street Journal reported that FTX will allow for traditional stock trading with itscryptocurrencies offerings. TheFunctionality is currently available to a select number of users in the US, but it is aiming to roll it out to more traders in the coming months.

FTX says it will offer commission-free trading with access to hundreds of US exchange-listed securities. Customers will be able to add money to their accounts through a variety of methods. FTX is the first exchange to allow users to fund their accounts with stable coins. Stablecoins are pegged to a currency or commodity and a recent dip in the overall market has left some of them struggling.

FTX will use the payment for order flow method instead of using the direct route through the Nasdaq exchange. Critics say that the process of receiving compensation for directing orders to market makers could pose a conflict of interest as brokers may want to direct orders to institutions that increase their profits. Following the stock surge of last year, the practice came under scrutiny.

With the launch of FTX Stocks, we have created a single integrated platform for retail investors to easily trade traditional stock offerings through a transparent and intuitive user interface.

Throwing FTX into the mix will allow it to compete directly with each platform. Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, disclosed his purchase of a 7.6 percent stake in Robinhood, making him the company's third-largest shareholder. As the WSJ points out, this type of form is typically filed by an investor looking to purchase more shares of a company or execute a takeover.