How Retail Took Over the Stock Market (ft. Nasdaq's Kristian D'Agostino)

Five years ago, self-directed retail traders were about 10% of equity trading. Today they're roughly 25%, and Nasdaq has the data to prove it. Kristian D'Agostino, Head of Strategic Development and ETF Solutions at Nasdaq, breaks down how everyday investors became a primary force in the market. He joins Gav at Future Proof to explain what Nasdaq actually sees in the self-directed data, the "hot sauce" ETFs retail can't stop buying, how new funds are scaling from zero to billions on the back of social communities, and what it really takes for a new ETF to stand out in a market with more ETFs than stocks. ▶ Follow WOLF Financial: X: https://x.com/WOLF_Financial X: https://x.com/TheETFTracker Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolffinancial_official/ This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of WOLF Financial. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance is not indicative of future results. 00:00 What is ETF Solutions at Nasdaq? 02:00 Solving the self-directed data problem 04:00 How retail went from 10% to 25% of trading 06:00 The "hot sauce" ETFs retail is piling into 08:00 How new ETFs scale from zero to billions 10:00 Why the ETF wrapper is a once-in-200-years invention 13:00 More ETFs than stocks: how do you stand out? 16:00 How to actually launch an ETF that scales 19:00 Advice for the next wave of issuers