Options – A feature that should be at the top of everyones New Features List

💡 Feature suggestions & ideas
1

I believe a lot more people would request this feature if they were aware of the huge benefits that Options trading can bring, so please continue reading and support this feature request!

Many Trading 212 users are already long-term investors holding quality stocks. Options wouldn’t force anyone to change how they invest – they would simply add tools for those who want them.

Covered calls and cash secured puts are widely used by everyday investors to generate extra income and improve entries, not just by professional traders.

At the moment, many users eventually move platforms purely to access options. Adding them would keep investors on Trading 212 as their experience grows and make the platform more complete.

If used responsibly, options are not about taking more risk – they’re about using existing capital more efficiently.

Please read this very brief intro into buying and selling calls and puts and let us know if you would use covered calls or cash secured puts if Trading 212 offered them?

What are options?

Options are simple contracts that let investors buy or sell shares at a set price within a certain time.

They’re not just for traders – many long-term investors use them to:

  • Generate extra income

  • Enter stocks at better prices

  • Manage risk more efficiently

Why this matters for Trading 212 users

Get paid from shares you already own (Covered Calls)

If you already hold stocks, covered calls let you:

  • Earn cash premiums regularly

  • Generate income even when prices go sideways

  • Lower your cost basis over time

Why: Get paid for holding your shares.

Get paid to buy stocks you want (Cash Secured Puts)

Instead of placing a limit order and waiting:

  • Choose a price you’d happily buy at

  • Get paid while waiting

  • Buy cheaper if assigned – or keep the premium if not

Why: Get paid to be patient.

Turn growth portfolios into cash generators

Most Trading 212 portfolios are growth-focused.

Options allow investors to:

  • Create income without selling shares

  • Add yield to non-dividend stocks

  • Make portfolios work harder

Earn during flat markets

Markets don’t always go up.

Options help users:

  • Generate cash in sideways conditions

  • Benefit from volatility

  • Reduce “dead money” periods

Simple upside exposure (Buying Calls)

Calls allow investors to:

  • Gain upside exposure with less capital

  • Define maximum risk (premium paid)

  • Participate in big moves higher

Portfolio protection (Buying Puts)

Puts can be used as insurance:

  • Help protect against market drops

  • Reduce downside risk

  • Add flexibility during uncertainty

Keeps Trading 212 competitive

Many users eventually leave for brokers offering options.

Adding options would:

  • Retain growing investors

  • Attract more experienced users

  • Make Trading 212 a full investing platform

Real benefit to users

When used properly, options can:

  • Generate consistent cash flow

  • Improve long-term returns

  • Encourage smarter portfolio management

  • Increase capital efficiency

Bottom line

Options aren’t just speculation – they’re tools.

Covered calls and cash secured puts alone would allow Trading 212 users to:

  • Earn income from existing holdings

  • Get paid while waiting to buy stocks

  • Manage risk more effectively

Adding options would be a big step forward for the platform and its users.

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2

I’m not sure how you can justify many users leaving, perhaps summarise and simplify keeping to the facts?

A lot of people don’t understand the basics of investing, so perhaps if options were to be provided (or anything above funds), they should all sit behind some kind of knowledge test?

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3

I’m not sure how you can justify “a lot of people don’t understand the basics of investing”

Perhaps summarise and simplify keeping to the facts?

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4

Sorry if you don’t understand the basics so had to copy some of what I said.

i am repeating facts - here’s some evidence:

Here is the evidence:

Or Japan:

Or in general:

https://www.allianz.com/en/mediacenter/news/studies/230727_Allianz-Not-knowing-the-financial-basics-costs-people-not-only-self-confidence-but-also-a-lot-of-money.html

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5

I’ve always thought adding options would to some extent undermine the CFD side of 212’s business model.

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6

YOU stated “I’m not sure how you can justify many users leaving, perhaps summarise and simplify keeping to the facts?”

Then YOU posted a statement that " A lot of people don’t understand…"

ie, YOU condemned the OP for posting an unsubstantiated assertion, and then posted your own unsubstantiated assertion.

7

Wouldn’t these (and futures) sit better in the CFD account type, as those account holders are already used to leveraged derivatives? I think by law as a complex financial instrument they are subject to a suitability assessment for retail investors anyway.

8

Sounds like you’re just looking for someone to argue with. Didn’t get a Valentine’s card today?

The UK doesn’t really care about options. There’s a minority who want it. Fine. It’s available elsewhere. Signing up to a brokerage that doesn’t have options and complaining it doesn’t have options is donut behaviour. Making assertions about folks leaving a brokerage that they signed up for that doesn’t have options because it doesn’t have options, is proper big brain stuff.

Stick to why you want it and why it’s important - be constructive. The rest is rubbish.

9

Never have the letters TLDR be needed more.

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10

Definitely NOT. It is an area that requirers specialist knowledge and I would guess that 90% of T212ˋs customers donˋt know what a put or a call is. You have not mentioned any potential downside. Leverage and overnight funding in cfd’s are bad enough with more losing money than making profits. Options can be very dodgy if inexperienced or untrained. It could be offered to professional traders perhaps, who have proved their competence, but will doubtless require a higher level of regulatory authorisation by the platform.

11

I see it as an add on. You can trade on an other way with options and cfds.

12

I think that it would be better to introduce it with the investment account.A bit like Scalable Capital, with a knowledge test and both real stocks. Options can also be used for hedging. And you can also use other derivatives.Add that they work differently than CfDs.

13

Really appreciate all the feedback and intelligent replies.

I’m in total agreement with the idea of knowledge tests, as with all things investing/trading, there can be significant downside risk should you not understand the instruments you are using.

One of the most important functions of options I would like to highlight again is the ability to hedge your existing positions to the downside by using covered calls. This is a strategy that provides very limited downside risk and therefore represents a great starting point for Trading212 investors who are interested in leveraging the power of options. In respect to the knowledge test, I think there should be a tiered approach as with other platforms like IBKR, where specific levels (1 – 4) become available with time and experience – level 1 being the starting point that would allow for Covered Calls, Cash-Secured Puts and Long Calls/Puts, as both these strategies represent the least downside risk to beginners.

I think it’s a mistake to conflate YOLO investing practices with options trading, while certain options strategies clearly expose investors to high risk, you could also argue that simply buying common stock has extreme risk, not to mention CFDs, which our platform already offers, and that pose significant risk to our investing community.

Thanks again for the continued engagement!

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14

@Bogi.H Any news on Options? This choppy market needs options to help your valued investors make money on the shares they’re holding! Please make it happen this year.

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