^{Photo: Business Insider}

JPMorgan Chase Takes Major Step to Dominate Online Investing with New Bond Trading Features

In a significant move to boost its presence in the competitive online investing space, JPMorgan Chase unveiled new tools on Friday that allow customers to research and purchase bonds and brokered certificates of deposit (CDs) directly through its mobile app and web platform. The expansion marks the latest attempt by the nation’s largest bank to capture a bigger slice of the rapidly growing self-directed investing market.

According to JPMorgan executives speaking exclusively to CNBC, the new tools enable users to create customized screens, compare bond yields, and seamlessly integrate their fixed-income investments alongside traditional banking services—all within the same app where they check balances or make payments.

“Our objective was simplicity: to create an intuitive platform for retail investors to buy fixed-income products as easily as they buy stocks or ETFs,” said Paul Vienick, head of online investing at JPMorgan Wealth Management. “This helps us bridge the gap between banking and investing in a way few institutions can.”

Catching Up to Industry Giants

Despite its dominance in many financial sectors, JPMorgan has long trailed competitors in the fiercely competitive online brokerage arena. As of this year, JPMorgan's self-directed investing platform crossed $100 billion in assets under management—a fraction of the size of market leaders like Charles Schwab, Fidelity, and E-Trade, which collectively oversee trillions of dollars in client assets.

JPMorgan first entered online trading in 2018 with its You Invest platform, which initially offered free stock trading to lure investors. However, despite major marketing pushes, including high-profile sponsorships like the U.S. Open, the platform struggled to gain momentum. By 2021, CEO Jamie Dimon bluntly admitted to analysts that “we don’t even think it’s a very good product yet.”

The platform was rebranded as Self-Directed Investing that same year, and JPMorgan brought in Vienick—an industry veteran with prior stints at TD Ameritrade, Morgan Stanley, and Bank of America—to spearhead a full-scale overhaul.

“There was a clear understanding that we needed to close the gap in wealth management if we wanted to compete at the top level,” Vienick recalled.

Shifting Focus Toward More Engaged Investors

The new bond trading capabilities are aimed squarely at active retail investors who make trades a few times each month and prefer to directly manage their portfolios, including purchasing individual bonds rather than relying solely on mutual funds or ETFs.

As part of its growth strategy, JPMorgan is also offering cash incentives of up to $700 for new customers who move assets onto its self-directed platform.

The bank is planning further enhancements, including after-hours stock trading—a feature already popular among online brokerage competitors.

Vienick emphasized that JPMorgan's unique combination of traditional banking strength, expansive branch network, trusted credit card ecosystem, and a dominant balance sheet gives it a significant competitive advantage in convincing existing customers to consolidate their financial lives under one roof.

“Imagine being able to view your checking, credit card, mortgage, and full investment portfolio—all in real-time, all in one app, and move funds instantly between accounts,” Vienick said.

Targeting a $1 Trillion Milestone

Looking ahead, JPMorgan believes it has the potential to scale its self-directed platform to over $1 trillion in assets under management—a monumental leap from current levels.

“I fully believe the self-directed investing segment outside of our core wealth management business can eventually reach the trillion-dollar mark,” Vienick predicted. “But it’s going to take consistent execution, innovation, and delivering exactly what clients want.”

Industry-Wide Implications

JPMorgan’s aggressive expansion into online trading comes at a time of rapid transformation in wealth management, as digital platforms, AI-powered investment tools, and a new generation of younger, tech-savvy investors reshape the financial services landscape.

Data from Statista projects that U.S. self-directed investment assets could exceed $12 trillion by 2025, driven by both traditional brokerage growth and fintech disruptors entering the market.

Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley estimates that self-directed platforms could account for as much as 30% of global wealth management revenues by the end of the decade, up from about 20% today.

For JPMorgan Chase, long known for its dominance in corporate lending, investment banking, and consumer credit, this renewed push into self-directed investing represents a strategic bet on the future of integrated, mobile-first financial services.