I’ll let you in on a little secret… I’m jealous of you.
Why?
Because right now is the best time in history to learn options trading.
Think about it…
When I first started trading in 1998, traders had to be in places like Chicago or New York, physically on the trading floor, to do their jobs.
This was the era of ‘open outcry’ trading. You would have to shout and hustle among other big dudes in the pit just to place your orders.
But today? We can easily trade from the comfort of our homes.
No more yelling, no more requirement to be on the floor.
And this has made it more convenient than ever to learn the art of options trading.
Here’s why trading is better now than ever before… And how to capitalize.
Online Brokerage Platforms
We might not think much of our mobile trading apps…
For many of you, that’s all you’ve ever known. You started trading online from the beginning. You might even take it for granted.
But not long ago, online trading wasn’t even a thing…
To trade before the year 2000, you had to either be a licensed trader on the floor or go through a licensed stockbroker.
This created a huge barrier to entry, limiting trading to mostly professionals.
When I was a young ‘PTSD (poor, smart, driven) student,’ eager to learn how to trade, my only choice was to work for a big European fund.
But then came personal computers and the internet, revolutionizing trading for non-professionals…
Suddenly, anyone and their grandma could trade. Just open an account online, click a few buttons, and you’re in.
Online trading opened the door for many new traders to get their feet wet: parents, part-time workers, even high school students.
Take my buddy, Tim Sykes. He started trading online in high school with $12,000 of Bar Mitzvah money and turned it into over $2 million by the time he graduated college.
I’ll do the math for you. That’s a 16,566% gain on his initial account size. Not too shabby, Sykes!
And without online trading, Sykes probably never would have achieved this in the stock market.
This shows the advantage you have over past traders, especially in terms of information access…
Access to Information
Online trading isn’t just about making trades from home…
With the advent of online platforms, a wealth of market information and technical analysis became available.
Like StocksToTrade Breaking News. Where traders get alerts for the most actionable market news ASAP.
For the first time, millions of regular traders had access to the same data as the pros.
Think about it…
Before the internet, how would you learn about the stock market?
You’d have to spend hours at the library or invest in expensive tools like a Bloomberg terminal.
But now, every bit of public company information is just a few keystrokes away.
Bottom Line: Technology has evened out the trading playing field.
Take the 2021 GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME) gamma squeeze, for example…
It began on Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets, which didn’t even exist until 2012.
Traders used this platform to share information and collaborate, leading to a market shift never seen before.
Make no mistake, this kind of event wasn’t possible just a decade ago.
It’s a clear example of how much trading has evolved since I started and why I’m jealous of anyone learning to trade options in 2026.
You have more tools than any other trader in history. Use them!
The Best Setups This Week
We’re in a shortened trading week.
The market was closed on Monday, September 7 in observance of Labor Day. And today, Tuesday, traders are foaming at the mouth, ready to pounce on the hottest stocks.
Labor Day also marks the end of lazy summer trading…
- People are back from vacation.
- The kids are back in school.
- And traders are ready to hit the ground running.
This is still my favorite pattern in the market.
Look for unique price action from the market’s biggest movers this week. There will be opportunities to bank.
Stay Street Smart,
Jeff Zananiri
