A portata di click. Uno studio sociologico sul trading online in Italia negli anni della pandemia

Abstract

This article focuses on remote investment in financial assets (online trading), to date one of the most successful macro-areas of the Fintech industry. The main objective of the research is to identify the factors of sociological relevance that catalysed its growth, with a particular focus on the case of Italy. Firstly, on the supply side, the expansion of this practice in the country has been fuelled by the progressive consolidation of an articulated ecosystem of digital investment services. On the other hand, demand-side dynamics have also played a major role: to better understand them, we conducted a qualitative study on a sample of 25 Italian amateur investors. Our research shows that the expansion of online trading is amplified by a widespread need to cope with crucial issues for individuals, such as managing personal careers or finding the financial resources needed for social reproduction. The material collected also shows that, especially for the most fragile individuals, the link between finance and the personal sphere tends to intensify in times of crisis, and the rapid growth recorded by the sector during the recent pandemic emergency is a clear example of this dynamic.