The newly minted CEO of TradingKey on why accessibility is the biggest stumbling block in financial freedom

“How They See It” is where we delve into the minds of those shaping the future of today’s most dynamic companies. In this instalment, we ask Ming Feng about his work as CEO of TradingKey, a platform that makes investing more accessible and intuitive for everyday investors. He shares an insightful perspective on bridging the knowledge gap in financial markets, the evolving landscape of retail investing, and why empowering individuals with the right tools has never been more important.

“I often tell people that inflation is like a slow leak in a tyre — unnoticed at first, but before you know it, your ride has changed entirely. Leave your money sitting idle, and it quietly loses value. Meanwhile, the cost of living surges ahead, outpacing most interest rates, leaving many to wonder how to keep up.

Unless you’ve found a guaranteed way to win the lottery (a one-in-14-million chance if you’re playing Singapore’s Toto), your best bet is to invest wisely. But investing, as I quickly realised, is a labyrinth many struggle to navigate. That’s where my work comes in.

My mission as CEO of TradingKey is to make investing accessible. I lead a platform designed to help everyday investors make smarter decisions. We provide real-time market data, financial news, and educational tools to bridge the gap between uncertainty and confidence. Investing shouldn’t feel like a high-stakes gamble; it should be an informed decision backed by clarity and the right resources. 

Every day, my team and I work to simplify the financial markets, making them less intimidating and more intuitive. Some days that means fine-tuning our algorithms; on others, it means rethinking how financial education is delivered to those who need it most.

The past few years have transformed retail investing. Technology has opened new doors, making financial markets more accessible, yet the challenges remain significant. Market volatility has become the norm, requiring investors to react with speed and insight. Social media has flooded the space with financial advice — some helpful, much of it noise. And for many, the complexity of investing keeps them on the sidelines, unsure of where to begin.

At TradingKey, we’re tackling these issues head-on. We’ve built a one-stop platform where users can educate themselves, stay informed, and develop investment strategies that suit their risk appetite. More importantly, we want to make investing enjoyable — not in how a casino entices gamblers, but by demystifying the process and empowering users to take control of their financial futures.

Bridging the gap

One of the gaps we identified early on was accessibility. Most financial content is tailored to English-speaking audiences. Platforms like Investopedia, Business Insider, and Seeking Alpha dominate the space, but millions of investors speak Mandarin, Thai, Vietnamese, Spanish, or Portuguese.

We knew that to democratise investing truly, we had to meet people where they were — in their language, with content that resonated culturally. So, we built TradingKey to bridge that divide, ensuring financial literacy wasn’t limited to English speakers.

Another challenge we sought to address was the imbalance in financial tools. Large institutions can access cutting-edge research, advanced stock screeners, and sophisticated analysis. On the other hand, retail investors are often left to piece together information from scattered sources, making investment decisions without the depth of insight afforded to the professionals.

We levelled the playing field by providing high-quality research and advanced tools to everyone, not just those with deep pockets or insider connections.

One of TradingKey’s most ambitious projects is an AI-powered stock picker. Our analysts and researchers have meticulously refined an algorithm to screen stocks with strong investment potential. We distil complex indicators into intuitive tools that anyone can use. Before launching anything, we run extensive back-testing — putting our models through historical data to ensure reliability. 

The goal is simple: To equip investors with resources that cut through the noise and point them toward smart, informed decisions.

Yet, despite all this, one of the biggest misconceptions about TradingKey persists: people assume we are a trading platform. We are not. We don’t execute trades or encourage impulsive, high-frequency trading. Our role is to prepare investors and give them the knowledge and tools they need before executing a trade elsewhere. Think of us as the place you go before making a big financial decision — a guide rather than a gatekeeper.

The weight of leadership

Being at the helm of this venture has been exhilarating, but it comes with an invisible weight. Leadership, especially in an industry as unforgiving as finance, means carrying the glass ceiling on your shoulders. Growth never stops; learning never stops. Every day, I toggle between long-term vision and immediate execution, ensuring each decision aligns with the broader mission.

Mistakes happen, markets shift, algorithms require tweaking — the pace is relentless. But what keeps me going is the belief that we are building something meaningful that gives people agency over their financial futures.

If I could change three things overnight to make our work easier, it would be these: a world that values financial literacy as much as it does academic success; a user base that openly shares what they need, guiding our innovation in real-time; and a team that remains relentlessly hungry, focused on the people we serve rather than the competition we face. 

If those three elements align, TradingKey will succeed and become an indispensable tool for investors worldwide.

Success, to me, is not about market dominance or valuations. It’s when someone tells me they felt empowered after using our platform — that they made a wise financial decision with confidence, that investing no longer felt like an exclusive club they couldn’t join. If we can change how people think about investing, making it less about fear and more about opportunity, then we’ve done our job.”