For much of modern history, investing was an activity reserved for a select few. Opening an investment account required time, high minimum balances, and often a close relationship with a traditional financial institution. Economic, geographic, and technological barriers kept millions of people outside the financial markets.

Today, the landscape is completely different. With nothing more than a smartphone, anyone can open an account in minutes, invest in stocks from around the world, access thousands of ETFs, build diversified portfolios, explore alternative assets, or even rely on artificial intelligence tools to help manage investments. What was once available only to institutional investors or high-net-worth individuals is now…