A financial portal is any website that functions as a repository for financial information, and allows access by customers and others to that information. Portals of this type are created and operated by banks, brokers, financial analysts, and others who are interested in some aspect of financial transactions. A portal may provide access to data free of charge, or require some type of payment or fee. Many portals require users to register with the site, especially if membership and the payment of a fee is required to have full access to information found on the site.
One of the most common examples of a financial portal is the financial blog. Often, the blog is written by an individual analyst or other person with a background in some aspect of finance. The blog may be general in its content, including information regarding everything from investment tips to ideas on how to create a home budget. Other blogs are focused on a specific topic, such as investing in bonds or commodities. Both blogs that address niche markets as well as those that are similar to a financial supermarket have the capability to capture and maintain a large audience, assuming the information found on the pages of the site is accurate and helpful to readers.
Banks and brokerage houses also operate portals of this type. In the case of a bank, the financial portal may feature information on the services offered by the institution, as well as provide bank customers with access to their accounts. A bank portal is usually designed to allow anyone to read details on account options the bank is promoting, press releases regarding news about the institution, and even general information about investing, saving, budgeting, and other financial matters. Along with the information available to the general public, banks often structure the financial portal so that customers can use a combination of access codes to check the balances of accounts, transfer funds between accounts, and conduct other financial transactions without having to go to a branch bank.
A financial portal operated by a brokerage will have many of the same features as a bank portal. Information regarding investing opportunities is often available to all readers, while access to specific accounts is restricted to customers. Investors can make use of the features of the secure portal to buy or sell stocks, submit questions to stockbrokers working at the firm, and check the status of all the assets currently managed in the customer’s account. Depending on the structure of the site, the investor can also submit payments for placing any trading orders rather than having them deducted from the balance in the customer account.
With more people conducting business online, the range of financial portal types has increased significantly. Along with traditional banks and other financial businesses that operate online portals along with their brick and mortar locations, a number of financial institutions that operate exclusively online have come into being. From online trading to learning how to manage finances effectively, the financial portal is now firmly established as one of the most efficient ways to obtain financial information when and as needed.
