Zecco Zimulator - HomepageLast week, Zecco quietly introduced a free virtual trading tool, Zecco Zimulator, allowing investors to trade stocks, options and futures. Users are required to register with Zecco but don’t need a Zecco trading account. Each Zimulator account is given $100,000 in virtual dollars and users can open as many accounts as they want. The tool functions as an educational resource for novice investors looking to gain trading experience before investing real money. Alternatively, more experienced investors can use the tool to test out trading strategies. The firm emphasizes that any gains or losses have no monetary implications and that virtual trading accounts have no bearing on any real Zecco trading accounts.

Zecco takes advantage of one of the largest social media resources, as the tool is also available as a Facebook application. All user information in the Zimulator is publicly available, allowing members to openly share recent trades, positions and profile information. This “community” aspect makes Zecco the first e-Monitor firm to offer a virtual trading tool with that feature.

Zecco has been a leader in social media since launching its ZeccoShare community in October 2007. Using Facebook, however, is a new and interesting tactic for the firm, one that few financial institutions have attempted to date - an issue we address in our recently completed research report Social Media: Trends & Tactics in the Financial Services Industry. That link will transport you to the report’s executive summary, which includes a detailed table of contents. For more information on the report, or to buy your own copy, contact Jaclyn Silverberg via email at jsilverberg(at)corporateinsight.com or by phone at 212-832-2002 X.127.