
ING ShareBuilder makes online investing easy and affordable, allowing you to buy and sell stocks, ETFs, and other investments with minimal fees.
You can start investing with as little as $100, and there are no account maintenance fees or annual fees to worry about.
With ShareBuilder, you can choose from a wide range of investment options, including individual stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds.
Investing online with ShareBuilder is a straightforward process that can be done from the comfort of your own home, 24/7.
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ING Direct Acquires ShareBuilder
ING Direct will spend $220 million in cash to buy Sharebuilder, a discount brokerage with 2 million accounts across 660,000 customers.
The acquisition cost is about $100 per account or $300 per customer, which seems workable at face value.
Many of Sharebuilder's accounts have come through co-branded programs with 40 banks and 140 credit unions, including National City Bank and BoeingEmployees Credit Union.
ING Direct will have another tactic to fend off online competition for high-rate deposits with the Sharebuilder product.

ING Direct has offered a small assortment of mutual funds to its customers for years, but they haven't been widely promoted.
The combined entity would have an estimated 3.0 million unique users, with only a small overlap of approximately 100,000 users.
About 50,000 to 60,000 Sharebuilder customers are already ING Direct customers, so the net account pickup is closer to 600,000.
Online Broker Services
With ShareBuilder, you can easily buy, sell, and trade bond mutual funds and ETFs. This is thanks to their user-friendly platform that allows for quick access to these investments.
One of the standout features of ShareBuilder is their Automatic Investing option. This allows you to purchase specific dollar amounts of stocks on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly schedule. This can be a great way to start building wealth over time.
ShareBuilder also offers a Bond Funds Center, where you can find a range of fixed income mutual funds and ETFs. This center features screening tools, educational articles, and fund ratings to help you make informed investment decisions.

Some of the risks associated with bond funds include interest rate, credit, and inflation risk. International bond funds also come with additional risks, such as currency fluctuations and the potential for adverse developments in specific countries or regions.
To get started with ShareBuilder, you can connect your existing ING Direct account to your ShareBuilder account, making the investment process even simpler.
Curious to learn more? Check out: Open Ing Direct Account
Investing Options
ShareBuilder promotes long term investing and automatic investments to create wealth. Automatic investing allows you to purchase specific dollar amounts of stocks on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedule.
You can purchase fractional shares with ShareBuilder, which means every cent of that investment is going toward the cost of buying your selected stock. This can be a great option for those who can't afford to buy a full share.
Reinvesting your dividends is also a great idea with ShareBuilder, as it allows your money to grow even faster.
We Handle Your Investments

Our ShareBuilder Advisors Investment Committee is made up of investment professionals, including CFA charterholders, who manage the investment roster for you.
They use modern portfolio theory and the Markowitz mean-variance optimization model to consider diversification and asset allocation of the roster.
The committee also uses economic and market data to make informed decisions about your investments.
This level of service is known as an ERISA 3(38) advisor, the highest level of service in terms of fiduciary role a provider can take on for your investment offering.
With this service, you can have peace of mind knowing your investments are being managed by experienced professionals.
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Automatic Investing
Automatic investing is a great way to build wealth over time. It's a strategy that ShareBuilder promotes, encouraging investors to focus on long-term investing rather than frequent day trading.
Automatic investing allows you to purchase specific dollar amounts of stocks on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedule. This can help you invest consistently and avoid making emotional decisions based on short-term market fluctuations.
Consider reading: Ing Direct Term Deposit Rates

ShareBuilder offers attractive rates for individuals using automatic trades. You can also purchase fractional shares, which means every cent of that investment is going toward the cost of buying your selected stock.
Reinvesting your dividends is a key part of automatic investing. It allows you to put your money to work for you, earning even more in interest and dividends over time.
A Sound, Unbiased Approach for Impact
ShareBuilder takes a unique approach to investing by promoting long term investing and automatic investments. Their philosophy is centered around creating wealth over time, rather than trying to make quick gains through day trading.
Automatic investing allows you to purchase specific dollar amounts of stocks on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly schedule. This means you can invest a fixed amount of money at regular intervals, which can help you avoid emotional decisions and stay on track with your financial goals.
ShareBuilder 401k plans focus on the things employees can control, such as fund expenses, diversification, and time horizon to retirement. By taking an unbiased approach, they evaluate the investment marketplace and determine the right asset classes and funds for retirement investing.
Their index fund-based investment lineup consists of Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) carefully selected and managed by their Investment Committee. This lineup supports saving by empowering plan participants with retirement-appropriate, diverse fund options with low expenses.
Investment costs are well under 1%, which means more of your money can be invested toward your financial future.
A unique perspective: Fundrise Income
Costs and Fees
When you're investing with ShareBuilder, it's essential to keep an eye on costs and fees. Every dollar paid in expenses is one less dollar invested in the market.
Investments with low management fees can give you a head start in achieving better returns.
All else being equal, low transaction costs can also make a big difference in your investment performance.
New Features and Services
Ing Sharebuilder is constantly evolving to meet the needs of its users. It now offers a range of new features and services that make investing easier and more accessible.
One of the standout features is the ability to buy fractional shares, allowing users to invest in their favorite stocks with as little as $1. This is a game-changer for those who want to start investing but don't have a lot of money to spare.
Another exciting development is the addition of real-time market data, providing users with up-to-the-minute information on market trends and stock prices. This helps investors make informed decisions and stay ahead of the curve.
With Ing Sharebuilder, users can now also access a range of educational resources, including online courses and webinars, designed to help them improve their investment knowledge and skills. This is a great way to learn and grow as an investor.
The platform also offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to navigate and find the information you need. This is especially useful for beginners who may be new to investing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to ING ShareBuilder?
ING DIRECT USA acquired 100% of ShareBuilder Corporation's outstanding equity-related interests, making ING ShareBuilder a subsidiary of ING DIRECT USA. This acquisition marked a significant milestone for the low-cost, direct brokerage company.
Sources
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sharebuilder-renamed-ing-direct-investing-120775409.html
- https://finovate.com/ing_direct_to_acquire_sharebuilder/
- https://moneysmartsblog.com/tag/sharebuilder/
- https://www.sharebuilder401k.com/services-investments/investment-philosophy/
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sharebuilder-from-ing-direct-investing-launches-online-bond-funds-center-167168715.html
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