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Fidelity is the market name given to two independent but closely co-operating business firms based in the US. These firms are Fidelity Management and Research LLC started in 1949 by Edward C. Johnson and Fidelity International Limited started in 1969. FMR LLC provides investment and brokerage services to North America, while FIL is the international branch, providing similar services around the world.

This corporation is no minor player in the field of trading and brokerage. It is in fact one of the largest giants in the business. As per latest estimates it is worth a whopping $1.57 trillion in assets in the United States alone. Additionally, this firm also has another $280 billion in other international assets. This cash rich investment baron is one of the securest places for investors to invest in.

Fidelity offers an online discount brokerage scheme which allows users access to their various finance generation investment options. They have centers in over a 100 cities spread across Canada, Europe, Asia and in the homeland of US. With a 38,000 employee base, this company is not just another investment avenue, but a complete business model.

The online brokerage firm allows people from all over the world to invest in the stock options and funds provided by Fidelity. To open an account with Fidelity, a deposit of $2500 or equivalent in the currency of resident nation is required. An online account can be opened easily, and once the funds are transferred into the Fidelity account the user can start trading immediately. Customers of this business group can invest their money in a variety of options. Few such options include options trade, ETF, mutual funds and IRA. Personalized investment options and consultation is offered to clients of this firm. The personalized finance offers users the options of a future builder with schemes such as “save for education” and “save for retirement”.

The commissions charged for online trading in stocks varies with the trading activity. For highly active traders with 120 or more trades per year, the commission per trade is $8.00. For medium range traders with 36 to 120 trades per year, the charges are of $10.95 per trade and for low activity traders with just 1 to 36 trades, the commission is 19.95 per trade. Trading in mutual funds can be done at no fees charged from the brokerage firm.

One of the most lucrative and innovative funds management systems is the Currency Funds that are offered by the Fidelity group. Users can trade in currencies through this system and get profitable returns due to the attractive interest rates offered. Trading in currency offers a high level of capital security. Fidelity has such a large and luminous international presence that they have diversified into a wide variety of region and country specific trade options. They offer trades in equity, bonds, cash and assets allocation.

The online brokerage firm offers different types of trading tools and research analysis for traders to make informed choices. They have 415 fund managers and research professionals who endlessly study market patterns to create the best market advice. Generally this firm has the proven bottom up stock picking approach. As an added security measure, Fidelity checks the business status of all other firms that they deal with. So the investors are protected from any sudden collapses of the trade situations.

Fidelity has enjoyed an expansive and loyal customer base due to their strong and stable holdings. Users are assured that money they invest in and through Fidelity are safe from the violent surges seen in the economic market today. This is due to the various other businesses that Fidelity has diversified into. Going beyond the general stock market and trading options, Fidelity has created a chain of hotels, service industry, and has heavily invested in building materials and lumber companies. These industries and their strong growth over the decades have ensured that Fidelity has maintained a strong cash base even in times of severe economic crisis. This has ensured that the 23 million investments made to Fidelity are always safe.

Fidelity has grown beyond the regular American firm. It has made an unhesitant foray into international waters, and has further enriched its resources. Its employee base of almost 40000 is spread all over the globe. Of these 7000 are based in India, making India the second largest industry base for the company.