Quote from vectors101:
market manipulation.
they make money on the commissions,fees and spread. and most important the brokers make money front running which is not illegal if the brokerage does it.
Brokerages dont make money on spreads since they execute orders not take the other side of your trade. They dont front run either. Yes there have been cases in the past where thats happened but its pretty rare these days. Most of these retail brokerages you guys are talking about dont make markets in any products so they're not making money on spreads and if they front run its obvious. Besides with tens of thousands of customers trading through them how could they front run orders so quickly and choose what they want to front run? Not to mention if it ever got out they front run, with the ease in which you can switch firms they'd have a mass exodus.
Brokerages make money on commissions and interest on your money and fees thats the business model.
FRONT RUNNING IS NOT LEGAL