Top OTCMKTS Stocks

Over-the counter (OTC) stocks are publicly traded stocks that, for one or for a number of reasons, are not listed on a major stock exchange such as the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the NASDAQ. OTC stocks are traded between two parties instead of in a publicly traded market.

OTC stocks require a dealer-broker (i.e. a middleman) to facilitate transactions as opposed to a public exchange that uses an auction system that is largely electronic.

Over-the-counter stocks carry significantly higher risk than stocks that are traded on a public exchange. This is primarily due to a lack of a formal governing institution. OTC stocks generally have to meet some guidelines but do not have nearly the stringent requirements of stocks that trade on the NYSE or NASDAQ.

For example, in September 2020, the SEC published updated its regulations for the OTC markets to ensure that a broker-dealer could not publish a price quote for an OTC security when current information about that security is not available to the general public.

What Types of Securities Trade in the OTC Markets?

An estimated 10,000 securities trade through the OTC Markets Group. The most commonly traded security in the OTC markets is stocks. Specifically, the OTC market features small-cap stocks (i.e. stocks of companies with a market cap of less than $2 billion) that don’t qualify to be listed on a major exchange. Foreign stocks tend to make it onto OTC markets.

The reasons why a stock may not be traded on a major exchange include:

• The company doesn’t trade a high enough volume of shares.
• The company cannot meet the exchange’s minimum price requirement (typically $1).
• They are penny stocks which are defined as stocks that trade for $5 or less.

The OTC market is larger than many investors may think. In addition to stocks, most bonds will trade in the OTC market after their initial offering. This is due to the large size of trades, the number of bonds trade and the fact that, unlike stocks, bond trading is relatively infrequent.

The OTC market is also where many derivatives are traded. Derivatives are private contracts between two parties these include options, futures, forwards where the value of the contract is based on its underlying asset.

Additional securities traded in the OTC markets include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) and foreign currencies (Forex). In fact, more than $6.5 trillion is traded on the OTC Forex currency exchange.

OTC stocks are sometimes referred to as “for sale by owner” stocks. You could also go with “let the buyer beware.”

That’s because one of the largest risks to owning and trading OTC stocks is that of fraud. Unlike on a major stock exchange, there is no price transparency for OTC stocks. The price a security trades for is a direct result of a negotiation between a buyer and a seller. This means a seller could offer one buyer stock at X price while simultaneously offering the same stock to another buyer at Y price.

Some of this risk is taken away if you’re trading on the OTC Markets using a reputable broker-dealer. However, some concerns remain for example:

• OTC stocks are less liquid – One of the advantages of a stock that trades on a major exchange is an investor’s ability to trade the stock when they want at the price they want (give or take a penny or two). That’s not the case with OTC stocks which have less demand. That can make them difficult to trade when you want to do so.
• OTC stocks have more volatility – A byproduct of low liquidity, OTC stocks may have sharper price swings due to lower trading volume.
• OTC stocks are not required to have stringent oversight – Although some companies will provide audited financials, it is not a requirement for stocks in the Pink Open Market where many of the penny stocks are found.

Although they do carry an outsized risk, there are a couple of benefits for investors looking to own over-the-counter stocks.

• Getting in on the Ground Floor – In many cases, these companies are truly start-up companies. This gives investors the chance to invest in these companies before they become widely known.
• A Little Goes a Long Way – Many of these stocks are penny stocks (i.e. they trade for less than five dollars). That means that investors can take a large position in the company for a relatively small investment.
• Ideal for Active Traders – One of the advantages of OTC stocks for active traders is that they are not concerned with a company’s fundamentals and are only seeking to profit from price action.

Additional benefits include a lower fee structure and more personalized service since investors are only dealing with a broker-dealer and a seller.