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| Getty Images; Alyssa Powell |
A rapidly growing cottage industry is capitalizing on the retail trading phenomenon, offering everything from luxury retreats to one-on-one coaching sessions. As more day traders seek an advantage in volatile markets, courses, psychological support, and specialized training programs have become big business projected to be worth billions in the coming years.
For many traders, these services are not just about improving performance. They’re about finding the right mindset, making the leap to full-time trading, or simply injecting excitement into a daily routine. Others are looking to recover from past losses or gain structure in what can be an isolating pursuit.
The Rise of the Trading Retreat
In Bali, a group of investors mostly men arrive at a sprawling luxury villa equipped with tiki huts, shaded couches, and a poolside lounge. But this isn’t a holiday in the traditional sense. It’s a weeklong trading retreat led by Aaron Luce, designed to combine relaxation with market analysis and high-stakes trading.
“This is a beautiful pool spot. We’re all going to be chilling for the week when we make loads of money trading,” Luce says in a YouTube video showcasing participants studying candlestick charts between dips in the pool.
Such retreats are a recent development in the trading world, emerging as part of a broader industry that’s taken shape since the pandemic-era trading surge. Across social media, businesses now promote courses, retreats, coaching programs, and mindset workshops aimed at helping traders sharpen their edge.
A Market Worth Billions
The appetite for trader-focused services has exploded. The industry was valued at $1.68 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow by 11% annually, reaching $3.92 billion by 2033, according to Business Research Insights. Another analysis by Dataintelo Consulting pegged the market at $2.5 billion in 2023, predicting it will more than double to $5.8 billion by 2032.
Search data reflects the surge in interest. According to Glimpse, Google searches for “day trading courses” rose 10% over the past year, while “trading retreat” searches climbed 26%, “trading coach” jumped 69%, and “trading therapist” skyrocketed 263%. On Coursera, enrollment in online trading courses increased 213% in the five years leading to 2024. Webull, a popular trading platform, says use of its educational tools is up 37% over the past three years.
From Education to Immersion
The International Day Trading Academy offers both structured courses and an eight-day retreat in Bali. Interest in the program has grown three- to fourfold over the past year, says general manager Kelly Lowry.
For others, one-on-one support is key. Andrew Menaker, a psychologist and trading coach, has seen inquiries for his services double in the past year. His clients are often willing to invest heavily sometimes spending $10,000 or more on trading tools, indicators, charting software, biofeedback devices, or even unconventional methods like cold plunges and psychedelics.
Menaker, however, warns that the space is flooded with hype-driven marketing targeting newcomers. “It’s really a buyer-beware environment,” he says.
The Harsh Reality of Day Trading
Despite the growth of these services, success in day trading remains elusive. A 2020 study found that 97% of traders who stayed active for more than 300 days lost money after fees. Only 1% were profitable and their gains were often minimal.
Cameron Buchanan, cofounder of the International Day Trading Academy, attributes the rise in trader-focused services to heightened market volatility, which creates both opportunity and risk. Many participants are drawn by the dream of financial independence and the flexibility to work from anywhere with an internet connection.
“People come out of retreats and say, ‘I’ve made a decision that I’m going to do this now,’” Lowry explains.
Psychology as a Trading Tool
Some traders turn to professionals like Dr. Reid Daitzman, a Connecticut-based psychologist, who has seen a 50% increase in day-trader clients over the past year. Many, he says, have suffered significant losses or are battling boredom. In some cases, former addicts have turned to day trading as a replacement activity during sobriety.
Menaker, who has worked with Wall Street professionals, believes that genuine improvement comes from understanding one’s “inner market” the personal mix of hopes, fears, and emotional triggers that shape trading behavior. Without self-awareness, he argues, even the best tools or education won’t deliver lasting results.
“People will never really get what they need, which is, ‘How do I respond when I’m under pressure, and how can I change that to act more in my own best interest?’” he says. “That’s what these courses should be emphasizing more.”
