Merrill Edge
Merrill Edge is an electronic trading platform and investment advisory service that provides self-directed and guided investment options for individuals and businesses. It is a subsidiary of Bank of America and was launched in 2010 after the merger between Merrill Lynch and Bank of America. Merrill Edge offers a wide range of investment products, including stocks, bonds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), margin lending, mutual funds, and options. As of 2022, Merrill Edge held $320 billion in assets from 3.5 million clients, and employed 4,000 advisors working in bank branches and call centers. The firm focuses on the mass affluent market. Merrill Edge receives revenue from interest income on cash and margin balances, commissions for order execution, management services, and it does not engage in payment for order flow. History Launched on June 21, 2010, Merrill Edge is a "a no-frills brokerage unit" of parent company Bank of America's retail banking division. Created after Merrill Lynch became a subsidiary of Bank of America in 2008, it contains the Merrill Lynch name and its employees are included in Merrill Lynch's number of employees. It merged Bank of America's online investing platform (Quick & Reilly) and Merrill Lynch's research, investment tools, and call center