Choices trading can be complicated much more so than stock trading. When you buy a stock, you simply choose the number of shares you desire, and your broker fills the order at the prevailing market price or a limit rate you set. Trading options needs an understanding of advanced techniques, and the process for opening a choices trading account consists of a few more steps than opening a typical investment account.( Need to brush up on puts, calls, strike rates and other alternatives trading terminology? See our post on choices trading 101). Compared to opening a brokerage account for stock trading, opening an alternatives trading account requires bigger amounts of capital. And, offered the complexity of anticipating multiple moving parts, brokers require to understand a bit more about a prospective investor prior to granting them a permission slip to begin trading choices.