Choices trading can be intricate even more so than stock trading. When you purchase a stock, you simply choose the number of shares you want, and your broker fills the order at the prevailing market value or a limit cost you set. Trading alternatives needs an understanding of advanced methods, and the process for opening a choices trading account includes a couple of more steps than opening a normal investment account.( Need to brush up on puts, calls, strike rates and other alternatives trading lingo? See our post on choices trading 101). Compared to opening a brokerage represent stock trading, opening a choices trading account requires larger quantities of capital. And, given the complexity of anticipating several moving parts, brokers need to know a bit more about a prospective financier before granting them an approval slip to start trading choices.