Kartunet - Investing in the capital market is increasingly popular among various groups, including visually impaired individuals. Behind the promising financial opportunities, there are two main challenges often faced by visually impaired people who want to venture into the stock market: vulnerability to fraud due to low financial literacy, and confusion regarding technical accessibility for independent transactions.
Financial Literacy: Beware of Fraudulent Investment Traps
The reality on the ground shows that the level of financial literacy, especially concerning the capital market, among visually impaired individuals still needs improvement. According to Yulianto, a visually impaired stock practitioner, only about 20% of visually impaired people truly understand the mechanisms of the stock market, while the remaining 80% are merely following trends (FOMO) or just experimenting.
This experimental and trend-following behavior is highly dangerous and often leads to losses. Many irresponsible parties exploit this lack of knowledge by offering to manage funds in fraudulent investments or trading robots. Their scam schemes often entice with unreasonable guaranteed returns, such as 10% to 30% per month with no risk. Therefore, the most fundamental literacy education for beginners is not to be immediately tempted by promises of profit, but rather to learn and be prepared to bear the risk of loss first.
Technical Accessibility: How Do Visually Impaired Individuals Trade Stocks?
Many laypeople wonder how a visually impaired person who cannot see a screen can buy stocks and monitor market movements. In 2014, investment accessibility was indeed very limited, requiring a visually impaired investor to physically visit a securities office to conduct buy and sell transactions.
However, in today's digital era, the process is much simpler and more accessible. Visually impaired individuals can fully transact independently using a smartphone or laptop equipped with a screen reader application. In Indonesia, many applications from securities companies have proven to be quite accessible and user-friendly for screen reader users; some examples include applications from Stockbit Digital Sekuritas and Ajaib Sekuritas.
Beyond transactional accessibility, another challenge is conducting analysis, given that securities applications typically present price movements in visual charts (chart). To overcome this, visually impaired individuals can perform independent analysis without relying on visual charts. Yulianto, for instance, conducts technical research and designed his own calculation tools called "bomba investment." This screen reader-compatible tool helps him detect "bandar" movements (market accumulation and distribution), allowing him to analyze the market purely based on numerical logic and trading laws, without having to depend on visual perception.
Conclusion
Visually impaired individuals are highly capable of achieving success and independence in the capital market. The key lies in mastering financial literacy to avoid instant investment traps, and the willingness to maximize accessibility technologies like screen reader applications. With the right preparation, physical limitations are not an obstacle to achieving financial freedom.
References:
"Profit is Simple, You're the Complicated One!" - Secrets to Success for the Visually Impaired in the Stock Market | Media Pertuni (YouTube).