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The money market is where short-term debt and lending takes place; the capital market is designed for long-term assets, such as stocks and bonds. The former is considered a safer place to park one’s money; the latter is seen as riskier but potentially more rewarding. While the money market and the capital market are both aspects of the larger global financial system, they serve different goals for investors.

Understanding the difference between money market and capital market matters plays a role in understanding the market as a whole. Whether you hold assets that are part of the money market vs. capital market can influence your investment outcomes and degree of risk exposure.

What Is the Money Market?

The money market is where short-term financial instruments, i.e. securities with a holding period of one year or less, are traded. Examples of money market instruments include:

•   Bankers acceptances. Bankers acceptances are a form of payment that’s guaranteed by the bank and is commonly used to finance international transactions involving goods and services.

•   Certificates of deposit (CDs). Certificate of deposit accounts are time deposits that pay interest over a set maturity term.

•   Commercial paper. Commercial paper includes short-term, unsecured promissory notes issued by financial and non-financial corporations.

•   Treasury bills (T-bills). Treasury bills are a type of short-term debt that’s issued by the federal government. Investors who purchase T-bills can earn interest on their money over a set maturity term.

These types of money market instruments can be traded among banks, financial institutions, and brokers. Trades can take place over the counter, meaning the underlying securities are not listed on a trading exchange like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the Nasdaq.

You may be familiar with the term “money market” if you’ve ever had a money market account. These are separate from the larger money market that is part of the global economy. As far as how a money market account works goes, these bank accounts allow you to deposit money and earn interest. You may be able to write checks from the account or use a debit card to make purchases or withdrawals.

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How Does the Money Market Work?

The money market effectively works as a short-term lending and borrowing system for its various participants. Those who invest in the money market benefit by either gaining access to funds or by earning interest on their investments. Treasury bills are an example of the money market at work.

When you buy a T-bill, you’re essentially agreeing to lend the federal government your money for a certain amount of time. T-bills mature in one year or less from their issue date. The government gets the use of your money for a period of time. Once the T-bill matures, you get your money back with interest.

What Is the Capital Market?

Capital markets play an important role in the U.S. and world economies. Capital markets are where entities can raise capital by issuing stock, bonds, and other longer-term securities, and investors can purchase these securities with an eye toward growth potential.

The capital market can be further segmented into the primary and secondary market. Here’s how they compare:

•   Primary market. The primary market is where new issuances of stocks and bonds are first offered to investors. An initial public offering or IPO is an example of a primary market transaction.

•   Secondary market. The secondary market is where securities that have already been issued are traded between investors. The entity that issued the stocks or bonds is not necessarily involved in this transaction.

Recommended: What Is an Emerging Market?

How Does the Capital Market Work?

The capital market works by allowing companies and other entities to raise capital. Publicly-traded stocks, bonds, and other securities are traded on stock exchanges. Generally speaking, the capital market is well-organized. Companies that issue stocks are interested in raising capital for the long-term, which can be used to fund growth and expansion projects or simply to meet operating needs.

In terms of the difference between capital and money market investments, it usually boils down to three things: liquidity, duration, and risk. While the money market is focused on the short-term, the capital market is a longer term play. Capital markets can deliver higher returns, though investors may assume greater risk.

Understanding the capital market is important because of how it correlates to economic movements as a whole. The capital market helps to create stability by allowing companies to raise capital, which can be used to fund expansion and create jobs.

Differences Between Money Markets and Capital Markets

When comparing the money market vs. capital market, there are several things that separate one from the other. Knowing what the key differences are can help to deepen your understanding of money markets and capital markets.

Purpose

Perhaps the most significant difference between the money market and capital market is what each one is designed to do. The money market is for short-term borrowing and lending. Businesses use the money market to meet their near-term credit needs. Funds are relatively safe, but typically won’t see tremendous growth.

The capital market is also designed to help businesses and companies meet credit needs. The emphasis, however, is on mid- to long-term needs instead. Capital markets are riskier, but they may earn greater returns over time than the money market.

Length of Securities

The money market is where you’ll find short-term securities, typically with a maturity period of one year or less, being traded. In the capital market, maturity periods are usually not fixed, meaning there’s no specified time frame. Companies can use the capital market to fund long-term goals, with or without a deadline.

Financial Instruments

As mentioned, the kind of financial instruments that are traded in the short-term money market include bankers acceptances, commercial paper, and Treasury bills. The capital market is the domain of stocks, bonds, and other long-term securities.

Nature of Market

The structure and organization of the money market is usually informal and loosely organized. Again, securities may be traded over-the-counter rather than through a stock exchange. With the capital market, trading takes place primarily through exchanges. This market is more organized and formalized overall.

Securities Risk

Risk is an important consideration when deciding on the best potential places to put your money. Since the money market tends to be shorter term in nature, the risk associated with the financial instruments traded there is usually lower. The capital market, on the other hand, may entail higher risk to investors.

Liquidity

Liquidity is a measure of how easy it is to convert an asset to cash. One notable difference between capital and money market investments is that the money market tends to offer greater liquidity. That means if you need to sell an investment quickly, you’ll have a better chance of converting it to cash in the money market.

Length of Credit Requirements

The money market is designed to meet the short-term credit requirements of businesses. A company that needs temporary funding for a project that’s expected to take less than a year to complete, for example, may turn to the money market. The capital market, on the other hand, is designed to cover a company’s long-term credit requirements with regard to capital access.

Return on Investment

Return on investment or ROI is another important consideration when deciding where to invest. When you invest in the money market, you’re getting greater liquidity with less risk but that can translate to lower returns. The capital market can entail more risk, but you may be rewarded with higher returns.

Timeframe on Redemption

Money market investments do not require you to hold onto them for years at a time. Instead, the holding period and timeframe to redemption is likely one year or less. With capital market investments, there is typically no set time frame. You can hold onto investments for as long as they continue to meet your needs.

Relevance to Economy

The money market and capital market play an important role in the larger financial market. Without them, businesses would not be able to get the short- and long-term funding they need.

Here are some of the key differences between money markets and capital markets with regard to their economic impacts:

•   The money market allows companies to realize short-term goals.

•   Money market investments allow investors to earn returns with lower risk.

•   Capital markets help to provide economic stability and growth.

•   Investors can use the capital market to build wealth.

Deciding Which Market to Invest In

Deciding whether to invest in the money market or capital market can depend on several things, including your:

•   Investment goals and objectives

•   Risk tolerance

•   Preferred investment style

If you’re looking for investments that are highly liquid and offer a modest rate of return with minimal risk, then you may turn to the money market. On the other hand, if you’re comfortable with a greater degree of risk in exchange for the possibility of earning higher returns, you might lean toward the capital market instead.

You could, of course, diversify by investing in both the money market and capital market. Doing so may allow you to balance higher-risk investments with lower ones while creating a portfolio mix that will attempt to produce the kind of returns you seek.

Alternatives to Money and Capital Markets

Aside from the money and capital markets, there are other places you can keep money that you don’t necessarily plan to spend right away. They include the different types of deposit accounts you can open at banks and credit unions. Specifically, you may opt to keep some of your savings in a certificate of deposit account, high-yield checking account, or traditional savings account. Here’s a closer look:

High-Yield Checking Accounts

Checking accounts are designed to hold money that you plan to use to pay bills or make purchases. Most checking accounts don’t pay interest but there are a handful of high-yield checking accounts that do.

With these accounts, you can earn interest on your checking balance. The interest rate and APY (annual percentage yield) you earn can vary by bank. Some banks also offer rewards on purchases with high-yield checking accounts. When looking for an interest-checking account, be sure to consider any fees you might pay or minimum balance requirements you’ll need to meet.

Traditional Savings Accounts

A savings account can be another secure place to keep your money and earn interest as part of the bargain. The different types of savings accounts include regular savings accounts offered at banks, credit union savings accounts, and high-yield savings accounts from online banks.

Of those options, an online savings account typically has the highest interest rates and the lowest fees. The trade-off is that you won’t have branch banking access, which may or may not matter to you.

The Takeaway

There are lots of reasons why people do not invest their money. A lack of understanding about the difference between money market vs. capital market investments can be one of them. Once you understand that the money market typically involves short-term, lower-risk debt instruments, while the capital market likely revolves around longer-term ones with higher risk and reward, you will be on your way to better knowing how the global financial market works.

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FAQ

What are the similarities between a money market and capital market?

Both the money market and the capital market are intended to make it easier for businesses and companies to gain access to capital. The main differences between money markets and capital markets are liquidity, duration, and the types of financial instruments that are traded. Both also represent ways that consumers can potentially grow their money by investing.

How is a money market and capital market interrelated?

The capital market and the money market are both part of the larger financial market. The money market works to ensure that businesses are able to reach their near-term credit needs while the capital market helps companies raise capital over longer time frames.

Why do businesses use the money markets?

Businesses use the money market to satisfy short-term credit and capital needs. Short-term debt instruments can be traded in the money market to provide businesses with funding temporarily as well as to maintain liquid cash flow.

About the author

Rebecca Lake

Rebecca Lake has been a finance writer for nearly a decade, specializing in personal finance, investing, and small business. She is a contributor at Forbes Advisor, SmartAsset, Investopedia, The Balance, MyBankTracker, MoneyRates and CreditCards.com. Read full bio.

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Margin trading simply means borrowing money from a brokerage to purchase securities, and margin balance is the amount of money an investor owes to the brokerage. Trading stocks and other securities on margin allows investors to expand their purchasing power, though the availability of margin is predicated on the holdings an investor has in the first place.

Accordingly, when an investor uses the brokerage’s funds to buy securities, this results in a margin debit balance. Similar to a credit card or traditional loan, a margin balance is a line of credit that the borrower must repay with interest. Having a margin balance outstanding is common in margin trading, but investors should understand the implications of owing money to a brokerage — and what can happen if you’re subject to a margin call.

What Is Margin Balance?

Again, margin balance is the amount of money an investor owes to its brokerage at any given time in a margin trading account. When an investor opens a margin account, they must make an initial deposit, called the “minimum margin.” The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) requires a minimum margin of at least $2,000, though some brokerages may require a higher minimum.

After making that deposit to their brokerage account, investors can then trade using an initial margin. Federal Reserve Board Regulation T allows investors to borrow up to 50% of the purchase price of securities when trading on margin. So, for example, a margin trader could purchase $10,000 worth of stocks using their own funds and another $10,000 using the brokerage’s funds. The $10,000 borrowed from the brokerage represents the investor’s margin balance.

You can trade a variety of securities in a margin account, including stocks, and derivatives such as options or futures.

The rules for margin balance forex are slightly different. In forex trading, margin represents collateral or security that an investor must deposit with the brokerage to start trading. The brokerage typically sets this as a percentage of the trading order.


💡 Quick Tip: How to manage potential risk factors in a self-directed investment account? Doing your research and employing strategies like dollar-cost averaging and diversification may help mitigate financial risk when trading stocks.

How Margin Balance Works

Margin balance allows investors to borrow money, then repay it to the brokerage with interest. A negative margin balance or margin debit balance represents the amount subject to interest charges. This amount is always either a negative number or $0, depending on how much an investor has outstanding.

Unlike other types of loans, margin balance loans do not have a set repayment schedule. Investors can make payments toward the principal and interest through their brokerage account at a pace convenient for them. They can also deposit cash into their margin accounts or sell off margin securities to reduce their margin balance.

Margin Calls

While there is some flexibility associated with paying off a negative margin balance, investors should understand their interest charges as well as the possibility of being subject to a margin call. Margin calls essentially act as a stopgap risk management tool for the brokerage.

In addition to the minimum margin and the initial margin requirements, investors must observe maintenance margin guidelines. This represents a minimum amount of equity the investor must keep in their account. Under FINRA rules, the maintenance requirement is at least 25% equity, based on the value of the margin account. Some brokerages may raise this to 30%, 40% or more.

Using the previous example, assume that an investor deposits $10,000 of their own money and borrowers $10,000 from their brokerage to invest in marginable securities. Now, say that the investment doesn’t go as planned and the stock’s value drops. That initial $20,000 investment is now worth $10,000. When the margin debit balance of $10,000 is subtracted, that results in a net balance of $0, meaning the trader has zero equity and does not meet the maintenance margin requirements.

At this point, the brokerage may initiate a margin call which would require the investor to deposit more cash into their account in order to continue trading. If an investor can not add more cash to cover the maintenance margin requirement, the brokerage may sell off securities from the account to recoup the negative margin balance.

Negative Margin Balance

A negative margin balance in a margin account represents what’s owed to the brokerage. Depending on the brokerage, the margin debit balance may be listed inside parentheses or have a negative symbol in front of it.

Margin Balance Example

For example, an investor who has a negative margin balance of $12,225 may see one of the following when logging into their account:

•   Margin balance: -$12,225

•   Margin balance: ($12,225)

They both mean the same thing: that investor owes the brokerage $12,225 for trading on margin.

If a trader’s margin balance shows as a positive amount, that means they have a margin credit balance rather than a margin debit balance. A credit balance can occur if an investor sells off shares to clear their negative margin balance but the settlement amount is more than what they owe to the brokerage.

How Margin Balance Is Calculated

Brokerages can lend investors money on margin but in exchange for this convenience, they can charge those investors interest, or margin rates. The level of those rates depends on the brokerage and the type of securities that you’re trading. Many brokerages use a benchmark rate, known as a broker call rate or call money rate, then tier that rate across different margin account balances.

Brokerages can use this as a baseline rate, then add or deduct percentage points. Generally, the larger the margin account balance, the deeper the margin rate discount. Meanwhile, traders who maintain lower margin balances tend to pay higher interest rates. So, an investor with less than $25,000 in their account might pay 7%-8% for margin rates while an investor with over $1 million in their account might pay 4%-5% instead.

Brokerages typically calculate margin interest on a daily basis and charge it to an investor’s account monthly. The interest charges on a margin account can directly affect the net return realized from an investment. Higher margin rates can increase the rate of return needed to break-even on an investment or realize a profit on a stock.

Managing Your Margin Balance

Managing a margin account and margin balances begins with understanding the risks involved, including the possibility of a margin call. The value of your securities can impact your margin balance, and increased volatility could cause the value of margin securities to drop, which could put you below the maintenance margin requirements. You’d then need to deposit more money to your account to continue trading.

Maintaining a cushion of funds inside your margin account could help avoid margin calls. Alternatively, you may keep a reserve of funds elsewhere that you could transfer to your margin account if increased volatility threatens to diminish the value of margin securities in your portfolio.

It’s also important to consider how much money you’re comfortable owing to your brokerage at any given time. Setting a cap on the maximum margin can help you avoid overextending yourself. You can also keep margin balances under control by scheduling regular cash deposits or routinely selling securities to reduce what’s owed. One strategy is to pay enough to cover the interest each month to keep your balance from ballooning.

💡 Quick Tip: Are self-directed brokerage accounts cost efficient? They can be, because they offer the convenience of being able to buy stocks online without using a traditional full-service broker (and the typical broker fees).

The Takeaway

A margin balance refers to the balance in an investor’s margin account, which involves borrowing money from a brokerage with which to make trades. That can help investors or traders increase their potential returns, if used wisely.

When you open a brokerage account, you can choose either a cash account or a margin account that allows you to engage in margin trading. Margin trading is a more advanced investment strategy that requires some know-how of the markets and a willingness to accept higher levels of risk.

Invest in what matters most to you with SoFi Active Invest. In a self-directed account provided by SoFi Securities, you can trade stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, options, and more — all while paying $0 commission on every trade. Other fees may apply. Whether you want to trade after-hours or manage your portfolio using real-time stock insights and analyst ratings, you can invest your way in SoFi's easy-to-use mobile app.

About the author

Rebecca Lake

Rebecca Lake has been a finance writer for nearly a decade, specializing in personal finance, investing, and small business. She is a contributor at Forbes Advisor, SmartAsset, Investopedia, The Balance, MyBankTracker, MoneyRates and CreditCards.com. Read full bio.

You may also be interested in:

Margin Trading: What It Is and How It Works

What Is Margin Equity & Margin Equity Percentage?

What Is Margin Level and How Do You Calculate It?

About the author

Rebecca Lake

Rebecca Lake has been a finance writer for nearly a decade, specializing in personal finance, investing, and small business. She is a contributor at Forbes Advisor, SmartAsset, Investopedia, The Balance, MyBankTracker, MoneyRates and CreditCards.com. Read full bio.