How To Buy Shares Of Facebook

Everyone wants to get in hot IPO's like Google GOOG in 2004 and Mastercard MA, as those companies have been incredible performers since coming to market. Nowadays, investors would love to get their hands on companies like Facebook or Twitter, but these companies aren't public. So how can you trade shares? A website called Secondmarket.com is actively involved in trading private companies, collateralized debt obligations, auction rate securities, bankruptcy claims and other illiquid assets. The company allows more than 15,000 market participants to come together who have SecondMarket accounts, and sell their stakes in the various assets. The accreditation process allows so that not just anyone can sign up for an account, making the user base more informed than the public markets. SecondMarket has already conducted some $300 million worth of transactions involving private stock sales, so there is clearly a market going forward for it. If you can't wait to buy Facebook or Twitter's IPO, SecondMarket is worth a look if you want to add some shares.