M1 uses automated trading to help you manage your portfolio with ease. After you set your investment targets, M1 takes care of the rest—aggregating trades and executing them during dedicated trade windows. All buys and sells for the day are completed during these windows, and your portfolio updates after the window has closed.
Key Points:
M1 trades once or twice per day (depending on account type and eligibility) during scheduled trade windows. Learn more about M1 Trade Windows.
Trades can be automated using auto-invest. Deposits are allocated according to your chosen portfolio targets.
Trades can also be manually inputted by selecting specific Pies or Slices in your Portfolio.
What triggers trading on M1?
M1 may place trades in your account for several reasons, including:
Your first deposit
Future deposits or withdrawals
Editing your portfolio or liquidating a slice
Rebalancing
Auto-Invest
Manual orders
Read below for details on how each scenario works.
Your first deposit
When you make your first deposit, M1 invests your funds in line with the targets you set for your portfolio. Your investments are purchased during the next available trade window if auto-invest is enabled in the account.
Depositing or withdrawing funds
After your first trade, all new deposits and withdrawals are managed with Dynamic Rebalancing:
Deposits are invested in underweight securities to move your portfolio closer to its targets.
Withdrawals are taken from overweight securities first, maintaining your target allocation as closely as possible.
M1 gradually rebalances your portfolio as money moves in and out over time.
Editing your portfolio or removing a Slice
When you change your portfolio’s targets (such as adjusting percentages or adding a Slice):
No immediate trading occurs. Instead, these changes are addressed gradually through Dynamic Rebalancing as new funds are added or removed.
When you remove a Slice from a Pie:
M1 will liquidate the holdings in that slice and reinvest the proceeds back into your Pie, even if Auto-Invest is turned off.
Learn more about how to cancel pending sell orders or account edits.
Manual rebalancing
If your actual investment percentages drift from your set targets (due to market movement), you can request a manual rebalance:
Rebalance your entire portfolio or a specific Pie at any time.
M1 will automatically place the buy and sell orders needed to align your portfolio with your targets during the next trade window.
Learn more about Rebalancing an M1 Invest Account.
Auto-invest and cash control
M1’s Auto-Invest automatically invests cash above a certain threshold based on your settings. By default, any cash above the threshold is invested during the next trade window, helping to keep your money working.
You can adjust your Auto-Invest threshold to keep a set amount of cash uninvested if needed.
Learn more in How Auto-Invest Works.
Manual orders
You may choose to place individual buy or sell orders in your portfolio:
Manual orders are processed ahead of your automated trades.
Orders can use existing cash, proceeds from pending sales, funds from a new deposit, or margin buying power if available.
Learn more about how to create manual orders for your portfolio.
Market circuit breakers & trade halts
If a circuit breaker is triggered (typically due to rapid market movements), you may experience delays in trade execution:
Trades for stocks or ETFs with a circuit breaker in effect may not be completed during your requested trade window.
Depending on whether the trigger is a Level 1, 2 or 3, we may not be able to execute your trade on the day you requested it.
M1 will notify you if your trade cannot be completed and provide updates about the market conditions.
Learn more about Circuit Breakers.
Brokerage accounts on the M1 platform are either fully disclosed to APEX Clearing or cleared through M1 Finance LLC. Please look at your account statement to determine how your account is cleared.
All investing involves risk, including the risk of losing the money you invest. Past performance does not guarantee future performance. Using margin can add to these risks. Users utilizing APEX cleared margin accounts should review the APEX margin account risk disclosure before borrowing. Users utilizing M1 cleared margin accounts should review the M1 margin account risk disclosure before borrowing. M1 Margin Loans are available on margin accounts with at least $2,000 invested per account. Not available for Retirement or Custodial accounts. Margin rates may vary.
Brokerage products and services are offered by M1 Finance LLC, Member FINRA / SIPC, and a wholly owned subsidiary of M1 Holdings, Inc.
This content was generated using artificial intelligence and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. While reasonable efforts are made to ensure accuracy, AI-generated outputs may omit key context; and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. Users should independently verify all information and consult a qualified professional before making any financial decisions.
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