As equities soared in 2020 and shoppers flocked to buying and selling apps like Robinhood, Apple and Goldman Sachs had been engaged on an investing characteristic that will let shoppers purchase and promote shares, in line with three individuals acquainted with the plans.

The venture was shelved final yr because the markets turned south, stated the sources, who requested to not be named as a result of they weren’t approved to talk on the matter.

The effort, which has not been beforehand reported, would have added to Apple’s suite of monetary merchandise powered by Goldman. Apple first teamed up with the Wall Street financial institution to supply a bank card in 2019, after which added purchase now, pay later (BNPL) loans and a high-yield financial savings account. The firm stated final month that the financial savings account providing had climbed previous $10 billion in consumer deposits.

Representatives for Apple and Goldman declined to remark.

Apple was engaged on the investing characteristic at a time of zero rates of interest throughout Covid, when shoppers had been caught at dwelling and spending extra of their time and their file financial savings in buying and selling shares, together with meme shares like GameStop and AMC, from their smartphones.

Apple’s conversations with Goldman started throughout that hype cycle in 2020, two sources stated. Their work progressed, and an Apple investing characteristic was meant to roll out in 2022. One hypothetical use case pitched by executives concerned the power for iPhone customers with additional money to place cash into Apple shares, one particular person stated.

But as markets had been roiled by increased charges and hovering inflation, the Apple workforce feared consumer backlash if individuals misplaced cash within the inventory market with the help of an Apple product, the sources stated. That’s when the iPhone maker and Goldman switched instructions and pushed the plan to launch financial savings accounts, which profit from increased charges.

The standing of the stock-trading venture is unclear after Goldman CEO David Solomon bowed to inside and exterior stress and determined to retrench from practically the entire financial institution’s client efforts. One supply stated the infrastructure for an investing characteristic is usually constructed and able to go ought to Apple ultimately resolve to maneuver ahead with it.

The Apple Card launched with a lot fanfare three years in the past, however the enterprise introduced regulatory warmth and racked up losses as its consumer base expanded. Earlier this yr, Goldman rolled out a high-interest financial savings account for Apple Card customers, providing a 4.15% annual share yield.

Goldman was additionally central to Apple’s BNPL providing. The product, referred to as Apple Pay Later, can be utilized for purchases of $50 to $100 “at most websites and apps that accept Apple Pay,” in line with the assist web page. Borrowers can break up a purchase order into 4 funds over six weeks with out incurring curiosity or charges.

Before Goldman’s pivot away from retail banking, the corporate examined methods to develop its partnership with Apple, sources stated. More not too long ago, Goldman was in discussions to dump each its card and financial savings account to American Express.

Had plans for the buying and selling app progressed, Apple would have entered a market with stiff competitors, that includes the likes of Robinhood, SoFi and Block’s Square, together with conventional brokerage companies resembling Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley’s E-Trade.

Stock buying and selling has turn out to be one other means for monetary companies to maintain clients and drive engagement on their platforms. Apple was pursuing the identical strategy, one supply stated. It’s a transfer that would seize the curiosity of regulators, who’ve scrutinized Apple for its App Store practices. Robinhood has additionally been grilled by regulators for what they described as “gamifying” markets.

Other tech firms have been pushing into the house. Elon Musk’s X, previously generally known as Twitter, is engaged on a option to let customers purchase shares and cryptocurrencies by means of a partnership with eToro. PayPal had plans to launch inventory buying and selling after hiring a key trade govt in 2021. But the corporate deserted these plans, and stated on an earnings name that it might minimize spending and refocus on its core e-commerce enterprise.

WATCH: Goldman’s Apple Card faces mounting credit score losses