I remember the first time someone in a Discord stock chat said, "Hey, is this INKW thing actually on NASDAQ?" It's not just newbies—many seasoned traders stumble on this. Hand on heart, I’ve even mixed up OTC and “real” exchange tickers before in a moment of carelessness. So let’s set the record straight—without jargon overload.
Most people jump straight to Robinhood or their brokerage app, but that’s sketchy if we want a 100% accurate answer. The most authoritative way is to check the OTC Markets official site (which lists all OTC stocks with far more info than screenshots from Yahoo Finance).
Here's my quick process (screenshots for good measure):In huge type, right under the ticker, you'll see: INKW | OTC Pink - Current Information | Greene Concepts Inc.
And—most crucially—nowhere will you find NYSE, NASDAQ, or even AMEX logos. It’s always labeled clearly as an OTC Pink stock.
"OTC" stands for Over The Counter: a marketplace for stocks that don't meet the requirements (size, regulatory, reporting) of a major exchange. These stocks are sometimes called “penny stocks,” but that's just one flavor.
“Companies traded OTC are often smaller and may have less disclosure than companies on listed exchanges. Trading in OTC stocks can be risky and investors should exercise caution.”Source: SEC: Over-the-Counter (OTC) Stocks
INKW is categorized as "OTC Pink," which is the lowest tier, meaning companies aren’t even required to file regular reports with the SEC. That doesn’t automatically mean they're “bad,” but if you like transparency and strong legal oversight, you won’t find much of it here.
Caution: A lot of “hype” tickers you see on forums are in this category because it’s a lot easier to get listed OTC than on the NASDAQ.
Put simply: No, INKW is not listed on any major U.S. exchange (NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX).
You can double-check this using NASDAQ's search tool or Yahoo Finance lookup. Both will list OTC for INKW, not a “real” exchange.
It’s worth noting—many retail brokerages don’t allow trading OTC Pink stocks at all. I learned this the hard way on Schwab and even Robinhood. If you can’t find it in your broker’s search, it might be because they block most pink sheets out of caution (for reference, see Schwab's Pink Sheets Policy).
Just for fun (and broader context), here's a quick table comparing how “verified trade” happens across a few key markets:
Country/Region | ‘Verified Trade’ Term | Legal Basis | Enforcement or Supervisory Body |
---|---|---|---|
USA | Registered Securities, Listed Exchange |
Securities Exchange Act of 1934; SEC regulation See Full Text |
SEC, FINRA, Exchanges (NYSE/NASDAQ) |
EU (France, Germany, etc.) | Regulated Market (e.g., Euronext, Xetra) |
MiFID II (Markets in Financial Instruments Directive) See Directive |
ESMA, National Regulators |
Japan | Listed Securities (TSE First Section, etc.) |
Financial Instruments and Exchange Act See Act |
Financial Services Agency |
China | Main Board Listing (e.g., SSE, SZSE) |
Securities Law of the PRC See Law |
China Securities Regulatory Commission |
OTC / Pink Sheets (Most Countries) | OTC, Quotation Board, etc. | Vary by country—often minimal regulation | Self-regulatory organizations, if any |
I screwed up big time in 2020 thinking I could cash in big on a penny stock tip—turned out it was OTC Pink, and my usual broker blocked the order. That was my first lesson in the “OTC trap”: less transparency, higher risk, and frequently wild spreads that can wipe out even small gains.
As Mark Fishman, a securities compliance consultant for 20+ years, notes on his blog (fishmansecuritieslaw.com): “If you’re buying an OTC Pink stock, know you’re operating in a part of the market where disclosure is spotty and market-makers, not public order flow, set most prices. Proceed with both skepticism and lots of research.”
Here’s a quick simulated scenario to show how standards can lead to real headaches (this one’s inspired by real WTO case docs):
There are real-world analogues here: the World Trade Organization (WTO) regularly adjudicates these sorts of disputes regarding national-level regulation and cross-border securities recognition (read WTO legal texts here).
If you landed here looking for a clear answer to “Is INKW a major exchange stock?” here’s the punchline: INKW trades only Over-the-Counter, specifically as an OTC Pink stock, and is not listed on NYSE, NASDAQ, or any major U.S. exchange.