You will need a brokerage account as soon as you start forex trading, and you may as well get with the best currency trading broker from the get go. Your broker is your means of access to the markets and is also your provider of leverage so that you can trade on margins and control position sizes large enough for it all to be worthwhile.
So how do you select the best forex broker? There is a lot to take into account. Here are the our top 10 points that you will certainly want to consider.
1. Funds Required
This is usually the first thing that traders look at when they are considering a currency trading broker so maybe you don’t need us to tell you, but there is a very wide range of minimum investment sizes among brokers. You will see the old style broker offering standard accounts for traders who have $10,000, $50,000 or more to invest, others with mini forex accounts which might typically require around $1,000 minimum, and micro accounts which can start around $100 or even as low as $25 in one or two cases.
You are usually best advised to go for a broker whose client base is mainly other traders with similar sized accounts to yours. That way there is a good chance that services and costs will be a good match for you.
2. Market Access
Do they provide 24 hour access to their trading platform? Most do, but you could be caught out if you make assumptions. How about support? Is that available 24 hours too, in case you have a technical problem?
3. Pairs
You will also need to check that the broker offers all the currency pairs that you are likely to want to trade. If you are a beginner, look for a broker that covers all the major pairs (USD paired with EUR, JPY, GBP, CHF, CAD and AUD) plus some cross pairs (combinations of the last six of those currencies).
4. Technical Services
You will want to look at the charts and indicators that are provided, and whether the broker includes forex news alerts. These services are less important for experienced and professional traders who probably have accounts with dedicated news and charting service providers, but a beginner can save money by choosing a broker who offers a lot here.
5. Software
Check out the broker’s software platform. Most firms offer a demonstration account so that you can test the system and services on the live market without risk. This also gives you a chance to test new systems. You may want to run in demo mode for several months, especially if you plan to test more than one system, so look for a currency trading broker who gives unlimited time on demo accounts.
6. Regulation
Look for a currency trading broker who is a member of at least one of the main regulatory bodies in their country. You cannot take this for granted because the forex market is generally not regulated by law. If you go with a completely unregulated broker there is probably nothing to stop them disappearing from the internet with all of your funds. Bodies such as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the National Futures Association (NFA) in the USA provide a certain amount of protection to users if the broker should suddenly fail. There are similar associations in other countries.
7. Spread
The spread is the difference between the bid and ask prices for any currency pair, and this is the broker’s edge, which is the way that most brokers make their money. The amount of the spread varies according to the broker and the currency pair, but you can expect to pay 1 to 3 pips on most of the majors. Check the spread for the main pairs that you plan to trade.
Some brokers offer a low spread but then charge fees or commission in addition. This can be advantageous for some traders, usually those who tend to make a small number of long running trades.
8. Lot Size
There are standard lot sizes which are 100,000 units of currency for a standard lot, 10,000 for a mini lot and 1,000 for a micro. However you can find variations on these from some brokers who will offer a wider choice or even fractional lots where you can make up your own lot size. Of course, you will be trading on margins so you do not need to have this amount of money in your account. See the next point.
9. Leverage
Leverage and margin requirements can be very different with different brokers. This is what gives you the power to control large sums and make (or lose) a lot of money with only a small investment. 100 times leverage is often seen as standard but 200 is possible. Some traders prefer to work with 50 times, giving lower risk.
10. Business Model
Last but not least, the broker’s business model can have a big effect on how your trades are handled. Most brokers do not have their own dealing desk but access the market through a network. You may see this referred to as an ECN or electronic communications network.
More recently, what is known as market makers have sprung up in the forex trading world. These are not brokers in the strict sense of the word. They will find a match for your trade through a network broker or sometimes they will match your trade themselves. This puts them on the other side of your trade and means that they lose if you gain … not an ideal position from your point of view, when they hold your funds. So if you go with a forex market maker be sure to check user feedback.
In fact, it is always advisable to check feedback from genuine users before signing up with a broker. Look in independent forums and try to find several points of view. Do not pay too much attention to any one individual, who may be biased in their feedback, and look for reports from users who are at the same level as you. This will help to ensure that you find the best currency trading broker for your funds.
There are many currency trading brokers on the market. The most frequently used is FXYard
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