Fx trading account

The requirements for opening a forex account have become simpler since the growth of online forex trading.

Huge forex bonuses

Why You Need a Forex Account to Trade, fx trading account.

Today, opening a forex account is almost as simple as opening a bank account. Your purpose, of course, is to make money on your trades. Unfortunately, the majority of beginning forex traders lose money, they generally spend less than four months reaching the point where they have lost so much that they will close their trading account.

Why you need a forex account to trade

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A foreign exchange account, or forex account, is used to hold and trade foreign currencies. Typically, you open an account, deposit money denominated in your home country currency, and then buy and sell currency pairs.

Your purpose, of course, is to make money on your trades. Unfortunately, the majority of beginning forex traders lose money; they generally spend less than four months reaching the point where they have lost so much that they will close their trading account.

It doesn't mean that the forex market is a scam, as some critics have maintained, but forex scams do abound. Making money on highly leveraged currency trades is harder than it looks and, at a minimum, requires developing expertise that many novice traders fail to acquire.

How you open a forex trading account

The requirements for opening a forex account have become simpler since the growth of online forex trading. Today, opening a forex account is almost as simple as opening a bank account.

First, of course, you'll need to find a forex broker. All retail forex trading goes through and is managed by a brokerage. Some may be specialized forex brokers, or they might be the same brokerage you use for stock market investing and trading.

You'll need to fill out a brief questionnaire about your financial knowledge and trading intentions. You'll also need to provide an ID, and the minimum deposit your forex account institution requires. That's it. You're now free to trade.

Incidentally, many forex brokers will take your credit or debit card in lieu of cash. So, you really don't need to deposit any money at all—not that this is a good idea. If you don't have the cash now, how will you pay for losses later? Credit card debt carries high-interest rates.

Forex brokers

One of the aspects of currency trading that makes it riskier than trading in the stock market is that the entire currency trading industry is either lightly regulated or—as with some trades—not regulated at all. A consequence of that is that unless you look carefully into the reputation of the forex broker you select, you may be defrauded. There are two ways of avoiding this.

The first is to avoid specialized forex traders entirely and to trade with a general stock brokerage active in the U.S. And therefore regulated by the U.S. Securities and exchange commission (SEC).

The other way to avoid inadvertently connecting with a fraudulent broker is to proceed very carefully when considering a specialized forex brokerage. Only open an account with a U.S. Broker with a membership in the national futures association (NFA). Use the NFA's background affiliation information center to verify the brokerage and its compliance record.

Even then, it's a good idea to choose a large, well-known forex broker like forex capital markets (FXCM). FXCM—like almost all of the largest U.S. Forex brokers—offers a free practice account where you can try out potential trades without risking your capital. Some other well-known U.S. Forex brokers are citifx PRO, an affiliate of citibank, and thinkorswim. Don't be put off by the cute name, thinkorswim is a division of tdameritrade.

Before finalizing your search, compare commission rates between brokers. Transaction costs are an important factor in the profitability of trading activity.

FOREX trading accounts

Choose an account type that best suits your trading style.

FOREX.Com account

Advanced trading platforms with customizable interfaces

Trade forex, equities and more, all on one account

Fast, reliable trade executions

Metatrader account

Dedicated FX trading platform

Exclusive in-platform market news and analysis

Trades execute at the best available price

DMA account

Trade on prices as low as 0.1 on all major FX pairs

Get commission discounts as low as $20/m traded

Split the spread and place orders within the top of book spreads

What information do I need when opening an account?

We will need you to provide us with your name and address to establish your identity. Typically, we can verify your identity instantly. For more information, see our account document faqs.

What markets does FOREX.Com offer?

You can trade over 80 currency pairs at FOREX.Com. View our full range of markets.

When is forex market open for trading?

You can trade forex at FOREX.Com 24 hours a day, five days a week. For details, read our forex trading times article.

Is there a charge for central clearing?

We provide central counterparty clearing through an omnibus segregated clearing account (OSCA) free of charge as standard to all clients. If you wish to open an individual segregated clearing account (ISCA), fees apply:

For an individual these charges are: £13,000 account opening fee, plus account maintenance and transaction charges

For a corporate entity these charges are: £200,000 account opening fee, plus account maintenance and transaction charges

Try a demo account

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Cfds are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 79% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading cfds with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how cfds work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

CFD and forex trading are leveraged products and your capital is at risk. They may not be suitable for everyone. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved by reading our full risk warning.

FOREX.Com is a trading name of GAIN capital UK limited. GAIN capital UK ltd is a company incorporated in england and wales with UK companies house number 1761813 and with its registered office at devon house, 58 st katharine’s way, london, E1W 1JP. GAIN capital UK ltd is authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority in the UK, with FCA register number 113942. GAIN capital UK ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of stonex group inc.

FOREX.Com is a trademark of GAIN capital UK ltd.

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Trading account types

XM CY trading account types

Micro account

Base currency options

USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF,‎
AUD, HUF, PLN, RUB, SGD, ZAR

Contract size

1 lot = 1,000

Spread on all majors

As low as 1 pip

Commission

Maximum open/pending orders per client

200 positions

Minimum trade volume

0.01 lots (MT4)
0.1 lots (MT5)

Lot restriction per ticket

100 lots

Islamic account

Optional

Minimum deposit

Standard account

Base currency options

USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, CHF,‎
AUD, HUF, PLN, RUB, SGD, ZAR

Contract size

1 lot = 100,000

Spread on all majors

As low as 1 pip

Commission

Maximum open/pending orders per client

200 positions

Minimum trade volume

0.01 lots

Lot restriction per ticket

50 lots

Islamic account

Optional

Minimum deposit

XM zero accounts

Base currency options

USD, EUR, JPY

Contract size

1 lot = 100,000

Spread on all majors

As low as 0 pips

Commission

Maximum open/pending orders per client

200 positions

Minimum trade volume

0.01 lots

Lot restriction per ticket

50 lots

Islamic account

Optional

Minimum deposit

100$

The figures above should only be regarded as reference. XM is ready to create custom-tailored forex account solutions for every client. If the deposit currency is not USD, the amount indicated should be converted to the deposit currency.

You may be new to forex, so a demo account is the ideal choice to test your trading potential. It allows you to trade with virtual money, without exposing you to any risk, as your gains and losses are simulated. Once you have tested your trading strategies, learned about market moves and how to place orders, you can take the next step to open a trading account with real money.

What is a forex trading account?

A forex account at XM is a trading account that you will hold and that will work similarly to your bank account, but with the difference that it is primarily issued with the purpose of trading on currencies.

Forex accounts at XM can be opened in micro, standard or XM zero formats as shown in the table above.

Please note that forex (or currency) trading is available on all XM platforms.

In summary, your forex trading account includes

1. Access to the XM members area

2. Access to the corresponding platform(s)

Similarly to your bank, once you register a forex trading account with XM for the first time, you will be required to go through a straightforward KYC (know your customer) process, which will allow XM to make sure that the personal details you have submitted are correct and ensure the safety of your funds and your account details.

By opening a forex account, you will be automatically emailed your login details, which will give you access to the XM members area.

The XM members area is where you will manage the functions of your account, including depositing or withdrawing funds, viewing and claiming unique promotions, checking your loyalty status, checking your open positions, changing leverage, accessing support and accessing the trading tools offered by XM.

Our offerings within the clients’ members area are provided and constantly enriched with more and more functionalities and therefore giving our clients more and more flexibility to perform changes or additions to their accounts at any given time, without needing assistance from their personal account managers.

Your trading account login details will correspond to a login on the trading platform which matches your type of account and is ultimately where you will be performing your trades. Any deposits/withdrawals or other changes to settings you make from the XM members area will reflect on your corresponding trading platform.

What is a multi-asset trading account?

A multi-asset trading account at XM is an account that works similarly to your bank account, but with the difference that it is issued with the purpose of trading currencies, stock indices cfds, stock cfds, as well as cfds on metals and energies.

Multi-asset trading accounts at XM can be opened in micro, standard or XM zero formats as you can view in the table above.

Please note that multi-asset trading is available only on MT5 accounts, which also allows you access to the XM webtrader.

In summary, your multi-asset trading account includes

1. Access to the XM members area

2. Access to the corresponding platform(s)

3. Access to the XM webtrader

Similarly to your bank, once you register a multi-asset trading account with XM for the first time, you will be requested to go through a straightforward KYC (know your customer) process, which will allow XM to make sure that the personal details you have submitted are correct and ensure the safety of your funds and your account details. Please note that if you already maintain a different XM account, you will not have to go through the KYC validation process as our system will automatically identify your details.

By opening a trading account, you will be automatically emailed your login details that will give you access to the XM members area.

The XM members area is where you will manage the functions of your account, including the depositing or withdrawing funds, viewing and claiming unique promotions, checking your loyalty status, checking your open positions, changing the leverage, accessing support and accessing the trading tools offered by XM.

Our offerings within the clients members area are provided and constantly enriched with more and more functionalities, allowing our clients more and more flexibility to perform changes or additions to their accounts at any given time, without needing assistance from their personal account managers.

Your multi-asset trading account login details will correspond to a login on the trading platform which matches your type of account, and it is ultimately where you will be performing your trades. Any deposits and/or withdrawals or other setting changes you make from the XM members area will reflect on your corresponding trading platform.

Who should choose MT4?

MT4 is the predecessor of the MT5 trading platform. At XM, the MT4 platform enables trading on currencies, cfds on stock indices, as well as cfds on gold and oil, but it does not offer trading on stock cfds. Our clients who do not wish to open an MT5 trading account can continue using their MT4 accounts and open an additional MT5 account at any time.

Access to the MT4 platform is available for micro, standard or XM zero as per the table above.

Who should choose MT5?

Clients who choose the MT5 platform have access to a wide range of instruments ranging from currencies, stock indices cfds, gold and oil cfds, as well as stock cfds.

Your login details to the MT5 will also give you access to the XM webtrader in addition to the desktop (downloadable) MT5 and the accompanying apps.

Access to the MT5 platform is available for micro, standard or XM zero as shown in the table above.

What is the main difference between MT4 trading accounts and MT5 trading accounts?

The main difference is that MT4 does not offer trading on stock cfds.

Can I hold multiple trading accounts?

Yes, you can. Any XM client can hold up to 8 trading accounts of their choice.

How to manage your trading accounts?

Deposits, withdrawals or any other functions related to any of your trading accounts can be handled in the XM members area.

Legal: this website is operated by trading point of financial instruments limited with registered address at 12 richard & verengaria street, araouzos castle court, 3rd floor, 3042 limassol, cyprus.

Trading point holdings ltd is the holding company of trading point of financial instruments limited, XM global limited, trading point of financial instruments UK limited, trading point of financial instruments pty ltd, trading point MENA limited.

Trading point of financial instruments limited is authorised and regulated by the cyprus securities and exchange commission (licence number: 120/10).
XM global limited is authorised and regulated by the international financial services commission (IFSC) (000261/106).
Trading point of financial instruments UK limited is authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority (FRN: 705428).
Trading point of financial instruments pty ltd is authorised and regulated by the australian securities and investment commission (AFSL 443670).
Trading point MENA limited is authorised and regulated by the dubai financial services authority (DFSA) (reference no. F003484).

Risk warning: cfds are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 78.04% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading cfds with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how cfds work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Please consider our risk disclosure.

Trading point of financial instruments limited provides investment and ancillary services to residents of the european economic area (EEA) and the united kingdom.

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How to trade forex

Once you learn how to trade forex, you’ll understand why it’s such a popular market. You’ll discover that you can choose between many different currency pairs – from majors to exotics – and trade 24 hours a day. Use this guide to learn how to trade currency with our FX trading steps and examples.

Interested in trading forex with us?

Start trading today. Call 0800 195 3100 or email newaccounts.Uk@ig.Com. We’re here 24 hours a day, from 8am monday to 6pm friday.

Forex trading steps

Choose a currency pair to trade

We offer more than 80 currency pairs – from majors like GBP/USD, to exotics like HUF/EUR. When you trade with us, you’ll be speculating on these forex pairs rising or falling in value with spread bets and cfds.

Before choosing an FX pair to trade, you should carry out fundamental analysis and technical analysis on the two currencies in the pair. This means you should assess how the ‘base’ (the currency on the left) and the ‘quote’ (the currency on the right) move in relation to each other.

Decide whether to ‘buy’ or ‘sell’

Once you’ve chosen a currency pair to trade, you need to decide whether you want to ‘buy’ or ‘sell’, based on your analysis.

You would buy the pair if you expected the base currency to rise in value against the quote currency. Or, you would sell if you expected it to do the opposite. That’s because a currency pair’s price represents how many of the quote currency you’d have to spend to buy a single unit of the base currency.

For example if the price quoted for GBP/USD is 1.28000, it means you’d have to spend $1.28 to buy £1 – so the pound is stronger than the US dollar.

Set your stops and limits

The forex market is particularly volatile, which is why it’s important to have a plan to guide the entry and exit points of your trades. There are various stops and limits you can set to manage your risk when trading forex:

Normal stops will close your position automatically if the market moves against you. Note that normal stops do not protect against slippage.

Guaranteed stops will always be closed out at exactly the price you specified – even if the market moves quickly or ‘gaps’. You’ll pay a small premium if a guaranteed stop is triggered

Trailing stops will follow positive price movements and close your position if the market moves against you

Limit orders can help you to achieve your profit target, and your position will be closed when the price hits your chosen level

Open your first trade

If you want to trade on the value of forex pairs rising or falling with spread bets or cfds, why not open an account with us? Once you’ve done that, simply go to our award-winning trading platform, 1 search for the forex pair you want to trade, enter your position size and choose ‘buy’ or ‘sell’.

There’s no obligation to add funds until you want to place a trade.

Monitor your position

Once you’ve opened your position, you can monitor your FX trade in the ‘open positions’ section of the dealing platform. You can also set price alerts to receive email, SMS or push notifications when a specified buy or sell percentage or point is reached.

Even with these alerts set, it’s still important to keep up to date with the latest news and political events that could move the forex market.

Close your trade and take your profit or loss

Once you’ve decided it’s time to close your position, simply navigate to the ‘positions’ tab, select your position and click on ‘close’. Alternatively, just make the opposite trade to the one you opened. In other words, if you went long on GBP/USD, go short by an equivalent amount to close the position – assuming you’ve selected the ‘net-off’ option on our platform, rather than ‘force open’.

Forex trading examples

We’ve included an example of a forex spread bet and a forex CFD trade below.

Forex spread bet

Forex spread betting lets you make a prediction on the direction in which a forex pair’s price is heading. You’ll bet an amount of money per point of movement, and if the price moves in the same direction that you predicted, the greater your profit. But, the further it moves in the opposite direction, the greater your loss.

Spread bet prices are displayed in points – for example, if GBP/USD is trading at $1.31425, its price would be displayed as 13142.5. This makes no difference to the price you deal at or your potential profit or loss: it simply makes it easier to track per-point movements. When you trade forex with spread bets, all of your profits are completely tax-free. 2

Forex CFD trade

When you trade cfds, you’re agreeing to exchange the difference in the price of a position from the point at which it is opened up until it is closed. CFD prices are displayed in the same way as a regular forex pair’s quote price – for example 1.31425.

Plus, you’ll be able to speculate on prices rising by going long, as well as falling by going short. Standard forex cfds are worth 100,000 units of the first named currency in the pair, while mini forex cfds are worth just 10,000 units of the same. Cfds are liable to capital gains tax, but you can offset your losses against profits for tax purposes. 2

Trading forex cfds means you’re agreeing to exchange the difference in price of a forex pair from the point at which the CFD is opened, to the point at which it’s closed

Forex spread betting means you’re betting an amount of money per point of movement in the underlying currency pair’s price

But, there are other differences between spread bets and cfds that you should take time to familiarise yourself with.

You only need to put down a small deposit (usually 3.33% of the total position size) when you trade forex with derivatives, because you’ll be trading with leverage. But, while that’s all you need to start trading, remember that profits and losses will be calculated using the full size of the position – so you should ensure that you can cover the downside if the market moves against you.

Once you have established how much capital you have available, you will then need to start preparing the rest of your forex trading plan – this should include what you want to get out of trading forex, the time you are willing to commit to trading, researching which markets you want to trade, your risk management strategy and your trading strategy.

Anyone can trade forex if they develop their trading knowledge, build a forex trading strategy and gain experience trading the market. But, the volatility of the forex market is a unique environment that takes time to understand.

A forex trading strategy should consider the trading style that best suits your goals and time commitments. For example, a day trading strategy involves opening and closing positions within a single trading day, taking advantage of small intraday movements in a currency pair’s price.

The forex market is extremely volatile, so a currency pair that moves up one week might go down the next. But, the majority of forex trading volume is concentrated in a handful of forex pairs like EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, AUD/USD and USD/CHF.

That’s because these pairs represent some of the most widely-circulated currencies and so they attract the most traders. This results in a greater amount of price movement as the balance between buyers and sellers constantly shifts.

Develop your forex knowledge with IG

Find out more about forex trading and test yourself with IG academy’s range of online courses.

Develop your forex knowledge with IG

Find out more about forex trading and test yourself with IG academy’s range of online courses.

Try these next

Spread betting

Learn more about spread betting with IG

Risk management

Be aware of the risks associated with forex trading and understand how IG supports you in managing them

Trading platforms

Discover the different platforms that you can trade forex with IG

1 awarded UK’s best trading platform at the ADVFN international financial awards 2020 and professional trader awards 2019.
2 tax laws are subject to change and depend on individual circumstances. Tax law may differ in a jurisdiction other than the UK.

Markets

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Spread bets and cfds are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and cfds with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and cfds work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Professional clients can lose more than they deposit. All trading involves risk.

The value of shares, etfs and etcs bought through a share dealing account, a stocks and shares ISA or a SIPP can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

CFD, share dealing and stocks and shares ISA accounts provided by IG markets ltd, spread betting provided by IG index ltd. IG is a trading name of IG markets ltd (a company registered in england and wales under number 04008957) and IG index ltd (a company registered in england and wales under number 01190902). Registered address at cannon bridge house, 25 dowgate hill, london EC4R 2YA. Both IG markets ltd (register number 195355) and IG index ltd (register number 114059) are authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority.

The information on this site is not directed at residents of the united states, belgium or any particular country outside the UK and is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.

How leverage works in the forex market

Leverage is the use of borrowed money (called capital) to invest in a currency, stock, or security. The concept of leverage is very common in forex trading. By borrowing money from a broker, investors can trade larger positions in a currency. As a result, leverage magnifies the returns from favorable movements in a currency's exchange rate. However, leverage is a double-edged sword, meaning it can also magnify losses. It's important that forex traders learn how to manage leverage and employ risk management strategies to mitigate forex losses.

Key takeaways

Leverage, which is the use of borrowed money to invest, is very common in forex trading.

By borrowing money from a broker, investors can trade larger positions in a currency.

However, leverage is a double-edged sword, meaning it can also magnify losses.

Many brokers require a percentage of a trade to be held in cash as collateral, and that requirement can be higher for certain currencies.

Understanding leverage in the forex market

The forex market is the largest in the world with more than $5 trillion worth of currency exchanges occurring daily. Forex trading involves buying and selling the exchange rates of currencies with the goal that the rate will move in the trader’s favor. Forex currency rates are quoted or shown as bid and ask prices with the broker. If an investor wants to go long or buy a currency, they would be quoted the ask price, and when they want to sell the currency, they would be quoted the bid price.

For example, an investor might buy the euro versus the U.S. Dollar (EUR/USD), with the hope that the exchange rate will rise. The trader would buy the EUR/USD at the ask price of $1.10. Assuming the rate moved favorably, the trader would unwind the position a few hours later by selling the same amount of EUR/USD back to the broker using the bid price. The difference between the buy and sell exchange rates would represent the gain (or loss) on the trade.

Investors use leverage to enhance the profit from forex trading. The forex market offers one of the highest amounts of leverage available to investors. Leverage is essentially a loan that is provided to an investor from the broker. The trader's forex account is established to allow trading on margin or borrowed funds. Some brokers may limit the amount of leverage used initially with new traders. In most cases, traders can tailor the amount or size of the trade based on the leverage that they desire. However, the broker will require a percentage of the trade's notional amount to be held in the account as cash, which is called the initial margin.

Types of leverage ratios

The initial margin required by each broker can vary, depending on the size of the trade. If an investor buys $100,000 worth of EUR/USD, they might be required to hold $1,000 in the account as margin. In other words, the margin requirement would be 1% or ($1,000 / $100,000).

The leverage ratio shows how much the trade size is magnified as a result of the margin held by the broker. Using the initial margin example above, the leverage ratio for the trade would equal 100:1 ($100,000 / $1,000). In other words, for a $1,000 deposit, an investor can trade $100,000 in a particular currency pair.

Below are examples of margin requirements and the corresponding leverage ratios.

Margin requirements and leverage ratios
margin requirement	leverage ratio
2%	50:1
1%	100:1
.5%	200:1

the equivalent leverage ratio as a result of the margin requirement.

As we can see from the table above, the lower the margin requirement, the greater amount of leverage can be used on each trade. However, a broker may require higher margin requirements, depending on the particular currency being traded. For example, the exchange rate for the british pound versus japanese yen can be quite volatile, meaning it can fluctuate wildly leading to large swings in the rate. A broker may want more money held as collateral (i.E. 5%) for more volatile currencies and during volatile trading periods.

Forex leverage and trade size

A broker can require different margin requirements for larger trades versus smaller trades. As outlined in the table above, a 100:1 ratio means that the trader is required to have at least 1/100 = 1% of the total value of the trade as collateral in the trading account.

Standard trading is done on 100,000 units of currency, so for a trade of this size, the leverage provided might be 50:1 or 100:1. A higher leverage ratio, such as 200:1, is usually used for positions of $50,000 or less. Many brokers allow investors to execute smaller trades, such as $10,000 to $50,000 in which the margin might be lower. However, a new account probably won't qualify for 200:1 leverage.

It's fairly common for a broker to allow 50:1 leverage for a $50,000 trade. A 50:1 leverage ratio means that the minimum margin requirement for the trader is 1/50 = 2%. So, a $50,000 trade would require $1,000 as collateral. Please bear in mind that the margin requirement is going to fluctuate, depending on the leverage used for that currency and what the broker requires. Some brokers require a 10-15% margin requirement for emerging market currencies such as the mexican peso. However, the leverage allowed might only be 20:1, despite the increased amount of collateral.

Forex brokers have to manage their risk and in doing so, may increase a trader's margin requirement or reduce the leverage ratio and ultimately, the position size.

Leverage in the forex markets tends to be significantly larger than the 2:1 leverage commonly provided on equities and the 15:1 leverage provided in the futures market. Although 100:1 leverage may seem extremely risky, the risk is significantly less when you consider that currency prices usually change by less than 1% during intraday trading (trading within one day). If currencies fluctuated as much as equities, brokers would not be able to provide as much leverage.

The risks of leverage

Although the ability to earn significant profits by using leverage is substantial, leverage can also work against investors. For example, if the currency underlying one of your trades moves in the opposite direction of what you believed would happen, leverage will greatly amplify the potential losses. To avoid a catastrophe, forex traders usually implement a strict trading style that includes the use of stop-loss orders to control potential losses. A stop-loss is a trade order with the broker to exit a position at a certain price level. In this way, a trader can cap the losses on a trade.

How to spot a forex scam

The spot forex market traded over $6.6 trillion a day as of april 2019, including currency options and futures contracts. with this enormous amount of money floating around in an unregulated spot market that trades instantly, over the counter, with no accountability, forex scams offer unscrupulous operators the lure of earning fortunes in limited amounts of time. While many once-popular scams have ceased—thanks to serious enforcement actions by the commodity futures trading commission (CFTC) and the 1982 formation of the self-regulatory national futures association (NFA)—some old scams linger, and new ones keep popping up.

Back in the day: the point-spread scam

An old point-spread forex scam was based on computer manipulation of bid-ask spreads. The point spread between the bid and ask basically reflects the commission of a back-and-forth transaction processed through a broker. These spreads typically differ between currency pairs. The scam occurs when those point spreads differ widely among brokers.

Key takeaways

Many scams in the forex market are no longer as pervasive due to tighter regulations, but some problems still exist.

One shady practice is when forex brokers offer wide bid-ask spreads on certain currency pairs, making it more difficult to earn profits on trades.

Be careful of any offshore, unregulated broker.

Individuals and companies that market systems—like signal sellers or robot trading—sometimes sell products that are not tested and do not yield profitable results.

If the forex broker is commingling funds or limiting customer withdrawals, it could be an indicator that something fishy is going on.

For instance, some brokers do not offer the normal two-point to three-point spread in the EUR/USD but spreads of seven pips or more. (A pip is the smallest price move that a given exchange rate makes based on market convention. Since most major currency pairs are priced to four decimal places, the smallest change is that of the last decimal point.) factor in four or more additional pips on every trade, and any potential gains resulting from a good trade can be eaten away by commissions, depending on how the forex broker structures their fees for trading.

This scam has quieted down over the last 10 years, but be careful of any offshore retail brokers that are not regulated by the CFTC, NFA, or their nation of origin. These tendencies still exist, and it’s quite easy for firms to pack up and disappear with the money when confronted with actions. Many saw a jail cell for these computer manipulations. But the majority of violators have historically been united states-based companies, not the offshore ones.

The signal-seller scam

A popular modern-day scam is the signal seller. Signal sellers are retail firms, pooled asset managers, managed account companies, or individual traders that offer a system—for a daily, weekly, or monthly fee—that claims to identify favorable times to buy or sell a currency pair based on professional recommendations that will make anyone wealthy. They tout their long experience and trading abilities, plus testimonials from people who vouch for how great a trader and friend the person is, and the vast wealth that this person has earned for them. All the unsuspecting trader has to do is hand over X amount of dollars for the privilege of trade recommendations.

Many of signal-seller scammers simply collect money from a certain number of traders and disappear. Some will recommend a good trade now and then, to allow the signal money to perpetuate. This new scam is slowly becoming a wider problem. Although there are signal sellers who are honest and perform trade functions as intended, it pays to be skeptical.

"robot" scamming in today’s market

A persistent scam, old and new, presents itself in some types of forex-developed trading systems. These scammers tout their system’s ability to generate automatic trades that, even while you sleep, earn vast wealth. Today, the new terminology is “robot” because the process is fully automated with computers. Either way, many of these systems have never been submitted for formal review or tested by an independent source.

Examination of a forex robot must include the testing of a trading system’s parameters and optimization codes. If the parameters and optimization codes are invalid, the system will generate random buy and sell signals. This will cause unsuspecting traders to do nothing more than gamble. Although tested systems exist on the market, potential forex traders should do some research before putting money into one of these approaches.

Other factors to consider

Traditionally, many trading systems have been quite costly, up to $5,000 or more. This can be viewed as a scam in itself. No trader should pay more than a few hundred dollars for a proper system today. Be especially careful of system sellers who offer programs at exorbitant prices justified by a guarantee of phenomenal results. Instead, look for legitimate sellers whose systems have been properly tested to potentially earn income.

Another persistent problem is the commingling of funds. Without a record of segregated accounts, individuals cannot track the exact performance of their investments. This makes it easier for retail firms to use an investor’s money to pay exorbitant salaries; buy houses, cars, and planes or just disappear with the funds. Section 4D of the commodity futures modernization act of 2000 addressed the issue of fund segregation; what occurs in other nations is a separate issue.

An important factor to always consider when choosing a broker or a trading system is to be skeptical of promises or promotional material that guarantees a high level of performance.

Other scams and warning signs exist when brokers won’t allow the withdrawal of monies from investor accounts, or when problems exist within the trading platform. For example, can you enter or exit a trade during volatile market action after an economic announcement? If you can’t withdraw money, warning signs should flash. If the trading platform doesn’t operate to your liquidity expectations, warning signs should flash again.

The bottom line

Conduct due diligence on the forex broker you’re considering by going to the background affiliation status information center (BASIC), created by the NFA. Many changes have driven out the crooks and the old scams and legitimized the system for the many good firms. However, always be wary of new forex scams; the temptation and allure of huge profits will always bring new and more sophisticated scammers to this market.

Choose your account

Zero standard

A commission free forex trading account suitable for discretionary traders, and any trader who places a low volume of trades.

Zero blade

A minimal per-transaction commission fee and gives the tight spreads demanded by high volume traders, EA traders and scalpers.

We invite you to trial the platform for free with a demo account, valid for 30 days and with USD$50,000 of virtual funds included.

Trade your way with titan FX

Titan FX offers you a choice of trading accounts to suit your trading needs and style.

Our zero standard and zero blade accounts are flexible and allow our clients to trade in sizes from micro-lot size (0.01 lots, or 1000 units of currency) upwards. Clients can select their leverage up to 500:1, and either account can be opened with a low initial investment of just $200.

There is no account opening or maintenance fee. The titan FX standard account is a commission free forex trading account suitable for discretionary traders, and any trader who places a low volume of trades.

The titan FX blade account charges a minimal per-transaction commission fee and gives the tight spreads demanded by high volume traders, EA traders and scalpers.

Both zero standard and zero blade accounts feature:

One-click trading

Secure 24/7 funding and withdrawals

Available on MT4 and MT5 platforms

Flexible leverage up to 500:1

Base currencies US dollar, euro, japanese yen, singapore dollar

Low initial investment of $200

All strategies allowed, including scalping, hedging and eas

No account opening or maintenance fees

$0 commission per trade

Institutional grade STP spreads

Designed for beginner traders

Zero point™ technology

One click trading

70+ currency pairs, commodities, shares and stock market indices

Secure 24/7 funding and withdrawals

$200 minimum account opening balance

Trade from 0.01 lots

Leverage to 500:1

All trading styles allowed

Available on MT4 and MT5 platforms

Available base currencies (USD, EUR, JPY, SGD)

open accountread more

USD 3.5 commission per 100k traded

Raw ECN spreads from 0.0 pips

Designed for advanced and EA traders

Zero point™ technology

One click trading

70+ currency pairs, commodities, shares and stock market indices

Secure 24/7 funding and withdrawals

$200 minimum account opening balance

Trade from 0.01 lots

Leverage to 500:1

All trading styles allowed

Available on MT4 and MT5 platforms

Available base currencies (USD, EUR, JPY, SGD)

open accountread more

Why professional traders choose titan FX

No restrictions

Trade without restriction, with lot sizes from one micro lot (0.01 lots)

Best platforms

Use metatrader 4 and metatrader 5 on PC, mac, mobile, tablet or even in a web browser.

Hedging

Hedge positions freely (no FIFO)

High leverage

Choose leverage up to 500:1

Many instruments

Choose from over 70 currency pairs, commodities, precious metals, shares and stock market indices.

Fast executions

Lighting fast trade executions with our proprietary zero point™ technology

Index cfds

Titan FX clients can trade cfds for the world’s largest stock market indices directly from the same account and interface as you trade currencies.

Zero point technology

Get the infrastructure previously only available to high frequency traders and quantitative analysts at the world’s most powerful financial companies.

Instruments

Trading platforms

Support

Accounts

Partnerships

About us

Financial services guide

Product disclosure statement

Terms and conditions

Website privacy policy

Website terms of service

Compliance automation

Risk warning: trading forex and derivatives carries a high level of risk to your capital and you should only trade with money you can afford to lose. Trading derivatives may not be suitable for all investors, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved, and seek independent advice if necessary. A financial services guide (FSG) and product disclosure statements (PDS) for these products is available from titan FX limited (previously named TI securities limited) to download from this website or hard copies may be obtained by contacting the titan FX limited office. The FSG and PDS should be considered before deciding to enter into any transactions with titan FX limited. Titan FX limited is incorporated in vanuatu, company number 40313, and is regulated by the vanuatu financial services commission. The PDS available on this website does not constitute an offer to any person of any interests to whom it would not be lawful to make such an offer. Residents or nationals/citizens of the united states, australia, canada, new zealand, north korea, iran, vanuatu plus from jurisdictions identified by FATF or similar international organizations as having strategic AML-CFT deficiencies are welcome to browse our website but please note due to regulatory limitations we are unable to accept these persons as clients. The information on this website is not directed to residents of any country where FX and/or cfds trading is restricted or prohibited by local laws or regulations.

Forex trading accounts

A forex trading account is a vehicle that an investor uses to speculate on currencies. There are multiple accounts available online, from demo and practice solutions to live investing accounts. We look at the pros and cons of different account types and explain how to open a forex trading account.

Best UK forex trading accounts

What is A forex trading account?

A forex trading account is your gateway to the currency market. It’s where you will deposit funds to buy and sell currency pairs, and where you’ll withdraw any profits. Depending on the account type, you’ll also get access to market analysis and research tools, settings to protect you from price volatility, access to mobile ios and APK platforms, and even bespoke investing advice. In addition, your account could come with integrated customer support, welcome bonuses and automated trading.

As well as trading on FX, some accounts also allow investors to diversify their portfolios by trading on commodities, bonds, stocks and cfds.

Types of forex trading accounts

There are several different free and paid forex trading accounts. Which one you choose will depend on your needs.

Aimed at beginners, mini or micro forex trading accounts let investors speculate on the market with smaller position sizes. Mini lots are worth £10,000 while micro lots are worth £1,000. With lower leverage caps and position sizes, these starter accounts are great for novices and those with less capital.

Standard

A standard forex trading account lets you engage in real money investing. Users trade in lots, with each lot worth £100,000. With that said, leverage means clients only need to deposit a small amount of capital and can borrow the remaining funds from a broker. The FCA caps retail leverage to 1:30 in the UK market. So if you deposit £1,000, you can trade with £30,000.

Standard forex trading accounts come with all the usual bells and whistles, from access to trading platforms and market data to customer support and mobile applications.

Managed

With a managed forex trading account, you allow an expert to make trades for you. All you need to do is deposit funds and decide on your risk tolerance. Your capital will then be managed and invested in line with your risk appetite.

Managed accounts are a straightforward and hands-off way to get involved with forex, though be aware that the broker will take a commission.

Other forex trading accounts

Aside from the standard forex trading accounts above, there are several alternative solutions that may suit your needs:

VIP – aimed at experienced investors with significant capital at their disposal, VIP solutions offer exclusive benefits and additional features, from bespoke events and enhanced market data to advanced trading tools. VIP accounts also typically offer tighter spreads and reduced costs in return for large trading volumes. VIP account holders normally receive detailed monthly account statements.

Copy trading –copy trading forex accounts let you manually or automatically copy the trades of experienced investors. Copy trading can be a great way to generate profits with minimal time investment. Of course, it does mean your capital is tied to the success of other traders.

Islamic – to comply with sharia law, islamic trading accounts remove interest or roll-over charges. Most top UK forex brokers now offer islamic-friendly trading accounts.

Funded – funded forex trading accounts allow clients to invest with borrowed funds. In return, the individual shares a portion of the profits with the broker. To start trading, you’ll need to meet certain experience and evaluation criteria. While these types of accounts can be lucrative, they are less common today given the risk exposure for brokers.

Demo – A practice account is funded with virtual funds and lets beginners practice trading on the FX market without risking real money. Available at most UK brokers, a demo account offers real-time market data so users can test strategies and the broker’s tools. Clients can then upgrade to a live account when they’re willing to put money on the line.

Metatrader 4 forex trading demo account

How to open A forex trading account

You can create a forex trading account in a few simple steps.

Choose a broker – hundreds of forex brokers offer multiple account options. Do your research and find a provider that offers the tools and products that you need.

Register – find the ‘open an account’, ‘sign up’ or equivalent button on the broker’s website. There is usually a registration link on the company’s homepage.

Online application form – most FX brokers require you to fill in a short application form. You’ll need to answer questions about your trading experience, risk appetite and submit personal details. You may also need to submit proof of ID before you can make a withdrawal.

Deposit funds – once you’ve created a new forex trading account and have your login credentials, you’ll need to deposit funds with a debit card, bank transfer, or alternative payment method. Minimum deposits vary between brokers, but most providers offer instant payment processing so you can start trading right away.

The best forex trading accounts

Before you open a forex trading account, it’s important to consider what you’re looking for. Firstly, ensure the brokerage is reputable and preferably licensed with the FCA – there are many scams out there. There are several other questions you may want to ask:

Do you want to trade forex with a specific platform, such as metatrader 4 (MT4)?

Does the account work on fixed commissions or competitive floating spreads?

What risk management alerts and tools come with the account?

Does the account come with automated trading capabilities?

Does the account allow scalping and hedging?

Do you want to start copy trading forex?

Final word on forex trading accounts

As your portal to the FX market, it’s important to find a forex trading account that meets your needs. You want a user-friendly, feature-rich account that offers all the tools you need to implement your strategy. Your available capital will likely impact whether you opt for a beginner account with lower cash requirements and smaller position sizes. Experienced traders typically choose VIP or equivalent accounts so they can benefit from tighter spreads and additional support, such as dedicated account managers. See our list of the top forex brokers to find an account that’s right for you.

What is A forex trading account?

A forex trading account is an online profile that lets you buy and sell currencies. There are multiple accounts to choose from that offer a range of platforms, tools and features. You can create a forex trading account by following the instructions at the respective broker.

What leverage is available with forex trading accounts?

Leverage is when your broker lends you fund so you can increase your trade size. In the UK, the financial conduct authority (FCA) caps retail leverage levels to 1:30. This means if you deposit £100, you can trade with £3,000. Unlicensed forex brokers may offer greater leverage, but this will increase your risk exposure should the market move against you.

How do I open A forex trading account?

Before starting with a forex trading account, you need to select the sign-up button on the broker’s website. Then simply follow the on-screen instructions. You’ll likely need to submit personal details. Opening a forex trading account usually takes several minutes.

What is A forex trading demo account?

A forex demo account is a practice simulator that lets you test strategies in a risk-free environment. Traders can operate under near real-time market conditions but instead use virtual funds at brokers such as XM. The best demo forex trading account downloads in the UK can be used for an unlimited period.

What are the different types of forex trading accounts?

There are multiple forex trading accounts available online. Beginners may want to open a micro or mini account, that lets investors trade the FX market with smaller lots and lower minimum deposit requirements. Investors with less time may want to opt for an automated trading or copy trading account. Experienced professionals may want to register for higher tier or VIP forex trading account to benefit from bespoke tools and lower fees.

Fx trading account

Risk warning:
trading forex and cfds involves significant risk and can result in the loss of your invested capital. You should not invest more than you can afford to lose and should ensure that you fully understand the risks involved. Trading leveraged products may not be suitable for all investors. Before trading, please take into consideration your level of experience, investment objectives and seek independent financial advice if necessary. Please read our legal documents and ensure that you fully understand the risks before you make any trading decisions.

Advice warning:
the information on this website is of general nature only, and the advice has been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Accordingly, before acting on the advice, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs, and after considering the legal documents.

Regional restrictions:
we do not offer our services to residents of certain jurisdictions such as north korea, canada, spain, united states and some other regions. For more information, please refer to our FAQ page.

Vantage group of companies is authorised and regulated in various jurisdictions.

Vantage international group limited trading under vantage FX, is authorised and regulated by the cayman islands monetary authority (CIMA), securities investment business law (SIBL) number 1383491 and is registered at artemis house, 67 fort st, PO box 2775, grand cayman KY1-1111.
Email: [email protected]

Vantage global limited is authorised and regulated by the VFSC under section 4 of the financial dealers licensing act [CAP 70] (reg. No. 700271) and is registered at icount building, kumul highway, port vila, vanuatu.
Email: [email protected]

Vantage global prime pty ltd trading under vantage FX, is regulated by the australian securities and investments commission (ASIC), AFSL no. 428901 and is located at level 29, 31 market st, sydney, new south wales, 2000, australia.
For clients who onboarded via vantagefx.Com.Au
phone: 1300 945 517
email: [email protected]

Vantage global prime LLP is authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority, FRN: 590299, and is registered at 7 bell yard, london, england, WC2A 2JR (company no. OC376560).
For clients who onboarded via www.Vantageglobalprime.Co.Uk
phone: +44(0)20 7043 5050
email: [email protected]

So, let's see, what we have: trading foreign currency in the forex market can be risky. Here is what you need to get started and open an account. At fx trading account