How to choose a Forex broker for online forex trading, is important for forex traders.
Let’s say that you are just getting started in online forex trading and you don’t even know how to choose a Forex Broker. Or, perhaps you have been trading foreign currency for some time, but you want to check out what other forex brokers are available. Maybe you’re not happy with your current forex broker and you want to find a new one.
Here we will discuss in detail what we think you should know about choosing a forex broker.
Also, you can check out our recommended brokers section to see some of the forex brokers that we feel are worthwhile. Also, you can download our free Forex Broker Checklist to use for your broker search.
Of course, you also need to remember that lower leverage means lower risk of a margin call, but it also means that you will get a lower profit. Basically, if you have limited capital, you might want to make sure that your broker offers high leverage. If capital is not a problem, you can rest assured that any broker that has a wide variety of leverage options should be sufficient. Different leverage options let you vary the amount of risk you are willing to take. For example, less leverage (and therefore less risk) may be preferable if you are dealing with highly volatile currency pairs. The lower the margin requirement (meaning the higher the leverage), the greater the potential for higher profits and losses. Margin percentages vary from .25% and up. Low margin requirements are great when your trades are good, but not so great when you are wrong.
Most of the brokers pay interest on a trader’s margin account. The financing costs regularly change with the predominant national rates. If you decide to take an extended break from trading, or if you use good money management techniques and maintain a good free margin balance, the money in your margin account will be accruing interest. Keep in mind that most forex brokers do not allow you to accrue interest unless your margin requirement is at least 2% (50:1).
If you get a personal recommendation by a friend for a great forex broker, definitely check them out. In any case, you want to make sure you have a quality broker. Forex brokers are not required to be enrolled or regulated with any organization since the Forex advertise is named as an "unregulated" market. However, the better brokers will typically be registered as a Futures Commission Merchant (FMC) as well as being regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and a member of the National Futures Association (NFA). The CFTC and NFA were made to secure people in general against misrepresentation, control, and injurious trade rehearses. The NFA has a basic Forex Online Tutorial, as well as a quick primer about trading in the foreign currency market.
The quality brokers are usually affiliated with large banks or lending institutions because of the amount of capital they have available. All this information is available if you do your research. Just make sure your forex trading broker of choice is backed by a reliable institution.
Better brokers have trading tools available for their account holders to aid them in their forex trading. Additionally, most brokers will have some type of research accessible or showed legitimately on their web site. A good broker will have real-time charts and prices available, current news and data, technical analysis tools, and possibly support for 3rd party forex trading systems. And you should always make sure they have a practice trading account or free trial so you can test their trading platform and service.
Most forex trading platforms are either Web-based or a client-based program you can install on your computer:
Web-based trading software is hosted on your broker’s trading site. You won’t have to install any trading software on your own computer, and you can log in from any computer that has an Internet connection. These are preferred by most brokers, who think they are more safe and reliable. Java-based software tends to be less vulnerable to attack from viruses and hackers during transmissions than “download and install” software.
A client-based software program, or one that you download and install, will only allow you to trade on the computer it is installed. These typically run faster, but most forex trading programs are operating system specific. For example, most brokers only offer their trading platform application to run on Microsoft Windows.
Let’s say that you are just getting started in online forex trading and you don’t even know how to choose a Forex Broker. Or, perhaps you have been trading foreign currency for some time, but you want to check out what other forex brokers are available. Maybe you’re not happy with your current forex broker and you want to find a new one.
Here we will discuss in detail what we think you should know about choosing a forex broker.
Also, you can check out our recommended brokers section to see some of the forex brokers that we feel are worthwhile. Also, you can download our free Forex Broker Checklist to use for your broker search.
Low Spreads or Transaction Fees for Online Forex Trading
Transaction costs are calculated in pips. The lower the better. The spread is the difference between Ask prices and the Bid. While most forex brokers don’t technically charge commissions or fees for their services, they get their piece of the action by the spread. The higher the spread, the less money you will make on any given transaction. Generally, spreads are currently between 2-5 pips on average. Be careful of forex brokers advertising 0 pip spreads. They are likely charging fees in some other way. Read the fine print.Leverage Options and Margin Requirements
Leverage can be a good thing, or a bad thing, depending on how you use it. Better brokers will have different leverage options, meaning a selection of leverage ratios. Perhaps a 400:1 leverage ratio is too high for you. Do they have a 200:1, or 100:1 option? 400:1 is great leverage, but remember, while it can help multiply your profits, it can just as quickly multiply your losses. The higher the leverage, the higher the risk. The lower the leverage, the lower the risk. Perhaps if you are just starting out, you’d like to start with 100:1 leverage. As you get more experience and can take bigger risks for bigger rewards, are you able to move it up to 200:1, or some other ratio. You need a forex broker that can offer the leverage values you want.Of course, you also need to remember that lower leverage means lower risk of a margin call, but it also means that you will get a lower profit. Basically, if you have limited capital, you might want to make sure that your broker offers high leverage. If capital is not a problem, you can rest assured that any broker that has a wide variety of leverage options should be sufficient. Different leverage options let you vary the amount of risk you are willing to take. For example, less leverage (and therefore less risk) may be preferable if you are dealing with highly volatile currency pairs. The lower the margin requirement (meaning the higher the leverage), the greater the potential for higher profits and losses. Margin percentages vary from .25% and up. Low margin requirements are great when your trades are good, but not so great when you are wrong.
Most of the brokers pay interest on a trader’s margin account. The financing costs regularly change with the predominant national rates. If you decide to take an extended break from trading, or if you use good money management techniques and maintain a good free margin balance, the money in your margin account will be accruing interest. Keep in mind that most forex brokers do not allow you to accrue interest unless your margin requirement is at least 2% (50:1).
Forex Brokers Customer Service
Almost nothing is as valuable as good customer service, especially with online forex trading. Even if you don’t use it, you should have access to some minimum service requirements. Does the Forex broker have 24-hour support? Can you contact them by phone? Email? Chat? When you talk to them, do the people seem knowledgeable? If you can’t get a hold of them right away, or if you email them, is their response time short? Contact several brokers and ask them questions. Find out which of them works best to help you and answer your questions, or even to help train you in forex trading. If you don’t feel that warm fuzzy from a given broker, move on to the next one. A word of caution… service might be better before you open and fund a real money account. In the event that you observe that to be the situation, pull back your cash and proceed onward to another forex broker.Quality of the Forex Broker
If you get a personal recommendation by a friend for a great forex broker, definitely check them out. In any case, you want to make sure you have a quality broker. Forex brokers are not required to be enrolled or regulated with any organization since the Forex advertise is named as an "unregulated" market. However, the better brokers will typically be registered as a Futures Commission Merchant (FMC) as well as being regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and a member of the National Futures Association (NFA). The CFTC and NFA were made to secure people in general against misrepresentation, control, and injurious trade rehearses. The NFA has a basic Forex Online Tutorial, as well as a quick primer about trading in the foreign currency market.
The quality brokers are usually affiliated with large banks or lending institutions because of the amount of capital they have available. All this information is available if you do your research. Just make sure your forex trading broker of choice is backed by a reliable institution.
Forex Brokers Trading Tools and Research
Better brokers have trading tools available for their account holders to aid them in their forex trading. Additionally, most brokers will have some type of research accessible or showed legitimately on their web site. A good broker will have real-time charts and prices available, current news and data, technical analysis tools, and possibly support for 3rd party forex trading systems. And you should always make sure they have a practice trading account or free trial so you can test their trading platform and service.
Online Forex Trading Platform
Most, if not all, Brokers permit exchanging over the Web. The backbone of any online forex trading platform is their software system and as such is very important. Get a feel for the forex trading options that are available by trying out a trading demo account at different online brokers. Their forex trading platform should include the ability to view real-time currency exchange rate trading quotes, an account summary showing your current account balance with realized and unrealized profit and loss, margin available, and any margin locked in open positions.Here is an example of a trading platform called MetaTrader:
Most forex trading platforms are either Web-based or a client-based program you can install on your computer:
Web-based trading software is hosted on your broker’s trading site. You won’t have to install any trading software on your own computer, and you can log in from any computer that has an Internet connection. These are preferred by most brokers, who think they are more safe and reliable. Java-based software tends to be less vulnerable to attack from viruses and hackers during transmissions than “download and install” software.
A client-based software program, or one that you download and install, will only allow you to trade on the computer it is installed. These typically run faster, but most forex trading programs are operating system specific. For example, most brokers only offer their trading platform application to run on Microsoft Windows.