Connect with us

news

IC Markets Review 2020 | Public Finance International

IC Markets is a forex and CFD online trading platform that was founded in 2007. IC Markets is an online broker is regulated by the FSA (Seychelles Financial Supervisory Authority), CYSEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) and AFSL (Australian Financial Services Licence).

IC Markets is a forex and CFD online trading platform that was founded in 2007. IC Markets is an online broker is regulated by the FSA (Seychelles Financial Supervisory Authority), CYSEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission) and AFSL (Australian Financial Services Licence).

Review Summary

IC Markets forex trading fees are low. Account opening, depositing and withdrawals are free, easy and fast.   

IC Markets currently doesn’t provide negative balance protection. The product portfolio offered includes: FX, stock CFDs, cryptocurrencies, bonds CFDs, commodities and indices.

This online trading platform offers CFD products covering a decent range of financial assets including forex pairs, stocks, indexes, and commodities, and it is considered a safe broker as it is regulated by top-tier financial agencies around the world including the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

You might also want to read:

The following is a list of the subsidiaries that this company uses to operate in the various markets it offers its brokerage services to:

  • Australia: International Capital Markets Pty Ltd
  • Seychelles: Raw Trading Ltd
  • Cyprus: IKBK Holdings Ltd / IC Markets (EU) Ltd

Why should you read this review?

There’s a large number of CFD trading platforms out there that you probably don’t have the time to screen out and review individually.

You probably want to concentrate your efforts in what you do best, which is trading, and that is the main reason why you should give this review a look, as we summarize the most important details you need to know about this broker and the way they work.

This guide will simplify the task of comparing between the different brokers available for your country of residence and we will cover most – if not all – of the important variables you should look out for including the number of CFD products available, the trading platform’s interface and features, the quality of IC Markets’ customer service, and the cost of trading with this broker.

This is a more detailed list of all the elements will we be addressing in this review:

  • Main advantages of trading them.
  • How safe it is to trade.
  • Opening an account.
  • Depositing and withdrawing money with IC Markets.
  • Financial products offered – CFDs, forex.
  • User experience and features of IC Markets trading platform.
  • Third-party platforms supported (MetaTrader 4, etc).
  • Trading fees charged by IC Markets.
  • Research tools available.
  • Educational materials available (demo account, tutorials, eBooks, etc).
  • IC Markets customer service review.

What’s the best about IC Markets?

IC Markets is generally seen as a good choice for forex traders who rely on algorithms and other advanced techniques to conduct their trades due to the advanced features offered by this broker.

The fact that they offer potential 0 pip trades is a great advantage for high-frequency traders and day-traders while the availability of third-party platforms such as Meta Trader 4, Meta Trader 5, and cTrader also makes this broker a nice alternative for more experienced traders.

Finally, even though the portfolio of CFDs offered is a bit limited compared to its competitors, it should suffice the scope of most traders, especially for forex pairs, indexes, and cryptocurrencies.

Visit Website >>

IC Markets Trading Platform

Trading PLatforms

Trading PLatforms

This company is an online trading platform. This broker offers hundreds of Contracts for Difference (CFD) to customers in Australia, Europe, and Asia, among other locations. IC Markets provide a robust platform that supports advanced trading tools such as MetaTrader 4, Meta Trader 5, and cTrader, via web, desktop, and mobile interfaces based on MT4.

This broker’s main appeal is that it offers 0 pip spreads for certain CFDs, while commission fees and non-trading fees are on the low end of the industry as well. Additionally, IC Markets also offers fast order execution, relying on a low-latency fiber optics infrastructure with an average execution speed of under 40ms.

While this broker specializes in forex CFDs, this broker also offers CFDs that cover a selection of stocks, stock indexes, bonds, and commodities, making it an interesting choice for experienced traders seeking to take advantage of its robust trading systems while also having a wide range of financial assets to trade with.

Currently they don’t offer a proprietary trading platform. Instead, this broker provides Meta Trader as the default platform, which is a third-party platform.

This is a significant downside for amateur traders who may not be accustomed to using advanced trading interfaces and definitely a competitive disadvantage compared to other forex brokers.

The most popular version of Meta Trader used by traders is MT4, even though MT5 and cTrader are also supported.

MT4 comes in more 34 different languages and provides significant possibilities in terms of customization and reporting, even though it has various downsides as well.

Here’s a more detailed overview of the platform’s features.

WebTrader

IC Markets MT WebTrader

The web-version of IC Markets trading platform is a bit rough around the edges and lacks a modern design and the intuitiveness commonly seen in today’s top-notch trading interfaces. However, the interface can be customized to a high degree.

The search function is one of those characteristics that lacks modernity, as the platform offers a drop-down list rather than an intuitive search box.

Additionally, no alerts or notifications can be set on the web version and the two-step login feature is not available either.

Desktop platform

The desktop version of Meta Trader 4 is fairly similar to the web version, which means that it lacks in design and user-friendliness.

However, a few features are different, including the fact that you can set alerts and notifications sent via mobile push or e-mail.

Mobile Trading App

Mobile Trading App

Mobile Trading App

The mobile trading platform of IC Markets is also supported by Meta Trader 4, but it is significantly better looking than the web version.

The app is available for both Android and iOS devices and comes in many languages as well.

The mobile app is very user-friendly and has a more modern look than the other versions, while it lacks extra security features such as the two-step login option. Additionally, no face ID or fingerprint ID are available.

Search functions in the mobile trading app are much more intuitive and alerts and notifications can be set but only through the desktop version, which is a bit inconvenient.

Order Types

IC Markets’ trading platform only allows for three different trade order types:

  • Market order – this order is executed at the current market price of the security.
  • Limit order – a limit order sets a maximum price at which you are willing to buy the securities or a minimum price at which you are willing to sell the securities. The order will only be executed at the limit price or better.
  • Stop-loss order – a stop order limits losses in case the market price falls below or goes above the stop price. The order will become a market order once that price is reached.

Visit Website >>

Is IC Markets Safe?

IC Markets is considered a safe broker to trade CFDs with, as the company and its subsidiaries are regulated by one top-tier jurisdiction – the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) – and other regulators including the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CYSEC) and the Seychelles Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA).

Also, this online broker has been in business since 2007, which gives this broker a sufficient track record to qualify as a safe alternative for traders.

Insurance

(AU) – Professional Indemnity Insurance with Lloyd’s of London.

(SC) – Professional Indemnity Insurance with H Savy Insurance Co Ltd in Seychelles

Segregation of funds

Clients money is held separately to company funds at AA rated Australian banks.

Banking Relationships

They work with NAB (National Australia Bank) and Westpac (Westpac Banking Corporation) – two top-ties Australian Banks.

On the downside, they don’t provide negative balance protection.

How to Open an Account?

Open Account At IC Markets

Open Account At IC Markets

Opening an account is very easy and it only takes a few minutes.

The registration process can be done online and their services are available in most countries except those that have been sanctioned by the OFAC.

Additionally, clients from the United States, Canada, and Israel can’t trade with this broker.

Minimum Deposits

The minimum deposit required to open an account with IC Markets is $200, which is on the low end compared to other advanced forex brokers, while the fees and features available for each trader vary depending on the type of account selected.

IC Markets does not charge a deposit fee for any of its funding methods.

Traders can deposit money via credit or debit cards, electronic wallets, or bank transfer.

Bank transfers can take a few days to be cleared while payments made via credit or debit card are credited instantly.

Deposits can only be made from accounts and cards that are in your name.

Visit Website >>

Account Types

Account Types

Account Types

There are three types of accounts traders can choose from:

  • Raw Spread Account – cTrader: this account offers trading fees starting at 0 pips and it is recommended for day traders and scalpers.
  • Raw Spread Account – Meta Trader: this account offers trading fees starting at 0 pips as well and it is the preferred choice for EAs and scalpers.
  • Standard Account – Meta Trader: the standard account offer trading fees starting at 1 pip and it is suitable for discretionary traders.

Each account is entitled to a leverage ratio of 500:1 and raw spread accounts generate a commission of $3 (cTrader) and $3.5 (Meta Trader) per lot, while the standard account does not generate commission fees.

Finally, all the accounts are allowed to trade with all of the products offered by IC Markets and micro lot trading is permitted for the three accounts as well.

There are 10 base currencies available for each of the accounts offered by IC Markets including EUR, USD, GBP, AUD, CHF, JPY, NZD, SGD, CAD, and HKD.

This is an advantage compared to other forex brokers as it allows traders to save money on conversion fees.

Range of Markets

In summary, there are 232 tradable CFD instruments offered by this broker including:

  • 60 Forex pairs.
  • 120+ Individual stocks.
  • 23 Indicies.
  • 6 Bonds.
  • 4 Global Futures
  • 19 Commodities.
  • 10 Cryptocurrencies.

The cryptocurrencies offered by this broker include Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, Dash, Litecoin, Ripple, EOS, Emercoin, NameCoin, and PeerCoin.

As for commodities, traders have access to a limited selection of precious metals, soft commodities, and energy commodities including WTI Crude Oil, Brent, and Natural Gas.

The stock indexes covered by this broker’s CFDs include the S&P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the FTSE 100, and the Australian S&P 200.

Finally, the selection of forex pairs offered by IC Markets includes the most popular pairs such as the EUR/USD, GBPY/USD, and USD/JPY, along with certain exotic pairs such as the GBP/TRY and the CHF/SGD.

One upside is that you can modify the degree of leverage you take when placing individual trades. This is not an alternative provided by many forex brokers.

Visit Website >>

Trading Fees

IC Markets charges both commission fees and trading fees depending on the account chosen by the trader.

Raw spread accounts charge a commission fee, even though the spreads are lower, while the standard account doesn’t charge commission fees but the spreads are higher.

Overall, IC Markets trading fees are on the low end of the industry, even though its financing fees are reportedly on the high end.

The commission fee for cTrader raw spread accounts are $3 per each $100,000, while the commission fees for Meta Trader raw spread accounts are $3.5 per lot per side.

As a reference, the spread charged for EURUSD is between 0 and 1 pip for raw spread accounts and 1.1 for standard accounts.

As for commodities, WTI crude oil futures pay an average spread of 0.050 while the average spread of coffee futures is 0.900.

For cryptocurrencies, the average spread is 10 for the BTCUSD pair and 4.5 for the ETHUSD pair.

Finally, for stock indexes, the S&P 500 index pays an average spread of 0.600 while the European STOXX50 index pays an average spread of 1.850 pips.

A list of the spreads charged for each CFD is available on IC Markets website.

Finally, this broker does not charge inactivity fees.

Research Tools

IC Markets offer the research tools available within the Meta Trader 4 and 5 platforms. They also have a section where analysis is posted, called the WebTV.

The tools available include trading ideas based on technical indicators and a news feed featuring top-notch news outlets.

Additionally, the MT4 and MT5 platforms feature a set of 31 technical indicators.

Education

A demo account is available for traders who may want to test the trading platform before depositing money and there are also platform tutorial videos available for those starting out with Meta Trader or cTrader.

Additionally, IC Markets also provides educational videos and articles to learn more about trading, and they also host webinars periodically.

Customer Service

IC Markets offers 24/7 phone support, live chat, and e-mail support.

Phone support has been qualified as very good by most traders, as you can connect with a customer service representative quickly.

However, the live chat feature seems to be inactive most of the time and the average wait time is too long.

Finally, e-mail support is also decent, with most e-mails answered within 24 hours.

Withdrawals

Traders can withdraw money without incurring an extra fee as long as the funding method is a credit card, debit card, e-wallet, or an Australian bank account.

Meanwhile, bank transfers made to international banks generate an AUD$ 20 fee.

Bank transfers are typically received within 2 business days.

Summary

  • IC Markets is an Australian online broker with more than 13 years in business.
  • This broker serves more than 100,000 clients worldwide and processes around 500,000 trades a day.
  • They regulated by a top-tier jurisdiction (ASIC) and two other financial regulators.
  • IC Markets offers a wide range of CFD products covering various financial assets including forex pairs, stocks, stock indexes, commodities, futures, and cryptocurrencies.
  • There are three types of accounts traders can choose from with this broker.
  • The raw spread accounts offer 0 pip trades, while commission fees apply.
  • No commission fees are charged for standard accounts but spreads are higher.
  • The minimum deposit required to open an account is $200.
  • No deposit fees are charged by this broker.
  • The leverage ratio offered for all the accounts is 500:1.
  • There are 10 base currencies available for traders accounts.
  • The portfolio of CFDs available covers more than 230 different financial instruments.
  • IC Markets does not have a proprietary trading platform.
  • This broker supports MT4, MT5, and cTrader third-party platforms.
  • Meta Trader 4 offers a web-version, desktop, and mobile app trading platform.
  • IC Markets offers three types of trade orders: market, limit, and stop-loss.
  • Trading fees are on the low end of the industry.
  • Commission fees apply to raw spread accounts.
  • Research tools include a top-notch news feed, a trading ideas hub, and charting tools.
  • Educational tools include platform tutorial videos, blogs, and other trading-related educational materials.
  • Customer service includes phone, live chat, and e-mail support.
  • Withdrawals are free except for international bank transfers, which generate a commission of AUD$ 20.

Visit Website >>

If you liked this article, you can also read:

, based in London, UK, is a distinguished financial analyst and forex trading specialist with a rich background spanning over 15 years in the financial sector. With a Master's degree in Finance from the Kingston University, he has carved out a niche as a currency strategist for top-tier banks and trading firms globally. Johnathan is a prolific contributor to financial magazines and online trading communities, offering expert analysis on forex market dynamics, trading strategies, and comprehensive broker reviews. His expertise is not just limited to analysis; he is deeply committed to educating traders, guiding them through the complexities of the forex market with clarity and authority. Johnathan's insights are sought after for their thoroughness, precision, and his dedication to empowering traders with knowledge to navigate the forex market confidently.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

news

Forex Trading Knowledge Questions and Answers

Forex Trading Knowledge Questions and Answers

Forex Trading Knowledge Questions and Answers

What Is A Demo Account?

Demo accounts enable new investors to test their ideas and learn how to use trading technologies without risk. Users can use the demo account to trade with simulated money and see what their returns would be if they traded with real money. Demo accounts are often used in schools and universities to teach investing and compete in trading competitions.

Demo accounts are commonly used by stock traders, currency exchange traders, and commodities dealers, but not by long-term investors. A demo account is less effective since the longer it takes to produce earnings from an investment, the more time it takes away from compounding real money.

 

How Does A Demo Account Work?

Using demo accounts, investors can practice trading on a platform without putting their own money at risk. You will not be exposed to the dangers associated with live trading platforms on a demo account. As a result, you can learn how platforms work without putting your money at danger.

A demo account guarantees that you will not lose money, but it also guarantees that you will not make money. To reduce risk when trading on the real market, traders must learn discipline and establish techniques.

How to Open A Demo Account?

In general, opening a demo trading account is pretty simple. Choose a Broker – Most brokers provide demo trading interfaces to help you become acquainted with the features and create techniques. Choose which broker to use initially.

Registration is necessary, and you must provide your personal information. Name, address, and financial information will be requested. Your identification will almost certainly have to be validated as well.

Once you’ve decided on a broker, you can install MetaTrader4. Once you have decided on a broker, you will require a trading platform. MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 are the most popular trading platforms.

You will obtain login details after registering with a trading program. You will be able to open an account.

How Long Do Demo Accounts Last?

Traders can use a demo account to test out a program for up to three months before deciding whether to purchase the complete edition. The three-month term is basically offered to guarantee that the prospective buyer has enough information to make them desire to buy.

Why Is It Necessary to Open A Demo Account?

Traders can use a demo account to test out a program for up to three months before deciding whether to purchase the complete edition. The three-month term is basically offered to guarantee that the prospective buyer has enough information to make them desire to buy.

What Are Advantages of A Demo Accounts?

Demo accounts are an excellent method to learn about various trading tactics and software. Paper trading is a lot safer way for a beginner investor to make technical mistakes than real trading. Investors can benefit from the customised trading software provided by each firm.

A demo account lets you to test methods without risking any money, whether you are a novice or an experienced trader. Trading on a demo account allows the trader to test the approach before trading with real money.

Even though many traders begin with equities, commodities and Forex can be profitable. The same strategies, however, may not be applicable in all three asset groups. A demo account allows experienced traders to experiment with several asset classes.

 

The Differences Between Demo & Live Accounts

A forex demo account is distinct from a genuine account in that it is utilised as a training account for traders to practise trading without putting real money at risk. Real accounts, on the other hand, use actual money, and traders put their own money at risk. A demo account enables users to trade with fictitious money in order to imitate the earnings they would receive if they traded with real money. Demo accounts are often used in colleges and institutions to teach investing and compete in trading competitions.

However, studies have shown that even if a person has obtained extensive trading expertise through the use of virtual accounts, things may turn out differently when real money is involved. Because you are not putting anything at risk  is more accessible when dealing with virtual money than when trading with actual money.

Can I have Multiple Forex Demo Accounts?

You may be able to open up to five demo accounts depending on the broker. Some, however, provide up to 19 demo accounts. There is no way to predict how many demo accounts are available at any particular time. All brokers do not limit the number of demo accounts.

If your broker has a demo account limit, you can contact their customer service via email or live chat to request more demo accounts.

There are brokers who will only allow you to open one account of each type per email address.

As a result, you are not able to establish any additional accounts until you give them with another email address or open a new account. Traders do not benefit from this practise because it requires them to spend their resources on opening new accounts rather than allowing them to open as many as they like.

In most circumstances, you won’t need more than five accounts, and depending on your plan, one may enough.

In any case, you should practise on a demo account until you are really proficient.

Is A Demo Trading Account Free?

Demo platforms are usually free. There is no risk of losing money because you will not be dealing with real money. As a result, there are no deposits, withdrawals, or training fees involved.

 

How to Choose Forex Accounts?

Different accounts have different settings. Before you open a trading account, you should answer the following questions:

How much money do you want to put down? You should keep in mind that trading with money you cannot afford to lose is not a good idea.

What is your level of risk tolerance? If you are a cautious trader, you can open a micro account and trade micro-lots. However, if you wish to trade more aggressively, you should open a regular account.

Do you require any specialised equipment? Many forex brokers provide their best trading tools to its professional clients, which may include cutting-edge news analysis or access to a diverse set of indicators.

Once you’ve determined what kind of trader you are, your trading objectives, and your risk tolerance, you’ll be able to choose which account is best for you.

Can I Take Money Out of a Demo Account?

Unfortunately, the answer is no. Demo accounts are only for practise purposes. You do not deposit anything because the account is not funded with real money.

As a result, any profits you would have made would be ineligible for withdrawal.

Forex Trading Knowledge Questions and Answers

Forex Trading Knowledge Questions and Answers

Continue Reading

news

AvaTrade introducing 3 new crypto pairs

crypto trading with Avatrade

AvaTrade introducing 3 new crypto pairs – updating 3 others

AvaTrade has yet again improved their cryptocurrency trading offering.

AvaTrade is introducing three new cryptocurrency pairs: NEOUSD, EOSUSD & MIOTAUSD in addition to the 15 crypto assets already on offer.

These new pairs have been available since July 1st, 2019 and provide an excellent opportunity to diversify your clients’ portfolios and increase their exposure to this vibrant 24/7 market.

AssetTypical SpreadLeverageMarginMin Nominal Trade Size
NEOUSD1.5% Over-market2:0150%10
EOSUSD2% Over-market2:0150%10
MIOTAUSD1.5% Over-market2:0150%10

To unify their cryptocurrency instrument labels, They are relabeling their existing Ethereum, Ripple & Litecoin instruments, by replacing the existing instruments with new USD labelled ones:

AssetOld SymbolNew Symbol
RIPPLEXRPXRPUSD
ETHEREUMETHETHUSD
LITECOINLTC_MiniLTCUSD

These new pairs have also been available since July 1st,

The trading conditions for each one is identical to those of the older respective assets they replace.

Effective immediately, new positions are only available on the new pairs.

Avatrade Clients will not be able to open new positions on the old assets, but those already open will remain unaffected until July 29th.

Existing positions on XRP, ETH and Litecoin-mini that remain open on July 29th will be automatically replaced with corresponding positions on the new pairs, , at the same opening price and at no cost to clients.

as any broker that values their clients would do , Avatrade makes sure that the clients will not be affected by the change.

Visit Avatrade NOW

Continue Reading

news

Neteller Launches Cryptocurrency Exchange Service

Neteller Launches Cryptocurrency Exchange Service

Neteller  one of the most known Digital fiat currency wallet provider , has started allowing its users to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies including BTC, BCH, ETH, ETC, and LTC.

They do this on the large scale with a pilot in 10 countries and soon another 50 countries to join . They understand that if you do this effort it will only succeed if you can do this on a global scale.

Neteller and Cryptocurrencies

Neteller is a service which is operated by Paysafe Financial Services Ltd.,

paysafe

paysafe

founded in 1999, Paysafe Financial Services entered the market with the mission to provide an online alternative to the known traditional payment methods.

Most of the traders aiming us now neteller as one of the companies through which we made our deposits and if we had any profits also our withdrawals. A couple of years ago they left the Forex and Binary industry behind since the charge-back issue became just too expensive.

But as any companies knows, if you do not adept you die. The binary option market is all but dead and the Forex industry has moved also into the directions of the cryptocurrencies. thus, neteller understands that this is where the future is.

So Lasts week they announced that they are now offering a wallet with buy and sell cryptocurrency options.

As of today, Neteller users can buy, hold and sell cryptocurrencies via a recognized cryptocurrency exchange including bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ethereum, ethereum classic and litecoin, purchased using any one of 28 fiat currencies available in the Neteller wallet.

It may not seem so exciting but for many users that love this service it actually is. More and more currencies will be added making them an true exchange in the near future.

Now one is able to fund their neteller account through many different means (Mobile, Epay, Paysafecard, local bank deposits, and bitcoin)

We think that will make the threshold for many people, who would want to buy or sell cryptocurrencies, lower. This in return is a good thing for the overall acceptance of the cryptocurrencies in the mainstream of every day life.

Conditions for buying and selling cryptocurrencies through Neteller

The rates offered are somewhat in the lower middle of the current market making them go for the save route. The average market rates on the major cryptocurrency exchanges differ all in all not that much anyways, as this is not the main reason to choose to buy Bitcoin through Neteller

The minimum cryptocurrency purchase or sale amount is “approximately equal to 10 EUR,” the firm clarified, adding that the maximum amount depends on the transaction limits associated with each account.

When You open an account with Neteller you have to choose your default currency. This is of course for most people in accordance on their geographical locations, people in Britain will go for the pound most Europeans go for the euro and pretty much the rest of the work goes for the US Dollar, thou other currencies are available

The fee is 1.5 percent for purchasing and selling cryptocurrencies from wallets with EUR or USD as the default currency.

The fee rises to 3 percent for wallets with other default currencies.

Neteller  | Why is this a good move for neteller and one that we should expect from other online Payment providers as well ?

At this moment till last week Neteller users can pay, get paid on thousands of sites, and send money around the world through their system.

The company claims to have “millions of point-of-sale, ATM and online locations” for users to withdraw or spend their cash.

Last July 25, Paysafe ( which as you remember is the company that owns Neteller and Skrill)  announced that another digital wallet provider in its group, Skrill ( formerly known as moneybookers), started allowing customers to “instantly buy and sell cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, bitcoin cash, ether and litecoin, using any one of the 40+ fiat currencies available in the Skrill wallet.”

We could now see that this was like their test run on this concept.

We do not know the numbers that Skrill produced since they offered this service but it must have been encouraging enough for Paysafe to include their flagship brand in this endevour.

We will see where this leads but we are hopeful that this is the next step in global acceptance to the cryptocurrency revolution. Let me know what you think

Continue Reading

news

The basics of trading that one should know

The basics of trading that one should know

Things you should be aware of before you start

The currency trading industry and now also the cryptocurrency trading industry have gone through enormous volatile times the last couple of years. Now with trump and its trade wars. The fast rise and somewhat recline of the cryptocurrencies and the fast pace of international politics and economies that create high rises and steep fall of the currencies.

So what does it all mean and what can you do before start to trade on these news headlines.

Good brokers like LegacyFX and UBCFX provide the traders with the latest market news and updates on a continuous basis but if you are new to trading you still have no idea what to do with this.

You start by understanding that the involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of losing you hard earned money. Besides the ones that were lucky enough to have bought Bitcoin a couple of years back and cashed in in the end of 2017, most people don’t get rich overnight.

You have to understand that you only trade with money that you are able to lose, going hungry because you want to open a trade is not the right wy to go about it.

So, What is Forex?

You should by now understand that the value of currencies goes up and down every day.

This in general becomes apparent the moment you go on vacation and what you bought last year with your money now is not the same amount you get today at the exchange.

This is on a large scale, what a lot of people do not know is that there is a foreign exchange market – or ‘Forex’ for short – or “FX” for even shorter, where you can potentially make a profit from the movement of these currencies.

The most known Trader is George Soros who made a billion dollars in a day by trading currencies. This is of course on a scale that we are not able to reach and you need a huge amount of money to begin with. Still he made a billion in one day!!

The internet has played a huge part in making trading in currencies accessible for the masses. You also do not need huge amounts of money to actually do this. Now keep in mind that if you make 10% profit on your investment but the investment was just $50 you basically just end up with $55. still no bank will give you 10% interest on your money.

Many people and I am talking millions are now trading every day, most do this on the side and don’t do this as a full-time job, but there are today enough people that are full time traders and making enough money to live comfortably.

Retail forex market needed Brokers

The Forex market for the retail market was born, it started around 15 years ago to become more serious as technologies advanced and the stream of information became almost instant, this is important for trading as one second can make the difference between profit or loss.

So, the moment the technology was there the people that wanted to trade were there all that was needed were the Forex brokers that offered the platform for trading.

There are latterly hundreds of companies of not thousands that offer this service and there are good ones like LegacyFX and there are scams (these tend to not last long)

Forex explained in short

The Forex market is the largest financial market on the planet and has been for many years now.

Its average daily trading volume is more than $4 trillion. (just let that number sink in for a second). Of this total amount around 5% is the retail market meaning traders like you and me. Still 5% of 4 Trillion is still a number with a lot of zeros behind it.

If you compare that with the New York Stock Exchange, which only has an average daily trading volume of $55 billion. You truly see the size.

To give you another example:

if you were to put ALL of the world’s equity and futures markets together, their combined trading volume would still only equal a 25% of the daily Forex market. Insane right?

Why does this even matter?

It matters because there are so many buyers and sellers that transaction prices are kept low. To explain how trading the Forex market is different than trading stocks, here are a few major benefits.

  1. Most Brokers don’t charge commissions – you pay only the bid/ask spreads.
  2. There’s 24hour trading – you decide when to trade and how to trade.
  3. You can focus on your currencies and become experts in only those pairs that you follow instead of following and selecting out of 5000 stocks
  4. You can trade on leverage, (something to be very aware of as it can magnify potential gains but also your losses).
  5. Forex is accessible for almost everyone– you don’t need a lot of money to get started
  6. In the Forex market you can trade on Demo accounts to learn before you commit your money

How is Forex traded?

The mechanics of a trade are virtually identical to those in other markets. The only difference is that you’re buying one currency and selling another at the same time.

This is also the reason as to why the currencies are quoted in pairs, like EUR/USD or USD/GBP.

The exchange rate represents the purchase price between the two currencies.

Example:

The EUR/GBP rate represents the number of GBP one EUR can buy (relevant now with all the Brexit issues going on) . If you think the Euro will increase in value against the British Pound, you buy Euros with British Pounds. If the exchange rate rises, you sell the Euros back, and you cash in your profit.

Now the same works for strading Bitcoin, ethereum, Litecoin or other cryptocurrencies. this has become an entire new market and has introduced many people to Forex . you should here be also aware that trading cryptocurrencies is like regular trading so you will be able to lose great sums of money.

the Best thing i found about trading cryptocurrencies is that the Leverage by default tends to be very low which makes the risk of losing it all much smaller.

Sounds simply enough?

Why does not everyone Trade.

The same could be asked as to why not everyone plays poker, you can make money. The comparison between the 2 is actually closer than you might think.

All traders that are successful will tell you that 80% of successful trading is psychology and the other 20% is research. It takes time to get the research down, but it can take a lifetime to master the psychology.

People tend to do things differently when real money is on the line and are accepting losses in the hope that the trend will reverse or taking out profit too early because they don’t want to lose what they just have gained. In short, the psychology is the hard part.

One should be aware that you can loose real money and a lot of it very fast if you don’t know what you are doing.

Now most Good Forex brokers offer some educational tools, some more than others that will teach you how to trade. There is also something that is called social trading that will allow you to follow other traders and see what they are doing in order for you to learn and make money at the same time.

So here are some ground rules for those that look to start trading

  1. Get involved in the market, watch read and listen to the news to understand what is happening
  2. Go through a trading course ( a good one is here)
  3. Open a demo account and trade at least a month (my advice to do this even longer)only on this before you even think about trading with real money.
  4. Check out social trading, there are some options for this, this broker offers this also.
  5. Try with an amount that you are able to afford losing. See this as your tuition money.
  6. Take it slow, don’t become greedy and follow the basic rules

Basic Rules (there are many more but start with these)

  1. The trend is your friend
  2. Don’t add money to a losing position
  3. Don’t trade on too many different currency pairs
  4. Trade only with a good broker
  5. Don’t open to many positions (no one needs 100 positions a day)
  6. Develop your strategy and stick to it.
  7. Know that NO ONE is 100% of the times right, everyone loses some.
  8. Last but not least, don’t trade with money you cannot afford to lose.

Now all that I want to say is good luck.  😊

 

Continue Reading

news

Wanted Cryptography Experts in China

 Wanted Cryptography Experts in China

The sooner we get to the official launch of China Digital Money. the more Cryptography Experts are needed.

it almost is surreal as they pushed against this from the beginning but now S China digital money may soon be a reality.

The Bank of China (PBOC) is hiring cryptography experts by the masses as reported by the South China Morning Post (SCMP)

this is the latest in the Chinese efforts to have a state controlled cryptocurrency for its own means.

The institution is one which worries a lot about the effect of investor activity in the cryptocurrency market. this in great contrasted to the directive issues in 2014 by the PBOC  that Bans any activity related to the cryptocurrency market.

Yet the Central bank of china started to build their own work force for building and developing their crypto in 2017.

something like if you can beat them , copy them.

in 2017 the Yicai Global reported that this targeted workforce would work from central Beijing as was to be names the  digital currency research institute

This research institute would primarily focus on the latest in digital currency technologies and all the different applications that would benefit from cryptocurrencies.

the former deputy director of the PBOC’s science department, Mr Yao Qiann would be in charge of the overall project

since then they are expending with opening a new research institute expanded in Nanjing . the idea for this center is to create more interest n the technologies and its possible applications.

the pilot programs are to be implemented by state controlled banks and academic institutions which should result in blockchain hubs that would attract new developing talent and additional capital to further develop the cryptocurrencies.

“Beijing’s ideal digital currency must ensure the smooth running of monetary and financial stability policies and at the same time protect consumers.”

Apparently, the ultimate goal for the Digital Currency Research Institute (DCRI) was to clear the path for a national cryptocurrency. Reports indicate that the fintech hubs will serve a purpose higher than initially believed. Reportedly, the hubs will serve as testing ground for China digital money. Here, the currency will undergo tests from prototype phase to future mass production.

and thus we get to the point that they are looking aggressively for new talent in the cryptographers and computer scientists sectors. now that more and more student have said good bey to the united states in the last couple of months after feeling they were less welcome this drive for finding new employment has only intensified and is answered by the large amount of brilliant young people coming back to live in chine after their education abroad.

The salaries are even higher then what they would have earned if they would stayed in the US and gone of to work in some of the companies in the Silicon Valley.

So we could expect that China is now also looking to become a world player in this industry as they have become the leaders in so many other fields.

 

 

Continue Reading

news

Online Trading platform SIRIX

best-forex-demo

SIRIX|  Online Trading platform SIRIX Review

[yasr_overall_rating]

Everyone that has been trading for some time has most likely traded on the metatrader 4 trading platform of metaquotes. This has been the standard in the industry for the last couple of years.

 

But more and more brokers Like CMSTrader and UBCFX are offering alternatives that might suite certain traders even better then the MT4 as they have a lower learning curve and are designed more intuitive.
One of these platforms is the Sirix Trading Platform.
The Sirix Trading platform is

Sirix, a fully packed trading software with numerous with numerous options and special indicators that are designed by the software company to present you with a personalized trading experience.

Positive features and benefits of the Sirix Trading Platform

Ease of Use: if you are a trader you will be able to access your Sirix trading platform and see all your trades and other information at any place and time. The Web-trader is a fully function trading platform that does not require you to do any download. This has more or less become the norm of the industry and if you for example take the Sirix Trading platform of LegacyFX you will be able to have a download desktop version, a web version and a mobile version.
these in general all have the same functionalities but of course is the mobile version a bit more limited due to the smaller screen real estate.

Indicators and Options: this platform provides build I more than 50 Indicators which for most traders is over kill but it does allow most traders to find the right indications to match their trading behavior and trading strategies.

The Charting Package that Sirix provides is easy enough to understand and gives you as a trader all the information you need, there are different time frames that in combination with the ability to display lines and annotations make this platform feel like it is designed for you.

Social Trading: Sirix has a full feature social trading module that allows you to watch the trades of others which might give you new insights and trading ideas. If you come a across a trader that is particular successful you are able to copy that traders’ trades and create a full automated copy trader,
You as the trader are still in charge and you have the option to trade with lesser or higher amount then the trader you are copying.
In order to use the social trading, you have to open an account with their social trading community.

This can only be done by using a nickname an order to protect you identity. When you are part of the community then you are part of all the brokers that offer this feature to their traders. Meaning you are able to follow a trader that is trading with 12trader while you are trading with account from UBCFX or any other broker that has Sirix.

Now I have to mention that if you look to only trade social then the Etoro Platform is still a better solution s this system is built only for social trading and they have pretty much defined the concept.

 


Sirix Crypto Trading Platform

this is the latest platform that was launched by Leverate.

it focuses , just like the name says more n the trading of cryptocurrencies.

as this company understands that this is the direction where the market is going and more and more traders are asking for trading in Bitcoin or ripple trading to just name a few they have added this feature to the Sirix Platform , this means that every broker that has the sirix trading platform is in theory able to offer trading in cryptocurrencies.

in addition they have launched also a platform that is only trading cryptocurrencies but that will be another review as i have yet to see and play with this system


Conclusion
The Software company Leverate has created a very user friendly platform with inbuilt social trading and news functionality. When they launched this platform in 2012 it was already a good platform but today it rivals the best of them easily.

The Intuitive aspect of this platform is one of the key features and makes the threshold of trading lower for newbies. There is also a fastn amount of Sirix Tutorials out there that will help even the total beginners with the Sirix Platform

Now of the traders that need bots and more indicators then there sis still nothing that beats the metatrader 4 trading platform but for many traders Sirix offers more then enough and makes the trading experience easier then with MT4.
More and more brokers are offering this alongside their other trading platform so you as a trader will come across more and more brokers that have the Sirix Trading platform in their arsenal.

These are some of the Best Broker for trading on Sirix

• UBCFX
LegacyFX
• 12Trader
• CMStrader

Continue Reading

news

Who Will Speak at Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm?

Who Will Speak at Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm?

Bringing DLT Specialists Together:

 

 On September 11, Sweden will host Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm organized by Smile-Expo – international coordinator of business events.

The conference will introduce various topics regarding blockchain and will drive attention to the most topical problems of the cryptocurrency market today.

Key speakers:[yasr_overall_rating]

One of the invited experts is the Member of Swedish Parliament Mathias Sundin who is involved in the Tax Committee and the Finance Committee. The specialist has co-founded a revolutionary technological organization Warp Institute and joined financial company Goobit. At the event, the speaker will analyse the power of decentralized systems, evaluating its long-term strenghts.

Head of Digital and Innovation at Landshypotek Bank Merete Salmeling will deliver the presentation, too. She will explain how DLT can be integrated into the real estate, and what advantages it brings.

President of Blockchain Alliance Europe Tanja Bivic Plankar will join the conference as well. Being an initial coin offerings expert, she will share knowledge about ICOs, describe recent innovations in the token sale sphere and talk about the regulatory framework.

Meet the speakers at the Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm

Regulatory and legal challenges coming with innovations will also be discussed by Dr. Guenther Dobrauz-Saldapenna – Partner & Leader PwC Legal Switzerland. The speaker is a lawyer, VC investor, and banking specialist. He provides business consultations and has already written 10 books discovering innovative processes, money and technology.

See the full list of Key speakers here

Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm is the second crypto event in Sweden carried out by Smile-Expo. The company has already held 40 successful crypto conferences in 25 countries.

Use an opportunity to meet leading DLT specialists, ask questions and learn new topical information about the blockchain industry at first hand at the conference!

Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm

Details of the event and registration are available on the official website of Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm.

Continue Reading

news

Go Visit the Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm

Go Visit the Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm

The Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm is a highly anticipated crypto event in Sweden.  and is being held for the second time.

after the success of the first one they look to make this event a annual one.  since the crypto industry is going more and more out of the shadows and becomes more mainstream you will find that the quality of people involved also grows.

this is clearly displayed in the extensive list of speakers at this event.

Event goals:

bringing together the international business community in order to share their experience of integrating blockchain and cryptocurrencies; discussing blockchain industry issues and finding ways to solve them; encouraging a balanced growth of the cryptocurrency market.

Conference topics: 

  • blockchain in various sectors: energy industry, real property, newsmaking etc.
  • Legal regulation of the blockchain sector
  • token models and their application
  • ICO regulation.

Speakers:

the list of world-renowned blockchain experts, including government officials, foreign investors, entrepreneurs, lawyers, and developers is impressive and should get this event the notice it deserves.

Meet the speakers at the Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm

who should not miss this Event :

investors, business people, lawyers, startup founders, and those aiming to launch a token sale.

why should not miss this Event :

:to receive full information with case studies about the blockchain application, to discover how to comply with the legal norms in the blockchain industry, to find business partners, and to enhance your brand awareness.

Prices of the Event

Standard ticket  – 240 EUR

  • Full access to all conference sessions
  • Access to demo area
  • Сoffee breaks
  • Speed networking

Student ticket – 121 EUR

  • Full access to all conference sessions
  • Access to demo area
  • Сoffee breaks
  • Speed networking

A valid student ID should be presented at check-in. No refunds on the day of the event.

Buy Your ticket Now


Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference Stockholm is a part of the series of Blockchain World Events held in 25 countries. The organizer is Smile-Expo International Company.

events around the globe

Continue Reading

news

RoboForex adding EOS Cryptocurrency

RoboForex adding EOS Cryptocurrency

RoboForex announced today adding EOS, a cryptocurrency which is now available for trading with the broker on both MT4 and MT5 platforms.

Roboforex added EOS CryptocurrencyCurrently, RoboForex clients have 7 crypto instruments to choose from.

RoboForex keeps expanding its crypto portfolio.

The latest addition is EOSUSD, which is already available to the clients through MT4 and MT5, alongside with six other crypto pairs:

BTCUSD, ETHUSD, BCHUSD, DSHUSD, LTCUSD, and XRPUSD.

The EOSUSD trading conditions are the following:

  • minimum lot size: 100,
  • minimum increment: 0.01,
  • leverage 5:1.

EOS is a cryptocurrency that was introduced in 2017 and is based on blockchain and smart contracts. Its key features are scalability, decentralized apps, and huge throughput (a few million transaction per second).

This is another step towards developing our crypto portfolio.

Our clients do value the flexibility and state of the art technologies we offer them As for us, our mission is meeting their expectations and constantly improving the trading conditions by opening the door to new instruments and opportunities.

says Denis Golomedov, ;Marketing Director at RoboForex.

Roboforex and Cryptocurrency

This Broker has been on the forefront of crypto trading on the Metatrader 4 and Metatrader trading platforms from the beginning and pushing for more and more trad-able assets to be added to their offering .

it took this broker a little bit of time but now that they got them selves into the cryptocurrency trading arena they come to lead the pack. this in combination with their the trading platforms they are offering makes this a broker to take notice of.

as yet there are not enough brokers that offer metatrader 5 and especially one where you are able to trade bitcoin ethereum, litecoin and now also EOS.

About RoboForex

RoboForex is a brokerage company catering to clients from various countries. The broker’s focus is providing the traders with access to its own financial market platforms.

RoboForex Ltd is a licensed company (License No. IFSC/60/271/TS/17).

 

Continue Reading

news

Local bitcoin Trader Jailed for Money Laundering

Indicted: Local bitcoin Trader Jailed for Money Laundering

Local Bitcoin trader, Theresa Lynn Tetley, also widely known as Bitcoin Maven has been indicted for indulging in illegal bitcoin-for-cash transactions. According to the Central District of California, the LocalBitcoins.com trader has been sentenced to 12 months in prison.

She has also been handed a three-year supervised release and a $20,000 fine. A former real estate investor and stockbroker, the court ordered her to relinquish $292,264.00 in cash, 25 assorted gold bars, and 40 bitcoin.

money launderingTetley pled guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money exchange business, and another related to money laundering. Her case is the first of its kind in the Central District of California.

Tetley was procedurally supposed to register her business with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury.

The agency is responsible for analyzing transactions to curb money laundering and related financial crimes. She also failed to implement standard anti-money laundering protocol, including reporting of certain financial sources as per the requirements of this type of business.

Tetley is said to have traded over $6 million for clients within the United States and charged higher rates as compared to other traders within the LocalBitcoins platform.

Also noted in the court documents was that Theresa Lynn laundered bitcoin for a customer who had been suspected of having acquired the cryptocurrency through illegal activities, including drug sales on the dark web.

She also carried out a bitcoin to cash transaction for an undercover agent who had explicitly declared that his bitcoin was tied to narco-trafficking operations.

According to the report, Tetley’s service was responsible for fueling the growing use of cryptocurrencies to launder money and supported a black market system set up purposely to circumvent the law.

The organizations involved in her investigation included the IRS Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Just One of Many

That said, the government has been committing significant resources to counter the crypto – dark web menace, and earlier this month, a major sting operation was carried out against a major money laundering network. Thirty-five suspects were arrested.

One individual, identified as John Edward Monette, was charged with Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. He was also alleged to have carried out numerous bitcoin for cash exchange transactions on the dark web, most of them in 2017 and totaling about $19,000.

Another dark web vendor busted during the operation, Ryan Farace, 34 was indicted for being involved in an alprazolam tablets manufacture and distribution scheme.

He sold the drugs on the dark web, with all transactions being made in bitcoin. Additional digital currency money laundering transactions were made to conceal the sources.

Article Originally Published:

By ELIZABETH GAIL at Coincentral

 

Continue Reading

Trending