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Choosing A Forex Broker - What To Look For

So what should you look for when choosing a Forex Broker?

If you are new to Forex Trading it's easy to get caught up in the hype and get carried away with dreams of making a fortune. But Forex is a complicated market, albeit an exciting one.

Two things that can really have an impact on how successful you will be, are Forex Training, and choosing the right Forex Broker. Both can influence how much you win or lose, but for this article I'll be concentrating on what to look for when choosing a Forex Broker.

Tips for choosing a Forex Broker :

1) A Demo Account. Most brokers offer a demo account where you can trade in real time without using real money. This is essential for beginners to get experience of how Forex Trading works, without risking your investment. Only go "live" when you are making profitable trades on the demo account, and you have enough experience and confidence to take the plunge with cold hard cash.

2) Low Spreads. The "spread" is the difference between the buying price and the selling price of currency. This where the brokers make their money, rather than charge a commission, so low spreads means less money to the broker, and more to you.

3) Leverage. This is the ability to trade using the broker's money. For example, if the leverage ratio is 100:1 then $100 allows you to trade with $1000. If you have a successful trade you can make a tidy profit while only risking a small amount of money. But beware, this is a double edged sword, because a small loss can wipe out your investment.

4) Trading Platforms. You normally have a choice of web-based or client-based software trading platforms. Web-based is hosted on your broker's website, so you can log in from any computer anywhere. Client-based is software you download to your computer, which means you only have access from your own computer. Whichever you choose, you will want to have access to real-time currency exchange rates, and full details of your account balance.

5) Tecnical support. This is extremely important. If you need help or support, or if there are software problems you want to be able to speak to someone fast. Choose a broker who offers 24 hour support.

6) Fees. There will be rollover fees for held positions, and these fees can vary quite a bit from broker to broker. Check the fees along with ALL the terms & cinditions before committing yourself to any broker.

It's understandable if some of this is just jargon to you, and that's why proper training is essential. Learning from someone who already has successful Forex Trading strategies in place should be your first and most important investment.

By: John Michael Gatens

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