At first glance, you might think that Forex is a complicated network, and it will take more than one year of hard work to figure it out. On the one hand, it’s true. It will take a lot of effort and study to become a real professional. But on the other hand, if you conduct the training competently and in stages, you will not only understand what Forex trading accounts and how they work, but also make this process enjoyable.
How do forex trading functions?
Forex is an international currency market. The product is a currency. Here they buy dollars for euros, euros for dollars, and so on. Each currency pair is a separate instrument. Private traders trade with forex brokers, brokers with banks, and banks with each other.
The top 6 currency pairs in 2023 include:
- EUR/USD
- USD/JPY
- GBP/USD
- AUD/USD
- USD/CAD
- USD/Swiss Franc
A trader buys one currency and sells another, and the exchange rate constantly fluctuates depending on supply and demand. But unlike traditional currency exchange offices, this happens exclusively on the Internet, and when buying, the trader does not receive real currency, but only makes deals-bets on price changes.
Currency exchange rates are influenced by various factors: economic indicators and policies of national banks, political changes, force majeure (for example, natural disasters, accidents at large enterprises, terrorist attacks and even weather conditions), as well as rumors, moods and expectations of market participants. Nevertheless, amidst all these dynamics, the world of Forex maintains a degree of stability, as the decline of one currency inevitably triggers a shift in the exchange rate of another. An astute trader can harness this phenomenon to yield significant gains for their financial portfolio.
Pros and Cons of Forex Trading
This is a complex system, so you can find both advantages and disadvantages in it.
Pros:
- Access to a worldwide market. This is the easiest way to access the global market. All that is required is an Internet connection. Thousands of opportunities open up to the trader. The boundaries are greatly expanding. Forex is the most dynamically developing investment tool today. Thanks to the huge number of participants, the round-the-clock operation of trading platforms and the constant improvement of communication and communication facilities, about $3.5 trillion is turned around daily in the foreign exchange markets.
- Affordable entry costs. All transactions go through the network, so you don’t have to pay huge electricity bills. In principle, if you are used to spending a lot of time at the computer, your account will not change at all.
- Possibility of rapid profits. The main advantage is the opportunity to get really big money for a short period of time. But here it is important to have all the necessary knowledge and develop a successful strategy. Perseverance and a reasonable approach will lead to the fact that soon there will be a decent amount on the balance sheet. You do not need to understand the basic principles before you understand the question of how to earn in Forex trading.
- Abundance of platforms offering complimentary training. If you do not have enough knowledge or skills, you need to undergo professional training. And the plus is that there are many courses that you can get knowledge for absolutely free. This is especially true for new users. But experienced traders always have something to take on these courses.
No one can take full advantage if you understand how Forex trading works.
Cons:
- Pronounced market volatility. This value is directly related to the profitability and risk of investments. That is, the higher the volatility, the higher the potential return of the asset, but, accordingly, the higher the risk. No wonder this indicator is called a risk measure.
- Elevated risk of fraudulent activities. Forex trading is always a risk. But if you decide to play on the foreign exchange market through a legal forex dealer, the probability of losing money will depend only on your skill and luck. And if a forex dealer works illegally, the chances of losing all their investments grow to 100%.
- Steep initial learning curve. If you have absolutely no knowledge, then you will have to make a huge leap. You cannot start or expect to make a profit without certain knowledge.
A beginner’s guide to forex trading
The essence of Forex trading is relatively uncomplicated. Prior to executing a transaction, you make a choice between two distinct currencies, forming a currency pair. One of these currencies serves as the base, while the other is the quoted currency. Your mission involves predicting the fluctuation of the quoted currency’s exchange rate relative to the base. If you’re confident that the quoted currency’s exchange rate will rise, you can embark on a “buy” trade; conversely, if you anticipate a decrease, you can engage in a “sell” trade.
In the spot market, currencies are exchanged for immediate delivery, ensuring that the transaction settlement occurs within a span of just two business days. This view is suitable for individual traders and investors.
The forward market is different in that participants agree to exchange currencies on a future date, usually for up to one year in advance.
The main difference of the futures market is that contracts are standardized and traded on the stock exchange, although there are similarities with the forward type.
What is leverage in forex trading?
Many traders and investors choose spot trading because of the ability to use leverage. In this case, the impact on the market increases several times. But capital costs are decreasing. The trader has the ability to open really large positions. At the same time, you do not need to pay the entire amount for the transaction in advance.
Although it should also be noted the disadvantages of using leverage, since the risks of large losses are growing. In some cases, the losses may be greater than the initial investment. The trader will simply go into negative territory.
Leverage should be used wisely in order to effectively manage risks.
What is the margin in forex trading?
Forex margin is the collateral part of your deposit required by the broker to open your positions. Without margin security, you will not be able to use leverage, because your broker holds part of your funds to maintain your open trades and cover any possible losses.
Different brokers will offer different margin sizes depending on the instrument you are trading.
Each currency pair moves differently, and this determines what level of margin is required. If you strive to find more volatile pairs in order to catch big moves, the margin needed to trade these currency pairs will be larger.
The margin for each financial instrument is usually indicated as a percentage.
What is a pip in forex trading?
Pip is the smallest change in the unit price that an exchange rate can make based on the rules of the Forex market. Simply put, it is a standard unit of measurement of how much the exchange rate has changed in value. It should be noted separately that pip and base points are different concepts.
The concept of pip is very important in financial markets, because the value of this criterion is very important for the amount of risk in transactions. Without knowing the concept of pip, traders cannot determine the amount of profit and loss on their trades.
What is a lot in forex trading?
This is the amount of currency that is used to make transactions for buying or selling using leverage.
The concept of a lot is used only in the retail version of the market. In the practice of interbank trading, lots are not used, since banks have the opportunity to buy and sell any amount of the base currency at the quoted value.
For the convenience of trading, many brokers provide their clients with the opportunity to trade a mini lot (0.1 lot – 10,000 units of currency) and a micro lot (0.01 lot – 1000 units of currency). This approach allows investors to minimize their risks in trading as much as possible, but at the same time significantly reduces the profit on transactions.
What is the spread in forex trading?
The spread denotes the variance between prices, essentially representing the gap between the buying and selling rates of currency pairs. The magnitude of the spread serves as an indicator of market liquidity, with greater values suggesting lower liquidity levels. Consequently, when dealing with widely traded pairs, the spread tends to exhibit narrower margins.
When opening any trade, the trader immediately receives a loss equal to the spread value.
The spread can be compared with the commission, which is automatically withdrawn when opening transactions. For an honest broker, the spread is the main source of income. By the way, on stock exchanges, in order to regulate market liquidity, spread limits are set: if its maximum value is reached, trading automatically stops.
How to Start Forex Trading?
Beginner traders should initiate their trading journey by selecting a reputable broker. The primary objective is to facilitate the setup of accounts and funding, akin to conventional investing. However, traders should remain vigilant and acknowledge the various intricacies of trading, such as heightened liquidity, market volatility, thorough research, and effective risk management. Given that the forex market operates 24/7, market shifts can transpire at any hour, necessitating constant vigilance. If you figure out how to do forex trading, you can become really successful and get regular profits.
Forex trading is deceptively associated with an easy way to make a profit. In order to become a professional trader, you need to put in a lot of effort. This is hard work that requires serious preparation.