How To Choose a Forex Broker

The retail forex market is so competitive that just thinking about having to sift through all the available brokers can give you a major headache.

For forex trading, it is of very importance to choose the right forex broker.  A forex broker provides the required platform for trading. They usually provide a demo account for practice, along with analysis and news of the existent market as guidance to the traders.

There are so many forex broker‘s out there, that choosing the right one is difficult.  It would be wise to remember a few points while choosing the best broker for your need.

How To Choose a Forex Broker

Choosing which forex broker to trade with can be a very overwhelming task especially if you don’t know what you should be looking for.

1. Security

The first and foremost characteristic that a good broker must have is a high level of security. After all, you’re not going to hand over thousands of dollars to a person who simply claims he’s legit, right?

Fortunately, checking the credibility of a forex broker isn’t very hard. There are regulatory agencies all over the world that separate the trustworthy from the fraudulent.

Below is a list of countries with their corresponding regulatory bodies:

• United States: National Futures Association (NFA) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC)
• United Kingdom: Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
• Australia: Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC)
• Switzerland: Swiss Federal Banking Commission (SFBC)
• Germany: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (BaFIN)
• France: Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF)
• Canada: Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF)

Before even THINKING of putting your money in a broker, make sure that the broker is a member of the regulatory bodies mentioned above.

2. Transaction Cost

No matter what kind of currency trader you are, like it or not, you will always be subject to transaction costs.

Every single time you enter a trade, you will have to pay for either the forex spread or a commission so it is only natural to look for the most affordable and cheapest rates. Sometimes you may need to sacrifice low transaction for a more reliable broker.

Make sure you know if you need tight spreads for your type of trading, and then review your available options. It’s all about finding the correct balance between security and low transaction costs.

3. Deposit and Withdrawal

Good FX brokers will allow you to deposit funds and withdraw your earnings hassle-free. Brokers really have no reason to make it hard for you to withdraw your profits because the only reason they hold your funds is to facilitate trading.

Your broker only holds your money to make trading easier so there is no reason for you to have a hard time getting the profits you have earned. Your broker should make sure that the withdrawal process is speedy and smooth.

4. Trading Platform

In online forex trading, most trading activity happens through the brokers’ trading platform. This means that the trading platform of your broker must be user-friendly and stable.

When looking for a broker, always check what its trading platform has to offer.
Does it offer free news feed? How about easy-to-use technical and charting tools? Does it present you with all the information you will need to trade properly?