How to Choose a Forex Broker

Posted June 17th, 2010 and last modified October 17th, 2012

How to Find the Right Forex Broker for Your Investments

A Forex broker is someone who makes investments on your behalf on the Foreign Exchange. There are brokers online, and in your local area that can make your investments for you. You should choose your broker carefully, since they may be handling large amounts of your money from time to time. Here are some things to look for when you are choosing a Forex broker to work with.

Featured Brokers

Broker Spread Min Deposit Max Leverage Min Trade Size Pairs

Easy Forex
2 - 4 $25 1:200 $5,000 76

eToro
2 - 90 $50 1:400 $1,000 16

Markets.com
3 $100 1:200 $5,000 44

AVA FX
3 - 4 $100 200:1 $5,000 32

Dukascopy
0.5 - 2 $5,000 1:100 $1,000 22

Forex Yard
3 - 5 $100 200:1 $1,000 27

How Brokers Are Different

One of the things that you may notice if you check one Forex broker against another is that the brokers will likely have different spreads, or pips. This is the amount of money that you can sell your currencies at, minus the buying price. Some brokers allow you to sell at a lower price than others, so research your options carefully. A broker that offers a fixed spread will sell at one set price, while those with a variable spread will sell based on the demand for the currency that you are selling. Large investments often fare better when there is a variable spread, which helps keep costs down and profits higher.

Another thing to look at is the broker’s liquidity in the Forex. This is especially important if you are planning on making large investments. The Forex is intended to be a very liquid market, so you should be able to cash out any investment quickly and easily. If you are buying and selling online, you may not think about local laws, but these are very important to consider. Check your broker’s location to determine the laws set within that jurisdiction, or contact customer support if you have any questions about your online broker’s jurisdiction.

Online Trading Platforms

One way to find a Forex broker simply is to use an online trading platform. You will be able to trade online, any time of the day. Online brokers are available for customer support any time through email, as well. You can also often call the customer support centre during business hours if you have a question about the platform that you are using. It is wise to find out whether your online broker provides financial advice, or if you will only have technical advice concerning the platform that you are using. Local brokers can often offer advice for transactions, while using a platform may vary in the availability of financial information.

The online trading platform that you use should come with a demo. You may want to choose several different platforms to try out until you find the right Forex broker for your personal needs. Investing in the Forex online is one of the simplest ways to enter the market, but you will need a platform that you can use confidently. User friendliness is the key to finding a platform that you feel comfortable with, so try the demo before paying for the software so that you can become accustomed to the technical aspects offered by the program.

Account Types

Finding a Forex broker that meets your personal needs includes looking for one that meets your budget for investing, as well. Some online brokers only require about $250 to get started investing, while some can take investments that are hundreds of thousands of dollars. Look for a broker that can take the minimums and maximums that you want to invest. The last thing to look for is leverage options that reflect the position that you want to take in the market.

The leverage offered by your Forex broker is just one of the many things that you will want to consider before making your final choice. Your investments should always be made through a trusted broker that meets your personal needs.

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