What is FX Trading?

Learn Foreign Exchange Trading In basic terms


Advantages of FX Trading
Discover FX Starter Account Discover FX Mini/Maxi Account Discover FX Prime Brokerage Account
MINI ACCOUNT MAXI ACCOUNT
Products FX, Indicies FX, CFDs, OIL, Gold, Silver FX, Oil, Gold, Silver, FX
Platform MT4 MT4 MT4 Pro Ariel Ariel, Hotspot, Lava, Currenx, EBS
Dealing Desk Dealing Desk / No Dealing Desk Dealing Desk / No Dealing Desk No Dealing Desk N/A
Free Extras Daily FX Economic Roundup Daily Oil Commentary Gold & Silver Commentary Weekly Economic Diary Daily Tokyo FX Report Week Ahead Report 24 Dedicated Support Daily FX Economic Roundup Daily Oil Commentary Gold & Silver Commentary Weekly Economic Diary Daily Tokyo FX Report Week Ahead Report 24 Dedicated Support Daily FX Economic Roundup Daily Oil Commentary Gold & Silver Commentary Weekly Economic Diary Daily Tokyo FX Report Week Ahead Report 24 Dedicated Support Daily FX Economic Roundup Daily Oil Commentary Gold & Silver Commentary Weekly Economic Diary Daily Tokyo FX Report Week Ahead Report 24 Dedicated Support
Min Funding $500 $2000 $10000 $50000
Lot Sizes 100000 100000 Currency Amounts N/A
Leverage upto 400:1 100:1 100:1 100:1 to 50:1
Min Trade Sizes 0.1 Lots 0.1 Lots 10000 Units NA
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Foreign Exchange ('forex' or 'FX') is the simultaneous buying of one currency and selling of another. Currencies are traded in pairs, for example Euro/US Dollar (EUR/USD) or US Dollar/Japanese Yen (USD/JPY).

For speculators, the best trading opportunities exist with the most commonly traded (and therefore most liquid) currencies, called "the majors." Today, more than 85% of all daily transactions involve trading of the majors, which include the US Dollar, Japanese Yen, Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc, Canadian Dollar and Australian Dollar.

A true 24-hour market, forex trading begins each day in Sydney, and moves around the globe as the business day begins in each financial centre, first to Tokyo then London and finally New York. Unlike any other financial market, investors can respond to currency fluctuations caused by economic, social and political events at the time they occur - day or night.

The FX market is considered an 'over the counter' (OTC) or 'Interbank' market, due to the fact that transactions are conducted between two counterparties over the telephone or via an electronic network. Trading is not centralised on an exchange, unlike the equities, futures and options markets.


Advantages of FX Trading
  • Ability to trade on margin. Access to the FX market can be made using small capital outlays by taking advantage of superior leverage
  • The FX market is the largest and most liquid in the world
  • 24 hour seamless trading. The FX market is open for a continual 5 1/2 day period allowing you to enter and exit the market at any time
  • Ability to establish long (opening purchase) and short (opening sale) positions
  • Superior market transparency. There are no multiple exchange listings of the same instrument
  • No standard trade sizes exist
  • No delivery or contract expiry to consider

Advantages of trading FX using technical analysis
  • Strong persistent trend
  • No directional bias

Advantages of trading FX using fundamental analysis
  • Global economic information readily available
  • Considerably less complicated than stock investing

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ODL Securities Inc. is registered with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and is a member of the National Futures Association (NFA).

ODL Securities Limited (Japan) is regulated by the Financial Services Agency.

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