This is perfect if you are trading forex online for the first time. In terms of forex trading fees, this will depend on your chosen account type. For example, some accounts offer zero commissions and wider spreads, while others allow you to trade currency pairs at 0 pips. If you're a newbie, FXTM offers a good selection of educational and research tools. This will allow you to become a better forex trader over the course of time.

If you are looking to trade several different asset classes other than just forex, XTB might be a good option to consider. The online trading platform is particularly popular in Mainland Europe - as XTB's parent company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. Nevertheless, the forex trading department at XTB is highly extensive, with dozens of pairs to choose from. Best of all, you won't need to pay any commissions when trading forex, as everything is built into the spread.

This is also the case with indices, commodities, and digital currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. If you're also keen on trading stock CFDs, XTB will charge you a very small commission of 0. There are no fees to get started with XTB and there is no minimum deposit to take into account.

XTB uses its own trading platform that was built from the ground up - xStation. This is available online or via the XTB mobile app, which you can use on mobile devices such as iPhone and the ones compatible with Android. When it comes to the extensive of supported forex trading market, nobody gets close to CMC Markets. Naturally, this includes each and every major and minor pair in the market. But, CMC Markets is really strong when it comes to trading emerging currencies.

This includes everything from the Indian rupee and Mexican peso to the South African rand and Singapore dollar. CMC Markets is home to an award-winning trading platform that is compatible with desktop browsers, Android, iOS, and tablets. Additionally, you can also trade forex at CMC Markets via MT4. When it comes to trading fees, CMC Markets builds all costs into the spread.

This starts at a very competitive 0. Outside of the forex department, CMC Markets also supports CFDs in the form of stocks, indices, cryptocurrencies, commodities, and Treasuries. If you like the sound of CMC Markets, it takes just minutes to open an account with this top-rated forex trading platform. However, a major flaw here is that CMC Markets charges 2. So now that we have reviewed the best forex trading platforms of and beyond - it's now time to explain how you can find a provider yourself.

After all, no two brokers are the same, so you need to ensure that the platform is conducive to your forex trading needs. Below you will find a list of important factors that should be considered in your search for the best forex brokers. The global forex trading industry now sees trillions of dollars worth of currency change hands each and every day. As such, in most parts of the world, this online trading scene is heavily regulated.

However, not all forex trading sites obtain the required license or authorization to operate in the countries it serves. In other cases, although the platform might hold a license, this might be from a shady offshore financial body.

As such, you should only open an account with a forex trading platform if it is regulated by a reputable license issuer. By choose a forex trading platform that is regulated by one or more of the above bodies - you can rest assured that the provider is safe. For example, our top-rated forex trading platform - eToro, is regulated by the FCA, CySEC, and ASIC. It is also registered with FINRA in the US. All in all, these bodies have strict expectations on the best forex brokers that they regulate - all of which center on fairness, transparency, and investor protection.

There are many forex pairs that you can trade from the comfort of your home. Most forex trading sites in the space will cover most major and minor pairs. These are the most in-demand pairs as they carry the largest trading volume and liquidity. In turn, majors and minors benefit from the tightest spreads. With that said, the best forex trading platforms that we came across also offer lots in the way of exotic pairs. eToro, for example, allows you to trade many emerging currencies against the likes of the US dollar and Euro.

Although more volatile, this is something that is often craved by seasoned forex traders anyway. All forex trading platforms are in business to make money. How they achieve this can vary from platform to platform.

Therefore, it is imperative that you check what fees will be applicable when trading forex at your chosen site. Some forex trading platforms charge a commission on every buy and sell order that you place.

In all but a few rare cases, this will come in the form of a variable percentage. Swap cannot be charged in Islamic forex brokers or swap free forex brokers. With that said, the best forex trading platforms of allow you to place buy and sell positions commission-free. This includes the likes eToro, Forex. com, CMC Markets, and more. In this scenario, you will only pay a fee in the form of the spread. All forex trading platforms make money from the spread. This is the difference between the buy and sell price of the forex pair.

Unlike traditional financial markets, the spread in forex is calculated in 'pips'. In terms of what is deemed competitive, the best forex trading platforms offer spreads on major pairs at less than 1 pip. If you are unfamiliar with the spread, it is an indirect cost that you need to cover to get back to the break-even point on your forex trade.

It is important to note that most forex trading platforms offer a variable spread. This means that the spread can change throughout the day depending on market conditions. Crucially, the more volatile the forex pair in question is, the wider the spread will be. Unless you have a significant amount of capital in your forex trading platform account, you will likely need to use leverage. When you trade leveraged products, this attracts overnight financing fees.

In simple terms, this is a fee that you pay to your chosen platform for keeping the position open overnight. This fee will be deducted from your account balance and subsequently charged on a daily basis.

With this in mind, you need to check how much your chosen platform charges. This is usually expressed as a percentage and multiplied against your stake. The more you stake and the higher the leverage you apply, the more you will pay.

Being able to trade forex online and make consistent profits is a difficult task. This is especially the case if you are a complete novice in the space. As such, you'll want to see if your chosen forex platform offers a selection of tools and features that can take your currency trading efforts to the next level.

As we covered earlier, being able to make a living by trading forex without a sizable amount of capital can be challenging. This is because you will be targeting very small profit margins - especially if you're looking to day trade.

As such, if leverage is something that you require, be sure to check whether your chosen forex trading platform offers this. Once again, your limits will be determined by your country of residence - with the UK, Europe, and several other regions capped to The best forex trading platforms give you access to many order types. This will allow you to trade forex online in a risk-averse manner.

The best forex brokers offer automated tools. In the case of eToro, this comes in the form of a Copy Trading tool that allows you to mirror the buy and sell orders of an experienced currency investor. In other words, every time your chosen investor places a forex trade, the exact position will be mirrored in your own account.

The key point is that the size of your stake will be proportionate to how much you decide to invest into the eToro trader. As per the above, the Copy Trading tool at eToro allows you to actively buy and sell currencies without you needing to lift a finger. This is great for newbies or those strapped for time.

An additional way to trade forex online in an automated manner is to opt for an EA Expert Advisor. Otherwise referred to as a 'forex robot' the EA is a piece of software that has the ability to trade on your behalf. Unlike the Copy Trading tool at eToro, forex EAs are based on pre-programmed algorithms. This means that it has the capacity to scan the forex markets 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. In order to benefit from an EA, you need to sign up with a trading platform that supports MT4.

Many of the best forex trading platforms discussed on this page offer this. Then, it's just a case of installing your forex EA into MT4 and activating it. To ensure that you stay had of the game at all times, it's best to choose a forex trading platform that offers alerts. Even better, these alerts should be delivered to your mobile phone in real-time. For example, you might receive a notification if a major forex pair breaches a key residence line. Or, the platform might notify you when a news story breaks that could influence the future price of a currency pair.

Either way, the best forex trading platforms ensure that you never miss out on important fundamental and technical events. If you are just started out as an online forex trader, it's best to choose a platform that can help you improve your knowledge of the industry. For example, eToro offers everything from forex trading guides and videos to weekly webinars.

In the case of research, the best forex trading platforms offer financial news and market insights. This is great for keeping abreast of key market developments and can really help with your trading decision-making process. In terms of technical data, the best forex trading platforms offer advanced chart reading tools. This should include customizable screens, technical indicators, and chart drawing capabilities. The forex trading industry moves at an alarming pace - with exchange rates changing on a second-by-second basis.

As such, you'll want to ensure that your chosen forex trading platform offers a great end-to-end user experience. For example, how easy is it to find your chosen forex market, and are there any difficulties in placing orders?

When we went through the research process ourselves, we found that there is often a huge difference in how user-friendly a forex trading platform is.

For example, the likes of eToro and Forex. com are really simple to use - which is the case on the desktop version and mobile app. However, some platforms - such as TD Ameritrade, are a lot more suited to seasoned forex pros. This is because it TD Ameritrade forex trading facility is packed with advanced functionality tools and features.

While this might be great for experienced traders, it might be overwhelming for beginners. We briefly mentioned forex demo accounts earlier on this page -and for good reason. The best forex trading platforms offer demo accounts that mirror real trading conditions. This is great for learning the ropes of a complex forex trading scene - as you can keep practices until you are ready to risk your own money.

Take note, some forex trading platforms put a time limit on your long you can use the demo account facility - such as 30 days. The top forex trading platforms that we came across offer a huge selection of everyday payment methods. This makes the deposit and withdrawal process really simple. For example, eToro not supports instant deposits in the form of debit and credit cards, but e-wallets, too. However, some of the forex trading platforms that we reviewed only accept bank transfers.

If you are using a platform based in your country of residence, you might still benefit from an instant deposit. But, in a lot of cases, it can take several days for bank transfers to arrive. This means that you can speak with a support agent in real-time without needing to pick up the telephone. At the other end of the spectrum, some of the forex trading platforms we came across only offer support via email. This means that you might need to wait several hours to get a reply. If you've read through this guide up to this point, you should now know what it takes to find a forex trading platform for your needs.

All that is left to do now is place your first forex trading order. To ensure you know what this entails, we are going to walk you through the setup process is commission-free platform eToro. Even if you want to use eToro to trade via the demo account, you will still need to open an account. This does, however, take just a few minutes. All you need to do is visit the eToro website, click on 'Join Now, and follow the on-screen instructions.

You'll need to provide some personal information, contact details, and your national tax number. As a regulated forex trading platform, eToro is required to verify all new account holders. Once again, this takes just a couple of minutes at eToro and will require the following two documents:. Once your deposit has been processed, your can search for the forex pair that you wish to trade.

In our example, we are looking to trade the Euro EUR against the Swiss franc CHF. As such, we enter 'EURCHF' into the search box and click on the result that pops up. You can also select the exact price that you want your forex trade executed at. To do this, click on the 'Trade' button at the top right-hand side of the box and select 'Order'. Then, enter your desired entry price. You can also enter stop-loss and take-profit orders by clicking on the respective button and entering your chosen exit price.

One of the most important decisions that you need to make when trading forex online is that of the platform you decide to sign up with. After all, you will be risking your hard-earned money - so you need to ensure the provider is regulated by a reputable body. You also need to ensure the platform offers your chosen forex trading pairs and allows you to enter positions in a cost-effective manner. After reviewing dozens of providers, we found that the best forex trading platform in the market right now is eToro.

When looking at forex trading fees - you need to consider commissions and spreads. We found that eToro is the best-priced forex trading platform, as the provider charges no commissions and offers tight spreads on most of its FX markets.

If your main priority is having access to heaps of markets - our CMC Markets forex trading platform review found that the provider offers more than pairs.

If you are looking to access the multi-trillion-dollar forex trading market for the first time - you might want to consider using eToro. The popular online platform was built with newbies in mind, making it ideal for those of you with little to no experience. All of the forex trading platforms discussed on this page are safe - as they all hold at least one license with a reputable financial body. Unfortunately, there are also forex trading platforms active in the online space that operate without the regulatory remit to do so.

As such, always tread with caution. Some forex trading platforms make money by charging a commission. Others make money from the spread - which is the gap you see between the buy and sell price of your chosen forex pair. Forex trading platforms can also make money by charging fees related to deposits, withdrawals, overnight funding, and inactivity.

It gives you the bid and ask prices of the ones displayed in a quick and easy access view. You can double-click on any of the assets in order to open up the chart in the middle of the platform. If you right-click you are able to add something to your watchlist, create a new order, or open up the chart.

The calendar can be found on the right of the platform, there is a tab at the top for the extended calendar, otherwise, there is a smaller version if you scroll down the right toolbar section.

This gives you an overview of upcoming news events and can give you an indication of what kings of effect the events may have on the markets. This is useful if you are trading pairs with major news events coming up. The automate button which is initially found at the bottom left of the platform allows you to create an automated script of cBot, this is the same as an Expert Advisor when using MetaTrader 4 or 5. You can use a number of different prebuilt bots or you are able to create one yourself as long as you know a little bit about coding.

The copy tab allows you to launch cTrader Copy, this is a system that allows you to view and then copy other traders, it is similar to the signals section within MT4 and MT5.

You can look at the past performances, look at what sorts of risks that you are taking and if you like the look of it, you are able to copy their trades into your own account.

If you feel that you have a great strategy, then you can actually apply to have your trades added to the system for people to copy, getting a cut of any commissions for each trade taken. The analysis tab allows you to take a detailed look at the history of your account, it will detail all the different trades and orders that were placed so you can take a look and analyse their performance. It is a great way to work out what is working and what is not, plenty of information is available so it is well worth using.

The last major section for us to look at is the settings, this is where you are able to alter a few different things about the platform. The General tab allows you to change some colour themes and various other basic interface options. There are also startup options, asset options around lots or units, market watch, notifications, automation options, email, and proxy options. Nothing that will drastically change anything, but some can be useful depending on your preferences.

The only other thing to note is the market hours section which tells you which markets are currently open and when they will open or close, this can be handy for avoiding larger spreads or jumps in volatility.

There is also a symbol info panel, detailing a lot of information about the currently selected symbol such as assets involved, commissions, swings, and more. There are a lot of fantastic features with cTrader, things like the choice of pips or monetary value for stop losses and take profits, plenty of information about each asset, and many more, the main issue is the overcrowded user interface, however, you should now have a slightly better understanding of what each section does and what is actually available within the cTrader platform.

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You can trade forex via any licensed FX broker. In Kenya, there are 6 non-dealing forex brokers licensed by the CMA. We have researched trustworthy and independent reviews of Forex brokers in Kenya. Compare the brokers based on our reviews, fees comparison, regulatations to make your decisions. We have also created beginner forex guides to help you get started.

Parent company EGM Securities is licensed by CMA. Regulated with CMA. Regulated with ASIC. In this step-by-step guide we wil explain everything you need to know about Online Foreign Exchange trading in Kenya as a beginner trader.

Forex trading is trading in different currency pairs with the aim to earn profit from the difference in the value of the currency pair due to market movements. KES is a not a strong currency like USD. Hence if we buy USD then we have to pay , KES.

Now suppose the value of KES increases in the market. In that case, we have to pay less KES for every USD bought. That would also mean that for every USD you sell, you would receive more KES than you paid. This difference between the KES paid and received is the profit that you earn. Forex trading is a profitable only if you know how to study the currency pairs and when to invest in which currency pair. Let's say you have 20 US Dollars, but you want Kenyan Shillings instead. Then you can convert your US Dollar into Ksh.

via a regulated exchanger or bank. They will convert your Dollar into Kenyan Shilling at the latest exchange rates. In this above example, the exchange or bank will also charge a markup fees, to process your forex transaction.

This fees is generally by offering you a sell rate higher than the buy rate. Let's say buy rate for 1 USD would be Ksh. then the sell rate would be or lower, depending on your bank which is participating in the FX market on your behalf to exchange your currency. If you are trading forex, then you will come across some terms that you should remember if you want to be an active trader.

In the forex market all currencies are traded in pairs, against each other. Pip is the smallest decimal value in a currency's price. It is generally the last decimal in the quote. The movement from 1. This is effective because it leaves the extra money with the investor with which other investment options can be tried or can be kept for personal use.

Leverage is given by CFD brokers. Since forex trades generally take place in standard lots, which is , units of currency, we assume we are buying 1 lot of EUR. Leverage is calculated by dividing the total trade value by the margin required.

This would give us a leverage of In case the EUR value appreciates by pips to 1. Hence, we are able to trade and profit more with less capital but high leverage. Most investors look for high leverage offerings but one should understand that high leverage also increases the risks of high losses in case of negative trades. For CFD instruments other than forex, you should strictly use leverage of no more than Also Read: Our guide on What is Leverage in Forex Trading.

The bid price is the maximum price at which a trader or a broker is willing to buy a forex pair. The ask price is the minimum price at which a trader or broker is willing to sell a forex pair. One thing to note here is, the bid and ask prices operate differently for brokers or market-makers and price takers or regular investors. Market-makers buy at the bid price and sell at the ask price.

Price takers buy at the ask price and sell at the bid price. The concept of the bid and ask prices is similar to the buying and selling prices of groceries from the perspective of a shopkeeper. As a shopkeeper, the wholesaler's selling price is equal to your buying price. Similarly, when you are selling the same groceries to your customers, your selling price will be equal to your customers' buying prices.

Generally, the bid prices are lower than the respective ask prices. This is because the sellers try their best to make a profit off a trade. It is good for you if your broker has a lower spread, which would mean lower fees for a trade. For trading in the forex market you need to trade via a broker. The broker's Bid price would be quoted as something like 1. The difference between this is the broker's fees called the spread. The lower the spread, the better it is for trader.

This is because it will allow you to retain more profit or a lower loss. as these can make the overall fees higher even if the spread is low. For ex. And there is Broker B, that has 1. The overall fees would likely be lower with broker B, depending on your trading volume.

The value of your order will depend on the units of a currency traded. Generally these units are referred to as lots. You will see the option to choose the number of lots that you want to trade on the brokers platform. Most brokers allow to trade custom number of lots, for example you can trade 5 Mini Lots, or even 5. Brokers like FxPesa, Exness etc. that offer MetaTrader have this option. Capital Markets Authority CMA of Kenya has made online forex trading in Kenya more regulated now.

To trade forex in Kenya via a locally regulated broker, you need to open an account with any of the forex brokers regulated and licensed by CMA. There are six such brokers who are regulated by CMA: EGM Securities, PepperStone Kenya, ForexTime Exinity Group , HotForex, Windsor Markets and Scope Markets.

There are also global foreign regulated forex brokers accepting traders from Kenya - that are regulated with foreign regulators like Financial Conduct Authority FCA , Financial Sector Conduct Authority FSCA , Australian Securities and Investments Commission ASIC and the likes.

It is recommended that you choose the only brokers that are licensed by CMA. Only this will ensure that you are trading forex legally. Almost all the brokers provide demo accounts.

Demo accounts are like real trading accounts, and your can trade and understand the nuances of trade just like real trading account without risking your real money. But it is still a good place to learn trading. Most Forex brokers have a Live Account Opening page on their website. Live this example from FxPesa's website. Generally, the steps involved are the same.

You need to fill your 'Account Information' details, your Financial Adequacy information. Then you need to submit your 2 KYC documents i. For the KYC, it is essential that you submit valid documents as this will prevent any issues during withdrawals. For ID proof you can submit copy of your Passport or any other National ID. For Address proof, you can submit your phone or any other Utility Bill. ECN Electronic Communications Network brokers is where the investors directly get connected to the other investors in the Forex Markets and the fee is calculated by the volumes traded by the clients that pass through the ECN environment.

STP or Straight Through Processing is where the broker passes the trades to liquidity providers for execution and gives access to interbank market structure. Even though having DMA gives you wider access to markets with higher rewards and risks, but finding true brokers providing DMA is difficult and tricky.

You should avoid brokers that are market makers as these brokers take position against you. So any loss that you make with a market maker forex broker is the profit of that broker.

All the CMA licensed online forex brokers are 'Non-Dealing' which means they don't operate a dealing desk. So, they are not market maker brokers. If you are a beginner, you should choose brokers with standard spread accounts only where the broker preferably offers STP accounts like in case of Hotforex. The expert traders can go for ECN type account. These have low fees but commission is charged as per the trading lots.

With Zero Account it is 0. So, if you are a trader trading high volume, it would be right decision to open your trading account with Zero Account for saving on the broker's trading fees. Many brokers offer a lot of options when it comes to opening accounts with them. All these accounts require a minimum account balance.

This would ensure that a sizeable position could be taken in trading and a good profit could be earned on positive market movements. However, it should be kept in mind that a position would depend on the balance maintained and the leverage offered by the broker.

Stay informed with market insights on the go, practical trade ideas, and expert advice with the platform's Market News and Analysis feature. Credit Card. Free Forex Trading Platforms Some Forex Trading Platforms Can Be Costly. cTrader is one of the biggest competitions to the dominating MetaTrader series of trading platforms, back in they won the online trading platform of the year award. IC Markets. TradingView is an advanced online platform designed for charting, social networking, and trading ideas. Most brokers allow to trade custom number of lots, for example you can trade 5 Mini Lots, or even 5.

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