Online trading platforms have recently been springing up in great numbers, each trying to meet the demand for easy and efficient CFD trading at the touch of a button. The first distinction that should be made among them is between regulated brokers and unregulated brokers. Generally, it is advised that traders only choose among those in the regulated category, and there are very strong reasons for this.
Trading brokers that are monitored by a regulatory body are required to offer certain kinds of protection to their customers. For example, the authorities check that users’ funds and private information are treated discreetly. For another thing, if the brokerage were to suddenly go bankrupt, users are offered compensation. Thirdly, regulated brokers are required to operate to a high level of standards and conduct, ultimately providing a better overall trading experience for its clients.
Therefore, the first thing to check when you are searching for an online broker is if they are regulated, which should be done by confirming the brokerage appears on the authority’s list of licenced brokers. Once this is taken care of, you have some assurance that your broker is dependable.
Next, if you’re weighing up a few options, give preferential treatment to brokers that are established in the business with a good reputation, an unblemished record, and some good user reviews. These brokers are more likely to be around a few years from now and to have a good system going. Today we’ll be conducting a review of one leading regulated CFD brokerage – iFOREX – which has been offering clients an exceptional trading experience for over 25 years.
The Company
Online trading was only about four years old when iFOREX was born, after which they proceeded to build a client-focussed brokerage with close customer support in various languages. The driving concept behind iFOREX was to offer users a wealth of tools to gain education and information, together with straightforward access to all the major financial markets, on a single platform.
iFOREX’s conception of online CFD trading was never of simply supplying inexperienced users with access to complicated financial instruments, but rather of building them up into competent, confident traders so they would be able to trade responsibly and effectively. Perhaps it is for this reason that the iFOREX formula has proven itself durable through the last 26 years, relied upon in many countries around the world.
The Platform
A lot of time and energy went into creating iFOREX’s platform, which was built from scratch in consultation with experienced traders. It can be used in desktop or mobile form, both of which have been praised for their efficiency and intuitive simplicity. Technologically speaking, the platform has been kept well up to date, and offers live trading signals to keep users instantly appraised of price changes, advanced charts for market analysis, a selection of indicators and alerts, and a handy economic calendar so users don’t miss a single market event that may affect the price movements of their chosen trading instruments.
iFOREX’s signature touch lies in its educational materials, which stand out in the industry. Registered users find themselves with a library of PDF guides and video tutorials at their fingertips, which address the most basic trading concepts in a step-by-step format, as well as more advanced topics like technical analysis, and even practical matters like setting up an account and opening deals.
iFOREX went a step further and gave their users access to a personal trading coach to explain things in a way that speaks to them as individuals, and which relates to their level of trading experience. Finally, iFOREX users are able to try out the platform with a $5,000 demo account to accustom themselves to it before starting in earnest. All this means that clients emerge into the financial markets feeling they are treading on fairly familiar ground.
Security
In terms of the security of your funds and information, iFOREX uses SSL (Secure Socket Layering) encryption and firewalls to keep them barricaded, which keeps the regulators happy and clients’ information safe. Beyond this, they have systems in place to ensure clients are not left over-exposed in times of financial instability, which is a sign of trustworthiness. Users can take advantage of negative balance protection, so they need not worry about losing any money beyond their account balance. The company’s licence testifies that all their activities are monitored, and even the financial instruments they offer are regularly checked out.
Conclusion
Based on the criteria that clients value most – close and courteous customer support, a sleek, powerful platform, and easy-to-access information – iFOREX comes out as a very strong contender in the online CFD trading space. Moreover, in the case of iFOREX, you have more than a list of promised benefits to rely on: You have an established history of high-level performance in the industry.
