Currency trading is usually better known as Forex or Foreign Exchange Trading. And in addition to those national currencies, there are also currencies that know no borders: cryptocurrencies.
Foreign exchange, or Forex, trading is proving to be an attractive opportunity for women. Recent reports suggest up to 40% of European Forex traders are female and the gender gap is continuing to close.
Crypto investing on the other hand is heavily male-dominated, with men comprising 85% of bitcoin investors.
Both types of currency are attractive to people who are looking for a flexible income-generating opportunity that enables them to work from home or on the move. So it’s not surprising that the proportion of female independent currency traders continues to increase.
But that’s where the similarities end. Investing in crypto requires a different approach from investing in Forex. So as not to confuse the two, this article will stick to the basics of traditional forex currency trading. To learn more about cryptocurrency investing in the meantime, check out the news spy site.
Most people believe they will make a profit as a Forex trader. Most do not. The more research and preparation you do the better you are likely to perform. It is important that you know the basics of forex trading before you get started. Undertaking online training or mentoring has to help too and joining telegram groups focused on the subject, see here for best paid forex signals telegram. Below we outline some of the basic concepts you’ll need to be familiar with before you get started.
Basics Of Forex Trading Online
Eight majors
Unlike the stock market where there are thousands of potential investments, the vast majority of Forex trading focuses on 8 major currencies.
- United States
- Eurozone (the ones to watch are Germany, France, Italy, and Spain)
- Japan
- United Kingdom
- Switzerland
- Canada
- Australia
- New Zealand
Interest rates
Following and understanding interest rates is key to successful Forex trading. Basically, when economies are thriving, inflation starts to rise and interest rates are generally increased to steady growth. Conversely, when economies are struggling or flat-lining, interest rates are generally kept low.
Pairs
Trading in the Forex market is done in pairs. That is, you’re buying and selling two currencies concurrently. So you are selling one currency and using the proceeds of that sale to buy another currency at the same time. You have to pay interest on the currency you sell, at the rate set by the central bank of that country. You earn interest on the currency you buy.
Pips
A pip is the smallest measurable price change that a currency pair can make. It stands for ‘price interest point’. Most currency pairs are priced to 4 decimal points so a pip is equivalent to 0.0001 of the currency.
Leverage
A particular feature of Forex trading is that brokers generally only require a margin deposit. For example, most brokers offer a margin of 100:1, so you provide just 1/400 or 0.25% of the funds required. Other financial markets, like the stock market, usually require the full amount. Leverage means that your gains can be magnified, but on the other hand, so can your losses.
Have a game plan
Forex trading is no longer the domain of big banks and financial institutions. The internet and cloud computing have made it accessible to just about everyone. But while access is now very easy, this market remains volatile and very complicated.
Your first step is to have a concrete game plan. Learn as much as you can and make use of the automated Forex services available online. After you have found your definite game plan and strategies, then it is down to you to make it happen. Keep learning and make the most of all the technologies available.