There are tons of great ways to make money online. You can earn an income from wherever you want, whether that’s working a remote job or buying and selling online. One such form of buying and selling is particularly worth trying — trading foreign exchange (forex).
Trading currencies has always been a viable — if difficult — way to make money. But, as with so many other things, the internet has made it that much easier; to learn and to practice, and to trade forex itself online. Here, we break down everything you need, from learning to trade to finding the best trading platform.
Study
Given the stakes — your money, time and welfare — trading forex online isn’t something you can just work out as you go along. You need to understand how markets and currency pairs work, what influences them and how to assess risk. You need to consider your trading strategy, too.
Going into trading blind, you won’t learn through experience, you will just lose your money. But by studying well, you can give yourself a good foundation for when you start trading. And you will know whether you will follow fundamental analysis, swing trading, position trading, or other strategies.
There are loads of different ways you can study on your own using books, blogs, online courses, videos and tutorials. If you are at school or university, you could seek out a business, finance or economics teacher or professor for extra help. Studying well gives you the best chance to thrive trading Forex.
Organize your money
When you are starting to trade, this should be one of the first things you think about. How much money are you willing and able to use? This also means, how much money are you willing and able to risk losing?
Forex is not a guaranteed moneymaker, however lucrative many people say it is. In fact, only a relatively small portion of traders are making lots of money trading. Trading can take a long while to master and you are subject to the vagaries of the market, which means you always risk a big loss.
Happily, depending on the broker you use, you don’t need all that much money to open a trading account. It can be as little as $10. Margin trading allows you to trade smaller amounts of money, which naturally means a lower return.
But, the more money you want to make, the more you may need to risk. If you are starting out from a low base, start small and work your way up as you start making more money.
Find a good trading platform
Finding the best trading platform as a beginner is really important. Each broker and platform varies, and you need to consider the broker that runs the platform, as much as you need to assess the platform. Make sure that when you are choosing your platform, the broker is fully regulated.
Take time to browse your options before choosing. For a beginner, it is best to choose a platform that includes a demo account. Using this, you can practice and simulate trading in real-world market conditions using virtual money. This enables you to trade in realistic, market conditions to hone your skills, without risking your own money. And then once you have a good sense for trading, you can start trading properly in real markets.
Conclusion
Trading forex can be a great way to make money online, while others find it to be an enjoyable hobby, too. Make sure you consider these three steps before you start trading online and you’ll be ready to get started.