Category: CFD

Trading Site Review: eToro.com

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Platforms, Reviews
Bottom Line
One of the best retail forex / social trading brokers around. Very clean reputation (you can hardly find any slur related to it, which is quite scarce in this field). Friendly service, friendly software, easy to understand even for complete beginners who never trader before. The focus is on fun and an intuitive UI rather than a place where experts can trade.
View this comprehensive eToro guide to learn more.
Important Facts 
  • Regulatory Authority: CySec 
  • Instruments: Forex, Gold, Silver & Oil 
  • Leverage: Up to 200:1 
  • Unique Features: Social Trading and Copy Trader and Islamic Accounts available 
  • Minimum Deposit: £50/$50/50 Euros 
The Platform 
The eToro platform is very easy to use which makes it suitable to use for some who wants to start trading for the first time. Trades can be undertook on the Webtrader, the downloadable application for your computer, trading can also be done by Mobile with support available for the vast majority of phones. While the platform is pretty basic it’s functional and easy to use. Some have complained that it can be slow to respond sometimes. The lack of sophisticated charting tools also leaves something to be desired, but this doesn’t represent the end of the world. 


Special Features 
eToro’s most unique feature is it’s social trader functionality, essentially you can see the trades that other traders are undertaking. If you see a particular trader who you would like to copy, you can set aside some of your trading capital to follow their trading activity (up to 20%). This is a big selling point for eToro, though I’m not sure how I would feel about handing my money to the mercy of someone else. While I’m sure for some people social trading will be a huge selling and point as well as providing experience about how other people trade. 

Other Features 
As you would expect from a big player in the retail CFD world a free demo account is available which comes loaded with a $10,000 play balance, which gives you a chance to try out the etoro platform risk free. eToro also guarantee’s that you will not lose anymore than your initial deposit, which is a great security feature if they honor it. Which they presumably would considering the feature is advertised on the site’s homepage. A educational course is also on offer at eToro which is meant to introduce a new trader to the world of Forex and commodities trading.

Spreads 
The CFD spreads offered on eToro are not deemed to be terrible but neither are they the best on offer. Though there is is clear clarity due to the fact that commission is also worked into the spread with their being no other commission charge. While not the best spreads there still tight enough that a good trader can make some serious profits. If the tightness of spreads are your primary concern it is clear that eToro isn’t the place for you.

Customer Service 
The customer service at eToro is generally considered be good. With live 24/5 Support and telephone trading on offer, eToro manages to tick all the boxes well. The account managers are generally considerate and try their best to get your issue resolved. 

Regulatory Authority 
eToro is regulated CySec, the regulatory authority of the Cypriot government. Many people are slightly wary of companies based in Cyprus but others have no such concerns about dealing with them. For more info on CySec check my article on Cysec. Personally, I think eToro makes it very clear where they are based and all the information is available in a very transparent away. I would and do feel safe dealing with eToro.

Overview, a good trustworthy site with lots of features that will appeal to newcomers and other traders a like. If your interested you can find out more at eToro

CFD Review: ForexTime Review

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews
Important Facts 
  • Regulation: Regulated in Cyprus by CySEC
  • Instruments: Forex, Spot Metals, Commodities, ETF’s and Stocks 
  • Features: Support a variety of different trading platforms as well as a decent range of instruments available for trading. 
  • Leverage: Up to 500:1 on Major Forex Pairings, other instruments vary. 
  • Minimum Deposit: Standard Account: No Minimum Deposit, ECN accounts minimum deposit starts at $200/200 Euros. 
The Platform 
Founded by Alpari’s largest Shareholder Andrey Dashin ForexTime supports a wide range of trading platforms. Of course you’ll find the ever popular MetaTrader 4 platform on offer, as well as the newer MetaTrader 5 platform. Both of which are great favorites with traders the world over. FXTM has also recently announced support for the social trading platform ZuluTrade allowing FXTM customers to follow some of the worlds most successful signal providers using their FXTM account. FXTM also offers a range of mobile and tablet platforms providing MetaTrader 4 & 5 for those using Android or Apple devices, meaning that those who want to trade on the go should have no real difficulty unless they happen to have a Blackberry smartphone. However as Android and Apple now control a vast bulk of the smartphone market, it means most should be able to trade on the move without any difficulty. The only notable absence from the ForexTime platform offering is the fact that FXTM do not offer a Web based trading platform which means individuals will be unable to place trades on computers that do not already have a version of ForexTime’s MetaTrader installed on them.  
 
Special Features 
ForexTime offers a good selection of different instruments to trade. While the service clearly has a predominantly Forex bias there a number of other instruments available to trade. For one there is a good range of Commodities available to trade including Gold and Silver as well as a number of other commodity CFD’s. More interestingly however ForexTime offer a number of different ETF’s and Shares to trade through Contracts for Difference. While there currently is a not huge range of ETF’s or Shares to choose from, I believe ForexTime will likely add more instruments in the near future. However I think ETF’s currently offer some of the best trading opportunities.  
 
Spreads 
I have been able to discover what the Spreads on offer at FXTM are. As I have unable to been able to open demo/real account due to a technical problem regarding the Open account form. However, as FXTM offers both ECN and Standard accounts one can expect a range of competitive fixed and floating spreads from FXTM. Will provide more information as soon as I can.
 
Customer Service 
As FXTM is a new brokerage remarking on their level of customer service provision is going to be difficult. However the brokerage is founded by a well known figure in the Forex industry and appears to be very transparent in terms of getting into contact with them. Currently the provide 8 A.M to 5 P.M Monday to Friday Live Chat, as the customer base grows I imagine that the hours of the live chat support will increase. However they do provide a wide range of different telephone numbers to contact the different arms of the company. From first impressions I imagine that ForexTime will provide a very good customer service, especially due to the fact that the founder has a huge amount of experience in the provision of Over-the-counter Forex.
 
Regulation 
ForexTime recently received it’s full CySEC regulation. ForexTime was founded by Andrey Dashin who is best known for being Alpari’s largest shareholder and has significant experience when it comes to running large Forex operations in a number of different regulatory jurisdictions. It was rumored that the merger of Alpari’s CySEC division and Alpari UK was in fact make way for the launch of ForexTime. So I would imagine that much of the team in place at ForexTime may have previously worked for Alpari (AFS) meaning that many of the individuals at ForexTime will have extensive knowledge of CySEC regulation. As CySEC is part of MiFID ForexTime are able to accept clients from throughout the European Union. While CySEC isn’t considered Europe’s strongest regulatory body it still provides a high level of regulation in accordance with the minimums set out the EU’s MiFID directives. Meaning that clients of FXTM should feel safe knowing they are provided with a minimum standard of regulation.  
 
Overall, ForexTime offers a good quality Forex and CFD trading service and should be seriously considered by those who want to trade with a MiFID regulated brokerage.

Margin FX Review: Barclay’s Margin FX

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews, Spread Betting
Important Facts 
  • Regulation: Barclays Margin FX is a trading name of Barclays Stockbrokers Ltd. who are regulated in the United Kingdom. 
  • Instruments: 50 Forex Pairings. 
  • Features: Foreign Exchange service provided by a well known international bank. 
  • Leverage: Flexible leverage up to a maximum of 100:1 
The Platform 
Barclays Margin FX provides two platforms to those wishing to trade Foreign Exchange with them. The first is a WebTrading program that I had a play around with. To be honest I wasn’t particularly impressed with the program. While it was perfectly functional and allows for traders to open and close positions. It was then I noticed that the Barclays platform was powered by FXCM. Apparently back in October 2012, Barclays chose FXCM as their technology provider. This essentially means those who trade with Barclays Margin FX are using FXCM’s price feed and platform with Barclays operating as its own liquidity provider. While this doesn’t present any real problems it does mean you stuck with using a relatively weak web or download platform. For instance there is no option to use the ever popular MetaTrader platform when trading with Barclays Margin FX. This is a bit annoying and significantly limits the kind of trading activity you can engage in. There is also no support for Mobile Trading something which is becoming increasingly popular.

Special Features 
There is nothing particularly Special about the Barclays Margin FX offering. Your essentially just trading with the FXCM Web and Download platforms with Barclays acting as the counter party. Barclays Margin FX operates with the Market Model brokerage model so it is unable to offer the incredibly tight spreads you would expect from such a major a banking institution. The main attraction for potential customers is the possibility of trading Forex with a well known and well regarded international bank, with Barclays having a very strong reputation when it comes to brokerage services. 

Spreads 

The Spreads at Barclays Margin FX aren’t bad and are among the better Spreads to be offered by brokerages operating using a Market Maker Model. For instance, the target Spread on the EUR/USD is 2.1 Pips which while not mind blowing isn’t bad either. However Spreads are often significantly wider than the quoted target spreads featured on the Barclays Margin FX Website. As there are a number of other brokerages who offer similar if not tighter spreads it makes me question why individuals would choose to deposit cash at Barclays, considering the lack of a sophisticated trading platform and the limited leverage offered by the service. I can think of a number of MiFID regulated brokerages who offer equally as tight spreads, while also offering their customers significantly more leverage. 

Customer Service 
This has to be one of the bigger selling points of the Barclays Margin FX service. Barclays Margin FX is operated by Barclays Brokerage arm, in general Barclays has built a good reputation as a financial broker offering a variety of financial instruments including Stocks, CFD’s, ETF’s and Financial Spread bets. I know a number of people who use Barclays Brokerage services and all of them have been happy with the level of service they have provided. I would suspect that this high standard of service is extended to those using it’s Margin FX platform.  

Regulation
As already mentioned Barclays Margin FX is a trading name of Barclays Stockbrokers Ltd. who are based in the UK and regulated by the FSA. While the main arm of Barclays has got itself into a number of regulatory scrapes recently Barclays Margin FX has a totally clean regulatory record with no disciplinary action having ever been taken against them. A clean regulatory record in a country with a strong reputation for financial regulation should be enough to alleviate the concerns of many potential customers. 

Overall, Barclays Margin FX offer a high level of service, however the platform is let down by its weak user interface.

CFD Review: AAAFx

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews
Important Facts 
  • Regulatory Authority: Regulated under MiFID in Greece by the HCMC. 
  • Instruments: Limited Commodities and Forex. 
  • Leverage: Up to 200:1 
  • Unique Features: AAAFx is ultimately owned by ZuluTrade and therefore is often considered the best brokerage to open a ZuluTrade account with. 
  • Minimum Deposit: $300 
The Platform 
AAAFx offers MetaTrader 4 as there sole trading platform. MetaTrader 4 is one of the best known trading platforms out there and is popular with many traders who like its professional like functionality. MetaTrader also provides support for Expert Advisors which allows individuals to engage in automated trading. The AAAFx version of MetaTrader 4 works just as one would expect it too. However as AAFx is ultimately owned by ZuluTrade it provides unprecedented support for automated trading through the ZuluTrade platform, with their being no commissions or charges for such trading. Some also consider AAAFx to offer the lowest amounts of slippage for those who are using the ZuluTrade platform, it should also be noted that many of ZuluTrade’s most popular signal providers also use AAAFx to place their trades. 
 
Special Features 
There is nothing at all remarkable about the AAAFx platform apart from its provision for those who are using the ZuluTrade platform. The main reason why anyone would chose to trade with AAAFx is that they wish to take advantage of ZuluTrade’s social trading platform. The fact that AAAFx is run by the same company who ultimately operate ZuluTrade means the platform has the best integration with the brokerage. 
 
Spreads 
AAAFx offer different Spreads to individual and institutional clients. The Spreads on offer for both individual and institutional clients are pretty competitive for the major currency pairings, with the institutional spread for EUR/USD being 0.9 pips and the Spread being 1.9 pips for individual customers. While these Spreads are pretty competitive they are still not the very best around but do allow their customers to trade major Forex pairings with pretty reasonable spreads. However when it comes to some of the more minor Forex pairings the Spreads really begin to bloat with some spreads being particularly huge. So it appears that AAAFx would be a pretty good option for those who only want to trade the major Forex pairings. The Spreads on all other instruments at AAAFx can be outdone elsewhere.  
 
Customer Service 
Personally I haven’t had any problems with the customer service at AAAFx, but I feel that it is my duty to state that their are a number of reports regarding slow withdrawals with accounts held with AAAFx. Though at the same time their are as many reports of people being extremely happy with the service provided by AAAFx. As far as I can tell there are no suggestions of anything sinister going on at AAAFx. AAAFx has a number of different contact numbers and ways to get into contact with them, meaning if you do have a problem with their service it is very easy to get into contact with them. The only thing that can go against AAAFx is the fact they have been accused of using Spamming techniques to promote their service, though this may be down to over eager affiliates or poor quality SEO services bought from Pakistan and India. 
 
Regulation 
AAAFx is the trading name of AAAFx Competitive Trading Solutions Ltd. who are registered and regulated in Greece by the HCMC. As Greece is a member of the European Union this means that AAAFx is bound by MiFID allowing it to operate throughout the whole of the European Union. It also guarantees that AAAFx are regulated at least to the degree set out in MiFID, meaning that individual consumers funds are protected up to 30,000 Euros. However the fact that AAAFx is based in Greece may raise some causes for concern especially due to the fact that Greece is not well known for financial regulation and due to the fact the Greek economy is in a pretty perilous state. 
 
Overall, those considering trading with ZuluTrade should seriously consider using AAAFx as their brokerage. Those who are just looking for a general brokerage might be better suited elsewhere.

CFD Review: CityIndex

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews
Important Facts 
  • Regulation: Regulated by the FSA in the United Kingdom. 
  • Instruments: Indices, Shares, Sector CFD’s, Currencies, Commodities, Bonds, Option CFD’s and Interest Rates. 
  • Features: Wide array of instruments to trade including some more exotic instruments including Sector CFD’s, Option CFD’s, Bonds and Interest Rates.  
  • Leverage: Up to 100:1, some instruments limited to lower amounts of Leverage. 
  • Minimum Deposit: Initial Minimum Deposit of at least £100, further deposits from a £25 minimum. 
The Platform 
CityIndex operates primarily through an online based trading platform which allows you place trades on all of CityIndex’s different instruments online. The platform also supports charting techniques and allows you undertake different technical analysis. While the CityIndex platform is hardly ground breaking it does provide a good basic online platform for those who want to simply trade Contracts for Difference. However, there are no social trading or automated trading features available for use at CityIndex. CityIndex however supports a wide range of mobile platforms meaning that those who have a smartphone should be able to trade on the go with one of the provided platform. While these platforms aren’t the most advanced mobile trading platforms in the world they still provide you with decent access to a wide range of financial markets to trade through CFD’s.  

Special Features 
The main thing that will attract people to trading CFD’s at CityIndex is the wide range of instruments that one can trade on the CityIndex platform. For example at CityIndex you have the ability to trade Option CFD’s, Sector CFD’s, Bonds and Interest Rates, products which are not available one many trading platforms. Personally I feel that both Sector CFD’s and Option CFD’s offer some quite interesting opportunities. The platform won’t be really suited to automatic traders as CityIndex don’t provide functionality for such trading, but it will be great for those who want to access a wide range of markets.  

Spreads 
The Spreads on the CFD’s at CityIndex are very competitive, with a number of Major Indices having Spreads on offer as small as 1 point. The Spreads are equally as competitive across the board and would put a number of well known brokerages to shame. On Stock Contracts for Difference there are no spreads, allowing the trader to trade these markets without the cost of a spread. However, the trader has to pay a quite hefty minimum commission charge or 0.1% on trades were the commission from this would be greater than the minimum commission. This makes CityIndex a great place to trade Shares provided the trader is trading in sufficient size, smaller traders may want to stay away from trading stocks at CityIndex. The Spreads on the more exotic instruments are still pretty tight and do offer some potential for those who wish to trade the instrument. 

Customer Service 
Customer Service at CityIndex is pretty good and provide good live 24/5 support to their customers. CityIndex has a pretty good reputation regarding the level of customer service that it affords it’s clients and I would personally not have any worries regarding depositing money with the company due to the fact that I trust it’s staff looking after my account. All in all, when it comes to customer service I would say that CityIndex are a professional outfit who properly deal with customer complaints and problems when they arise. 

Regulation 
CityIndex is regulated by the FSA the British Financial Regulator. The FSA is considered to be one of Europe’s premier financial regulators and is part of MiFID allowing CityIndex to accept clients from throughout the European Union onto their Contract for difference platform. CityIndex is the trading name of CityIndex Ltd. who have one regulatory breach to their name when they were fined £490,000 for the improper reporting of financial transactions to the FSA. Failing to report an estimated 55,000 transactions at all and further failing to report an estimated 1,970,000 accurately. However since the 2011 breach for improper reporting of financial transaction CityIndex has not received any further disciplinary action and I believe better systems have been put in place for the reporting of transactions. 

Overall, CityIndex offers a good platform for those who are serious about trading Contracts for difference. The slight regulatory lapse in 2011 may give some a cause for concern.

CFD Review: Finexo

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews
Important Facts 
  • Regulation: Finexo is one of the trading names of Safecap Investments Ltd. who hold a full Cysec licence which allows Finexo to accept clients from throughout the European Union. 
  • Instruments: Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices and Bonds. 
  • Features: A range of trading platforms and a impressive range of instruments, as well as demo accounts. 
  • Leverage: Up to 200:1 on Forex, Up to 100:1 on Commodities & Bonds, Up to 20:1 on Stocks.  
  • Minimum Deposit: $100 
The Platform 
As Finexo is a brand in the Safecap Investments stable, the offering is pretty similar to that offered by it’s sister sites ECMarkets, Markets.com & ForexYard. At the core of the Finexo offering is the well known MetaTrader 4 platform which is still a favorite among many traders even with the advent and rise of MetaTrader 5. The MetaTrader 4 platform offered by Finexo functions just as one would expect and allows traders to use Expert Advisors without any trouble the only problem being that Stop Losses must be set a 80pips away from the current price when using an Expert Advisor. Their is of course a standard web trading platform which works perfectly well even if it’s not the best solution in the world and allows one to trade when they are not on a computer equipped with Finexo’s MetaTrader software. Their is also the option to use the Mobile Version of the MetaTrader 4 platform which I have to say has pretty decent functionality for a mobile trading platform and allows you to trade on the move quite easily. In addition to these platforms clients can opt to use Finexo’s AutoTrader which I believe is powered by AutoChartist a well known social trading platform but not quite as comprehensive as other social trading platforms out there. 

Special Features 
Their is nothing particularly unique about Finexo in comparison to it’s sister sites. However, the Safecap Investments offerings have a number of benefits. For one Safecap Investments offer a wide array of instruments for trade including a number of bonds which is not something that is availiable everywhere. They also offer a number of different platforms to trade through, while again hardly being unique its still something that may be valuable to the trader. 

Spreads
Again being a member of the Safecap Investments group Finexo spreads do not differ from those of the other companies in the group. While Finexo’s spreads aren’t the most competitive in the industry they are still tighter than the spreads on offer at number of well known European Regulated brokerages. The spreads on offer on the Stocks and Commodities vary greatly depending on the instrument with some of these spreads being very competitive while other spreads not being being particularly great. It should also be pointed out that Finexo only offers fixed Spreads on Forex and a number of Commodities, so spreads are liable to change during periods of high volatility.  

Customer Service 
Customer service at Safecap Investments companies is generally understood to be pretty decent. Their are a number of different ways that one can get into contact with the customer service staff at Finexo firstly they provide several different telephone lines for major European Countries to phone into, as well as providing Live Chat 24/5 and various email addresses. Every time I have dealt with customer services at Safecap Investments I haven’t had any major problems and have had my inquiries dealt with properly, therefore I don’t have anything negative to say about the customer service at Finexo. 

Regulation 
Finexo is the trading name of Safecap Investments Ltd. who hold a full Cysec licence. As Cyprus is a member state of the European Union this allows Finexo to operate and accept clients from all 27 EU member states. While Cysec regulation isn’t considered the toughest regulatory regime in the world, Cysec regulated companies are meant to operate in full accordance with the MiFID directives which provides a good level of basic protection. As far as I know Safecap Investments has not received any fines or penalties from Cysec in regards to breaches of regulation.

Overall, Finexo would be make for a decent brokerage to pick depending on what instrument you wish to trade.

CFD Review: ECMarkets

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews
Important Facts 
  • Regulation: ECMarkets is one of the trading names of Safecap Investments Ltd. Who hold a Cysec licence and operate a number of other websites, including TopOption, Markets.com, Finexo and ForexYard. 
  • Instruments: Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices and Bonds. 
  • Features: Wide range of Instruments and Platforms. 
  • Leverage: Up to 200:1 on Forex, Up to 100:1 on Commodities & Bonds, Up to 20:1 on Stocks. 
  • Minimum Deposit: $100
The Platform 
Being a Safecap Investments brand ECMarkets offers a similar range of platforms to the other brands in the Safecap stable. At the core of the ECMarkets offering is the well known and renowned MetaTrader 4, many will already be familiar with MetaTrader. The MetaTrader platform from ECMarkets functions as you would expect allowing you to use Expert Advisors and undertake all the technical analysis you would expect to be able to make. However Expert Advisor Stop Losses must be set at least 80pips away from the opening price which would mean quite a significant loss. ECMarkets customers also have the option to use the Srix Webtrader which is a well known Java based webtrading application and while not being as advanced as MetaTrader allows you to trade the markets successfully from any computer which doesn’t have MetaTrader installed. There is also the ECMarkets mobile trader which supports Mobile trading from most smartphones and while the mobile trader doesn’t offer a huge degree of different options it is still powerful enough to open and close positions while on the move. There is additional the option to use ECMarkets Mobile trader which I believe is a version of the popular social trading software Mirror Trader, this allows a trader to copy other traders trading signals thus automating their own trading. 
 
Special Features 
What is unique to the Safecap Investments platforms of which ECMarkets is among, is the wide range of different instruments that one can trade. These include a decent range of Stocks, Commodities and of course Forex, but more interestingly those who trade at ECMarkets can trade a range of different Bonds. Another decent feature of ECMarkets is that they offer a decent range of trading platforms to trade the markets.
 
Spreads
The Spreads on offer aren’t the greatest but they are also not the worse. Major Forex pairings all have 3 pip spreads which is considerably larger than offered at some of the more competitive brokerages, however these spreads are still tighter than those on offer at websites such as eToro. While Spreads on Forex are fixed Spreads on other trading instruments tend to be floating and when at their lowest are quite competitive but due to the nature of floating spreads can widen during periods of high market volatility. But some of the Spreads on Stocks are not too bad and make ECMarkets a good option for those wishing to trade particular European Stocks. 
 
Customer Service 
Customer Service at ECMarkets has a pretty decent reputation with staff members working diligently to resolve customers problems. ECMarkets also provides a number of different toll free numbers for those who want to get into contact with them. All the different customer service interactions I have had with Safecap Investment companies have been pleasant enough and I imagine it to be the same at ECMarkets. There is also the option to communicate with ECMarkets through a 24/5 Live Chat feature, with you being put through to a customer service agent within a couple of minutes. Overall, customer service seems pretty reasonable and doesn’t ring any alarm bells.
 
Regulation
As I have mentioned before hand ECMarkets is one of the trading names of Safecap Investments Ltd. which hold a full Cysec licence allowing them to accept clients from throughout the whole European Union. To the best of my knowledge ECMarkets has never gotten into trouble with the Cypriot regulatory authorities and has a totally clean regulatory record. While Cysec isn’t considered Europe’s toughest regulatory body you will still receive the minimum protections as set out in MiFID, which is something which can help you sleep better at night. 
 
Overall, ECMarkets is pretty decent but I wouldn’t place it among the elite level group of Contract for difference providers. However, ECMarkets may be a good place to trade depending on the instrument you intend to trade. 
 
For more CFD Review’s Click Here.

CFD Review: Caesar Trade

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews
Important Facts 
  • Regulation: Appears to be a completely unregulated company based in the Seychelles, Caesar Trade is the trading name of Caesar Trade International Ltd a Seychelles registered company with a PO BOX address. However from their Youtube videos it appears that the sites owners are American. 
  • Instruments: Forex, Commodities and Indian Shares 
  • Features: Nothing Unique. 
  • Leverage: Of up to 100:1 but depends on the Instrument. 
  • Minimum Deposit: $25  
The Platform 
Caesar Trade offers MetaTrader 4, a SRIX Webtrader and SRIX Mobile trading platform. All of these are reputable platforms which many people will have heard of before. In fairness to Caesar Trade they allow their traders unlimited use of Expert Advisors and do not put any limit on scalping advisors. However, I didn’t personally download the platform as I was worried about the security of the application. As Caesar Trade has one of the least professional looking webpages of any Forex brokerage I have come across, though a number of websites do state that the site is clean of Malware and Spyware. 
 
Features 
Caesar Trade offers traders the ability to trade Indian shares as well as the ability to open a free demo account. Apart from this there is nothing unique or special about Caesar Trade. 

Spreads 
The lowest fixed Spreads on Caesar Trade are 3 pips on major Forex pairings, but when it comes to more exotic pairings the pips become quite significant with the spread on GBP/NZD being a huge 25 pips. On some of the Indices and Commodities there are no spreads but absolutely huge commissions for example the IBEX35 has a fixed commission of $65. The Indices and Commodities which don’t have these huge rates of commission have instead huge spreads. In conclusion I feel that CaesarTrade.com offers very poor value for money. 

Customer Service 
I have no idea what the customer service at Caesar trade is like, but you can book a chat with the owner on the main page. Weirdly enough I can’t find any reports on other websites about the quality of customer service on other websites. Which is bizarre to say the least, though it does appear that Caesar Trade is a very small operation meaning that it hasn’t received the kind of coverage you would expect to find on the major Forex websites. The Caesar Trade website has both a contact email and telephone number which has a Dayton Ohio dialing code which seems to confirm my suspicion that site owner is based in the United States of America.  

Regulation 
Caesar Trade is the trading name of Caesar Trade International Ltd. a company registered in the Seychelles. As far as I know the Seychelles doesn’t have any regulation regarding Contracts for difference, allowing Caesar Trade to operate completely unregulated. They state there primer brokerage is Leverate and it appears to me that Caesar Trade is using some kind of Leverate turn key solution. Whether they are covered by Leverate’s Cysec regulation is dependent on whether they are handle client monies themselves. If they do engage in any handling of client monies it would mean that they aren’t covered by their White Label Provider. From their website it appears to me that they do engage in some handling of clients money, which if true means that they are in fact unregulated. The situation regarding the regulation of Caesar Trade is confusing but I have the feeling that they are unregulated entity. 

Overall, I would recommend that individuals avoid Caesar Trade as they appear to be both poor value and also appear to be operating without proper financial regulation which if true is very concerning. 

CFD Review: Oanda Europe

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews
Important Facts 
  • Regulation: Oanda Europe Ltd. is a registered company in the United Kingdom and is fully regulated by the FSA. 
  • Instruments: Forex, Commodities and Indices. 
  • Features: Good range of platforms with plenty of mobile trading support, as well as very tight spreads on the Forex pairings on offer. 
  • Leverage: Maximum Leverage of 50:1 
  • Minimum Deposit: No minimum account size
The Platform 
At the core of OANDA’s offering is their own propitiatory trading platform fxTrade, which I have remark is a very nice and easy to use platform. It has to be one of my preferred non MetaTrader offering being very versatile and should meet most traders needs. However, if your a fan of MetaTrader OANDA also offer MetaTrader 4 for their customers, which works just as one would expect. This a nice feature for those who are fans of the MetaTrader platform allowing you to operate Expert Advisors and do all the other things that the platform is well renowned for.  OANDA Europe also has an impressive range of different mobile trading applications including  support for Blackberry’s, Android devices and of course Ipad’s and Iphones. All of the mobile platforms work perfectly and are quite impressive allowing the trader to do much of what they would normally do on the PC or Laptop. All in all, OANDA has a decent range of platforms all of which should satisfy most traders.  

Special Features 
While their is nothing particularly remarkable or unique about OANDA, their CFD offering is of exquisite quality offering very tight spreads, decent trading platforms as well as providing a high quality of service. OANDA also offers demo accounts to those who want to try out the platform before they deposit real money. There are a couple downsides to OANDA with traders be unable to trade stocks and the maximum leverage available at OANDA only being 50:1. 

Spreads 
The Spreads at OANDA are particularly impressive being some of the tightest around with the majority of major currency pairings having spreads as small as a signal pip. The spreads for the more exotic currency pairings do of course widen, however the spreads for these currencies are still very competitive and you would probably do a lot worse than the spreads on offer at OANDA. I would say that the spreads on offer at OANDA are very competitive and are significantly tighter than at a number of well known industry players. The spreads on commodities also appear to be particularly tight as well providing the trader with value for money across the board. While overall the spreads at OANDA are very tight one should still search around for the best value, especially if you intend to trade a particular instrument. 

Customer Service 
OANDA Europe has a very good reputation when it comes to customer service, with a number of OANDA customers having praised them for the high quality of service. In my personal experience contacting OANDA has been unproblematic. Depositing and withdrawal have gone smoothly with their even being the option to withdraw funds to a verified Paypal account. This high quality of customer service has gone unnoticed with ForexMagnates picking out OANDA as the best broker of 2012. I personally have no reservations recommending OANDA and would be surprised if you could find many people who were completely dissatisfied with the service offered by OANDA.  

Regulation 
OANDA Europe is based in London and is regulated by the FSA this allows OANDA Europe to accept clients from throughout the European Union. The FSA is considered to be one of the best European regulators and OANDA Europe has a clean regulatory record. OANDA also happens to be regulated in the USA and Japan, meaning that the brokerage is a serious international player. I wouldn’t have any worries about depositing cash with OANDA as I know it would be safe with OANDA being a properly regulated firm. 

Overall, I would reccomned OANDA to anyone in Europe who wished to trade Forex and Commodities. It is unfortunate that OANDA doesn’t offer Stocks, but I see that as the only major drawback to the OANDA offering.

CFD Review: AVA FX

Posted on by Admin in CFD, Reviews
Important Facts 
  • Regulation: In Europe, AVA FX are regulated by Central Bank of Ireland. AVA FX is also regulated in Australia by ASIC and in Japan by the Japanese FSA. 
  • Instruments: Forex, Stocks and a range of Commodities. 
  • Features: Wide range of platforms to choose from as well as social trading features.  
  • Leverage: Of up to 200:1 
  • Minimum Deposit: $100 
The Platform 
At the center of AVA FX’s offering is the well known MetaTrader 4 platform, which is a well known platform and a favorite among many a CFD trader. As you would expect AVA’s version of MetaTrader 4 doesn’t differ from the standard MetaTrader offering. Scalping is allowed at AVA FX but limits are placed on the activity of arbitrage Expert Advisors. What these limits are isn’t made entirely clear. If MetaTrader isn’t for your AVA FX also offer their AVA Trader platform which is pretty functional, though I feel it is a bit crowded for my liking as their is simply too much going on. Though I sure some will like the AVA Trader and find it pretty intuitive. Another thing that will attract people to AVA FX is the fact that it offers extensive options for those who want to engage in social trading. For one their is the well known Mirror Trader program which is available at a number of different brokerages.Secondly, AVA FX also provides support for those who wish to use ZuluTrade, as well as offering the similar alternatives Currensee and ayondo. So it appears that AVA FX may be a good option for those who wish to try their hand at social trading. 

Special Features 
AVA FX doesn’t offer anything particularly unique apart from its support of a wide range of social trading platforms. But apart from this I cant see AVA FX offering anything particularly unique in terms of trading. Though I could see AVA FX being a good option if one intended to get into social trading.  

Spreads 
The Spreads on offered at AVA FX aren’t that great but there not the worst either, spreads on the major Forex pairings range from around 2-3 pips. Though the spreads do get significantly wider when it comes the more exotic pairings. However if your only trading the major pairs the spreads should be tight enough to allow you make some decent profits. I have done an in depth  analysis of Forex spreads which didn’t include AVA, but I believe that AVA FX would fit in the middle of the said list. But would still provide significantly less value than the  best CFD providers in the market place. When making a decision about which brokerage to choose one should determine what instruments they intend to primarily trade and determine which brokerage provides them with the best value for money. 

Customer Service 
The customer service gets a pretty heavy slating at AVA FX, with their being lots of reports of individuals having to wait an extended period of time in order to be able to withdraw their money. There have also been complaints that AVA FX appear to make up stories in order to satisfy their customers, as well as giving out inaccurate or misleading information. Unsurprisingly AVA FX dispute this and contend that they provide a very high quality of service to their customers. While I can’t come down on either side of this debate, I think the reports are concerning enough to mean that individuals who are interested in depositing with AVA FX do some serious research before depositing cash with them. 

Regulation 
In Europe AVA FX is regulated in Ireland by the Central Bank of Ireland. Due to the fact that Ireland is a full member of the European Union in accordance with MiFID directives AVA FX is able to accept and take on clients from throughout the European Union. AVA FX has received some criticism regarding being regulated in Ireland due to the fact it is perceived to be one of Europe’s weaker regulatory regimes. As far as I can tell AVA FX has never been on the receiving end of any financial penalties or warnings. AVA FX also holds ASIC regulation which allows them to operate and accept Australian customers and again to the best of my knowledge they haven’t received any fines or penalties. Further on top of this AVA FX is also regulated in Japan allowing them to take on Japanese customers, this means that AVA FX has a global presence operating in a number of different jurisdictions. I believe however that AVA FX is an offshore company as it is also going through the process of obtaining BVI financial regulation, it is also reported to have strong connections to Israel.  

Overall, I wouldn’t say that AVA FX is the worst brokerage out there but I would also not place it among the best brokerages. I personally wouldn’t deposit any serious amount of money with AVA FX.