Trading with free money

Cfds are contracts for difference and differ markedly from real shares (see box).

Top forex bonus list

Are you buying shares or high risk CFDs? Free trading apps warning, trading with free money.

So, if you copy an investor who holds cfds, you will be buying them also, whether you have passed the appropriateness test or not.

Trading with free money

Published: 21:52, 9 january 2021 | updated: 11:02, 10 january 2021

While a host of apps have brought the opportunity to buy and sell shares at no cost to the UK, some also offer the chance to bet on shares and other assets using high risk cfds (contracts for difference) - derivatives that can let people go long, short, and trade with borrowed money.

Investors and people trading shares on a daily or weekly basis have been warned about this latter element. Platforms must carry a warning on cfds about how many customers lose money when trading - and these often say that the number is greater than 70 per cent.

We explain what you need to know to tread carefully when looking for free share dealing.

Roulette? Critics say some websites are offering free share dealing but also promoting financial products unsuitable for long-term investing

Concerns are rising over the emergence of new-style online trading platforms that offer free share dealing but also encourage stock market novices to invest in complex financial instruments.

Critics say the websites, which offer free trading, are promoting financial products unsuitable for long-term investing – taking advantage of the fact that hundreds of thousands of britons are looking to better the miserly returns they earn on cash deposits.

While a host of apps have brought the opportunity to buy and sell shares at no cost to the UK, some also offer the chance to bet on shares and other assets using cfds (contracts for difference) - derivatives that can let people go long, short, and trade with borrowed money.

Meanwhile, research has shown that as many as 80 per cent of premier league football clubs have official sponsors that sell cfds and cryptocurrency, according to financial advice firm openmoney.

One expert says the new platforms are no more than online 'gambling venues', while others are keen for the regulator to step in so that novice investors do not end up losing money in highly speculative trades.

Some have already raised their concerns with the financial conduct authority.

One of the most popular websites is etoro. It has attracted half a million new customers of all ages in the UK in the past year.

A rival called trading 212 has grown the assets on its platform from £100million at the start of last year to more than £1.2billion today. Its app is now the third most downloaded free financial app on apple devices.

Natwest's online banking app ranks just tenth.

Both etoro and trading 212 offer free trading – unlike the traditional wealth platforms provided by the likes of AJ bell and hargreaves lansdown. They also let investors buy fractions of shares – attractive to novices looking to invest small sums.

The online marketing tools used by etoro are sophisticated. If you type 'how to start investing' into google one of the first results that comes up is etoro. Its platform is easy to use and ideal for those who want to gamble on bitcoin or another flavour of the month, such as electric car maker tesla.

Yet the array of complex investments it offers means that it is required to carry a disclaimer on its website: '71 per cent of retail investor accounts lose money when trading cfds with this provider.'

Cfds are contracts for difference and differ markedly from real shares (see box).

Why cfds are such a gamble

The cfds that you can trade on the likes of etoro are 'contracts for difference'. These are financial instruments that allow you to place a bet on whether you think an asset will rise or fall in value.

For example, if you think the share price of microsoft is going to rise you could buy a CFD that pays out if you are proven right. You lose money if the share price falls. The big difference is that you do not own the microsoft shares.

The attraction is that with a CFD you can use leverage – effectively debt – to increase the size of your bet. This means that if your prediction is correct, you make several times more money than if you had bought the shares outright.

However, your losses will also be far greater and in general, most private investors lose money on cfds.

The platform also lacks the tools needed to build long-term wealth. So etoro doesn't offer investors a chance to buy funds or investment trusts – the fundamental building blocks on which most sound portfolios are built – though it does offer exchange traded funds.

Nor does it offer individual savings accounts or self invested personal pensions – the wrappers that keep investments free from tax.

For traders who want a punt, know what they are doing, and are not investing for the long term, these websites can be fun to use.

But critics believe they blur the lines between what they do – and what traditional wealth platforms provide.

For example, trading 212 carries a table comparing its fees with traditional rivals such as hargreaves lansdown, suggesting they are of a similar ilk.

Two traditional wealth platforms, interactive investor and freetrade, have written to the regulator claiming that some of these new trading platforms are misleading investors by drawing them in with free share trading – before pointing them towards risky financial instruments.

Neither interactive nor freetrade sell cfds. Alex campbell, at freetrade, says: 'there has been an explosion in interest in share dealing and there are lots of positives and negatives as a result.

'but we are concerned when platforms offer free share dealing as a loss leader to get customers through the door – and then offer them risky financial products.' richard wilson, chief executive of interactive investor, says: 'it's fine to put a tenner on tesla for a bit of fun, but you wouldn't bet your pension on it.'

He adds: 'it needs to be quite clear when you go on to a website whether you are entering a gambling venue or a wealth platform.'

HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP

Football giants cashing in, too.

Worryingly, as many as 80 per cent of premier league football clubs have official sponsors that sell cfds and cryptocurrency, according to new research for financial advice firm openmoney.

While the link between football and betting firms has come under scrutiny recently, risky online brokers have no restrictions on how they promote their services to fans.

Clubs including everton, leicester and crystal palace have a partnership with etoro. Until lockdown, it was hosting free trading lessons at stadiums. Leeds united has a partnership with FXVC, and chelsea with go markets. Both are CFD brokers based in cyprus.

Up to 88 per cent of FXVC customers and 44 per cent of go markets customers who invest in cfds lose money, they reveal on their websites. Anthony morrow, co-founder of openmoney, warns that cfds 'are no different to gambling with your cash'.

He adds: 'as a financial adviser, we'd say these complex, sophisticated investments have no place in people's financial plans.

'the fact that these high-risk investments can be promoted to football fans through club sponsorship and advertisements during matches without any restrictions is wrong.

'most people are unaware of the risky nature of these unregulated investments. I believe there should be far tighter regulations to stop them causing serious financial harm.'

In reply, etoro says that 85 per cent of its assets under administration are real – and not cfds – globally. It says it restricts access to CFD trading by asking customers to complete an 'appropriateness test' first. It says those who don't pass can't buy them.

Are investors right to buy british for better times after lockdown?

It's probably been the gloomiest start to a year for as long as many can remember.

So what happened? The UK stock market jumped, of course. Contrary as this may seem, there is some logic to investors buying into the hope that better times lie ahead.

On this podcast, georgie frost, lee boyce and simon lambert look at what the fresh lockdown means for the economy and why investors are choosing to look straight through it and develop a new appetite for buying british.

Press play above or listen (and please subscribe if you like the podcast) at apple podcasts, acast, spotify and audioboom or visit our this is money podcast page

But the mail on sunday has found a way that customers can circumvent the test: etoro allows its customers to 'copy' other investors on its platform, replicating their portfolios.

So, if you copy an investor who holds cfds, you will be buying them also, whether you have passed the appropriateness test or not.

While etoro says it does not let investors copy the riskiest portfolios, it admits some contain cfds. It told the mail on sunday: 'it's important people understand the risk. We're not here to catch anyone out.'

Holly mackay, of investment website boringmoney, believes regulation of this breed of trading website must be beefed up. She says 'they are regulated in the same way as traditional investment platforms. At some point the regulator must acknowledge there are a lot of people piling into high-risk investments and react with tougher regulation.

'these brokers are more likely to sell the dream of picking the next amazon, whereas traditional platforms are more likely to preach a message of diversifying investments. The latter is less sexy but also less likely to go pear-shaped.'

Mike barrett, a director at financial researcher the lang cat, agrees. He says: 'you can dress up investments as sexy, cool or exciting. But for most people the best option is a middle-of-the-road, sensible investment strategy that they stick to.'

Trading 212, FXVC and go markets did not respond to requests for comment.

Trading with free money

Published: 07:53, 2 april 2019 | updated: 14:54, 2 april 2019

A new breed of investment platforms has cropped up in recent years allowing users to buy and sell company shares without incurring a broker charge.

Commission-free share trading is one of the latest exports from the US, where the rapid growth of zero-fee platforms like robinhood is eating into the margins of wall street banks.

At present, there are only two investment platforms in britain offering this: trading 212 and freetrade.

Both trading 212 and freetrade offer zero-commission share trading as a carrot to prise custom away from the more established rivals

They will have their work cut out to prise market share from big established rivals, such as hargreaves lansdown, which boasts £85.9billion of private investors assets under management.

And investors tempted by the idea of not forking out £10 or more in dealing costs every time they buy or sell shares are likely to be sorely tempted.

However, both services come without the bells and whistles of the big DIY investing platforms and with potentially limited investment options.

HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP

The cost of buying and selling shares has fallen steeply since the start of the 2000s thanks to a digital revolution.

In the not too distance past, investors who wanted to buy and sell stocks and shares would have to do this through a stockbroker or a financial adviser who took a sizeable chunk of commission with every deal.

But times changed and online DIY investing platforms give investors the ability to buy and sell at their fingertips, whether from the comfort of their computer or even their phone.

The cost of buying and selling shares has fallen over time, but still remains sizeable at some platforms, with hargreaves lansdown charging £11.95, interactive investor £10 and AJ bell £9.95. Halifax-owned iweb deserves and honorable mention as it charges just £5

Trading 212 and freetrade both have an eye-catching offer designed to pull customers in: neither charges a penny to buy or sell shares.

But why offer this and who are these two firms?

For trading 212, it was a case of adding another string to its bow when contracts for difference (CFD) trading - one of its flagship offerings and main revenue driver -was hit by a regulatory crackdown.

A CFD is a form of derivative trading that allows you to speculate on the rising or falling prices of global financial markets, such as forex, indices, commodities, shares and treasuries. It carries a higher level of risk compared to conventional shares and bonds investments.

Crucially, investors do not buy shares but use derivatives to either simply mimic prices, or magnify moves through the use of leverage, as borrowed money is known.

New european rules, which came into effect in august last year, have reduced the amount CFD traders can leverage, as concern grew that big losses were being incurred by inexperienced investors. Britain's financial watchdog, the FCA is also tightening rules. These measures have trimmed CFD platforms's prospectts.

Trading 212 became the first retail broker in britain to introduced a commission-free share dealing service in 2017.

In the case of freetrade, commission-free share dealing, either through a standard account or isa, is the only service the digital broker currently offers. It plans to expand into new areas in future. It's free to open an isa account until july 2019. The cost will be £3 thereafter.

Both challenger investment platforms have adopted this model as a carrot to tempt customers away from established rivals, such as hargreaves lansdown, interactive investor and AJ bell.

The average commission charged by five of the largest online share-dealing platforms run at £8.31 per trade, with leading brokers such as hargreaves lansdown and interactive investor charging £11.95 and £10 respectively, according to DJB research.

Commission-free sharing dealing looks set to further disrupt a market that is already experiencing a downward pressure on investment fees amid regulatory pressure.

Where can you invest?

It's worth noting that freetrade's and trading 212 respective investment universe is relatively small compared to that of more established rivals.

A total of 335 stocks, etfs and investment trusts sit on the freetrade platform. The selection comprises of 122 US stocks and 136 UK securities - including 33 investment trusts and 44 etfs. The firm expects to increase this figure on an ongoing basis.

Meanwhile, trading 212 hosts more than 1,800 investment opportunities comprising shares in companies based in the UK, the US and in some european markets, as well as etfs.

To put this into perspective, hargreaves lansdown offers 1,643 UK shares, 7,184 overseas shares, 1,170 etfs and 386 investment trusts.

Crucially, neither trading 212 or freetrade allow you to invest in investment funds or individual corporate bonds outside an ETF.

Hargreaves, meanwhile, hosts 470 corporate bonds plus 7,099 funds from the UK and abroad.

Both trading 212 and freetrade offer an isa wrapper, but neither offer a self invested personal pension.

How do these platforms make money?

Ivan ashminov, co-founder of trading 212, told this is money that actual trading costs are less than £1, so waiving trading commission does not have a detrimental effect.

The charges levied on the platform's other services should more than cover a shortfall from these costs, he added.

Things to consider before moving platform

Investors are free to move DIY investing platform and should track down the one that is best for their needs.

However, they need to be aware of fees for moving from their existing platform and from one they sign up to if they don't like it.

Investors should calculate the potential annual saving they would make by switching and a reasonable expectation of investment growth under the new platform against the cost of moving and any exit fees.

Things like customer services offered by the respective platforms may seem like a small detail but can make the world of difference.

Trading 212 adopts a 'freemium' model - like mobile games that are free to download but have in app purchases - in the hope that some customers will shell out for additional services that it develops down the line, such as robo-advice on which stocks to buy.

Customers of newcomer freetrade can only trade shares without incurring a broker charge if transacted outside an isa wrapper through it's 'basic trade' service.

Basic trade means the buys and sells are aggregated and dealt around 4pm every day.

This isn't a huge problem if you plan on holding shares for a long time, but more experienced investors often want to be able to trade instantly at a set price.

Free trades are never quite free

There is no such thing as a free trade. Period.

This is because of a concept called the bid-offer spread, which is essentially the gap between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay you for shares and the lowest price a seller is willing to sell them to you for.

You will pay closer to the higher price to purchase a share and sell nearer the lower price.

The size of the gap depends on how liquid a share is, ie how easy it is to buy and sell, and larger companies therefore tend to have tighter spreads.

These prices are different to the mid-price, which is the one you will generally see quoted in market reports and headline share data.

At the time of publication, shares in tesco were trading at 234.05p, however, the offer was 234.1 and the bid was 234p. The spread here is 0.04 per cent. Another cost in buying shares is stamp duty charged at 0.5 per cent.

When buying a foreign stock, you'll also have factor in the cost of the converting currency. Trading 212 passes on the charge at the spot rate. Whereas freetrade charges spot rate plus 0.45 per cent on these transactions.

Freetrade was founded back in 2015 but officially launched its commission-free share dealing app in september 2018.

Will commission-free trading free trade last?

That's dependent on whether the model can pull enough people for these companies to make money off other things they charge for.

At some point, the platform's respective financial backers will want some return on their investment, and zero commission trading removes a major source of revenue.

Commission-free share trading is novel, but eventually investors might crave a more expansive investment universe, with access to more shares, funds and investment trusts.

So the main challenge for these platforms in future may be to keep hold of the customers they've lured in through the zero-commission share trading service by adding new features that complement their evolution as investors.

Both trading 212 and freetrade are legitimate digital stockbrokers, authorised and regulated by the FCA.

If either platforms ever go under, your investments are covered by up to £85,000 (up from £50,000 as of 1 april) under the financial services compensation scheme safety net.

The saying 'there's no such thing as a free lunch' certainly applies here. While basic share dealing services are free any bells and whistles cost more and there is the spread and tax to take into account.

Also, free trading may tempt you to change your investment style and invest more frequently than necessary. Doing so can increase internal costs and potentially hinder your long-term returns.

When weighing up the right platform to invest for you, it's important to look at the service that it offers, along with administration charges and dealing fees, plus any other extra costs.

DIY INVESTING CHARGES SNAPSHOT

provider	admin charge	charges notes	fund dealing	standard share, investment trusts, ETF dealing	regular investing	dividend reinvestment
trading 212	n/a	-	n/a	free (investment trust trades unavailable)	n/a	n/a	more details
freetrade	n/a	-	n/a	free	n/a	n/a	more details
hargreaves lansdown	0.45%	capped at £45 a year for shares, trusts, etfs	free	£11.95	£1.50	1% (£1 min, £10 max)	more details
barclays direct investing*	0.2% on funds, 0.1% on other investments	min monthly fee £4, max £125	£3	£6	£1	free	more details
share centre	£57.60	-	1% £7.50 min	1% £7.50 min	0.5%, min £1	0.5%, min £1	more details

Trading 212

Trading 212, which was founded in bulgaria 16 years ago, has operated an online commodities and currency trading platform in the UK for five years. The firm became the first retail broker in britain to introduced a commission-free share dealing service in 2017.

The service, now called, trading 212 invest, provides access to stocks and etfs across the world’s leading stock exchanges and currencies, including cryptocurrencies, like bitcoin, and commodities.

Trading 212 doesn't levy an administration fees on trades, the only costs to be aware of are the bid-ask spread and the foreign exchange spot price when trading shares overseas. Money held in an isa incurs no additional charge.

Freetrade

Freetrade was founded back in 2015 by adam dodds, a former KPMG manager, but officially launched its commission-free share dealing app in september 2018.

In order to offer fee-free trading, freetrade got an FCA licence and joined the london stock exchange in order to processes its own 'basic' orders in bulk each day at 4pm.

The online broker does not levy for trades that are aggregated and dealt around 4pm every day. UK and US shares cost £1 to trade instantly and a foreign exchange charge which comprises of the spot rate (the price quoted for immediate settlement on a commodity, a security or a currency) plus 0.45 per cent.

Isas are currently free until july 2019 but will cost users £3 a month thereafter. Transferring money out of either an isa or general account into a bank account cost £5 a pop. The bid-ask spread costs also apply.

Coming soon? Etoro and revolut

Etoro could be the next the latest investment platform to launch a commission-free share dealing platform.

Users will be able to trade 1,340 shares that sit on the platform without incurring a broker fee. A spokesman for the firm said the service will land before the end of summer and it won't cap users' amount of free trading.

Digital-only bank revolut is also building a commission-free trading platform on its app, its latest bid to use technology to undercut traditional financial services.

Revolut said users will be able to buy and sell listed stocks in seconds, without paying commission. The firm said the product would generate income from premium subscriptions, which will give perks to paying customers, as well as margin trading, securities lending and interest on cash held. No release date has been given.

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Online trading

The internet has made investing significantly more accessible to private investors. Before online trading platforms, investors would have to place an order with their broker by telephone. Now, the global financial markets are accessible to anyone with access to a computer, and investors are able to input trading orders directly via the internet.

Online trading gives both beginners and advanced traders the opportunity to trade spread bets, cfds and FX on global financial assets. One should never associate online trading with gambling. Traders should avoid making spontaneous or ill thought out decisions, as unplanned and poorly researched online trading can be disastrous. On the other hand, as with any other form of trading, losses are an inevitable part of online trading and traders should be comfortable with this. In order to succeed, every trader should aim to manage potential loss and risk.

Online trading provides the opportunity to make money online (of course, losses are also possible) and to keep a constant vigil on how your investments are performing. Because the internet is always available, in libraries, at work, in internet cafés and of course through WIFI on your personal laptop, it is always possible to monitor and analyse online trading markets, open and fund an account or to keep up to date with performed deals.

Online trading platforms

Our online trading platform will provide you with the means to trade cfds and spread bets on a wide range of assets including indices, currencies, commodities and shares. The online trading platform will give you access to live stock prices, along with the ability to immediately buy and sell assets when you see an opportunity.

Investors using online trading platforms can access the markets at any time; many markets all over the world are in service 24 hours a day. Investors can fund their account online and keep up to date with the market. Online trading also gives investors more opportunity to monitor performance (i.E. To analyse their own trading mistakes) in order to improve on future trading. Using accendo markets‘ online trading platform gives you all of this, plus the benefit of our daily reports, research and trading opportunities. You will also have a professional trader available to answer your questions, help you search the market for trading opportunities, and guide you through the procedure involved in setting up and operating your online account.

We are pleased to offer potential clients a free demonstration online trading platform, including:

£10,000 demo money to trade the financial markets

Live price quotes for shares, commodities, indices and forex

Trading charts and tools

Live news feeds

This demonstration is completely free and without obligation, so your credit/debit card details are not required.

However, we hope that when you have experienced our online trading platform first hand, you will want to join our list of online trading clients. You can open a live online trading account with all the facilities you enjoyed in the demo, plus access to the live online trading platform to trade with real money.

If after the demo expires you decide not to trade with accendo markets, you will owe nothing.

‘knowledge is power’ (francis bacon)

Choosing which stock to invest in can be overwhelming for a new trader, and always challenging for the established investor. Our professional traders are here to support and educate you in the process involved to research stocks and shares when online trading, and to help you identify your own trading opportunities. Make use of accendo markets’ research staff and resources, they are here to help you. Whilst we can help you with your trading strategy (i.E. You tell us what to look for), we do not provide advice. If necessary, please take advice from an independent financial adviser.

Knowledge is the main key to successful online trading for a living, and researching a potential investment thoroughly will enable you to make an educated decision as to whether the company you are investing in has a good future. Investors should research news releases and industrial publications. Also look at the company’s financial reports and applicable charts before using our online trading platform.

And remember: ‘money can’t buy you friends, but you get a better class of enemy’ (spike milligan)

As a client of accendo markets, you’ll have access to your own online trading platform. There’s no need to download software; simply use the username and password provided and login via the accendo markets website.

Your online trading platform will give you access to global financial markets, including commodities, currencies, shares and indices. You can trade at the touch of a button on your platform, or call your trader to place the order for you at no extra cost.

Your trader will be on hand to assist you with your online trading platform and trading strategy, as well as provide you with the latest market talk from the trading floor.

About accendo markets

Accendo markets is an award winning derivatives brokerage and provider of online trading services. As experienced and professional traders, we offer the best in online trading but also the advantage of a dedicated professional trader who is available for client questions, and who will also act as an account manager and trading tutor if required.

Forex trading without deposit | no deposit bonus explained

It’s generally known that in order to get started in forex, you need to put a lot of resources into it. And while these resources can be your time and energy, the most straightforward one is, of course, your money.

It’s no surprise that one regular lot is equal to 100,000 currency units – forex trading is definitely an expensive endeavor. However, there are still some ways in which you can start trading forex while maintaining some sort of profitability without spending hundreds of thousands of dollars.

No deposit bonus in a glance

In forex trading you can, in fact, start trading with no money of your own or even making a deposit. With free no deposit bonus offered by the top forex brokers, you can start forex trading without deposit with a good boost.

There is no sense in hiding the fact that FX trading is risky, especially if you are trading without proper knowledge and at least minimal experience. In an attempt to prevail over the risk of losing your money and to stay safe, it is undoubtedly better to start trading with a free forex account or no deposit bonus offered by various FX brokers. Especially if such deals are not so rare at this time and even best forex brokers sometimes offer such deals.

It is always better to preview all conditions that offer you an option to trade without money of your own. So, be sure to start forex trading without a deposit now and get yourself a good and reliable deal!

But let’s say that although you’ve learned how to start deposit free forex trading, it’s still too risky for you. Thankfully, there is an alternative. One way to start trading with a broker is by opening a free forex demo account for beginners. A demo account will allow you to try your hand at trading on the real market without ever touching real money. One of the best brokers to try a free demo account with would be FXTM. If you don’t want to be working with FXTM and want access to a reliable forex broker that offers its services around the globe, alpari offers a similar service, including forex trading demo accounts. If you are a US citizen that wants to trade with local brokers, then you should go for forex.Com, who offer their services within the US and are known to be one of the best brokers in the world.

Transparent pricing and fast, reliable trade executions on over 80 currencies

Start trading with the largest forex broker in the US

How to start forex trading without deposit: tips & recommendations

As a matter of fact, a lot of brokers worldwide try to offer their clients those no deposit deals, and we’ve even seen some trading apps without deposit popping up here and there. Do not perceive this as an act of generosity though, those bonuses serve as a sort of protection for them also. But still, this is good for you if you want to start forex trading without a deposit.

Here are some of the main considerations that can help you spot a decent no deposit bonus:

If you somehow dislike conditions and terms offered by the broker – simply skip the promotion. Let’s investigate the ways that may help you find the best bonus in FX. First of all, bonuses must be easy to understand and transparent in general conditions. If you see non-explicit information presented, avoid the promotion or ask the broker for clarification.

If you wish to take part in the particular promotion and start forex trading without investment, then do not overlook terms and conditions. Even the smallest detail must be in your sight. A free bonus is actually not always 100% free. Some brokers may ask you to deposit some money in order to collect your profits. Indeed, such promotions are scams.

Be attentive, because some forex brokers can demonstrate a good opportunity with their no deposit bonus, however it may ask to complete the trading volume requirement. Stay away from the bonus that asks to complete more than 1 lot for $10 to further unlock the profits and balance.

Bonuses can vary in terms of geographical location requirements. Therefore, ensure that FX bonus accounts of the broker are given in your country as well if you desire to start forex trading without investment. Furthermore, there can be account restrictions. This means that no deposit bonuses may not always be available for every account at a particular broker. Thus, check whether you applied for a correct account.

In addition, make sure what instruments can be traded to withdraw your profit before you begin trading as sometimes FX bonus accounts are not available for some of them. As for the withdrawal, some forex bonus brokers limit the maximum profit available to withdraw from the account. So, do not miss this field before you start trading on your no deposit FX bonus account.

Bonuses are frequently represented only in 1 currency equivalent. However, there are many no deposit bonuses that evaluate a similar amount in your local currency, so doing your research in order to figure out how to join forex trading without making any deposits is a good way for ensuring success in the long run.

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How to start forex trading without a deposit?

As one of the cases, no deposit bonus may come with SMS verification. It is recommended to make sure that you have the right phone number prior to start applying for the bonus.

One of the last tips that can help you find a trustworthy no deposit bonus, or at least help you get through a scammer, is to save the terms and conditions document as a .Pdf file. Do this even if you deal with the best no deposit forex bonus account. You can use the help of your account manager and ask him to confirm all the statements of the bonus promotion in which you participate.

Start forex trading without deposit: introduction to best no deposit bonuses

Although there are very good no deposit bonuses offered by industry leaders and most proficient brokers, you should understand one fact: FX bonuses without a deposit are most frequently offered by bad brokers. That is the very reason why you should be very careful not to get entangled with a scammer.

All this leads to us stressing how important it is to be attentive at all times, so be attentive to details when researching how to start trading with no deposit bonuses. Fortunately, we have examples of the best brokers/investment firms.

Start forex trading without investment: XM forex broker

To begin with, XM is recognized by the united kingdom-based organization – investors in people for its powerful efforts in developing individuals to realize their entire potential and achieve both individual and corporate goals. We should also admit that this organization provides a huge amount of proven tools and resources specially designed to complement its unique framework with an aim to boost performance and indeed maximize sustainability. XM achieves this standard by showing that it is a driving force in the online trading sector and is committed to the provision of services and products of the best quality. How to start forex trading without money? If you are interested, you can claim the XM 30 USD no deposit bonus!

Get your 30 USD no deposit bonus with XM, and start trading today

*clients registered under the EU regulated entity of the group are not eligible for the bonus

No deposit bonus as an alternative – is it worth it?

So, now that you know what no deposit bonuses are and how they work, one question remains active: is it actually worth it to sign up for one yourself? Will you get any significant benefit from it?

The answer to that question is subjective; some traders can definitely find use in this type of promotion by amassing a small account balance and then turning it into a full-blown trading career. But in order to do so, you need to be very careful not to catch a scammer instead of a legitimate promotion issuer.

As for other traders, they often prefer spending their own money, which gives them more incentive to be more careful in the market – after all, it’s their own money they’re risking.

So, suffice to say no deposit bonuses have their time and place; one just has to seize that exact moment.

Best free trading apps in 2021

Mobile apps became very popular. They make your life a lot easier. There is an app for everything now. You can buy flight tickets, book a hotel or trade on the stock exchange.

There are a lot of trading apps out there so, to save you time, we selected the best free trading apps for you. Apps providing free stock and ETF trading are gaining popularity, so it is worth taking a look at them if you don't want to spend fortunes on your trading fees!

What are trading apps great for?

Trading apps can be used for trading, learning, charting, finding trading ideas, and also for market data and news. Some of the apps offer all of these features, while others only a few. Don't worry, we have made trading app top lists for all of these features!

Trading apps are usually offered by financial companies such as online brokers or banks. These apps can be great add-ons to your web or desktop trading platform, but they can also be the flagship product of a company, for instance in the case of robinhood and freetrade.

We see trading apps as excellent complementary tools to web-based trading platforms and other financial portals. When you want to buy a stock, you can make fundamental or technical analyses on a computer more conveniently, but it's easier to follow the price of the stocks you've already bought through a trading app. You can also intervene faster via an app, when, for example, you quickly need to sell your stocks.

And now, let's see the best free trading apps in 2021!

Best free trading apps in 2021

app	approves clients from	app score	US stock trading fee
robinhood	US	5.0 stars	$0.0
trading 212	globally	4.9 stars	$0.0
merrill edge	US	4.8 stars	$0.0
TD ameritrade	US, china, hong kong, malaysia, singapore, thailand, taiwan, canada (through TD direct investing)	4.8 stars	$0.0
freetrade	UK	4.7 stars	$0.0

Just to make it clear again: with these apps, you can trade stocks and etfs for free.

Besides the best free trading apps, we have also selected the best trading apps for charting, trading ideas, market data, news, and learning.

Best trading apps for other features in 2021

Name	best apps	score
best apps for charting a nd trading ide as
tradingview	best app for charting	5.0
stocktwits	best app for trading ideas	5.0
best apps for market data and news
investing.Com	best app for market data	5.0
bloomberg	best app for market news	5.0
best apps for learning
invstr	best app for learning to trade	5.0
trading game	best app for learning forex trading	4.0

Now, let's take a closer look at the best trading apps in 2021!

Online stock trading – learn how to invest online!

Would you like to start investing? Thanks to the internet each one of us can easily start investing at an online broker. But how does this exactly work? On trading.Info you can read all you need to know before managing your first investments and making your first trades.

How do you invest online?

All you need to invest online is an account with a broker. What kind of account you need depends a on your investment plans.

Do you prefer active trading?

Some people prefer active trading by investing in for example derivatives. The best place to open an account in this case would be the broker plus500. Plus500 namely allows you to place orders on increasing and falling markets by means of CFD's. A big advantage of this broker is the possibility to try and test all features and functionalities free of charge via a demo.

Would you like to buy shares?

Would you rather prefer to physically trade for example shares? In this case the best decision to take is to open an account at an online broker. Our ‘best broker overview’ shows you the best places to start your investment quest. Find below an overview of the best the best brokers according to our test:

Start investing: what you can do?

The key to successful investing is to practice when you start. Don’t take it for granted that you were born an ingenious investor. Most people are losing money when investing and the main cause is their lack of knowledge. It is therefore of crucial importance to read a lot about investing and to only invest in products which you understand.

A proper way to practice your investment skills is by opening a free demo at a broker. By means of a free demo you will be able to simulate a stock exchange one-to-one. It will allow you to try various investment strategies without running into risks. Interested to find out the best places to open a free demo? Use the below button:

Learn how to invest: learn the key principles of online investments

It is of crucial importance to apply a good strategy when you start investing. Thanks to some useful courses you can learn how to invest. Make use of our free ebook ‘how to make your first 500 euros by investing’. Registration for this book is free via the below button:

Would you like to take a quick investment start? Our investment tutorial will tell you all about investments from A to Z, so being an investor you will immediately understand all the ins and outs to take a flying and successful investment start. Would you like to learn more about the different analysis types? Don’t hesitate to use one of our specific courses:

Technical analysis: learn how to recognize and interpret patterns in a graph

Fundamental analysis: analyze company figures

Cheap investments are crucial

Many starting investors don’t pay attention to the costs. Nevertheless, high costs can ruin your investment results. It’s therefore of crucial importance to look for the cheapest investment broker. In the long term this might save you several tens of thousands of euros. Would you like to know the cheapest places to invest? Use our special tool:

What to invest in?

When ready to invest, you also need to know what to invest in. Take a look below and read all about the different assets you can trade in.

Investing in shares

Investing in or trading shares is of course one of the most popular investments. When buying a share, you become a co-owner of the company, although probably only for a small part. Because share prices fluctuate continuously and sometimes strongly, good results can be achieved when using these trends in a smart way.

Investing in derivatives

Derivatives are the perfect investment for each person who likes a bit of speculation. By means of derivatives, a leverage can be used to speculate on increasing or falling prices. This means you can seriously and rapidly increase your return on investment or your loss. Speculation is the daredevil’s way of investing.

Investing in options

Another speculation favorite are options. Options allow you to buy the right to buy a share at a certain price in exchange for a premium. When you trade options in a smart way, they can also be used to protect your portfolio.

Investing in bonds

Bonds are the perfect investment for the low risk investor. The bond is a debt security. When the maturity date is reached the bond will be paid back and at fixed intervals you will receive an interest. Bonds are a stable, but also a boring investment.

Investing in cryptocurrencies

Hot & happening are the cryptocurrencies. Online coins like the bitcoin or ethereum are subject to strong price fluctuations. By investing in them at the right moment, you can achieve huge returns on investment. Would you also like to try investing in cryptocurrencies?

Investing in commodities

By means of contracts, you can invest in commodities like gold and silver. But did you know you can also invest in coffee and sugar prices? The commodity prices are often closely linked to and dependent on the global economy.

Investing in forex

International currency prices are continuously fluctuating. Forex trading is also suitable for the more novice trader, since the patterns are easy to predict.

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Investment risks

Keep in mind, investing always goes hand in glove with risks. There is always the risk to lose money or to even lose your full investment. It is therefore of crucial importance to read about the investment world and to only invest money which can be missed. Besides, only invest in products which you know and understand.

Demo trading

Do you want to try trading for free with a demo?

Your capital is at risk

Plus500 risk warning

76.4% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

Trade in:

CFD risk warning

Cfds are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading cfds. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.