Risk disclosure

Trading forex, gold, CFDs and other margin products is high risk and may not suit everyone. Please read this page in full before trading with real money.

You can lose money faster than you expect

Leverage magnifies losses as well as gains. At 1:100 leverage, a 1% move against you can wipe out the whole margin on that trade
Most retail traders lose money. Brokers regulated in Europe must publish the share of retail accounts that lose money, and the published figures are usually above half
Prices can gap. Around major news or the Monday open, price can jump past your stop loss and close at a worse level than you set
Costs add up. Spreads, commissions and overnight swap fees mean you need to earn more than it looks just to break even

Only trade with money you can afford to lose entirely without affecting your everyday life. Never borrow money to trade.

Choose brokers carefully

Check a licence on the regulator's own website, not just a logo on the broker's site
Licences from different regulators give very different levels of protection
Be wary of anyone who promises fixed returns, offers to trade for you, or asks for your account password

The law where you live

In many countries, including Thailand and Laos, trading with overseas brokers may not be authorised or protected by local regulators. If there is a dispute, getting your money back may be difficult. Check the rules that apply to you before opening an account.

About our content

Past results, examples in articles and market recaps do not guarantee future results. All content is for education, not investment advice. We earn commission from some brokers; see about us for details.

Before you trade for real

Practise on a demo account until you have a plan you can repeat
Risk no more than 1–2% of your balance per trade; the lot calculator helps
Set a stop loss on every trade
Record every trade so you can see what actually works