Markets.com Review

Getting started with online trading can be an intimidating process. New traders must learn to anticipate markets, invest their money wisely and open and close positions at the right times to maximize profits. In other words, the process is difficult enough without simultaneously having to worry about whether or not your brokerage firm is reliable and trustworthy. For a brokerage that will not only deliver reputable service but also help you grow and develop as a trader, one of the best options is Markets.com.

Background

Throughout its history, Markets.com has maintained a focus on giving investors the most flexible trading experience possible. This is why the Markets.com trading platform now lists more than 2,000 individual assets that can be traded. These assets are spread across six categories: stocks, ETFs, commodities, Forex currency pairs, CFDs and indices. With such a broad range of available assets, traders can not only learn the individual nuances of the different markets, but also switch easily between asset classes to make money in different sets of economic conditions. For traders who truly value diversification, this system also makes it easy to execute trades on multiple asset classes simultaneously.

In addition to offering many different assets, Markets.com also allows traders to leverage their trades. Leverage ratios depend on the asset class, but range from 1:50 to 1:300. These generous leverage features are helpful for two reasons. First, leverage allows new traders with less capital to invest to make real money from their successful trades, rather than just picking up small gains. Secondly, as traders become more advanced, leveraged trades allow them to open many positions at the same time without having to keep an unreasonable amount of money in their accounts.

To complement its trading system, Markets.com offers traders advanced graphics and price histories on all commodities that can be used for technical analysis when evaluating a trade position. As any successful trader can tell you, the most important single element of investing successfully is to have all of the relevant data in front of you.

Accounts

Markets.com offers three different types of active trading accounts. The first, a mini-account, can be opened with a deposit of £100 and will be the most applicable account type for most first-time traders. The standard account, which gives users access to a precisely-picked stream of news and financial data provided by Markets.com, requires a deposit of £2,500. Finally, there is a VIP account, which can be opened with a deposit of £20,000 or more. VIP accounts come with the large benefit of having trading tips and signals sent to you throughout the day via text message, ensuring that you are in command of real-time data about potentially profitable trades.

In addition to these active accounts, Markets.com also offers a free demo account feature. New traders can use the demo account to navigate the platform and execute trades without actually risking any of their investment capital. If you haven’t traded with a digital brokerage before, it’s advisable to get started with one of these demo accounts. Not only will you be able to familiarize yourself with the Markets.com interface, but you will also be able to run trades in real time and employ different analysis methods to see which ones work best for you.

Educational Material

If you are a new trader looking for a platform on which to get started with investing, it’s important to find a firm that gives you not only all of the market data you need, but also the educational tools you need to become an experienced trading professional. Markets.com offers news and analysis to help you keep up-to-date with the world events and financial data that will affect the markets. This information is paired with a simple economic calendar, which shows dates for upcoming events and reports that could affect the markets. Investors using Markets.com can also view trading trends. This latter feature lets you see how other Markets.com customers are trading particular assets, allowing you to learn how the bulk of other traders think. Similar data for the most volatile, most popular and largest gaining and losing assets is also readily available.

In addition, the team at Markets.com has put together a series of webinars that guide traders through everything from the basics of opening positions to technical market analysis methods. These webinars take place in a live trading setting, allowing watchers to see the concepts being taught applied to real-life trades.

Deposits and Withdrawals

In order to make a deposit into a Markets.com account, traders must simply create an account and make a deposit via Visa, MasterCard, Skrill or Neteller account or direct bank transfer. A minimum deposit amount of £100 or the same in your local currency is required. Markets.com does not charge any kind of transaction fee on deposits, and will even reimburse customers for bank fees that are applied to deposits exceeding £2,500.

Withdrawing funds from a Markets.com account takes between two and eight business days, depending on the methods used to transfer the funds. Different methods also have different minimum withdrawal requirements, ranging from £5 for Skrill and Neteller transfers to £100 for wire transfers to a bank account. Minimum requirements can also vary slightly based on the region of the world from which you are accessing Markets.com. Before you make any withdrawals, however, you will need to verify your identity by providing the relevant documents from your home country.

Bonuses and Promotions

Many online brokers offer various bonuses and promotions as incentives for traders to sign up and continue to use them. Recently, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, the regulatory body that oversees Markets.com, rolled out new conduct guidelines that asked brokerage firms under its jurisdiction to avoid incentive programs that rewarded customers for actively executing trades. Unfortunately, Markets.com removed its most generous reward system, a point-based set of promotions, in order to voluntarily comply with these new guidelines. However, Markets.com does still offer a £25 signup bonus on all new active trading accounts. Though this bonus may be small, it’s still a great way for newer traders to get a little more capital for their first few trades.

Trading Software

Like many of the top online brokerage firms around the world, Markets.com has developed its own proprietary trading system, known as Markets.com Trader. This system uses a simple, easy-to-understand layout to display large amounts of data and information. This system’s organization also makes opening, watching and managing positions a very easy process. The platform also conveniently includes tabs for account management tools, such as deposits and withdrawals, making it easy to manage your account and execute trades from one powerful interface.

Customer Support

If you’re going to do business with an online brokerage, it’s important to know that that company’s support staff with be available to help you with any problems or questions you may have. On Markets.com, trained customer service staff are on-call 24-hours a day on Monday through Friday to take your questions via email. For those who prefer a more direct conversation, a live chat feature is also available. Before contacting support, however, be sure to look through the site’s extensive FAQ section, which will answer the vast majority of questions most people will have quickly and easily.

Safety

When entrusting your money and personal information to a company, you need to know that they will be secure. Markets.com is registered under and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, which requires it to conform to all European Union financial regulations. Added to this regulatory safety is a well-constructed site security system, including proprietary firewalls and SSL encryption, that prevents hackers and programs from gaining access to your account or personal information. Finally, client funds are protected by being placed into different accounts than company operational funds, meaning that customers of Markets.com never need worry about their hard-earned money being used to fund the day-to-day workings of the firm.

Conclusion

Overall, Markets.com is a site that has more than proven itself as a good option for traders of all experience levels. Newer traders are sure to appreciate the site’s low minimum deposit threshold and leverage features. More experienced traders, meanwhile, will find a huge amount of value in the more than 2,000 individual assets that can be traded on Markets.com. Though it may not be as feature-rich as some competitors, this brokerage is a great choice for someone who wants to learn trading and make money by doing it on a daily basis, either full-time or part-time. With top-notch site security, 24-hour customer support and a wealth of live trading webinars that help new traders learn the ropes, Markets.com is an excellent option for online traders looking for a brokerage to work with.