Why Trade Forex

Why Trade Forex

Online forex trading has become very popular in the past decade because it offers traders several unique advantages. Learn more of its advantages by comparing equities which is one of the most common financial products.

Experience and knowledge in trading and analyzing stocks can easily be transferred to the forex market. Many of the economic indicators familiar to equity traders, such as payroll data and interest rates, affect the currency markets. Also, many technical traders would find the forex market to be particularly attractive, since currencies respond well to many of the common technical indicators, such as MACD, RSI, and Candlestick charting.

Forex vs. Stocks Advantages
Advantage	Forex Market	Stock Market
Trade Around the Clock	✓	✗
Low Trading Cost	✓	✗
Unlimited Short-selling	✓	✗
Market Liquidity	High	Low
Market Information Easily Available	✓ (Focusing on 6 major currencies)	✗ (Too many stocks to choose from; some vital information is proprietary or private)

FOREX NEVER SLEEPS

Trading goes on all around the world during different countries’ business hours. Trader can trade major currencies at any time, 24 hours per day. With the ability to trade around the clock, currency traders have the advantage of customizing their own trading schedule; they can usually get in or out of the market at any time without waiting for an opening bell or encountering a market gap. While trading stocks after usual market hours is possible, very often that possibility is negated by a lack of order flow or a drastic widening of the bid-ask spread.

LOW TRADING COST

No expensive exchange fees or custody fees are associated with most forex accounts. At Rakuten Securities HK, Rakuten FX offers $0 commission with tight & fixed spread to our clients.

Rakuten FX
$0 commission	Tight & fixed Spread ^‎
Account Details

GO LONG OR SHORT

Unlike the equity market, there are no limitations on short selling in the forex currency market, no matter which way the market is moving. If you think a currency will go up, buy it. If you think it will fall, sell it. This means there is no such thing as a bear market in forex – you can make (or lose) money any time.

UNMATCHED MARKET LIQUIDITY

Forex market size is huge as $4 trillion a day. Its size, plus the fact that most trading concentrated in only a few currencies, makes it available to a lot of traders without any constraint on trade size, time or getting in and out the market.

INFORMATION ACCESSIBILITY

Forex traders may only focus six major currencies to research. Virtually all of the news that bears on the forex market is in publicly disseminated reports from governments or research institutions, and released to everybody at the same time.
Information about stocks is abundant, but so are the stocks. Finding a trade opportunity in the equities markets may mean sifting through data on thousands of stocks. Additionally, the vital information that moves equity markets, such as revenues and profits, is proprietary and private.

Beginner’s Guide

Register a Rakuten FX Trading Platform Demo

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I acknowledge that Rakuten Securities HK may contact me via phone or e-mail with information on Rakuten Securities HK's products, services, promotional offers and trading education, and assist me in using the forex online trading platform.

# The total accumulated number of accounts opened with Rakuten Securities was 9 million, as of 8th May, 2023. Please click here for details.

^ Rakuten Securities was ranked as the world’s fourth largest retail forex broker by volume in Q4 2022 from Finance Magnates.

Ŧ Only available for clients who hold a Rakuten FX account.

¤ Fixed spreads are offered in Rakuten FX account during at least 95% of the time of the monthly core-time trading period (8am to 2am HKT of every trading day). However it is not guaranteed and it shall not apply to the extreme markets circumstances, include but not limit to low liquidity, high volatility, news events and public holidays. During extreme markets circumstances, spreads may widen beyond the offered spreads. Please always refer to the trading platforms for the most updated spreads.

ɞ Order execution rate is calculated based on the AS Streaming and Streaming trading orders in 10k or less order size with lower than 1 pip slippage setting in which were executed during the period between Jan 1 to Nov 1, 2017.

ʊ MARKETSPEED FX platform is the winner of “Online Forex Trading Platform” by Good Design Award in 2012.

To safeguard your trading account(s), you are highly recommended to set a strong password and change it regularly.

When executing customers’ trades, Rakuten Securities HK can be compensated in several ways, which include, but are not limited to: charging fixed lot-based commissions at the open and close of a trade, adding a markup to the spreads, acting as a counterparty in the transactions. As a result, Rakuten Securities HK’s interests may be in conflict with yours.

Rakuten Securities Hong Kong Limited (“Rakuten Securities HK” SFC CE Number: AIM232) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rakuten Securities, Inc. (*) Rakuten Securities, Inc., one of the major online brokers in Japan, founded in 1999, is a subsidiary of Rakuten Group, Inc. (TOKYO: 4755).
The risk of loss in leveraged foreign exchange trading can be substantial. You may not be suitable as you may sustain losses in excess of your initial margin funds. Leverage can work against you. Placing contingent orders, such as “stop-loss” or “stop-limit” orders, will not necessarily limit losses to the intended amounts. Market conditions may make it impossible to execute such orders. You may be called upon at short notice to deposit additional margin funds. If the required funds are not provided within the prescribed time, your position may be liquidated. You will remain liable for any resulting deficit in your account. You should therefore carefully consider whether such trading is suitable in light of your own financial position and investment objectives. Do not speculate with capital that you cannot afford to lose. If you decide to trade products offered by Rakuten Securities HK, you must read and understand the information and disclosure provided by Rakuten Securities HK. Rakuten Securities HK may provide general commentary which is not intended as investment advice and must not be construed as such. Seek advice from a separate financial advisor. Rakuten Securities HK and Rakuten Group assumes no liability for errors, inaccuracies or omissions; does not warrant the accuracy, completeness of information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these materials. Read and understand the Terms and Conditions on Rakuten Securities HK’s website prior to taking further action.
Information Security on Internet: To protect your privacy, do not access your trading account via public or shared computer or save your password locally in any computer or mobile device after logging in. Rakuten Securities HK will never ask you to send any of your personal information such as account number and password to us directly via e-mails.
(*)Company Registration ID (in Japan): Kanto Local Finance Bureau (Financial Instruments Firms) No.195