Test-driving an online forex demo account is the preferred method of potential traders to minimize risk. A demo account readily allows a cautious person to go online and observe exactly how a paid account would work. Think of it like playing the popular wargame Command and Conquer: you send in the troops (gobs of fictitious money), make a few tactical maneuvers (invest in speculative exchanges) and conquer territories (reap profit).
It can be addictive. Without investing and risking any real money, the investor plays with ghost money in an account and initiates buys and sells the same way it would be done in reality. The software used for these demo accounts parallels what the real trading platform does. Real figures are pulled from exchanges, trend charts are generated, and profits are calculated from buy/sell maneuvers., A trader sees at the end of the day the net loss or gain should real money had been used in the transactions.
Even a novice can trade. Let’s assume an investor pretends to open a margin account with ten thousand dollars. He watches trends in the currency markets and believes that the dollar will go up in value against the British pound. The demo software empowers him to purchase at a ten to one margin; he then authorizes a buy of one hundred thousand dollars of dollars and sells one hundred thousand dollars of Pounds. There will be a spread, or difference, which accumulates to the gains, or “profit”.
Why invest time with demo accounts? Simple. It’s safe to learn the currency trade without having real money to lose.
Think of it like crashing your car in driving simulators or doing crazy rolls in an F-14 - on a Playstation. You stretch your creativity, test your reflexes and build your skills all behind the safety of a highly immersive computer screen. Your mind gets a full reflex workout without incurring damage to property and incurring lawsuits!
The same holds true for forex trading. Spending time with a demo account allows the potential trader to gain skills and learn the ins and outs of the game and the market place. A person is then able to see if they truly have the instincts necessary for the market and have sufficient knowledge to “play with the big boys.”
Almost all online companies involved in forex trading offer demo accounts, sometimes free and sometimes for a small fee. Even if a fee is paid, it is usually worth it because a forex trader can flex his skills and knowledge for vast profits after spending some time practicing with the forex demo software.
Setting up a demo account requires nothing more than a valid email address and your name. Upon activation, you will have access to the usual charts, graphs, ordering system and even prediction tools. The latter are quite interesting, particularly predictive implements based on Fibonnacci… but take care that such tools can never predict swings in the market. Too many social, political and environmental variables cause erratic fluctuations and no software can ever take those into consideration.
Richard Peyton, my good friend, benefited from a forex demo account. After months of study of the forex market, Jackson was convinced that he could make a go of it as a day trader in the forex market. His girlfriend, however wasn’t convinced and feared the inherent risk. She considered forex nothing more than sophisticated gambling.
Richard went to a brokerage company online that he felt held good reputation. He set up a demo forex account and began to make trades as though he were using real money. After several days, on paper, Richard garnered consistent profit. He continued learning and his confidence increased that he grew anxious to open a real forex account and invest a percentage of disposable income. His girlfriend also saw how on paper he had made a nice profit and relaxed, withdrew her objections.
Today Richard and his family do very well financially through forex trading, With a demo account, he leapt into a world of vast financial potential and built a fortune. He retired his day job.