What is a binary broker 65

What is a binary broker 65 Hedging to some may be complex and the traditional instruments are difficult to access, if not altogether beyond their reach. That’s why when the US Securities and Exchange Commission approved binary options in 2008, retail traders jumped in for the chance to engage in hedging that is at once simple and accessible to the small player. In a nutshell, binaries are a financial instrument where traders wage an all-or-nothing return. The internet makes trading even more accessible to the random person, where exchanges are managed by binary options brokers. Unbounded by geography, binary options give the average trader access to global markets. This stew of simplicity, easy access to a large pool of instruments, not the least the lure of quick bucks, makes binary options popular in the US and elsewhere. But you, the trader, should understand the risks, rewards and issues with binary options. In this article, we’ll walk you through the top binary options brokers. Specifically, we’ll compare the following features of each broker: Minimum deposit Maximum returns Bonuses, if any Supported trading platform. Knowing where to hedge your funds is the first step to maximizing returns or, at the least, minimizing losses. It may also pay to know some basics of the trade. For instance, Nadex, a U. S.-based regulated exchange for binary options, identified the top four traded forex pairs as: The list indicates, more or less, where binary options are most popular. Incidentally, Nadex also pinned down the most popular time and day for binary options trading: Source: Nadex infographic. As with many internet financial transactions, binary options are prone to fraud, so play it cautiously. Many brokers are not regulated by the government (a good or bad thing, depending on your perspective) you’re left with the good graces of your choice.

A common red flag is a trading platform that overstates the average return or, worse, it manipulates price points to cause customers to lose their wager (every time customers lose, brokers win). A simple online sleuthing by reading user reviews and forums about the broker should steer you clear of fraudsters. The challenge is to focus on legitimate brokers. For instance, the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) lists reliable binary options for US traders and runs the CBOE Volatility Index Binaries to track options movement. CBOE is SEC-regulated, which adds layers of investor protection. Meanwhile, the nonprofit Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is a good resource for fraud alerts. For instance, just last March it released a warning that scammers are using these follow-up schemes targeting binary options customers. To help you, we provide the lowdown on the top 15 popular binary options brokers of 2017 that you can consider for trading. Hopefully the list will let you find the best broker for your investment needs and expectations and start successfully trading on your own. IQ Option was established in 2012 and it has favorable reviews on the internet. It uses in-house software for trading. Maximum returns are 91%. However, traders in the USA, Australia, Canada, Russia, Belgium, Japan, Turkey, Israel, Iran, Sudan, and Syria are not accepted. IQOption Europe Ltd. is well-known for reliable broker services, as it is regulated by the .

IQ Option offers a free demo account to help you get started. Minimum deposit is just $10 for the Real Account. For the premium VIP account, the minimum deposit is $3,000. Customer support is currently offered via email, phone, and live chat. Finally, this broker offers multiple convenient deposit and withdrawal methods to help you trade easily. For more details on this service read our binary options brokers review for this particular broker. Minimum deposit: $10 Maximum returns: 91% Supported trading platform: proprietary web, Android, iPhone. UK-based Binary. com is a licensed broker regulated in the British Isles, Malta, Ireland and the UK. However, US traders are not accepted. It is one of the more transparent companies in the industry that declares its owning company and market operations.

Formerly the BetonMarkets, Binary. com blends gambling and trading but with transparency. It offers CFDs, FX margin and crypto trading via MT5. You can start the trading time aside from the expiry date and the investment amount is based on the payout you set. The minimum deposit is $10 and for e-wallets it’s even lower, $5. The bonuses are not standard rather, consist of two types. The Deposit Bonus and Free Bonus. Likewise, the percentages are not specified, but you are required as much as 25 turnovers to avail yourself of a withdrawal. There’s also a 1.5% payout commission. The broker supports various trading platforms, such as, Binary Webtrader, Binary Bot and Binary Next-Gen. Furthermore, it can personalize client trading needs all under one roof. Th e platform is intuitive to the first-time trader and robust for the veteran. It features a lot of visual tools like charts and technical indicators and the tutorials on binary options are comprehensive. Likewise, it supports 12 languages and provides a virtual money account.

Mobile apps are available. Minimum deposit: $5 Maximum returns: 1,000% Bonuses: not specified Supported trading platform: proprietary web, Android and iPhone. HighLow is based in Australia and is a regulated broker. It uses the MarketsPulse trading platform. Maximum returns are up to 90%. However, this broker does not allow US-based traders. Convenient demo account and mobile app are offered. The minimum deposit amount and the minimum investment amount are both $10. If you like fast expiration times, HighLow is the ideal broker for you as it offers, 60 second, 90 second and 5 minute expiration times. Customer support is offered via phone and email in English and Japanese. The broker’s website is informative with a detailed FAQ section. You can go for HighLow as it has favorable online reviews. Minimum deposit: $10 Maximum returns: 90% Bonuses: $50 upon sign-up Supported trading platform: MarketsPulse web, Android and iPhone.

Marketsworld is a regulated broker based in Great Britain licensed by The Isle of Mann GSC, a gambling regulatory agency in GB. It’s one of the few foreign regulated brokers where US traders are accepted. It trades in commodities and indices, but focuses more on forex and trading is fixed on a highlow digital basis. The minimum deposit is $10 with the minimum trade size of $1. Bonuses are restricted to trading for up to 100% and don’t tie up your deposits. In fact, you can withdraw your money anytime without affecting your bonus as long as you keep to the required trading volume. Returns, meanwhile, range from 80% to 90% and withdrawals take around three days. The trading platform is proprietary and supports English, Russian, German, Spanish and Italian and four more languages. The trading charts can be difficult for some because of their small size and delays are known to happen. Support via live chat, email and phone are available. An iOS app is also available. Minimum deposit: $10 Maximum returns: 90% Bonuses: up to $1,000 start-up bonus up to 100% on trade Supported trading platform: proprietary web, iPhone. Tel Aviv, Israel-based eToro is a social trading network and not a broker. It allows you to copy the leading traders in its community and, hopefully, realize the same margins.

Conversely, your trading can be copied, which earns you additional income. In this platform you invest in people, not currencies. You will have to be intuitive about other traders’ behavior and analyze their patterns or strategies, instead of learning financial charts and indicators. No worries, eToro provides more than 16 lectures and video courses on how to hone your skills. These include identifying consistent traders, not just one-shot deals. You also get a list of the best traders on currencies, indices and commodities across a wide range of underlying assets. On the B side, you can share your trading insights and enrol in the Popular Investor Program as a trade authority. Minimum deposit is $200, while maximum returns varies. The network uses its in-house trading platform with Android and iPhone apps. Minimum deposit: $200 Maximum returns: varies Bonuses: not specified Supported trading platform: proprietary, web, Android and iPhone. 24Option has been online since 2010 and is a stable and reliable broker as it is regulated by the . It uses the third-party TechFinancials trading platform.

Maximum returns are up to 88%. This broker does not accept traders from the US and Australia. The minimum deposit amount is $250 and the minimum investment amount is $24. Trade types offered are highlow, one touch and no touch, boundary, and 60 seconds. A demo account is offered for new traders. You can enroll in Standard, Gold, or Platinum account depending on the amount you deposit and the features you want. 24Option provides customer support via phone, live chat, and email in English and thirteen other languages. Minimum deposit: $250 Maximum returns: 88% Bonuses: up to 100% Supported trading platform: TechFinancials web, Android and iPhone. ETX Capital is headquartered in London, UK and regulated by the British Financial Conduct Authority (). It trades in forex, equities, indices and commodities, but note that binary options are unregulated by the . Likewise, US traders are not accepted as of this writing. The broker takes pains in educating newbie traders, explaining in details binary options, risk trading and other key topics. The minimum deposit is $100 with returns between 75% to 85%. Bonuses are not specified but are available. A call to their support should specify a personalized bonus based on your investment.

Likewise, withdrawals above $100 are free of charge. The broker uses MarketPulse for platform. It is clean and intuitive to beginners with the expiry times easy to locate. However, it only supports English. Minimum deposit: $100 Maximum returns: 85% Bonuses: varies, personalized Supported trading platform: MarketPulse, web, Android and iPhone. 365Trading is registered with the and based in that country. It was founded in 2012 and has since traded in EU without issues. It primarily trades in binary options. As of this writing, US traders are not accepted. Minimum deposit is at $100 with profits and bonuses reaching 85% and 100%, respectively. You can open a demo without deposit and try their long - and short-term expiries. The platform, an in-house system, is robust and ideal for veteran traders.

It features charts, lines and candlesticks and provides historical analysis. The platform allows you to set up three assets with quick access shortcuts. Likewise, you can trade four assets simultaneously featuring a main window and three sub-windows. Support is available via email and phone. Minimum deposit: $100 Maximum returns: 85% Bonuses: up to 100% Supported trading platform: proprietary, web, Android and iPhone. Ayrex is based in the UK and has a pending application with . It trades in 70 assets and is focused on binary options. As of today, US traders are not accepted. Minimum deposit is at $5, one of the lowest, while bonus is up to 30% and returns range between 75% to 90%. The broker uses a proprietary trading featuring instant withdrawals, which is unique in the niche. The interface is neat and lets you quickly jump to different trades. It’s ideal for short-term trading. HighLow options are also available.

Support include 247 live chat and via email. Likewise, the system is accessible from Android and iPhone apps. Minimum deposit: $5 Maximum returns: 90% Bonuses: $30 no-deposit new account, up to 30% on trade Supported trading platform: proprietary, web, Android and iPhone. UK-based CMC Markets has been in a forex broker since 1989 but only went into binary options in 2015. Still, that’s a long history of trust and reliable operations compared to most binary options brokers. On top of it, it is regulated in the UK. Today, it trades in indices, commodities, shares, treasuries and forex, but US clients are not yet accepted. There is no minimum deposit and there are no bonuses, too. Returns also varies depending on the product. Meantime, the platform is customizable and includes charting tools, pattern recognition functionality, various screen layouts and multiple timeframes. The system is accessible from Android and iOS devices. Support is UK-based and consists of live chat, email, phone and fax. Minimum deposit: no minimum deposit Maximum returns: varies Bonuses: none Supported trading platform: proprietary web, Android and iPhone. OptionFair is founded in 2010 and based in Cyprus. It is regulated by the and is also listed on the London Stock Exchange, a first among binary options brokers.

US traders are not accepted. The broker trades in forex, CFDs and binary options on 118 underlying assets. The minimum deposit is $100 with returns up to 100%. However, there are no indicated bonuses, but you can always contact support for possible terms. Expiry time is shorter than average, but makes for quick returns over short-term trading. The broker uses its own platform that allows you to shift trading from forex to binary and to CFDs from a single interface. It gives you access to myriad assets and instruments and a wide range of expiries. You can, in fact, trade simultaneously forex and binaries. Mobile apps for Android and iPhone are available. There is phone support in five international numbers including English, Spanish, Italian and French.

Email and live chat support are likewise provided. Minimum deposit: $100 Maximum returns: 100% Bonuses: none Supported trading platform: proprietary, web, Android and iPhone. BinaryTilt is an unregulated broker with headquarters in London, England but is wholly owned by Cyprus-based Depix Holdings. Although it isn’t overseen, the broker seems to have a clean record with rare warnings from authorities. US traders are not accepted. It trades in stocks, indices, forex and commodities across 150 underlying assets. Minimum deposit is $250 with profits of up to 85%. Likewise, bonuses can reach 100%. Trading styles include highlow, one touch, range and on demand. The stocks are also mainly US or EU-based companies. The trading platform is SpotOption, a standard but increasingly old school compared to newer platforms today.

The UI is familiar and the elements are organized, good enough for first-timers to kickstart their trading without a hassle. Support is via chat, while Android and iPhone apps are available. Minimum deposit: $250 Maximum returns: 85% Bonuses: up to 100% Supported trading platform: SpotOption, web, Android and iPhone. Founded in 2010, Uruguay-based EmpireOption with a registered address in London, England. As with most brokers, US traders are not accepted. The broker trades in forex and CFDs with a diverse underlying investment portfolio. Minimum investment is $100 and expect u to 82% maximum returns. Likewise, bonuses can reach 100% but terms apply. The trading platform is SpotOption but minus the SpotOption payment network. EmpireOption also uses its own branding interface and maintains control of most of the trading aspects. Phone and email support are available. Minimum deposit: $100 Maximum returns: 82% Bonuses: up to 100% Supported trading platform: SpotOption, web, Android and iPhone. Binarymate is a UK-registered broker that is reliable as it follows the strict financial regulations of the UK. It accepts US traders. This broker uses a unique in-house platform for trading.

You can earn a maximum return of 90%. Trading accounts start with the basic Bronze package for which the minimum deposit is $250 and you get a 20% welcome bonus. For Silver account, the minimum deposit is $1,000 and you get a 50% welcome bonus. Finally, for the premium Gold account the minimum deposit is $3,000 and you can choose between risk-free trades or a bonus of $250. A unique customer support feature offered by Binarymate is live video chat with agents who are available 247. Support is offered in English, French, Spanish, and Russian. Last but not the least, you can use the demo account to learn the ropes or to improve your skills. Before you decide on a broker though it’s always best to do a binary options brokers comparison first to make sure you pick the best service. Minimum deposit: $250 Maximum returns: 90% Bonuses: up to $250, risk-free trades Supported trading platform: proprietary web, Android and iPhone. BDSwiss is a regulated broker in Cyprus with headquarters also in that country. Likewise, it is registered with the U. S. National Futures Association (unregulated), but as of now, US traders are not accepted. The broker trades in forex, indices, shares, commodities and CFD-based cryptocurrencies on over 250 underlying assets.

Minimum deposit is $200 but there’s no bonus, while traders can realize returns from 65% to 85%. Refunds are not available also. Likewise, you are charged $25 per wire transfer and fees apply for withdrawals below $100. For platform, BDSwiss uses SpotOption that is familiar to many traders. It uses advanced charting tools and indicators to help you determine price movement. There is multilingual support via phone, email and live chat. Mobile apps for Android and iOS devices are available. Minimum deposit: $200 Maximum returns: 85% Bonuses: none Supported trading platform: SpotOption, web, Android and iPhone. Your product is not on the list? If you are a binary options provider and you didn’t find your product on our 2017 list above feel free to let us know about your service. We may consider including it on the 2018 list.

You can easily let us know about your product here. 5 Comments » Thanks for your informative post on the top binary options brokers in the business. It gives the essential details about all the brokers in a nutshell and has helped me to form a shortlist from which I can select suitable ones for my trading needs. For me, binary investing offers many attractions. First, I find it is easier to learn and use compared to stock and forex trading. Second, many brokers offer lucrative payout rates which means I can make good money while having fun at the same time. In addition, there is no need to be a financial expert to be good at binary investing. I simply follow the latest market news and trends about the assets I select and this helps me make informed predictions. Plus, the trading is flexible and allows me to control my losses and retire if I have a bad day. By the way, can you offer a few tips on which features offered by top brokers are the crucial ones? Hello Don. It is nice to learn that my article has proved useful to you. I agree with you that binary investing is a fun and exciting way to make good money.

As for useful features, here is a list you can utilize for reference. Make sure the brokers you select offer these tools: – First, the broker should make it easy for you to sign up and get started in a few minutes. – They should offer a range of convenient deposit and withdrawal options that you can use from your country. – The trading platform should be accessible on mobile devices to enable you to trade on the go. – A wide range of trading assets and trade types should be available so that you can keep changing your choices to keep the excitement fresh. – In addition, the payout rate should be high so that you stand a good chance of winning big amounts. Hope it helps. Good luck! I have thoroughly evaluated the pros and cons of binary trading and for me the pros outweigh the cons, that is why I am interested in this form of trading. The pros, in my opinion, are as follows: Top brokers keep introducing new innovations and features which keep the game exciting. Plus, I can access the online trading platforms from anywhere, anytime, and trade whenever I like. In addition, many governments have begun to regulate this industry which gives me peace of mind and confidence that my money will be safe. With social trading, I can share my experiences with like-minded investors and gain knowledge and expertise. In addition, binary investing is superior to gambling as I can make educated predictions with a little research.

As for the cons, there is the risk of shady operators but you can easily tackle this challenge by doing your homework on the broker before you put in your money. In my opinion, binary investing is much better than trading in stocks or forex or gambling. Do you have any advice on how to trade more safely and how to select a reliable and trustworthy broker? Hi Mike, thanks for sharing your ideas on the pros and cons of binary investing. As for your question, there are a few key factors to consider to select a suitable broker with a honest reputation. First, check if their trading platform is compatible with your computer and whether all the links work. Then, see what training resources they offer. Ideally, they should provide video tutorials, articles on strategies and techniques, as well as one-on-one counseling. However, you many need to sign up for a premium plan to get personalized assistance. Another important factor is the terms and conditions for withdrawal of winnings and bonuses.

If the withdrawal limit is high you might have to keep trading to reach that amount which means you might not be able to control your losses and stop if you wish to. Finally, check out their customer support channels to see if you get fast and friendly service round the clock. Good luck and happy hunting! Thanks for your useful tips on how to select a good broker to do business with. They are sure to benefit all potential traders out there. You can get reliable information on brokers in the binary options and other industries here. BrokerCheck gives you an overview of a broker’s licensing info, employment history, and regulatory actions as well as complaints against them. The best part is it is a free tool. The website is operated by FINRA which is authorized by the US Congress to protect the interests and money of investors. The site instantly tells you whether a broker is registered to provide trading services to investors. In short, it can help you select honest and transparent brokers, and avoid fraudulent fly-by-night operators whose plan is to swindle traders’ money. B2B News » What Are the Most Important Skills of A Project Manager and Why?

What are the most important skills of a project manager? A very tedious job, project management is accompanied by numerous tasks that project managers need to do right, including project … What is Agile in Project Management? How it Works and Examples of Leading Solutions. What is agile in project management? It is an iterative approach to project management, in contrast to traditional project management, also called Waterfall, which relies on linear, sequential approach. Agile focuses … Why Is Project Management Software Useful: Benefits, Importance and Features. Businesses have goals and objectives to be achieved which can be used to measure its level of success and growth. In order to reach them, a certain range of tasks … Top 10 Alternatives to Adobe Photoshop CC: List of Popular Graphic Design Software Solutions. Graphic design software tools are used by graphic designers to create and organize their work. Take a look at these stats on the career prospects of graphic designers: By 2020, … How Much Does Project Management Software Cost? Comparison of Pricing Plans.

Project management tools have been an integral part of all organizations’ management programs. They are viewed as invaluable additions to the way businesses handle their projects. This is probably the … Return On Investment. Perhaps the most important part of getting ready for binary options is finding the very best return on your investment . Your return on investment (ROI) is sometimes even more important than which underlying asset you end up selecting. A high ROI can offset the knowledge gap that you have concerning an asset if it is substantial. For example, if you are trading an asset with a 65 percent correct trade rate and you are getting a 70 percent ROI when you are successful, you can easily find a better ROI and start making more money with a lower correct trade rate. The way it works is quite simple. You need to find a ROI that is high enough so that even if you are wrong a few more times per 100 trades, you are making a higher rate of return when you are right. There are binary brokers out there that offer better rates on some of the lesser traded assets in order to lure traders toward them. Finding these assets can play a vital role in increasing the amount of money you make trading binary options. The first step that you need to take is to compare and contrast between different brokers. If you are comfortable trading U. S. stocks, look around between the major online binary options brokers, demo trade and find which one presents you with the highest ROI.

There are many brokers out there and they are all competing for your business. You should always trade with the broker that gives you the most money . This might mean that you need to have an account with more than one broker as rates can often vary from day to day. If Broker ABC has a higher rate of return than Broker XYZ, you obviously want to go with ABC. However, XYZ might have a higher ROI for the same asset a few days later. Spreading your bankroll out between these different brokers will give you the most flexibility and will ultimately make your profit rate a bit higher. The second method is to compare assets within the same broker. This step is vital for two types of traders. First, the trader who is crunched for time needs to do this in order to make sure that they are getting the highest rate of return on their money . If you do not have enough time to skim through several different brokers, sticking with a single broker will help you out without having to go to several different brokers’ sites. The second type of trader that will want to use this technique are those individuals with a smaller bankroll.

If you cannot effectively spread your money out between three or more brokers, sticking to a single broker can still be profitable for you. You need to get over the notion that you can only trade one asset however. If you are familiar with technical analysis methods for short term trading, trading a different type of asset will not be a huge stretch as the principles that govern one asset are easily translated to another. Having a high ROI can also be accomplished via a third method. Some brokers offer rebates on unsuccessful trades — some as high as 15 percent. If you are wrong occasionally this will end up paying off for you. The best way to figure out if this will benefit you is to calculate your correct trade rate. If you are right 60 percent of the time, this means you are wrong 40 percent of the time. Figure out what your average rate of return is and then do the math to see if the 15 percent rebate will help you out here. This gives you a return of $10,920, or a profit of $920. If you are trading at a correct trade rate of 63 percent without a rebate, you might think that your higher correct trade rate will help you out more, but the math says something different. Assume the same 72 percent ROI. The math looks like this: This gives you a return of $10,836, or a profit of $836.

As you can see, despite your better correct trade rate, you are still not making as much money as you would with a rebate . The difference might be slight, but over a period of time this is money lost. Finding out your correct trade rate, then, is an essential part of your long term success with binary options. The Risk is very high when it comes to trading. Make sure you understand what is at stake before putting any money to work. You could lose your whole investment account. What You Need To Know About Binary Options Outside the U. S. Binary options are a simple way to trade price fluctuations in multiple global markets, but a trader needs to understand the risks and rewards of these often-misunderstood instruments. Binary options are different from traditional options. If traded, one will find these options have different payouts, fees and risks, not to mention an entirely different liquidity structure and investment process. ( For related reading, see: A Guide To Trading Binary Options In The U. S. ) Binary options traded outside the U. S. are also typically structured differently than binaries available on U. S. exchanges. When considering speculating or hedging, binary options are an alternative, but only if the trader fully understands the two potential outcomes of these exotic options. In June 2013, the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission warned investors about the potential risks of investing in binary options and charged a Cyprus-based company with selling them illegally to U. S. investors.

What Are Binary Options? Binary options are classed as exotic options, yet binaries are extremely simple to use and understand functionally. The most common binary option is a "high-low" option. Providing access to stocks, indices, commodities and foreign exchange, a high-low binary option is also called a fixed-return option. This is because the option has an expiry datetime and also what is called a strike price. If a trader wagers correctly on the market's direction and the price at the time of expiry is on the correct side of the strike price, the trader is paid a fixed return regardless of how much the instrument moved. A trader who wagers incorrectly on the market's direction loses herhis investment. If a trader believes the market is rising, shehe would purchase a call. If the trader believes the market is falling, shehe would buy a put. For a call to make money, the price must be above the strike price at the expiry time. For a put to make money, the price must be below the strike price at the expiry time. The strike price, expiry, payout and risk are all disclosed at the trade's outset. For most high-low binary options outside the U. S., the strike price is the current price or rate of the underlying financial product, such as the S&P 500 index, EURUSD currency pair or a particular stock. Therefore, the trader is wagering whether the future price at expiry will be higher or lower than the current price.

(For more, see What is the history of binary options? ) Foreign Versus U. S. Binary Options. Binary options outside the U. S. typically have a fixed payout and risk, and are offered by individual brokers, not on an exchange. These brokers make their money from the percentage discrepancy between what they pay out on winning trades and what they collect from losing trades. While there are exceptions, these binary options are meant to be held until expiry in an "all or nothing" payout structure. Most foreign binary options brokers are not legally allowed to solicit U. S. residents for trading purposes, unless that broker is registered with a U. S. regulatory body such as the SEC or Commodities Futures Trading Commission. Starting in 2008, some options exchanges such as the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) began listing binary options for U. S. residents. The SEC regulates the CBOE, which offers investors increased protection compared to over-the-counter markets. Nadex is also a binary options exchange in the U. S., subject to oversight by the CFTC. These options can be traded at any time at a rate based on market forces. The rate fluctuates between one and 100 based on the probability of an option finishing in or out of the money. At all times there is full transparency, so a trader can exit with the profit or loss they see on their screen in each moment. They can also enter at any time as the rate fluctuates, thus being able to make trades based on varying risk-to-reward scenarios.

The maximum gain and loss is still known if the trader decides to hold until expiry. Since these options trade through an exchange, each trade requires a willing buyer and seller. The exchanges make money from an exchange fee – to match buyers and sellers – and not from a binary options trade loser. High-Low Binary Option Example. Assume your analysis indicates that the S&P 500 is going to rally for the rest of the afternoon, although you're not sure by how much. You decide to buy a (binary) call option on the S&P 500 index. Suppose the index is currently at 1,800, so by buying a call option you're wagering the price at expiry will be above 1,800. Since binary options are available on all sorts of time frames – from minutes to months away – you choose an expiry time (or date) that aligns with your analysis. You choose an option with an 1,800 strike price that expires 30 minutes from now. The option pays you 70% if the S&P 500 is above 1,800 at expiry (30 minutes from now) if the S&P 500 is below 1,800 in 30 minutes, you'll lose your investment. You can invest almost any amount, although this will vary from broker to broker. Often there is a minimum such as $10 and a maximum such as $10,000 (check with the broker for specific investment amounts).

Continuing with the example, you invest $100 in the call that expires in 30 minutes. The S&P 500 price at expiry determines whether you make or lose money. The price at expiry may be the last quoted price, or the (bid+ask)2. Each broker specifies their own expiry price rules. In this case, assume the last quote on the S&P 500 before expiry was 1,802. Therefore, you make a $70 profit (or 70% of $100) and maintain your original $100 investment. Had the price finished below 1,800, you would lose your $100 investment. If the price had expired exactly on the strike price, it is common for the trader to receive herhis money back with no profit or loss, although each broker may have different rules as it is an over-the-counter (OTC) market. The broker transfers profits and losses into and out of the trader's account automatically. Other Types of Binary Options. The example above is for a typical high-low binary option – the most common type of binary option – outside the U. S. International brokers will typically offer several other types of binaries as well. These include "one touch" binary options, where the price only needs to touch a specified target level once before expiry for the trader to make money. There is a target above and below the current price, so traders can pick which target they believe will be hit before expiry. A "range" binary option allows traders to select a price range the asset will trade within until expiry. If the price stays within the range selected, a payout is received.

If the price moves out of the specified range, then the investment is lost. As competition in the binary options space ramps up, brokers are offering more and more binary option products. While the structure of the product may change, risk and reward is always known at the trade's outset. Binary option innovation has led to options that offer 50% to 500% fixed payouts. This allows traders to potentially make more on a trade than they lose - a better reward:risk ratio – though if an option is offering a 500% payout, it is likely structured in such a way that the probability of winning that payout is quite low. Some foreign brokers allow traders to exit trades before the binary option expires, but most do not. Exiting a trade before expiry typically results in a lower payout (specified by broker) or small loss, but the trader won't lose his or her entire investment. The Upside and Downside. There is an upside to these trading instruments, but it requires some perspective. A major advantage is that the risk and reward are known. It does not matter how much the market moves in favor or against the trader. There are only two outcomes: win a fixed amount or lose a fixed amount. Also, there are generally no fees, such as commissions, with these trading instruments (brokers may vary).

The options are simple to use, and there is only one decision to make: is the underlying asset going up or down? There are also no liquidity concerns, because the trader never actually owns the underlying asset, and therefore brokers can offer innumerable strike prices and expiration timesdates, which is attractive to a trader. A final benefit is that a trader can access multiple asset classes in global markets generally anytime a market is open somewhere in the world. The major drawback of high-low binary options is that the reward is always less than the risk. This means a trader must be right a high percentage of the time to cover losses. While payout and risk will fluctuate from broker to broker and instrument to instrument, one thing remains constant: losing trades will cost the trader more than shehe can make on winning trades. Other types of binary options (not high-low) may provide payouts where the reward is potentially greater than the risk. Trading Forex With Binary Options. Binary options are an alternative way to play the foreign currency (forex) market for traders. Although they are a relatively expensive way to trade forex compared with the leveraged spot forex trading offered by a growing number of brokers, the fact that the maximum potential loss is capped and known in advance is a major advantage of binary options. But first, what are binary options? They are options with a binary outcome, i. e., they either settle at a pre-determined value (generally $100) or $0. This settlement value depends on whether the price of the asset underlying the binary option is trading above or below the strike price by expiration. Binary options can be used to speculate on the outcomes of various situations, such as will the S&P 500 rise above a certain level by tomorrow or next week, will this week’s jobless claims be higher than the market expects, or will the euro or yen decline against the US dollar today? Say gold is trading at $1,195 per troy ounce currently and you are confident that it will be trading above $1,200 later that day.

Assume you can buy a binary option on gold trading at or above $1,200 by that day’s close, and this option is trading at $57 (bid)$60 (offer). You buy the option at $60. If gold closes at or above $1,200, as you had expected, your payout will be $100, which means that your gross gain (before commissions) is $40 or 66.7%. On the other hand, if gold closes below $1,200, you would lose your $60 investment, for a 100% loss. Buyers and Sellers of Binary Options. For the buyer of a binary option, the cost of the option is the price at which the option is trading. For the seller of a binary option, the cost is the difference between 100 and the option price and 100. From the buyer’s perspective, the price of a binary option can be regarded as the probability that the trade will be successful. Therefore, the higher the binary option price, the greater the perceived probability of the asset price rising above the strike. From the seller’s perspective, the probability is 100 minus the option price. All binary option contracts are fully collateralized, which means that both sides of a specific contract – the buyer and seller – have to put up capital for their side of the trade. So if a contract is trading at 35, the buyer pays $35, and the seller pays $65 ($100 - $35). This is the maximum risk of the buyer and seller, and equals $100 in all cases. Thus the risk-reward profile for the buyer and seller in this instance can be stated as follows: Buyer – Maximum risk = $35. Maximum reward = $65 ($100 - $35) Seller – Maximum risk = $65. Maximum reward = $35 ($100 - $65) Binary options on forex are available from exchanges like Nadex, which offers them on the most popular pairs such as USD-CAD, EUR-USD and USD-JPY, as well as on a number of other widely traded currency pairs. These options are offered with expirations ranging from intraday to daily and weekly.

The tick size on spot forex binaries from Nadex is 1, and the tick value is $1. The intraday forex binary options offered by Nadex expire hourly, while the daily ones expire at certain set times throughout the day. The weekly binary options expire at 3 p. m. on Friday. In the frenetic world of forex, how is the expiration value calculated? For forex contracts, Nadex takes the midpoint prices of the last 25 trades in the forex market, eliminates the highest five and lowest five prices, and then takes the arithmetic average of the remaining 15 prices. From December 15, 2014, for forex contracts, Nadex has proposed to take the last 10 midpoint prices in the underlying market, remove the highest three and lowest three prices, and take the arithmetic average of the remaining four prices. Let’s use the EUR-USD currency pair to demonstrate how binary options can be used to trade forex. We use a weekly option that will expire at 3 p. m. on Friday, or four days from now. Assume the current exchange rate is EUR 1 = USD 1.2440. Consider the following two scenarios: (a) You believe the euro is unlikely to weaken by Friday, and should stay above 1.2425. The binary option EURUSD>1.2425 is quoted at 49.0055.00. You buy 10 contracts for a total of $550 (excluding commissions). At 3 p. m. on Friday, the euro is trading at USD 1.2450. Your binary option settles at 100, giving you a payout of $1,000.

Your gross gain (before taking commissions into account) is $450, or approximately 82%. However, if the euro had closed below 1.2425, you would lose your entire $550 investment, for a 100% loss. (b) You are bearish on the euro and believe it could decline by Friday, say to USD 1.2375. The binary option EURUSD>1.2375 is quoted at 60.0066.00. Since you are bearish on the euro, you would sell this option. Your initial cost to sell each binary option contract is therefore $40 ($100 - $60). Assume you sell 10 contracts, and receive a total of $400. At 3 p. m. on Friday, let’s say the euro is trading at 1.2400. Since the euro closed above the strike price of $1.2375 by expiration, you would lose the full $400 or 100% of your investment. What if the euro had closed below 1.2375, as you had expected? In that case, the contract would settle at $100, and you would receive a total of $1,000 for your 10 contracts, for a gain of $600 or 150%. Additional Basic Strategies. You do not have to wait until contract expiration to realize a gain on your binary option contract.

For instance, if by Thursday, assume the euro is trading in the spot market at 1.2455, but you are concerned about the possibility of a decline in the currency if US economic data to be released on Friday are very positive. Your binary option contract (EURUSD>1.2425), which was quoted at 49.0055.00 at the time of your purchase is now at 7580. You therefore sell the 10 option contracts you had purchased at $55 each, for $75, and book a total profit of $200 or 36%. You can also put on a combination trade for lower risklower reward. Let’s consider the USDJPY binary option to illustrate. Assume your view is that volatility in the yen – which is trading at 118.50 to the dollar – could increase significantly, and it could trade above 119.75 or decline below 117.25 by Friday. You therefore buy 10 binary option contracts – USDJPY>119.75, trading at 29.5035.50 – and also sell 10 binary option contracts – USDJPY>117.25, trading at 66.5072.00. Therefore, you pay $35.50 to buy the USDJPY>119.75 contract, and $33.50 (i. e., $100 - $66.50) to sell the USDJPY>117.25 contract. Your total cost is thus $690 ($355 + $335). Three possible scenarios arise by option expiration at 3 p. m. on Friday: The yen is trading above 119.75 : In this case, the USDJPY>119.75 contract has a payout of $100, while the USDJPY>117.25 contract expires worthless. Your total payout is $1,000, for a gain of $310 or about 45%. The yen is trading below 117.25 : In this case, the USDJPY>117.25 contract has a payout of $100, while the USDJPY>119.75 contract expires worthless. Your total payout is $1,000, for a gain of $310 or about 45%. The yen is trading between 117.25 and 119.75 : In this case, both contracts expire worthless and you loss the full $690 investment. Binary options have a couple of drawbacks: the upside or total reward is limited even if the asset price spikes up, and a binary option is a derivative product with a finite time to expiration. On the other hand, binary options have a number of advantages that make them especially useful in the volatile world of forex: the risk is limited (even if the asset prices spikes up), collateral required is quite low, and they can be used even in flat markets that are not volatile. These advantages make forex binary options worthy of consideration for the experienced trader who is looking to trade currencies. Introduction to Binary Options Trading.

You know the saying: Don’t try to time the market. But binary options trading does just that. The investment method is frequently compared to gambling, for good reason: Investors are placing a bet on how a market or asset will move in the very near future. What are binary options? In trading binary options, you’re predicting whether an asset class will be above or below a certain price at a certain time. Here’s where the gambling knock comes in. If you’ve ever been to Las Vegas, it’s a little like overunder betting. Predictions like this aren’t the best method for most investors. We strongly recommend a portfolio of index funds for long-term goals like retirement. But if you have some extra cash and you want to ease into options trading, binary options contracts can be a decent way to do it. Binary options are often referred to as “yes or no” investments. If you think an asset will be above a set price, you’re predicting “yes” and buying the binary option. If you think an asset class will fall below a set price, you’re predicting “no” and selling the binary option.

There’s a low barrier to entry. A binary option contract won’t cost more than $100. You’re not buying the underlying investment or even the option to buy the underlying investment. You’re simply placing a bet on how that investment’s price will move. These contracts always close at either $0 or $100 you either win or lose. If you predict the price movement correctly, you’re on the winning side of the trade, and the person on the other end of the contract — who predicted incorrectly — is on the losing side. Your earnings or losses can’t top $100 on a single contract, which means your exposure to risk is limited. Limited, but far from nonexistent. You can trade multiple contracts to increase potential profits the less fun side of that coin is that you’re also increasing potential losses. Assets that can be traded as binary options. As with other investments, the assets available to trade as binary options will depend on the broker you choose. That’s an important note. The binary options industry is rife with scams, so if you decide this is a trading method for you, it’s important to trade through a company that’s regulated by the U. S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission or the National Futures Association. That’s a small list.

Major brokers typically don’t offer binary options because they’re complex and not very popular. The largest regulated binary options broker in the U. S. is Nadex. In general, you can trade on: Stock indexes, like the S&P 500, Nasdaq, Russell 2000 and FTSE 100. Forex (currency pairs). Commodities, like precious metals, crude oil, natural gas, soybeans and corn. Individual stocks. Economic events, like the federal funds rate or the jobs report. How binary option trades work. To place a binary option trade, you’ll walk through three main steps: Decide on an asset or market to trade. Decide on an expiration date or time for the option to close. Most trading platforms let you sort by expiration date, so you can view contracts that expire within the next few hours or days.

Most contracts will expire by the end of the trading week, except those tied to economic events. Decide if you want to buy or sell the binary option, based on the strike price and expiration date. The strike price is essentially a line in the sand. If you think the asset will be above the strike price when the contract expires, you buy the binary option. If you think the asset will be below the strike price, you sell the binary option. Say you want to trade on the S&P 500, and you choose a contract with a strike price that’s slightly higher than where the market is right now. That strike price is 2,075, and the expiration is 3 p. m. Remember, in binary options trading, you’re deciding whether you think an asset will be above or below the strike price at a certain time. The question here: Will the S&P 500 be above 2,075 at 3 p. m.? If you think the answer is yes, you buy the option. If you think the answer is no, you sell the option. Here’s where things get complicated: As with many investments, there’s a bid price and an offer price, and they can fluctuate rapidly. With binary options, the bid is used when you’re selling a contract, and the offer is used when you’re buying a contract. The bid and offer prices are always under $100.

Let’s say that in our hypothetical trade, the bid on the S&P 500 contract is $35 and the offer is $40. If you buy the binary option, you’ll pay the $40 offer price. If you sell the binary option, you’ll sell at the $35 bid price. You think the S&P 500 will be above 2,075 at 3 p. m., so you buy the binary option contract for $40. That’s the most you can lose in the trade. If you bet correctly — and this is, at its heart, a bet — the binary option settles for $100. Your profit is $60, since you put the offer price of $40 down (which you also get back). You’re now “in the money” in options lingo, for obvious reasons. If you’re wrong, and the S&P 500 is lower than 2,075 at 3 p. m., the trade settles for $0. You don’t get anything, and you’ve lost the $40 you put down. You are now, sadly, “out of the money.” If instead you think the S&P 500 will be below 2,075 at 3 p. m., you’d sell the binary option. If you’re correct, your profit is the bid, or the price at which you sold the option, which was $35. If you’re wrong, and the S&P 500 goes higher instead, you lose $65 ($100 less the $35 bid). You can also exit the trade early at some brokers, which will cut your losses if your prediction looks to be wrong, or lock in a profit if your prediction appears to be trending toward correct. But wait, back up: How do you make this prediction?

Therein lies the issue. It’s hard to predict the markets. If it were easy, we’d all be swimming in $100 bills. The key here is research. You’re not making a blind prediction, at least not if you want to make money. The goal is to make what your elementary-school science teacher probably called an educated guess. To do that, you should: Practice with a binary options demo account if you’re new to this trade method. The losses you take when you’re green won’t sting as badly if they’re paper money. Understand the market you’re trading. We’d recommend picking a market to trade and sticking to it at first. If you’re into currency trading, trade forex. If you’re already following the S&P 500, trade on that. Use technical analysis tools, like price charts, which will give you a historical view of how the asset you’re trading has behaved in the past and an indication of how it might behave in the future. Keep track of your trades.

A trading platform will keep a record of your order history, but a good accompaniment is an old-fashioned notebook. No, it’s not the most advanced trading tool. But keeping notes about your trades — what went wrong, what went right — can help guide future strategies. As with any investment, there are pros and cons, risks and rewards here. Binary options are marketed as a relatively low-risk trading method, but we’d treat it like gambling: Don’t put up more than you can afford to lose. Arielle O’Shea is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website. Email: aoshea@nerdwallet. com. Twitter: @arioshea. The Best Online Brokers for Stock Trading. Power Trader? See the Best Online Trading Platforms. Find the Best Online Brokers.

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