Leveling The Playing Field: How Global Broker Octa Improves Access To Trading in South Asia

When it comes to investing, it has long been a tale of the haves and have-nots. Institutional investors, high net worth individuals and those in the know historically had access to global markets and opportunities that regular investors did not. Everyday retail traders simply lacked the tools and knowledge afforded to their well-heeled counterparts. But the Internet, digital platforms and the rise of global brokers have changed that. They are leveling the playing field, giving retail traders access to the tools and opportunities they used to be shut out of.

Take access to global financial markets, for starters. Thanks to global online brokers, traders can trade foreign currency, stocks from around the world and many other asset types, all without getting off their couch. Digital platforms such as Octa broker’s proprietary solution OctaTrader provide them with access to currency pairs, indices, commodities and derivatives with a click of a mouse. They don't need to have $1 million or more in assets or make $200,000 plus a year to get access. Nor do they need to be steeped in institutional knowledge and expertise. Whether they have been trading for years or are just starting out, the opportunity is there for the taking. 

Empowering Traders With Education, Hand-Holding 

However, having access to global markets is only one part of the equation. Having the tools to help investors learn and grow is another essential attribute of an international broker. Global brokers leveling the playing field and empowering everyday traders greatly emphasise financial education. That's particularly true of forex trading. To succeed in forex trading, investors require a deep understanding of the global markets and technical indicators. A broker also has to offer traders the necessary tools to meet their goals; otherwise, the trading experience can become frustrating. The traders' lack of financial knowledge and ability to use dedicated tools to maximize their outcomes leads to the current state of things: two out of three forex traders lose money. 

To counter this negative trend, Octa, among other global brokers, puts a lot of emphasis on the education of their clients, providing them with access to webinars, easy-to-read illustrated user guides, forex trading manuals and tutorials. These platforms also let traders backtest ideas with free demo accounts and get access to expert insights and dedicated tools so traders can learn from the experience of others. Knowledge is power, and global brokers give everyday traders a lot of that. 

On top of that, global brokers bring the power of networking to the table. Their clients have access to customer support in real time, 24/7. That's not true of traditional investing, where it can be hard to get a broker to even call you back. Global brokers provide dependable, highly responsive and multilingual customer support via multiple channels, including live chat and email. For example, Octa's clients can get help 24/7 via live chat in several languages. The broker also provides all the necessary details on its website, including trading, account management, deposits and withdrawals. The broker also has an active presence on Social Media, promoting education and a data-driven trading approach.

To learn more about how Octa is empowering traders in Southeast Asia, click here.

Preventing Fees From Eating Away At Profits 

Global brokers’ benefits go beyond education, tools and support. They also level the playing field by being transparent about the fees they charge and the terms and conditions, from opening an account to trading on margin. That's important because fees can eat away at your total returns, and if they are obscured or buried in the fine print, traders could end up paying more than they anticipated. That's why the global brokers that are extremely transparent tend to stand out from the competition and gain recognition, as Octa's example shows. Since the broker clearly reflects all the trading fees and costs in its terms and conditions, traders know exactly what they are on the hook for. There are no surprises or excessive fees that less reliable brokers may charge unsuspecting investors. 

Take leverage trading or margin trading. This allows traders to purchase assets with borrowed money from the brokerage. Leverage levels the playing field giving traders access to opportunities they normally couldn't capitalize on, but it comes at the cost of increased risks. Global brokers provide all the necessary information and clear-cut terms for how to responsibly use leverage to help their clients mitigate the risk. On top of that, they offer tools to manage losses, including stop-loss orders. It’s yet another example of how global brokers are leveling the playing field for everyone.

Trading foreign currencies and derivatives used to be an old boys club but those exclusive, who-you-know, how-much-cash-you-have days are over. Octa and other global brokers are leveling the playing field and make trading more accessible than ever, educating and empowering traders big and small. To learn how Octa is leveling the playing field, click here.

Featured photo by Traxer on Unsplash.

This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.