Contracts for difference (CFDs) are a high-risk product available from hundreds of online brokers, however not all firms can be trusted and trading conditions vary. That’s why we, and you, should look at several factors to find the right CFD provider for your needs:
We also find that the best CFD trading platforms provide research and analysis tools Versus Trade. At the forefront of this is the ability to perform in-depth technical analysis from within the platform. Alternatively, if MT4/5 is supported, this is also sufficient.
Leverage allows you to greatly increase the potential profitability of trades with a relatively small amount of capital. Leverage is often written as a ratio, for example 1:10. Here, a $100 outlay would give you $1,000 in buying power ($100 x 10).
Instead of purchasing the asset directly, you purchase a contract for difference (CFD). This is a type of derivative product that represents an agreement between a broker and a trader. If you think that the price of a crypto will go up, you purchase a ‘buy’ contract. Whereas, if you think that the price of a crypto will go down, you purchase a ‘sell’ contract. Your profits are determined by the price change of the underlying asset.
Instead of purchasing the asset directly, you purchase a contract for difference (CFD). This is a type of derivative product that represents an agreement between a broker and a trader. If you think that the price of a crypto will go up, you purchase a ‘buy’ contract. Whereas, if you think that the price of a crypto will go down, you purchase a ‘sell’ contract. Your profits are determined by the price change of the underlying asset.
Some may argue they wish to own the actual crypto asset, which certainly has benefits, especially for the long term. But from a trading perspective, in hence the short term, it is not the most logical option.
The most common CFD pairing is with the US dollar – for example, BTC/USD. Admirals offer the option to trade various digital currency CFDs with EUR, as an alternative to USD, as well as trading with digital currency cross pairs.
In this guide, we have taken a closer look ate each platform to determine why it is a good option to use. After doing your own research, it is a good idea to use a demo account to test out different platforms before putting any money at risk.
If you’re looking to trade rather than own Bitcoin, then CFD trading is a great option. You can deal quickly and engage in short and long selling to make more profit. But if you want to buy, look at cryptocurrency exchanges instead.
CFD trading offers traders several advantages over traditional trading, such as the ability to go long or short, the use of leverage, and the ability to trade a wide range of underlying assets from a single platform.
Commodity CFDs allow traders to speculate on the price movements of commodities such as gold, oil, and wheat. Commodity CFDs offer traders exposure to the commodity markets, without having to physically own the underlying asset. Commodity CFDs can be traded with leverage, allowing traders to amplify their potential profits.
CFDs are traded via OTC markets in Australia, Belize, Canada, Chile, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United Kingdom.
Investing in CFDs allows you to trade the price movements of stock indices, ETFs, and commodity futures. You get all the benefits and risks of owning a security without actually owning it. Using leverage allows investors to put up only a small percentage of the trade amount with a broker.
When holding long positions overnight, traders typically pay financing charges. These fees represent the cost of the leverage provided by the broker—essentially, the interest on the “borrowed” capital used to control a larger position. The calculation usually follows this formula:
The primary cost for CFD traders is the spread—the difference between the bid price (selling price) and the ask price (buying price). This difference is an immediate cost, and traders must overcome this gap before generating any profit.
The CFTC also regulates the spot forex cash market. This means that U.S. residents who want to trade forex are required to do so with a U.S-regulated forex broker (you can find a U.S.-regulated forex broker with our guide to the Best U.S. Forex Brokers).
Execution capabilities: IG is able to handle significant volume and execute large orders across across all account types, making it a great choice for retail traders, professionala, and even financial institutions that need CFD liquidity.
Consider opening multiple accounts. Most brokers have little or no account balance requirements for CFD trading – unlike U.S.-based margin accounts, which require a deposit of $2,000 before you can use leverage.