If you take a quick glance at the global forex market, you’ll see an entity that continues to grow at an exponential rate. According to recent estimates, $5.3 trillion is invested each day through the forex market, at an incredible average of around $220 billion per hour.
At least some of this growth can be attributed to the trading method of spread betting, which has become increasingly popular and accessible throughout the digital age.
But what is spread betting, and how exactly does it work? We’ll consider these questions in detail in the article below.
What is Spread Betting, and how Does it Work?
Spread betting, which is also known among traders as contracts for difference, is a financial vehicle that has made the forex market and similar entities increasingly accessible to investors from across the globe.
The reason for this is that it removes barriers to entry, specifically by enabling individuals to simply trade price movements rather than forcing them to assume ownership of an underlying instrument.
In practical terms, this means that investors can bet that the price of a particular asset class will rise or fall within a predetermined period of time, with these actions known colloquially as “going long” and “going short”.
What are the Natural Benefits of Spread Betting?
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While thi4s simplistic definition of spread betting is accurate, it does not do justice to the natural benefits that it offers to financial market traders.
In terms of leverage, for example, spread betting enables investors to deal in underlying assets for a fraction of what it would cost of buy them outright. By laying down a marginal deposit, they can trade their chosen assets freely through spread betting, while potentially achieving gains that are far in excess of their original commitment.
Of course, it’s also possible to lose more than your initial investment in instances where your trades go awry, but this potential risk is significantly outweighed by the benefits of spread betting.
Aside from improved accessibility, it’s also fair to surmise that spread betting enables traders to enjoy far greater flexibility in volatile markets such as the foreign exchange. For example, this trading vehicle creates a scenario where investors can profit even in a depreciating market, regardless of the prevailing conditions and the direction that an asset class is heading in.
This is particularly relevant to traders that deal in derivatives such as currency, as these individuals can optimise their gains regardless of the nature of the real-time economy. The forex market also boasts exceptionally high liquidity, and spread betting taps into this by enabling day traders to execute a high volume of relevant orders without having a negative impact on the underlying asset’s price.
The Last Word
As we can see, spread betting has provided a pathway into the financial markets, particularly complex and volatile entities such as the foreign exchange.
It has also created greater flexibility for traders in a challenging economic and financial landscape, which has helped to boost the global daily trading volumes while increasing the number of active market investors.
