Why trade Forex CFDs? — Risks and benefits involved

Marc Aucamp

CONTENT WRITER

29 July 2025 - 8min Read

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When you select a market to trade in, you search for the best trading conditions and the greatest possibility of profit. There are numerous factors why millions of traders around the globe believe the currency market meets these requirements.

If you're unsure where to begin, you've come to the right place. In this article, you'll learn what Forex CFD trading is, how it works, and some aspects surrounding it.

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Key takeaways

  • Currency markets have the highest everyday transaction activity in the world and, thus, the most liquidity.
  • In most market circumstances, this makes it simple to open or close a trade in any of the currencies in a fraction of a second.
  • The Forex CFD market is open 24 hours a day, five days a week.
  • Because leverage is widely used in currency trading, you could start with a smaller sum of money with the intent to grow it over time. 
  • The currency market differs from other financial markets in that trading doesn’t take place on an exchange. Instead, FX CFD transactions are carried out through networks of banks, dealers, and brokers who trade currencies with each other at a rapid speed.

What is the Forex CFD market, and how does it work?

Fiat currencies are traded and exchanged on the foreign exchange market. Foreign exchange is essential because it allows you to buy products and services locally and across boundaries.

The fact that there is no central marketplace or exchange in a central spot is a crucial aspect of the currency market, as all trading is done online via computer networks. This is referred to as an over-the-counter (OTC) exchange. 

Forex CFD trading has several interesting features. So, why do traders decide to trade Forex CFDs? Here are some reasons:

The ability to go long or short

While it is possible to go short in other markets only by using derivative products such as CFDs, short selling is an integral part of Forex CFD trading.

It's because you may often sell one currency (the quote currency) in order to purchase another (the base currency).

You make a return if you successfully predict which way the currency pair will move.

Forex CFD trading hours are open 24/5

The foreign exchange market is open 24 hours a day, five days a week - from 9 pm on Sunday to 10 pm on Friday (GMT).

As Forex is a global market, you could always take advantage of the Forex CFD trading hours of different sessions around the globe.

Forex CFDs have a high level of liquidity

The foreign exchange market is the busiest in the world. This means many speculators are constantly trading. Individuals, businesses, and banks convert over $6.5 trillion in currency every day, with the vast majority of this activity aimed at short-term profit-taking.

Because of Forex's high liquidity, trades could be executed quickly and easily, so transaction costs - or spreads - are frequently very low. This allows traders to speculate on small price movements.

Forex CFD volatility

Due to the large number of currency transactions each day, which amounts to thousands of transactions per minute, the price changes of some currencies are extremely unpredictable.

Speculating on price movements in either direction has the potential to yield returns or losses, depending on which way the market moves with your prediction.

Forex CFD leverage

We provide a way to trade currency pairs using CFDs. These are leveraged products. Leverage in Forex CFDs allows you to open a position on the currency market by paying only a small portion of the total position value upfront.

Margin trading could help you make large profits from a small investment. It could, however, also magnify any losses, which is why strict money and risk management are so important. As a result, before trading CFDs, it is critical to consider the total value of the leveraged position.

Education and Communities

Social networks within financial markets are becoming increasingly common, and because Forex is the biggest market, it also has the most trading groups and networks. This allows you to interact with a large group of Forex CFD traders, making Forex CFDs the most sociable market to trade in.

Because the retail market has been growing for nearly two decades, there are many experts, instructors, and other community members in every language.

Forex CFDs are the most easily accessible market for trading. To ensure that new customers could trade effectively, Forex CFD brokers provide them with a variety of resources to help them improve their expertise. As learning in trading never ends.

Advanced technology

Digital developments simplify our lives, and online Forex CFD trading is no exception. More Forex CFD trading platforms emerge every year, and existing trading platforms receive frequent upgrades.

Furthermore, the retail Forex CFD software business is enhanced by third-party software suppliers who provide different add-ons and extensions.

Regulations

The Forex CFD regulatory authorities in each country govern Forex CFD trading laws and regulations. For example, Australia’s Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

Always opt to trade with a broker who is regulated in at least one jurisdiction!

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Why trade Forex CFDs vs stock CFDs?

There are several factors why some would favour trading Forex CFDs over stocks:

  • The stock CFD market is confined to the hours of exchange, whereas the Forex CFD market is available 24 hours a day, although it's worth mentioning that certain stock index CFDs are also open on this basis.
  • The currency market has an average daily turnover change of roughly $7.7 trillion, whereas the equity market is significantly smaller.
  • The fast-moving currency market can provide a thrilling variety of opportunities for shorter-term traders. In contrast, equities can have long periods when they trade in narrow ranges. This does suit some trading strategies. But when choosing whether currency or the equity market is preferable for you, you should evaluate your risk tolerance and money objectives.

Learn more about Forex CFD trading vs stock CFD trading.

Reasons to avoid trading Forex CFDs

  1. The market could be unpredictable; trading Forex CFDs always carries the risk of losing capital. In addition to the intrinsic risk of trading, Forex CFDs are traded on margin through leverage, which means you only need a relatively small deposit to take on a large amount of risk. As a result of the high degree of risk, you must ensure that you do not trade with money you cannot afford to lose.
  2. Before you even consider trading, you might want to understand the fundamentals of the markets, what affects them, and how trading works. Another critical element is to develop a Forex CFD trading plan that fits your trading style, with stringent money management and risk management guidelines governing how you use your funds to trade.
  3. When making trading decisions, you could be correct and profit or be incorrect and lose money. That's acceptable as long as your winnings exceed your losses. Failing trades are inevitable in the trading game; you must be prepared for them and not take adverse market moves personally. 
  4. In Forex CFD trading, you must be able to recognise when you are mistaken and close losing trades as soon as possible. It's critical to practice accepting losses and to learn from your mistakes. But remember that it's okay to be incorrect - you can't be right 100% of the time.
  5. When trading Forex CFD currencies, you have several trading styles to choose from, each needing a certain amount of time in front of the screens. For example, scalpers, day traders and swing traders generally trade frequently and employ short-term strategies, while trend traders and position takers can run their strategies for longer periods while trading less frequently.

Remember that learning about trading the Forex CFD market and how to create an effective trading strategy requires effort. Before you start trading Forex CFD pairs, you might want to make sure you have the time to devote to it.


People also asked

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Forex CFDs are used by businesses and traders for two primary reasons: speculation and hedging. Traders use the former to profit from the rise and decline of exchange values, while the latter is used to lock in rates for production and sales in foreign marketplaces.

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The first stage in learning how to trade currencies is to become familiar with the market's processes and terms. Following that, you must devise a trading plan based on your capital and risk capacity. Lastly, you should open a trading account. It is now simpler than ever to create and finance an online currency account and begin exchanging currencies.

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Although there are numerous advantages to currency CFD trading, market volatility, and margin trading do raise the risk. However, there are several methods to control risk, including adding stop losses to your trades, setting up price notifications, and using a trading strategy that fits your risk tolerance.

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The EUR/USD, USD/JPY, GBP/USD, and USD/CHF are the most traded currency pairs. For those just getting started in the Forex CFD market, it is essential to understand that most Forex CFD trading occurs in these combos, which can make them more attractive to trade due to their higher volume.

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