Financial education is the ultimate investment a trader can make. And yet, its value is often underestimated. Many enter the world of online brokerage with a certain degree of self-taught knowledge. While this can prove useful, without further guidance, traders are prone to overestimating their expertise – in fact, a recent OECD financial literacy survey found that most individuals rate themselves as having a higher level of financial knowledge than they actually possess. Trading is a skill just like any other, and neglecting to take one’s education seriously can have significant consequences.
Online brokers have become increasingly aware of the knowledge deficit that exists among their clientele, and a number have begun to realise the benefits of providing this much-needed education as a service. World Finance spoke to Ergin Erdemir, Head of Marketing at ATFX, to learn more about the educational tools the company provides.
What does ATFX offer to online global investors?
ATFX is a leading online forex and contract for difference (CFD) broker. Over the past few years, the platform has gone from strength to strength, providing exceptional customer service around the world in all major languages. In a stringent industry, ATFX wants to stand out by offering its clients unique services that provide them with better value for money. This includes ultra-low spreads and zero commission, as well as access to more than 200 financial products. Ultimately, we are dedicated to giving clients the best possible trading experience.
Can you tell us about the recent ESMA regulations and how they’ve affected your products?
Last year, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) introduced a number of restrictions on the marketing, distribution and sale of CFD products to increase investor protection within the EU. ATFX has welcomed this legislation: we have always put traders’ interests at the forefront of our business, so this new regulation actually supports our brand values.
ATFX wants to encourage secure and efficient trading within what is a highly competitive and volatile sector. To do this, we ensure that our team is there for our clients throughout their trading journey and that each trader is well equipped to face the markets. ESMA’s product intervention is significant and something our company does not take lightly. As such, ATFX adheres to all of the relevant regulations while still offering highly competitive spreads and charging no commission, reducing the cost of trading for our clients.
What educational services does ATFX offer and why did the company decide to introduce them?
Despite the increased protection clients now benefit from, ATFX has found that many new and existing traders still struggle to enter and navigate financial markets. We realised that we could help our clients overcome these challenges by offering a bespoke service that engages with traders on a one-to-one basis. This exclusive education tool is available to both beginners and experienced traders who want to enhance their knowledge of financial markets.
As part of this programme, ATFX’s Global Chief Market Strategist, Alejandro Zambrano, delivers a daily webinar to discuss the state of the market and provide real-time insights to traders. In addition to this, he personally coaches existing and prospective clients through in-house seminars. In these seminars, Zambrano discusses how to manage risk through methods such as stop-loss and limit orders, technical analysis, fundamental analysis and trading psychology.
Education is a core part of what we do; ATFX wants its clients to fully understand the basics of trading and what is at stake. We don’t offer a rose-tinted view of trading – instead, we provide accurate, reliable and trustworthy information regarding risk, risk management, trading strategies and in-depth market analysis.
Despite the increased protection clients now benefit from, ATFX has found that many new and existing traders still struggle to enter and navigate financial markets
What are ATFX’s ambitions for the coming years?
ATFX is committed to expanding its services. In particular, we plan to take our education strategy beyond the UK market and into the rest of Europe. Another key goal we are working towards is making our services more accessible. With this in mind, we are currently developing a mobile app that will allow our clients to trade with absolute flexibility. Trading on the move can be difficult, so we hope this new app will give traders full access to their account and help them manage their portfolios with ease when they’re on the go.
We have also launched a new institutional offering aimed at high-net-worth individuals, funds, proprietary vehicles and retail broker aggregates. This new service provides clients with bespoke liquidity, competitive spreads and 24-hour pricing. We are dedicated to providing a seamless and effective interface for our institutional clients with simplicity, speed and reliability at its core.
ATFX prides itself on its customer-centric service. By dedicating efforts to enhancing clients’ trading experience, ATFX believes it will continue to be one of the world’s leading forex and CFD brokers.
