The foreign currency market is the world's largest financial market, with a daily trading volume exceeding 85 trillion ZAR. South Africa's daily forex trading volume is projected to be approximately 271 million ZAR, and the South African rand is among the top 20 most traded currencies, with an annual trading volume of over 1 trillion ZAR.
Forex trading has expanded dramatically in South Africa over the last years as it has been generally acknowledged as a pastime, side-hustle, and even a professional vocation for many. Forex trading, like many other trades, comes with a risk warning since it is a leveraged financial instrument, and many retail traders can lose a large amount of money.
REGULATION OF FOREX
Before dealing with forex brokers, South African traders must confirm that the forex market is regulated. Market regulators such as the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom, and others require license and authorization.
The Financial Services Commission of South Africa (FSCA) is a respected and trustworthy authority that monitors all Financial Service Providers and offers South Africans the help and protection they require.
Many unregulated forex brokers offer South African investors trading accounts and favorable trading conditions, but they cannot verify that client funds are secure or that South African traders are safe when trading foreign currency and other financial products.
When trading forex, South African traders must ensure that the broker is licensed and authorized, since authorities examine the trading activities of FSCA-registered brokers to see if they can meet their financial commitments and offer a fair and safe trading environment.
FOREX FEES AND COSTS
Because the forex market is the most liquid in the world, South African forex brokers may offer cheaper transaction fees. However, not all brokers are created equal, and forex traders should do a thorough broker comparison to select the forex broker that best suits their trading needs.
Spreads, commissions, overnight costs, conversion fees, margin requirements, leverage, and a variety of additional expenses must all be considered by forex traders to ensure that they are in line with their specific trading strategy.
Traders must also consider non-trading fees such as inactivity, withdrawal and deposit fees, and any other expenses they may incur. Traders must assess how much forex trading will cost them and how much free cash they can devote based on their own financial circumstances.
