Trading The Forex Market: by Vince Stanzione
Trading The Forex Market: by Vince Stanzione
Trading The Forex Market: by Vince Stanzione
Email: [email protected]
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by
any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the
Publisher, except where permitted by law. For information about the reproduction rights,
contact First Information at the above email address.
Introduction 05
Forex Market Participants: Who Needs and Uses the Currency FX Market? 06
Consumers and Tourists 06
Businesses 07
Commercial and Investment Banks 07
Fundamental Analysis 17
Trend Higher 19
Sideways Range 20
Trend Lower 21
Timeframes 23
Chart Formats 24
Candlestick Charts 24
Moving Averages 27
Types of Moving Averages 27
Shorter-Term Systems 30
Support and Resistance: How to Make Money from a Sideways or Dull Market 33
Momentum Trading 37
Valuable Tips 37
Conclusion 50
About Vince Stanzione 50
Introduction
to the
Currency Market, 110
Foreign
Exchange (FX)
Foreign Exchange – or the FX market, as it is commonly known – is one of the
biggest marketplaces in the world. Here, no trading floor exists; banks, brokers,
companies, and governments simply trade between themselves through high-tech
computer networks, such as those offered by Reuters and Bloomberg.
It’s hard to comprehend the colossal amount of money traded here on a daily basis –
totalling around $5.3 trillion USD per day, as reported in a 2013 survey by the Bank for
International Settlements (BIS) in Basel, Switzerland. Approximately 10% is fuelled
by companies trading overseas, which need to convert currencies for routine
commerce, such as import / export businesses; the rest is pure speculation and
investment.
As these figures clearly show, this is a very active trading sector, with the potential
to yield significant gains through smart, consistent money-management
The Smart Way With Binary.com
principles.This ebook explores the many ways that you can learn to profit from
Forex through Binary.com’s online trading platform.
Chapter 1: The Simple Basics
For many years, to participate in the FX market, you would have needed a substantial
amount of trading capital, as well as an FX broker or bank to transact your trades. Today,
thanks to Binary.com, it’s possible for anyone to trade currencies – even with a small
amount of money – and all trades are strictly limited risk.
The currency market offers nearly 24 hours of seamless trading – starting on Sunday at 9
p.m. GMT, which is early morning in Asia, and carrying on all the way until Friday evening in
New York, or 10 p.m. GMT. Regardless of which country you are in, you can trade in the FX
market, and prices are always being quoted.
The currency market is liquid at most times; however, the most active times are typically
around 3 p.m. GMT, when the London and US markets are both open. Another busy time is
around 8 a.m. GMT, when London initially opens and the Far East is closing down for the
day.
You can also hold your account and make trades in USD, GBP, AUD or Euros – even if you
are based in a country that has a different base currency. For example, if you’re based in
Indonesia, your home currency is IDR – but you can still trade and make profits in USD,
which may be more stable than your home currency.
Consumers may purchase goods in a foreign currency during travel abroad or via the
Internet using their credit card or a payment service. The amount consumers pay in the
foreign currency will be converted to their home currency on their credit-card statement,
which will require an FX transaction. Credit-card companies will “block trade” the smaller
transactions together, buying and selling currencies accordingly.
06
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Tourists will also go to a bank or currency exchange bureau to convert one form of currency
(i.e., their "home" currency) into another (i.e., the "destination" currency) when using cash
to pay for goods and services in a foreign country. Increasingly, credit, ATM withdrawals,
debit or pre-paid currency cards are now being used in lieu of cash, but each still requires
an FX transaction.
Foreign workers may also send money home to their native countries, also requiring FX
transactions. Popular services such as Western Union and MoneyGram allow funds to be
sent to another country, where the destination currency may be different. For example, a
worker earning USD has the ability to wire these funds back home to New Zealand, where
the recipient can collect this sum in the local currency.
2. Businesses
Businesses often need to convert currencies when they conduct trade outside the
boundaries of their home countries.
07
The Smart Way With Binary.com
4. Governments and Central Banks
Because they are non-profit by nature, governments and central banks do not trade with
the intention of earning a profit. However, because they tend to trade on a long-term basis,
it is not unusual for some trades to earn revenue.
This is the category that applies to most readers of this ebook and Binary.com clients.
Investors and speculators require currency exchange whenever they deal in any foreign
investment – be it equities, bonds, bank deposits, or real estate. For example, when I
bought my home in Spain, I needed Euros to settle the purchase; however, my source funds
were in GBP and USD.
nvestors and speculators trade currencies in an attempt to benefit from movements in the
currency exchange markets. They do not intend to use the currency itself for any practical
purposes; instead, their motives are purely driven by speculation and a simple desire to
profit from the price differences.
08
The Smart Way With Binary.com
So What Is Trading Currencies All About?
Many of us have traded currencies on a small scale. If you have ever spent time abroad,
you have purchased Swiss Francs, Euros, Yen, US Dollars, etc.
When you are looking to buy a currency – such as Euros, for example – you are interested
in receiving as many Euros in return for your home currency as possible. Let’s just say that
your home currency is the British Pound (GBP); in such a case, you would prefer to have
1.30 EUR to the GBP rather than 1.20, so you are “Buying High” – thus receiving a greater
amount of the destination currency in return for your home currency, based on a higher
exchange rate.
When you come back from a trip overseas with unspent Euros, you want to exchange this
currency back into British Pounds. You are now looking for the lowest figure possible, in
terms of the EUR / GBP exchange rate, so you are “Selling Low” – essentially hoping that a
relatively fewer number of Euros will be needed to return maximal value in British Pounds.
In the foreign exchange markets, no actual notes exist; it’s all virtual transactions. The
principal amount of money never changes hands, and you are only trading based on a
small percentage of change, which is referred to as “margin.”
By trading “on margin,” which is the traditional setup for most Forex brokers, you can
leverage a small deposit to control a very large position. Whilst this may sound great in
theory, it can present significant challenges in practice – a fact that often only becomes
apparent after the damage has been done.
Since even a small move in the underlying currency is instantly magnified through the use
of leverage, many currencies issued via conventional FX brokers can yield dire
consequences, before you even have time to take note and react.
Let’s examine this situation in practical terms with a simple, yet powerfully illustrative
example: If a broker is offering 100:1 leverage, this would immediately enable you to trade
$100,000 in currency with just 1% margin. Believe it or not, all you would need is $1,000
deposited into the account; the remaining 99% (i.e., $99,000) is provided by the broker. It
sounds almost too good to be true, doesn’t it? Indeed, don’t be fooled by this seemingly
attractive scenario. Here’s the flipside view, which can lead to disastrous results in short
order: If a position goes against your prediction, you will either have to quickly put up more
funds – the dreaded situation known as a “margin call” – or your trade will be closed out.
As you can see, the danger of trading on margin stems from the fact that it can suddenly
leave you “way in above your head,” forced to refuel your account with additional funds to
stay alive.
09
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Trading the Forex market through Binary.com – on the other hand – works entirely
differently. By trading currencies with “binary options,” you will never be asked to provide
additional margin or be forced to close out a trade; the exact cost of each trade is fully
displayed at the outset, as is the potential gain. Before purchasing each trade, you’ll know
exactly how much you stand to gain or lose. At worst, the maximum that you could ever
part with is the price initially paid to purchase the trade; at best, you’ll win back your initial
stake plus the payout amount displayed for your consideration when you first bought the
trade. Thus, as Forex trading goes, the binary route is extremely clear-cut and predictable,
in terms of the potential outcomes.
Let’s take a quick look at a sample Forex trade to see precisely how this all works, as
illustrated below:
In this case, here’s the scenario for this trade: Ultimately, we are looking to receive a payout
of GBP 100 by correctly predicting the movement of the EUR/USD exchange rate – i.e., higher
or lower than its current position (displayed here as “1.08872”) – at the conclusion of a set
period of four days.
10
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Total Costs / Maximum Losses for this Sample Trade
As shown above, we can clearly see all costs associated with purchasing this particular
trade, which amount to either:
£50.95 in total for a “Higher” prediction, if we believe that the EUR / USD exchange rate will
trade higher than the current rate of 1.08872 after a period of four days; or
£54.08 in total for a “Lower” prediction, if we believe that the EUR/USD exchange rate will
trade lower than the current rate of 1.08872 after a period of four days.
Take note:
There are no hidden fees or unexpected surprises potentially lurking
down the line, regardless of what actually happens in the market.
Once we have selected all of the variables, and clicked the “Purchase”
button for either “Higher” or “Lower,” the respective premium is
deducted from our account, and we cannot be asked for any more to
fund this trade. The maximum that we could ever lose is limited to
the amounts listed above – i.e., the price paid to purchase either the
“Higher” or “Lower” option, respectively.
In some cases, if we begin to feel that the trade is unlikely to end in our favour, it may even
be possible to resell the binary option back to Binary.com before the set period expires. By
throwing in the towel a bit shy of the official buzzer, we may be able to recoup a portion of
the purchase price, thereby reducing the total loss.
We can also see the potential return that stands to be gained with an accurate prediction
of the market’s movement at the close of the trade period. In this example, this amount is
set as a £100 payout, no matter which option is chosen:
11
The Smart Way With Binary.com
£100 total payout for a correct “Higher” prediction, consisting of:
£50.95 initially staked
£49.05 displayed as the “net profit”
Thus, as you can see in this illustration, trading the Forex market with a binary option (i.e.,
“Higher” or “Lower,” in this case) offers far less risk than the more traditional means of
trading on margin. Trading in this way through Binary.com makes it readily possible to
jump into the Forex game, without having to worry about losing your shirt in the process.
The easiest way to look at a currency is to pretend that it is a share of a given country, such
as Switzerland Inc. If the country is in good shape economically and politically, this
hypothetical share will be strong. If the country is in trouble, has defaulted on debt, is
plagued by riots in the streets, and / or has no political leadership, the share will be weak.
If you look at the currency crisis in nations such as Zimbabwe, you will see what makes a
currency weak and how it can be devalued, making it virtually worthless. Remember:
Currencies are “FIAT,” which comes from a Latin word literally translated as “it shall be”; in
other words, the currency is based on trust, instead of being backed in more tangible form
by a physical asset, such as gold.
“A strong currency likes stable political and economic conditions. Money flows to the
strong and away from the weak.”
12
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Pictured just below: PIC Zimbabwe Trillion Dollar Note
Traders are constantly looking at fundamental data issued by a country, checking the
various vital signs regularly to gauge its financial health. For example, unemployment
figures, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and inflation numbers are all closely watched.
Sociopolitical events such as referendums and elections are also closely watched for
potential changes in government policy.
13
Chapter 2: Trading the Forex 14
Market
Which Currencies Can You Trade?
By far, the US Dollar remains the key currency in the Forex market.
The table below shows 42 currencies that are used around the world. Yet the majority of all
FX trades – i.e., approximately 80% – involve the US Dollar (USD). The USD remains the
world’s reserve currency, used when trading commodities such as Gold and Oil (which are
quoted in USD per ounce or barrel). Companies that do business throughout many parts of
the world still report in USD. Even kidnappers, criminals, and drugs dealers prefer to be paid
in USD! This currency essentially sets the bar throughout the globe.
Each currency has a three-letter code, which is standard, regardless of which bank or
The Smart Way With Binary.com
broker you use. Binary.com utilises this same currency code system.
15
On the Binary.com trading platform, you will find two types of currencies:
Major Pairs
The most popular, commonly traded pairs, such as EUR/USD
and USD/JPY
Minor Pairs
Less active currencies, which still offer plenty of opportunities
Unlike buying a company stock or a commodity, in currencies, you are always trading in
pairs.
So if you believe that the Japanese Yen (JPY) will weaken, this is only one half of the
equation; you still need to figure out “the other side of the coin,” so to speak. The second
part that still needs to be reasoned out is to decide “against which currency will it weaken?”
The JPY may weaken against the US Dollar (USD) or Euro (EUR).
As previously mentioned, the majority of trades are against the USD. However, you can
certainly trade currency pairs that do not include the USD as one side – for example, the
Australian Dollar / Japanese Yen (AUD/JPY) or the Swiss Franc / Euro (CHF/EUR).
There are a few other closely interrelated Forex trading terms that we should explore at this
stage: Pips, points, and ticks.
“Pip” stands for “percentage in point” or “price interest point,” which is a unit of change in the
exchange rate of a currency pair. For example, if Binary.com quotes a spot price on
EUR/USD of 1.10152, the move to 1.10153 would be classified as a “pip” or a “tick.”
Another name for a “pip” is a “tick.”
A “pip” or “tick” is generally the fourth decimal place (i.e., the “1” in “0.0001”), although
there are exceptions to this rule. Note that some currencies do trade to a lower fraction –
such as USD/JPY, which would be quoted as 112.767.
With FX brokers, currency pairs are generally traded as set unit quantities of the base
currency (i.e., 100,000 units). For example, if you were buying GBP/USD at 1.4559, you
would be paying US Dollars for British Pounds as follows:
Fundamental analysis
Technical analysis
In this guide, we will spend more time focusing on technical analysis, charting, and system
trading than fundamentals and economic indicators.
Fundamental Analysis
As previously mentioned, traders are always looking for clues to the health of a country
and the vitality of its currency. This means analysing “fundamental data,” such as
unemployment figures, inflation, GDP, and even new car sales. These types of figures can
all provide a temperature reading of sorts to help gauge an economy’s relative strength.
Key economic data releases are scheduled ahead of time, so traders can be prepared. For
example, US employment data is always released during the first Friday of the month – so,
for example, February employment statistics will be issued on the first Friday of March.
Calendars showing the major release dates for economic data sources can be found at
various sites, including:
17
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Normally before and after a major announcement, a currency becomes more volatile, as
traders interpret and react to the data.
A problem with fundamental analysis – or trading based on news – is that, in many cases,
the data looks backward, so it only reflects upon what has already happened.
The other problem is that data can be interpreted in many different ways. For example, a
higher unemployment number can be seen as negative, in that a greater percentage of
people out of work implies more benefits being shelled out at the government’s expense,
less people paying tax, and an overall weaker economy.
However, on the plus side, it would also typically mean that wage inflation remains low –
since current employees are less likely to ask for a pay raise if others are ready to swoop in
and take their jobs. It would also mean that central banks are less likely to raise interest
rates.
Major banks produce a vast amount of analysis on economies – much of which is freely
available. However, it is questionable how useful this data is to the financial trader,
especially in shorter-term trades.
For most, technical trading will offer an easier way to follow the FX market, and
professional tools are now available to all.
Technical Analysis ignores news items and economic data, focusing purely on price trends
and volume. It primarily involves studying chart patterns, showing the trading history and
statistics for whatever currency pair is being analysed.
You would start with a basic price chart, which would show the currencies’ trading rates in
the past, and look for a trend or pattern that can help determine future pricing.
18
The Smart Way With Binary.com
3 Possible States for Currency Pairs
Before we go into more depth with trading tools, a currency pair can only be in three states:
1. Trend Higher
In this state:
The lows are becoming higher.
The highs are also becoming higher.
In other words:
Whenever the currency sells off, it rebounds at a higher price than
the previous time.
This is considered to be “positive” or “bullish” activity, because:
Market participants are willing to pay more than in the past.
The types of trades that you would look to make with Binary.com during these
market conditions are:
Up (i.e., Higher)
Touch / No Touch
In / Out
19
The Smart Way With Binary.com
In the example above, we see the USD / CAD exchange rate.
Note that:
The USD strengthens, as the Canadian Dollar weakens.
Overall, the trend is up.
Of course, nothing goes up or down in a straight line; that would
be far too easy.
2. Sideways Range
This state is often overlooked, but a currency can stay in a sideways
range for weeks or even months. A sideways range is a case in which:
Buyers and sellers are equally matched
Price levels have been formed, which attracts:
Buyers (or “Support”)
Sellers (or “Resistance”)
For example:
Let’s say every time the EUR / USD exchange rate reaches 1.10, we find
support from buyers.
This amount would be the lower range.
Then every time we get up to 1.15, we find resistance from buyers.
This amount would be the higher range.
Prices can bounce between the two levels for a certain period of time. At some stage,
the equilibrium is broken, and a new trend or range will be established.
With Binary.com, unlike many other forms of FX trading, you can actually profit from
sideways ranges, using the following trades:
In / Out
Using an “In” trade would allow you profit from a
currency staying “in” between two price levels.
Touch / No Touch
20
The Smart Way With Binary.com
The example below shows the EUR / CHF exchange rate for over six months.
Note that:
The price remains between 1.0750 and 1.1000.
We do see a break out of the range, only for the price to return again.
Based on this chart, I would typically trade with the assumption that the
range is likely to continue.
3. Trend Lower
In this state:
The lows are becoming lower.
The highs are also becoming lower.
In other words:
Whenever the currency sells off, it rebounds at a lower price than the
previous time.
This is considered to be “negative” or “bearish” activity, because:
Market participants are willing to pay less than in the past.
The currency is losing strength.
21
The Smart Way With Binary.com
The types of trades you would look to make with Binary.com during these market
conditions are:
Down (i.e., Lower)
Touch / No Touch
In / Out
Note that:
Overall, the GBP is weakening.
Although we do see slight rebounds, they are weak and do not go
above the previous highs.
A helpful analogy for this state is to think of this currency as if
it were a boxer that gets knocked down gradually.
With each knockout, he takes longer to get back up again.
You can guess that – eventually – he will be unable to
recover, or the fight will be stopped.
22
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Timeframes
Depending on which timeframe you use in a chart, the trends and patterns will look very
different. Many traders examine multiple timeframes for the same currency pair – such as
the EUR / USD in one-minute, one-hour, and one-day charts. Binary.com offer
comprehensive charts across different timeframes, ranging from very short-term (i.e.,
mere ticks, or seconds) to one day.
Here, we see one of the most actively traded currency pairs – EUR / USD – over a five-hour
period. Each candle represents one minute, and we see opportunities to profit from “up” or
“down” trades.
23
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Chart Formats
There are various types of charts that can be used to analyse Forex. However, to keep
things simple:
Candlestick Charts
Candlestick charts are said to have been developed in the 18th century by the legendary
Japanese rice trader Homma Munehisa. The charts gave Homma and others an overview
of open, high, low, and close market prices over a certain period. This method of charting
prices proved to be particularly interesting and helpful, due to its uncanny ability to display
five data points at a time, instead of just one.
The method was picked up by Charles Dow circa 1900 and remains in common use by
today’s financial market traders.
24
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Candlesticks are usually composed of:
The body
Typically shaded in black or white
Illustrating the opening and closing trades
The wick
Consisting of an upper and lower shadow
Illustrating the highest and lowest traded prices during the
time interval represented
25
Chapter 4: Three Main Tools 26
The aim of this ebook is not to go into the hundreds of possible technical trading tools,
patterns, and indicators, but to give you an understanding of the main tools available. This
brief overview is designed to help you get started in trading currencies successfully, so that
you can begin to build up your knowledge.
Binary.com offers access to excellent complementary charts and tools with over 25
technical indicators, but we will stick to some of the main ones here. It’s important to keep
your trading system simple to start; as you progress, you can add extra tools, to further
refine your abilities.
Moving Averages
This tool has earned and saved me more money than any other. It’s hard to trace the
precise origins of the Moving Average, although this concept is often attributed to Richard
Donchian, who was a great pioneer of systematic trading in the 1950’s and 60’s. The
methodologies that he developed over 40 years ago still serve as the basis of many
complex systems used by the world’s best traders.
The dictionary defines an Average as “the quotient of any sum divided by the number of its
terms.” Let’s suppose that you need to work out a 10-day Moving Average of the following
numbers: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100. You would thus add these figures together
and divide by 10 (i.e., the total number of items in the set), to arrive at an average of 55.
Now when tomorrow’s price comes in – let’s say, 105 – you would remove the oldest
number (i.e., 10) and add 105 to the end of the series. The average of this set would now be
64.5.
Every charting software package incorporates Moving Averages, as it is one of the most
basic aspects of trading. You will also find it on the various charts featured on Internet
sites; you don’t need to worry about working it out manually on your own.
Simple / Arithmetic
Exponential
Triangular
Variable
Weighted
Moving Averages can be calculated for any data series, including all sorts of different
indicators associated with a particular currency (e.g., open, high, low, close, volume, etc.).
The Smart Way With Binary.com
To start, concentrate on the Simple Moving Average. While some have tried to be clever by
deviating from this straightforward standard in various ways, it is best to stick with a
simple approach, particularly as you first begin to trade. In software or on the Internet,
“Simple Moving Average” is often abbreviated as “SMA.”
28
Here’s the basic rule of thumb with Moving Averages, in the context of Forex:
If a currency’s present price is below its Moving Average, then it’s seen as being “weak.”
If a currency’s present price is below its Moving Average, then it’s seen as being “weak.”
The choice of days you select when using a Moving Average significantly impacts the
results. A few simple pointers:
If you use a Short-Term Moving Average (which I consider to be anything less than 10 days),
you will get a lot of signals.
If you use a Long-Term Moving Average, your signals will lag.
Some good moving averages to start with are the 20-day and 50-day moving average.
The following chart shows the GBP / JPY with a 20-day Simple Moving Average.
In using Moving Averages to trade, here are some basic principles to keep in mind:
When the price breaks below the Moving Average, it triggers a sell signal.
Some traders also allow some leeway; they wait for one or two days after the Moving
Average breaks before making the trade.
If the price moves above the Moving Average, you would be looking to place bullish bets;
and if it breaks below, you would place bearish bets.
Moving averages do have their limitations; however, they can be a good place to start in
your quest to build a winning system. Some key considerations to factor in along these
lines:
Using a technical system – such as the Moving Average – helps to reduce the impact of
emotions on trading decisions.
Rather than basing your trades solely on what you believe should ZZhappen,
your trades are factually grounded in what is actually happening with the
market data points.
A Moving Average can also prevent you from making stupid mistakes, such as trading against
a trend.
Moving Averages work best when prices are “moving” either up or down.
In a sideways range, the Moving Average will go flat and give out many false
signals.
The Smart Way With Binary.com
30
This tool is available within Binary.com charts, with adjustable settings for the period
length. Twenty days is the conventional timeframe, which is why the Donchian Channel is
often referred to as the “20-Day Rule” or the “Four-Week Rule.”
In this example, we see the EUR / JPY one-minute chart with 20-minute Donchian
Channels. We can see the price is trending lower; “down” options would be the way to trade
in this case.
Shorter-Term Systems
For those looking for more signals and quicker trades, a Simple Moving Average can be
used, with the timeframe adjusted from daily to much shorter periods – such as one hour
The Smart Way With Binary.com
or even one minute. Thus, a “20-period Simple Moving Average” becomes the average of
the last 20 minutes or hours.
31
The advantage of this method is quicker results, with the Moving Average reacting quite
sensitively to price movements. The disadvantage is that you receive more false signals
with such a short timeframe selected, so it’s a trade-off – but still worth examining.
Binary.com allows you to trade very short-term binary options – such as holding for two
minutes and, in some cases, even less time.
Below, we see a one-minute chart (in which each bar represents one minute), using a
20-period Simple Moving Average of 20 minutes.
We are looking very short-term with the scope of this chart, so the next two to three
minutes would be the ideal timeframe for the purchase of these trades.
The above illustration shows an “Up” / “Down” trade on the EUR / USD, lasting two minutes.
As previously mentioned in this ebook, in discussing the three possible states of currency
pairs, most traders are conditioned to look for moving markets or trends – i.e., times when
a market is moving higher or lower over time. Think of it like a staircase.
In an “uptrend,” the lows are getting higher, and the highs are higher.
Selloffs or pullbacks are quickly recovered, and the market goes higher.
Markets can also be dull or range-bound, with very little movement in either direction.
Such periods can last for weeks and sometimes months.
Markets are made up of buyers and sellers. Simple economics tells us that supply and
demand moves prices.
But what happens when buyers and sellers are fairly evenly matched or in equilibrium? How do
we make money from this situation?
33
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Support levels occur when the consensus is that the price will not move lower.
It is the point at which buyers outnumber sellers.
Support can be seen as a “floor” for the exchange rate.
Resistance levels occur when the consensus is that the price will not move higher.
It is the point at which sellers outnumber buyers.
Resistance can be seen as a “ceiling” for the exchange rate.
In the chart below, we see the EUR / GBP staying within a range of 0.69500 and 0.74500.
This sideways range lasted for around eight months. As you can see, this period was an
ideal time to utilise the “In / Out” trade on Binary.com – by selecting an “In” option to
indicate that the price would remain between two barriers.
As shown, the range finally broke out in 2016. At that point, 0.74500 became the support
(or “floor”), and 0.7900 became the new resistance (or “celling”), as the top of the next
range.
34
The Smart Way With Binary.com
As the trade is relatively low-risk, and the likelihood of it winning is high, “Ends Between”
would be the option to select; the return – shown as 16% – is very respectable for a
seven-day investment.
The Relative Strength Index (RSI) indicator measures a share’s performance against itself.
It is often used to identify buy opportunities in market dips and sell opportunities in market
rallies. The value of the RSI is always a number between 0 and 100.
The higher and lower horizontal lines on the graph are at 30 and 70 – i.e., the levels at
which markets are often regarded as “oversold” or “overbought.”
The chart below shows an example of the EUR / USD, in which we can apply this tool to
inform trading decisions.
35
The Smart Way With Binary.com
When the RSI moves to 70, it’s a good time to look at “Down” (“Lower”) trades.
When we see the RSI down at 30, it’s a good time to look at “Up” (“Higher”) trades.
In this example, we can see the RSI is at 50, which is fairly neutral (midway), so the RSI
is not providing a clear buy or sell signal.
Thus, in this case, it would be best to hold off from placing a trade, until
clearer signals appear.
Special Note:
My course, Making Money From Financial Trading, covers this
subject in much greater depth. The purpose of this simple
introduction is to urge you to start thinking about using a technical
trading system, rather than relying solely upon news, fundamentals,
or – worst of all – trading on hunches.
Having a systematic way to enter and exit a market may sound a bit
boring, but that is – in fact – the whole point. Technical systems and
tools help to minimise the influence of human emotions, so that
more rational trading decisions can be made.
36
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Momentum Trading
"An object at rest stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the
same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by an unbalanced
force."
In financial markets, “Momentum Trading” basically means that you are following the price
action – looking for markets that are currently moving and likely to continue shifting
further in that same direction.
Binary.com offers a variety of ways to profit from momentum, ranging from trades lasting
one minute to multiple weeks.
Valuable Tips:
You can try out new ideas and systems on the Binary.com platform
by using a virtual account, or by purchasing minimum-size trades
with a real account. As little as a few US Dollars can be staked with
your initial test runs, until you build up greater confidence in using a
particular tool or technique.
37
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Good Money Management
Regardless of how big or small your account is, you need to treat trading with Binary.com
as a business. Some come into trading with a “gambling” mentality; they’ll start off with
good intentions, but end up making reckless trades, forcing them to play catchup to recoup
losses, or – if they are doing really well – they’ll assume they’re on a roll and become too
daring.
It makes sense to slow down a little. If you’re going through a bad run, then take a step
back; reduce the size of your trades; or maybe even go back to using a virtual account for
awhile.
Let’s say you start with a $1,000 account. If you limit your risk on any one trade to 5% of the
account, this practice would allow you to keep trading, even with a bad run. Let’s observe
this simple system in action:
The maximum staked on a single trade should never be more than 5% of your
account total.
So initially, 5% of your $1,000 account balance would be $50.
If your balance goes down, then your trade size is proportionately reduced.
Let’s say that – following a few losing trades – your account balance
decreases to $900; 5% of this amount would now be $45.
If you have had a good run, then your allowance per trade proportionately increases.
Let’s say that – following a few winning trades – your account rises to
$1,200; your 5% maximum per trade is now $60.
This is a very basic overview, and you can build up your our own money management
system, but the key is that no one trade should ever blow your trading account.
“The key is that no one trade should ever blow your trading account.”
38
The Smart Way With Binary.com
If your account goes down 50%, how much do you need to put on the line to get back to
even? Most will say 50% to make up for the previous losses, but here’s the problem: You
would need the account to move 100% to make this strategy work; as any trader will tell
you, this is a not a wise approach.
How do you prevent losses from ever spiralling out of your control?
Simply be smart in your approach: Use the money-management
principles described above, to keep everything within your
manageable range at all times.
Watch that ego: Don’t mistake a lucky run with skill. After a good run,
many become overconfident and start taking stupid risks. After a
poor run, many attempt to play catchup, trying to make their losses
back fast.
Both of these slippery slopes are the easiest way to lose your trading
capital. Many books have been written on money management
with complicated formulas. The key principle is quite simple: No
one trade should ever cause you so much damage financially or
emotionally. However sure you are that “XYZ” is going to rocket,
only a percentage of your trading bank should ever be risked.
39
Chapter 6: Evergreen Forex 40
I have been in the trading business for over 30 years, and yes, I trade and invest a
multi-million-dollar account – but I didn’t begin that way. I started small and built up this
amount steadily over time. Understand the power of compounding; it’s critical to realise
how money makes money.
Below is an excerpt from one of my favourite fables, which illustrates this powerful lesson.
The same principle can be used when trading with Binary.com.
The daughter of the Chinese emperor was ill, and he promised riches
beyond compare to whoever could cure her.
A young peasant named Pong Lo entered the palace. With his wit and
bravery, he restored the health of the princess and won her heart. As a
reward, Pong Lo asked for her hand in marriage. The emperor refused
and asked Pong Lo to think of anything else he would like.
‘A grain of rice! That is nonsense! Ask me for fine silks, the grandest
room in the palace, a stable full of wild stallions – they shall be yours!’
exclaimed the emperor.
‘A grain of rice will do,’ said Pong Lo, ‘but if his majesty insists, he may
The Smart Way With Binary.com
So on the first day, a grain of rice was delivered to Pong Lo. On the second, two
grains of rice were delivered; on the third day, four grains; and on the fourth
day, eight grains. On the fifth day, 16 grains; on the sixth day, 32 grains; on the
seventh day, 64 grains; on the eighth day, 128 grains.
By the twelfth day, the grains of rice numbered 2,048. By the twentieth day,
524,288 grains were delivered; and by the thirtieth day, 536,870,912, requiring
40 servants to carry them to Pong Lo.
In desperation, the emperor did the only honourable thing he could do and
consented to the marriage. Out of consideration for the emperor’s feelings, no
rice was served at the wedding banquet.
“Risk too much, and a few bad trades will make you lose your trading bank.”
“Risk too little, and it’s going to be a long time before you see any decent profits.”
Money management does not have to be very complicated, but a simple system will ensure
that no one trade causes you to wipe out your trading account. The most common
mistakes made by many new traders are attempting to grow an account too quickly and
putting all money into one “sure trade” – which rarely, if ever, exists.
Trading with a virtual account and trading with real money are not the same. As in most
walks of life, when real money is at stake, circumstances become instantly more
emotional. Sadly, you will never eliminate emotions as a factor that impacts trading; after
The Smart Way With Binary.com
all, we are humans, with this irrational feature hard-wired into our circuitry. But by using a
system and steadily applying practical experience, you will learn to cut your emotions
down to a bare minimum.
42
Be careful about taking in too much news and over-monitoring your position. It is easy to
overreact to a news story that may cause a short term spike, but is actually not that
important in the long run.
Using mobile devices and apps can cause you to make snap decisions that you may later
regret; the same sound judgment should be used with all trade purchase decisions, no
matter how or where they’re ultimately executed.
Many still believe that – in order to make money – the price of a share, market, currency, or
commodity must go up. However, this is not true, as I have outlined. With Binary.com, you
can profit from up, down, and even sideways movements, so don’t see falling markets as a
negative. In Forex trading, you will always have some currencies that are strong, and others
that are comparatively weak.
If you watch financial news channels such as CNBC or Bloomberg, it may seem as though
you should always be doing something, since these channels are consistently filled with
“breaking news.” Remember: These channels need to fill their airtime, and – in many cases
– the best trade is in fact “no trade.” If you are not sure, or do not see an opportunity that
you are particularly happy with, then do nothing, and just wait for the next one.
Binary.com offers a vast selection of trading opportunities – ranging from low-risk trades
with returns in the 5% to 10% range, to those with higher returns of 100% or more.
Keep in mind that it’s readily possible to “mix and match” trades on Binary.com. Try
purchasing some higher-risk, higher-returns trades, as well as some lower-risk trades with
a higher chance of payout.
43
You may have heard of the Pareto Principle, or the 80/20 rule. This can be applied to your
trading, by purchasing 80% of your trades with lower risk, and 20% higher. For more infor-
mation about the Pareto Principle, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pareto_principle.
Regardless of how big or small your account is, you need to treat trading with Binary.com
as a business. Some come into trading with a “gambling” mentality. They start off with the
best of intentions, but end up making reckless trades and are then forced to play catchup,
trying to recoup large losses. Or, if they are doing really well, they assume they’re on a roll
and become too brazen.
Keep solid records of your winning and losing trades; a diary can help with this, to
complement the tracking tools you’ll find on Binary.com, which enable you to look back at
your performance history. Stick to a trading system, to help minimise emotional
decision-making.
Barrier(s)
The barrier of a binary option trade is the price target you set for the asset being
traded. You can choose trades that stay below or go above a price target, or stay
between two targets.
Binary option
A binary option is a contract purchased by a trader, based upon predicting the
future movement of a selected asset’s price from two possible outcomes, which
pays a pre-determined amount if the prediction is correct.
Contract period
The contract period is the timeframe of a trade. It is also called the duration.
Derivative
Duration
The duration is the length of a purchased trade. (See also “contract period.”)
An “Ends Between” trade pays out if the market exit price is strictly higher than the
low price target and strictly lower than the high price target. An “Ends Outside”
binary trade pays out if the market exit price is either strictly higher than the high
price target or strictly lower than the low price target.
44
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Entry spot price
The entry spot price is the starting price of the trade purchased by a trader.
Expiry price
The expiry price is the price of the underlying asset when the contract expires.
Forex
In foreign exchange markets, traders can enter contracts based on the change in
price of one currency as it relates to another currency. For example, a “Rise” trade
in the EUR / USD market is based upon a prediction that the value of the Euro will
rise in relation to the value of the US Dollar.
GMT
GMT stands for “Greenwich Mean Time,” the official time used in the UK during
winter. In summer, the UK changes to British Summer Time, which is GMT + 1 hour.
All times on the Binary.com site use GMT all year round.
These are trades in which the trader predicts if a market will finish higher or lower
than a specified price target.
Indices
Stock market indices measure the value of a selection of companies in the stock
market.
In / Out trades
These are trades in which the trader selects a low and high barrier, and predicts if
the market will stay within these barriers or go outside them. (See also “Stays
Between / Goes Outside trades.”)
The market exit price is the price in effect at the end of the contract period.
45
The Smart Way With Binary.com
No Touch trades
These are trades in which the trader selects a price target, and predicts that the
market will never touch the target before the expiry of the trade.
These are trades in which the trader selects a price target, and predicts that the
market will touch the target before the expiry of the trade.
Payout
The payout is the amount paid to an options trader if their prediction is correct.
Pip
Pip stands for “percentage in point,” which is generally the fourth decimal place (i.e.,
the “1” in “0.0001”).
Profit
The profit is the difference between the purchase price (i.e., the stake) and the
payout on a winning trade.
Resale price
The resale price indicates a contract's current market price. Resale prices are on a
best-efforts basis and may not be available at all times after purchase. (See “Sell
option” for more details on selling contracts before expiry.)
Return
The return is the money realised when the contract expires. (See “Payout.”)
These are trades in which the trader predicts if a market will rise or fall at the end of
a selected time period.
46
The Smart Way With Binary.com
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Sell option
It is sometimes possible to sell an option before the expiry of a trade, but only if a fair
price can be determined. If this option is available, you will see a blue “Sell” button
next to your trade in the portfolio.
Spot price
This is the current price at which an underlying asset can be bought or sold at a
particular time.
Stake
The stake is the amount that a trader must pay to enter into a trade.
A “Stays Between” trade pays out if the market stays between (i.e., does not touch)
both the high barrier or the low barrier at any time during the period chosen by a trader.
A “Goes Outside” trade pays out if the market touches either the high barrier or the low
barrier at any time during the period chosen by a trader.
Tick
Underlying
47
FAQs 48
Opening an Account
The first step is to open an account. You can apply online in just a few minutes.
We don't usually require any documents, as we can verify your identity online.
Financial Security
Your money is always safe with Binary.com. At all times, it is held in segregated AAA-rated banks,
which is a condition of our trading licenses.
Binary.com has thousands of clients taking a variety of positions on the financial markets at any
one time, and earns a small margin on these trades.
No, Binary.com encourages successful clients and will not close or limit a winning account.
Binary.com can hedge trades into the financial markets, which means they have no vested interest
in the client’s final result.
You don't need to deposit any money to open an account, but you need to deposit funds before you
can start trading.
The Smart Way With Binary.com
Binary.com offers a range of common deposit and withdrawal methods, from credit and debit
cards to bank wires, e-cash, and e-wallets.
49
Unfortunately, no – funds initially deposited through one payment method must be withdrawn
through the same system; funds cannot be transferred to an alternate system for withdrawal. We
do offer a wide variety of payment methods, to suit your specific needs and preferences.
Binary.com offers a virtual-money account, so you can get the hang of trading binaries before
staking any actual currency of your own. Why not open a free $10k fully-functional virtual-money
account, and start learning how to trade?
Binary.com is entirely web-based and requires no software installation. You can also use a tablet
or other mobile device.
You can open a Binary.com account, deposit funds, and begin trading within minutes.
Regardless of market conditions, you have great opportunities to profit. Using Binary.com
allows you to trade a great selection of markets, all with strictly limited risk. You will find
additional resources, charts, and tools on the Binary.com website.
Vince Stanzione has been trading markets for over 30 years and is a
self-made multi-millionaire. He is the New York Times bestselling
author of The Millionaire and is the author of “Making Money from
Financial Trading.”
50