02-09-2025, 10:10 AM
How do you start trading the smart way?
This guide outlines the top 3 tips to help you start your journey to becoming a shrewd trader.
1. Do your research on trading brokers and market prices
As a beginner to online trading, your research should focus on two key areas — finding a reliable broker and understanding the markets you want to trade.
How to select a broker for a trading account
Selecting a reputable broker is crucial. Make sure to read reviews about the broker you’re eyeing, how they manage thriving markets, and the variety of platforms they offer. Go for a broker that provides user-friendly platforms for beginners and experienced traders. Check out their list of trading assets so you have options to choose from and can diversify your trading portfolio. Most importantly, verify that the broker is properly licensed and regulated.
Which trading asset is best for beginners?
You can select assets to trade once you decide which broker to trade with. Choosing an asset to deal with doesn’t differ much from finding the right broker. Similarly, it takes a lot of time and research. Understanding each market’s assets will help you make smart trading decisions confidently. It would also help to consider economic trends and world events, as these factors significantly affect market price movements.
You can trade between your preferred markets — forex, stocks & indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, or synthetic indices (under derived indices). Diversifying your portfolio is an innovative trade method because it protects you from losing all your money if a market moves against your prediction.
If researching market news and trends sounds complicated, you can start by trading synthetic indices. Synthetic indices simulate real-world market movements but are unaffected by real-world events. These indices offer the flexibility to trade different synthetic markets with high—or low-risk characteristics and are available 24/7, even on weekends and public holidays.
2. Use a demo trading account to practice online trading
The best traders hone their skills through practice and experience, part of which involves handling losses. Most licensed and regulated brokers provide their clients a demo trading account with virtual funds. You can use the demo account to practice and improve your trading strategies and find one that works best before jumping on a real account.
Demo accounts offer the same trading experience as factual accounts, helping new traders familiarise themselves with the trading platforms.
A demo account is usually credited with 10,000 USD virtual funds so that you can open trades, practice trading, and sharpen your strategies risk-free.
3. Enjoy the process and practice patience
Getting started can be challenging, but it’s best to take your time and enjoy the process.
When it comes to online trading for beginners, patience is critical. Practicing patience with your trades may help you discover the best strategy. Never open a trade just for the sake of trading. It would be best to trade only when you’re confident with your plan, after considering all external variables that may affect the market you’re about to trade.
It’s also important to note that you should develop and stick with a strategy to maintain a disciplined approach to online trading. Trades don’t usually result in massive payouts; losses are likely to occur, so stay realistic.
Many successful traders share the same characteristics. As a beginner, you could marvel at their success but, most importantly, analyze what made them successful. Check out our 7 Traits of Successful Financial Traders by Vince Stanzione’s ebook to learn these traits and how trading experts plan their strategies.
You might get tempted to start trading immediately, but following these tips will help you get started quickly and keep you on the right track. With research, experience, and patience, you can navigate your way to trading success.