ECN Accounts – The Advantages and Disadvantages
An ECN account is an online trading account that allows you to trade directly with other market participants, without the intervention of a middleman. ECN stands for “Electronic Communications Network”.
Professional traders who want the best trading conditions can choose an ECN (Electronic Communication Network) account. With an ECN account, buyers and sellers can do business directly with each other, without a middleman. To open an ECN account, you have to put down a $1000 deposit.
ECN Accounts – The Pros and Cons
There are many advantages to trading with an ECN account. One of the main advantages is that you can trade with very low spreads, as low as 0.0 pips in some cases. This is because ECN brokers don’t take a commission on your trades, and instead make their money from the spreads. This means that your costs are lower, and you can potentially make more money from your trades.
Another advantage of ECN accounts is that you can trade with high leverage. Leverage is a double-edged sword, but if used correctly it can help you to make more money from your trades. With an ECN account, you can trade with leverage of up to 1:500, which means you can control a large amount of money with a relatively small amount of capital.
ECN accounts also offer fast order execution, and you can often get your trades executed in less than a second. This is because ECN brokers are connected to a large number of liquidity providers, and can offer you the best possible price for your trade.
There are some disadvantages to ECN accounts as well. One of the main disadvantages is that you will usually have to pay a commission on your trades. This can be around $5 per trade or more. This means that your costs are higher, and you need to make sure that your trading strategy is profitable enough to cover these costs.
Another disadvantage of ECN accounts is that they are only available to traders who have a large amount of capital. This is because most ECN brokers have a minimum deposit requirement of $5,000, and sometimes even more. This means that ECN accounts are not suitable for beginners or traders with a small amount of capital.
Characteristics of an Electronic Communication Network (ECN) Broker
An Electronic Communication Network (ECN) is a type of broker that uses electronic means to connect different market participants, in order to trade securities. ECNs are typically used by large institutions and professional traders, who require access to the best possible prices and liquidity.
ECNs typically charge a commission, rather than a spread, for each trade. This means that they are often very competitive in terms of pricing. ECNs also offer a high degree of anonymity, as orders are not displayed publicly. This can be appealing for traders who wish to keep their activities private.
ECNs offer a number of advantages, including:
–Access to deep liquidity: ECNs offer access to a huge pool of liquidity, from a variety of different sources. This means that trades can be executed quickly and at the best possible prices.
–Low costs: As ECNs charge commissions rather than spreads, they can be very cost-effective for active traders.
–Anonymity: Orders placed on an ECN are not publicly displayed, so traders can remain anonymous if they wish.
–Speed: ECNs use electronic means to connect market participants, so trades can be executed very quickly.
Advantages of trading with an Electronic Communication Network (ECN) Account
An electronic communication network (ECN) is an electronic system that matches buy and sell orders for securities in the market.
ECNs are used by large institutions, small and medium-sized firms, and individual investors to trade stocks, bonds, foreign exchange, and other securities anonymously and at faster speeds.
ECNs are fast becoming the preferred trading method for active individual investors and traders. ECNs provide many advantages over traditional brokerage firms, including:
–Anonymity: When you place a trade through an ECN, your identity is not revealed to the market maker or broker. This protects you from potential price manipulation by people with insider information.
–Speed: ECNs can match orders much faster than traditional brokerages, which can make a big difference when you’re trying to execute a trade quickly.
–Lower Costs: ECNs typically charge lower fees than traditional brokerages, since they don’t have the same overhead costs. This can save you a significant amount of money over time.
–Better Prices: ECNs can provide you with better prices than you would get from a traditional brokerage firm. This is because they have access to multiple liquidity sources, so they can fill your order at the best possible price.
ECN Accounts – The Benefits and Risks
As we have seen, there are both advantages and disadvantages to trading with an ECN account. One of the main benefits is that you can trade with very low spreads, which can save you a lot of money in the long run. However, you will usually have to pay a commission on your trades, which can eat into your profits.
Another benefit of ECN accounts is that you can trade with high leverage. This can help you to make more money from your trades, but it can also increase your losses if you don’t use it carefully. You need to be aware of the risks before you start trading with leverage.
Before you decide to open an ECN account, you need to weigh up the pros and cons carefully. You need to consider your own trading style and goals and decide whether an ECN account is right for you. If you are a beginner, or if you don’t have a lot of capital, then an ECN account is probably not suitable for you.
If you do decide to open an ECN account, be sure to research the different providers carefully. Make sure you understand the fees and commissions that you will be charged and the leverage that they offer. Also, be sure to test out their platform with a demo account before you commit to trading with real money.
Keynote:
ECN accounts are for professional traders who want to trade in more advanced ways. ECN accounts stand out are the very low spreads, which start at 0 pips, and the low transaction fees, which depend on the number of transactions.
Recommended ECN Brokers
Choosing the correct broker for trading is critical to your trading journey, there are many factors you should take into consideration specifically for ECN trading before settling with the broker you may be trading with or when switching to a new choice broker which is best suited to your needs and factors which are important to you personally.
Broker | Regulators | Leverage | Spreads | Trading Acc. | Instruments | Connect |
FP Markets | ASIC, CySEC | Up to 1:500* | From 0.0 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, | |
Eightcap | ASIC, VFSC | Up to 1:500 | From 0.0 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, | |
IC Markets | AFSL, ASIC, CySEC, FSA | Up to 1:500 | From 0 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, | |
Axi | ASIC,FCA, DFSA, FSC | Up to 1:500 | From 0 - 0.4 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, | |
InstaForex | CySEC, FSC BVI, FSC | Up to 1:1000 | From 0 - 7 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, | |
NordFX | VFSC | Up to 1:1000 | Floating spread from 0.9 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, | |
FXOpen | ASIC, FCA | Up to 1:500* | Floating spread from 0 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, Metals, Energies, Shares, Crypto | |
Vantagemarkets | CIMA, ASIC, FCA | Up to 1:500* | From 0.4 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, Metals, Energies, Shares, Crypto | |
RoboForex | IFSC | Up to 1:2000 | From 0.0 pips | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, | |
Exness | FCA, CySEC, FSA, CBCS, FSC, FSCA | Up to 1:3000 | From 1 pip | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, | |
FBS | CySEC, FSC, FSCA, ASIC | Up to 1:3000 | From 1 pip | Broker Type: | Forex, Indices, |
Each Broker has their own fees for their ECN accounts these may vary from ZERO to a fraction of a percent or a fixed amount per lot.
Exness has 3 Trading Accounts:
Raw Spread: Lowest spreads with fixed commission per lot. Market execution.
From 0.0 Spread & Up to $3.50 for each side per lot Commission
Zero: Zero spread on the top 30 instruments. Market execution, no requotes.
From 0.0 Spread & From $0.2 each side per lot Commission
Pro: Our instant execution account, with zero commission & low spread.
From 0.1 Spread & Zero Commission
AXI has 3 Trading Accounts:
Standard Account: From 0.4 pips Spread with Zero Commission & 5 digit pricing
Pro Account: From 0.0 pips Spreads with $7 round trip (USD) Commission & 5 digit pricing
Elite Account: From 0.0 pips Spreads with $3.50 round trip (USD) Commission & 5 digit pricing
Instaforex has 4 ECN Trading Accounts:
Insta.Standard: From 3-7 Spreads & Zero fees
Insta.Eurica: Zero Spreads & 0.03%-0.07% fees
Cent.Standard: From 3-7 Spreads & Zero fees
Cent.Eurica: Zero Spreads & 0.03%-0.07% fees
Eightcap has 2 ECN Trading Accounts:
Standard Account: 0.5 – 1.8 pips Typical EUR / USD Spread & Zero Commission
Raw Account: 0.0 – 1.0 pips Typical EUR / USD Spread with 3.5 AUD, USD, NZD, SGD, CAD | 2.25 GBP | 2.75 EUR per standard lot traded Fees
How can Trading with an ECN Account Benefit you?
Almost all ECN Accounts have Zero spreads, which is amazing for trading with especially with day and scalp trading. However, with the commission on the lots traded which the brokers charge, you have to weigh the odds and see which situation suites your trading strategy.
Now you can Start Trading with an
ECN Account
Each broker has its own ECN Fees, which can be based on commission on lots or on spreads.
Choosing the correct broker for trading is critical to your trading journey, there are many factors you should take into consideration specifically for ECN trading before settling with the broker you may be trading with or when switching to a new choice broker which is best suited to your needs and factors which are important to you personally.
These are the brokers we have reviewed:
ECN Execution Recommended Brokers
ExnessSince 2008 | Offices:UK, Cyprus, Seychelles |
Minimum Deposit: | Standard; Cent; Plus: $1 | Raw Spread, Zero, Pro:$200 |
Account currency: | USD |
Leverage: | From 1:100 up to 1:2000 |
Accounts: | Standard, Standard Cent, Standard Plus, Raw Spread, Zero, Pro |
Instruments Offered: | Forex, Indices, Metals, Energies, Shares, Cryptocurrencies |
Trading Platform: | MT4, MT5, WebTrader, Mobile, Free VPS hosting |
Regulation: | FCA, CySEC, FSA, CBCS, FSC, FSCA |
Spreads: | Standard; Cent: from 0.3 pips, Standard Plus: from 1 pip Pro: from 0.1 pips, Raw spread; Zero: from 0 pips, |
Visit Broker | Broker Review |
InstaForexSince: 2007 | Offices:Cyprus, St.Vincent & the Grenadines, British Virgin Isles |
Minimum Deposit: | From $1 |
Account currency: | EUR, USD |
Leverage: | From 1:1 up to 1:1000 |
Accounts: | Demo, Insta.Standard, Insta.Eurica, Cent.Standard, Cent.Eurica, PAMM |
Instruments Offered: | Forex, Indices, Futures, Options, Commodities, Metals, Energies, Shares, Cryptocurrencies |
Trading Platform: | МТ4, МТ5, InstaTrader, WebTrader, Multiterminal, Mobile Trading, VPS hosting |
Regulation: | CySEC, FSC BVI, FSC |
Spreads: | 0 pips: Insta.Eurica and Cent.Eurica; 3–7 pips: Insta.Standard and Cent.Standard |
Visit Broker | Broker Review |
AXISince: 2007 | Offices:UK, Australia, UAE, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines |
Minimum Deposit: | $1 |
Account currency: | AUD, CAD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD, USD |
Leverage: | Up to 1:500 |
Accounts: | Standard, Pro, Elite |
Instruments Offered: | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Metals, Energies, Shares, Cryptocurrencies |
Trading Platform: | MT4, PsyQuation with Axi, WebTrader, VPS hosting |
Regulation: | ASIC,FCA, DFSA, FSC |
Spreads | Standard: from 0.4 pip, Pro: from 0 pip |
Visit Broker | Broker Review |
FBSSince: 2009 | Offices:Cyprus, Belize |
Minimum Deposit: | $1 , €10 |
Account currency: | Euro |
Leverage: | 1:3000 |
Accounts: | Standard Account, Cent Account, Demo Standard Account, Demo Cent |
Instruments Offered: | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Metals, Energies, Shares, Cryptocurrencies |
Trading Platform: | MT4, MT5, Multiterminal, WebTrader, FBS Trader, VPS hosting |
Regulation: | CySEC, FSC, FSCA, ASIC |
Spreads: | From 1 pip |
Visit Broker | Broker Review |
IC MarketsSince: 2007 | Offices:Australia, Cyprus, Seychelles |
Minimum Deposit: | 200 US dollars |
Account currency: | USD, AUD, GBP, CHF, JPY, NZD, SGD, CAD, HKD, BTC |
Leverage: | From 1:1 to 1:500 |
Accounts: | Demo, Raw Spread, cTrader, Standard, Islamic, PAMM |
Instruments Offered: | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Metals, Energies, Shares, Bonds Cryptocurrencies |
Trading Platform: | cTrader, MT4, MT5, WebTrader, VPS hosting |
Regulation: | AFSL, ASIC, CySEC, FSA |
Spreads | From 0 |
Visit Broker | Broker Review |
EightCapSince: 2009 | Offices:Australia, Vanuatu |
Minimum Deposit: | $100 |
Account currency: | AUD, USD, GBP, NZD, SGD, EUR |
Leverage: | 1:30 for Australian clients 1:500 for Non-AU clients |
Accounts: | Standard Account, Raw Account |
Instruments Offered: | Forex, Indices, Commodities, Metals, Energies, Shares, Cryptocurrencies |
Trading Platform: | MT4, MT5, Mobile, VPS hosting |
Regulation: | ASIC, VFSC |
Spreads: | From 0.0 pips |
Visit Broker | Broker Review |