Market Depth – How deep is deep enough? 

 

If you are in the market for finding a Liquidity provider, you will be familiar with the term market depth from the conversations you have had, and if not, this article will give you a good place to start from in your discussions.

Market depth, in a nutshell refers to the extent of liquidity within a given market, showcasing the volume of buy and sell orders at various price levels. Since brokers are highly reliant on competitive pricing and speed of execution for positions to keep their traders satisfied, market depth is a big deal.

 

Transparency

 

In our industry we hear the word “transparency” a lot. If you are able to provide tools to help visualize market depth you are at a plus, because traders are looking for the ability to analyze overall market dynamics and gauge supply & demand. This in turn can help them identify potential support and resistance levels. As a broker you want to inspire trust and confidence and give your traders tools to make informed decisions.

 

The need for speed…

 

When running a brokerage, we all know that things need to get done – fast.. Nothing more so than execution of trades. Here, market depth also plays an important role as it determines how quickly and efficiently orders are filled. If the market is too shallow you may be faced with slippage and orders being filled at less-than-optimal pricing. So you will be on the lookout for liquidity solutions who offer you the ability to ensure smoother execution & reduced risk of slippage, ultimately leading to an enhanced overall trading experience.

 

Accuracy

 

The deeper the market the more accurate price determination will be, reducing the likelihood of price manipulation or erratic price movements. You need stability and efficient price discovery to maintain integrity and ensure fair trading conditions for your base.

The cost of acquisition and retention of traders today is only on the rise and these costs do not need to be additionally impacted by not having sufficient tools and solutions that come along with the right selection of liquidity provider. Onboard with a liquidity provider who can support you with sufficient solutions & you will be better prepared to both attract and retain a more sophisticated trading audience.

 

Last but far from least… Risk Management.

 

Deeper market access provides greater flexibility in managing risk exposure, allowing brokers to execute large orders with minimal market impact. Additionally, access to real-time market depth data enables brokers to monitor liquidity conditions and adjust risk management strategies accordingly.

In times of market volatility or unforeseen events, it also offers resilience against sudden price swings and ensures orderly trading even in turbulent market conditions. By maintaining access to deep liquidity pools, brokers can instill confidence in their clients and mitigate the risk of market disruptions.

 

So to answer the question, how deep is deep enough?

 

As deep as is required to satisfy traders seeking transparency, efficiency and reliability in you as a broker.

#liquidity #marketdepth #startabrokerage

 

We discuss all of the above and more in our Capital Markets Training – for corporations and individuals

 

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More interesting topics to look into:

Liquidity speed and size – What really counts and how to optimize?

Choosing an LP partner – What should you consider?

Forex White Label – Discover it all, requirements and options

 

Start your Brokerage business by:

 

Connecting offshore: With our clients in Belize, Seychelles, the Caymans, Martial Islands and St. Vincent offering the most flexible IB and White Label solutions.

Connecting in the EU: With our clients in 15 out of the 28 member states offering strong partnerships to individuals and corporations with existing client base, looking to connect.

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss your case through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.compartners@allfx-consult.com.

Choosing a liquidity partner – What should you consider?

 

Selecting a liquidity partner also known as a liquidity provider(s) or LP,  is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business’s success. Inside of the liquidity provider category there are various “types” of companies, serving a specific role or service within the framework of facilitating liquidity (think aggregator, PoP or Prime of Prime, ECN Providers, Bank Providers, Broker Providers etc. More on the role of each in a later article).

 

Here are points to start digesting when you are in the market for a liquidity partner.

 

  • Know thyself: Have a clear understanding of your requirements and model. Think about expected trading volumes (consider potential growth as well if possible), asset classes you want to offer, regions you target, and whether you need access to specific markets or instruments.

 

  • Research: Things like reputation, reliability, regulation & compliance, tech, pricing models, and the range of assets they cover. There are multiple sites available, but also check members of your network or work with a consultant to build a picture.

 

  • Evaluate the actual liquidity: Assess the liquidity that each provider offers for the instruments you plan to offer to your clients. Look for tight spreads, low slippage, and depth of market. If possible request historical data or a trial period to gauge quality.

 

 

  • Technology and Infrastructure: Look at the supporting technology suite and infrastructure that they have in place to support the business like: execution speed, uptime reliability, order management systems, API connectivity, and risk management tools.

 

  • Risk Management: Look for features such as real-time monitoring, margin call mechanisms, and risk mitigation strategies to protect your brokerage from excessive exposure to market risk (some of this information may be hard to find but you can still ask).

 

  • Down to the dollar: Spreads, commissions, and any additional fees. Compare the costs across different providers and consider how these fees will impact your profitability and competitiveness in the market.

 

  • Quality of Support: Consider things like responsiveness, availability of technical support, and the level of expertise of their support team. Prompt and effective support is crucial for resolving issues that may arise during trading hours.

 

  • Negotiate Terms: Once you’ve narrowed down your options, negotiate the terms of the partnership. Discuss pricing, contract terms, customization options, and any additional services or incentives that can be applied to the deal.

 

  • Monitor Performance: Continuously monitor the performance of your chosen liquidity partner / provider to ensure they meet your expectations in terms of liquidity quality, reliability, and support services. Stay informed about market developments and be prepared to switch or add providers if necessary to adapt to changing market conditions or business needs.

 

The more information you have at your disposal, the better decisions you will ultimately be able to make. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to leverage the experience and knowledge of others in your decision making process.

#liquidity #liquiditypartner #liquidityprovider # lp #startabrokerage

 

We are available to get the discussion going if the task feels overwhelming, feel free to contact us or take a look at our Start a Forex Brokerage page.

 

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More interesting topics to look into:

 

Market Depth – How deep is deep enough when it comes to liquidity?

Liquidity speed and size – What really counts and how to optimize?

Forex White Label – Discover it all, requirements and options

 

Start your Brokerage business by:

 

Connecting offshore: With our clients in Belize, Seychelles, the Caymans, Martial Islands and St. Vincent offering the most flexible IB and White Label solutions.

Connecting in the EU: With our clients in 15 out of the 28 member states offering strong partnerships to individuals and corporations with existing client base, looking to connect.

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss your case through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.compartners@allfx-consult.com.

Liquidity Speed Vs Size – What matters most?

 

Liquidity speed VS size? A simple but complex question for a broker looking to optimize flow. The answer is a balance of both…

 

Liquidity speed

 

By prioritizing liquidity speed, you attract clients who value quick execution above all else. This can lead to increased trading volumes as traders flock to platforms that offer near-instantaneous order fulfillment. Rapid execution minimizes slippage, reducing the risk of unexpected losses for traders and improving the overall trading experience.

The ability to offer lightning-fast execution can be a game-changer. High-frequency trading (HFT) firms & traders, in particular, thrive on milliseconds, capitalizing on price differentials across multiple platforms.

 

Size

 

While liquidity speed is obviously important, size also carries its own weight (no pun intended 😉). Size refers to the depth of liquidity available in the market (covered in more detail in our article Market Depth – How deep is deep enough?), indicating the volume of assets that can be traded without significantly impacting prices. Liquidity providers who promote their size are typically better equipped to accommodate large trades without causing substantial price movements, ensuring market stability.

If finding the right liquidity solution is a challenge for you, visit our Start a Forex Brokerage page or contact us to start a discussion.

 

Optimizing Liquidity Flow: Striking the Perfect Balance

 

While both are essential, the “in-between” is key to maximizing trading efficiency and market appeal. Here’s how you can fine-tune your liquidity flow:

 

  • Invest in tech: Take a walk through any aisle at the big B2B events and you will see great innovation and cutting-edge technology geared toward achieving lightning-fast execution. Trading infrastructure, from connectivity to algorithms, all looking to significantly reduce trade latency, giving you a competitive edge in the race for speed.

 

  • Grow your pool: Building a deep and diverse liquidity pool is essential. Consider collaborating with multiple liquidity providers across various asset classes to ensure ample liquidity coverage. Just as your traders diversify their portfolios you can look at diversifying your liquidity sources, mitigating the risk of liquidity shortages during peak trading periods.

 

  • Customization – It’s about them: Recognizing that different traders have various preferences, think about offering customizable solutions. Some traders may prioritize speed and are willing to pay a premium for solutions that upgrade execution, while others may prioritize size and look for platforms with strong liquidity pools. By offering tailored liquidity options, you can look at catering to the needs of a broader range of end clients.

 

  • Risk Management: While striving for speed and size, don’t overlook the importance of risk management. Implement strategic risk controls and monitoring tools to mitigate the potential adverse effects of rapid market movements. Doing this will protect both traders and your brand.

 

  • Watch & Adapt: Closely track the market, liquidity trends, and trader behavior to identify emerging opportunities and challenges. Stay agile and responsive so you can adjust your liquidity flow to align with evolving market demands.

 

The bottom line?

 

It’s not black and white. It’s not all one or all the other. Encourage your Dealers, Product Leads and Risk Managers to work together and look for ways to balance both liquidity speed and size in order to cater to the needs of your trader base.

#liquidity #liquiditysize #liquidityspeed #liquidityproviders # lp #startabrokerage

 

We discuss all of the above and more in our Capital Markets Training – for corporations and individuals

 

________________________________

 

More interesting topics to look into:

Market Depth – How deep is deep enough when it comes to liquidity?

Choosing an LP partner – What should you consider?

Forex White Label – Discover it all, requirements and options

 

Start your Brokerage business by:

 

Connecting offshore: With our clients in Belize, Seychelles, the Caymans, Martial Islands and St. Vincent offering the most flexible IB and White Label solutions.

Connecting in the EU: With our clients in 15 out of the 28 member states offering strong partnerships to individuals and corporations with existing client base, looking to connect.

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss your case through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.compartners@allfx-consult.com.

To consult or not to consult – that is the question

When looking for a solution to a challenge, there are many variables to consider and options to choose from!  

We all think we know what we want and what’s best to do in theory. But when the dreaded time comes to make a final decision, we end up confused. To make things worse we realize that people close to us supporting our decision-making process are not enough to give us clarity, maybe because they don’t know enough or maybe because they’re biased (any future decisions affect them directly). It doesn’t really matter why because we still need to make a decision and therefore, forced to look elsewhere for answers.  

 

What makes a consultant a valuable ally?  

 

From most consultants’ perspective, if a client is reaching out with a specific request they must have thought about it enough to lean towards a certain direction. So what’s wrong with giving a direct answer to their inquiry, discussing pricing that works and giving them what they want? At the end of the day, a consultant fills a need and complicating things might not end up in his/her favour.  

Spending the least amount of time/cost and getting the most return out of each case is the common strategy for most. Why would a consultant bother going the extra mile or offer more information / potential solutions to elements that may need to be addressed, if the client didn’t ask?   

Consulting, in its core is neither coaching nor decision making. Consulting includes research/evaluation from an unbiased third-party standpoint, often beyond the limitations of the current network. Ultimately, presenting the client with feedback, strategic advice and viable courses of action.  

A consultant’s network (where the proposed solutions will be derived from) in itself can be a limitation. Why? Because no one has all the answers and if they say they do, this may be a potential red flag. Without taking into account what else could be done and adding value through the collection of more information and proper due diligence, (beyond our network when required), how can we be sure that we are proposing the most complete solution possible?   

NOTE: Before committing to a course of action or consulting agency, look for 2nd or 3rd opinions. As with important health decisions, where you accept the cost of a 2nd and 3rd opinion to cross check that the right diagnosis is given, you should spare no expense when it comes to your business’s future as well. The increasing number of SOS cases we receive is a testament to this.  

Food for thought – how can one assume that the right decision is being made only because it follows the direction of the one asking? Maybe, the wrong question was asked to begin with. For example, there are solutions to banking problems in various jurisdictions. In some cases painful (costly) and extremely risky, but possible. You can present these solutions as a direct answer and be done with it, or suggest more viable alternative structures to the brokerage that can fix the banking problem and also set the path for a sustainable future.  

When a consultant is hired, the client and the consultant’s interest are now aligned (or should be in our opinion). In the research and elimination process for the correct direction, of a more complex challenge, the following will become apparent:  

  • Most solutions noted down are of the same nature  

When you browse through your notes, you come to realize that the solutions (even though offered by different providers with minor differences) are the same in nature.   

  • Some solutions complement each other  

Although solutions are straight forward on their own, depending on the case’s requirements/limitations, when combined can form a better structure that fixes a short-term challenge and at the same time offer a long-term advantage that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. So not having enough options limits your perspective into what else you might be able to pull off with minor tweaks or combos. Almost there…  

  • You’re able to identify the white noise (all “quick fix” options that would eventually lead to problems during actual operations)  

There are so many cowboys in the crowd selling and pitching stuff (some of them quite good at it actually) and if you’re not careful, you might make emotional decisions (rush to fix your current problem and unknowingly add another). You tend to forget the rationale of narrowing down, eliminating, choosing the lesser of a few evils (because no business decision is actually perfect). You need to learn to “read between the lines” as some providers will take your project at face value and provide a direct solution to what you want (so you’re limited by your own inquiry). Some will take on your project and give temporary solutions to fix your current issue (knowing it’s a short-term fix, in many cases with potentially irreparable future damage). Some will look into the overall picture and give more options and recommendations that fit the part.  

Understood!  Now what?  

If you carefully collected the information, you should be able to cross check the questions/answers of different providers and identify future problems within the solutions they offer. Where one provider pitched a solution as the answer to your prayers, another might have a different opinion on the matter. Like using an entity (payment agent) to fix a current banking problem, that only transfers the problem to the payment agent. And here you are again with the same problem (minus a couple of thousand $$$ paid to receive this awesome solution). The more providers you approach for the same question, the better the elimination process of this “white noise” will be. You now have a clearer path as to what can actually cause headaches down the line, even though it might offer a quick fix.  

Important note: there’s no right or wrong in choosing a quick fix, as long as you are aware that it’s not going to last. The problem is when a provider pitches this as a permanent solution.

Making the right choice is rarely (at least in the years that we’ve been consulting) the answer to the direct question a client asked in the beginning. Many of our clients may have been convinced on an IB/White Label solution that kept them locked in an unproductive cycle, or chose a jurisdiction unrelated to their plan and target audience, or filed a weak application with a regulator ending up in a disaster, or were convinced on a business model that generated less than their previous operation. And the list goes on and on…  

From our experience, the best providers won’t give a client direct answers/solutions to their challenges (unless a direct solution is undeniably the correct choice). They will provide options and alternatives after proper due diligence. They will add or remove options they themselves suggested in the first place as more information comes forward, thoroughly evaluate and narrow everything down. The final result will be an educated, researched process to work with and not wishful thinking or unreachable targets that simply satisfy shareholders.  

It’s very difficult for a good consultant to take on your project at face value, knowing there could be better solutions to your case. Some people might be more knowledgeable than others but we’ve come to realize that no one is an “expert” in anything. So walking with a grounded partner down the path of deciding the future of your business, is most definitely a win because where everyone else keeps failing with inadequate information, you will always come out on top with solid structures, targeted milestones and a stronger base to work with.  

#consulting #businesschallenges #supercombo #mortalkombat #hamlet #secondopinion #thirdopinion #duediligence #brokeragesetup #capitalmarkets #solutions

 

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If you found this information useful, you might also like:  

Capital Markets Training – For corporations and individuals

Setting up a White Label – Should you go for it

 

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About allFX-Consult:  

allFX-Consult is a capital markets consulting agency, catering to quality rather than quantity. For over a decade, our Directors have been connecting with some of the best individuals/professionals, service providers and brokers the industry has to offer so that we can meet any corporate challenge that comes our way.  

allFX-Consult always has a counterpart/partner for any corporate structure. Before introductions/connections take place, we thoroughly examine all possibilities.  

We’re chosen for being discreet, detail oriented and deadline driven.  

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss any capital market related topic through the contact form, through our social media or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.com, partners@allfx-consult.com. We specialise in training and corporate structures for individuals that want to Start a Forex Brokerage 

 

Tied agent | Definitions and registration requirements

 


 

What is a Tied Agent?

A Tied Agent is a person (natural or legal) established in a Member State, who, acting under the full and unconditional responsibility of only one Investment Firm (the “IF”) of a Member State, on whose behalf it acts, promotes investment or/and ancillary services, attracts Clients or prospective Clients, receives and transmits Client orders in respect of investment services or financial instruments, places financial instruments or/and provides advice to Clients or prospective Clients in respect of those financial instruments or services.

 

We are copying below Article 29 of MiFID2 regarding Tied Agents, directly from the ESMA website (link provided below):
  1. Member States shall allow an investment firm to appoint tied agents for the purposes of promoting the services of the investment firm, soliciting business or receiving orders from clients or potential clients and transmitting them, placing financial instruments and providing advice in respect of such financial instruments and services offered by that investment firm.
  2. Member States shall require that where an investment firm decides to appoint a tied agent it remains fully and unconditionally responsible for any action or omission on the part of the tied agent when acting on behalf of the investment firm. Member States shall require the investment firm to ensure that a tied agent discloses the capacity in which he is acting and the investment firm which he is representing when contacting or before dealing with any client or potential client.
  3. Member States may allow, in accordance with Article 16(6), (8) and (9), tied agents registered in their territory to hold money and/or financial instruments of clients on behalf and under the full responsibility of the investment firm for which they are acting within their territory or, in the case of a cross border operation, in the territory of a Member State which allows a tied agent to hold client money.
  4. Member States shall require the investment firms to monitor the activities of their tied agents so as to ensure that they continue to comply with this Directive when acting through tied agents.
  5. Tied agents shall be registered in the public register in the Member State where they are established. ESMA shall publish on its website references or hyperlinks to the public registers established under this Article by the Member States that decide to allow investment firms to appoint tied agents.
  6. Member States shall ensure that tied agents are only admitted to the public register if it has been established that they are of sufficiently good repute and that they possess the appropriate general, commercial and professional knowledge and competence so as to be able to deliver the investment service or ancillary service and to communicate accurately all relevant information regarding the proposed service to the client or potential client.
  7. Member States may decide that, subject to appropriate control, investment firms can verify whether the tied agents which they have appointed are of sufficiently good repute and possess the knowledge and competence referred to in the second subparagraph.
  8. The register shall be updated on a regular basis. It shall be publicly available for consultation.
  9. Member States shall require that investment firms appointing tied agents take adequate measures in order to avoid any negative impact that the activities of the tied agent not covered by the scope of this Directive could have on the activities carried out by the tied agent on behalf of the investment firm.
  10. Member States may allow competent authorities to collaborate with investment firms and credit institutions, their associations and other entities in registering tied agents and in monitoring compliance of tied agents with the requirements of paragraph 3. In particular, tied agents may be registered by an investment firm, credit institution or their associations and other entities under the supervision of the competent authority.
  11. Member States shall require that investment firms appoint only tied agents entered in the public registers referred to in paragraph 3.
  12. Member States may adopt or retain provisions that are more stringent than those set out in this Article or add further requirements for tied agents registered within their jurisdiction.

 

See the complete article directly on the ESMA website.

 

Should you become a tied agent?

To answer this question, like with any evaluation on what to do next or how to get bigger, we need to examine your current standing and if tying your business to a regulated Investment Firm is needed at this stage. Maybe you are a White Label or large forex IB that has prospective business in the EU and needs a “vehicle” to enter legally. Most would think that the only way is through a full license, but maybe you’re not ready to take on such costs and compliance demands. Or maybe you tried to get regulated and found difficulties to be approved or even worse, got rejected and you need to identify plausible and feasible next steps.

 

Do any of the above scenarios describe your current status? Contact us now to look into the details

 

If your business is ready to enter the EU area, no matter the reasoning, becoming a tied agent requires minimal cost, hassle free registration process and it’s a great stepping stone, to evaluate if it’s worth it to go for a full EU license on your own. It will support your reputation, build your brand’s name, give you credibility with PSPs and banking institutions and create history for future use with a regulator (if you decide later to apply for a full license).

 

You need to take into consideration that operating as a Tied Agent under MiFID2, means you are obliged to offer trading conditions as a European regulated broker. The marketing and sales plans, the client protection, the tight trading conditions are only part of the regime, so it would be wise to have a solid plan and a European client base (or a prospective European business) before looking into such a concept. Its important to note that no EU regulated broker will accept to connect/tie their business if it doesn’t make sense – not only compliance wise (to have a clear standing with your operations) but also relative to the income you will produce with them.

 

What is the process to become a Tied Agent?

Firstly you will seek registration with the national regulator to be appointed as a Tied Agent of a specific Investment Firm and be registered in the Register of Tied Agents.

Check out CySEC’s register of Tied Agents here 

 

Some of the details you will provide in this regard will include the following (The complete list of needed documents will be provided on a case by case basis and depending on the status of the company applying to become a Tied Agent):

  • Name of the Tied Agent and/or Trading name(s)
  • Notarised company documents and contact information
  • Your agreement with the Investment Firm with estimated revenues
  • Personal questionnaires and documentation for shareholders, directors and employees of the Tied Agent who will provide Investment Services

 

It’s then in the discretion of the national regulator to ask further questions, documents and clarifications. It’s usually a fast procedure, taking just a few months to finalise but if your operations fit in this scenario, it’s definitely worth taking it into consideration. As a Tied Agent, you will learn a lot about the EU target audience, the EU regulatory framework and if it makes sense to invest and get a full license of your own.

 

What does it cost to apply for a Tied Agent registration?

Firstly you need to find the Investment Firm willing to tie itself with your operations. Not all licensed brokers will want to do this, especially if they don’t have enough information regarding who they are tying with and that this new partnership, will not jeopardise/burn their license.

Looking for an EU licensed broker to tie your operations with? Talk with one of our partners today

 

So it is typical that exchange of information will take place, several calls and meetings before any actual numbers/costs are brought forward and reviewed. When it’s all said and done, the cost for the application to the regulator is quite small and can be handled through our office. From experience, what matters the most is the final arrangement on profit share that depending on the size of the licensed broker, can vary significantly. It would be irresponsible to throw random percentages of profit sharing, because each case is different.

 

Lastly, the Tied agent will need to employ a Head of Reception and Transmission that needs to be a certified professional (in the case of Cyprus, the employee needs to be registered in CySEC’s Public Register of Certified Persons (the “Public Register”) which has a salary cost as well as a small application cost, for the regulator to approve the person.

 

How allFX-Consult can step into this picture:

allFX-Consult has done extensive research on the topic and brokered quite a few deals concerning Tied Agents. In many cases, we recommended alternative solutions/partnerships because as mentioned above, not all cases fit the scenario of a Tied Agent. Some cases were ready for a full license and therefore were handled as such. Some others required simpler structures/partnerships/compromises, used as milestones to reach future long term licensing goals.

Our process is simple – we will examine each case separately and provide realistic recommendations based on our findings. All deals brokered by allFX-Consult, eventually resulted in obtaining a full license (either in Cyprus or abroad) or remained successful partnerships (Tied Agent partnerships or other) that to-date benefit all parties involved.


 

About allFX-Consult:

allFX-Consult is a boutique forex consulting agency, catering to quality rather than quantity. For over a decade, our Directors have been connecting with some of the best individuals/professionals, service providers and brokers the industry has to offer so that we can meet any corporate forex challenge that comes our way.

allFX-Consult always has a counterpart/partner for any corporate structure. Before introductions/connections take place, we thoroughly examine all possibilities.

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss any forex related topic through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.compartners@allfx-consult.com. We specialise in training sales teams and forex corporate structures for individuals that want to Start a Forex Brokerage.

#tiedagent #forextiedagent #forexlicense #offshorelicense #euforexlicense #forexib #whitelabel

 

Useful links

Check our comprehensive list of worldwide supervising authority bodies (includes all member states of the EU)

What are the application requirements for a CySEC license?

Cyprus Forex Brokers – comprehensive list of CySEC regulated brokers and country stats 

 

 

 

Forex ECN | A walk through the types of brokers


 

What is a Forex ECN?

Straight forward definition, not very different from what you will find online, ECN stands for Electronic Communication Network. Simply put a forex ECN is a type of execution that allows a trader to place orders through the Interbank Market, in a more transparent and direct manner than trading against a single forex broker. As we all know, trading against a single broker can have disastrous results in a trader’s account, with so many of them running clandestine dealing rooms in a dark corner of the world.

That being said, not everyone’s the same – through our Sales Training service, we’ve come to get to know market makers that run amazing backend operations, big enough not to worry about specific accounts but rather decide on a daily basis the strategy they will use to handle their overall volumes. Irrespective of their size though, the term market maker still implies a fully operational dealing room in who’s discretion, trades are being executed with strategies in favour of the mothership.

Before we look deeper into the nature of a forex ECN, ponder this – a broker that attracts traders onto its ECN platform is looking for a “cleaner” relationship, since profits are derived from volumes traded and not money deposited in the trader’s account. True ECN brokers are indeed on the side of the traders, supporting their winning strategies, knowing that it will inevitably increase trading volumes.

 

How does a forex ECN work?

Throughout the years, technological advancements supported the development of systems that helped to facilitate dealing in OTC derivatives such as currency exchange rates. Back in the day, only a handful of companies were able to provide bridges that connected trading platforms with liquidity providers.

The Interbank Market, the market that ECN connects to, consists of Banks and large financial institutions that push their liquidity and volumes of transactions in a manner that allows transparency, anonymity and reliability to each trade that requires its liquidity.

Through a forex ECN trading platform provided by the broker, a trader gains access to deeper liquidity and an execution policy unlike any other. Once an order is placed by a trader, irrespective of buying or selling, the system will provide the best possible (best bid or best ask) price available at that instant.

So the system itself is acting as a dealer, therefore cancelling the manual dealing rooms that are normally handling trader’s quotes in a market making environment. A forex broker that does not operate a dealing room is also referred to as a No Dealing Desk or NDD broker.

 

Technology behind Forex ECN

What’s better than receiving orders in fractions of a second (milliseconds) as if you were placing your order standing (or sitting) with your laptop at the major data centres in New York and/or London?

The Equinix data centres with their fibre optic cables are recognised to be the fastest, most reliable price sources in the world. Low latency connections, lightning fast executions, reliable trading conditions are some of the advantages that NY4 and LD5 provide and it’s the reason that leading true forex ECN brokers use them for connections and advanced price aggregations with major liquidity providers and pools.

 

Trading with a Forex ECN account

All brokers that claim to offer forex ECN accounts should show order information and exchange rates in real time. This includes orders processed as well as the prices offered by banks. It ensures transparency in a world where most forex brokers used to run chop shops in dark corners of the world and profiting from the “not so known” price aggregation and price filling at their discretion.

For scalpers and traders that follow high market volatility, typically due to major fundamental announcements (like the Non-Farm Payrolls report), a forex ECN account is the best option since it basically eliminates price manipulation and the dreaded re-quotes. Re-quotes occur especially during high volatility, where the forex broker rejects a price asked from a trader (claiming the market moved) and provides a re-quote that rarely benefits the trader.

This “no-human intervention” is also what defines an STP (Straight Through Process) broker, that uses no dealing room but instead sends the quotes straight through to liquidity providers or an ECN, and only acts as an intermediary. It might be wise to ask a forex broker that claims to offer an STP model, which liquidity providers are used, in order to have a clear picture of the relationship. If looking into a forex ECN account, the term STP/ECN usually go together since the connection is done by straight through process into an ECN trading environment.

Another term introduced with forex ECN is the Direct Market Access or DMA, which refers to the connection of a trader to “a” market (not necessarily an ECN environment, but trades could also be sent directly to major liquidity providers/market makers) that would essentially fill the price. So it’s important to differentiate DMA with ECN unless specified by the broker and substantiated by the order information/real time exchange rates that normally characterise a forex ECN broker.

 

Spreads in a forex ECN account

A forex ECN account should actually have no spreads marked up by the broker, but instead commissions charged per single transaction (not so much the case nowadays). Since the broker does not benefit from risk management and hedging activities, these commissions serve as compensation for bridging the traders with the Interbank Market. Spreads in a forex ECN account can reach 0 and in extremely rare cases it could even go below 0 (not sure if this even happens anymore, except when ECN was first introduced) – very similar case with the Inverted Spreads (a major recession indicator) where a long term instrument yields less return than a short term instrument, resulting in an inverted scenario. In the past, our Sales Training “borrowed” the term Inverted Spreads to point out to our Sales Reps how real and non-manipulated ECN prices can be.

 

Disclosure

All information included in this article is for informational purposes only – it does not intend to provide advice to anyone to follow or not a specific type of broker or services.

 

You might also find this interesting:

All forex regulators by region

Forex White Label  – Should you go for one?

Understanding the nature of a Forex IB


About allFX-Consult

allFX-Consult is a boutique forex consulting agency, catering to quality rather than quantity. For over a decade, our Directors have been connecting with some of the best individuals/professionals, service providers and brokers the industry has to offer so that we can meet any corporate forex challenge that comes our way.

allFX-Consult always has a counterpart/partner for any corporate structure. Before introductions/connections, we thoroughly examine all possibilities.

We’re chosen for being discreet, detail oriented and deadline driven.

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss any forex related topic through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.com, partners@allfx-consult.com. We specialise in training sales teams and forex corporate structures for individuals that want to Start a Forex Brokerage.

 

Offshore Forex License | Myths, truths and facts that not everyone will share


Tagging Forex IB and Forex White Labels, as well as individuals looking to start a Forex Brokerage.

Throughout the years allFX-Consult has been establishing and supporting Forex brokerages, it’s now more obvious than ever, that the lengths people will go to and the stories they fabricate to close business is more or less equal to the service they will actually deliver. To start a Forex Brokerage with or without an offshore forex license requires compromises and costs you’re most probably unaware of and comes with limitations no one will share in full, until you’re already on-boarded on a service.

A large portion of our client base in 2019, came looking for help in getting out of impossible situations other providers put them in. Frozen funds, blocked accounts, 2+ years waiting for a license that would never come, incorporated companies intended to become forex brokerages rendered useless because of banking problems and so much more…

 

Before we continue, keep this rule of thumb in mind:

“Never go forward with the first choice presented to you. Get second/third opinions and validate the information until you finally converge everything into a feasible next step”

 

Choosing a jurisdiction to rest your forex brokerage operations will play a significant role in what type of business you will attract as well as how far you can go with it, so it’s important to consider the reasons you’re expanding as well as your limitations. From what your target audience will be to what trading conditions each jurisdiction allows, detail your plan before you evaluate the possibilities.

If this plan doesn’t fit in any solutions currently offered in the industry, you can start by compromising certain aspects of it with short term solutions, always keeping in mind the bigger picture and working towards a medium to long term plan. Even if this compromise requires partnering, all of our setups get full autonomy (operate independent from other providers/brokers) within a maximum time frame of 2 years.

“Failing to work within a short term frame that’s part of a larger one, ensures stagnation and lack of growth. In 2-5 years, you will be exactly where you first started…”

 

So who is looking to start a forex brokerage?

The most successful cases we encountered, involved medium to large Forex IBs and White Labels (with consistent monthly deposit volumes between $100K to $1 million), looking to further enhance their operations by setting up their own Institutional structures. We’ve also seen smaller networks that also succeeded to start a forex brokerage with the support of external funding and a solid, down to earth business plan.

Are you a Forex IB or White Label looking for better structures? Discuss your options with professionals today

 

With trading conditions getting tighter in more reputable jurisdictions, offshore forex license alternatives sent everyone into a frenzy, thinking that it’s the solution to all their institutional problems. And in most cases it is… each jurisdiction comes with limitations though and you don’t want to spend 30K-40K on a setup, for them to be revealed. Moreover, just by registering a company (no license) in an offshore jurisdiction does not mean you’re good to go since you will be lacking a very crucial element, the bank account. Banks will not open a bank account for an unlicensed forex brokerage, no matter how hard you try. If you already did though and you’re stack, talk with us to look into your options.

 

To put things in perspective, here are some institutional options (with and without licenses) with their attributes:

 

Belize / Labuan / Cayman Islands / Seychelles / Mauritius / Bahamas / Vanuatu / BVI
  • License: Yes
  • Can be expensive to register and maintain, you will receive quotes from $25k-$50k
  • Time frames to get a license and start: minimum 1 to 2 years mostly due to bureaucratic delays
  • Solid banking structures and PSPs are working uninterrupted
  • Physical office is a requirement, except Belize, Cayman Islands

Capital required:

  • Belize – $500k
  • Malaysia – $125k
  • Bahamas – $120k-$300 depending on license type
  • Cayman Islands $100k
  • Seychelles – $50k
  • Vanuatu – Security bond of $50k
  • Mauritius – $30
  • BVI – No capital requirement. Only proof of minimum 1 million in shareholder’s bank account to back up the company if needed

 

St Vincent and the Grenadines / Marshall Islands (This involves registration not a license)
  • License: No
  • Time frames to register/incorporate: less than a month
  • No banking, no PSPs. People/Payment “specialists” might advise to use a paying agent (in most cases another company within the EU) but as the deposits start piling up you will need a truckload of excuses and finally you will be shut down. Also keep in mind that using a paying agent only transfers the banking problem to your paying agent so essentially you’re back to where you started.
  • Capital required: No capital required
  • Cheap to run but with no working banking structures, what will you do with it? (we have solutions for this but it’s a compromise – make sure to contact us to look into the details)

 

Use another offshore forex license as an umbrella – practically acting as a forex IB but with your own brand
  • You can start immediately, no license required
  • No start-up costs, no capital required
  • Support from the licensed entity on the technical and banking level
  • Since the licensed entity will be responsible for compliance, KYC, client funds and liquidity will pass from them so there’s no real client ownership
  • You will be looking into a Revenue Share type of deal

 

Get a forex White Label using another offshore forex license as an umbrella
  • You can start as soon as the White Label is created, no license required
  • Start-up costs depend on the White Label providers usually between $5K-$12K
  • Monthly costs (technical support) also depend on the providers, no less than $3K
  • The licensed entity will still be responsible for compliance, KYC, client funds and liquidity will pass from them so again, no real client ownership
  • You will be looking into a Revenue Share type of deal

 

Lease an offshore forex license
  • Yes, this is also a possibility although rarely (almost never) offered
  • Expensive to operate (not disclosing amounts here because each case is different)
  • You need to prove you have existing flow of operations above $500K monthly
  • Depending on how you attract business, the only requirement would be not to burn the license so you will be going through stringent evaluation.
  • Could combine this with an agreement of buying into the company with each monthly payment. An expensive but excellent compromise with viable future, if it becomes an option.

 

Purchase an existing offshore forex license
  • Buy all the shares
  • Partner up and buy a shareholding percentage
  • Costs between $100K-$250K

 

From experience, a combination of the above can do wonders and the saying “two birds with one stone” is the most accurate assessment when calculating the next step.

Fact 1: you don’t want to wait until you get an offshore forex license (that is IF you get a license, since central banks of offshore jurisdictions are causing massive delays in authorisations)

Fact 2: you don’t want to be a forex IB for the rest of your life, so you need to get ahead of your own game

 

Looking into what your next steps might look like? Contact us to look into the details

 

When you weigh the cost of operating your own structure Vs sharing revenue Vs not doing either, you will see that it’s all needed but at the correct timing. No need to force one over the other when you can set it up with milestones and basically use it all… every tool in your disposal.

Last but not least, pricing/cost is important but shouldn’t dictate your every move.

Any experienced business owner can relate to the fact that “Complete setups come with higher costs and its normal. Lower costs mean incomplete structures that might (or might not) get the job done”.


 

How allFX-Consult can step into this picture:

Whether the decision is a full license (EU and/or offshore) or connecting with one of our partners, our solutions aim long term.

As our worldwide client base increases, Forex IB and White Label plans emerge that allow institutional networks to work with some of the best professionals the industry has to offer.

  • Newly established forex brokerages with strong finance background and solid funding, offering very flexible terms to support their new ventures.
  • Well established investment firms offering partnerships for tied agents, regional partners and more complex structures.

Alternative to full license – Start a Forex Brokerage by:

Connecting offshore: With clients in Belize, Seychelles, the Caymans, Martial Islands and St. Vincent offering the most flexible IB and White Label solutions.

Connecting in the EU: With clients in 15 out of the 28 member states offering strong partnerships to individuals and corporations with existing client base, looking to connect.

 

allFX-Consult always has a counterpart/partner for any corporate structure. Before we make any recommendations, we thoroughly examine all possibilities.

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss your case through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.com, partners@allfx-consult.com.

#offshoreforexlicense #startaforexbrokerage #ib #forex ib #white label #tied agent #regional partner #licensing

Forex White Label | Requirements and options


 

What is a forex White Label?

A full license to purchase your own forex platform is very costly and unless you have the operations to support it, then it is common practice to connect through a forex white label program of another provider (usually a forex broker or a prime broker) and market it as your own, with certain conditions.

This enables you to start your own forex brokerage operations, market your very own forex brand and access banking, technical and technological support for a fraction of the huge cost required to do this on your own.

Important note:  look into your banking structures and any regulatory obstacles before you move ahead with any forex white label deals.

 

Part of what brokers provide with their forex White Label solutions are:

 

  • Trading Platforms, Affiliate Software, CRM and in many cases a website (if the broker thinks it’s worth it)
  • Low one-off cost, with average monthly technical support fees (in most cases you only pay the cost of the platform provider so check if there are any mark-ups on these costs)
  • Access to their pool of instruments (make sure the instruments your clients trade are part of this pool)
  • Access to deep liquidity (in some cases you get access to tier 1 bank liquidity)
  • Market spreads from 0.0 pips (depending on the broker)
  • Enhanced execution of orders (even on large scale although you need to meet monthly volume criteria)
  • Bridge to LP (some offer this free of charge and some not so make sure you look into this)
  • Support with Sales – Training your sales team
  • Competitive revenue plans

Are you looking for all of the above features and more? Talk with one of our partners today

 

Should you go for a forex White Label?

If you are a networker in the forex industry, you most definitely have to give a forex white label, a go! Setting up one’s own structure is where everyone in this industry wishes to end up. We must always push ahead with viable plans, as long as these plans are based on realistic expectations and educated decision making processes.

On the other hand, depending on the development of your operations, maybe a forex White Label is not the immediate answer to your next steps. It most definitely must be in your plans, but maybe after strengthening the core of your business in order to handle the costs and requirements (more on this below). Like always, at allFX-Consult we tend to look into compromises that keep costs low but at the same time promote growth and reach milestones that will eventually lead to a predetermined target.

 

From another article we wrote on obtaining an offshore forex license “Failing to work within a short term frame that’s part of a larger one, ensures stagnation and lack of growth. In 2-5 years, you will be exactly where you first started…”

 

To explain this better, let’s take the case of a large forex IB looking into expanding his/her operations – If the number of new clients introduced and monthly deposits are not constant (or fall lower than average), maybe there are more important issues to fix before adding fixed monthly costs and attempt to operate on a larger scale through a forex White Label.

By examining further and looking into the income funnel, we might identify weaknesses in the online/offline client acquisition, weaknesses in the product offered to the target countries (audience), sales under-performance or language barriers, issues with trading conditions, bad execution from the partner broker, failing reputation of the partner broker, shifts in the trader’s demands for conditions not allowed by the partner broker and much, much more.

So although it’s understandable that every networker in the industry wants to start a forex brokerage, it’s crucial to ask the right questions and receive the right answers (not wishful thinking) prior to going ahead with a new arrangement, like a forex White Label.

Searching for answers on what your next steps should be? Contact us to look into the details 

 

What does a forex White Label cost?

No forex broker will publicise their cost (for the obvious reason of fierce competition) but the pricing ranges between $5k-$12k one-off cost for getting the platform(s), and no less than $3k monthly,What does a forex White Label cost? for support.

These numbers are not set in stone, because of the large number of providers, the added products they might provide within their solutions and of course the different terms they require prior to partnering up. That being said, side products are also known to be offered like “grey labels” or “soft white labels” that are less demanding than a fully fledged forex White Label so make sure you have a clear understanding before you enter into discussions.

The cost depends a lot on the size of your forex operation as well – it makes sense for a forex broker to charge more on setup if the operations of the white label are small (in order to compensate the trouble). It also makes sense to charge less (or even nothing) if the operations of the white label are big. The forex broker stands to gain a lot more from the monthly operations/volumes of the white label, rather than the setup costs so the product becomes more attractive for the white label looking to gain the most with the least possible cost. In many product setups allFX-Consult was consulting on, we advised our clients (forex brokers) to give a $5k worth of platform for free after assessing the size of the white label’s operation, by adding certain liquidity terms into their forex white label package. And by taking this simple (but costly) step, they would gain smaller/average sized networks of $50k-$100k.

Searching for the correct forex product, saleable to your target audience? Reach out to discuss options

 

A forex White Label by an allFX-Consult partner

Looking into your next steps with an experienced partner like allFX-Consult, ensures that you don’t get caught up in unwanted structures and wasted time trying to identify what to do next. Brokers (and their sales teams – we should know as we trained a great number of them) will push their own agendas and products, irrespective of whether these are good for you or not.

Its the nature of the game – we tend to think we know it all, so we put ourselves in situations that make it difficult to get out of or worse, destroy the prospect of a solid business before it even begins.

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – look outside the spectrum of your own knowledge and seek the advice of others who stood where you now stand. If a forex White Label doesn’t fit in your current operations, don’t force it. If it does, do it right with a clear entry and exit plan (just like with a good trading position).

 


How allFX-Consult can step into this picture:

As our worldwide client base increases, Forex IB and White Label plans emerge that allow networkers to work with some of the best professionals the industry has to offer.

  • Newly established forex brokerages with strong finance background and solid funding, offering very flexible terms to support their new ventures.
  • Well established investment firms offering partnerships for tied agents, regional partners and more complex structures.

 

Start a Forex Brokerage by:

Connecting offshore:

With our clients in Belize, Seychelles, the Caymans, Martial Islands and St. Vincent offering the most flexible IB and White Label solutions.

Connecting in the EU:

With our clients in 15 out of the 28 member states offering strong partnerships to individuals and corporations with existing client base, looking to connect.

 

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss your case through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.com, partners@allfx-consult.com.

#startaforexbrokerage #ib #forex ib #whitelabel #forexwhitelabel #tied agent #regional partner #forexlicense #forexoffshorelicense

 

Further reading from our blog:

What is a Tied Agent – Information and registration details

Understanding the nature of a Forex IB

Forex jurisdictions – with country stats and registered brokers lists

 

Forex IB | Understanding the nature of an Introducing Broker


What is a forex IB?

Any legal person, individual or company that introduces/refers potential business to a Forex Broker and receives remuneration based on Revenue Share, CPA, CPL or P&L is considered to be an Introducing Broker (forex IB).

 

Should you become a forex IB?

To answer this question, you first need to look into the nature of your current business and understand what makes you good in attracting new business.You could be anything from:

 

  • A simple website owner that uploads forex related content like news, broker lists/reviews, signals, opinions, videos etc
  • A high traffic website (although this falls better in a forex affiliate program, if certain conditions are met you can put your site under a forex IB program)
  • A forex trader that accumulated a number of followers over the years
  • A forex trainer, providing traders and other industry participants insights into forex trading
  • A forex industry participant who had some success in referring some people under smaller programs and wants to take it to the next level
  • An existing forex IB that wants to evaluate other options and forex brokers
  • An employee in the forex industry that has a portfolio and wants to start own operations
  • A business in a different line of work with strong networks
  • A forex enthusiast, who even though never traded and has nothing to do with the industry, is fascinated and wants to give this a shot – don’t laugh 🙂 that’s how we all started in the first place

Do any of the above sound familiar? Contact us to start your forex IB journey

 

As you can see, the forex IB program is suited for anyone, small or big irrespective of their current status. Your next milestone is to grow with your new partner (forex broker) and not to just deposit a portfolio with no retention or growth potential. Forex Brokers with opposite opinions that apply pressure are just not worth your time. They are also the ones to give you generously a higher commission, a fact that should raise a red flag all by itself. In the end you will be out there again looking for a suitable partner or even worse, saying goodbye to your forex operation.

“Your client portfolio doesn’t define you, how you handle it and what you do with it does”.

 

Although some individuals or companies are in position to receive more commissions as a forex IB than others, this doesn’t cancel the fact that you could be that individual/company in the near future.

“Remember that professional traders today were beginner demo leads a few years back and some of the established forex brokerages of today, were no more than simple networkers and IBs in the past” 

 

So how does one succeed in a forex IB business?

Irrespective of what we talked about above, to win in this game you must face a simple truth. It’s always been and always will be a number’s game. From experience, a forex IB that is not happy in a current partnership is least likely to push this business forward and produce good numbers. And by good numbers, we don’t mean active clients, deposits or commissions earned. With good numbers we mean qualifying more and more potential leads that can be turned into rewarding revenue over time by simply talking about it and not being afraid or embarrassed to add it in a conversation.

Thus, it is imperative to work with a partner (forex broker) that you are comfortable with and a business deal that makes sense for you to work with. Once this is out of the way, the path is simple. Make sure that your network, old, current and new is aware that this is something you are deeply involved in and set the parameters of how you can provide support.

Now how you provide support brings us to another great point that answers how to succeed in a forex IB business. Your network (active and not) is not just numbers in a system and money in a bank account. They are people that join your program because you add value into their path for a successful trading experience. This added value could be your shared experience in trading or by connecting them with more experienced traders in your network, introducing them to educational webinars and workshops that aim to create traders and not burned accounts.

In addition you cannot and must not EVER promise or guarantee profits and make sure you’re there when they need you the most. A forex broker deals with a lot more than just your network and sometimes in the rush of the day they omit things, delay processes and fall victims of other minor daily issues that you can step in and fix so that your clients can have a hassle free experience.

Another important factor that determines the success or failure of your forex IB business is the pricing and charges that your clients incur, by being under your IB structure. By connecting with a broker under your IB program, your clients must feel that they connect as part of a larger network and therefore receive better pricing and charges, than if they connected on their own. If this is not the case, your forex IB business could be finished before it even begins.

 

What to look for, when searching for a potential partner (forex broker)?

 

  • Reliability through extensive market experience
  • Safety of funds through a reputable regulated environment
  • Customer centric through their educational material online and offline
  • Customer support and care when dealing with client issues
  • Professionally trained sales reps to deal with your clients
  • Strong platform, fast execution, competitive trading conditions
  • Fast process of KYC, deposits and withdrawals
  • Languages (support and website) to support your target audience
  • Ability to support your forex IB business both offline and online

Is your broker not giving you what you deserve? Talk with one of our partners today

 

What payout makes sense in a forex IB business?

Well the answer to this question depends greatly on how the broker makes the money to pay your commission. If they offer high payouts, they will want to be compensated for it and that’s where the problems start. A forex broker, either you like it or not, will always be on the winning side of both relationships (Trader-Broker and IB–Broker). So sometimes less is indeed more because it ensures long lasting relationships within a long term plan, rather than short term gain that results in losing sight of things and ends up with a burned business.

In all scenarios, there will be a scaled compensation depending on the volumes traded by your network, and so it might be better to reach higher payouts through higher volumes by retaining your portfolio with the added value support we explained above, rather than forcing high commissions on smaller volumes that can only result in the broker misbehaving and burning your business.

 

Finding the perfect IB program with allFX-Consult

There’s so much clutter in the industry.. how do you separate good from bad, profitable from sinking ships, long term from short term partnerships? Well, that’s why agencies like allFX-Consult exist. To do the hard work for you and be a point of contact when everything else seems to be failing.

Most of our forex IBs and White Labels, after experiencing exponential growth through our connections, today they are fully fledged brokerages with complete departments, offices and teams.

Reach out to a broker with an experienced partner and get the product you deserve, not the product they want you to get. Treat your network with the respect it deserves and make the most out of the experience as well.

Our network, our clients, our friends are here to support you all the way through.

 


How allFX-Consult can step into this picture:

As our worldwide client base increases, Forex IB and White Label plans emerge that allow networkers to work with some of the best professionals the industry has to offer.

  • Newly established forex brokerages with strong finance background and solid funding, offering very flexible terms to support their new ventures.
  • Well established investment firms offering partnerships for tied agents, regional partners and more complex structures.

 

Start your Forex IB business by:

Connecting offshore: With our clients in Belize, Seychelles, the Caymans, Martial Islands and St. Vincent offering the most flexible IB and White Label solutions.

Connecting in the EU: With our clients in 15 out of the 28 member states offering strong partnerships to individuals and corporations with existing client base, looking to connect.

allFX-Consult always has a counterpart/partner for any corporate structure. But before we connect anyone, we thoroughly examine all possibilities.We’re chosen for being discreet, detail oriented and deadline driven.

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss your case through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.com, partners@allfx-consult.com.

#startaforexbrokerage #ib #forex ib #whitelabel #forexwhitelabel #tied agent #regional partner #forexlicense #forexoffshorelicense

 


You might find this interesting

Forex White Label – Discover it all, requirements and options

EU Tied Agent – Should you consider it or not?

Forex jurisdictions – EU and Offshore with country stats and listed brokers

The role of an outsourced service provider by today’s standards


Who wouldn’t prefer a full time employee to an outsourced service provider? We’re outsourced service providers ourselves and we would still choose full time Vs outsourced. It’s time to stop beating around the bush and face reality, even if it’s not what some of us want to hear.

Even with its perks, if money is not an issue outsourcing is not on the table even for discussion. For sure outsourcing is cheaper and requires fewer headaches than a full time employee. It also helps for a better, more targeted spend Vs result (mostly due to accountability). And to top all that, with the cost of hiring full time often 4 times that of a service provider – not to mention the recruitment agency fee – we still look into full time employees as the answer to our prayers that will lift us to the top of the food chain.

 

Outsourcing to a Service Provider is not an option yet

It takes a significant amount of time to realise you’ve made bad decisions. When you start counting your spend Vs income, when you quantify how much you progressed with your in house team and where you stand in the industry as a market player, you might start pondering on alternatives to your current structure.

You see market leaders constantly innovate, they push the boundaries further and unless you’re able to follow, the future does not look so bright. So are we doing enough? Is the knowledge of our team more than our own to help us push boundaries? The in-house team was hired to support our current functions, not to innovate and direct the business in new-found lands. We’re doing great as we are but are we moving further or are we involuntarily and unknowingly stagnant?

 

Could outsourcing to a Service Provider be an option?

There are two scenarios to consider; in the first one you know what you’re doing and you spot the problems before they become “make or break” holes draining your bank accounts. Outsourcing is now an option…

In the second scenario, you don’t know what you’re doing, the bank accounts drained already and the costs associated with your current structure are no longer viable. You then begin looking for alternatives, you decide to downsize and take over parts of the business that once belonged to your very expensive head of department. To make things even worse, all decisions are now biased and you’re looking for the cheapest solution to your business needs. And what do you know..? Outsourcing is also now an option…

If you are a forex broker operational for at least a year, surely you can associate with the second scenario, since most brokers raise share capital as well as enough operating capital only to start their business. This capital is then spent in the first year of operations in the battle to position the brand and make a name for yourself. There’s no income plan, no lead generation strategies, no feasible saleable product except the wishful thinking of the shareholder to position the brokerage through the people that will be hired.

Not everyone has the funds to support an in-house operation that is knowledgeable and skilful and like-minded to copy competitor’s successes and avoid failures. This type of team is immensely expensive, requires a lot of upkeep and is scarce to find. So good luck finding them, coordinating departments through them, paying and managing to keep them long enough to see the fruits of such operation return some profit.

For the average broker, that is 80% of the industry today these scenarios serve as reality check. If the above are not scenarios you can accommodate, you’re heading towards a low cost operation, with in-house teams that are only as good as the reason they accepted your low salaries. Not meaning to undermine anyone here, i’m positive they are good for what they’re hired to do, but that’s just about it. The boundaries we talked about before are the safe zone that you should get comfortable in, since that’s exactly where you’ll be staying.

 

Outsourcing to a bad Service Provider

In an ever increasing industry such as the consulting services industry, the possibilities are endless; countless agencies are popping up, ready to serve on a small budget, whispering all the right words you need to hear. Words that provide the feeling of “salvation” since they know that if you’re looking for help, you brought yourself at the brink of closing shop.

Given the amount of  possibilities, narrowing down your options when biased, will also not really help your situation. By biased i mean bringing yourself to a point where you’re still looking for cheap solutions, quick profit and desperate enough to accept anything. Say goodbye to your values, company culture and initial vision. Say hello to chop shop operations, aggressive tactics, all the wrong reasons to be in this business until it’s really too late.

 

Outsourcing to a good Service Provider

As we’ve come to know, the best decisions are made when we’re strong and able to think clearly. There’s a reason Service Providers are in business and there’s no harm in evaluating outsourcing in the beginning steps of your operation. Evaluate all options when the business is strong, well-capitalised and allows room for changes that can be adopted fast. Educated decisions must be taken always based on industry standards and correct competitor analysis, not individual experiences.

Once there is a strong base and foundation set-up, be sure that you secured a few more years as an industry player and can reconsider your spend accordingly. An absolutely fantastic time to employ more full time employees and expensive heads of your departments. Important to note here that you will not be hiring to set up your structure anymore but to strengthen it, with their expertise and hard work.

Departments that are built around people are the most costly and least viable.

Departments that are built around industry standards, competitive analysis and decades of experience, will be with you for a long time.


 

If you found this information useful, you might also like:

Understanding the nature of a Forex IB

Forex White Label – should you go for it?

What is a Tied Agent | Definitions and requirements  


About allFX-Consult:

allFX-Consult is a boutique forex consulting agency, catering to quality rather than quantity. For over a decade, our Directors have been connecting with some of the best individuals/professionals, service providers and brokers the industry has to offer so that we can meet any corporate forex challenge that comes our way.

allFX-Consult always has a counterpart/partner for any corporate structure. Before introductions/connections take place, we thoroughly examine all possibilities.

We’re chosen for being discreet, detail oriented and deadline driven.

Contact us for a private conversation to discuss any forex related topic through the contact form or one of our emails at info@allfx–consult.compartners@allfx-consult.com. We specialise in training sales teams and forex corporate structures for individuals that want to Start a Forex Brokerage.