Why does Forex trading have a bad reputation? For some people, the word scam often comes to mind when they hear the word Forex.
In this article, MarketsXplora tackles the bad reputation associated with Forex trading, in which there are many scams as well as great opportunities.
Because Forex trading has a bad reputation, let’s look at the history of Forex trading and see the reason why it gets negative attention.
The Real Reasons Why Forex Trading Has a Bad Reputation
The Forex market is a world-wide global platform, created in 1976, originally for trading currencies. A few years earlier, the countries of the world abandoned the gold standard.
Its main essence is that the exchange rate is set not by a separate state, but by the market itself.
At that time, Forex trading was perceived as another tool for easy money making.
So Forex trading began to be advertised. And, in the next few decades, all the promotion of Forex brokers was built precisely for this purpose, to lure inexperienced traders with the false promise of big returns for little knowledge or effort, and back then, no one cares.
Read also! Is Forex Trading Difficult?
Forex brokers, for a long time, were not really interested in the successful trading of beginners, since the deposits of beginners went into their pockets. There were the infamous “bucket shops,” shady operations that would take your orders but never actually execute them in the real market. Instead, they’d play a rigged game in-house, ensuring that you, the trader, were destined to lose.
Moreover, many of the first brokerages that appeared in the 90s to provide Forex trading services to individuals were generally outright scammers. Many traders fell prey to “signal providers” who claimed to have the golden touch, promising guaranteed profits if you followed their advice. Of course, the only ones getting rich were these so-called experts, who often had no real trading expertise at all.
What is more, regulation was lax, at best. Some Forex brokers operated from offshore havens, beyond the reach of authorities. This lack of oversight allowed fraudulent practices to fester.
The Turning Point
Indeed, Forex trading has earned a somewhat mixed reputation over the years, but the situation began to change about a decade ago. Legitimate Forex brokers emerged, dedicated to transparency and fairness.
In recent years, regulatory bodies started tightening their grip, imposing stricter rules to protect traders. Forex brokers are now being regulated and are already providing trading with access to interbank liquidity.
This is an indication that they now have an interest in the success of their clients.
Reliable Forex brokers today provide extensive training programs, adequate technical support and warning about the risks of margin trading.
And, of course, the performance of traders has increased.
Back in the days, no one understood that in order to successfully trade Forex, you need to learn a lot and master the rules of risk management in trading Forex.
Now that you’ve understood the reason behind the tarnished reputation of Forex trading, rebuilding a bad reputation is not an easy task since it has been damaged for many years.
Therefore, until now, the reaction of an ignorant layman to the word “Forex” is somewhere between a “financial pyramid and a scam”.
Read also! Is Forex Trading a Gamble?
Today, Forex trading is a huge business around the world and success in this area now depends almost entirely on the individual who decides to venture into the FX market.
Summary
It’s important to note that not everyone has a negative experience with Forex trading. Some individuals and institutions engage in it successfully and responsibly. However, the bad reputation largely stems from the misconceptions and unrealistic expectations that surround the industry.
Like any investment, you should approach Forex trading with caution, thorough education, and a clear understanding of the risks involved.