Do you want to start a Forex trading company? If YES, here is a complete guide to starting a Forex trading business with NO money and NO experience plus a sample Forex trading business plan template.
If you are interested in Forex (foreign exchange), one of the viable and profitable businesses that you can start along that line is a forex trading company. Forex traders are those who trade on foreign exchange in the foreign exchange market. Forex brokerage companies provide the platform for retail forex traders to trade forex on the internet.
Starting a forex trading company can be rewarding but you would have to compete with other well established forex trading companies on the World Wide Web. The truth is that, there are loads of standard and substandard forex trading firms out there, all you need to do to make good profit is to make yours to standout.
The fact that you will be competing with people from all over the globe is enough reason for you to be result oriented and at the same time be creative with your forex trading firm.
In order to attract forex traders you should ensure that your forex trading platform is user friendly and the payment portal is secured. It is also very important that you make the withdrawal process seamless for your clients (retail forex traders).
So, if you have done the required forex trading courses, then you might want to venture into this business. If you have been tinkering with starting your own forex trading company but do not know how to go about it, then mull over using the following measures which this article promises to give.
Steps to Starting a Forex Trading Company
1. Understand the Industry
The financial services industry is indeed a broad industry and any entrepreneur who has solid understanding of how foreign exchange works is to either start a forex brokerage firm or to launch an online forex trading business.
As a forex trading company, your responsibility is to provide forex trading platform for retail forex traders. What you need to do is to hire experts to help you develop a user-friendly forex trading platform. Your trading platform must be secured and easy to navigate.
It is also important for you to make use of a secure payment portal so that forex traders would be able to withdraw their earnings without stress.
The truth is that the number of people that register and trade on your forex trading platform is what will determine the money you will make. In order to attract people to your trading platform, you should develop a forex trading demo; a learning tool for forex trading.
The Forex Trading cum Brokerage Services industry is indeed in a mature stage of its growth. The industry is characterized by growth in line with the overall outlook of the economy, consolidation from the largest players in the industry and wholehearted market acceptance of industry products (currencies from different nations) and services.
The Forex Trading services line of business will continue to be in high demand by business establishments in the united states, most especially as the number of businesses and international trade increases. Manufacturing industries and other corporate organizations are also expected to continue to source for forex especially when they are involved in intentional trade or have international business partners.
The Forex Trading cum Brokerage Services industry is indeed a large industry and pretty much active in countries such as United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Nigeria, South Africa Japan, China, Germany, Canada et al.
Some of the factors that encourage entrepreneurs to start their own forex trading business are that the business is easy to set up and the start-up capital is indeed affordable; you can actually start your own forex trading business from the comfort of your house.
All you need to do is to create an office somewhere in your house. People usually pay you for the result you can help them achieve as it relates to trading forex for them.
Over and above, starting a forex brokerage firm requires professionalism and a good grasp of how foreign exchange works on a global platform.
Besides, you would need to get the required certification and license and also meet the standard capitalization for such business before you can be allowed to start a forex brokerage firm in the United State. Note, the industry is heavily regulated to guide against fraud and criminality.
2. Conduct Market Research and Feasibility Studies
- Demographics and Psychographics
The demographic and psychographics composition of those who require the services of forex trading companies cum forex traders is not restricted to people and organizations in your immediate community or state, but it cuts across people who are interested in forex trading as a means of earning more money from all over the world. This is so because forex is traded on the internet hence the leverage to work for people and organizations all across the globe.
So, if you are looking towards defining the demographics for your forex trading business, then you should make it all encompassing. It should include business oriented people and organizations within and outside the United States.
3. Decide Which Niche to Concentrate On
Most forex trading companies tend to operate a general forex trading cum consulting business that involves every business activities or services that a standard forex trading company is expected to offer. That is why it seems that there are no niche areas in the industry.
But on the other hand, some forex trading companies may decide to major in some key areas or niche area such as;
- Trade forex on behalf of our clients (both corporate clients and individual clients)
- Buy and sell forex from leading countries of the world
- Offer forex brokerage services (offer currency exchange and international payments to private individuals and companies and offer physical delivery rather than speculative trading. i.e., there is a physical delivery of currency to a bank account.)
- Provide other related forex and financial consulting and advisory services
The Level of Competition in the Industry
The level of competition in the forex brokerage services industry does not in any way depend on the location of the business since most people that trade forex can operate from any part of the world and still effectively compete in the forex trading platforms.
When it comes to forex trading, distance is never a barrier when competing for clients especially international clients. What most clients (individual and corporate clients) want is result, hence they are ready to hire/invest with a forex trader/forex trading company no matter the part of the world they operate from as long as they have good track record and can deliver excellent results when it comes to trading forex for them and increasing their income/investments.
But over and above, there are several forex trading companies/freelance forex traders scattered all around the United States and in the cyber space. So, if you choose to start your own forex trading company in the United States, you will definitely meet stiffer competition not only amongst forex trading companies in the United States, but also all over the globe especially if you choose to specialize in trading forex for international businessmen and women and corporate organization. Besides, there are larger forex trading companies that determine the trends in the industry and you should be ready to compete with them for clients.
4. Know Your Major Competitors in the Industry
In every industry, there are always brands who perform better or are better regarded by customers and the general public than the others. Some of these brands are those that have been in the industry for a long while and so are known for that, while others are best known for how they treat their customers
These are some of the leading forex trading companies/brands in the United States of America and also in the globe;
- London Capital Group Ltd
- LMFX – Global Trade Partners Ltd
- OandA
- XTRADE Online CFO Trading
- HYCM – Henyep Capital Market
- Fxpro Forex Broker
- IG Group
- Plus500
- CMC Markets
- eToro
- HYCM
- City Index
- com – Safecap Investments Limited (Safecap)
- AvaTrade
- ETX Capital
- The XM.com forex broker
- Alpari Ltd
- The FXTM forex broker
- The easyMarkets broker
- Fxstay Forex broker
Economic Analysis
As an aspiring entrepreneur who is looking for a business that requires less stress and perhaps minimal start–up capital, then you can consider starting a forex trading business (please note that the risk in the business is high). The cost of running a standard forex trading company when compared to the turnover you get can be poles apart (this is applicable when you have been able to establish your feet in the industry).
Entrepreneurs that venture into the forex trading business can as a matter of fact start the business from their home and still make headway. One thing is certain when it comes to the forex trading business and most internet based businesses, you are sure of making profits when you successfully produce results that are measurable for an organization or individual clients.
As a matter of fact, the cost of running the business process from start to finish could be restricted to the cost of making phone calls, transportation and internet subscription, PR and in some cases materials such as fliers and handbills. With that, it is easier to place a projection on the profits you are likely going to make if you are able to successfully secure a deal to handle forex trading for a corporate client or individual client.
5. Decide Whether to Buy a Franchise or Start from Scratch
When it comes to starting a business of this nature, it will pay you to start from the scratch as against buying a franchise. First and foremost, before you can secure a business deal to trade forex for corporate clients, your profile will be scrutinized even if you are operating the franchise of a successful forex trading company brand.
Unfortunately, you can hardly find a franchise of a forex trading company to purchase meaning that if you want to own a forex trading business, then you must be ready to start from the scratch. This is so because the business is easy to start if you have the required expertise and it is still pretty much thriving and there are loads of opportunities available to aspiring entrepreneurs that are interested in the industry.
The truth is that it will pay you to start your forex trading company from the scratch. Starting from the scratch will afford you the opportunity to conduct thorough market survey and feasibility studies before choosing a location to launch the business.
Please note that most of the big and successful forex trading companies around started from the scratch and they were able to build a solid business brand. It takes dedication, hard work and determination to achieve business success and of course you can build your own forex trading company brand to become a successful brand with corporate and individual clients from all across the length and breadth of the United States of America and other countries of the world.
6. Know the Possible Threats and Challenges You Will Face
If you decide to start your own forex trading business today, one of the major challenges you are likely going to face is the presence of well established forex trading companies and also certified forex traders who are offering same services that you intend offering. The only way to avoid this challenge is to create your own market.
Some other threats that you are likely going to face as a forex trading company operating in the United States are unfavorable government policies, the arrival of a competitor within your location of operation and global economic downturn which usually affects purchasing/spending power. There is hardly anything you can do as regards this threats other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for your good.
7. Choose the Most Suitable Legal Entity (LLC, C Corp, S Corp)
When considering starting a forex trading company, the legal entity you choose will go a long way to determine how big the business can grow; some forex trading companies design their business and services for the regional/community market, some for national market, while others for international market.
Generally, you have the option of either choosing a general partnership, limited liability company which is commonly called an LLC, or a sole proprietorship for a business such as a forex trading company. Ordinarily, general partnership should have been the ideal business structure for a small scale forex trading business especially if you are just starting out with a moderate start-up capital.
But people prefer limited liability Company for obvious reasons. As a matter of fact, if your intention is to grow the business and have clients, both corporate and individual, from all across the United States of America and other countries of the world, then choosing general partnership is not an option for you. Limited Liability Company, LLC will cut it for you.
For example, Setting up an LLC protects you from personal liability. If anything goes wrong in the business, it is only the money that you invested into the limited liability company that will be at risk. It is not so for sole proprietorships and general partnerships. Limited liability companies are simpler and more flexible to operate and you don’t need board of directors, shareholders meetings and other managerial formalities.
These are some of the factors you should consider before choosing a legal entity for your forex trading business; limitation of personal liability, ease of transferability, admission of new owners, investors’ expectation and of course taxes. If you take your time to critically study the various legal entities to use for your forex trading business, you will agree that limited liability company; an LLC is most suitable. You can start this type of business as limited liability company (LLC) and in future convert it to a ‘C’ corporation or an ‘S’ corporation especially when you have the plans of going public.
Upgrading to a ‘C’ corporation or ‘S’ corporation will give you the opportunity to grow your forex trading business so as to compete with major players in the industry; you will be able to generate capital from venture capital firms, you will enjoy separate tax structure, and you can easily transfer ownership of the company; you will enjoy flexibility in ownership and in your management structures.
8. Choose a Catchy Business Name
Generally, when it comes to choosing a name for a business, it is expected that you should be creative because whatever name you choose for your business will go a long way to create a perception of what the business represents. Usually it is the norm for people to follow the trend in the industry they intend operating from when naming their business.
If you are considering starting your own forex trading company, here are some catchy names that you can choose from;
- Freeman Jones Forex Brokerage Firm, LLC
- Golden Generation Forex Traders, LLP
- Excel Forex Brokerage and Trading Company, LLC
- Investment Solution Forex Trading Platform, Inc.
- Virtues Forex Consultancy Agency, LLC
- Anchorage & Co Forex Consulting Group, LLP
- John Capstone International Forex Traders, LLC
- Jake Murphy Educational Services Co.
- Larry White® Forex Trading Platform, Inc.
- Eric Pearson Forex Consulting, Inc.
- Cashton Forex International Company
- Money Guaranteed Forex Brokerage Consultancy Ltd.
9. Discuss with an Agent to Know the Best Insurance Policies for You
In the United States and in most countries of the world, you can’t operate a business without having some of the basic insurance policy covers that are required by the industry you want to operate from. So, it is imperative to create a budget for insurance policy covers and perhaps consult an insurance broker to guide you in choosing the best and most appropriate insurance policies for your forex trading business.
Here are some of the basic insurance policy covers that you should consider purchasing if you want to start your own forex trading business in the United States of America;
- General insurance
- Health insurance
- Liability insurance
- Workers Compensation
- Overhead expense disability insurance
- Business owner’s policy group insurance
- Payment protection insurance
10. Protect your Intellectual Property With Trademark, Copyrights, Patents
If you are considering starting your own forex trading business, usually you may not have any need to file for intellectual property protection/trademark. This is so because the nature of the business makes it possible for you to successfully run the business without having any cause to challenge anybody in court for illegally making use of your company’s intellectual properties.
But if you just want to protect your company’s logo and other documents or software that are unique to you or even jingles and media production concepts, then you can go ahead to file for intellectual property protection. If you want to register your trademark, you are expected to begin the process by filing an application with the USPTO. The final approval of your trademark is subject to the review of attorneys as required by USPTO.
11. Get the Necessary Professional Certification
Asides from the results you produce, professional certification is one of the main reasons why most forex trading companies and freelance forex traders stand out. If you want to make impact in the forex trading services industry, you should work towards acquiring all the needed certifications in your area of specialization.
You are strongly encouraged to pursue professional certifications; it will go a long way to show your commitment towards the business. These are some of the certifications you can work towards achieving if you want to run your own forex trading company;
- Certified FOREX Market Trader Program(CFMT)
- Certificate in Commodity and Currency Trading
- Certified Currency Trader
- CMT/pro Trader
Please note that the higher your qualifications and experience (expertise), the easier it is for you to secure high profile forex trading deals from corporate clients.
12. Get the Necessary Legal Documents You Need to Operate
The essence of having the necessary documentation in place before launching a business in the United States of America cannot be overemphasized. It is a fact that you cannot successfully run any business in the United States without the proper documentation. If you do, it won’t be too long before the long arm of the law catches up with you.
These are some of the basic legal documents that you are expected to have in place if you want to legally run your own forex trading business in the United States of America;
- Certificate of Incorporation
- Business License and Certification
- Business Plan
- Non – disclosure Agreement
- Employment Agreement (offer letters)
- Operating Agreement for LLCs
- Insurance Policy
- Consulting contract documents
- Online Terms of Use
- Online Privacy Policy Document
- Apostille (for those who intend operating beyond the United States of America)
13. Raise the Needed Startup Capital
Aside from the forex required to trade with, starting a forex trading business can be cost effective especially if you choose to run the business from your home, share office space with a friend or make use of virtual office. Securing a standard office is part of what will consume a large chunk of your start-up capital, but if you choose to start the business on a small scale, you may not have the need to go source for fund to finance the business.
No doubt when it comes to financing a business, one of the first things and perhaps the major factor that you should consider is to write a good business plan. If you have a good and workable business plan document in place, you may not have to labor yourself before convincing your bank, investors and your friends to invest in your business.
Here are some of the options you can explore when sourcing for start-up capital for your forex trading business;
- Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
- Raising money from investors and business partners
- Sell of shares to interested investors
- Applying for loan from your bank/banks
- Pitching your business idea and applying for business grants and seed funding from donor organizations and angel investors
- Source for soft loans from your family members and your friends
14. Choose a Suitable Location for your Business
Forex trading business and most financial services based type of businesses require that you see physically with your clients hence it must be located in a good location; a location that is prone to both human and vehicular traffic and a location that is at the epicenter of a business district if indeed you want to attend to loads of clients and maximize profits from the business.
The fact that you can operate your forex trading business from your home does not mean that location has little influence on the success of a forex trading company. If you have taken your time to study the forex trading cum financial consulting industry, you will realize that financial consultancy agencies are willing to pay expensive rents in order to stay in a busy business district; a place where business and financial activities are at its peak.
It cannot be overemphasized that the location you chose to open your forex trading business is key to the success of the business, hence entrepreneurs are willing to rent or lease a facility in a visible location; a location where the demography consists of people with the required purchasing power and investment lifestyle.
If you make the mistake of renting or leasing a facility for your forex trading business in a not too visible or hidden location simply because it is cheap, then you must be prepared to spend more in promoting the business and perhaps giving direction to potential clients.
It is important to note that a business facility in a good location does not come cheap hence you should be able to allocate enough fund for leasing/renting in your budget. If you are new to the dynamics of choosing a location for a business such as forex trading business, then you should feel free to talk to a business consultant or a realtor who has a full grasp of the city and perhaps country you intend starting your forex trading company.
So, if you are looking for a location for your forex trading company, ensure that it is a place that is located in a business district in your city, a place that is visible and easily accessible. Of course, you would not want to locate this type of business in the outskirts of town. Your clients should be able to drive down and locate your office with little or no difficulty. Vendors also should be able to easily locate your office when they have to come submit their bid/proposals or documents for background checks et al.
15. Hire Employees for your Technical and Manpower Needs
On the average, there are no special technology or equipment needed to run this type of business except for customized forex trading software and social media management software applications and other financial related software apps. So also, you will definitely need computers/laptops, internet facility, telephone, fax machine and office furniture (chairs, tables, and shelves).
When it comes to choosing between renting and leasing an office space, the size of the forex trading company you want to build, and your entire budget for the business should influence your choice. If you have enough capital to run a standard forex trading company, then you should consider the option of leasing a facility for your office; when you lease, you will be able to work with long term planning, structuring and expansion.
As regards the number of employees that you are expected to kick start the business with, you would need to consider your finance before making the decision. Averagely, you would need a Chief Executive Officer or President (you can occupy this role), an Admin and Human Resource Manager, Education Consultants, Forex Traders/Financial Consultants, Business Development Executive/marketing Executive, Customer Service Officer or Front Desk Officer and Accountant.
Over and above, you would need a minimum of 8 key staff to effectively run a medium scale but standard forex trading company. Please note that there will be times when you are expected to go out of your way to hire experts to help you handle some high profile financial consultancy contracts/jobs especially from big corporations.
If you are just starting out you may not have the financial capacity or required business structure to retain all the professionals that are expected to work with you which is why you should make plans to partner with other forex traders and financial consultants/experts that operates as freelancers.
The Service Delivery Process of the Business
On the average, the way forex trading companies work varies from one agency to another agency, but ideally, a forex trading company is expected to first and foremost build a robust company profile before biding for forex trading contracts from corporate organizations, it will give them an edge amongst their competitors.
Basically, most forex traders get funds from investors who are interested in the forex market, and they assist them in trading their forex over a period of time as agreed by both parties. Despite the fact that trading forex is highly risky, it is still a profitable venture hence there is an agreement between the forex trading company and the client as it relates to the commission they are expected to make from the deal. Most forex trading company charge based on percentage and also a fix consultancy/business administrative fees.
It is important to state that a forex trading company may decide to improvise or adopt any business process and structure that will guarantee them efficiency and flexibility; the above stated business cum services process is not cast on stone.
16. Write a Marketing Plan Packed with ideas & Strategies
As a forex trading company, you would have to prove your worth over and over again before you can be awarded any forex trading contracts from corporate clients. So, if you have plans to start your own forex trading company, it will pay you to build first build a successful career in the forex trading services industry.
People and organizations will hire your services to help them handle all their forex trading needs if they know that they are going to get good returns on their investment. So, when you are drafting your marketing plans and strategies for your forex trading company, make sure that you create a compelling personal and company profile.
Aside from your qualifications and experience, it is important to clearly state in practical terms what you have been able to achieve in time past as it relates to forex trading services and the organizations you have worked for. This will help boost your chances in the market place when sourcing for forex trading contracts et al.
Please note that in most cases, when you bid for forex trading contracts from corporate organizations, you will be called upon to defend your proposal, and so you must be pretty good with presentations. Here are some of the platforms you can utilize to market your forex trading services;
- Introduce your business by sending introductory letters alongside your brochure to all the corporate organizations, households and international business community in the United States
- Promptness in bidding for forex trading contracts from corporate organizations
- Advertise your business in relevant financial magazines, radio stations and TV stations (make yourself available for forex trading related talk shows and interactive sessions on TV and Radios)
- List your business on local directories/yellow pages
- Attend international forex expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
- Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets
- Leverage on the internet to promote your business (when you blog regularly on key issues as it relates to your business, people would consider you an expert in the field)
- Join local chambers of commerce and industries around you with the main aim of networking and marketing your services; you are likely going to get referrals from such networks.
- Engage the services of marketing executives and business developers to carry out direct marketing
17. Develop Strategies to Boost Brand Awareness and Create a Corporate Identity
If you are in business and you are not deliberate about boosting you brand awareness and communicating your corporate identity, then you should be ready to take on whatever the society portrays your business to be. One of the secrets of larger corporations is that they are willing to spend fortunes year in and year out to boost their brand awareness and to continue to communicate their corporate identity the way they want people to perceive them.
If your intention of starting a forex trading company is to grow the business beyond the city where you are going to be operating from to become a national and international brand, then you must be ready to spend money on promotion and advertisement of your brand.
In promoting your brand and corporate identity, you should leverage on both print and electronic media and also social media (the internet). As a matter of fact, it is cost effective to use the internet and social media platforms to promote your brands, besides it is pretty much effective and wide reaching.
Another strategy is to sponsor relevant community based programs, TV and radio programs, advertise your business in relevant magazines and newspapers. Below are the platforms you can leverage on to boost your brand and to promote and advertise your business;
- Place adverts on financial magazines and related newspapers, radio stations and TV stations.
- Encourage the use of word of mouth publicity from your loyal customers.
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Badoo, Google+ and other platforms to promote your business.
- Ensure that you position your banners and billboards in strategic positions all around your city.
- Distribute your fliers and handbills in target areas in and around our neighborhood.
- Contact corporate organizations, households and international business community et al by calling them up and informing them of your organization and the forex trading services you offer.
- Advertise your business in your official website and employ strategies that will help you pull traffic to the site.
- Brand all your official cars and ensure that all your staff members and management staff wear your branded shirt or cap at regular intervals.