Jump to content

Welcome to the new Traders Laboratory! Please bear with us as we finish the migration over the next few days. If you find any issues, want to leave feedback, get in touch with us, or offer suggestions please post to the Support forum here.

  • Welcome Guests

    Welcome. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest which does not give you access to all the great features at Traders Laboratory such as interacting with members, access to all forums, downloading attachments, and eligibility to win free giveaways. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free. Create a FREE Traders Laboratory account here.

RichardCox

Comparing ECNs with Market Makers - Part 2

Recommended Posts

The Common Workings of ECNs

 

ECNs provide traders with some variations from the Market Maker model in that prices are passed through multiple market sources (banks, Market Makers and other participants connected to the framework of the ECN). Since competition is heightened, ECNs are able to display preferable spread (bid/ask) quotes in the trading platforms of their clients. Additionally, ECN brokers are able to act as counterparties in forex transactions - but it should be remembered that ECNs do not operate on a pricing basis (instead, operating on a settlement basis).

 

While some Market Makers are able to offer fixed spreads, ECNs tend to offer variable spreads which are more reflective of the individual trading activity of each currency pair. When market volumes are at full strength, there will be instances where ECNs will have no spread at all. When this does occur, it tends to be seen in currency pairs with the highest liquidity levels (such as the EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, USD/CHF), essentially the majors and some of the crosses.

 

Money is made in Electronic Networks when customers are charged a fixed commission and authentic ECNs play no role in the way prices are made or settled, so there is less of a chance that retail traders will be the victim of price manipulation.

One of the similarities between Market Makers and ECNs is that they can be divided into two categories - Institutional ECNs and Retail ECNs. Institutional ECNs attempt to offer the lowest bid/ask spreads by selecting the best prices available from banks, financial institutions (such as large corporations or hedge funds) and other Market Makers. Conversely, retail ECNs will offer currency quotes to retail traders from a selection of banks or other active traders available on the ECN.

 

Benefits of Trading with ECNs

 

When looking at the benefits of ECNs, examples can be seen in the preferable bid/ask prices that are generally on offer. This occurs because ECNs draw from several sources, which essentially forces additional competition as each source works against the others to provide the best prices. These factors make it possible, in some cases, to capitalize on little or no spread charges, which can help give a small boost to your overall profit and loss ratios.

 

Authentic ECN brokers do not trade against their client traders, because orders are passed on to banks or other institutions which take the opposing side of each trade. With all of these factors, traders will often encounter increased volatility in price activity (which might be viewed as beneficial for traders implementing scalping strategies). In addition to this, it is actually possible to play the role of Market Maker relative to other traders on the ECN, because there is the potential to offer a price for a currency that is somewhere in between the bid and ask values.

 

Drawbacks of Trading with ECNs

 

When looking at the drawbacks of ECNs, most of the negatives can be seen in the fact that many ECNs do not provide integrated newsfeeds or charting packages for their clients. Because of this, traders will need to use multiple trading sources in order to conduct additional methods of analysis. This applies to traders using both technical and fundamental strategies, and many of the trading platforms that are offered by ECNs are not as user-friendly as some of their counterparts.

There is the added negative that it can be more difficult to manage active trades (calculating stop loss and breakeven levels), given the variable spreads that can fluctuate and separate the bid and ask prices in each currency pair. Last, there is the added commission factor, as this is a per-transaction charge that is not given to traders using other market options.

 

Conclusion

 

Forex traders should pay special attention to the type of broker that is used to gain access to the broader market. The decision to select one option over another can have a significant impact on your ability to maintain a solid trading performance. When trades are not executed in a fast and efficient manner (and at your chosen price), it can become increasingly difficult to capitalize on profitable trading opportunities as they develop. Worst case scenario, profitable trading opportunities can turn into losses, so forex traders should be careful to weigh all of their options and determine the differences between the potential pros and cons in each broker type.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Topics

  • Posts

    • AMZN Amazon stock, nice buying at the 187.26 triple+ support area at https://stockconsultant.com/?AMZN
    • DELL Dell Technologies stock, good day moving higher off the 90.99 double support area, from Stocks to Watch at https://stockconsultant.com/?DELL
    • MCK Mckesson stock, nice trend and continuation breakout at https://stockconsultant.com/?MCK
    • lmfx just officially launched their own LMGX token, Im planning to grab a couple of hundred and maybe have the option to stake them. 
    • Date: 2nd April 2025.   Market on Edge: Tariff Announcement and Volatility Ahead!   The US economic and employment data continues to deteriorate with the job vacancies figures dropping to a 5-month low. In addition to this, the IMS Manufacturing PMI also fell below expectations. However, both the US Dollar and Gold declined simultaneously following the release of the two figures, an uncommon occurrence in the market. Traders expect a key factor to be today’s ‘liberation day’ where the US will impose tariffs on imports. USDJPY - Traders Await Tariff Confirmation! Traders looking to determine how the USDJPY will look today will find it difficult to determine until the US confirms its tariff plan. Today is the day when Trump previously stated he would finalize and announce his tariff plan. The administration has not yet released the policy, but investors expect it to be the most expansionary in a century. President Trump is due to speak at 20:00 GMT. On HFM's Calendar the speech is stated as "US Liberation Day Tariff Announcement". Currently, analysts are expecting Trump’s Tariff Plan to impose tariffs on the EU, chips and pharmaceuticals later today as well as reciprocal tariffs. Economists have a good idea of how these tariffs may take effect, but reciprocal tariffs are still unspecified. In addition to this, 25% tariffs on the car industry will start tomorrow. The tariffs on the foreign cars industry are a factor which will particularly impact Japan. Although, traders should note that this is what is expected and is not yet finalised. Last week, President Trump stated that he would implement retaliatory tariffs but allow exemptions for certain US trade partners. Treasury Secretary Mr Bessent and National Economic Council Director Mr Hassett suggested that the restrictions would primarily target 15 countries responsible for the bulk of the US trade deficit. However, yesterday, Trump contradicted these statements, asserting that additional duties would be imposed on any country that has implemented similar measures against US products. The day’s volatility will depend on which route the US administration takes. The harshness of the policy will influence both the Japanese Yen as well as the US Dollar.   USDJPY 5-Minute Chart   US Economic and Employment Data The JOLT Job Vacancies figure fell below expectations and is lower than the previous month’s figure. The JOLT Job Vacancies read 7.57 million whereas the average of the past 6 months is 7.78 million. The ISM Manufacturing Index also fell below the key level of 50.00 and was 5 points lower than what analysts were expecting. The data is negative for the US Dollar, particularly as the latest release applies more pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates. However, this is unlikely to happen if the trade policy ignites higher and stickier inflation. In the Bank of Japan’s Governor's latest speech, Mr Ueda said that the tariffs are likely to trigger higher inflation. USDJPY Technical Analysis Currently, the Japanese Yen Index is the worst performing of the day while the US Dollar Index is more or less unchanged. However, this is something traders will continue to monitor as the EU session starts. In the 2-hour timeframe, the USDJPY is trading at the neutral level below the 75-bar EMA and 100-bar SMA. The RSI and MACD is also at the neutral level meaning traders should be open to price movements in either direction. On the smaller timeframes, such as the 5-minute timeframe, there is a slight bias towards a bullish outcome. However, this is only likely if the latest bearish swing does not drop below the 200-Bar SMA.     The key resistant level can be seen at 150.262 and the support level at 149.115. Breakout levels are at 149.988 and 149.674. Key Takeaway Points: Job vacancies hit a five-month low, and the ISM Manufacturing PMI missed expectations, adding pressure on the Federal Reserve regarding interest rate decisions. Traders await confirmation on Trump’s tariff policy, which is expected to impact the EU, chips, pharmaceuticals, and foreign car industries. The severity of the tariffs will influence both the JPY and the USD, with traders waiting for final policy details. The Japanese Yen Index is the worst index of the day while the US Dollar Index is unchanged. Always trade with strict risk management. Your capital is the single most important aspect of your trading business.   Please note that times displayed based on local time zone and are from time of writing this report.   Click HERE to access the full HFM Economic calendar.   Want to learn to trade and analyse the markets? Join our webinars and get analysis and trading ideas combined with better understanding of how markets work. Click HERE to register for FREE!   Click HERE to READ more Market news.   Michalis Efthymiou HFMarkets   Disclaimer: This material is provided as a general marketing communication for information purposes only and does not constitute an independent investment research. Nothing in this communication contains, or should be considered as containing, an investment advice or an investment recommendation or a solicitation for the purpose of buying or selling of any financial instrument. All information provided is gathered from reputable sources and any information containing an indication of past performance is not a guarantee or reliable indicator of future performance. Users acknowledge that any investment in Leveraged Products is characterized by a certain degree of uncertainty and that any investment of this nature involves a high level of risk for which the users are solely responsible and liable. We assume no liability for any loss arising from any investment made based on the information provided in this communication. This communication must not be reproduced or further distributed without our prior written permission.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.