Nicholas

  —  

TradeForexMalaysia Editor

List of Best Forex Brokers in Malaysia for 2021

We have listed these brokers after comparing their fees, Tier 1 regulations, platforms & more..

Broker Name Highlights Typical Spread (EURUSD) Minimum Deposit Bonus & Promos Learn More
XM Forex Broker

XM Forex

Low spread & wide trading instruments

Fees (EURUSD)
0.8 pips

with Ultra Low Micro Account

Minimum Deposit
$5
Bonus Offers
15% Bonus up to $500
Visit XM Read XM Forex Review

What are some of the key terms you should be familiar with? What should be your trading strategy? How do you know which broker to choose? What risks are you agreeing to while trading? In this guide, we will answer all such questions and more.

6 Steps to start trading Forex in Malaysia
  1. Start with Learning the concepts of Forex Trading
  2. Understand Forex Trading Key Terms
  3. Choose a reputed broker & open a Demo Trading account
  4. Build your Forex Trading Strategy
  5. Learn the risks & its managements in trading Forex
  6. Open a Live Forex Trading Account

Forex market is financial market where the forex pairs or currency pairs like EURUSD are exchanged. US Dollar is the most traded currency in the world & it is exchanged for other currencies like Euro, CAD, AUD etc. Forex trading involves the speculation on the value of currency instruments i.e. you either buy or sell or exchanging currencies at pre-defined or current market exchange rates.

For example, currently, the value of the Malaysian Ringgit against the US Dollar is 0.24. This means that you can buy 0.24 USD with 1 Ringgit.

Retail Forex trading is not regulated in Malaysia yet, so it is best to avoid trading until it is legalized & regulated. You can refer to this guide for your resource & learn about it.

Barring a few restrictions on trading, you can trade with foreign brokers, but that is at your own risk.

Let's now take a look at some of the key terms you'll come across while trading currencies. You must understand these keywords, before you can trade forex. You will likely come across all these words on a regular basis when you start trading.

Here we go!

Currency Pairs

A currency pair is a quote of two currencies, where the value of the first currency is quoted against the value of the other. The first currency is called the base currency and the second one is called the quote currency.

Currency pairs are written by using the ISO codes of the currencies. An ISO code is a three-letter alphabetic code.

For example, the Euro-US Dollar is written as EURUSD or EUR-USD or EUR/USD. Here the value of a Euro is quoted against the value of a US Dollar.

EURUSD = 1.20 means that a Euro can buy 1.2 US Dollars or you need 1.2 US Dollars to buy a Euro.

All currency pairs that are traded the most and are based on the US Dollar are known as the major pairs. Some of the major pairs are EURUSD, USDJPY( Japanese Yen) and GBPUSD( Great Britain Pound). Apart from the major pairs, there are minor pairs( pairs that don't include the US Dollar) and exotic pairs( pairs that include the currencies of emerging economies).

Pips

Pip stands for Percentage in Point. It is the unit used to express the change in value between the price quote of a currency pair, in terms of the underlying currency.

For example, consider that the value of EURUSD increases from 1.1000 to 1.1001. This corresponds to an increase of 1 pip.

A pip is generally the last decimal place of a price quote. Like, US Dollar related pairs go up to 4 decimal places and so, 1 pip is equivalent to $0.0001.

Leverage

Leverage is borrowing a certain amount of money to enter a trade. In the case of forex trading, the amount is usually borrowed from the brokers. Forex traders enjoy the benefit of being able to use higher leverage, unlike any other form of investment.

The upside of this is that the margin requirement or the amount of money you need to invest initially is really low compared to the capital requirement.

For example, some forex brokers offer up to 1:1000 leverage. This means you can exercise control over a sum of $10,000 by just investing $10 upfront.

But, leverage is a double-edged sword. If the trade doesn't go in your favour, then you'll lose just as much as you could have gained. Ideally, you should trade by calculating the risks involved and the potential losses shouldn't exceed 3% of your capital amount.

Bid and Ask Prices

A forex broker will show you their quote on their platform. The quote has bid price & an ask price.

Bid price is the price at which you can buy a currency pair. For example: If the bid price for EUR/USD is 1.2121, then you can place a buy order at this price.

Similarly, the ask price is the price at which you can sell the currency pair.

The bid price of a currency pair is always lower than the ask price.

Spread Charged by a Forex Broker

A spread is the difference in the bid and ask prices of an asset or security.

The spread of a currency pair depends on the forex pair. It's highest for exotic pairs and lowest for the major pairs. Spread is measured in pips.

As the value of a forex pair can change based on the market conditions, so can the value of its spread. Thus, spreads are of two types- Fixed spreads and Variable spreads.

Fixed spreads remain the same, irrespective of the market conditions. Fixed spreads are usually offered by brokers who act as "market makers". One advantage of fixed spreads is lower capital requirements. Also, since the spread is fixed, the prices remain predictable.

Variable spreads keep changing based on the market conditions. Variable spreads are mostly offered by non-dealing desk brokers. As the broker can adjust the ask prices based on the current situations, variable spreads eliminate the risks of requotes. Also, variable spreads promote transparent pricing.

Forex Lot Sizes

In the forex market, currency pairs are always traded in pre-set amounts - called lots.

Just like pips is the unit used to measure a change in the value of currency pairs, lots are used to measure the quantity of currencies being bought/ sold or exchanged.

Lots come in 4 sizes:

  1. Standard - 100,000 units
  2. Mini - 10,000 units
  3. Micro - 1,000 units
  4. Nano - 100 units

So, if you are placing a Buy order for 5 Mini Lots, it means that you are buying 50,000 Units of a currency pair.

Being an emerging economy and having a growing trader base, countless foreign brokers offer their services to the residents of Malaysia. However, retail forex trading is still unregulated at large and as such, there is no broker regulated for retail forex trading in Malaysia.

You can opt for foreign brokers. But, you should make sure that the broker is regulated under multiple tier 1 and tier 2 global regulators like:

  • FCA (Financial Conduct Authority, United Kingdom)
  • ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission, Australia)
  • CySEC (Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission, Cyprus - EU)
  • JFSA (Japanese Financial Services Authority, Japan)
  • MAS (Monetary Authority of Singapore, Singapore)
  • CFTC (Commodities Futures Trading Commission, United States)
  • FSCA (Financial Sector Conduct Authority, South Africa)

Brokers can usually be differentiated from one another based on:

Account types offered

Islamic are the most beneficial for traders from Malaysia. Apart from that, most brokers offer at least two types of accounts- standard and premium.

Instruments offered

Trading instruments include Forex, Cryptocurrencies, Indices, etc. Even the number of options of each instrument offered by different brokers are not the same like not all brokers offer the same number of forex pairs.

Execution method

There are two types of execution methods based on how the traders specify the details of the trade at the time of placing an order.

  1. Instant execution- in this case, the traders specify both the volume and the price. The orders should be executed instantly.
  2. However, if the prices change before the broker can execute the trade at the quoted price, the broker may cancel the trade and reply with a requote.
  3. Market Execution- here the trader only specifies the volume of the trade and the trade is executed at real market prices.

Fees

Broker charges are generally of three types:

  1. Spreads
  2. Commissions

    This can further be classified into two broad categories:

    1. Fixed
      commission is charged per transaction, irrespective of the volume of the trade.
    2. Relative
      Relative commission is based on the volume. Higher the lot size, higher the commission will be.
  3. Additional/ Optional Charges This encompasses a wide variety of charges. It may range from a fee you have to pay to enjoy special features that may aid you in trading to fees annual account maintenance fees.

While choosing a broker, you should always go for a broker who supports deposits and withdrawals from local banks. This way you won't incur additional charges and you won't be limited to online-only payment methods.

If you are a new investor, it Is better to start off with a demo account. Demo accounts help you to get familiar with the trading platform. Demo accounts also simulate the market in real-time and hence, you can test the effectiveness of your trading strategy. Once you think you are ready for the market, you should start off with a small capital first. This will prevent you from incurring huge losses.

Being an emerging economy and having a growing trader base, countless foreign brokers offer their services to the residents of Malaysia. However, retail forex trading is still unregulated at large and as such, there is no broker regulated for retail forex trading in Malaysia.

You can opt for foreign brokers. But, you should make sure that the broker is regulated under multiple tier 1 and tier 2 global regulators like:

The first and the foremost step, before you start with trading, is choosing a broker. You should compare brokers considering the following points:

Regulation

Take a look at the institutions under which the brokers are registered. Regulatory institutions are divided into three categories or "tiers":

Tier 1( Highly Trusted)

Like,

  • ASIC
  • JFSA
  • MAS
  • FCA

Tier 2( Moderately Trusted)

Like,

  • CySEC
  • CBRC( China Banking Regulatory Commission, China)
  • DFSA( Dubai Financial Services Authority, United Arab Emirates)

Tier 3( Low Trust)

  • This includes regional regulators from a few nations. It is better to avoid brokers who are only regulated by tier 3 brokers.

In general, you should go for a broker regulated under at least a couple Tier-1/ Tier-2 institutions.

Deposit Methods

Deposit methods vary from broker to broker. Also, the time taken to reflect the deposits into your trading account differs. First, list the payment methods you are most comfortable with and also the payment methods you would like to have as options. Then, compare the brokers based on the list you've made.

Instruments Offered

As mentioned before, brokers offer a variety of options in trading instruments. Since you want to trade in forex, choose the currency pairs you want to invest in and then crosscheck the brokers based on your preferences.

Trading Tools Offered

Trading tools aid you in trading. Some of the most popular trading tools are:

  • Stop-Loss Orders- stops a trade when the value of the underlying asset or security goes beyond/below a certain limit.
  • Negative Balance Protection- prevents you from losing more than you have invested.
  • Economic Calendar- lists all periodic global events that have influenced the markets in the past and are likely to do so in the future.
  • Calculators- Financial calculators can be based on various parameters, such as pips, spreads contract sizes, price charts, etc.

However, do note that not all brokers offer these tools for free. Sometimes the charges for using these tools are direct. Otherwise, the features may be reserved for premium accounts, where the charges are written off as maintenance charges or annual fees.

Account Types Offered

As we have previously discussed, brokers offer different types of accounts to their clients. This usually includes standard and premium accounts.

Apart from this, you can also opt for brokers who offer ECN accounts. ECN stands for Electronic Communications Network and ECN accounts are especially beneficial for short-term traders. This is because commissions are charged based on the number of transactions processed instead of the volumes of the trades. Also, ECN accounts offer more liquidity and tighter spreads.

Lastly, you can also opt for Islamic accounts. Islamic accounts follow the principles of the Sharia law and offer interest-free trading with no rollovers or overnight fee.

Supported Platforms

The most popular trading platforms are MT4( MetaTrader 4) and MT5(MetaTrader 5). All the different trading software applications offered by the brokers are based on one of these two platforms.

Also, if you want to use your smartphone to trade, you should look for brokers who offer mobile trading apps.

Do note that the software applications for trading are different for Windows, Mac OS, Android and iOS. So, it is better to check if the brokers offer trading applications compatible with your device(s).

Fees and Charges

We have already discussed how different brokers charge their clients in the previous section. So let's now take a look at the two most important additional charges that you might incur while trading:

  • Overnight Charges

    Also called rollover fees, overnight charges denote the interest charged on a position that remains open overnight. It is generally calculated for positions that remain open after 5 p.m. EST.

  • Inactivity Fees

    Inactivity fees are charged on accounts that have remained idle for a long time. An idle account is one that has recorded no transactions over a set period of time. The duration after which brokers charge inactivity fees is usually 6 months.

    Inactivity fees are a liability for long-term/ buy-and-hold traders. So, you must keep this in mind while comparing brokers and also, while maintaining a trading account.

Once you're done with comparing the brokers of your choice and choosing one from the list, all you need to do now is open a trading account. The basic steps involved in opening an account are:

  • Signing up with the broker you have chosen and selecting the account type of your liking.
  • Submitting your details/ documents for account verification. This may take some time, which again varies from broker to broker.
  • Depositing funds.
  • Lastly, downloading the trading application(s) of your choice to start trading.

As a new investor, start with a demo account and also, keep the amount of leverage you use in check.

What are the Risks of Forex Trading

Forex trading, like other forms of investments, also comes with certain risks involved. Just like any other investment, the risks increase based directly on the return potential.

Three of the most common forms of risks involved in forex trading are:

  • Leverage Risk

    As we have previously discussed, with a higher amount of leverage the risk involved is higher. So you should always open a trade based on the amount of risk involved i.e. the amount of losses you can incur, and not on the potential gains from the trade.

  • Exchange Rate Risk

    Exchange rate risks are caused by fluctuations in the value of your local currency versus other foreign currencies. Exchange rate risks are unavoidable but one way to mitigate the same is through diversification.

    Diversification is the act of investing in a variety of unrelated/weakly-related assets or securities. The risks involved and return potential of each investment varies and the total risk-to-reward ratio of your assets can be tuned to your liking.

  • Liquidity Risk

    The value of a country's currency fluctuates when it goes through any economic, social or political crises of a local, national or global scale. This causes changes in the value of the related forex pairs and, consequently, the market becomes volatile.

    During times of high volatility, traders get exposed to liquidity risks i.e. the inability to exit a trade as they might incur huge losses.

The best way to reduce the risks involved in your investments is through risk management.

Risk Management not only focuses on reducing the amount of risks involved but also maximising the gains from your portfolio. The basic steps involved in risk management are:

  • Gaining knowledge about the markets.
  • Keeping track of local as well as global news.
  • Limiting the amount of leverage used.
  • Shedding thoughts of unrealistic gains.
  • Using stop-loss orders to customize your trades.
  • Not trading based on your emotions.

Lastly, the success of any operation depends on devising a plan. In the case of forex trading, you must follow a trading strategy.

Forex Trading Strategies are broadly divided in Fundamentals & Technicals.

Here in this chapter we will briefly explain each of these strategies.

While devising your forex trading strategy, it is really important to focus on two key points:

Fundamental Analysis

Fundamental analysis is based on monitoring the social, economic & political factors that have caused market developments in the past and likely to do so in the future.

Even the most subtle developments in a country can cause a change in its economy and, thus, in the value of its currency. The more stable a country's economy is, the more foreign investors are likely to invest in its currency.

The most important factors you should keep a track of are:

  • Interest rates
  • Inflation rates
  • GDP
  • Unemployment rates

Technical Analysis

Technical analysis involves the study of graphs/ charts and visualisation of historical data of price movements. It also involves recognizing patterns and shapes in the graphs and deducing conclusive information from the same.

Some of the types of charts you should track are:

  • Line charts
  • OHLC( Open-High-Low-Close) charts
  • Candlestick charts

Technical analysis also involves the use of certain financial indicators, such as:

  • Trend indicators:
    • Moving Average (MA)
    • Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD)
  • Volatility Indicators:
    • Average True Range (ATR)
    • Standard Deviation
  • Volume Indicators:
    • Money Flow Index
    • Accumulation/Distribution line

Lastly, technical analysis helps you form a trading strategy. Some of the most popular strategies, related to technical analysis, are:

  • Scalping

    In scalping, traders go for small profits on a daily basis. The returns per trade are minimal, as the time for which a trader holds his position usually ranges from 1 minute to 1 hour.

    Scalping opens up the most number of trading opportunities. But, it requires the highest level of involvement and is mostly suited for full-time traders.

  • Day Trading

    In day trading, all positions are closed before the end of the day. While this opens up a substantial number of trading opportunities, day trading also demands a high level of involvement during trading hours( though, less than in the case of scalping).

  • Swing Trading

    Here, traders hold the assets for up to a few days in order to take advantage of price fluctuations.

    Swing trading requires lesser involvement than day trading but traders are also exposed to overnight and weekend market risks.

  • Position Trading

    Position trading involves holding a position for over a long period of time- ranging from a few months to a few years.

    While position trading involves minimal involvement and a high reward-to-risk ratio, it also comes with few trading opportunities.

Conclusion

Forex trading sure can be risky, but that's only when you act impulsively. This is why you should dedicate enough time in educating and training yourself before you move on to trading in considerable lots.

Also, while trading and also while choosing a broker, you must read the related documents and conditions carefully. Make sure you trade in compliance with the laws of your country. In case of any doubts, you can consult an expert or just look it up on Google. There are countless pages online on every aspect of trading. There are also dedicated blogs and sites which can help you connect with professional traders.