Trading in the forex market is a simple yet complex process. It is simple in the sense that the currency market is easily accessible online, Read More
Today, we will learn about the 2nd method as you will get details of all the simple steps you need to follow for testing your strategy on a Forex demo account.
Choosing a Forex Demo Account Platform
The first step is choosing a forex demo account platform, which includes a forex broker as well as fully functional trading software like MT4 or MT5. MT4 is ideal for beginners and traders trading single assets, whereas MT5 suits advanced traders or traders who like to trade multiple assets. Both are equally good and offer plenty of useful trading features.
Choosing the right broker is also essential for a good demo trading experience. The trading conditions you get on your demo account will greatly impact the end results of trading, and the actual profit potential of your strategy can only be found by trading with a trusted broker offering solid trading conditions. The demo account spreads can often be different from live account spreads, but it still gives you a glimpse of the trading cost you will be paying while trading for real.
Setting up a Forex Demo Account
The 2nd step is setting up your Forex demo account, which is a simple process with most of the brokers. You just need to choose the demo account option and submit the information your chosen broker asks for. This includes basic personal information like your name, address, phone number and email. Most forex brokers don’t ask for identity verification for demo accounts, and they are available for free. Once you sign up for the demo account, it will be activated really quickly, faster than live accounts.
The broker will deposit the virtual funds or fake money into your account, which you can use to demonstrate trades without using real funds. Generally, all brokers credit your demo trading account with $ 10,000 in balance. But you can request the broker to change the demo account balance if they have this provision. Making the demo account balance closer to your actual trading capital is a good way to make the trading experience more realistic.
Understanding Basic Forex Trading Concepts
The third step for testing your strategy on a demo account is understanding the basic forex trading concepts. A knowledgeable and experienced trader can skip this step as they already know all the concepts. However, a beginner needs to spend enough time learning about various theoretical and practical concepts of forex trading. It ranges from basic concepts to advanced theories that play a key role in the actual trading process.
Learning about technical analysis also takes some time and practise for a newcomer, as the candlestick chart patterns can be a bit complex for someone seeing it for the first time. As a forex trader, you should be able to recognise and interpret these patterns as they give a visual overview of the market situation. In short, you should be ready to spare some time to learn the technicalities of forex trading before moving forward.
Developing a Forex Trading Strategy
The 4th step is developing and defining your forex strategy with the most attention to detail. You may already have a ready-made strategy, but you should take some time to customise it for a personalised trading experience. Trend trading, range trading and breakout trading are among the most popular strategies followed by forex traders but you still need to dive deep into the technical side of this strategy and make necessary adjustments to make it fit well with your trading goals.
You also need to decide the trading style you would be following, which tells about the timeframe for analysis and duration of your trades. For instance, a scalper will rely on minute charts for analysis as they enter and exit trades within a few minutes. However, the duration of trades will be longer for day traders and swing traders, and they rely on hourly charts instead. Your risk tolerance as a trader is also a key factor to look at while devising and optimising your strategy.
Identifying Entry and Exit Points
The next step is identifying the optimal entry and exit points for your trades based on logical calculations. Calculations are part and parcel of the trading process, as your success rate greatly depends on how well you can make calculated moves to get the desired trading results at the end. This involves various trade-related calculations like determining pip value, deciding the right trade size and estimating potential profits or losses.
Finding the best entry and exit points for your trades has a lot to do with the profit/loss calculations, and automated trading calculators can be the best tools for executing complex calculations with ease. I highly suggest using these online tools to save the time and energy required for manual calculations, and they also provide precise results quickly.
Practice Trade Execution
The next step is practising trade execution in real-time market conditions, for which we have set the demo account already. This is an essential step for practical learning and developing your trading skills by working on aspects like speed, timing and more. See how quickly you can spot ideal trade setups and how smoothly you can execute the trades that confirm your strategy.
One mistake that many beginners make during this step is executing random trades that have no connection with your strategy. This actually goes against the very purpose of demo trading, which is to test the strategy in the real-time market. You should only enter trades that align with your strategy without any deviation. Only then you will be able to determine how well the strategy can work in a live account.
Analysing Trade Results
The next step is analysing the trading results and seeing if they meet your expectations. Can you easily attain the set profit targets, or do the results turn out to be disappointing, contrary to your anticipation? How much you are losing in the demo account is crucial, as you may lose a similar amount in a real account as well.
Implementing Risk Management Techniques
While analysing your demo account profits and losses, you can work on your risk management plan to maximise the gains and minimise losses. This actually increases the success rate of your strategy and limits your exposure to market risk. Always consider the shortcomings of your strategy and implement the right risk management techniques to make up for the same.
Testing Different Trading Approaches
The next step involves testing different trading approaches, as a bit of experiment can always be useful for finding the best approach for yourself. Demo accounts are perfect to do this, being in a safe zone. So, try out different approaches and compare the results to find the most apt approach for your strategy. This is crucial for optimising your strategy and executing it with perfection.
Keeping a Trading Journal
As you continue to practise and trade on a demo account, you can start recording your trades and daily trading routine on your trading journal, as it allows you to keep track of your progress and identify any mistakes in time.
Dealing with Emotions and Discipline
The demo account can replicate real-time market conditions, but you may have a hard time while live trading due to the emotions that come into play while trading with real money. But you can train your mind to trade the demo like a real account, which allows you to learn the best ways to deal with emotions and thereby develop trading discipline.
Transitioning to a Live Trading Account
Finally, transitioning to a live trading account tells that you are ready to risk your funds and confident about your strategy’s profitability. Once you feel satisfied with the results obtained from demo testing of your strategy, you can proceed with live trading with a solid risk management plan.