Trade Real-Time > Support

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions from Trade Real-Time. If your question is not in the Top FAQs list below, please click the appropriate section for a complete listing of all FAQs that are available on our website.

Top FAQs » click

About Trade Real-Time

» What are your commissions and fees?

» What are your trading hours?

» Can I place a trade via e-mail?

Account Information

» How do I open an account with Trade Real-Time?

» How much money do I need to open an account?

Trading Platforms

» Why am I getting a blank page?

» Do I need Java?

Forex Market

» What is Foreign Exchange?

» Where is the central location of these markets?

About Trade Real-Time » click

What are your commissions and fees?

Trade Real-Time does not charge commission. The Cost of trading is built into the bid/ask spread. Prices quoted are inclusive of our normal dealing spreads, for all asset classes.

* Trade Real-Time is compensated for its services through the bid/ask spread.

What are your trading hours?

Trade Real-Time Traders are available 24 hours daily from 5:00pm ET Sundays through 4:30pm ET on Fridays.

To view the market hours for all our products, click here.

All Hours are Eastern Time (GMT -05:00).

What other services does Trade Real-Time offer?

Trade Real-Time's dealing software provides each client with a wide range of trading tools, including technical analysis and charting, real-time news feeds, real-time profit and loss analysis, and full back office capabilities.

What are Trade Real-Time's margin requirements?

Trade Real-Time's initial margin requirement to trade is $2500.

To view the margin rates and contract options for all our trading products, click here.

Can I place orders over the phone?

Unfortunately, we cannot accept phone orders at this time.

Can I place a trade via e-mail?

No. We do not accept trades via email. You may place a trade online.

Account Information » click

What's the difference between a practice and live trading account?

The only difference is that there is no capital at risk when trading on the practice account. Trade Real-Time's practice account is fully functional and, more importantly, the bid/ask rates available in the practice account are the EXACT rates available to our live trading clients. The practice account allows you to see firsthand the consistent dealing spreads offered by Trade Real-Time and sample the ability to deal instantly from live, streaming quotes.

How much money do I need to open an account?

The minimum deposit to trade is $2500.

To view the margin and contract options for all trading products, click here.

How do I open an account with Trade Real-Time?

Opening an account is easy. Simply complete the following three steps.

1. Complete Application
You can apply online or download the necessary forms directly from our website.

2. Provide forms of identification
We require the appropriate photo identification in order for us to verify your personal information.

Two (2) forms of identification are needed, which include:

one (1) photo , i.e. a driver's license or other government-issued document that bears a photograph AND provides proof of residence as represented on this application ID
one (1) proof of address as represented on this application, i.e. utility bill, drivers license, bank statement, etc.

New account paperwork may be faxed, emailed or mailed.

Fax:	+1 345 946 8014
Email:	newaccounts@traderealtime.com
Mail:	GAIN Global Markets, Inc. P.O. Box 10554 Grand Cayman, KY1-1005 Cayman Islands, B.W.I.

3. Fund Your Account
Customers are able to fund their account via Wire Transfer. The minimum deposit to trade is $2500.

Click here for funding details.

What is the best way to send new account paperwork?

The fastest method to send new account paperwork is by fax or email. New documents should be faxed to +1 345 946 8014 or e-mailed to newaccounts@traderealtime.com. Lower quality or old fax machines are often difficult to read. If you do not have access to a high quality fax machine, scanning and then e-mailing the image is often times a simple solution.

If you do not have access to either a fax machine or a scanner, documents can always be sent through the mail to:

Trade Real-Time
Attn: New Accounts
GAIN Global Markets, Inc.
P.O. Box 10554
Grand Cayman, KY1-1005
Cayman Islands, B.W.I.

How do I know if my account has been opened?

Once your account is opened, you will receive an email with your username, password and instructions for accessing your account. Please note that username's are only assigned after your account paperwork has been approved. Initial funds will be posted once a username has been established.

How do I fund my account?

Customers are able to fund their account via Wire Transfer. The minimum deposit to trade is $2500.

Click here for funding details.

When will my funds be posted to my account?

The time it takes for a deposit to post to your account will depend on the location from which it is sent. Wires are generally posted 3 to 4 business days after receipt.

What happens to my open positions at the end of the trading day?

When trading Forex, unless specific settlement instructions are provided, Trade Real-Time will automatically roll forward all open positions to the next day's value date at the end of each business day, 5:00 pm ET. All rolls will be done at competitive rollover rates, and depending on the currency pairs involved, trades will be executed where the trader will either earn or pay away points, depending on the interest rate differential between the two currencies and the margin employed on the trade.

For non-Forex products, please review the contract details here for information on contract expiry and rollover options.

How do I withdraw money from my account?

You are able to withdraw available funds from your trading account at any time by completing a Withdrawal Request form. Withdrawal requests are processed within two (2) business days of receipt.

Please note a standard processing fee may be charged according to the following schedules:

Wire Transfer fees
Up to US$2,500 = US$20
US$2,501 - $100,000 = US$50
US$100,001and above = US$100

Please click here to complete a Withdrawal Request form.

Trading Platform » click

What happens if I enter an incorrect password?

After too many failed attempts, your access to this site will be suspended for security reasons. A message to confirm this will appear when you try to log in. Please contact us to unlock your password.

Why am I getting a blank page?

You may get a blank page when logging in if your browser or security settings are not correctly configured for Real-Time Trader. Please see Settings for Real-Time Trader for details on configuring your browser. Please also ensure you do not have any toolbars or plugins for Internet Explorer installed (e.g. Google Toolbar, Yahoo Toolbar etc). Unfortunately, these toolbars can interfere with Real-Time Trader's live streaming data.

Can I use a Mac?

Yes, we support Macs running OS 10.3 using Safari or Firefox browsers. Please see System Requirements for full details.

Do I need Java?

No, you don't need Java to log in and use Real-Time Trader. If, however, you want to take advantage of our charting packages then you will need to have Java installed.

How do I get rid of spyware?

Spyware and malware are small, invisible pieces of rogue software that you might have picked up while browsing the internet. They can interfere with many processes, including your use of this site. If you suspect it, spyware can usually be detected and removed by running anti-spyware software (like Ad Aware, for example, which can be downloaded free of charge from here).

Forex Markets » click

What is Foreign Exchange?

The Foreign Exchange market, also referred to as the "Forex" market, is the largest financial market in the world, with a daily average turnover of approximately US$3.2 trillion. Foreign Exchange is the simultaneous buying of one currency and selling of another. The world's currencies are on a floating exchange rate and are always traded in pairs, for example Euro/Dollar or Dollar/Yen.

Where is the central location of the Forex market?

FX Trading is not centralized on an exchange, as with the stock and futures markets. The FX market is considered an Over the Counter (OTC) or 'Interbank' market, due to the fact that transactions are conducted between two counterparts over the telephone or via an electronic network.

Who are the participants in the FX Market?

The Forex market is called an 'Interbank' market due to the fact that historically it has been dominated by banks, including central banks, commercial banks, and investment banks. However, the percentage of other market participants is rapidly growing, and now includes large multinational corporations, global money managers, registered dealers, international money brokers, futures and options traders, and private speculators.

When is the FX market open for trading?

A true 24-hour market, Forex trading begins each day in Sydney, and moves around the globe as the business day begins in each financial center, first to Tokyo, then London, and New York. Unlike any other financial market, investors can respond to currency fluctuations caused by economic, social and political events at the time they occur - day or night.

What are the most commonly traded currencies in the FX markets?

The most often traded or 'liquid' currencies are those of countries with stable governments, respected central banks, and low inflation. Today, over 85% of all daily transactions involve trading of the major currencies, which include the US Dollar (USD), Japanese Yen (JPY), Euro (EUR), British Pound (GBP), Swiss Franc (CHF), Canadian Dollar (CAD) and the Australian Dollar (AUD).

What does it mean to have a 'long' or 'short' position?

In trading parlance, a long position is one in which a trader buys an instrument at one price and aims to sell it later at a higher price. In this scenario, the investor benefits from a rising market. A short position is one in which the trader sells an instrument in anticipation that it will depreciate. In this scenario, the investor benefits from a declining market. However, it is important to remember that every position requires an investor to go long in one currency and short the other.

What is the difference between an "intraday" and "overnight position"?

Intraday positions are all positions opened anytime during the 24 hour period AFTER the close of Trade Real-Time's normal trading hours at 4:30pm ET. Overnight positions are positions that are still on at the end of normal trading hours (4:30pm ET), which are automatically rolled by Trade Real-Time at competitive rates (based on the currencies interest rate differentials) to the next day's price.

How are currency prices determined?

Currency prices are affected by a variety of economic and political conditions, most importantly interest rates, inflation and political stability. Moreover, governments sometimes participate in the Forex market to influence the value of their currencies, either by flooding the market with their domestic currency in an attempt to lower the price, or conversely buying in order to raise the price. This is known as Central Bank intervention. Any of these factors, as well as large market orders, can cause high volatility in currency prices. However, the size and volume of the Forex market makes it impossible for any one entity to "drive" the market for any length of time.

How do I manage risk?

The most common risk management tools in FX trading are the limit order and the stop loss order. A limit order places restriction on the maximum price to be paid or the minimum price to be received. A stop loss order ensures a particular position is automatically liquidated at a predetermined price in order to limit potential losses should the market move against an investor's position. The liquidity of the Forex market ensures that limit order and stop loss orders can be easily executed.

Please note that orders are not guaranteed, and are contingent on prevailing market conditions.

What kind of trading strategy should I use?

Currency traders make decisions using both technical factors and economic fundamentals. Technical traders use charts, trend lines, support and resistance levels, and numerous patterns and mathematical analyses to identify trading opportunities, whereas fundamentalists predict price movements by interpreting a wide variety of economic information, including news, government-issued indicators and reports, and even rumor. The most dramatic price movements however, occur when unexpected events happen. The event can range from a Central Bank raising domestic interest rates to the outcome of a political election or even an act of war. Nonetheless, more often it is the expectation of an event that drives the market rather than the event itself.

How often are trades made?

Market conditions dictate trading activity on any given day. As a reference, the average small to medium trader might trade as often as 10 times a day. Most importantly, by not charging commission, Trade Real-Time customers can take positions as often as necessary without worrying about excessive transaction costs.

How long are positions maintained?

As a general rule, a position is kept open until one of the following occurs: 1) realization of sufficient profits from a position; 2) the specified stop-loss is triggered; 3) another position that has a better potential appears and you need these funds.

Your question not answered here? Contact Us and we'll be happy to answer any questions you have about Trade Real-Time.