ECN Forex trading pros and cons

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An ECN (Electronic Communication Network) broker is simply an ECN account offered by online brokers. This technology is ideal for traders who desire to engage more actively during market hours. Because it has lower commission rates and tighter spreads, it can also help people who want more variety in their investments.

This article will focus on what an ECN Forex broker is, the pros and cons of an ECN broker, and whether it's suitable for scalping or not. This article also contains the top three Forex ECN accounts.

According to Traders Union:

ECN brokers pros

Tight spreads

Anonymity

Quicker trade execution

ECN brokers cons

Less broker’s support and extra services

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What is an ECN Forex broker?

An ECN Forex broker is a broker that gives traders direct access to other currency and stock market participants. Due to its ability to consolidate price quotes from various market participants, an ECN broker typically provides traders with tighter (ask or bid) spreads.

Additionally, the broker cannot trade against users because it only matches available trades among participants in another market. Spreads offered by ECN accounts are tighter than those provided by conventional brokers. When working with ECN brokers, you will be charged a fixed commission for each trade.

ECN includes a seller and buyer electronic communication system. It accomplishes this by providing the required information about orders and managing their execution. The system is intended to match current sell and buy orders on the exchange.

ECN Forex trading pros and cons

Before using an ECN broker, you must be aware of the broker’s advantages and disadvantages. The Traders Union has mentioned some pros and cons of ECN Forex trading.

Pros:

Anonymity

Trading with a genuine ECN broker provides greater anonymity than trading with other brokers. This shows that you can benefit from the current market conditions. You will also be able to trade fairly. ECN brokers also offer quick execution speeds and tight spreads, which can increase your profits.

Tight spreads

The benefit of trading with an ECN broker is tighter everage spread from 0.1 pips. This is because there is no "middleman" when trading with ECN brokers. An ECN connects banks, other institutions, and individual traders. Consequently, the market becomes more fluid, with higher bids and lower ask prices.

Client access and liquidity

An ECN broker allows everyone to trade. This is done by giving the market liquidity through financial authorities and institutions that are competitive, regulated, and authorized. Transparency is also a big benefit of using an ECN broker because relevant information is passed along. This means that all ECN brokers may access and trade the same feed. As a result, the transparency of actual market pricing from various liquidity sources is guaranteed.

Quicker trade execution

When trading Forex, you cannot afford to wait extended periods for your trades to be executed. That is why ECN brokers are so effective; they ensure your deal is completed swiftly and smoothly. This is done by letting you trade with other people directly instead of going through the broker's network. Everyone benefits in this manner.

Variable spreads and continuous trades

An ECN broker guarantees traders access to the best pricing available. With tight bid and offer spreads, you can trade with confidence, knowing that your deals will be done quickly and won't be done for less than the current market price. ECN Forex trading brokers allow you to continue trading without interruption. They also allow you to trade during news events and other activities, allowing traders to profit from price fluctuations in the Forex market.

Cons:

Less educational resources

ECN brokers sometimes do not provide the same educational resources as traditional brokers, making it harder for new traders to learn about trading.

Lack of Support

ECN brokers sometimes do not offer the same support as traditional brokers, which can be difficult for inexperienced traders who want guidance in understanding the trading platform.

Is ECN account good for scalping?

ECN accounts are currently the best option for scalping, as they generally charge lower commissions and offer tight bid and offer spreads. This helps scalpers make profits faster.

Top 3 Forex ECN accounts

The Traders Union has listed below the top three Forex ECN accounts:

RoboForex ECN Account

Exness Group ECN Account

IC Markets ECN Account

RoboForex ECN account

Open an account
Your capital is at risk.

RoboForex is a top Forex and CFD broker that provides a diverse range of earning opportunities. Inexperienced traders can automatically copy professional traders' signals. The broker provides a Forex bot constructor for expert traders and individual trading in the Forex, stock, and cryptocurrency markets.

The broker offers trading access to a total of 8,700 trading assets. The broker uses the spread as the commission in the CFD market. The commission on the Forex market is determined by the account chosen. The typical spread is 0.3 pips, and the trading fee for an ECN account is $1–$2 per lot.

Exness Group ECN account

Open an account
Your capital is at risk.
You can lose your money.

The broker is the market leader in Forex ratings. The company's monthly trading turnover is $325.8 billion USD. The broker offers CFDs on cryptocurrency, stocks, over 120 currency pairs, energy, and metals.

Exness offers traders advantageous working circumstances, including minimal commissions, rapid order execution, and money withdrawal. Depending on the trader's needs, there are several options for opening an account.

A demo account is offered, which serves as a training account. Exness charges a regular account EUR/USD average spread of 1 pip and a $3.5 per lot ECN/STP account fee.

IC Markets ECN account

Open an account
Your capital is at risk.
Up to 75.93% of the broker’s non-professional clients incur losses when trading CFDs.

IC Markets Trading Company was established in 2007 in Sydney, Australia. The broker holds an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) and is registered with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).

The broker is also a member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), the regulating organization that sets the industry standard for resolving complaints between customers and financial service providers and conducts audits regularly.

It provides 60 currency pairs, futures, and CFDs on indices, commodities, metals, stocks, and bonds. Standard accounts are free of charge at IC Markets. The standard account EUR/USD spread is 0.8 pips, whereas the raw account spread is close to 0.1 pips. A fee of $3.5 per lot is also charged for raw accounts.

FAQ

What are the benefits of an ECN account?

The benefits of an ECN account are:

Anonymity

Quicker trades

Low commission

Variable spreads

Continued trades

Do ECN brokers provide educational support?

ECN brokers provide very few educational resources compared to traditional brokers.

What are the drawbacks of an ECN account?

The drawbacks of an ECN account are:

High fees

Low educational resources

Lack of support

What are the top ECN accounts for Forex?

According to the Traders Union, RoboForex and Exness are the two top ECN accounts for Forex.

What is an ECN Forex broker?

An ECN Forex broker is a broker that gives traders direct access to other currency and stock market participants. It offers the best possible conditions for traders.

Glossary for novice traders

  • 1 Broker

    A broker is a legal entity or individual that performs as an intermediary when making trades in the financial markets. Private investors cannot trade without a broker, since only brokers can execute trades on the exchanges.

  • 2 ECN

    An ECN, or Electronic Communication Network, is a technology that connects traders directly to market participants, facilitating transparent and direct access to financial markets.

  • 3 Trading

    Trading involves the act of buying and selling financial assets like stocks, currencies, or commodities with the intention of profiting from market price fluctuations. Traders employ various strategies, analysis techniques, and risk management practices to make informed decisions and optimize their chances of success in the financial markets.

  • 4 CFD

    CFD is a contract between an investor/trader and seller that demonstrates that the trader will need to pay the price difference between the current value of the asset and its value at the time of contract to the seller.

  • 5 Forex Trading

    Forex trading, short for foreign exchange trading, is the practice of buying and selling currencies in the global foreign exchange market with the aim of profiting from fluctuations in exchange rates. Traders speculate on whether one currency will rise or fall in value relative to another currency and make trading decisions accordingly.

Team that worked on the article

Alamin Morshed
Contributor

Alamin Morshed is a contributor at Traders Union. He specializes in writing articles for businesses who want to improve their Google search rankings to compete with their competition.

Dr. BJ Johnson
Dr. BJ Johnson
Developmental English Editor

Dr. BJ Johnson is a PhD in English Language and an editor with over 15 years of experience. He earned his degree in English Language in the U.S and the UK. In 2020, Dr. Johnson joined the Traders Union team. Since then, he has created over 100 exclusive articles and edited over 300 articles of other authors.