Stocks versus Forex

benzoix / Envato Elements

Most people have at least heard of equities (stock) trading yet many are still unfamiliar with trading forex (currencies). While it may be easy to understand the idea of investing in large companies you’ve heard of like Microsoft, Facebook, and Apple, most of us are already aware of current events that make the FX market move.

Here are some facts on equities versus FX that you may not have known:

Stocks

Volume
– $3-5 Billion per day on NYSE (World’s largest stock exchange)

Number of stocks
– Around 2,800 companies listed just on NYSE

Trading Hours
– 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM New York Time

Leverage
– 2:1 maximum leverage

Investment size
– Average size of an equities account is $5,000 USD

Tools and research
– Real-time charts and quotes require a paid subscription

Forex

Volume
– Over $3 Trillion per day
Over 90% of the world’s FX volume trades within 7 major currencies, known as the G7 with EURUSD being the most liquid pair

Trading Hours
– 24 hours a day, 5 days a week

Leverage
– Up to 400:1

Investment Size
– Starting balance with as little as $500 USD

Tools and research
– Real-time charts and quotes are free

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