Forex (foreign exchange) and the stock market are the two largest financial markets in the world that give both individual traders and institutions a chance to buy, sell, and trade all sorts of assets. Often discussed hand-in-hand , there are some key differences between Forex vs. stock market that new traders must consider before settling for one or the other.
In this guide, we look at some of those differences and compare these two markets in terms of factors such as trading volume, liquidity, and leverage.
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OANDA Corporation is regulated by the CFTC/NFA. OANDA is a member Firm of the NFA (Member ID: 0325821). CFDs are not available to residents in the United States.
OANDA CORPORATION IS A MEMBER OF NFA AND IS SUBJECT TO NFA'S REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND EXAMINATIONS. HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT NFA DOES NOT HAVE REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY OVER UNDERLYING OR SPOT VIRTUAL CURRENCY PRODUCTS OR TRANSACTIONS OR VIRTUAL CURRENCY EXCHANGES, CUSTODIANS OR MARKETS
Trading in digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, is especially risky and is only for individuals with a high risk tolerance and the financial ability to sustain losses. OANDA Corporation is not party to any transactions in digital assets and does not custody digital assets on your behalf. All digital asset transactions occur on the Paxos Trust Company exchange. Any positions in digital assets are custodied solely with Paxos and held in an account in your name outside of OANDA Corporation. Digital assets held with Paxos are not protected by SIPC. Paxos is not an NFA member and is not subject to the NFA’s regulatory oversight and examinations.
Leveraged trading in foreign currency contracts or other off-exchange products on margin carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for everyone. We advise you to carefully consider whether trading is appropriate for you in light of your personal circumstances. You may lose more than you invest. Information on this website is general in nature. We recommend that you seek independent financial advice and ensure you fully understand the risks involved before trading. Trading through an online platform carries additional risks.
Forex and stocks definition
Before discussing the key distinctions between Forex and the stock market, let’s begin by broadly defining them:
- Forex is the world’s largest and most liquid financial market. It is decentralized and allows traders to buy, sell, and trade currency pairs over the counter, with no financial institution serving as the middleman. This kind of trading makes Forex attractive alternative asset class to individual traders, banks, financial corporations, and even governments;
- The stock market allows traders to invest in shares and ownership stakes of publicly traded companies with the potential for large market capitalization. We can divide the stock market into two sub-markets: the primary and the secondary market. On the former, companies sell new stocks and bonds for the first time to raise capital; on the latter, traders can buy and sell said stocks amongst each other.
Forex and stock market differences
We can summarize the key differences between Forex and the stock market as follows:
- Trading volume;
- Liquidity;
- Volatility;
- Market time;
- Leverage;
- Margins.
Trading volume
Forex surpasses the stock market in terms of sheer magnitude. For instance, comparing trading volumes reveals that the daily volume in stocks is roughly equivalent to just one hour of Forex trading.
To be more precise, the average daily trading volume in Forex sits at around $6.5 trillion (even going as high as $7.5 trillion in April 2022), that is, $250 billion per hour, figures that stocks achieve at the close of each trading day.
Many see higher trading volumes as a massive advantage, making Forex a more attractive financial market. Others, on the other hand, prefer the variation offered by the stock market, where thousands of existing and freshly emerging shares open many trading possibilities.
Liquidity
Higher trading volumes mean higher liquidity. While it is true that the fluctuations in the supply of a country’s currency can affect Forex currency pairs, it is virtually always the case that there is a substantial amount of currency available for purchasing and selling. That, however, cannot be said about all company shares.
To illustrate this point, we can imagine a purchase involving, for example, 1,000 shares of a stock. If the company whose shares we are buying is smaller, this kind of purchase can impact their stock prices significantly. On the other hand, we can engage in trades involving tens or hundreds of millions of dollars, for example, without affecting the market price of the currency at all.
Note
Volatility
Volatility, or price fluctuations on the market, can be advantageous and disadvantageous for traders. In Forex, short-term traders who open and close their trading positions quickly to profit from rapid price movements can capitalize on increased market volatility.
On the stock market, many traders prefer to buy and hold their shares, especially those investing in blue chip stocks, that is, stocks issued by companies with a good track record of financial success that contributes to their long-term stability.
Market time
Forex and the stock market differ drastically in terms of their market times. The stock market has specific trading hours that typically close at around 4 pm. The Forex market, on the other hand, operates 24 hours a day. That is made possible by different international time zones. Namely, all trades are conducted by four global sessions in London, New York, Tokyo, and Sydney. When one of them closes, another opens, allowing for a trade flow.
Note
While Forex is open continuously, it does not mean the trading activity will be constant across the board. It will usually be at its peak when more than one session is active.
Leverage
In essence, leverages give traders a chance to borrow money and thus increase their trade sizes compared to their available funds. The higher the leverages, the more users can borrow. In turn, large leverages lead to bigger profits, but they also come with much more significant risks.
As a rule, leverages are much higher on the Forex market, with some brokers like OANDA providing rations of up to 50:1. On the stock market, traders typically have leverage ratios of about 2:1 (i.e., they can enter positions with twice the amount of funds on their account). The leverages can be much higher for traders who meet specific requirements, for example, those whose balance exceeds a certain limit and those who execute trades within a specific time frame.
Margins
Before opening a trade, users must set aside a portion of their trading position as collateral, such as a deposit that might cover some of the risks and losses the broker might face. This is called the margin.
Generally speaking, the Forex market offers lower margin rates compared to the stock market. In fact, even 1% margin rates are not unheard of.
When trading stocks, however, initial margin rates can go between 20% and 50%. In addition, traders might have to pay margin interest rates on the funds they borrowed. The rates depend on the broker, and they typically depend on the amount of money borrowed.
Trade Forex and Crypto with Ease
-
Trade 68 Forex and 8 cryptocurrency pairs
-
Enjoy no minimum deposits and no deposit fees
-
Explore 2,000+ indicators and develop your own trading strategy
-
Over 20 years of experience and insight in the market
OANDA Corporation is regulated by the CFTC/NFA. OANDA is a member Firm of the NFA (Member ID: 0325821). CFDs are not available to residents in the United States.
OANDA CORPORATION IS A MEMBER OF NFA AND IS SUBJECT TO NFA'S REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND EXAMINATIONS. HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT NFA DOES NOT HAVE REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY OVER UNDERLYING OR SPOT VIRTUAL CURRENCY PRODUCTS OR TRANSACTIONS OR VIRTUAL CURRENCY EXCHANGES, CUSTODIANS OR MARKETS
Trading in digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, is especially risky and is only for individuals with a high risk tolerance and the financial ability to sustain losses. OANDA Corporation is not party to any transactions in digital assets and does not custody digital assets on your behalf. All digital asset transactions occur on the Paxos Trust Company exchange. Any positions in digital assets are custodied solely with Paxos and held in an account in your name outside of OANDA Corporation. Digital assets held with Paxos are not protected by SIPC. Paxos is not an NFA member and is not subject to the NFA’s regulatory oversight and examinations.
Leveraged trading in foreign currency contracts or other off-exchange products on margin carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for everyone. We advise you to carefully consider whether trading is appropriate for you in light of your personal circumstances. You may lose more than you invest. Information on this website is general in nature. We recommend that you seek independent financial advice and ensure you fully understand the risks involved before trading. Trading through an online platform carries additional risks.
Forex vs. stock market — Which is more profitable?
Considering all the differences between Forex and the stock market discussed above, it is challenging to give a definitive answer as to which is more profitable. The optimal choice depends on each trader’s needs and risk tolerance.
For traders looking to make quick profits and capitalize on asset volatility, short-term trading strategies on the Forex market might be the better choice, especially for more experienced traders. For those looking for a more stable approach, a buy-and-hold strategy on the stock market may be more suitable.
Of course, no trading decision or investment can be made based on a single factor. Extensive research, planning, and risk management are necessary for an investment to prove fruitful, be it on the Forex or the stock market.
