The activity of online trading through a trading platform has become a huge trend in the last decade, with its peak reached during the pandemic.

Due to the fact that literally millions of people all over the world had to be subject to stay-at-home orders from local authorities, the long-dormant interest in online trading among individual investors skyrocketed. Moreover, the stock market collapse of March 2021 threw fuel on the fire and many people saw an opportunity in the lowest prices of major stocks reached during their dip.

It was only natural that those people who didn't take part in this surge of interest toward online trading in stocks and other financial markets are in a constant search for info and knowledge. And, of course, a way to master this activity in the most easy and profitable way.

And that's where we came to rescue with this new article.

First Thing First: Stay Safe!

The first rule to master online trading with a trading platform is to avoid any non-regulated broker. To stay safe in this business you must choose regulated brokers only and avoid any other brokerage service which is unable to show a license released by a recognized regulator.

A financial regulatory body is an agency assigned to regulate and oversee a financial institution, such in the case of an online broker, and the activity of financial markets, which are the territory of a trading platform. Each regulator was formed to help achieve the best regulation for both markets and financial institutions in order to protect investors and consumers, from the retail sector to institutional investors.

Among the primary regulators in the world we remember the following names.

European Territory

• AFA - Andorran Financial Authority (Andorra)
• AMF - Autorité des marchés financiers (France)
• BaFin - Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht (Germany)
• BCSM - Central Bank of San Marino (San Marino)
• CBR - Central Bank of Russia (Russia)
• CONSOB - Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (Italy)
• CSSF - Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (Luxembourg)
• CYSEC - Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (Cyprus)
• DFSA - Danish Financial Supervisory Authority (Denmark)
• ESMA - European Securities and Markets Authority (European Union)
• FCA - Financial Conduct Authority (United Kingdom)
• FIN-FSA - Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (Finland)
• FINMA - Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (Switzerland)
• FMA - Financial Market Authority (Austria)
• FMA - Financial Market Authority (Liechtenstein)
• FSMA - Financial Services and Markets Authority (Belgium)
• GFSC - Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (Gibraltar)

Americas

• BACEN - Banco Central do Brasil (Brazil)
• BMA - Bermuda Monetary Authority (Bermuda)
• BVI - British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (British Virgin Islands)
• CIMA - Cayman Islands Monetary Authority (Cayman Islands)
• CSA - Canadian Securities Administrators (Canada)
• CVM - Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (Brazil)
• FinCEN - Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (USA)
• FSA - Financial Service Authority (St. Vincent & The Grenadines)
• GIFSA - Grenada International Financial Services Authority (Grenada)
• IFSC - International Financial Services Commission (Belize)
• IIROC - Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (Canada)
• SEC - Securities & Exchange Commission (USA)
• SFSA - Seychelles Financial Services Authority (Seychelles)

Asia & Oceania

• APRA - Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (Australia)
• ASIC - Australian Securities and Investments Commission (Australia)
• CSRC - China Securities Regulatory Commission (China)
• FSC - Financial Services Commission (South Korea)
• HKMA - Hong Kong Monetary Authority (Hong Kong)
• ISA - Israel Securities Authority (Israel)
• JFSA - Financial Services Agency (Japan)
• MAS - Monetary Authority of Singapore (Singapore)
• SEBI - Securities and Exchange Board of India (India)
• SESC - Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission (Japan)
• SFC - Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission (Hong Kong)

In case you decide to go further with a non-regulated broker because of a 'good promo' or favourable (?) fees, be careful because there's nothing between you and an eventual scam. Furthermore, you're likely going to see your investment vanish once deposited your money.

Mastering Online Trading Through Education

Once you're sure about your future broker and online trading platform regarding their regulations, you can move further and start checking the other major tool you have to properly invest in online stock trading and the likes: education!

The usage of the right educational tools is a mandatory step if you want to master online trading, and being sure that your future broker is going to give you those tools is extremely important for future success. There are many learning instruments which may turn useful for your financial journey, and they will be the key for making your trading strategy a winning strategy.

Among the most reliable and useful education tools a broker will give you we remember:

• Webinars: online seminars, also known as webinars, are becoming more and more relevant nowadays, especially after COVID-19. A live online course presentation on essential financial subjects may be the best idea for starting off on the right foot. Furthermore, you can follow it virtually basically from everywhere, which makes it the best choice for those who cannot travel or move around too often from where they stay.
• E-books: reading is a learning process which is at the centre of our education since we are kids. And with online trading, this doesn't change at all. E-books also have the bonus of being easy to carry around and (usually) readable on multiplatform.
• Economic Calendar: discovering an upcoming economic event of major importance, or similar announcements of financial relevance is very important if you don't want to be caught by surprise once the market opens. Economic calendars can also be based on your assets in order to be always informed regarding a specific topic or company.
• Demo Account: this last but essential tool is most probably the best way to learn online trading. Thanks to the usage of a virtual balance in fact, many brokers let their future traders to try-out their trading platforms for free. By doing so, even the most unskilled will have the chance of performing their trading strategies without worrying of losing money or making other mistakes.

Remember: knowledge is power. And that's especially true in the world of finance.