Overview/Background
Plus500 is a CFD service on Forex that offers traders a multi-asset trading platform with coverage on Asian, European, UK and US exchanges. It is one of the leading providers of CFDs trading with indices, commodities, Forex and shares. Among the many core values that Plus500 prides itself on are professionalism, transparency and human interaction. Plus500 was launched in 2008 with the objective of allowing trade on price movements of multiple financial instruments such as shares, indices, Forex and commodities.
Traders are not under any obligation to purchase or sell these assets at Plus500 – they can simply speculate on price movements. In 2009, Plus500 began offering CFDs, and a year later they began offering EFTs. This provider also offers Android and iOS apps for mobile smartphones and tablets. Traders can also enjoy Bitcoin CFD trading. In 2014 the valuation of Plus500 on the LSE topped $1 billion. The company is also the chief sponsor of Atlético Madrid FC.
Plus 500 is regulated by the following authorities:
- Plus500UK Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 509909).
- Plus500CY LTD is authorised and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (Licence No. 250/14).
- Plus500AU Pty Ltd, AFSL #417727 issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission is authorized to issue these products to Australian residents. You do not own or have any rights to the underlying assets. Please consider our Disclosure documents available on our website.
Account Types
Traders at Plus500 have access to two unique account types. The first is a Demo Trading Account which is available as a complimentary service to traders. The Demo Account is a free, unlimited account available to traders. The second is a Live Trading Account which requires traders to make a deposit of at least $100. The Demo Trading Account can be opened in as little as 5 minutes. Traders at Plus500 will have access to a multi-asset trading platform encompassing CFD on shares, commodities, Forex and indices.
The platform is secure and has been optimized for Windows XP, Vista and 7/8. The WebTrader platform is available with no download required. Plus500 cautions traders that CFDs are leveraged products and losses of entire deposits are possible. Once you open a real-money trading account, Plus500 offers customers a welcome deposit bonus (T&Cs apply), leverage and other benefits.
Trading Platform/Software
Plus500 features proprietary software with all the bells and whistles traders have come to expect from an established trading site. Clients will be able to initiate all of their trades on multiple markets from one screen. Live streaming quotes of financial assets are provided, making it convenient for traders to initiate trades. The range of tradable assets includes the likes of Contracts for Difference (CFDs), Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Forex, Indices, Shares and Commodities.
The user-friendly nature of the trading platform ensures that clients will have no problems switching between different trading opportunities. You will be able to see open positions and past trades clearly, with a wealth of resources designed to optimize your trading experience. These include up-to-date charts and educational resources. The trading platform is offered to mobile traders (iOS and Android), web-based traders, and as a full-download client.
Deposit Options
Funding your account at Plus500 is easily done with a variety of secure payments processing options. These include: Visa/MasterCard, Skrill, Wire Transfer, PayPal and Cash. Details are provided on site for each of these payments methods to make it easier for traders to transfer funds into their trading accounts. Credit cards provide the quickest ways to transfer funds, and the Plus500 cashier page offers easy-to-follow instructions on how to get this done. The length of time it takes to get deposits processed varies by deposit method.
In terms of compliance, traders at Plus500 will be required to provide documentation to validate their identity. An official government-issued ID, passport or drivers’ license is required in color with all 4 corners showing. The file can be scanned and emailed to Plus500 within 24 hours of registering an account. Withdrawals can only be made to the original payments processing option you used when depositing funds. ID checks are required in all cases.
Markets
Plus500 caters to CFD traders with EFTs, Forex, indices, shares and commodities. The range of tradable instruments includes: CFD on Shares/stocks/equity (BMW, Nokia, Barclays, Vodafone, Google), Indices (S&P 500, DAX 30, FTSE 100), Forex trading (USD/JPY, EUR/GBP, and EUR/USD), and Commodities (Gold, Silver, Crude Oil). With just 5% margin, traders can access x20 leveraged exposure in shares.
Traders can enjoy:
- for Forex CFDs the leverage is up to 1:30
- for Commodity CFDs up to 1:20
Plus 500 has also recently added ‘CFD on Options’ to their wide range of trading markets. By trading Options CFDs with Plus 500, traders can:
- Call or put options on the Dax 30, S&P500, CAC 40, MIB 40, AEX 25, FTSE 100 and trade option CFDs on the most popular indices in the world.
- Deal on rising, falling, and sideways markets.
Customer Support
Traders at Plus500 can access professional customer support in several languages. Customer support reps can be contacted 24/7 by emailing the following address: support@plus500.com. Live chat is also available. Unfortunately, Plus500 does not presently offer a telephone support service. Plus 500’s main offices are in London (UK), Limassol (Cyprus), Tel Aviv (Israel) and Sydney (Australia).
Safety
The trading platform at Plus500.com is safe and secure. The company follows all the rules and regulations relating to Anti Money Laundering policies, as determined by the UK’s Joint Money Laundering Steering Group and the FATF (Financial Action Task Force). The site is secured by SSL technology and all payments processing options are safe and secure. Furthermore, Plus500 looks out for traders’ safety by offering a series of Risk Management Tools. These have been designed to minimize losses by way of Account Leverage, Limit Orders, Stop Loss, Guaranteed Stop, Trailing Stop and Price Alerts.
Ease of Use
The fact that Plus500 offers a Demo Trading Account with all the features of the Live Trading Platform is a big plus. This provides traders with an easy-to-follow option to trade financial instruments online. The various asset categories are clearly listed, making it easy to conduct CFD on ETF and other trades. The site clearly lists all financial instruments in categories with drop-down menus. Support is available around the clock via email and clear instructions on how to trade are available to traders.
Final Thoughts
Plus500 is a top-tier trading platform. The site is available in 32 languages and provides instant access to myriad financial instruments. The company offers a wealth of trading options for expert traders. Since you have unlimited use of the Demo Account, you can fine-tune your trading skills before you deposit and trade for real.
*Your capital is at risk
