A financial spread betting platform is the interface which enables you to trade online. Typically a spread betting provider may offer more than one dealing platform depending on your experience. A platform aimed at beginners will typically have fewer features and may even offer access to less markets or instruments.
You should ensure that your platform has all the functionality you need in order to be able to spread bet effectively. These include, but are not limited to:
- One-click dealing tickets
- The markets and instruments you think you would like to trade on
- A good charting package
- Intuitive platform navigation
- Real-time news service
- Auto Stop functionality
- Online orders (e.g. stop, limit, OCO (one cancels other))
- Search facility
- Guaranteed stop
- Stops
- Limits
- Trailing stops
Charting
An essential part of your spread betting platform will be the ability to chart trends effectively. You can view a demo of the charting capabilities on the WorldSpreads’ trading platform here.
Some common features are:
- Technical indicators to help you identify price momentum and overbought/oversold scenarios
- The ability to save charting analysis
- Printing feature
- Auto refresh
- Contextual help
- Drawing tools, either basic or comprehensive
- Multiple views
- Intraday and EOD data available
- Full screen mode
- Linear, logarithmic and referential scales
Some common chart representations are:
- Candlesticks
- Bar charts
- Lines
- Mountains
- Histograms
- Candle volumes
- Renko