Among the world’s most developed economies, Australia is seen as a valuable region for brokers to succeed in. It is also among the most lucrative territories for the binary options industry in the Southern hemisphere, making Australia a competitive – and highly active – marketplace.
Overview
Australia is a relatively high volume trader of binary options compared to its neighbours in the region, and is considered an important market for larger, international and online trading platforms to claim a share of. Obtaining accreditation from Australian authorities is therefore seen as an essential step for almost every global brokerage firm whose long term objectives include remaining competitive on an international level.
The value of the Australian market – and the resulting competition between brokers – has helped to create a favourable set of circumstances for binary options traders within the country. Today, Australian investors are able to choose from a diverse pool of service providers when selecting an online brokerage firm through which they can execute their own trades.
Both domestic and overseas brokers have made it a priority to facilitate trades for Australian clients in a secure, efficient, and legally compliant manner; as well as aiming to attract new account holders with unique features and increased freedoms and functionality when trading. Finding the most suitable broker therefore requires a broad understanding of both the region, and the industry as a whole.
Australia’s Best Performing Brokers
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Veterans in the binary options industry BD Swiss review |
Recommended Broker: Top Option
Top Option is a Cyprus-based enterprise that has positioned itself as the broker of choice for newer investors. It has achieved this by developing a set of unique services and on-site facilities which target first-time traders, and are presented within a clear, concise, and uncluttered interface. While they may not equal their competitors in some of the more sophisticated trading features on offer, Top Option has successfully identified a niche in the industry and brought several innovations to the binary options market.
First among these is the creation of three distinct account types for new members. These are Starter, Pro, and VIP accounts, and they are assigned based on the account holder’s initial deposit. A minimum payment of $100 is required to open a Starter account, for example. $1,000 buys access to the Pro account, while a $5,000 deposit bestows VIP status. It should be noted that these are not joining fees, and members receive the full sum of their deposit to execute trades.
Significantly, each tier unlocks an additional package of on-site functions and customer support. A Pro account, for example, will furnish the account holder with an introductory one-to-one tutorial session with an expert investor, and live news feeds. VIP membership includes three hours of personal consultation, bespoke trading reports, and access to a professional investment platform.
One appealing feature of Top Option is its decision to charge no fees for withdrawals, deposits or trades. There is also no commission on earnings. Deposits can be made to an account via Visa, Delta, or Mastercard; bank transfer via Fast Bank Transfer; or e-Cash solutions provided by WebMoney. Withdrawals are credited to the method of the initial deposit.
Recommended Broker: Binary.com
Among the oldest and most well-established binary trading platforms on the web, Binary.com offers a number of unique features via its trading platform, a diverse set of indices on which to trade, and low minimum starting deposits.
Binary.com sells contracts with durations lasting between ten seconds and 365 days; with a minimum payout of $1 and a maximum Return on investment of $50,000. Versatile parameters allow account holders to execute both strategic investments and high-risk speculative trades with the assurance that total losses will never be larger than the initial stake.
The website also positions itself as an educational resource for novice traders: providing step-by-step tutorials, a glossary of terms, and the ability to practice no-risk trading within a free, virtual account.
Recommended Broker: BD Swiss
Based in the European Union, BD Swiss receives regulatory oversight from the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC). BD Swiss allows investors to purchase derivative contracts of more than 250 underlying assets, along with foreign exchange (FX) trading facilities. Account holders may begin trading after completing an initial minimum deposit of $100, and can execute trades with a stake of as low as $10, or up to a maximum of $1,500. The maximum yield from any single trade is 85% of the starting stake.
Money transactions are available through a range of major credit and debit cards, as well as popular digital cash options. Deposits can be made in a number of currencies, including Euros, US dollars, and Pound Stirling, but not Australian dollars (AUD). Account holders should therefore consider exchange rates when making deposits.
BD Swiss hosts an educational portal, consisting of interactive, modular courses on various subjects, and a news blog that is updated several times a week and features financial news stories from around the globe.
One limitation of the BD Swiss service is the current absence of a real-time virtual trading account with which newcomers can practice executing trades. It is a limitation that may cause even veteran traders to approach the service with caution: virtual accounts are a useful way to become familiar with the user interface of a new trading platform and avoid risking deposited funds through mis-clicks or mistakes. In mitigation, BD Swiss utilises the popular SpotOption trading interface, as well as app support for mobile trading, making the platform a familiar one for many.
Recommended Broker: CopyOp
CopyOp features in our list of high performing brokers for one reason: the company has established a brand identity for itself thanks to a sustained commitment to innovation.
More specifically, CopyOp has worked to expand the market reach of the binary trading industry by introducing elements of social media to investing. Rather than simply using these New Media channels as a marketing tool, CopyOp has pioneered a method of implementing social media features that augment both the trading experience – and the earnings potential – of successful investors.
The CopyOp trading and social media platform enables account holders to not only view the profile pages of other traders who use the site, but to also see how successful each trader is and, crucially, observe how successful investors are executing their trades.
This information is delivered in real time, and allows inexperienced members to copy investment patterns and strategies used by the most successful traders on the site. The true innovation is in the fees structure: a successful investor receives a small bonus each time one of their successful trades is copied. In this respect, collecting followers via the social media element can prove every bit as lucrative as the trading of binary options contracts themselves.
The method aims to introduce new investors to binary trading, and CopyOp suggests that the practice of copying experienced traders helps newcomers learn the ropes, while also making some money. While returns on investment are significantly lower for copied trades, (60% ROI instead of 90%), the objective is to educate account holders so that they may in turn collect followers and copy fees, too.
With its limited earning structure and transaction facilities, CopyOp is unlikely to be the first choice for veteran investors eager to get straight to work using tried-and-tested approaches. But, for traders new to binary options – or those just looking for a different working environment – CopyOp provides a wealth of interesting features.
How To Trade Binary Options in Australia
Any Australian citizen over eighteen (18) years of age is entitled to trade in binary options and – thanks to online trading platforms – only a few pre-requisite steps are required. It is possible to begin executing trades within only a few minutes.
The trader must first open an account with a broker that is licensed to operate in Australia. They automatically become a client and an account holder with that brokerage. Next, a method of payment is required to deposit an initial stake – and also to withdraw earnings from successful trades. Each brokerage will accept a different selection of payment services but, as a general rule, if an individual has the means to complete an online purchase of retail goods, they have the means to fund a binary options account.
Once an account has received funds, clients can begin making trades. When trading binary options, the account holder is purchasing a contract. This contract awards a payment to the trader for accurately predicting specific market conditions at the time of the contract’s expiration.
Legal Status
Binary options contracts are a recognised form of investment instrument by Australian financial authorities; it is entirely legal to enter into a binary options contract as a resident of Australia – with either a domestic or overseas broker. Every brokerage that operates within Australia, or provides financial services within the region, must first obtain an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL), and ensure full compliance with national law.
Binary options contracts are a unique type of financial instrument, and no formal framework existed for the regulation of these products, until relatively recently. However, since 2015, binary options trades have been defined as a form of derivative contract in Australian law, and are regulated as such.
Trading platforms which are domiciled in Australia enjoy full legal regulation from the Australian government’s financial authorities. Any individual executing trades via an Australian trading platforms, or through an online broker domiciled in Australia, will find all of their account activity overseen by the Australian Securities an Investments Commission (ASIC). Traders who execute trades through an international brokerage will receive oversight from the financial authority whose jurisdiction covers the registered location of the broker.
Depositing and Withdrawing Funds
There are no specific limitations imposed upon Australian traders attempting to deposit money into a binary trading account.
eCommerce and digital payment services have allowed online enterprises to evolve. Today, consumers expect to be able to make payments through any number of channels, and in any number of forms: from bank transfers to cryptocurrencies. With its developed economy, and rigorous oversight, Australian consumers have access to all of these sophisticated payment methods.
Every platform and broker operates with a slightly different set of objectives and procedures. This means that some methods of depositing and withdrawing money from a trading account may not always be available on every site.
Equally, every site defines the minimum and maximum values which can be transferred into, and out of, client accounts during a single transaction. These individual limits can vary considerably, and may influence clients’ decisions when it comes to selecting the most appropriate platform on which to trade.
Many brokers will impose further limits upon the quantity, frequency, and means by which money can enter and exit a client’s account. Some may only allow withdrawal via the same payment method as which the original stake was deposited. Others may permit multiple transactions within a fixed time period, others only one. It is the responsibility of the client to ensure that they are able to withdraw returns on their investments via legal and appropriate methods, and that every transaction complies with local, Australian financial law.
In Summary
Despite the strong performance of the binary options market in Australia, international brokers still vastly outnumber firms domiciled in Australia itself when it comes to providing services for the nation’s investors. Indeed: while a large number of global brokerage firms are registered with Australian authorities, identifying a service that is actually regulated by ASIC – and not an overseas authority – may present a challenge for traders.
Despite a limited number of options available to traders searching for a local broker, account holders with international firms should face few obstacles to their trading activities across any platform. Australia’s advanced financial infrastructure makes transactions to almost any broker a safe, fast and simple process.
Binary Trading in Australia at a glance
- A competitive marketplace, which provides a choice of services and features
- Easy transactions and fast withdrawal of earnings via all popular payment services
- All activity is protected by AFSL licensing; all Australian brokers are regulated by ASIC
- Most brokers allow you to begin trading quickly with instant account authorisation and few personal details for disclosure
- Significant earning potential for experienced investors.