Plus500
Plus500
Established:
2008
Location:
Israel
Regulation:
FCA, CySEC, ASIC, MAS
Credit Debit card (only Visa or MasterCard debit/credit card are acceptable), E-wallets including PayPal or Skrill, Bank transfer with the direct bank to bank funds transfer
Review Summary
Plus500 is a leading platform for CFDs, and trading facilities for forex, shares, cryptocurrencies, indices, options, and commodities. All the trading instruments offered on the platform are leveraged. This platform is owned and run by Plus500UK Ltd. The firm has taken various measures that protect funds deposited by users. Additionally, it works to ensure a seamless online trading experience for the users. There are currently over 2000 instruments listed on this platform. Plus500 was founded in 2008 and it is considered one of the most trusted brokers globally. It operates as a web-based platform and it is highly recommended for newbies due to how easy it is to use the platform. While the platform is easy to use, it is worth noting that it lacks some of the advanced trading features that advanced might like. For instance, copy trading is not offered on this platform.
Fees
Most of the services provided on Plus500 do not come with a fee or commission. For instance, making deposits comes at zero fees. The same is true when accessing live share CFD prices, real-time forex quotes, closing or opening trades, rolling positions, or accessing dynamic graphs and charts. To make a profit, Plus500 relies on the spreads form the bid and ask. Even then, the platform offers some of the tightest spreads in the industry. It has an open policy about the spreads and anyone can view them when they login to their account and search for an instrument in which they have an interest. After that, click on the small (i) icon and you can view the spread by scrolling to the info section.
Some fees may apply depending on your particular actions on the platform. For instance, if you need overnight funding, a fee will usually apply. The amount is added or subtracted to your account when you hold a position beyond a certain point. If you opt to place a stop order, the spread is wider than with regular orders. There is also a $10 inactivity fee for accounts, which are inactive for over three months.
Regulation and Fund security
The platform is based in the UK and its offices are located in London at 78 Cornhill in EC3V 3QQ. The UK’s FCA under the FRN 509909 regulates its activities in the UK. Plus500UK Limited is registered in England and Wales under company number 07024970. Plus500UK Ltd is a subsidiary of Plus500 Ltd, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange with its HQ in Haifa, Israel.
Besides the UK, various globally recognized regulators regulate the Plus500 platform. These regulators include the Cyprus Securities and Exchange under license number 250/14. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission also regulates the platform in Australia under license number 417727 as Plus500AU Pty Ltd. Plus500 is also regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore regulates the platform as Plus500SG Pte Ltd under UEN 201422211Z. This license allows the platform to operate in securities and foreign exchange trading under license number CMS100648-1. In Singapore, it also holds a Commodity Broker’s license under license number PLUS/CBL/2018, which is issued by Enterprise Singapore.
The platform has gone to great lengths to ensure that various reputable regulators regulate it globally. By using this platform, you can be assured that you are using a reliable platform, which submits its operations to regular checks, by reputable regulators.
Account Types
ON Plus500, there are two account types. There is a demo account and a live account:
Demo Account
The demo account is risk-free and you cannot lose any money while playing around with it. Opening the demo account is free and you have the option to pick this type of account when registering on the platform. During the process, you will be prompted to “Select Account Mode.” You can then proceed to pick “Demo Mode.” It is a replica of the live account without having to risk any of your money.
One cool feature about the demo account is that when the amount in the demo account drops below 200 EUR, the Plus500 platform automatically refills the amount. The account has no time limit and you can continue honing your skills with the account for as long as you like. This feature is hard to find on other platforms. You can also switch between the demo and live accounts with ease. As a result, once you test your strategies in the demo mode, you can then move them to the live account.
Live Account
Plus500 only allows one live account on the platform. If you open any more accounts, Plus500 has the right to shut them down at will. If you are allowed to open another account, you cannot move funds around between the two accounts. Only individual live accounts are allowed on Plus500; the platform does not support company or corporate accounts.
Investment Products/Trading instruments
Over 2000 trading instruments are supported on the Plus500 platform. The platform does not offer discounts if you trade large volumes. As a result, whether you trade 1 lot or 1000 lots, the spread is the same. Advanced traders qualify for a professional account, which features higher levels of maximum leverage but costs remain the same. Options trading on the platform open to many markets.
Trading Platforms
The Plus500 platform utilizes the WebTrader platform. It features an easy-to-use interface with four tabs at the top, which makes it possible to receive details about past trades and your current positions without having to search for it.
It comes in three main versions, a downloadable version, a web platform, and a mobile trading platform. Unlike most other brokers, all the features remain the same in all versions of the platform. This makes it possible to switch between platforms at will. The trading platform comes with numerous features such as guaranteed stop loss and advanced technical analysis tools. This platform is reliable and the execution rate is quite impressive. Its spreads are quite competitive as well and users have a leverage of up to 1:300.
Webinar, seminars, educational material
Most brokers provide exhaustive research material for their users. However, this is not the case for Plus500. Only the legally required Key information Document is offered on this platform. The platform expects users to source their educational material elsewhere. However, there is an economic calendar provides on Plus500. This calendar shows you essential economic events and the data is sourced from Dow Jones. You can also switch to corporate events at the top of the economic calendar. This platform is designed for those who need a simple mechanism that allows them to execute traders without excessive advanced functionality.
Customer Support
Plus500 has limited customer service options. However, there is email support and online chat that is offered 24/7. There is no phone number and those who wish to contact support must make their request via the live chat feature or email ticketing system. The live chat and email features always have someone on standby and responses are made within just a few minutes. To supplement the live chat, the platform has a reliable FAQ section where short answers to pressing issues are provided. Many topics are covered in this section and you should be able to find answers to almost any aspect of the platform.
Active Bonus and Promotions
There are not active bonuses or promotions offered to users of the Plus500 platform.
How to open an account
Step 1 – Personal Details
Head over to the Plus500 website and click on the “Start Trading” button.
You will be sent to a registration page where you can provide an email address and a password. More details may be required depending on your location.
Once you fill in your details, simply pick “Real Money” on the next screen and you can fill in your live account details.
Step 2 – Live Account Profile
Completing your live account is quite easy. Form the left side dropdown menu; pick “Verify Account.”
You will be required to provide your name and the date of birth.
After that, you will need to pick an account type that corresponds to the region where you are located.
In the next screen, you will need to provide financial information that is specific to your regulator. The questions are very simple and you should be able to answer them with ease.
Step 3 – Pick Your Trading Platform
Plus500 uses a proprietary trading platform. It is picked automatically for you once you register the account.
Step 4 – Upload Verification Documents
You will need to upload some documents for your profile to be accepted. These documents are your ID and address verification. Once these two are accepted, you can up then verify the email and phone number, which is done using a code sent to both of them.
Now all you have to do is wait to be verified. You can still deposit funds to the account but you cannot withdraw until your account is verified.
Conclusion
Plus500 has been around for a decade. Today, it has over 300,000 users from all over the world. They are properly regulated and the trading platform is easy to use. With over 2000 tradable instruments, it is the perfect platform for newbies entering the forex and CFDs trading world.