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Overseas Forex Trading Methods

A complete guide to all the fees required for overseas forex trading! We'll explain how to reduce various fees

/ / Author: MoneyChat Editorial Department
  • What kinds of fees are involved in overseas forex trading?
  • I want to know how much it will cost before the transaction

Many people are probably curious about the transaction fees involved in overseas forex trading

In FX trading, minimizing transaction fees from trade to withdrawal is key to maximizing profits

In this article,

  • Transaction fees for overseas forex trading
  • Tips for reducing unnecessary trading fees in overseas forex trading
  • Recommended overseas forex brokers with narrow spreads

We will introduce these and more

By reading this article, even beginners with no experience in overseas forex trading will be able to fully understand overseas forex trading fees

Furthermore, we recommend that those new to overseas forex trading read this complete guide for overseas forex trading beginners

Recommended overseas forex brokers with narrow spreads are explained in this article ↓

There are mainly six types of trading fees for overseas forex trading 

ups and downs of trading

This section explains the transaction fees involved in overseas forex trading

The transaction fees required for overseas forex trading are:

  1. Spread (effective cost)
  2. Deposit and withdrawal fees
  3. Account maintenance fee
  4. Transaction fees
  5. Fund transfer fees
  6. Account opening fee

These are the six points

First,let's look at the "spread," which is a particularly important part of trading fees.

① Spread (effective cost)

Trading screen

When it comes to trading fees for overseas forex brokers, the first thing you should check is the "spread."

The spread refers to the difference between the buying price and the selling price

In overseas forex trading, this spread is incurred as a transaction fee every time you make a trade

When using overseas forex brokers, the key is to choose a broker with narrow spreads

The size of the spread varies depending on the FX broker and currency pair

Therefore, when using overseas forex brokers, choosing a broker with the narrowest possible spread is key to efficient trading

The spread changes every second, widening and narrowing

For example, spreads tend to widen during the early morning hours in Japan

One reason why spreads fluctuate is the liquidity of trading volume

Currencies with low trading volume and low liquidity tend to have unstable prices, which is why spreads are more likely to widen

While spreads tend to widen at certain times of the day and season, you should still choose a broker with the narrowest spreads

Spread comparison list of the top 5 companies

Here, we compared the spreads for general-purpose accounts offered by five major overseas forex brokers

spread USD/JPY
AXIORY 1.41 pips
Tradeview 2.15 pips
XM Trading 1.6 pips
GEMFOREX 1.7 pips
BigBoss 1.6 pips

*Please note that the spread fluctuates, so consider this as a reference value

As you can see from this table,the spread varies depending on the broker.

Also, spreads can vary depending on the account type, even with the same broker, so be sure to check before opening an account

② Deposit and withdrawal fees

The second type of fee required for overseas forex trading is the "deposit and withdrawal fee."

Overseas forex brokers offer numerous deposit and withdrawal methods, so the fees can vary significantly depending on the method used

Furthermore, overseas forex brokers often have a rule that "the deposit method and withdrawal method must be the same," so be especially careful when choosing your deposit method

③ Account maintenance fee

People who trade FX

Account maintenance fees are fees charged when an account is not used for an extended period of time

For example, with GEMFOREX, if you leave your account inactive for more than 90 days, a monthly account maintenance fee of 1,500 yen will be charged

In the case of "XM Trading," if there are no deposits, withdrawals, or trades for 90 days, $5 will be deducted from the account balance each month. If the account balance becomes 0 yen and 90 days pass, the account will be frozen

As you can see,account maintenance fee rules vary from one FX broker to another, so be sure to check them before opening an account.

④ Transaction fees

Overseas forex tradinggenerally employs the NDD (No Dealing Desk) method, which allows trading directly with the market without going through a forex broker.

In the NDD (No Dealing Desk) system, traders pay two things when making a trade: a spread and a transaction fee

In overseas forex trading, while basic accounts generally offer commission-free trading and low spreads, ECN accounts almost always require a trading fee per lot

The difference between spreads and fees is..

Since the spread is an actual cost incurred with each trade, traders can basically think of the spread as a commission

However,since the spread is reflected in the profit or loss of a trade, it's a little different from the typical "fee."

For example, if the USD/JPY spread is 0.1 sen and you place a buy order for 1,000 units of currency, you will start the trade with a loss of -1 yen (0.001 yen x 1,000 units of currency)

If the exchange rate rises to 1 sen, you will gain 10 yen (0.01 x 1,000 units of currency), so the profit/loss will be 9 yen (-1 yen + 10 yen), resulting in a profit

For recommended brokers with low spreads, please check our spread comparison ranking of recommended overseas forex brokers

⑤ Fund transfer fee

Trading fund transfers

Fund transfer fees are fees incurred when transferring funds from one account to another

The reason a transfer fee is charged is because the exchange rate and spread affect the currency when the money is converted to the recipient's account currency

"bitwallet" is a commonly used service for transferring funds between FX brokers

With bitwallet, you can transfer funds between compatible overseas forex brokers free of charge

If you have multiple FX broker accounts and frequently transfer funds between them, you might want to consider using this service

⑥ Account opening fee

With overseas forex trading, there are generally no account opening fees

On the contrary, some FX brokersoffer an "account opening bonus" that you can receive upon opening a new account, allowing you to start trading immediately even with zero capital.

While account opening bonuses are generally not convertible to cash, receiving them allows you to start trading forex overseas more advantageously

If you're a little hesitant about taking on risk in trading, why not take advantage of the account opening bonus and start trading FX risk-free?

Three key points to reduce unnecessary trading fees in overseas forex trading 

A woman counting money

Here are three tips to reduce unnecessary fees when trading forex overseas

  1. Choose a time slot with the narrowest possible spread
  2. Avoid vendors who are prone to slippage
  3. Beginners should not use hedging strategies

To minimize trading fees when using overseas forex brokers, be sure to check the terms carefully

① Choose a time slot with the narrowest possible spread

Since spreads tend to fluctuate depending on the time of day, choosing the right time to trade is also important for reducing transaction fees

Generally, spreads tend to narrow during the period from the London market in the evening to the New York market late at night, as trading volume increases

Conversely, be aware that in the early morning hours in Japan, there are fewer traders, and spreads tend to widen

② Avoid vendors who are prone to slippage

"Slippage" refers to the difference between the rate at which an order was placed and the rate at which the trade was executed

For example, if you place an order when the USD/JPY rate is 130.05, but it is actually executed at 130.00, a slippage of 0.5 pips will have occurred

While slippage due to the time lag between order information reaching the FX broker's server is unavoidable,be wary of FX brokers that frequently experience large amounts of slippage.

③ Do not use hedging strategies when you are a beginner

"Hedging" refers to simultaneously holding both a buy position and a sell position in the same currency

Hedging has advantages such as risk hedging and reducing unrealized losses

However, since hedging doubles the spread and transaction fees, FX brokers do not recommend it for beginners who are not familiar with trading

Take advantage of deposit bonuses and loss compensation bonuses

Some overseas forex brokers offer bonuses for opening a new account, deposit bonuses, and loss compensation bonuses

By using these bonuses to offset the fees incurred in FX trading, you can trade FX under more favorable conditions

For example, with a "loss compensation bonus," there are cases where the FX broker compensates the trader for the losses incurred

Loss compensation bonuses are mainly,

  • When switching FX brokers, what kind of bonus do other companies offer to compensate for unrealized losses?
  • The negative balance at the time of a stop-loss order is covered (zero-cut system)
  • Losses from the start of trading up to a specified number of times will be compensated

There are three types, including these

Since the bonus period and details vary depending on the FX broker, be sure to check the official website for more information

Q&A regarding overseas forex trading fees 

Q&A

We have compiled frequently asked questions regarding overseas forex trading fees

  • Which overseas forex brokers offer the narrowest spreads?
  • Why are the spreads wider for overseas forex brokers than for domestic forex brokers?
  • Are transaction fees considered business expenses?
  • Is there a fee for using the stop-loss order?

Let's check the items that interest you

Q. Which overseas forex brokers offer the narrowest spreads?

AXIORY Official Website

Source:AXIORY official website

Recommended overseas forex brokers with narrow spreads are "AXIORY" and "Land-FX".

AXIORY is an FX broker that allows scalping without restrictions and maintains high execution speed

This broker is recommended for those who want to steadily accumulate profits through scalping

Land-FX Official Website

Source:Land-FX official website

Land-FX is a popular overseas forex broker known for its narrow spreads and high execution speed

With some of the highest spreads in the industry and very fast execution speeds, this broker is recommended for those who want to minimize trading fees in overseas forex trading

Q. Why are the spreads wider for overseas forex brokers than for domestic forex brokers?

The main reasons why overseas forex trading has wider spreads than domestic forex trading are "the funds used to cover the zero-cut system" and "the higher bonuses and leverage offered."

Overseas forex trading has a system called "zero cut," which means that even if your account balance goes negative, you will not be required to make additional margin calls

In this case, the overseas forex broker will cover the negative balance in your account

Because this additional capital is needed, overseas forex trading has wider spreads compared to domestic forex trading

Furthermore, overseas forex brokers offer a wide range of bonuses, providing many opportunities to receive margin that can be used in your account

Furthermore, because some brokers offer leverage of up to 1000 times, the spreads are wider

Q. Are transaction fees considered expenses?

In FX trading, transaction fees can generally be fully deducted as expenses

However, since the spread is reflected in the profit and loss, declaring it as an expense would result in double expense reporting

For these reasons, please note that spreads are not recognized as business expenses

Q. Is there a fee for stop-loss orders?

Generally, there are no fees for stop-loss orders

However, some FX brokers charge fees, so be sure to check their official website beforehand

summary

This article introduced some tips for reducing fees in overseas forex trading

Let's review the important points

  • When using overseas forex brokers, the key is to choose a broker with narrow spreads
  • Choose a time slot with the narrowest possible spread
  • Avoid vendors who are prone to slippage
  • Beginners should not use hedging strategies
  • Actively utilize deposit bonuses and loss compensation bonuses

In overseas forex trading, it's crucial to minimize transaction fees

The main fee for overseas forex trading, the "spread," fluctuates depending on the time of day, so we recommend that beginners trade during times when the spread is narrow

Additionally, recommended overseas forex brokers with narrow spreads are "AXIORY" and "Land-FX".

The two companies I introduced this time not only have narrow spreads but are also highly reliable, so please give them a try

MoneyChat Editorial Department

The person who wrote this article

MoneyChat Editorial Department

The Money Charger editorial team is the official editorial team of Money Charger, which has a cumulative cashback payment record of over 20 billion yen. Based on primary information obtained through direct partnerships with more than 25 overseas FX brokers, we provide information that helps users reduce their trading costs

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