Over the last three decades the foreign exchange market has become the world's largest financial market, with over $1.5 trillion USD traded daily. Forex is part of the bank-to-bank currency market known as the 24-hour Interbank market. The Interbank market literally follows the sun around the world, moving from major banking centers of the United States to Australia, New Zealand to the Far East, to Europe then back to the United States. Until recently, the forex market wasn't for the average trader or individual speculator. With the large minimum transaction sizes and often-stringent financial requirements, banks, hedge funds, major currency dealers and the occasional high net-worth individual speculator were the principal participants. These large traders were able to take advantage of the many benefits offered by the forex market vs. other markets, including fantastic liquidity and the strong trending nature of the world's primary currency exchange rates.     ADVANTAGES OF THE FOREX MARKET Forex is open 24 hours a day. Forex is the most liquid market in the world. 100-to-1 leverage reduces the need for large amounts of capital. Commission-free trading on more than 60 currencies. No restrictions on shorting which allows you to enjoy profit opportunities during any market condition. The Forex market is a continuous 24-hour endeavor form its open at 2pm Sunday afternoon New York time with the Sydney-Auckland market until its close at 5pm Friday in New York. FX trading follows the day around the world: Tokyo's open at 9pm follows Sydney, London begins at 2am and finally New York takes over at 8am. The seamless 24 hour nature of the FX market gives the trader the unique experience of reacting to news and worldwide developments instantaneously, participating in real time in the largest trading market in the world. Unlike the equity market, there is no restriction on short selling. Profit potential exists in the currency market regardless of whether a trader is long or short, or which way the market is moving. Since currency trading always involves buying one currency and selling another, there is no structural bias to the market. This means a trader has an equal potential to profit in a rising, or falling market. The large Forex dealers usually do not charge commission or transaction fees to trade spot currencies exchange online or over the phone. In the equity market traders must pay a spread and a commission. The over-the counter structure of the forex market eliminates exchange and clearing fees, which in turn lowers transaction costs. Costs are further reduced by the efficiencies created by a purely electronic market place that allows clients to deal directly with the market maker, eliminating both ticket costs and middlemen. Because the currency market offers round-the-clock liquidity, traders receive tight, competitive spreads both intra-day and night. Equity traders are more vulnerable to liquidity risk and typically receive wider dealing spreads, especially during after hours trading. Forex allows greater leverage than the equities, futures or options market. Forex traders can choose up to 100:1 leverage according to the NFA's margin regulation. Leverage is a double-edged sword. Without proper risk management this high degree of leverage can lead to large losses as well as gains. The spot Forex market is a $1.3 trillion daily market, making it the largest and most liquid market in the world. This market can absorb trading volume and transaction sizes that dwarf the capacity of any other market. If you compare this to the $30 billion per day futures market it becomes clear that the futures markets provide only limited liquidity. The market is always liquid, meaning positions can be liquidated and stop orders executed without slippage.