Highlow Review
30 Second Summary
Pros / Cons
- Extensive Asset List
- Flexible Trading Conditions
- High Payout ratios
- No offline desktop software – online access only
- Limitations on popular trading assets
Company Overview
In an industry that has been receiving a lot of bad press recently, it is refreshing to see a few companies have managed to rise above the furor in the binary options trading industry. Owned and managed by an Australian holding company called HighLow Markets Ltd, HighLow has become one of today’s leading binary options brokers.
With its corporate headquarters located in Sydney, Australia, HighLow is one of the few remaining binary options brokers that are still going strong. Since its inception in 2010, HighLow has been serving clients from all over the world. And over the years, the broker has earned a reputation of being a transparent and trustworthy broker. It is one of the handful of binary options brokers in the world that does not have a call center operation. In other words, this broker does not pursue aggressive marketing tactics for its products and services.
Is HighLow Best For Day Trading?
As a day trader, you are looking for a broker that can provide you with the ability to open and close trades within a short span of time. This is possible with binary options as the expiry time can be as short as 30 seconds. In other words, HighLow is a suitable broker for a day trader.
Safety and Regulation
As mentioned earlier, HighLow has earned a reputation among binary traders in the online trading community as being one of the few brokers that are trustworthy and transparent. While the bulk of the binary options brokers around the world have opted to shift their operations to a tax haven country in the Caribbean, HighLow has chosen to remain in Australia under the jurisdiction of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
ASIC is one of the few financial regulatory bodies in the world that is highly regarded in the financial industry as being strict, as well as professional. In other words, HighLow is able to offer its clients the peace of mind that their money will be safe with the broker.
Is HighLow Safe?
HighLow is a trusted and safe broker, owned and operated by HighLow Markets Pty Ltd, a financial services firm registered and regulated in Australia by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission under Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) number 364264. Their Australian Company Number (ACN) is 143 553 628 and their Australian Business Number (ABN) is 85143553628. It is important to note that HighLow only accepts clients from Australia due to ASIC regulations. Their subsidiary in the UK is, HighLow Markets Ltd., which provides “payment processing, market data, and financial commentaries”.
Accepted Countries
HighLow only accepts traders from Australia, Japan, China.
Trading Platforms
For access to the financial markets, HighLow has opted to adopt the white-labeled trading platform provided by Markets Pulse. While the trading platform does not have as many features as the popular SpotOption binary trading platform, it is well designed to suit the needs of traders who are just beginning to take up online trading.
The trading platform allows its users to trade the binary options market with 5 different types of options contracts namely High/Low options, High/Low spreads, Turbo options and Turbo spreads options. The main difference between the normal option contracts and the spreads options contracts is the fact that the expiry for the latter is extended to cover a range of prices rather than a single price level. As for turbo options and the High/Low options, the expiry time for the former is from 30 seconds to 5 minutes while the expiry time for the latter is on an intraday basis.
Mobile app
Apart from the web-based platform which is accessible through any web browser, High/Low has also ensured that traders who are unable to trade from their desktop trading terminal can also trade from their smartphones and mobile devices, by downloading a mobile trading app. Traders can also check out their account status and keep themselves updated with a live news feed that is streamed through the mobile trading platform. The mobile app is free can be downloaded from Google Playstore or Apple App Store.
Account Types Offered
In terms of trading accounts, HighLow has opted to depart from the binary options industry’s traditions of providing traders with a choice of several different types of trading accounts. As for traders who are unsure of whether to commit to signing up with HighLow, they can actually opt for the demo account first. The demo account is provided free of charge by HighLow and does not even require you to register.
What is the minimum deposit requirement to open a trading account with HighLow?
With HighLow, there is only one standard type of trading account which anyone can open by completing the registration form and making a minimum deposit of $50. For traders in Australia, a token sum of AUD$10 is required.
How long does it take to withdraw money from HighLow?
HighLow aims to execute every withdrawal request within 24 hours. However, in extreme cases, the withdrawal process can last up to 5 working days. Withdrawal requests at HighLow are processed on an intraday basis if the request is submitted before the 2 pm cutoff time.
Promotions and Contests
HighLow offers all new clients a cashback offer of $50 for getting an account registered and verified. Cashbacks are redeemed through trading. They are a reward issued to Traders at various times (including after initial deposit) and provide funds back into your trading account after your trade.
The broker also offers HighLow Points, a loyalty program that rewards Traders for trading. Each month, receive Cash-backs as you move up the HighLow Points tiers. The more volume you trade, the more HighLow Points you receive.
Assets and Products Offered
While the services at HighLow are exceptional, we noticed that they are a little lacking with regards to the list of available underlying assets. Their asset list is not as extensive as what most binary brokers are offering in the industry. Currently, HighLow has only 43 different types of assets. Nevertheless, the available assets are able to cover different asset classes such as currencies, commodities, and market indices. In late 2018, Highlow did begin to address some of these issues, adding a range of new assets, including UK and US Oil prices, and indices such as the CHN50, Nasdaq, and S&P.
Trade Options And Assets
The choices at HighLow do offer traders some good options. The list of assets is not as extensive as some rival firms, and this is surely something the brand will look to improve.
- High/Low – They had to offer these didn’t they? The standard binary trade – will the asset value finish higher or lower than the current price. Expiries range from 15 minutes up to ‘End of Day’ expiries.
- High/Low Spread – As above, but the difference is in the payout and strike price. Payouts on the ‘spread’ options are 100%. Traders, however, will need to make up the spread. So if the current market price on the UK100 is 7294.8 – traders might be presented with 7295.1 to go higher and 7294.5 to go lower. This extra margin is where the broker derives their profit – allowing them to offer 100% payouts.
- Turbo – Again, these follow the same process as a standard High / Low option. But Turbos are over very short time frames. So expiries of 30 seconds and 1,3 or 5 minutes.
- Turbo Spread – Short term expiry high/low options – but with a spread on the current market value and payouts of 100%
Customer Support
Customer support is another area in which HighLow is sorely lacking. At present, you can only contact their support team through email and the telephone. As for telephone support, the service is only available on weekdays from 09:00 to 04:00 (AEDT/AEST time).
Payment Methods
For the convenience of their traders, HighLow has provided support for a wide array of payment methods. Fund transfers can be made through bank wire transfers, credit cards, or e-wallets. All major credit cards such as VISA and Mastercard are supported. For eWallets, HighLow accepts transfers through Neteller, Poli, Sofort, PaysafeCard, GiroPay, and soporpay. Withdrawals can be done through the above-mentioned methods as well. But it should be noted that there is a minimum withdrawal amount of $50. The typical withdrawal processing time takes one day if the request is made before the 2 pm cutoff time.
Overall Verdict
HighLow is a licensed, reliable broker based in Sydney Australia. Regulated by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). They provide industry-leading payouts and offer a no deposit, no sign-up binary options demo account – ideal for developing a trading strategy, or beginners.
Since its inception in 2010, HighLow has been serving clients from all over the world. And over the years, the broker has earned a reputation of being a transparent and trustworthy broker. It is one of the handful of binary options brokers in the world that does not have a call center operation. In other words, this broker does not pursue aggressive marketing tactics for its products and services.
Methodology
All brokers listed on our website are regulated by at least one financial regulator and have never been reported as a scam. Our reviews and overall scores are based on the key areas above, in a combination with our opinion and commentary.
The reviews are shared and discussed with the brokers, but the authors of our website always have the final word. Furthermore, we always strive to keep the information on our website updated and relevant for our readers.
What helps us stand out is that we always test our brokers with an anonymous live account, to ensure we deliver the most accurate information and experience to our readers. Finally, our reviews and evaluation are always independent of any financial compensation we may receive from the brokers.
Risk Disclaimer
There is a very high degree of risk involved in trading securities.
With respect to margin-based foreign exchange trading, off-exchange derivatives, and cryptocurrencies, there is considerable exposure to risk, including but not limited to, leverage, creditworthiness, limited regulatory protection, and market volatility that may substantially affect the price or liquidity of a currency or related instrument. It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable, or that they will not result in losses. Learn more at Wikipedia.
All investments involve risks and are not suitable for every investor. The value of securities may fluctuate and as a result, clients may lose more than their original investment. The past performance of a security or financial product does not guarantee future results or returns. Keep in mind that while diversification may help spread risk it does not assure a profit, or protect against the loss, in a down market.
There is always the potential of losing money when you invest in securities or other financial products. Investors should consider their investment objectives and risks carefully before investing. More details here.
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Review Sources
- HighLow Website – https://en.highlow.net/
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