Trading 212 Review

Overview

Trading 212 is a broker that was established in Bulgaria back in 2005. After a while, in 2016, it entered the U.K. market. The broker operates as a trading app, and in 2017, it was one of the first brokers to give users zero-commission share trading. Trading 212 has more than 14,000,000 downloads, and since 2016, it has been ranked the #1 broker in the U.K., as well as the #1 broker in Germany since 2017. It is known to offer more than 1,800 assets, making it easier for any trader to get what they want from their trading experience.

Knowing the broker you trade with is important, and that is exactly why you have to learn more about Trading 212 before trading with them. You must learn more about their safety, products, leverage, licensing, education, and many other aspects. This is one way to ensure that the platform can give you a top-notch experience and that you will not deal with any issues. In this review, you will get all the information you need to be able to make a decision regarding Trading 212.

Who Is Trading 212 for?

Trading 212 is a broker that is suitable mainly for advanced traders. This is because it has lots of professional tools on its platform. It offers enough information for someone who has already traded in the past and knows how the process works. On top of that, there are a lot of instruments that advanced traders can choose from for portfolio diversification. They also have a proprietary platform, which is easier to operate by someone with more experience in the industry.

Then, the broker also has a few features that are great for beginner traders. There are several educational materials that can help them out a lot, as well as useful research. The minimum deposit is very low, offering more people a chance to trade, even if their income is not that high. It’s also very quick and easy to open an account.

Things We Like

While exploring what Trading 212 has to offer, we discovered many things that left a good impression on us. For example, we loved how great the trading platform is, and how many great tools it has. It just makes trading a more fun experience overall.

Then, we were also happy to see such a low minimum deposit. Considering that not everyone is ready to invest in trades from the get-go, it’s great to have the option to deposit smaller amounts. Real stocks and ETFs are also free of commission, and there is a wide product range, allowing everyone to pick the products they are interested in.

Moreover, we checked out the education section and were truly impressed by how amazing it is. It is packed with a lot of materials that have the potential to turn someone into a good trader.

Things We Don’t Like

Some things also disappointed us while researching Trading 212. For instance, while the product range is quite large, it is nowhere near as large as the ones you see on other platforms.

Also, the tutorial on their website is not that great, and barely teaches users anything of value. There are no mutual funds either, and the Forex fee is high. The customer service is not splendid either – you have no live chat to contact the staff and no phone support. As such, it will take longer for you to get a response from the team.

Safety and Regulation

Knowing how safe a platform is before you start using it is very important. Therefore, here are some details on the safety of Trading 212:

Who Is Trading 212?

Trading 212 is a broker that was founded in Bulgaria back in 2005 and later entered the U.K. market in 2016, doing so as a Forex trading app. The app is commonly ranked as the top one in the U.K. because there are more than 14 million downloads, as well as over 200,000 reviews.

It is available worldwide, and it has more than 600,000 users. Moreover, it features over 1,800 instruments for people to trade, as well as more than 150 currency pairs. To allow people to trade, Trading 212 has a proprietary platform.

Is Trading 212 Regulated?

The broker is regulated by the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission, as well as the Financial Conduct Authority.

Trading 212 Licenses

• Trading 212 Ltd. – authorized by FSC (Bulgaria) registration number RG-03-0237
• Trading 212 UK Ltd – authorized by FCA (UK) registration number 609146

Is Trading 212 Safe or a Scam?

Since Trading 212 is regulated, it is a legit platform and not a scam. Also, it is considered very reliable by most people who have tried it. Most clients belong to a top-tier financial authority. To make sure people are protected, Trading 212 also offers negative balance protection.

The downsides include the fact that there is no financial information available publicly, and the broker isn’t listed on the stock exchange. It doesn’t have a banking license either.

Countries It Accepts Clients from

Trading 212 accepts clients from countries like Russia, Germany, Poland, Mexico, Spain, Chile, Argentina, the U.K, Italy, and many others.

Awards

For the services it offers, Trading 212 gained a lot of recognition and received awards. It became one of the most popular trading apps, and it is considered the #1 trading and investing app in the U.K.

Range of Offerings and Products

Overall, Trading 212 focuses on Forex and CFDs, although it lets you trade ETFs and real stocks as well. Sadly, you cannot trade anything like mutual funds, options, or bonds. Their product selection includes 28 ETF CFDs, 1,700 stock CFDs, 184 currency pairs, 51 stock index CFDs and 45 commodity CFDs. Also, they have 200 ETFs and 7 stock markets.

Leverage Offered

The leverage offered by Trading 212 will vary depending on the asset you are choosing. For instance, the leverage for currency pairs and Forex instruments is up to 1:30, whereas commodity CFDs have up to 1:10. Meanwhile, CFDs on indices and stocks and others have leverage of up to 1:5.

Trading Platforms

Trading 212 has a proprietary platform offered to its users so they can perform trades. It includes a web and mobile app. When it comes to the web app, the cool thing is that you can use it from your browser. It is user-friendly and comes with a great search function. For more safety, it has a 2-step login as well. It is well-designed and you will just love the way it looks. Also, even if you don’t have a lot of trading experience, it will be very easy to use. The customizability is also great, allowing you to change the size and position of the tabs. You can set notifications and price alerts too.

Then, you get a mobile platform that is well-designed and user-friendly. You have the chance to set up price alerts and notifications and use an outstanding search function. It has a 2-step authentication too for more safety, as well as a touch ID login.

Unfortunately, Trading 212 does not have a desktop platform.

Account Types

Three account types are offered by Trading 212, respectively a CFD account, Invest account, and an ISA account.

Demo Account

A demo account is also available if you are not ready to start trading seriously. You will be able to test the features with no risk.

Deposits and Withdrawals

In order to make deposits, you will be able to use bank transfers, credit or debit cards, and e-wallets. There is no deposit fee. Sadly, in each country, there are very few base currencies.

What Is Trading 212 Minimum Deposit?

The minimum deposit with Trading 212 is $1 for CFD accounts and $10 for ISA or Invest accounts.

Withdrawals

You can simply use the same methods available for deposits to make withdrawals.

Trading 212 Promotions

Trading 212 allows people to use promo codes for specific benefits from time to time. You will have to keep an eye on them to find these promo codes.

Client Support and Education

In terms of education, Trading 212 offers a demo account, as well as educational videos and a trading platform tutorial. You even have access to educational articles, which is great. They are packed with a lot of useful information. Unfortunately, the trading platform tutorial is not that great, and you also get no webinars.

Verdict – Overall Rating

Trading 212 is relatively safe and has a lot of good things to offer, ranging from lots of good instruments to amazing educational resources and great mobile and web platforms. The downsides would be the lack of a desktop platform and phone and live chat support.

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.

Looking for more information on brokers and trading? Have a look at our trading guides:

• Best Forex Brokers for 2021
• Best Binary Options Brokers for 2021
• Best Online Stock Brokers for 2021
• Best Trading Apps for 2021

Review Sources

1. https://www.trading212.com/

Trading 212 is a global CFD and forex broker, but clients can also trade stocks and ETFs free of charge. The company was founded in 2004 and is now headquartered in London. Trading 212 is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bulgarian Financial Supervision Commission (FSC).

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