What Is The Spread Betting Demo Account?

Your spread betting trial account will give you access to a vast range of world spread betting markets, including shares, commodities, indices and Forex. You can choose up to £100,000  ‘imaginary’ funds with which to trade, free of risk and reward! This spread betting trial can give you the chance to test your trading strategy before risking cash. When you’re ready, you can trade world spread betting markets live, with real money. If you decide it’s not for you, no problem. You simply end the spread betting trial at no cost, and you’re not tied to anything.

World Spread Betting – Past, Present and Future

Derivatives like spread betting have been around for centuries. Babylonian farmers traded grain 3,800 years ago which they used to minimise their risk when there were bad harvests and other factors. They would do this by selling their grain at higher prices which meant minimising their losses due to lower stock. The concept of spreads was introduced in Japan in the 1600s for the redistribution of risk related to production and distribution of rice. The rice exchange became so important that songs were made up about them. Therefore, the most popular financial tools were not developed by professors or mathematics whizzes but by ordinary farmers almost four centuries ago.

Trading has come a very long way since then. Now £1.2 trillion is traded on the London Stock Exchange annually, 40% of which is derivative related. Around 10% comes from world spread betting contracts, which it is thought equates to around £120 billion per annum. The ‘spread’ refers to the difference between the buy and sell price, or bid and ask.

World spread betting contracts have become increasingly popular amongst finance professionals. Firstly, world spread betting contracts are tax free, unlike conventional shares or futures – no UK capital gains tax or stamp duty is currently payable on world spread betting contracts*. Secondly, you still receive dividends as with conventional shares. World spread betting is leveraged, meaning you don’t need a large amount of starting equity to trade. Finally, you have the ability to go short as well as long, meaning you can make money when your chosen market falls (providing, of course, that you make the right call!). World spread betting is easy to understand so it is ideal for anyone, from beginners to professionals. Of course, it may not be suitable for everyone, so please make sure you seek financial advice if necessary.

So what does the future hold for world spread betting traders? In the next few years, it looks as though the popularity of world spread betting may continue to grow. Platforms are a trader’s toolbox, so make sure you choose the right one. Test Accendo Markets’ trading platform today for access to world spread betting markets.