Everyone in the finance industry must have heard about proprietary traders at one point or the other. A proprietary trader analyses stock market trends to decide how to trade a financial firm’s money to make a direct profit. Many cash-rich people or organizations hire them, grant them access to their capital, and then invest in stock price fluctuations and other investment choices.
Becoming a proprietary trader is challenging but can be easy with a bachelor’s degree in finance or business. This article explains the important things to consider before becoming a proprietary trader. Let’s find out more.
What is Proprietary Trading
You must understand proprietary trading to become a prop trader. Proprietary trading is a financial firm that invests for direct market profit rather than earning a commission by trading on behalf of clients. This is also known as “prop trading,” it can involve trading stocks, currencies, and other fruitful investments. Prop trading requires being familiar with the basics of forex trading.
Proprietary trades are almost always speculative, and most hire proprietary traders to trade for them. These “prop” traders use strategies like merger arbitrage, index arbitrage, volatility arbitrage, and other investments to maximize returns.
They have access to sophisticated software and pools of information to take advantage of the price difference to buy in the lower market and sell in the higher market to turn a profit for the firm or bank.
Things to Consider Before Becoming a Proprietary Trader
Before starting a career as a proprietary trader, there are some important things to consider. This will equip you to make an informed decision about starting a career in proprietary trading. Here are some factors to consider before becoming a prop trader:
1. Passion
This is a major issue to consider if you want to become a prop trader. If you don’t have passion for what you do, you will not put out your best. This also applies to being a proprietary trader. Your passion for trading should push you to devote countless hours daily to improve yourself by reading lots of trading news and books, watching different trading videos, and recording your progress in a trading journal.
2. Understanding The Pros And Cons Of Prop Trading
Before considering a career in proprietary trading, you must also consider your options in the career path you’re venturing into. A major advantage of prop trading is that it gives you lifestyle flexibility, although you must also abide by the firm’s rules and regulations. But your paycheck is determined by your ability to make profits with the funds given to you.
The “eat what you kill” model is a major disadvantage, which doesn’t go well with everyone. You must also make a capital deposit when you start.
3. Monthly Fee
Most proprietary firms charge their traders a monthly fee for trading with them. Since they allow other traders to use their capital, the monthly fee allows the firm to balance its risk. Some firms charge within the $100-$150 range per month, while others charge a one-time payment of $1000 and above.
4. Profit Split
Most new proprietary traders worry they aren’t getting a fair profit split percentage. Most trading firms sometimes offer their traders a 50-50 profit split percentage. Some other companies provide a high-profit split percentage of up to 75%. This is considered an excellent profit rate for managing a funded trading account.
5. Trading Fees
One of the factors to consider before becoming a prop trader is the trading fees and costs charged by the firm per day. This is an essential factor to consider for day traders who make at least 200 transactions per day. In many cases, the trader might win while trading and end the day with a loss due to the fees you must pay.
To solve this problem, ask the firm what the platform fee is and if there are any hidden fees or costs. The firm can also have a rebate trading program to make it easier.
6. Income
Some prop trading firms offer a stipulated monthly stipend that tends to be relatively low and can affect your agreement. In some cases, wages are provided to cover the basic costs of the trader and help them focus on trading.
A top trading firm must hire you and work traditionally to get a stable income in prop trading.
7. Credibility
Another thing to consider before becoming a proprietary trader is the kind of firm you want to enter. You must ensure that the firm has a good user review and reputation. You can visit the company’s website and social media pages to check its terms and conditions and trading agreement. This will help you get valuable insight into the company.
What’s Next?
Proprietary trading is speculative trading, and before you can enter the career path, you must consider many options to avoid disappointment in the long run. Open an account today to get started. Get funded with the coupon code “tradewithmac,” which gives you a 1% reduction on the one-time fee.
Pay the fee and pass the challenge, evaluation, and verification, and you can make 80% of the profits withdrawable weekly; so far, you don’t break any of the rules.