Picking a first broker: what did you check, and what should you have?

A first broker sets the tone for everything: costs, platform quality and — most importantly — whether your money is protected. The regulator matters more than the brand.

If you could redo your first broker choice:

• what would you check this time?
• did you know which regulator your broker answered to when you signed up?
• what surprised you after opening the account?

Start with how to check whether a forex broker is regulated, then compare the broker profiles on this site.