Fixed Time Trading

Author - Jemma Grist
Author
Jemma Grist
Jemma is an investment writer located in the UK. She covers forex, stocks, and cryptocurrency markets, providing detailed research and in-depth analysis on different brokers and investment trends in the UK and further afield.
Editor - James Barra
Editor
James Barra
James is a UK-based writer and investor with consultancy experience at some of Britain's largest financial organisations. James authors, edits and fact-checks content for a row of investing websites.
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Updated
Jul 19, 2024

Fixed time trading (FTT) involves speculating whether the price of an asset will rise or fall over a period. You get a payout if your prediction is correct and lose your stake if you’re wrong.

It’s a straightforward short-term trading product, allowing you to trade a range of asset classes, from stocks and forex to commodities and cryptocurrencies without owning the underlying asset.

Note fixed time trading share similarities with binary options and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have expressed “concerns about the inherent risks of these products.”

Best Fixed Time Trading Brokers

These 10 trading platforms came out on top following tests by our British experts:
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    Pocket Option provides ultra-short-term contracts, starting from just 5 seconds, on an intuitive platform ideal for novice traders. Payout rates exceed 90%, comparable with competitors, and the 'Double Up' and 'Rollover' functions enable additional earning possibilities. On the downside, its range of over 130 assets is less extensive than that of brokers such as Quotex, which offer more than 400 options.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $50 92% 5 seconds - 4 hours
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    50% Deposit Bonus Yes Forex, Stocks, Crypto, Commodities
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    IQCent provides binary options featuring exceptional payouts up to 98%. The platform, albeit with basic analysis tools, accommodates various timeframes ranging from 1 minute to 1 month, supporting both short and long-term trading strategies. However, it is worth noting that stock binaries are unavailable.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $250 98% 5 seconds - 1 month
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    20% to 200% Deposit Bonus No CFD, Forex, Crypto, Commodities
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    Capitalcore has broadened its range of trading products by adding binary options for forex, metals, and cryptocurrencies, offering returns of up to 95%. Designed for short-term traders, contract durations vary from 1 minute to 1 hour. The user-friendly web platform makes trading simple; just click 'Call' if you predict a price increase or 'Put' for a decrease.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $10 95% 1 minute - 1 hour
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    - No CFD, Forex, Stocks, Crypto, Commodities
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    CloseOption provides binary options trading on over 30 fiat and digital currencies via a user-friendly online platform. With 15 contract durations ranging from 30 seconds to 1 month, it caters to both short-term and long-term traders. New users receive a welcome bonus.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $5 95% 30 seconds - 1 month
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    - No Forex, Crypto
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    Videforex provides binary options with competitive returns, offering 20% payouts on cryptocurrencies and up to 98% on more stable assets. This outperforms many rivals. Traders can choose contracts ranging from 5 seconds to 1 month. Additionally, new users benefit from a welcome deposit bonus.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $250 98% 5 seconds - 1 month
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    20% to 200% Deposit Bonus No CFD, Forex, Stocks, Crypto, Commodities
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    Engage in trading high-low binary options on currencies, metals, and cryptocurrencies, offering significant returns. Binary options provide a clear wager on the short-term movement of an asset.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $10 86% 1 minute - 48 hours
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    - Yes CFD, Forex, Stocks, Crypto, Commodities
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    RaceOption provides over 100 trading options with payouts reaching 95% and expiries starting from just 5 seconds. A minimum deposit of $250 allows clients to benefit from zero deposit fees, swift withdrawals, and an array of trading bonuses.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $250 95% 5 seconds - 30 days
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    20% - 200% Deposit Bonus No CFD, Forex, Stocks, Crypto, Commodities
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    AZAforex provides trading in binary options, featuring time-sensitive payouts that range from 30 seconds to 24 hours. More than 50 options are available, requiring a minimum investment of just $1, with potential returns of up to 90%.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $1 90 30 seconds - 1 day
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    - No CFD, Forex, Stocks, Crypto, Commodities
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    BinaryCent offers binary options trading across various markets via an intuitive in-house platform. With a minimum investment of just $0.10 per trade and potential returns of up to 95%, it caters to casual and low-capital traders, providing substantial profit opportunities.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $250 95% 5 seconds - 30 days
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    20% to 200% deposit bonus No CFD, Forex, Stocks, Crypto, Commodities
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    World Forex provides binary options requiring just a choice of stake, price movement, and contract duration. Returns can reach up to 100% on American agreements and 85% on European ones, with the latter also offering a partial refund for traders exiting early.

    Min Deposit Payout % Expiry Times
    $1 100% 1 minute - 7 days
    Bonus MetaTrader 4 Markets
    - Yes CFD, Forex, Stocks, Crypto, Commodities

Methodology

To find the best trading platforms, we:

  • Took our directory of 300 online brokers that accept UK investors
  • Pinpointed those with fixed time trading products on their platforms
  • Sorted them by their overall rating, combining key data points with our own observations

Choosing A Broker

There are several factors to consider when choosing a broker:

  • Trust – Given that you will struggle to find a UK-regulated broker with fixed time trading, it’s essential to consider the firm’s reputation and years in the industry. A trustworthy broker can help protect you from scams, which are unfortunately prevalent in the industry. Dukascopy, for example, is a reputable company, established in 1998 and regulated in the European Union.
  • Payouts – Payouts can vary depending on the broker, with up to 98% offered at brands like IQ Cent and Videforex. That said, payouts can vary depending on market conditions and asset class. Cryptos, for example, are highly volatile and typically have lower payouts. It’s also worth checking the minimum deposit since these can vary significantly, from just £5 at Pocket Option to £250 at IQCent.
  • Expiry Times – Consider whether you want to place trades over a short or longer horizon. Many brokers, such as CloseOption and Pocket Option offer ultra-short time frames, starting from just 5 to 30 seconds.
  • Platform – Look for a user-friendly, reliable platform with a range of tools for technical analysis. A demo account is the best way to test out the platform and practice strategies. Pocket Option, for example, offers an easily accessible demo mode with full access to the platform’s charting package.
Fixed time trading web platform at Pocket Option, showing GBP/USD chart and tools

Pocket Option – Web Platform

What Is Fixed Time Trading?

Fixed time trades are similar to binary options in that they allow you to predict whether an asset’s price will go up or down within a predetermined period.

Alongside the timeframe, potential profits and losses are also agreed upfront, based on two possible outcomes:

  • If your prediction is correct, you will win your stake back plus a payout.
  • If your prediction is incorrect, you will lose your stake.
You can see a fixed time trade in action below where I predicted the price of GBP/USD would decline over 5 minutes.

With a $100 stake, my trading platform offered me a 73% return for a correct prediction, which would give me $173 in total ($100 stake + $73 profit).

On this occasion, I was right and my balance was credited with my returns. If I had been incorrect, I would have lost $100.

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Jemma Grist
Author

Fixed time trade on GBP/USD on Pocket Option platform

Consider what news announcements or events may happen which could cause volatility. For example, you may want to consider fiscal updates from the Bank of England if you are speculating on GBP/USD.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) restricted the sale of binary options in 2019 due to the risks of trading such products and the ‘poor conduct of the firms selling them’.

While the FCA has not called out fixed time trading as part of the ban, given they share similar characteristics, the FCA may take a similar stance on these products.

British traders can still access FTT through overseas, weakly regulated firms, but this may mean forfeiting important safeguards.

Notably, you won’t have access to up to £85,000 protection through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) should your brokerage become insolvent.

Tutorial

To open a fixed time trade, there are three steps to follow:

  1. Choose an asset – Available markets vary by broker but typically include forex like GBP/USD, commodities like oil, stocks like British American Tobacco and indices like the FTSE 100.
  2. Set your parameters – Set your expiry time, typically between 5 seconds and several weeks. You will also need to decide how much to invest, bearing in mind that you can lose the whole value if your prediction is wrong.
  3. Make your prediction – Decide whether you think the price will go up or down when the trade expires and confirm your trade. At expiry, you will be notified of your potential profit or loss.

Bottom Line

Fixed time trading is a straightforward way to speculate on the financial markets. With fixed parameters, it’s a popular short-term trading strategy.

However, it’s not without risks. The FCA takes a dim view on these types of trading products and you could lose all the money you invest.

To get started, sign up with a top-rated fixed time trading broker.

FAQ

Which Is The Best Fixed Time Trading Broker?

Pocket Option is the highest-rated UK broker with fixed time trading.

It offers an intuitive and feature-rich trading platform with a free demo account, payouts up to 92%, and up to 250 financial assets spanning currencies, stocks, indices, commodities and cryptos.

Is Fixed Time Trading Safe?

Like all forms of online investing, fixed time trading is not safe. You can lose your investment if the trade doesn’t go your way.

It also shares similarities with binary options trading, which the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) have clamped down on in recent years.

Article Sources

FCA Bans Binary Options 2019 – Financial Conduct Authority