Quote from zf trader:
Well I can admit that I am not a profitable fx trader, however I am very profitable futures and futures options trader. What little currency trading I do involves trading margin cash back and forth between Canadian dollars and $US. I make profits in $US but live in Canada so this is necessary(although I make a few more trades than I have too).I trade with IB.
It just happened to me tonight that I had a buy offer in at 1.1922 and because the market tanked I got filled at 1.1911 (15:41) and it is now trading at 1.1925/1.1930. I really don't think that this would happen at FXMC. I looked at there demo and the spreads were terrible. The whole platform was jerky and awkward.
If you want to trade currencies the best choice is CME futures (I have yet to look a eurex futures so I reserve judgement). You next best bet is a forex broker with a ENC model where you can split the spread(I can say that IB is good, hotspot sounds good but I don't really know). With these options why would anyone trade with a pay the spread-super leverage free-bucket shop brokerage?

because of the 'super' leverage actually (also the relative lack of slippage and the relatively guaranteed fills up to 5-10-20million units depending on which pair, at most of those brokers), there are situations where it can be used to the trader's advantage... ;-)Quote from zf trader:
With these options why would anyone trade with a pay the spread-super leverage-commision free-bucket shop brokerage?
any inside info as to how much currently remains in refco seg futures accounts altogether? $1bio? $3bio? any whisper number?Quote from Apex Capital:
I repeat, to this day I have been able to trade my personal segregated futures account at REFCO on the REFCO PRO platform every single day, without problem.
Quote from 2cents:
any inside info as to how much currently remains in refco seg futures accounts altogether? $1bio? $3bio? any whisper number?
Quote from uninvited_guest:
TODAY WITH FXCM CEO
Question: What happens to Refco's FX customers if FXCM is outbid in the bankruptcy court?
Drew's answer: We set up the bidding in a way that customers will get their money no matter who wins.
Question: What would happen if the judge does not allow the sale to any parties? How will refcofx clients be made whole?
Drew's answer: although a federal court judge can do what ever he wants, a judge is unlikely to refuse our offer given that we are aying over $100 Million Dollars for it and the mission of the bankruptcy court is to auction off the assets of Refco and get as much money for them as possible.
Question: How long will it be before RefcoFX Clients get their money back? Do you think that you will lose more customers if you buy Refco?
Drew's answer: The process should take about 30 days and so by mid december or maybe by January 1st clients will get their money back. We are not in control as the bankruptcy court decides these things but we have been assured that its very likely to be in the time frame described above. We expect some Refco customers will leave once their money is available but we spoke to many who are staying for a long while.
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If this goes through I will be staying with FXCM.
no fx broker wants to admit it openly yet but they are pretty much all facing significant client / funds withdrawals as a result of the refco collapse... nobody's comfortable leaving more money than necessary on the account at this juncture... now, one way to restore confidence would be to offer some good measure of segregation to margin fx accounts, and to make it CLEAR in the fine print how exactly client monies are protected, how often they r shifted from seg. to non-seg accounts etc...Quote from uninvited_guest:
If this goes through I will be staying with FXCM.