Proposed NFA Capital Requirement

IBFX Plays Chicken with FIFO Deadline

On July 31 the NFA’s FIFO order comes into effect. As of this moment the MT4 trading platform is not compliant with this rule and there is no guarantee that it will become compliant come the July deadline.

For firms that heavily rely on MT4 this is bad news. FXDD, which uses MT4 but are not regulated and therefore under no obligation to comply with NFA rules at present, are taking advantage of their unregulated status by telling NFA to get bent. As an unregulated firm they can do what they like (then again the whole issue of FXDD being unregulated is a serious red flag in and of itself. After all, the feds could basically raid the firm at anytime and shut them down overnight.)

But IBFX is (unfortunately for them) regulated solely by the NFA and their only trading platform at present is MT4. What is IBFX to do?

IBFX’s CEO seems confident and in “nothing to see here style” stated the following in an email to customers:

http://www.forexfactory.com/showpost.php?p=2837513&postcount=18

To our valued clients,

As you may know, the National Futures Association (NFA), has implemented new First-in, First-out (FIFO) requirements that will be in effect as of July 31, 2009. We at Interbank FX have been working hard on a solution and are confident that our traders will be able to use our MetaTrader 4 platform with little or no interruption. They will also continue to be able to use their MT4 expert advisors.

The NFA is striving to ensure the highest levels of integrity from all market participants and their intermediaries. We want to assure you that Interbank FX strives to be 100% compliant with the NFA.

We are currently working on some informational and instructional videos regarding the FIFO requirements and our solution, however most of you will be able to continue trading without any impact to your platform or strategies. In our effort to provide the best solution for your trading, you will be fully advised prior to any proposed changes.

We thank you for your continued support and wish you the best of luck with your trading.

Best regards,

Todd Crosland
and the Interbank FX Team

That all sounds reassuring, but what if something isn’t worked out by July 31st?

Meta Quotes is under no obligation to jump through hoops for IBFX and the NFA. And if Meta Quotes chooses not to (or is technically unable to) make any major changes to MT4 then IBFX is in big, big trouble as they will be stuck with a platform that is basically illegal.

Would IBFX close? Would they halt trading? Would the NFA and CFTC step in? Would IBFX be granted an extension by regulators? Can they get a UK license in time? Can they roll out a new trading platform in time?

Finally, how on earth did IBFX allow itself to be put in such a vulnerable position where their entire company is at the mercy of an independent third party based in Russia?

These should be mandatory questions that every current and potential customer of IBFX should be asking.
 
Quote from T-Bone Trader:

any updates on firm net capital?
yes, have you check the cftc site, it came out about 2 days ago, also you can sign up to get a email when it comes out :confused:
 
May Net Capital Report

The CFTC has just released their latest net capital figures. This is the current state of the U.S. retail fx industry:

http://www.cftc.gov/marketreports/financialdataforfcms/index.htm

Advanced Markets $20,722,000
Easy Forex $20,928,000
Ikkon Royal $21,247,000
MB Trading $21,360,000
Alpari $22,312,000
Forex Club $25,427,000
CMS Forex $29,788,000
Interbank FX $35,611,000
PFG $36,465,000
FX Solutions $48,262,000
FXCM $63,999,000
GFT Forex $79,368,000
Gain Capital $98,125,000
Oanda $159,062,000
 
Quote from forexsavior:

May Net Capital Report

The CFTC has just released their latest net capital figures. This is the current state of the U.S. retail fx industry:

http://www.cftc.gov/marketreports/financialdataforfcms/index.htm

Advanced Markets $20,722,000
Easy Forex $20,928,000
Ikkon Royal $21,247,000
MB Trading $21,360,000
Alpari $22,312,000
Forex Club $25,427,000
CMS Forex $29,788,000
Interbank FX $35,611,000
PFG $36,465,000
FX Solutions $48,262,000
FXCM $63,999,000
GFT Forex $79,368,000
Gain Capital $98,125,000
Oanda $159,062,000

You are missing mgforex and fxdd. Fxdd is not regulated but its a a huge portion of the worlds traders and mgforex is one of the firsts. Give them some credit, unlike previous regulated brokers, they kept their noses clean and MG might just come of out of the shadows. They had Fifo and didnt allow hedging before the NFA made it law. With even ground, MG might just become the next biggest fx broker in the US. I would watch out for them......
 
Quote from Aboushi:

You are missing mgforex and fxdd. Fxdd is not regulated but its a a huge portion of the worlds traders and mgforex is one of the firsts. Give them some credit, unlike previous regulated brokers, they kept their noses clean and MG might just come of out of the shadows. They had Fifo and didnt allow hedging before the NFA made it law. With even ground, MG might just become the next biggest fx broker in the US. I would watch out for them......

I forgot one more broker that offers FX in the US.....Interactive Brokers
 
Quote from Aboushi:

You are missing mgforex and fxdd. Fxdd is not regulated but its a a huge portion of the worlds traders and mgforex is one of the firsts. Give them some credit, unlike previous regulated brokers, they kept their noses clean and MG might just come of out of the shadows. They had Fifo and didnt allow hedging before the NFA made it law. With even ground, MG might just become the next biggest fx broker in the US. I would watch out for them......

MGForex says on the bottom of their website that they are NFA members (listed as MG Financial). They are listed as FCM since 2001. However, they show only ~5 mil net capital. How does that work anyways (thought firms offering FX must have 20mil by now).
 
Actually - thats wrong.

An FDM is classified as a firm thats primary business is Off-Exchange FX trading, as opposed to an FCM thats primary business is on-exchange traded products.

It has nothing to do with execution model of taking the opposite side of trades or not.
 
I started getting calls on my cellphone from this #:617-488-2200.
I never answered, didn't recognize it. But I searched it and came up with Summer StreetFX in Boston. A name related to that is Craig Karlis, inactive status on the NFA, but who may have been involved with one of the Swiss fx debacles.
Just a heads up...
 
The US is a 'kin joke - how many times is me old mucker Craig gonna set up shop? Thx for the heads up, it's a bit more fodder for my cannon.
 
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