The forex industry in Africa has been growing significantly. It has been estimated that the number of forex traders across the continent ranges from 1.3 to 1.8 million. This growing user base is comparable to those in other parts of the world.

Undoubtedly, the Forex market has always been an attractive place for traders and investors to start and it is due to not one but multiple factors like high liquidity, ease of entry, global nature, high volatility, access to demo accounts and high-profit potential.

But the question is what led to the popularity of the forex market in Africa and whether the forex market in Africa will continue to expand. Let’s find out the answer!

Reasons Behind the Rise of Forex Trading in Africa

1. Impact of Coronavirus: In 2020, Covid-19 took hold in the world, including Africa. As there were restrictions on movement, people were confined to their homes. Economies were shut, and there was job insecurity. That’s when people started to look for alternative ways to generate income, preferably from home. Amidst all this chaos, people started to gain interest in forex trading. The primary driving force was the heightened volatility in the markets due to the ongoing pandemic. Additionally, the war in Ukraine has only exacerbated the already volatile market which created a fertile breeding ground for those seeking to profit from the movements in the market, regardless of whether they are positive or negative.
2. Access to the Internet and Mobile Phones: The technological landscape of the African continent is rapidly evolving. Smartphones and tablets have become the go-to devices for communication, entertainment, and almost everything, including trading. The increasing accessibility of the internet has only further compounded this trend, with wireless technology enabling countries to rapidly expand their online infrastructure and increase the reach of the digital world. Brokers operating in this space have been quick to capitalise on these developments and have designed their trading platforms to be as mobile-friendly as possible. MT4 and MT5 are prime examples of how easy trading platforms are to use. You can easily place, monitor and exit trades on the move using the mobile version of these trading platforms.
3. Africa Can Benefit From Lesser-known Markets: The savvy traders know that being aware of the fundamentals like political climate in the country, economic health and infrastructure development can pay off big time as this can help them make the most out of the price movements. The best part of trading in the lesser-known pairs and currencies is that movements can be much more stark and pronounced, which makes it easier to time the market in many cases.
4. Better Financial Education: As the African continent hurtles towards an economically empowered future, there has been a remarkable increase in the financial literacy of its people. Various literacy initiatives and better schooling have played a pivotal role in this regard. There has also been an influx of talent from abroad, contributing a lot towards it. Forex platforms themselves have also played quite a critical role in educating traders by offering a wealth of resources that help them to learn the ropes of the market.

Future of Forex Trading in Africa

Africans, in general, are becoming more active in the forex markets due to the increasing rate of internet penetration and other factors, which indicates that we can expect the trend of forex trading to accelerate in the near future. However, there are people who think that the forex market in Africa has reached its saturation point.

In reality, the market still has massive potential for growth. Currently, the forex market is enjoying stability, which is seen as an excellent foundation for continued growth, but the changing regulatory controls may have an impact on future growth. But certainly, there’s a lot of room for growth in forex activities in Africa.

How New African Traders Can Start Forex Trading?

As we know, forex trading is a financial activity that involves the buying and selling of currencies with the intention of making a profit from fluctuations in currency rates. Therefore, you have to be strategic and know when to make your move and when to hold back. The basic idea is simple: you buy a currency when you expect its value to increase relative to another currency, and you sell it when you anticipate it will decline. The difference between the entry and exit prices determines the profit or loss of your trade.

So, let’s understand how you can start trading forex and what you will need before starting:

Learn About the Markets: Mastering the fundamentals of forex trading is essential to survive and consistently make profits in the market. There are two main approaches to trading, or we can say to speculate the direction of the market: technical analysis and fundamental analysis. Technical analysis involves using chart patterns, candlesticks, moving averages, and other technical tools to identify trading opportunities based on price movements. In contrast, fundamental analysis takes a longer-term approach and relies on macroeconomic indicators such as employment data, retail sales, and interest rates to identify potential trades. To get started with online Forex trading, it’s important that you understand these concepts thoroughly, as well as learn and practice risk management in trading.

Create a Trading Account: In order to place trades in the market, you have to create a trading account with a reliable broker, as only then will you be able to get access to the market. It is one of the most important decisions, and you must take it carefully, as choosing the right or wrong broker will make all the difference in your trading account. Make sure to check the broker’s regulations, terms and conditions, and other important features as you may not want to end up with a fraud company as this may risk your trading capital.

Find a Trading Strategy: The market has so many trading strategies. Scalping, Day Trading, Swing Trading and Position trading are just a few of them. Each strategy has different rules, and you must make sure that it completely suits your trading style because that’s the only way to get the maximum benefits from your trading strategy. In order to have a solid strategy, you must have accurate information of the trades you intend to enter into. For that, trading tools will be of great help, as they help find the right data you need to smartly enter a trade to make profits with a minimum amount of risk. For instance, if you have a day job, you should try scalping, as it demands a lot of time and concentration. Scalping is a short-term strategy where traders have to enter and exit trades within a time frame of a few minutes, which is hardly possible for a person who is busy with their full-time job. So, in this case, you may choose swing or position trading. Therefore, make sure that your strategy suits your trading style.

Choose a Trading Platform: Here comes another important decision. Trading platforms are equipped with charts, indicators and other trading tools that help you monitor and analyse the market. Therefore, you must find a trading platform that is user-friendly, intuitive and responsive. You should also check different order types and other necessary features to ensure that the platform offers everything that you will need during trading. But you should know that your broker should support the trading platform of your choice otherwise, you can’t connect your trading platform with your brokerage platform. Typically, MT4 and MT5 are the most preferred platforms that most traders and brokers love. So you can choose any based on your preference. Most beginners prefer to trade on MT4 due to its simple design and limited features, but you are free to choose any, given that you are comfortable trading on it.

Understand the Risks Involved: Forex trading is prone to numerous risks: market risk, operational risk, risk of ruin, leverage risk, liquidity risk, emotional risk and risk of financial loss. If you want to protect your account from these risks, you must fully understand what they mean and what measures you can take to prevent your account from these losses.

There has been a tremulous shift in Africa’s economic and financial landscape. Access to the internet, increased literacy rates, and political and social turmoil impact are crucial factors in driving this change. As more and more Africans started developing an interest in the forex market, they started investing their time in gaining a deeper understanding of this complex financial world. This has made Africans better equipped to make sound financial decisions and confidently navigate the markets. This development can be seen as a course towards Africans’ brighter and more prosperous future.

A prenuptial agreement, antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement (commonly referred to as a prenup), is a written contract entered into by a couple prior to marriage contraction or a civil union that enables them to select and control many of the legal rights they acquire upon marrying, and what happens when their marriage eventually ends by death or divorce.

However, it’s crucial that you establish the difference between a prenuptial and postnuptial agreement, whereas we have defined the former in the opening paragraph, the latter is similar to prenuptial agreements, except that they are entered into after a couple is married. When divorce is imminent, postnuptial agreements are referred to as separation agreements

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. This article will provide some basic information about prenups including how prenuptial agreements are entered into and by whom. In this article, you can also find out about the rights acquired and remedies available in case of separation by divorce or death.

Couples enter into a written prenuptial agreement to supersede many of the default marital laws that would otherwise apply in the event of divorce, such as the laws that govern the division of property, retirement benefits, savings, and the right to seek alimony (spousal support) with agreed-upon terms that provide certainty and clarify their marital rights.

This premarital agreement may also contain waivers of a surviving spouse’s right to claim in what is known as an elective share of the estate of the deceased spouse.

In some countries, including Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria, the prenuptial agreement not only provides for what happens in the event of a divorce or death but also protects some property during the marriage, for instance in case of bankruptcy.

WHO MAY NEED A PRENUP

Contrary to popular opinion countrywide and across Africa, prenups are not just for the rich. While prenups are often used to protect the assets of a wealthy fiancé, couples of more modest means are increasingly turning to them for their own purposes. Here we bring you some reasons why some people should consider contracting a prenup prior to marriage:

Pass separate property to children from prior marriages. A married couple with children from prior marriages may find it conducive to use a prenup to spell out what will happen to their property when they die so that they can pass on separate property to their children and still provide for each other, if necessary. Without a prenup, a surviving spouse might have the right to claim a large portion of the other spouse’s property, leaving much less for the kids.

Clarify financial rights. Couples with or without children, wealthy or not, may simply want to clarify their financial rights and responsibilities during marriage.

Avoid arguments in case of divorce. Or they may want to avoid potential arguments if they ever divorce, by specifying in advance how their property will be divided, and whether or not either spouse will receive alimony. (A few African countries won’t allow a spouse to give up the right to alimony, however, and, in most others, a waiver of alimony will be scrutinized heavily and won’t be enforced if the spouse who is giving up alimony didn’t have a lawyer.)

It’s important that we acknowledge that the law on prenups has not taken a clear shape.

We shall keep updating this article from time to time.

1. Be A Good Employer

As a good employer, you should set clear expectations for your employees. You should inform them what needs to be done, the deadlines, and where their work is shown once they are done with their responsibilities. Tracktime24 can help you to outline deadlines, tasks, and responsibilities. With these expectations, you should be able to set clear boundaries, demonstrate healthy leadership, and provide the best direction. You need to spell out rules, policies, regulations, and procedures. It’s easy enough to accomplish this by having a proper employee manual in place.

Also, you should try using personal touch and talk to your employees one on one or in a group. Set expectations that are consistent with all your employees. You should include everything including break times, clocking in early, and much more. For instance, is it okay to clock in early and leave early? Are there mandatory breaks? Will your employees’ wages be docked if they take too long with lunch? If you outline more issues and expectations, you will have fewer problems and have productive workers.

2. Help Your Employees Feel Valued

You need to be more encouraging to your employees and give them praise whenever appropriate. You should always thank them by doing a good job and show them that you value them. If something goes wrong or if one of your employees makes a mistake, you shouldn’t punish the person. Instead, you should talk to the person, teach them correct procedures and offer encouragement or further teaching whenever necessary. By punishing your employee, you will be making things worse because your employer is likely going to get angry and bitter. Actually, they might end up sabotaging their work to get back at the company.

If there are further errors after correction, you can evaluate the person to make sure they are a good fit for the job. Remember, as an employer, you have an excellent opportunity to make a difference in the lives of your employees. Take the time to smile at them, ask them about their family, ask about their problems or interests too. If you feel that someone is depressed, you can help them get the necessary therapy. Note that, employees with depression will have higher absenteeism rates, decreased performance and increased health problems.

3. Create A Productive Atmosphere

The physical layout of your office is important if you want to maximize productivity. You need to give your employees enough room to work, provide the right supplies/materials, and a pleasant and comfortable environment. You should have ergonomic equipment that motivates your workers positively to help them with the needs they require for their job. Don’t forget about ecotherapy since it is an important element in a productive environment.
Some of the most important factors to note about ecotherapy include:

• The environment should have live green plants. People will feel better about themselves, their jobs, and their duties when there is a connection to nature around them. Actually, workers who are near plants or windows will have higher job satisfaction, boss appreciation and coworker cooperation compared to those without. They are also happier. If you can’t have live plants, you can include murals or pictures of outdoor scenes.
• Make sure your employees are breathing in healthy air. A lot of buildings have indoor air pollution. You should have air purifiers and change your air filters regularly. Also, you should allow your employees to keep their windows open.
• Utilize real sunlight whenever possible. If there are no windows in the offices or workspaces, you should install full spectrum or light bulbs in all fixtures including the overhead fluorescent lights.
• Make sure there are healthy food choices in the break room or cafeteria. Healthy food allows people to think better. It also improves their mood and boosts their energy levels. You should have healthy food challenges at work to encourage people to eat better. Make sure your restaurant brings in healthy food occasionally for catered lunches.
• Allow your employees to personalize their workspace but within reason. Everyone should have a place they can call their own.

Finally, the workplace should be family-friendly. Allow your employees to take time off for their children’s school events. You should also allow them to stay home if their children are sick. They should also take their vacation days. If possible, you should offer child care on the premises or near it. Give your employees at least 13 weeks of maternity leave and paternity leave.

4. Get Everyone Involved

Make sure there is a clear and comprehensive employee manual. It should include procedures on how to handle various scenarios including family emergencies. Ask your employees for their ideas regarding the manual so they can feel like they belong to the company. Allow them to contribute their opinions and voice their concerns. Your company should be able to gain valuable information about products and concerns that will hurt the bottom line.

You should plan for special employee events where the family will be involved such as fairs, picnics, and workshops. If you create more sense of family in the workplace, your employees will become productive. Create a designated charity where people can donate money and time. That way, everyone can see the larger picture. Research shows that people feel better and their lives will improve when they volunteer. It will boost their overall performance too.

We live in a digitally advanced world where everything is within your reach. Gone are those days when you had to wait outside the bank or the ATM to get some cash.

Everything has gone digital! While there is an option of doing online banking, there are some new players on the field: neobanks.

Neobanks are digital-only fiscal services platforms, and they’re fairly new. And it’s not only US neobanks, but different nations have also embraced the new digital financial platform.

Wait a minute! You may be wondering how neo-banks make money. But let’s start with what neobank is.

Understanding the Concept of Neobank

A neo bank is a new variant of financial services. It’s an online-only bank for customers, so all the operations are carried forward digitally.

In traditional banking, you have physical branches, but neobanks are different. There is no physical branch, and all the focus is on improving user experience.

Neobanks operate online, but you must know they are mostly fintech companies and not actual banks.

How Does a Neobank Make Money?

A traditional bank has many ways to make money. They offer services like lending which gives them a chance to earn interest. The question is – how would neobankss make money? Although lending is not a form of revenue source, they can count on interchange fees, which specifically come from debit cards.

Let’s say a customer uses a debit card at a grocery store or swipes it at a hotel, there will be an interchange fee. This fee is the transaction cost that a merchant prays every time the customer uses the debit card.

Neobanks need to improve their transactional relationship with customers to increase their overall revenue. That’s the catch!

Why are Neobanks Garnering Attention?

Neobanks is garnering attention because they are offering online banking convenience. But these neobanks have a limited audience which may change shortly considering the concept is getting popular.

The modern and digital-only approach of neo-banks is gaining momentum and more people are getting interested in understanding the perks of neo-banks.

Four Compelling Reasons to Opt For Neobank

Since the concept is new to you, and you are interested to know whether or not neo-banks can help with gaining financial benefits, let us unravel the four reasons you must opt for the new-age banking.

#1 The UI is straightforward and quite friendly

It’s all about creating a convenient experience for the users. Opening the applications and websites aren’t a hassle.

#2 Opening an Account is Easy

Even though account opening in any traditional bank is simple. You just have to fill the application form and submit all the documents in the branch near you. Now, the thing about neobanks is that you can use your smartphone to open an account. It just takes a few simple steps to set up a US Neobanks account.

#3 Affordability is the Key

Since there are no physical bank branches, neobanks save all the overhead costs. There is no annual maintenance charge or any withdrawal fee. You save a lot of money and can utilize it elsewhere.

#4 It’s Ideal for MSMEs

The whole process of approval, disbursal procedure, and application seems a bit too overwhelming with a traditional bank. Fortunately, neobanks can be advantageous for micro, small, and medium enterprises.

Nowadays, everybody is looking for the opportunity to invest with different varieties of investment apps. And most importantly, investing doesn’t only save your money but brings your financial life back on track. With an investment app, you will have full control over your finances by keeping track of your spendings and returns.

That’s not all because you have different investment opportunities to invest your money in. For example, the GKFX platform provides investment opportunities through the trading of currencies. You can read the Vantage broker here for more information about their services!

The below investment apps are thoroughly evaluated based on their security and features. These apps might not be from popular investment brands, but they have made remarkable breakthroughs in providing unique investment opportunities to users. Whether you’re a professional or a beginner looking for an investment app, you can get started from the below lists that includes:

1. Invstr

Invstr is among the best investment apps for beginners with a series of education tools. Invstr brought real-life investing into its app with immense features that would benefit users. The app is specifically designed to enlighten investors and beginners about stocks. Unlike other investment apps, Invstr has engaging stock games that give users the opportunity to make money.

2. Wealthbase

Wealthbase is a new investment app with different varieties of stock games. It gives users the ability to have fun, while they make money. In this investment app, you can play engaging games with friends. And most importantly Wealthbase has a social media area where friends post information about stocks. Wealthbase can be accessed through web and mobile apps. You can also check Pepperstone Minimum Deposit for Minimum deposit requirements.

3. Wealthfront

Wealthfront is the best investment app for portfolio management. Wealthfront has different varieties of Robo-advisors that manage the account of investors at a flat fee. The Robo-advisors can manage different varieties of accounts such as taxable and IRA accounts. The fee they charge investors ranges from 0.25% to 0.95% annually. However, the minimum account balance is $500.

4. Acorns

Acorns bring users to the investment world with seamless features to broaden their experience. With Acorn you have the opportunity to start investing from a small amount. You can also link your credit and debit card to start investing. Their fee is charged monthly ranging from $1 to $5. They allow you to create different varieties of investment accounts. Apart from Acorns, you can also check forex brokers list, if you are looking for an investment or trading platform.

5. Betterment

Betterment is similar to Wealthfront where investor’s accounts are managed by a Robo-advisor. Betterment provides a professional set of managed portfolios using ETFs. They have the best socially investing services. Their management fee is 0.25% annually or a fixed fee of 25$ for any investment above $10,000 yearly. There’s no minimum balance for opening an account on Betterment.

6. Robinhood

Robinhood is an investment app that offers smooth trading services to investors. Its application interface is very engaging and detailed for a smooth trading experience. With the Robinhood apps, investors can trade stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrency for free without any hidden charges. Their minimum account balance required for opening an account remains $0.

7. Webull

Webull is very popular among other investment apps because of its low-cost trading. With Webull, investors can easily trade stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies. They charge low exchange fees but offer no commissions for stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto trading. Their minimum account balance remains $0.

8. Stockpile

Stockpile is an engaging app that allows users to buy fractional shares of business around the world. They offer investors the opportunity to buy low shares without charging any monthly fee. They provide different varieties of exceptional features to investors such as allowing investors to send gift cards to friends and families, which can be redeemed as stock.

Conclusion

Nowadays, everybody is looking for the opportunity to invest with different varieties of investment apps. And most importantly, investing doesn’t only save your money but brings your financial life back on track. Take a look at the best investment apps in May 2021 to start making money from investing.