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CFD trading education

347 guides · Written and reviewed by the Laverlane team

Every guide we have published about CFD trading, organised into eight categories.

Start where you are: learning what a CFD actually is, working out what a position really costs once spread, commission, swap and slippage are added up, sizing it so one bad week does not end the account, or choosing between order types when you are already trading.

56 guides

CFD Fundamentals

What a CFD is, how a position is priced, and the vocabulary the rest of the site assumes you already have. Start here if you have never placed a trade.

View all CFD Fundamentals →

17 guides

Leverage & Margin

What the deposit does, what the ratio does, and where a margin call comes from. This is the mechanic that decides how quickly an account can go wrong.

View all Leverage & Margin →
what is notional value

What Is Notional Value in Trading?

Learn what notional value means in trading, how it differs from margin, and why total exposure dictates your real risk.

Updated

13 guides

Trading Costs

Spread, commission, overnight swap and slippage, priced as one number rather than four. This is the lens the whole site is built on.

View all Trading Costs →

23 guides

Risk & Risk Management

Position sizing, stops, drawdown and the behaviour around them. Most retail accounts lose money, and this is the category that deals with why.

View all Risk & Risk Management →
Equity Curve in Trading

What Is an Equity Curve in Trading?

Learn how an equity curve tracks real-time account value, floating P/L, and drawdowns in leveraged trading. Read the full guide.

Updated

26 guides

Orders & Execution

Which order to send, what it promises, and what it does not. Execution is where the cost you modelled becomes the cost you actually paid.

View all Orders & Execution →

10 guides

Platforms & Tools

Terminals, charting and automation, judged on what they cost you in practice rather than on the feature list. The smallest category on the site.

View all Platforms & Tools →
A computer interface displaying a trading strategy simulation using historical market logs to analyze equity performance metrics.

What Is Backtesting in Trading?

Learn how backtesting uses historical data to evaluate trading strategies, and why structural platform fees can warp the math. Read the full guide.

Updated

What Is Algorithmic Trading?

What Is Algorithmic Trading?

Learn what algorithmic trading is and why automating your strategy rapidly compounds CFD trading costs. Read the full guide.

Updated

65 guides

Asset Classes

Forex, indices, commodities, shares and crypto as CFDs. The same mechanic each time, with very different costs, sessions and gap risk.

View all Asset Classes →

137 guides

Strategy & Trading Styles

Scalping, day trading and swing trading as concepts, plus the patterns and indicators traders build them from, each one costed honestly. The largest category on the site.

View all Strategy & Trading Styles →
Chart displaying a moving average crossover indicator

Moving Average Crossover: How Lag and Whipsaws Impact Trades

Understand how a moving average crossover strategy works, why indicator lag causes whipsaws, and how to manage risk. Read the full guide.Understand how a moving average crossover strategy works, why indicator lag causes whipsaws, and how to manage risk. Read the full guide.

Updated

See what CFD trading really costs.

Our True Trading Cost approach looks beyond headline spreads to commissions, overnight financing and other costs that can affect the total cost of a trade. Every broker is reviewed against the same published criteria, so you can compare them on the same basis.

Browse Broker Reviews →

General CFD risk warning

CFDs are complex leveraged products and carry a high risk of rapid losses. They do not give you ownership of the underlying asset. Depending on your jurisdiction, broker entity and client classification, protections such as leverage limits and negative-balance protection may differ or may not apply. Where negative-balance protection is not provided, losses may exceed the funds you deposit. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford the high risk of losing your money.

Disclaimer

This page is provided for general information only. Nothing on this page constitutes investment, tax or trading advice, or a recommendation to open an account or trade with a particular broker. Laverlane does not provide personalised investment advice. We are not a broker or financial institution, we do not arrange or execute trades, and we do not hold client funds.

Educational examples use illustrative figures. They are not quotes, offers or predictions, and they do not reflect the pricing of any particular broker.

Our research may be compiled with AI assistance and is checked by our editorial team against available sources before publication.

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