Business

Beginner’s guide to ECN brokers: what they are, how they work, and are they right for you?

Published

4 years ago

April 9, 2021

Choosing the right Forex broker is one of the crucial steps when starting your trading journey. No matter how much you invest in your education, how you monitor the fluctuations of the market, and how well you understand fundamental and technical analysis, at the end of the day, the platform you trade on will influence your bottom line. Whether it’s the spread or the commissions you pay, the Forex broker will, to a certain extent, determine how much you make from trading.

By default, most Forex brokers are STP brokers. STP stands for (Straight Through Processing), which means that they give you all the tools you need to trade and act as middlemen between the trader and the liquidity provider. STP brokers are the most common, and many people who do Forex trading don’t feel the need to replace them with something else. You can definitely grow your wealth by signing up for an STP broker, and if you are happy with your current broker, there is no need to change it just yet.

However, STP brokers do have their limitations, and there may come a time when the trader wishes to negotiate trading positions directly with liquidity providers, without a middleman. And that’s where ECN brokers come in.

What are ECN brokers?

Without getting too technical, an ECN broker gives traders direct access to liquidity providers so that they can negotiate their own prices. ECN stands for Electronic Communication Network – that’s the network they use to facilitate contact between the two parties, without getting in the way. Thanks to this direct contact, you get a series of benefits: you have more transparency, there are better trading conditions, price manipulation is limited, and you can even trade outside of normal hours. However, like most things in Forex trading, switching to an ECN network is a highly subjective choice. Before you say goodbye to your STP broker, you need to understand both the pros and cons of ECN brokers, if they can match your trading strategy, and, perhaps most importantly, how to choose an ECN broker that really stands by its promise.

Pros and cons of ECN brokers

Pros:

Trade outside normal market hours

Compared to standard brokers, ECN brokers are more flexible, and they allow you to trade outside the regular market hours.

More favorable prices

Usually, with ECN brokers, you have tighter bid-ask spreads, which means that you can execute trades at better prices than usually available. Plus, trades are executed immediately because there is no middle man.

Anonymity

Although not all traders want to be anonymous, some do – particularly the ones who prefer making larger transactions. ECN brokers can offer that.

The broker won’t trade against you.

No matter if you win or lose a trade, the ECN broker still gets their commission, so they have no conflict of interest to work against you. STP brokers, however, can work against the client’s best interest by manipulating prices. Plus, the ECN broker will also give you access to real-time price information as well as the pricing history, so it’s virtually impossible to be fooled.

Cons:

As beneficial as ECN brokers might be, they have their drawbacks, and these drawbacks will affect you if they don’t match your trading strategy. The most important con you should know about is that all the benefits of ECN brokers come at a cost – and a high one at that. ECN brokers ask for higher fees and commissions compared to regular brokers. These commissions are usually fixed, which can be a good thing, but if you execute a lot of traders, all of those fees can really add up and affect your profitability.

What’s more, the deposit requirements are higher for ECN brokers, and that can be really discouraging. Many traders argue that the ECN platforms aren’t too user-friendly, and it’s difficult to get accustomed to this type of trading, but it’s important to keep in mind that ECN brokers aren’t for beginners. If you’ve only traded for a couple of months and you’re still not very used to it, it’s normal for an ECN broker to look more complicated, which is why, when you’re starting out, it’s best to stick with STP brokers.

Keep this in mind when choosing an ECN broker.

ECN brokers offer favorable terms, but they’re not as easy to find. For example, there are few ECN brokers for US clients, which means that you’ll have to do more research to find one, perhaps even look offshore for options. That’s because the regulatory environment is stricter in the US, and brokers have to abide by harsh terms and conditions. Offshore brokers can offer better terms, even if they’re not regulated in the US.

They should, however, be regulated. The problem with unregulated ECN brokers is that they can be regular STP brokers trying to fool their clients. If you don’t do your research, it’s possible to open an account with what you believe is an ECN broker, only to discover that the trades are very slow and that there are many requotes. A requote happens when the broker is not able to execute the trade based on the price you entered. To avoid unpleasant surprises such as this one, the first thing to do is check whether the broker you chose is regulated. If they are, that means their services are legit and, if you try to scam you in any way, you can file a formal complaint, and your rights are protected by the law. If they’re not regulated, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re a scam, but you’re not protected in any way, and there is a chance you might be putting your money at risk. When in doubt, always check online reviews and comparisons. If a broker isn’t what they say they are, users will complain about it immediately, and you’ll avoid a potential scam.

Business

Scaling Strategies for Bootstrapped Founders: Why Smart Startup Entrepreneurs are Ditching Traditional Agencies for Leaner Growth Machines

Published

8 hours ago

September 4, 2025

Matthew Wiles

Today’s startups need to scale at top speed. Conventional methods for achieving business growth and revenue early are under fire. That’s why more and more savvy founders are abandoning the traditional marketing agency business model. They realize that the rules of the game have changed.

Leading this shift is Pablo Gerboles Parrilla, founder of Pabs Marketing. He’s a techpreneur and CEO whose unique perspective marries technological insight and marketing expertise.

For today’s founders, Gerboles believes the message is clear: cash flow and profitability don’t depend on VC funding. It’s time to ditch old-school agencies and turn to leaner, more flexible growth machines.

The age of scaling a bootstrapped startup: Why founders choose to scale without external funding or venture capital

“Startups are nothing like the established corporations traditional agencies are built to serve,” Gerboles says. “They need to be nimble and conserve their resources. The last things they need are bloated services with hidden fees and lengthy contracts. They need results, and they needed them yesterday.”

Traditional agencies position themselves as one-stop shops for marketing and growth, offering extensive teams and shiny presentations, but their campaigns come with a hefty price tag. Those structures work well for Fortune 500 companies needing big-budget omnichannel campaigns. For startups? They often translate to high retainers and little flexibility.

“If you’re a startup founder, wasting time and resources on presentations that don’t lead to actionable growth isn’t an option,” Gerboles explains. “You have to be data-driven and relentless in finding what works. Traditional agencies are just too slow and cumbersome to deliver.”

Successful bootstrapping can lead to sustainable growth: Lean growth machines for lean operations

Gerboles spent the last six years helping founders to scale their businesses quickly and sustainably. His background in technology and marketing enables these founders to break free from outdated agency models in favor of smarter alternatives. He combines lean growth machines built on systems and sophisticated AI-powered tools with the power of micro-agencies and niche contractors.

“Agility is everything,” Gerboles shares. “The best founders today aren’t looking for creativity for its own sake. They want to see scalable solutions.”

The foundation of Gerboles’s philosophy lies in automating human-driven processes through software. Whether automating lead generation and funnel tracking, optimizing campaigns for performance with AI, or streamlining day-to-day operational tasks, smart automation reduces costs and enables companies to scale faster.

Take marketing strategy, for example. Instead of handing over control to a traditional large-scale agency, modern founders can engage niche micro-agencies with expertise in specific domains like paid media, SEO, or influencer campaigns. These smaller, hyper-focused teams are far more nimble, deliver measurable ROI, and cost a fraction of the price.

“When you combine these micro-agencies with contractors and automation, you’ve bypassed a lot of unnecessary overhead,” Gerboles explains.

The importance of accountability, transparency, and results in scaling strategies for bootstrapped founders

For Gerboles, one major shortfall of traditional agencies is the lack of true accountability. “You don’t want vague creative promises or KPIs that could mean anything,” he says. “You want sharp goals and clear deliverables. Most of all, you want systems that let you track performance in real time. Nothing builds trust and drives results faster than data-driven accountability.”

The shift away from agencies is primarily driven by concerns over transparency and reliability. By leveraging smaller, specialized teams or AI-powered tools, startups can maintain a tighter grasp on their marketing and growth. When they find what works, they can iterate quickly based on live campaign data.

“Smart founders don’t have time to wait weeks for an update,” Gerboles quips. “When you build lean growth machines, you’re always connected to your performance metrics. You can pivot instantly. This model rewards consistency and strategic risk-taking.”

When Gerboles designs systems for startups, he emphasizes performance certainty. He eliminates guesswork and sticks to systems that work. It’s a philosophy that resonates with modern entrepreneurs who value clarity and efficiency above all else.

Scaling strategies for bootstrapped founders who don’t consider external funding: a blend of technology and micro-agencies

The evolution Gerboles champions is already well underway. The rise of AI, no-code platforms, and automation tools means startups can do more with less — and faster — than ever. Solutions like automated campaign optimization, predictive analytics, and content creation tools enable startups to scale their output without hiring a large team or committing to an agency’s payroll.

Meanwhile, on-demand contractors and micro-agencies provide laser-focused expertise on an as-needed basis. Whether it’s bringing in a TikTok ads expert for a short-term boost, hiring a conversion copywriter for a product launch, or testing AI-powered chatbots for lead management, lean growth machines are redefining the agility game.

“An expert contractor or a micro-agency specializing in your exact need will always be faster and better than the ‘generalist’ vibes you get from old-school agencies,” Gerboles notes. “Specialization and precision are the name of the game now.”

Founders who want to lead in the new era of business are increasingly following the path Pablo Gerboles lays out. They are choosing smarter systems, investing in the right tech stack, prioritizing accountability, and embracing speed at every level.

“Business isn’t a time to play safe,” Pablo says. “It’s about innovation and pushing edges within a clear strategy. Surround yourself with agile partners, hold processes to results, and find the tools that help you stay lean. That’s how you win in today’s game.”

Gerboles is a thoughtful entrepreneur committed to helping business leaders reinvent their approach to growth. From ideation to execution, his advice rings true: leave the bloated bureaucracy of yesterday’s agencies behind and build lean growth machines fueled by agility and results.