The forex market has scaled considerably since the Internet boom of the mid-90s, when the sector boasted an average daily trading volume of $1.2 trillion. This has since increased to more than $6.6 trillion, as the number of traders active in Europe alone has peaked at 1.5 million.

Certainly, a growing number of part-time and aspiring traders are now active in the forex market, with many of these novices aiming to scale their efforts and become experts over time.

But how do you make the successful transition from novice to expert in the market? Here are some key points to keep in mind.

Why Scale Up Your Trading Efforts?

If you’re like most novice traders in the UK, you’ll probably have started out by investing small amounts of capital in your spare time.

However, if you’re one of the 30% or so of forex traders who are able to generate a profit from your investments, you may choose to organically scale your efforts in line with increased returns and the accumulation of experience.

Certainly, transitioning from being a part to a full-time trader can be incredibly rewarding, as this becomes your primary source of income and one that isn’t bound by the hours that you work or your amount of starting capital.

This is thanks in part to the highly leveraged nature of forex trading, which enables investors to open and control disproportionately large positions with a small amount of capital.

How to Scale Up Your Trading Efforts

Once you’ve decided to scale your forex trading efforts, the next step is to consider the best ways to make this an actionable reality. We’ve outlined some of these below:

#1. Make Research a Key Watchword: If you intend to trade more frequently and with greater consistency, you’ll have to engage in thorough market research. You’ll certainly have to invest time into learning new techniques and methodologies, while utilising so-called “demo accounts” to hone experimental strategies in a simulated and risk-free market environment.

#2. Upgrade Your Trading Platform (Where Necessary): This leads us neatly to the importance of having the right trading platform, as you may need to upgrade to access superior analytics and enhanced profits. Certainly, more powerful platforms like the MetaTrader 4 offer access to enhanced analytical tools, while you can also seek out technical indicators that have been tailormade for the purpose of forex trading.

#3. Increase Your Trades and Investment Amount: Obviously, scaling your efforts will require an increased investment, which is why you should only ever look to trade more in line with growing profitability. Similarly, you can strive to scale your efforts in line with experience, so long as you continue to trade actively and maintain a regular order book that helps you to make the most of your starting capital.