"We offer our clients direct access to interbank" - Konstantin Popov, IKON Group

- Hello. Please introduce yourself. How did it happen that you got acquainted with stock trading?

- Hello. My name is Konstantin Popov. I am a representative of the IKON Group. I became interested in the exchange market about 7 years ago, when I read in the magazine (in which magazine, I do not remember) an article about Warren Buffett. The fact that he started his business activity from reselling Coca-Cola bottles and then decided to try himself at the stock exchange and became a multimillionaire struck me very much. It was at that moment that I first thought about the opportunities offered by stock trading.

- Exchange trading is becoming more and more a part of our life - many people know about it or are holders of certain securities. In your opinion, why is speculation popular in Russia and the CIS countries now?

- It seems to me that the popularity of speculation increased when the economic situation in Russia and the CIS, as well as the general social situation in our countries, began to improve. People acquired the necessary knowledge in this field. A generation of people grew up that was more open to innovation. People ceased to treat everything with a maniacal suspicion, as it was after the collapse of MMM. The word "speculation" itself has ceased to be negative for them. Yes, of course, there are still people for whom the word "speculation" or "stock trading" evokes mistrust, but there are fewer and fewer of them. And vice versa, there are more and more people who have discovered stock trading and got an opportunity not only to earn good money, but to be financially independent from their employer.

- Which exchanges are of interest to you and why?

- I am primarily interested in the OTC markets, namely market . Despite the fact that the risks when trading on the market are higher than when trading on the exchange, it still has more advantages. Firstly, the market works 24 hours a day. Secondly, it is more liquid than exchange markets. And thirdly, commissions are lower and leverage is higher. In general, if you have enough knowledge and experience, the market is an attractive place to make a profit.

- What don't you like about the structure of exchange or OTC trading or would you like to change?

Once again I would like to emphasize the positive difference between OTC trading and exchange trading. The main advantage of OTC trading is the fact that it is conducted 24 hours a day, without night-time interruptions. It gives an opportunity to a trader trading on the OTC market to instantly react to any events that happened, for example, at night. The trader, trading on the exchange, in this situation will have to wait for its opening.

In addition, trader A wide range of trading products are offered by the same broker. If you want to trade gold, be my guest, currency, stocks, no problem. On the exchange market such a trader would have to trade with different brokers and on different exchanges.

- In your opinion, can anyone become a trader? 

- Anyone can become a trader. But in order to become not just a trader, but a successful trader, you must have the following traits: the ability to analyze and draw conclusions, patience, perseverance, the ability to learn from your mistakes and not to "make the same mistakes", and, of course, stress-resistance.

— What qualities should a trader have in order to become a professional?

- All of those I listed in the previous question. Plus I would probably add self-discipline, the ability to strictly adhere to the chosen strategy. And most importantly, all professional traders know how to stop in time. This skill is sometimes so lacking for beginners. But it, fortunately, comes with experience.

 — Many people consider trading on the exchange market to be either a frivolous business or a scam. What do you have to say about it?

- Those who consider trading "frivolous business", most likely, are newcomers to the exchanges, who tried it, indulged, lost the deposit and decided to end it with the words "Oh, no luck". I can advise them not to equate gambling with trading at the exchange market. Trading at the stock exchange is not a game of roulette, where you are either lucky or not. Trading - is a job. If there is experience, understanding, knowledge and patience, then there is also a stable serious income.

Well, those who think trading on the stock exchange is a deception, most likely they have encountered dishonest brokers, fly-by-night brokers or brokers trading against their client. I can advise them to choose a proven company by the recommendations of friends and relatives or on the basis of information from financial regulators of such a broker (a normal broker always provides information about its regulatory organizations).

— In your opinion, what is the most common mistake traders make?

- Quit trading after the first failure. This is true for beginners. Often they are attracted to work (let me stress once again, work, not play) on the OTC markets exactly until they fail. Having lost their first deposit, most traders refuse to work on the markets in the future and fall into that category of people who consider trading to be not a serious business. My advice is patience and patience again. Do not give up right away. Everyone, even professional traders, has slip-ups. What to say about beginners. A little experience and you'll do fine!

— Why should traders work with your company?

Firstly, we offer our clients direct access to the interbank market. With our ECN platforms, you can see the real prices in the market. We put each of your trades on the interbank and give you the ability to track market depth (meaning you not only see the best buy and sell prices, but the prices behind them, giving you a complete view of the market situation and the ability to make predictions). We do not trade against our clients and are not interested in losing their deposits.

Well, secondly, our numerous financial regulators (NFA, FMA, FSA, RAK, CFTC, DGCX and others) are a guarantee of safety of clients' money and our honesty towards them.

- Surely you have had some funny situations with clients during your work at the Dealing Center (Broker). Without mentioning any names, could you share one with us?

In general, we have a lot of "funny" clients. But the funniest situations happen most often with Indian clients, and specifically with Indian IBs. They top the list for "unprofessional and blatantly noticeable forgeries of documents and signatures". And the Indian guys are not ashamed of the very fact of "exposure" and gladly continue to send us the forged signatures of their clients.

- What advice would you give to newcomers to the exchange?

Do not neglect stop-losses, forget the high credit shouldersIn this way, you can turn trading into a hobby, a job that brings good profits, and you can do it all at the same time. Only that way you can turn trading from a hobby into a job that brings good profits.