Nadex review 2024: should you sign up?

Nadex is a retail-oriented exchange based in Chicago, Illinois, that offers refined derivative contracts on global markets. Despite its small team of approximately 50 employees, this compact financial firm delivers cutting-edge services, making it an exceptional exchange for binary options, call spreads, and knock-outs.

This firm stands out not just for its innovative services, but also for its secure operations, being registered under the respected authority, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Importantly, Nadex ensures the safety of its users’ funds by not commingling them for operational purposes.

Security and Regulatory Authorities

Users must pay attention to the security and regulators’ details of any exchange they decide to trade on. Not paying attention to these can jeopardize their trades and profitability.

So far, Nadex is a licensed user with just one regulatory authority: the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). The role of the Commission [CFTC] is to regulate the derivate market in the united states. In addition, Nadex conducts its business under the trade name, Crypto.com. The reason is Crypto.com purchased Nadex in 2022.

Crypto.com is a cryptocurrency exchange platform that allows users to buy and sell crypto assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin.

Crypto.com has a Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) license and Crypto.com users in the US are covered by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance worth $250,000 for account balances. However, I expected a wide range of licenses from reputable organizations like them.

Users’ funds aren’t used for Nadex operations; instead, Nadex holds them in segregated accounts, BMO Harris Bank and Fifth Third Bank. This gives more guarantee of the safety of funds. Regarding privacy policy, every user’s data is held securely and doesn’t share with third parties. There are documents published explaining in detail each of these.

The Notice segment on the site is a spot to keep up with new privacy and security updates, and it’s divided into five categories: Disciplinary, Exchange, Rulebook and Agreement, Pre-2008, FAQs, and Others. Each contains details with reviewing.

However, I didn’t appreciate and find it safe enough that Nadex is registered with a single regulatory authority. Brokers at levels like Nadex have licenses to multiple regulatory authorities to prove their commitment to serving them to the fullest.

How Does NADEX Work?

Nadex provides its services through online and mobile platforms. Nadex platforms link you directly to the Nadex exchange. I’ve used both platforms, so keep reading to learn from my experiences! Let me tell you what the Nadex trading platforms are:

Web Platform

Unlike other online trading services, Nadex seems to be getting it right. The most impressive thing about the web platform is its full-feature charts, technical indicators, and drawing tools.

Nadex desktop platform enables you to: Track, Manage, and Analyze markets in the best way possible. I also got free access to market data and unique ladder charts. It simplified my trading from charts, making my trading experience delightful.

NadexGO (mobile platform)

I tried the mobile app also, and it was a smooth experience overall. It synced with the desktop version but allowed me to keep up-to-date. Just like the desktop platform, it provides real-time access to the market.

While using the mobile platform, It felt like I was using a pocket-sized web version. The trading experience as good, and It works as expected for mobile trading apps.

Instruments And Assets

Four major markets are available on Nadex for anyone who signs up for its platform. You’ll have access to Forex, which indicates, commodity, and cryptocurrency. But, Nadex barely discusses its involvement in the crypto market. Let’s go over each of these contracts and their requirements.

Users of Nadex can trade 11 different currency pairs:

Forex

• EUR/USD
• USD/JPY
• USD/CHF
• AUD/USD
• GBP/USD
• EUR/GBP
• USD/CAD
• GBP/JPY
• AUD/JPY
• EUR/JPY
• USD/MXN

Nadex provides the following stock indices:

Indices

• Wall Street 30
• US 500
• US Tech 100
• US SmallCap 2000
• China 50
• FTSE 100
• Germany 30
• Japan 225

Nadex traders have access to commodity markets such as:

Commodities

• Crude oil
• Natural gas
• Precious metals such as gold and silver
• Maize

Cryptocurrency Market

Nadex doesn’t directly handle the cryptocurrency segment here on the website. Instead, users are directed to a page where you’re asked to download crypto.com. This can be tricky for those without knowledge of the relationship between Nadex and Crypto.com. A segment that briefly explains this would have done a lot of good.

Overall, the features promoted by Crypto.com are pretty important. It offers effective leverage, an option to hedge crypto, and built-in protection.

Recommend use Fusion Market, FXCC, Global Prime, and Forex Chief also, which support multiple cryptocurrencies.

The Crypto UpDown Options also allow you to trade crypto like the options market. There’s a well-detailed specification for what to expect from this contract, including tick value, minimum tick size, number of contracts, range, expiration, position limits, settlements, and trading hours.

So far, Bitcoin and Ethereum are the two assets promoted here, and the only difference in their specification is the range: $500 for Bitcoin and $250 for Ethereum. I’m sure a wide range of crypto assets will be supported with time.

Other forex brokers such as Fusion Markets, FXCC, Global Prime, and Forex Chief support multiple cryptocurrencies.

Trading Platform And Terminal

I found it very restrictive that Nadex does support external trading terminals such as Trading View, MetaTrader 4 and 5. This is, however, expected since Nadex is an exchange and not a broker.

If you want to trade, Nadex has a built-in feature for users to trade listed pair available on its platform available on desktop and mobile interfaces. Most Binary trading platforms take a similar approach.

You can check other brokers such as Fusion Market, FXCC, Global Prime, and Forex Chief that support more than one trading terminals including MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5).

The desktop option allows you to trade directly from your Nadex. And It’s fully operational on Windows, Linux, and Mac. To trade on the mobile platform Nadex Go for you. However, this is a web app rather than a true mobile application. This is a hindrance since web apps are only available on the home screen.

Also, you’ll get to trade all the available instruments across the different markets— stock indices, Forex, and Commodities. Having an in-house trading terminal isn’t a new thing to exchange; however, what’s uncommon is for the trading terminal not to be a part of the app. Retail trading might be difficult because of this.

Demo Account

There’s the option of a demo account on Nadex for novice traders who have little knowledge of the financial market or plan to practice some strategies across a range of markets. This is a very important implementation that a comprehensive trading platform should enable.

Before beginning to trade on Demo, you’re required to fill out a form requesting some details. This process is similar to creating a new account on Nadex.

A few jurisdictions and countries are allowed to register on the Demo platform, which is obvious from the supported phone number code. Just as a fully registered Nadex account, users can trade call spreads, knock-outs, and binary option contracts.

Nadex provides a $10,000 demo account and the demo account sign-up process is entirely digital and hassle-free. It is a free account for 30 days. These are the benefits I found when I tried their demo account:

• Chance to practice trading for free.
• Get ready for markets.
• Test their mobile trading software.
• Test trading methods.
• Specify risk management.
• Become a better trader.

Educational Resources and Training

Not all online trading services provide educational resources, but Nadex does, showing it’s a comprehensive trading platform. The educational and training section on Nadex was well created to fit the needs of their target audience— beginners and advanced traders.

This is an excellent strategy for retaining existing users and attracting new ones. One thing not to expect, though, is educational courses.

To identify the training section on the site, you’ll need to click on the three vertical lines at the top of the website once you search for the ‘learning’ option. This is where users will get all the details needed in different content formats, including text, images, and videos.

There are four sections under learning: Glossary, Overview, Blog, and Webinar. Let’s review each section to discover the hidden gems to find there.

Glossary

The Glossary section is straightforward, as you’ll have guessed. This section contains a list of related words arranged in alphabetical format.

Some of the terms you’ll find under this section are: “At-the-money” under A, under B you’ll find “Broker (commission, trading)’ and ‘Bullish and Bearish,’” under C there’s “current price (underlying market price, market price),” and E where you’ll find “‘Expiration (expiry, expiration time, expiration date)’ and ‘Expiration value (expiration price, expiration price calculation).’” The list goes on.

Overview

Under the overview section, Nadex focuses on educating users and non-users more about the company’s product. This segment is divided into three parts: Account Help, Getting Started, and Strategy. Each of these segments is subdivided with articles linked to them.

• Account Help: under account help, you’ll find My Account and My Funds. In My Accounts, some of the articles you’ll find include ‘How do I open a Nasdex account’ and ‘Can I try the Nasdex platform before opening an account?’ While under My Funds, you’ll find articles like ‘How do I deposit funds into my Nasdex account.’

• Getting Started: there are three segments here: Products, Markets, and Platform Tutorials, each containing links to articles.

• Strategy: This is subdivided into four parts: Trading Concepts, Fundamental Analysis, Technical Analysis, and Trading Strategies.

Blog And Webinar

The other two aspects under the Learning category are Blog—which is split into two parts; insights and updates, and Webinars—which has two features, Upcoming and Archive. It’s a combination of text and videos.

In addition to these, there are several indicators available on the exchange, which include Moving averages, Average true range (ATR), Moving average convergence/divergence (MACD), Relative strength index (RSI), and many more. Users can also use information on economic events to take trades. Not all binary trading platforms can boast of this.

Trading Fees

One thing about Nadex I appreciate is how detailed and transparent they’re with every exchange aspect. The trading fee is categorized by the contracts traded. Call spread and knock-out contracts have the same trading fee requirement, while the Binary option standout. Here is an image attached below that explains what it’s about:

On the aspect of transaction details depending on their types, it’s explicitly summarized:

• Returned deposit/Chargeback: $25
• Wire withdrawal: $25
• ACH withdrawal: Free
• Account setup: Free
• Deposits: Free
• Debit card withdrawal: Free

Here are some criteria that need to be noted when trading on Nadex too:

• You’re charged a fee once you open or close a trade.
• $1 is charged for every contract execution made.
• Trades can only be exited when the contract expires or take an opposite trade [of the running trade].
• $1 is charged on every lot for trades excited before expiration.
• There’s a settlement fee of $1 per contract for holding a contract until expiration, and it falls or settles in-the-money.
• There’s a settlement of $1 trading fee per contract for holding a contract until expiration, and it falls or settles in-the-money.

Looking for brokers with better fees? Consider Global Prime and Fusion Markets.

Deposit And Withdrawal On Nadex

Funding and withdrawal methods on any exchange or platform should be seamless and as smooth as possible. On Nadex, these methods are categorized based on the customers’ location; for US and Non-US citizens. A wide range of methods are also available, making it a good trading experience for users.

Deposit for US Residents

There are four methods here:

• Debit card: the fastest of all the methods. Users aren’t charged a fee for using a debit card.

• Paper Check: this is a common method, but this process takes up to 5 days before users receive funds.

• ACH Bank Transfer: like paper checks, using an automated clearing house requires a waiting period of 5 days before funds get deposited into your account. Several precautions are added to this under the funding segment of the site.

• Wire Transfer (Telegraphic Transfer): this is the following fastest funding method after the Debit card. It usually takes 24 hours to be processed.

Withdrawal for US Residents

There are three methods available in this category:

• Automated Clearing House (ACH): this process takes 3-5 working days to complete. Also, additional documents like proof of bank account ownership are needed.

• Wire Transfer (Telegraphic Transfer): customers are charged a fee of $25 to complete a withdrawal using this method. Also, there’s a specified time frame with additional details on how withdrawal requests are received and processed.

• Debit Card: this method is straightforward and has a shorter processing time.

Deposit for Non-US Residents

• Debit Card: As mentioned above, this is a swift method.
• International Bank Transfer (WIRE): allows you to deposit from your bank account into Nadex.

Withdrawal for Non-US Residents

There are two processes: debit cards and international bank Transfers (WIRE). For the methods mentioned here, the process is similar to that of the US residents.

Now, the best part of this withdrawal and deposit is a supporting video, a little over 3 minutes explaining how the process works. There are supporting articles to help. This is a thoughtful process uncommon to most exchanges and even brokers. 

Customer Support

The customer support segment looks pretty well designed. You can access the brand through two options: in-chat message with an expert and via the company’s official email. It’s important to note that customer support is only available 24/5.

I consider this fair since the trading hour on Nadex is 23 hours, five days a week, making it balanced. Although some exchanges offer 24/7 customer support.

You’ll find details on the company’s trading hours, the address, and the option to start trading via a demo account. On the far end of the page, you’ll find links to the company’s five social media accounts: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Starting an in-chat message on Nadex wasn’t the experience I was expecting. First, I had to fill out a form with my name—first and last— email address, mobile number, and the subject of the matter. After submitting this, I’m directed to a customer support agent who requested my account username and the subject of concern.

Here’s my problem, the friction was too much for me. It should be made seamless without repeating the process. If possible, the form should be scrapped.

Also, requesting my account username at the start isn’t the way to go. The reason is if I’m a first-time user who needs a faster route to find information on the site, I should be able to ask the customer support agent for what I need.

With this system of in-chat messages, I need to become an account owner before gaining access to it. Asides this, everything else checks the box for me.

All You Need To Know About Nadex?

Nadex, standing for The North American Derivatives Exchange, is a US-based exchange specializing in binary options, call spreads, and knock-outs. It offers trading across a variety of financial products and assets, such as Forex and cryptocurrencies, using its state-of-the-art technology.

Despite the advanced capabilities, the range of instruments available on Nadex remains relatively narrow, offering only 11 instruments for Forex currently. In 2022, the exchange was acquired by Crypto.com, a well-known cryptocurrency trading platform, in a bid to expand its trading options.

Nadex, formerly known as Hedgestreet, Inc., operates under the regulation of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Its new parent company, Crypto.com, holds registration with multiple authorities, including the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and insures customer funds via the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

For users, Nadex offers an interactive interface compatible with desktop (Mac, Linux, Windows) and mobile (iOS, Android) platforms, resulting in an excellent trading experience.

Although it offers extensive educational resources and training, it currently lacks dedicated courses on the nuances of Forex trading. Despite this, many traders express their preference for Nadex, citing the limited risk as a primary attraction.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• One of the best things about Nadex is the rich content and educational resources available on the trading platform for beginners and advanced.
• Nadex has one of the most interactive user interfaces and intuitive designs.
• The website is appropriately categorized, making information easy to discover.

Cons

• There isn’t a wide range of assets and instruments on the Nadex Exchange.
• It’s available not to all countries, limiting the number of users that can be acquired.
• It’s registered to one regulatory authority, the CTFC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
• There’s no clear explanation of the relationship between crypto.com and Nadex.
• Limited language supported.

Conclusion

Nadex is a platform I’ll recommend to those looking for a trustworthy binary trading platform with the goal of trading a handful of instruments. It has an interactive design and the trading experience is seamless. But I wouldn’t put all my eggs in one basket because of the number of licenses it holds.

Visit »

It is one of the best international brokers. Different types of assets, convenient and reliable platform, favorable trading conditions. Want to know more? Click here.

Discover top binary options brokers tailored to your region. Browse our curated lists by country:

All Brokers | Top Brokers | USA | Canada | UK | Australia | Nigeria | India | New Zealand | Germany | Turkey | Spain | France | Ukraine | China | Indonesia | Pakistan | Bangladesh | Russia | Mexico | Japan | Brazil | Philippines | Vietnam | Iran | South Africa | Italy | South Korea | Argentina