As with other types of trading options, forex trading also carries a certain level of risk. This level of risk may or may not bear well with an investor. The different risks involved may not be something that investors want to be faced with. So before any investor decides on taking part in the art of currency trading, he or she should take into consideration their experience level, monetary objectives, and their ability to distinguish and work with the risks involved. Here is a list of some of those risks that investors in forex markets may likely face with their different transactions and deals.
Credit risk
In currency trading, there is also a credit risk involved. An outstanding currency position made by an investor may not be paid off as agreed due to the intended or unintended actions made by the other party on the deal.
Dictatorship risk.
There is also another type of risk that investors in the worlds major currencies also have to deal with, which is not usually a problem with countries under a stable government. A dictatorship or sovereign risk may be experienced by investors that deal with currency crosses in countries that offer attractive deals but may have political tension. A dictatorship risk generally refers to the power of a country’s government to interfere with the forex trading and activity in their sovereignty. Investors in such currencies have to bear in mind such risks and always be prepared for possible administrative restrictions that may bring about possible losses.
Settlement risk
Investors trading in currencies may also have risks when it comes to settling deals. This can happen if the other party declares that there is not enough money available to seal the agreed payment. This may come as a result of the two parties being in different time zones and facing different prices for currencies at any one time.
Exchange rate risk
In currency trading, differences in exchange rates always pose a risk for investors. The variations in the currency rates are driven by worldwide market supply and demand. The price that investors see today may not be the same tomorrow. In this case, the sudden price changes may either bring a loss or profit to currency investors.
Interest rate risk
For investors taking part in forward currency trading, there might be instances that world interest rates may pose as a risk. Variations of currency rates might bring about maturity gaps and a transaction mismatch as a result of different interest rates in different time zones.