Detailed introduction to Deriv (Deriv.com)

1) Overview

• History / Brand: Deriv evolved from the well-known broker Binary.com in 2020 and has been operating since around 1999 — giving it over two decades of online trading experience.
• Positioning: A multi-asset broker serving millions of clients worldwide, offering diverse products and 24/7 trading on certain instruments.

2) Products & Markets

• Forex: Major, minor, and exotic currency pairs — leverage up to 1:1000 in certain jurisdictions.
• CFDs: Stocks, ETFs, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies — typically 200–250+ instruments available.
• Derived / Synthetic Indices: Proprietary volatility indices that run 24/7 and are not tied to real-world events — one of Deriv’s key unique selling points.
• Options, Multipliers & Binary-style contracts: Legacy from Binary.com, allowing small stakes, flexible contract durations, and multiple payout structures.

3) Platforms & Tools

• Deriv MT5: MetaTrader 5 with multiple account types — Standard, Zero-Spread, Swap-Free, Financial STP — supporting CFDs, synthetic indices, and expert advisor trading.
• Deriv Trader / Deriv X: Web and mobile platforms for manual trading, designed for ease of use.
• Deriv Bot: No-code automated trading tool to run strategies across available markets.

4) Accounts, Costs & Leverage

• Minimum deposit / stake: As low as around $5 (can be lower on certain products; stakes from $1).
• Spreads & commissions:
  • Zero-spread accounts: fixed commission, raw spread pricing.
  • Standard accounts: spreads from ~0.2–0.7 pips on EUR/USD in normal conditions.
• Leverage: Up to 1:1000 (varies by product and regulatory entity).
• Other fees: Overnight swap fees (except swap-free accounts, which may have admin fees), inactivity fees, and possible withdrawal charges depending on method.

5) Payments

• Supports credit/debit cards, e-wallets, bank wires, cryptocurrencies, and P2P transfers (Deriv P2P).
• In Southeast Asia, offers local payment solutions to deposit/withdraw in local currency (e.g., VND, THB).
• Many payment methods are processed instantly; bank wires may take longer.

6) Regulation & Safety

• Licenses: Operates under multiple entities regulated by the MFSA (Malta), BVI FSC, Vanuatu FSC, Labuan FSA (Malaysia), Mauritius FSC, and others.
• Client fund protection: Segregated accounts and negative balance protection on many account types (note: some MT5 Financial accounts may not have this protection).

7) Account Opening & Verification

• Steps:
  1. Register with an email address.
  2. Activate your account via email link.
  3. Deposit funds.
  4. Submit KYC (Proof of Identity + Proof of Address) if/when required for withdrawals or higher limits.
• KYC approval typically takes hours to a couple of days.

8) Pros & Cons

Pros

• Wide product range, including unique 24/7 synthetic indices.
• Multiple platforms (MT5 + proprietary) for all skill levels.
• Multi-jurisdiction licensing; segregated funds; negative balance protection.

Cons

• Some licenses are mid-tier (BVI, Vanuatu), offering different levels of investor protection.
• High leverage carries higher risk.
• Occasional user complaints about withdrawals and support (check recent reviews).

9) Key Recommendations

• Read carefully: Terms, account type details, spreads, and “Regulatory information” before depositing.
• Try demo first: Deriv offers a free demo account to practice.
• Risk management: With high leverage, always use stop-losses and position sizing discipline.