Risk Disclosure
Important risk disclosures for futures and forex trading. Please read carefully before trading.
The following statement is furnished pursuant to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) Regulation 1.55(c).This brief statement does not disclose all of the risks and other significant aspects of trading in futures, forex and options. In light of the risks, you should undertake such transactions only if you understand the nature of the contracts (and contractual relationships) into which you are entering and the extent of your exposure to risk. Trading in futures, forex and options is not suitable for many members of the public. You should carefully consider whether trading is appropriate for you in light of your experience, objectives, financial resources and other relevant circumstances.
The risk of loss in trading commodity futures contracts and foreign currency can be substantial. You should, therefore, carefully consider whether such trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances and financial resources. You should be aware of the following points:
You may sustain a total loss of the funds that you deposit with your broker to establish or maintain a position in the commodity futures market or foreign exchange market, and you may incur losses beyond these amounts. If the market moves against your position, you may be called upon by your broker to deposit a substantial amount of additional margin funds, on short notice, in order to maintain your position. If you do not provide the required funds within the time required by your broker, your position may be liquidated at a loss, and you will be liable for any resulting deficit in your account. The funds you deposit with a futures commission merchant for trading futures and forex positions are not protected by insurance in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the futures commission merchant, or in the event your funds are misappropriated. The funds you deposit with a futures commission merchant for trading futures or forex positions are not protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation even if the futures commission merchant is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker or dealer. The funds you deposit with a futures commission merchant are generally not guaranteed or insured by a derivatives clearing organization in the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of the futures commission merchant, or if the futures commission merchant is otherwise unable to refund your funds. Certain derivatives clearing organizations, however, may have programs that provide limited insurance to customers. You should inquire of your futures commission merchant whether your funds will be insured by a derivatives clearing organization and you should understand the benefits and limitations of such insurance programs. The funds you deposit with a futures commission merchant are not held by the futures commission merchant in a separate account for your individual benefit. Futures commission merchants commingle the funds received from customers in one or more accounts and you may be exposed to losses incurred by other customers if the futures commission merchant does not have sufficient capital to cover such other customers' trading losses. The funds you deposit with a futures commission merchant may be invested by the futures commission merchant in certain types of financial instruments that have been approved by the Commission for the purpose of such investments. Permitted investments are listed in Commission Regulation 1.25 and include: U.S. government securities; municipal securities; money market mutual funds; and certain corporate notes and bonds. The futures commission merchant may retain the interest and other earnings realized from its investment of customer funds. You should be familiar with the types of financial instruments that a futures commission merchant may invest customer funds in. Futures commission merchants are permitted to deposit customer funds with affiliated entities, such as affiliated banks, securities brokers or dealers, or foreign brokers. You should inquire as to whether your futures commission merchant deposits funds with affiliates and assess whether such deposits by the futures commission merchant with its affiliates increases the risks to your funds. You should consult your futures commission merchant concerning the nature of the protections available to safeguard funds or property deposited for your account. Under certain market conditions, you may find it difficult or impossible to liquidate a position. This can occur, for example, when the market reaches a daily price fluctuation limit ("limit move"). All futures, forex and options positions involve risk, and a "spread" position may not be less risky than an outright "long" or "short" position. The high degree of leverage (gearing) that is often obtainable in futures and forex trading because of the small margin requirements can work against you as well as for you. Leverage (gearing) can lead to large losses as well as gains. In addition to the risks noted in the paragraphs enumerated above, you should be familiar with the futures commission merchant you select to entrust your funds for trading futures positions. As of July 12, 2014, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission requires each futures commission merchant to make publicly available on its Web site firm specific disclosures and financial information to assist you with your assessment and selection of a futures commission merchant. Information regarding this futures commission merchant may be obtained by visiting the websites of the respective FCM partner of NinjaTrader Brokerage: NinjaTrader Clearing, LLC, Dorman Trading, and Phillip Capital. ALL OF THE POINTS NOTED ABOVE APPLY TO ALL FUTURES AND FOREX TRADING WHETHER FOREIGN OR DOMESTIC. IN ADDITION, IF YOU ARE CONTEMPLATING TRADING FOREIGN FUTURES OR OPTIONS CONTRACTS, YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL RISKS:
Foreign futures transactions involve executing and clearing trades on a foreign exchange. This is the case even if the foreign exchange is formally "linked" to a domestic exchange, whereby a trade executed on one exchange liquidates or establishes a position on the other exchange. No domestic organization regulates the activities of a foreign exchange, including the execution, delivery, and clearing of transactions on such an exchange, and no domestic regulator has the power to compel enforcement of the rules of the foreign exchange or the laws of the foreign country. Moreover, such laws or regulations will vary depending on the foreign country in which the transaction occurs. For these reasons, customers who trade on foreign exchanges may not be afforded certain of the protections which apply to domestic transactions, including the right to use domestic alternative dispute resolution procedures. In particular, funds received from customers to margin foreign futures transactions may not be provided the same protections as funds received to margin futures transactions on domestic exchanges. Before you trade, you should familiarize yourself with the foreign rules which will apply to your particular transaction. Finally, you should be aware that the price of any foreign futures or option contract and, therefore, the potential profit and loss resulting therefrom, may be affected by any fluctuation in the foreign exchange rate between the time the order is placed and the foreign futures contract is liquidated or the foreign option contract is liquidated or exercised. THIS BRIEF STATEMENT CANNOT, OF COURSE, DISCLOSE ALL THE RISKS AND OTHER ASPECTS OF THE COMMODITY AND FOREIGN CURRENCY MARKETS.
The purpose of this investor advisory is to remind investors that, just like any other speculative investment, trading futures on virtual currencies, including Bitcoin, have certain benefits and various risks. While futures on virtual currencies must be traded on regulated futures exchanges, trading these products involves a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors.
It is critical, therefore, for investors who are considering trading virtual currency futures to educate themselves about these products, understand their risks, and conduct due diligence before making investment decisions. Investor protection begins with investor education.
Conduct due diligence on any individuals and firms soliciting for an investment in futures on virtual currencies including Bitcoin by checking their Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registration status, NFA membership status, and background using NFA's BASIC system or calling NFA's Information Center at 800-621-3570. Virtual currencies including Bitcoin experience significant price volatility, and fluctuations in the underlying virtual currency's value between the time you place a trade for a virtual currency futures contract and the time you attempt to liquidate it will affect the value of your futures contract and the potential profit and losses related to it. Be very cautious and monitor any investment that you make. Be aware of sales pitches offering investment schemes that promise significant returns with little risk or that encourage you to "act now." If an investment sounds too good to be true (e.g., high returns, guaranteed to perform in a certain way), then it probably is. Virtual currency futures contracts are bought and sold using initial margin money that can enable you to hold a virtual currency futures contract valued more than your initial investment. This is referred to as leverage. If the price of the futures contract moves in an unfavorable direction, the leveraged nature of the futures investment can produce large losses in relation to your initial investment. In fact, even a small move against your position may result in a large loss, including the loss of your entire initial deposit, and you may be liable for additional losses. Be aware of the risk of Ponzi scheme operators and fraudsters seeking to capitalize on the current attention focused on virtual currencies, including Bitcoin. Outlined above are just some of the risks associated with trading futures on virtual currencies, including Bitcoin. Investors should consult the risk disclosures provided by their FCM and fully educate themselves on all of the associated risks before trading.
With CFTC oversight, each futures exchange listing a virtual currency futures contract is responsible for regulating its futures market. NFA performs market regulation services on behalf of certain futures exchanges and swap execution facilities. Please be aware, however, that just because futures on virtual currencies, including Bitcoin, must be traded on regulated futures exchanges does not mean that the underlying virtual currency markets are regulated in any manner, and as discussed above what occurs in a virtual currency's underlying market will impact the price of a virtual currency's futures contract
Investors with questions or concerns regarding trading futures on virtual currencies including Bitcoin should contact NFA's Information Center (312-781-1410 or 800-621-3570 or information@nfa.futures.org).
Important Notice
These risk disclosures are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute investment advice. Trading futures, forex, and virtual currencies involves substantial risk of loss and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not indicative of future results.