Learning Resources

Learn the fundamentals of the futures market, who uses futures how market professionals are regulated, and what to consider before getting started.

Futures markets allow commodity producers and users to hedge price risk. This allows them to conduct business with greater certainty and helps stabilize prices for consumers.

Learn the nuts and bolts of trading commodity futures and options contracts, and the intermediaries involved in the trading process.

Prices are available from a variety of sources, here’s a general rundown of how prices and volume are reported with explanations of key terms.

Look up specialized terms and phrases of the commodity futures, options and swaps markets.

They may damage crops or disrupt production, but well-known events do not necessarily increase the likelihood of making profits in commodity futures or options trades.

The schemes may change, but the common tactics fraudsters use stay the same. Learn how to spot them.

Check the registration and disciplinary history of your financial provider, and ask questions before you invest.

Many online binary option trading platforms operate in violation of the law. Some of these unregistered platforms have refused to credit customer accounts, denied fund reimbursement, committed identity theft, and manipulated their software to generate losing trades for customers.

The market for digital coins and tokens is still very young and there is no widely-accepted standard for placing a value on a particular coin or token. You need to ask about your rights, research what could affect the future value of a digital coin or token, and exercise caution.

Check out companies, understand the basics, be skeptical about claims of big returns and low risk, and don’t risk money you can’t afford to lose.

The CFTC and SEC have recently observed investment scams where fraudsters pose as “cryptocurrency” advisory trading businesses touting proprietary trading systems or mining farms.

Virtual currency is a digital representation of value that functions as a medium of exchange, a unit of account, or a store of value, but it does not have legal tender status. Learn more about the risks associated with this digital asset.

Be cautious of sales pitches touting “IRS approved” or “IRA approved” virtual currency retirement accounts. Virtual currency prices sometimes experience wild price swings. This volatility is not reduced or limited just because the virtual currencies are held in an IRA.

Pump-and-dump schemes occur in the largely unregulated cash market for virtual currencies and digital tokens, and typically on platforms that offer a wide array of coin pairings for traders to buy and sell. Learn the warning signs and how these schemes operate.

Use extra caution when considering trading advice, products or services touted on social media. It’s easy for fraudsters to create a profile that hides their true identity, or use multiple profiles to promote their schemes. Find out what to look for, and how to avoid getting lured into their frauds.

These websites commonly are operated in other countries with fake U.S. addresses. They also regularly feature unreasonable claims of “wins” or big returns, phony testimonials, and fake social media comments.

The number of binary option trading websites has increased significantly in recent years, and so have the number of fraud complaints related to them.

Mobile apps make finance more convenient, but some binary option trading apps may be linked to unregistered offshore platforms. Here’s what to watch for.

Not all educational seminars, web courses, or training software can deliver the A+ results they promise. Before you pay for classes or training materials, try out these free resources first.

The CFTC’s Reparations Program provides a forum to address complaints and resolve disputes between registered commodity futures trading professionals and their customers.

It’s perfectly normal for investors to test out new strategies. But be careful. There are seemingly “easy” or “low-cost” or “low-risk” offers popping up online that are actually frauds designed to drain money from investors’ accounts.

These frauds commonly involve individuals and firms that are often unregistered and advertise false claims of high profits and low risk.

Trading futures through a commodity pool may have some benefits, but make sure the pool and its operators are properly registered.

There has been a sharp rise in forex trading scams in recent years. Learn signs of potential fraud and the tactics fraudsters commonly use.