Charts are used by both technical and fundamental analysts.

The market makers are able to offer high amounts of leverage. While up to 4:1 leverage is available in equities and 20:1 in Futures, it is common to have 100:1 leverage in currencies; some forex market makers offer up to 400:1. In the typical 100:1 scenario, the client absorbs all risks associated with controlling a position 100 times the capital they are putting up, and, given that the money is only being used for currency exchange and on the market makers’ books, the transaction can proceed.

The explosion of computer technology that began in the 1980s accelerated the pace by extending the market continuum for cross-border capital movements through Asian, European and American time zones.