HighLow, trade binary options in complete security with the Australia-regulated broker!

Cash-back bonuses are generous and most importantly do not come with limitations on turnover that limit subsequent account withdrawals and the loyalty points system is also simple and straightforward. The trading platform and apps are to a very high industry standard and customer support and regulatory security cannot be beaten by any binary options broker on the market. The choice of tradable assets and option varieties is fair but leaves room for improvement.

 

Intro

Whether you are a complete beginner embarking upon binary upon binary options trading for the first time or a seasoned trader exploring the market for new brokerage options, comparing the many brokers available can appear a mammoth task. We’ve attempted to take some of the time and effort out of that process for you by going through as many brokers as possible with a fine comb and compiling all of the information you need on company background, trading conditions, resources and tools provided and costs.

In this review, we cover HighLow, a market leader in the binary options market established in Australia in 2010.

 

Company Information

One of the most established binary options brokers on the market, Australia-based HighLow has been around since 2010. Hosting over 50,000 active trading accounts, the broker is one of the most strictly regulated on the market and comes under the regulatory control of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).

HighLow places a lot of emphasis on their AFSL regulation and its conditions that the company has an external dispute resolution scheme to handle claims from traders, needs to demonstrate secure capital reserves, staff certified to provide general financial advice and key personal and directors cover key competencies and are screened for role suitability.

All client funds are also segregated and held in a regulated Australian bank.

 

Trading Software

HighLow’s trading platform is run on Market Pulse software, considered to be one of the standard setters in the binary options industry. It has an easy-to-use but rich interface which is available both in-browser or via a desktop app when run on either a desktop or laptop computer.

Large, well-designed charts and considered usability apparent in the layout provide a very high level of user experience additionally facilitated by a helpful ‘walk-through’ tutorial that familiarises new users with navigation and functionalities.

In addition to classic high/low binary options the trading platform also offers another three binary option varieties: HighLow Spread, Turbo and TurboSpread. Turbo options are with micro timeframes of as little as 1 minute while the spread formats of both standard and turbo binary options mean the trader aims for a closing price with a set range or ‘spread’, rather than simply predicting ‘up or down’.

 

Mobile

HighLow’s mobile apps are also white label versions provided by Markets Pulse and are available for devices operating with Android and iOS operating systems. They have been built to a very high standard and provide all of the same functionality as the desktop versions of the platform with usability on the smaller screen impacted minimally.

 

Assets available

The range of asset markets that can be traded via HighLow included forex pairs, commodities and indices. 17 forex pairs are offered as is gold and 7 indices including the Australia 200, UK(FTSE)100, US 30 (Dow Jones Industrial Average) and several other major European and Asian equities indices. It’s not the widest range of tradable assets that can be found among binary options brokers but will satisfy most traders.

One thing that HighLow will hopefully add in the future is the opportunity for traders to take out binary options on individual stocks, which are not currently offered.

 

Trading Features, Fees and Payouts

Specific trading features of the HighLow platform include the 4 binary options variations already mentioned and a demo account which is separated from the real money trading account and can be traded from at the same time. Most brokers offer a demo account that converts into a real money account as soon as the trading account is deposited into so separating the two out in this way is a very nice touch and something that HighLow’s clients appreciate greatly. It’s perfect for beginners especially, allowing them to move back and forward between demo and real money trades as they learn and their comfort levels adapt.

The minimum trade size with HighLow is $/AUS$/£/€10 and there are ceilings on the maximum exposure any trader can be open to at one particular time. The maximum trade size $/$ AUS 2000, €1500 or £1000 and max position per option is always $/AUS$/£/€50,000 and no more than $/AUS$/£/€150,000 of exposure can ever be in-trade at any one time.

Payouts can be up to 200% on initial investment and averages sit around the 80% level.

 

Bonuses & VIP programs

HighLow has a number of bonus and promotion offers and loyalty incentives. Cash-back is the most heavily promoted with all new account holders given $50 cash-back following their first trade, win or lose. Cash-back offers are also redeemable from loyalty points accumulated and the broker run additional cash-back promos on an ad-hoc basis. The primary advantage of HighLow’s cashback bonuses is that they come with no conditions attached to subsequent trade turnover and don’t in any way lock-in funds with withdrawal restrictions.

HighLow loyalty programme ‘points’ are accumulated with every trade made and can then be traded in for cash-back when the trader chooses.

 

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposits and withdrawals can be made via bank transfer, from Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards and over 35 e-payment providers including Netller. Client funds are held in segregated Client Money Trust Accounts with the National Australia Bank.

Base currencies that deposits and withdrawals can be made in are AUS$, US$, £ and €. Minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts via debit and credit card or e-payment provider are $50, or the equivalent in another base currency and maximums are $20,000 or equivalent for deposits and $10,000 for withdrawals. However, up to $1,000,000 or equivalent can be deposited or withdrawn via bank transfer.

Withdrawals via debit and credit card and e-payment provider are subject to a 1.5% fee and bank transfers charged at $20. Withdrawal processing times are a major plus and are processed in real time, any delay purely from the technical payment processing system of the provider.

 

Customer Support

Customer support is available via online chat, telephone and email and HighLow has a very good reputation in this regard. Their regulatory regime also has very strict customer support and claims criteria and any dispute that cannot be settled between the broker and client is referred to an independent arbitration panel.

 

Extra features and resources

High/Low has a great resource of video tutorials which tackle topics and themes relevant to beginners right through to advanced traders. A regular blog ‘In The Money’ also covers interesting topical fundamental and technical analysis themes.

 

 

Verdict

HighLow has to be considered one of the best choices on the market when it comes to binary options brokers. Purely from a regulatory point of view, clients can be confident that their funds are secured, bonuses and promotions don’t subsequently impact withdrawals and things are generally done correctly.

The trading platform is also to a high standard and a reasonable variety of assets can be traded, though this could be expanded upon, particularly to include individual company stocks and a few more commodities, with only gold available.

Educational resources and tools such as charting, news feeds and analysis are very good as is customer support.

 

FAQ

Is HighLow a safe binary options broker?

Yes, regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and with all client funds segregated, HighLow qualifies as amongst the most secure binary options brokers in the world to trade with.

What is the minimum account deposit?

$AUS/$/£/€50

Do bonuses come with any conditions?

No. There are no limitations on withdrawing cashback once redeemed.
Unlike many other brokers HighLow do not require trading volume turnover requirements to be met before cashbacks can be withdrawn.