CFD-Counterparty Risk

The counterparty is the company which provides the asset in a financial transaction. When buying or selling a CFD, the only asset being traded is the contract issued by the CFD provider. This exposes the trader to the provider's other counterparties, including other clients the CFD provider conducts business with. The associated risk is that the counterparty fails to fulfill its financial obligations.

If the provider is unable to meet these obligations, then the value of the underlying asset is no longer relevant. It is important to recognize that the CFD industry is not highly regulated and the broker's credibility is based on reputation, longevity, and financial position rather than government standing or liquidity. There are excellent CFD brokers, but it's important to investigate a broker's background before opening an account. In fact, American customers are forbidden from trading CFDs under current U.S. regulations.