Forex Nation’s Danielle Lehrer on Financial Markets: Mindfulness is the Key
Monday,06/10/2014|00:01GMTby
George Tchetvertakov
Forex Nation founder, Danielle Lehrer gives her view on the FX industry, on markets, and on the esoteric side to trading.
Photo: Bloomberg
In the second part of our exclusive interview, the Forex Nation founder, Danielle Lehrer gives her view on the FX industry, on markets, and on the esoteric side to trading. Part 1 of the interview can be read here.
The company offers a truly unique construct among brokers, i.e. the option of donating all company profits generated from clients’ spread/commission fees to worthy charitable causes across the globe.
1. You mentioned previously that in your view brokers aren’t fully transparent, what do you mean by that?
For example, brokers aren’t up front regarding their changeover time, whether they run a desk, what is the difference between what a client believes is an account with no commission where actually there is a spread based commission and that makes your stops more likely to be hit from spread blowout than if you were actually paying a commission, therefore a commission based account tends to be cheaper for the clients long term
The industry doesn’t talk about these issues because of the B-book model. The industry hasn’t been interested in seeing a greater percentage of their clients win because they make money from them losing.
2. What is your view of B-Book?
At Forex Nation we do not believe in the B-book model out of principle and to avoid conflicts of interest. We do not B-book any client orders whatsoever.
3. What types of trader education or support do you currently provide or foresee ForexNation providing?
We have a fairly holistic approach to trading, the things that we’ll be teaching clients is: how the industry operates so they understand the mechanics and how to play the game. And we’re also going to talk to them about the things that have made us successful. And that’s to do with the concept of being ‘in the zone’, and although that’s what you often hear successful traders say, most people don’t understand how to do that.
And the way we do it is through meditation, movement, proper nutrition and community. So we’re actually looking to create a happier and more fulfilling way to trade forex. And to teach people how to live a fabulous forex life. Its not about sitting in front of your monitor for 8-12 hours a day, hoping that losing trades come back in your favour. Its about having these other practises in your life that make you mindful and enable you to tap into your intuition as a trader. To be more certain about your trades, to be less hesitant about your entry and exits and less concerned about the losses and less bedazzled by the wins. If you’re going to trade for a living, these concepts are more important than the indicators that you choose.
4. Why base yourself in Australia?
This is where I live. And we’re global anyway. We are very quickly creating partnerships globally in countries all around the world so we can have local offices around the world. It doesn’t really matter where we’re based because in order to keep our business as cost effective as possible so we can donate the most amount of money to our charitable projects. To set our business up as virtually as possible makes a lot sense for us. So our team is remote and based all around the world. This means we have people available 24 hours a day. The fact that HQ is based in Australia is more so a corporate/admin logistic, more than anything else.
5. What are some of the challenges are you facing with your unique business model?
We are the first and only broker who is also a registered charity. As far as ASIC and other regulators are concerned, we are a square peg in a round hole. We need to keep our operating costs very low as a charity. Licensing, marketing + other costs must be taken care off first before any funds diverted to the charitable trust.
6. How do you plan to deliver your promise of full transparency?
Periodic reporting of all trading volumes and internal company metrics.
In the second part of our exclusive interview, the Forex Nation founder, Danielle Lehrer gives her view on the FX industry, on markets, and on the esoteric side to trading. Part 1 of the interview can be read here.
The company offers a truly unique construct among brokers, i.e. the option of donating all company profits generated from clients’ spread/commission fees to worthy charitable causes across the globe.
1. You mentioned previously that in your view brokers aren’t fully transparent, what do you mean by that?
For example, brokers aren’t up front regarding their changeover time, whether they run a desk, what is the difference between what a client believes is an account with no commission where actually there is a spread based commission and that makes your stops more likely to be hit from spread blowout than if you were actually paying a commission, therefore a commission based account tends to be cheaper for the clients long term
The industry doesn’t talk about these issues because of the B-book model. The industry hasn’t been interested in seeing a greater percentage of their clients win because they make money from them losing.
2. What is your view of B-Book?
At Forex Nation we do not believe in the B-book model out of principle and to avoid conflicts of interest. We do not B-book any client orders whatsoever.
3. What types of trader education or support do you currently provide or foresee ForexNation providing?
We have a fairly holistic approach to trading, the things that we’ll be teaching clients is: how the industry operates so they understand the mechanics and how to play the game. And we’re also going to talk to them about the things that have made us successful. And that’s to do with the concept of being ‘in the zone’, and although that’s what you often hear successful traders say, most people don’t understand how to do that.
And the way we do it is through meditation, movement, proper nutrition and community. So we’re actually looking to create a happier and more fulfilling way to trade forex. And to teach people how to live a fabulous forex life. Its not about sitting in front of your monitor for 8-12 hours a day, hoping that losing trades come back in your favour. Its about having these other practises in your life that make you mindful and enable you to tap into your intuition as a trader. To be more certain about your trades, to be less hesitant about your entry and exits and less concerned about the losses and less bedazzled by the wins. If you’re going to trade for a living, these concepts are more important than the indicators that you choose.
4. Why base yourself in Australia?
This is where I live. And we’re global anyway. We are very quickly creating partnerships globally in countries all around the world so we can have local offices around the world. It doesn’t really matter where we’re based because in order to keep our business as cost effective as possible so we can donate the most amount of money to our charitable projects. To set our business up as virtually as possible makes a lot sense for us. So our team is remote and based all around the world. This means we have people available 24 hours a day. The fact that HQ is based in Australia is more so a corporate/admin logistic, more than anything else.
5. What are some of the challenges are you facing with your unique business model?
We are the first and only broker who is also a registered charity. As far as ASIC and other regulators are concerned, we are a square peg in a round hole. We need to keep our operating costs very low as a charity. Licensing, marketing + other costs must be taken care off first before any funds diverted to the charitable trust.
6. How do you plan to deliver your promise of full transparency?
Periodic reporting of all trading volumes and internal company metrics.
Bank of London Product Head: “Clients Don’t Want to Wait for Cutoff Times” On-Chain
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Charlotte Bullock | Chief Product Officer, Bank of London | FMLS:25
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this interview, we sat down with Charlotte Bullock, Head of Product at The Bank of London, previously at SAP and now shaping product at one of the sector’s most ambitious new banking players.
Charlotte reflects on the Summit so far and talks about the culture inside fintech banks today. We look at the pressures that come with scaling, and how firms can hold onto the nimble approach that made them stand out early on.
We also cover the state of payments ahead of her appearance on the payments roundtable: the blockages financial firms face, the areas that still need fixing, and what a realistic solution looks like in 2026.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
In this conversation, we sit down with Drew Niv, CSO at ATFX Connect and one of the most influential figures in modern FX.
We speak about market structure, the institutional view on liquidity, and the sharp rise of prop trading, a sector Drew has been commenting on in recent months. Drew explains why he once dismissed prop trading, why his view changed, and what he now thinks the model means for brokers, clients and risk managers.
We explore subscription-fee dependency, the high reneging rate, and the long-term challenge: how brokers can build a more stable and honest version of the model. Drew also talks about the traffic advantage standalone prop firms have built and why brokers may still win in the long run if they take the right approach.
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
Executive Interview | Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller| CEO & Founder Muinmos | FMLS:25
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this interview, Remonda Z. Kirketerp Møller, founder of Muinmos, breaks down the state of AI in regtech and what responsible adoption really looks like for brokers. We talk about rising fragmentation, the pressures around compliance accuracy, and why most firms are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
Ramanda also shares insights on regulator sandboxes, shifting expectations around accountability, and the current reality of MiCA licensing and passporting in Europe.
A concise look at where compliance, onboarding, and AI-driven processes are heading next.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
In this conversation, we speak with Aydin Bonabi, CEO and co-founder of Surveill, a firm focused on fraud detection and AI-driven compliance tools for financial institutions.
We start with Aydin’s view of the Summit and the challenges brokers face as fraud tactics grow more complex. He explains how firms can stay ahead through real-time signals, data patterns, and early-stage detection.
We also talk about AI training and why compliance teams often struggle to keep models accurate, fair, and aligned with regulatory expectations. Aydin breaks down what “good” AI training looks like inside a financial environment, including the importance of clean data, domain expertise, and human oversight.
He closes with a clear message: fraud is scaling, and so must the tools that stop it.
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Exness expands its presence in Africa: Inside our interview with Paul Margarites in Cape Town
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
Finance Magnates met with Paul Margarites, Exness regional commercial director for Sub-Saharan Africa, during a visit to the firm’s office opening in Cape Town. In this talk, led by Andrea Badiola Mateos, Co-CEO at Finance Magnates, Paul shares views on the South African trading space, local user behavior, mobile trends, regulation, team growth, and how Exness plans to grow in more markets across the region. @Exness
Read the article at: https://www.financemagnates.com/thought-leadership/exness-expands-its-presence-in-africa-inside-our-interview-with-paul-margarites/
#exness #financemagnates #exnesstrading #CFDtrading #tradeonline #africanews #capetown
