Central Banks and Interest Rates

Central Banks and Interest Rates

by | Sep 28, 2026 | ECONOMIC NEWS, FOREX TRAINING

The Engine of the FX Market

If you have ever watched currency markets jump hundreds of pips during an economic announcement, chances are a central bank was behind the wheel.

Central bank policy decisions and interest rate updates are among the most influential drivers of global markets. Yet, for many developing traders, central bank fundamental analysis can feel overly complex and intimidating.

Understanding the role central banks play is an essential first step for any trader looking to build a structured approach to the market.

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Verify Authorized FSPs on FSCA

Verify Authorized FSPs on FSCA

by | Sep 18, 2026 | FOREX FOR BEGINNERS

A Guide to Verifying FSPs on FSCA

In today’s financial landscape, whether you are exploring long-term investments, looking for a wealth manager, choosing an insurance broker, a Forex broker, or even a trading signal provider, the most critical step is ensuring you deal with a legitimate, properly regulated entity.

What is the FSCA?

In South Africa, the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) is the market conduct regulator that supervises financial institutions and licenses Financial Services Providers (FSPs).

Verifying an FSP on the official FSCA register protects you against unauthorised entities and helps you make informed, confident decisions. Below is a step-by-step guide to verifying any financial service provider before doing business with them.

Verifying an FSP License Matters

Before handing over funds or signing agreements with any financial provider, verifying their regulatory status ensures:

♦ Regulatory Oversight: Authorised FSPs must comply with strict conduct standards set by South African law.

♦ Consumer Protection: Dealing with a licensed entity gives you access to official recourse channels (such as the FAIS Ombudsman) if issues arise.

♦ Transparency: The FSCA register displays the exact financial categories, products, and key individuals an entity is authorised to advise on or manage.

Step 1: Access the Official FSCA site

To begin, make sure you’re visiting the official FSCA website. Scammers often create lookalike websites, so always check the URL directly:

Navigate to the bottom of the page and find “FSP SEARCH”; see the screenshot below:

Step 2: Search for the Entity

Once on the FSP search page, you can search using one of two primary details:

  • FSP Name: Type the registered legal name of the company or provider.

  • FSP License Number: If the provider also displays a license number on their site (e.g., FSP No. 12345), type the exact number. See screenshot below.

 

Step 3: Verify the License Status and Approved Product Categories

Once your search results load, click on the provider’s details to view their official profile. Pay special attention to three main areas:

♦ Status: Ensure the status explicitly says “Authorised”. If it states Lapsed, Suspended, or Withdrawn, the entity is not currently permitted to provide financial services.

♦ Approved Categories: Check the specific license categories listed (e.g., Category I, Category II). An entity may be licensed to provide advice on insurance, but not authorised for discretionary investment management or derivatives trading.

♦ Contact Details: Cross-check the phone numbers and physical addresses listed on the FSCA portal with the details on the provider’s website to ensure you are talking to the real company and not an impersonator.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

While verifying on the FSCA portal is a key safeguard, always stay vigilant for common warning signs:

  • Guaranteed Returns: No legitimate licensed financial provider can guarantee market profits or fixed returns.

  • Pressure Tactics: Urgency to transfer funds immediately or promises of “secret strategy access.”

  • Mismatched Banking Details: Asking you to deposit funds into personal bank accounts or unregistered cryptocurrency wallets rather than official corporate bank accounts under the licensed entity’s name.

Below is a screenshot showing an entity that claims to be authorised when it is actually not.

Final Thoughts

Taking five minutes to search the FSCA database before engaging with any financial services provider gives you peace of mind and helps protect your hard-earned money. Financial literacy and proper due diligence are your best tools for long-term security.

Thank you for stopping by. If you found value in this post, kindly share it with your peers and subscribe to this blog so you can get email notifications every time I publish a new post

*Regulatory Notice.

Learn FX Trading provides general education on fundamental analysis, market analysis, trading psychology, and risk management. We are NOT an authorised Financial Services Provider (FSP) under the FAIS Act and do not provide financial advice, managed accounts, or trade signals.

Laptop Vs Phone Trading

Laptop Vs Phone Trading

by | Sep 7, 2026 | FOREX FOR BEGINNERS

Laptop Vs  Phone Trading: Which One Is The Best?

Hello there, beautiful readers. It’s good to be back after taking a hiatus from writing. I wanted to jump right into the debate that comes up almost daily in the trading community and among the mentees who are signing up for my courses.

Forex Marketing.

The marketing side of forex trading favours the smartphone setup because it clearly portrays trading as an easy way to make money on the go from your smartphone.

You’ve probably seen the pictures of someone sipping coffee or even cocktails at the beach, tapping a button on a smartphone, and magically making $1,000 in just a few minutes. I’ve seen that, and that’s the kind of image that draws more people into trading because it screams “freedom” and, honestly speaking, most people want that kind of freedom. But if you’ve been in the markets for any length of time, you know the reality is far less glamorous.

Laptop Trading

If you’ve been following this blog as well as Forex with Ntombi Podcast, you definitely understand how vocal I am about proper planning, mindset, and trading psychology. I am a firm believer that trading should not be chaotic or stop you from being productive elsewhere.

Keeping your trading activities strictly on the laptop allows you to view your trading differently from the way you view your gaming apps. Your mind is also able to view it as a serious activity that should be planned instead of randomly opening it when you are bored. Opening your trading platform at a set time means you’ll only open it when there is a reason to trade, and you are ready and mentally prepared. 

I also understand that most traders believe it is impossible to plan for live trading sessions because they think opening a trading account means they should be glued to the screen the whole day fishing for random trading opportunities. If you didn’t know, that is absolutely unnecessary. You can have a structured way of trading. I published a podcast episode touching on this; you can listen to it HERE.

Phone Trading

Most traders would argue that phone trading offers convenience. Granted, but at what cost? They also overlook that it is one of the leading causes of over-trading.  If trading is that easy to access, it is harder to build self-discipline. Almost every person that I speak to upon signing up for my Risk Management Course shares the same challenge of struggling with discipline and staying away from the trading platform; as a result,, they are constantly blowing accounts. 

I  don’t want to get started with sharing the stories here, but one mentee said, ‘I used to place trades while at the grocery shop waiting in the queue to pay for my groceries’ I’ve heard many stories. Another one said he used to place trades while at the bus stop waiting for his afternoon bus after work, and another one said she once traded while at the salon doing her hair. We both laughed at her and added that she should have read those magazines they put for us at the salons. I also feel like if you are on holiday, rather use your phone to take great pictures and not view charts while at a resort relaxing (giggles).

The Verdict: Give Them Roles.

This post is not to dictate to you on what you should do. This is to give you information, and you can make an informed decision. If you really love your phone trading app and you’d rather keep it, at least assign specific roles to each. Use your laptop/desktop for execution and strategy. Perform all your analysis, calculate your risk and execute all trades at your desk. Use your phone to set news alerts, monitor active positions, manage risks and close when you’re on the go.

Lastly

Respect the process and treat your trading professionally, like a business. You wouldn’t sign an important business proposal or document while you’re at the taxi rank or bus stop or inside an overcrowded train.

Thank you so much for stopping by. If you found this post valuable, kindly share it with your peers. Feel free to share your views in the comments, and subscribe for email notifications whenever I publish a new blog post.

U.S CPI 2025 Dates

U.S CPI 2025 Dates

by | Feb 12, 2025 | ECONOMIC NEWS

What Is Consumer Price Index? 

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a key economic indicator calculated and released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a branch of the Department of Labor.

What Does Consumer Price Index measure?

It measures the change in price of goods and services purchased by the consumers excluding investment items such as stocks, bonds, real estates and life insurances. In short, Consumer Price Index measures the cost of living.

Why Do We (traders) Care?

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) accounts for most of overall inflation. Inflation is crucial for evaluating currency. Positive CPI statistics are generally considered favourable for the U.S. dollar, which is likely to strengthen as a result. Conversely, the dollar may weaken if the statistics fall short of expectations. However, the relationship is not as straightforward as it seems. Additionally, the U.S. CPI also influences U.S. stock market performance.

Check out my fundamental analysis course should you wish to learn how to trade CPI and how it affects stocks. Thank you for stopping by. Below are the U.S Consumer Price Index dates 2025.

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