Complete Trader

Free Forex trading course

Work through this Forex course in order to build a practical foundation before using any live capital. Each lesson is an in-depth guide with examples, key takeaways, FAQs and a knowledge check.

Module 1

Forex Basics

The fundamental mechanics of the foreign exchange market. Learn what Forex is, how it works, and the key concepts you need before placing your first trade.

  1. Introduction to Forex Trading — What is Forex trading? A complete beginner's guide to the world's largest market, who trades it, the risks involved, and how to start responsibly.
  2. Brief History of the Forex Market — From the gold standard and Bretton Woods to free-floating currencies and the rise of retail trading - understand how the modern Forex market was born.
  3. Forex vs Stocks: Why Choose Forex? — Forex vs stocks compared: trading hours, liquidity, leverage, short-selling and costs. Discover which market suits a South African retail trader best.
  4. What Is Traded and How? Understanding Currency Pairs — Learn how currency pairs work: base and quote currencies, the 8 majors, minor and exotic pairs, and where USD/ZAR fits for South African traders.
  5. Market Size and Liquidity — Why the Forex market's $3.98 trillion daily volume and deep liquidity give retail traders tight spreads, fast execution and protection from manipulation.
  6. Trading Sessions: The Best Times to Trade Forex — Master the four Forex trading sessions and their overlaps in SA time (GMT+2). Learn when volatility peaks and the best times for South Africans to trade.
  7. How to Read a Forex Quote — Learn to read a Forex quote correctly: base and quote currencies, going long vs short, and the Bid/Ask spread - the most fundamental skill in trading.
  8. What Is a Pip? Understanding Forex Price Movement — What is a pip in Forex? Learn how pips are measured, how pip value changes with lot size, pipettes, and how to calculate profit and loss in pips.
  9. Lots, Leverage, Profit & Loss in Forex — Understand lots, leverage, margin and margin calls, and how to calculate Forex profit and loss - the mechanics that decide whether your account survives.
  10. Types of Forex Orders — Master Forex order types: market orders, pending orders (limit and stop), stop loss, take profit and trailing stops - for precise entry and exit control.

Module 2

Getting Started

Practical steps to begin trading. Choosing a well-regulated broker, mastering the MetaTrader 4 platform, and understanding the core technical indicators every trader relies on.

  1. How to Choose the Right Forex Broker — How to choose a Forex broker in South Africa: verify FSCA regulation, compare spreads and lot sizes, test the platform on demo, and avoid costly mistakes.
  2. Introduction to MetaTrader 4 (MT4) — A beginner's guide to MetaTrader 4 (MT4): navigate the interface, set up candlestick charts, choose time frames, place trades and manage risk with stop losses.
  3. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) Explained — Master the Relative Strength Index (RSI): learn what it measures, how to read overbought and oversold levels, the best settings, and how to trade RSI divergence.
  4. The Stochastic Oscillator Explained — Learn the Stochastic oscillator: how the %K and %D lines work, reading overbought and oversold zones, the best settings, and timing entries with crossovers.
  5. Moving Averages: SMA and EMA Explained — A complete guide to moving averages in Forex: SMA vs EMA, choosing periods, reading crossovers, dynamic support and resistance, and common beginner mistakes.
  6. MACD: Moving Average Convergence Divergence — Understand the MACD indicator: how the MACD line, signal line and histogram work, reading zero-line crossovers, spotting divergence, and confirming trades.
  7. ADX and Bollinger Bands Explained — Learn the ADX to measure trend strength and Bollinger Bands to gauge volatility. Understand the squeeze, band walks, and how to combine both tools effectively.
  8. Understanding Candlestick Charts and Patterns — Learn to read candlestick charts and the four key reversal patterns: the Hammer, Shooting Star, Bullish Engulfing and Bearish Engulfing, with practical trading tips.

Module 3

Trading Systems

Ready-to-use, rules-based trading systems. From beginner trend-following to simple scalping and pivot-point trading, learn exactly when to enter, when to exit, and how much to risk on every trade.

  1. Introduction to Forex Trading Systems — Learn why you need a rules-based Forex trading system, the three main system types, how to backtest, and how to choose a strategy that fits your life.
  2. The Cowabunga System: A Beginner-Friendly Trend System — Full rules for the Cowabunga Forex system: EMA crossover entries confirmed by RSI, Stochastic, and MACD, with stop loss, exit, and risk guidance.
  3. Stephen's Simple Scalper: Zigzag + Bollinger Bands — Learn the Simple Scalper Forex system using Bollinger Bands and the Zigzag indicator to catch reversals at statistical extremes with tight, disciplined risk.
  4. Pivot Points & Candle Trading — Master trading daily pivot points with candlestick reversal patterns. Learn the pivot formulas, entries, stops, and exits for high-probability Forex setups.

Module 4

Advanced Trading

Strip away the indicators and learn to read the market directly. This module teaches pure price action trading using support and resistance, pin bars, engulfing patterns, pending-order entries, trend lines, channels and wedges.

  1. Introduction to Price Action Trading — Learn price action trading from scratch: how to read raw price, use trend, support and resistance, and reversal candles to trade Forex without indicators.
  2. Finding Support and Resistance Levels — Learn to accurately draw and trade support and resistance levels in Forex - the backbone of price action - including the support-resistance flip and trend confirmation.
  3. Trading with Pin Bars — Master the pin bar - the most reliable single-candle reversal pattern in price action. Learn bullish and bearish pin bars, ideal rules, entries and stop placement.
  4. Trading with Engulfing Patterns — Learn to spot and trade bullish and bearish engulfing patterns in Forex - a high-probability two-candle reversal setup - including entries, stops and the harami.
  5. Pending Orders and Entry Strategies in Price Action — Master pending orders for price action trading - buy/sell limits and stops, split entries, take-profit planning and better risk-to-reward on the daily chart.
  6. Trend Lines, Channels & Wedges — Learn to draw and trade trend lines, channels, wedges and triangles in Forex - identify continuing trends and approaching breakouts with clear entry rules.