A review of ADSS’s platform for novice traders

ADSS is a UAE-based execution-only broker that was established in Abu Dhabi in 2010. Today, according to its LinkedIn profile, the broker has between 201-500 employees. ADSS provides trading for retail and professional traders and institutional investors. They are well-known as the leading broker in the MENA region, and they provide services in primarily English and Arabic, with customer support in other languages including French, Hindi, Turkish, and Urdu.

In this review, we will look briefly at the broker’s product offerings. Then we will move onto looking at their platform functionalities and user experience. More information on the broker’s platform functions on their proprietary app can be found reading ADSS reviews on the App Store. It containsuser-generated reviews from real traders, which can be helpful for those looking for second or third opinions on the app. For an overview and commentary of the trading platform online, read on.

Is ADSS regulated?

Firstly, before discussing the ADSS trading platform, it is essential to note that yes, ADSS is a regulated broker. Based in the United Arab Emirates, ADSS is SCA-regulated as an execution-only broker for spot FX and CFD trading. It is also registered as a limited liability company in the UAE.

What can I trade with ADSS?

ADSS offers spot FX trading on over 60 currency pairs and CFD trading on various markets: indices, equities, commodities, crypto, and currencies. 

Instruments include both local and global assets, and traders can opt for the use of leverage of 333:1 (index CFDs), 20:1 (equity CFDs), 500:1 (spot FX or FX CFDs), 200:1 (commodity CFDs), and 4:1 (crypto CFDs).

No commissions are charged for retail traders, while low commissions are charged for professional traders. Commodity CFDs are traded per whole tick for convenience.

Trading platforms offered by ADSS

ADSS demo and live traders can choose from two platforms: MT4 and their proprietary solution, the ADSS trading platform. Here, we look more closely at the ADSS trading platform’s functionality – particularly, its web version. We go through the features and views available, customisation levels, and the modules that are available, all from the perspective of a novice trader.

Is the ADSS trading platform suitable for novices?

Out of the two options offered by ADSS, the broker’s own trading platform is more suitable for novices than the MT4 counterpart due to its better ease of use and relative simplicity in terms of operations and interface.

Features and functionalities

• Charting views – compared to MT4, which offers multi-charting, ADSS has one chart in its main platform view. This is placed in the centre of the platform and can be further enlarged. It offers a sleek view of the instrument that is tracked, in multiple timeframes and chart type views.
• Order tickets and options – there are a few standard order types that most novice traders will find suitable: market orders, limit orders, and stop-limit orders. The time-in-force conditions, including GTC (good till cancelled) or good to a specific date, can also be applied.
• 15 timeframes – 15 timeframes ranging from 1 minute to 6 months can be used.
• 5 drawing tools – including Fibonacci retracements, parallel channels, trend lines, Andrew’s Pitchfork, and Gann Fan.
• 5 indicators – including the MACD, Moving Average, Moving Average Cross, Volume, and the RSI.
• 5 chart types – including candle, line, mountain, Heikin-Ashi, and OHLC.

Platform interface

Another thing worth noting is that the ADSS platform is sleek, and modules are laid out very clearly. This includes the main chart, which takes up most of the interface. There are modules on the left-hand side that are usually hidden unless clicked on, and these include Products, Watchlist, Positions, Order, and History.

• Products – all tradeable products are shown, with a search functionality for those looking to browse instruments to trade. There are also filters and a dynamically updated Recently Viewed section that updates in almost real-time.
• Watchlist – this contains all the trader’s favourite products, and this list can be edited anytime.
• Positions – this shows the trader’s live trades, and it is grouped together by product. All the information related to one’s position are shown in real time, such as the product name and logo, the trade and position size, price at trade open, current market price, open positions’ profit and loss information, and margin usage.
• Order – all working orders are shown here, and information such as product name and logo, date and time the order was created, the trade size in lots, the latest market price, order expiry type, and any linked orders (such as stop loss and take profit).
• History – all account activity can be viewed easily here, and it includes all trading activity and cash transactions (for example, deposits or withdrawals), profit and loss, as well as fees and charges.

Added benefit – martin utilisation warning

One thing I believe makes the ADSS trading platform suitable for novice traders is the added margin utilisation feature. There is a margin bar that will change colours from green to orange to red, showing the status of margin utilisation of each trader’s account. This is calculated in real-time, and it changes while markets are open.

If the margin level used reaches between 50% and 100%, there will be a warning issued – in other words, a margin call. This pops up as a notification in the trading platform and there may also be warning email (depending on the trader’s notification settings). There are also other features that prevent novice traders from taking on too much risk – such as not being able to increase market exposure further for those who receive margin call warnings.

To remove the warning, traders can either reduce their market exposure or add more funds to their account.

My thoughts on the ADSS platform for novice traders

In general, the ADSS trading platform prioritises simplicity and transparency – two factors that are important to novice traders. While the MT4 platform may be more diverse functionally, which can be attractive for advanced traders, the ADSS trading platform is notably minimalist while offering a comprehensive set of tools and indicators.The colour-coded margin utilisation warning also makes it easy for beginners to spot when they are close to liquidation and are taking on too much risk. Novice traders that decide to trade with ADSS will greatly benefit from using its proprietary platform, and it is easy to switch between platforms for traders too – which is a testament to the broker’s commitment to its traders, catering to their developing skills.