Glossary

A private key is the secret cryptographic code that proves ownership of cryptocurrency and authorizes transactions; whoever controls the key controls the funds.

Public broker reviews are public experience reports about a brokerage on review platforms, forums or app stores. They can reveal service patterns, but samples may be biased, outdated or fake.

A put option gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to sell an underlying asset at a set strike price before or at expiration.

Rebalancing is the process of adjusting a portfolio back to its target asset allocation after market movements cause the actual weights to drift away from plan.

Regulation is the set of rules and oversight applied to financial markets, brokers, and products, designed to promote fair conduct, transparency, and investor protection.

A long-term savings account designed to help individuals set aside money for retirement, often with special tax treatment and rules around contributions and withdrawals.

Return is the gain or loss on an investment over a period, usually shown as a percentage of the amount invested.

A formal statement that explains the potential losses and uncertainties tied to an investment product or service, so you can understand what you are getting into before committing money.

Risk tolerance is the degree of loss and price fluctuation an investor is willing and able to accept in pursuit of potential returns.

Rollover is the process of extending an open forex or CFD position past the daily cutoff, usually with an interest-based credit or charge applied for holding it overnight.

Scam awareness is the practice of recognizing and avoiding fraudulent investment offers by checking claims, verifying who you are dealing with, and staying alert to pressure tactics.

The current market cost to buy or sell one share of a company's stock, determined by supply and demand on an exchange.

Short selling is a strategy where a trader borrows shares and sells them, aiming to buy them back later at a lower price and profit from a decline in the asset's value.

A SIPP (Self-Invested Personal Pension) is a UK pension account type that lets the account holder choose and manage the investments held inside it, rather than leaving all decisions to a provider.

SMC (Smart Money Concepts) trading is a price-action methodology that tries to interpret where large institutional participants may be placing orders, using ideas like market structure, liquidity zones, order blocks, and fair value gaps.

The spread is the difference between the price at which you can buy an asset (ask) and the price at which you can sell it (bid). It is a core trading cost, especially in forex and CFD markets.

Spread betting is a leveraged derivative product where traders speculate on whether a market's price will rise or fall, with profit or loss determined by how far the price moves multiplied by a chosen stake per point.

A stablecoin is a cryptocurrency designed to hold a steady value by tracking a reference asset, most often a major currency, though the strength of that peg depends on how the coin is backed and held.

A stock is a share of ownership in a company, giving the holder a claim on part of the business and potential participation in its profits and growth.

A stock split divides a company's existing shares into more shares, lowering the price per share while keeping the total value of your holding the same.

A UK investment account wrapper that lets individuals hold assets such as shares, funds, and bonds within an annual contribution framework, commonly used for long-term investing.

The fixed price at which an option holder can buy or sell the underlying asset if the option is exercised.

Suitability is the principle that an investment product or strategy should reasonably match an individual investor's goals, financial situation, knowledge, and risk tolerance.

A ticker symbol is a short, unique code of letters (and sometimes numbers) used to identify a publicly traded security, such as a stock or ETF, on an exchange.