These types of transactions are one of a range of factors that cause a currency to change value — and it's that shift in value that forex traders try to cash in on. You might associate the industry with big open-plan offices, LED screens dotted with loads of numbers on them and men in expensive suits, but that's changing and, like many industries, moving online.

It's the online and social media-led part of this industry that's the focus of BBC Three documentary's Instatraders.

Often with the companies Dion saw on Instagram, a big selling point was the idea of "being your own boss". He regularly saw posts that "offered people the chance of becoming 'financially free', all by working from your phone or laptop". Intrigued by what he'd seen, Dion decided the only way to put the promises of financial freedom to the test was to try it for himself, so he enrolled at IM Academy, one of many companies offering forex trading education.

It cost £ to sign up and had a £ monthly membership fee thereafter. This fee gave him access to educational webinars, mentoring and eventually trading platforms. As part of his journey into this new generation of forex traders, Dion spoke to some of IM Academy's forex traders and mentors.

They wouldn't disclose their salary, but some of them said they were making "sexy money". Dion says this is backed up by the Instagrams of some forex influencers, which "show the lifestyle you can achieve through forex trading. There's fast cars, holidays, boats, and because you then see these influencers teaching trading on webinars, you think, 'this is possible, I can be one of them'". Some media influencers promote forex trading as a way to make a reliable income from a small amount of money, with little risk - which is unrealistic, he says.

He adds, "a trade has two sides. If one side wins, the other side loses. There's also platform providers to take into consideration and brokers who charge transaction fees. Influencers may try and attract new subscribers through showing bank account screenshots, exotic and luxurious properties and cars purchased through winnings, as well as the lure of financial independence, all through trading. It is not at all representative of the average person's trading experience. In Dion's case, he initially did make money.

And he says, "if I actually wanted to make a grand a month I would have needed to be trading with over £13,". Was it beginner's luck for Dion? It seems likely. One study of individual Forex traders suggests that more than four in five lose money. In the case of IM, they don't monitor their students' trading so don't know whether they counter this trend. The more time Dion spent looking at these companies, the more he noticed many Forex education companies have recruitment and referral strands as part of their business.

Many companies do a lot of their promotion through Instagram and influencers, often appealing to people in financially precarious situations - especially people who didn't have incomes during the pandemic. In the case of IM, he explains, "getting other people to sign up was a way to waver your monthly membership fee, and also of earning commission. Within many companies there are internal ranking systems, so the more you recruit, the higher you go in that system and the more money you make".

Dion put this point to IM, who disputed the recruitment claim and said traders were earning commission on product sales. Dion believes companies like IM Academy tap into a growing culture of "rejecting conventional experts and traditional forms of education". From the wannabe forex traders he spoke with, Dion found there was often a real desire to be "self-sufficient", but warns "overlooking red flags can come at a cost".

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Timings where shown are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes. The Sky Was Pink Holden Remix. Wind down as the titles get to work. Home News Sport Weather iPlayer Sounds Bitesize CBeebies CBBC Food Home News Sport Reel Worklife Travel Future Culture TV Weather Sounds Close menu.

BBC Three Instatraders. Home Three Home. Main content. Watch now. Show more. Show less. Last on. Wed 30 Mar BBC Three. Music Played. Role Contributor Presenter Dion Hesson Executive Producer Fiona Blair Executive Producer Nisha Lilia Diu Producer Georgia Sawyer Director Aaron Black. Tue 3 Aug Tue 29 Mar

With a rise in unemployment some are learning to trade forex, but is anyone making any money? Since the pandemic started, more than , unders lost their jobs. So what do you do when you're at a loose end?

There are only so many park strolls you can take before you turn to social media scrolls. If, like Dion, you're new to this world, you might be wondering what forex trading is? Put simply, foreign exchange is the conversion of one currency into another. Forex trading is essentially betting on the value of a currency going up or down. Caspar Marney is a former foreign exchange trader for an investment bank and the founder of Velador Associates, a company which gives legal advice to forex traders.

He says the purpose of forex markets is "to facilitate international business". To put it into context, "if a US smartphone manufacturer wants to buy LCD screens from South Korea, it may need to convert US dollars to South Korean won. These types of transactions are one of a range of factors that cause a currency to change value — and it's that shift in value that forex traders try to cash in on.

You might associate the industry with big open-plan offices, LED screens dotted with loads of numbers on them and men in expensive suits, but that's changing and, like many industries, moving online.

It's the online and social media-led part of this industry that's the focus of BBC Three documentary's Instatraders. Often with the companies Dion saw on Instagram, a big selling point was the idea of "being your own boss". He regularly saw posts that "offered people the chance of becoming 'financially free', all by working from your phone or laptop".

Intrigued by what he'd seen, Dion decided the only way to put the promises of financial freedom to the test was to try it for himself, so he enrolled at IM Academy, one of many companies offering forex trading education.

It cost £ to sign up and had a £ monthly membership fee thereafter. This fee gave him access to educational webinars, mentoring and eventually trading platforms. As part of his journey into this new generation of forex traders, Dion spoke to some of IM Academy's forex traders and mentors. They wouldn't disclose their salary, but some of them said they were making "sexy money". Dion says this is backed up by the Instagrams of some forex influencers, which "show the lifestyle you can achieve through forex trading.

There's fast cars, holidays, boats, and because you then see these influencers teaching trading on webinars, you think, 'this is possible, I can be one of them'". Some media influencers promote forex trading as a way to make a reliable income from a small amount of money, with little risk - which is unrealistic, he says.

He adds, "a trade has two sides. If one side wins, the other side loses. There's also platform providers to take into consideration and brokers who charge transaction fees. Influencers may try and attract new subscribers through showing bank account screenshots, exotic and luxurious properties and cars purchased through winnings, as well as the lure of financial independence, all through trading. It is not at all representative of the average person's trading experience. In Dion's case, he initially did make money.

And he says, "if I actually wanted to make a grand a month I would have needed to be trading with over £13,". Was it beginner's luck for Dion? It seems likely. One study of individual Forex traders suggests that more than four in five lose money. In the case of IM, they don't monitor their students' trading so don't know whether they counter this trend. The more time Dion spent looking at these companies, the more he noticed many Forex education companies have recruitment and referral strands as part of their business.

Many companies do a lot of their promotion through Instagram and influencers, often appealing to people in financially precarious situations - especially people who didn't have incomes during the pandemic.

In the case of IM, he explains, "getting other people to sign up was a way to waver your monthly membership fee, and also of earning commission. Within many companies there are internal ranking systems, so the more you recruit, the higher you go in that system and the more money you make".

Dion put this point to IM, who disputed the recruitment claim and said traders were earning commission on product sales. Dion believes companies like IM Academy tap into a growing culture of "rejecting conventional experts and traditional forms of education". From the wannabe forex traders he spoke with, Dion found there was often a real desire to be "self-sufficient", but warns "overlooking red flags can come at a cost".

There is no such thing as a free lunch. Trading is a particularly difficult business to make money out of. Financial experts warn that you shouldn't risk more than you can afford to lose or risk money on investments you don't understand.

But despite the risks - and likelihood of failure that comes with forex trading - Caspar advises that people who are interested should get a job with a bank or broker that offers forex services and is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Instatraders is available to watch on iPlayer.

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Home News Sport Weather iPlayer Sounds Bitesize CBeebies CBBC Food Home News Sport Reel Worklife Travel Future Culture TV Weather Sounds Close menu. Megan Lawton 3 August Real Life. Share this:. Copy this link. That's where BBC reporter and presenter Dion Hesson first came across forex trading. Contributor image. But how easy is it to make "sexy money"? Caspar has concerns. It's something Caspar agrees with. More from Real Life. James Arthur: Sometimes I curse my rise to fame.

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Affiliate marketing involves companies paying a finder's fee to a third party for putting business their way. They say client documentation made it clear that all trading would be through Infinox Bahamas under Bahamian regulation. The Sky Was Pink Holden Remix. Watch now. Infinox Capital Limited has an office less than metres from the Bank of England.

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