Over the counter (OTC) refers to a decentralised market where traders can buy and sell securities directly between themselves, without the involvement of clearinghouses or exchanges. Trading OTC occurs within a network of brokers, market makers, and dealers, who facilitate the transactions.
Traders can buy and sell a variety of instruments over the counter, such as stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities, and derivatives. However, OTC trading is typically more prevalent for forex and OTC derivatives, such as options and swaps.
In OTC trading, dealers and brokers negotiate directly with each other outside of centralised exchanges, and they come to an agreement on terms such as price, quantity, and delivery. They do not have to follow exchange rules and regulations, and transactions are typically conducted on electronic platforms.
A trader wants to purchase 100,000 euros and sell an equivalent amount of US dollars. They can contact a counterparty, such as a bank, broker, or another forex trader directly, to negotiate a price and execute the trade, given that both parties agree on the terms of trade.
Though OTC trading can be an easy and flexible way for traders to exchange securities, traders must be cautious of counterparty risk. Counterparty risk is the uncertainty that the other trading party will not be able to fulfil their financial obligations. To manage this, traders should work with a licensed broker and diversify their counterparties to minimise the risk of potential losses.
ADSS offers a range of global markets for traders, with CFD opportunities in indices, commodities, forex, equities and more. We also feature tutorials, how-to guides, and weekly webinars to help you navigate the financial markets and find better trading opportunities. You can start trading and investing online by opening a live trading or demo trading account.