What Is a CFD (Contract for Difference)?
A Contract for Difference (CFD) is a financial agreement between two parties that involves exchanging the difference in the value of a financial instrument between the time the contract is opened and when it is closed. This type of contract allows individuals to participate in price changes without owning the underlying asset. CFDs are used to track the price movement of assets such as currencies, stocks, commodities, and indices. This article explains, in clear and factual terms, how CFDs function and what they represent. What a CFD Represents A CFD is a derivative instrument . This means its value is derived from the price of another asset (called the underlying asset ). The CFD itself is not the asset; it is a contract that reflects how much the asset’s price changes over time. When a CFD trade is opened: The current price of the underlying asset is recorded. When the trade is closed, the difference between the opening and closing prices determines the result of the trade....