According to recent estimates, the foreign exchange market (also known as forex) deals with sky-high daily trading volumes, about USD 7.5 trillion. Forex markets run around the clock, and scenarios may change in the blink of an eye. Such a situation requires investors to use advanced digital tools to monitor fluctuations and execute transactions automatically whenever an opportunity emerges.
In this context, MetaTrader has become an indispensable tool for any serious investor. More importantly, they surround their investments with sturdy forex VPS (Virtual Private Server), ensuring safety for all transactions, faster executions, and reduced latency. However, setting up MetaTrader for VPS can be tricky for first-timers. Here’s how to do it.
Tools of the Trade
Developed by MetaQuotes, MetaTrader 4 and 5 were designed to provide quick and safe execution of trading operations. MetaTrader 4 mostly focuses on forex markets, while the newer version brings options like CFDs, futures, stocks, and others. Anyway, both tools provide an in-depth technical analysis of trends and risks, and options for automated trading.
Investors make juicy targets for cybercriminals, so investing in security measures is important. Using MetaTrader with a virtual private server, investors get solid protection against data theft, DDoS attacks, and malware, thanks to antiviruses and firewalls. Additionally, a VPS can offer protection against power outages, hardware malfunction, and internet instability.
The best part is that such a level of protection doesn’t cost a sluggish navigation; in fact, it’s the other way round. Typically, major brokers and VPS servers share the same data center, meaning that operations are even faster, regardless of physical distance. It results in reduced latency and lower slippage, that is, the difference between the intended and executed prices.
Quick Guide
Using MT with a VPS brings so many benefits, and it’s so easy to set it up that there’s no reason not to do it. There are countless VPS options out there. So, shopping for the best prices and conditions is part of investors’ homework. Here’s a step-by-step guide for first-timers.
- Choose a broker and sign up.
- Download and install the preferred MetaTrader version using a remote connection
- Provide the user’s IP address and go to the website of the chosen broker
- Install .NET Framework (if it’s not yet installed)
- Install the desired expert advisor
- Connect the account to the expert advisor to have access to the charts
- The MT4/5 account is ready to run on a VPS around the clock
Telling the Best from the Rest
Virtual private servers can be fantastic tools for investors, but only if wisely chosen and used. Not all providers offer two-factor authentication, making these options more vulnerable to breaches and unauthorized access. While most do offer protection against malware and DDoS attacks, such threats can make the system unstable and disrupt operations.
Worse still, if the VPS platform collapses, MT will collapse with it, and sudden traffic spikes can impact the tool’s performance, therefore, investors’ profitability as well. Such issues can also make expert advisors behave unexpectedly, leading to poor decision-making.
However, much of this hassle can be saved if users choose reliable VPS providers and monitor them constantly. Testing and optimizing expert advisors before deploying them live on a VPS is also advisable.
