Until the late 1990's, large financial institutions dominated the Forex market. Over the last several years the market has witnessed a dramatic evolution, with independent firms offering access to the forex market via internet-enabled trading platforms. Individual investors are now tapping into the FX market, with access to the same market data and tools used by institutions, hedge funds and professional traders.

In some ways, Forex is very similar to other financial markets. For example, Forex is traded with recognizable patterns and clearly-defined technical applications, comparable to those found in stock trading.

But the real advantages of Forex trading are obvious in the market's unique features. Forex attracts so much investor interest due to the many advantages not found in other financial markets, such as: