Tope Ijibadejo, Nigeria Region Manager for CMTrading, Africa’s largest online broker and a leader in the international markets, shares his take on specialised vs diversified trading. Here’s why specialisation is first choice for many traders.

“In simple terms, trade specialisation is when a financial market trader or forex trader takes on the discipline required to trade in a narrow asset class. For instance, the trader would only operate in the Euro and US dollar pair in the forex trading space. Alternatively, they could decide to trade exclusively on the NASDAQ or trade only crude oil or gold – whatever their specific area of choice may be. 

“Conversely, diversification, as opposed to specialisation, is a choice many traders make. But here’s why a trader may choose to specialise as opposed to diversify: “The benefits of trade specialisation can be great. First of all, diversification gives you a fair level of accuracy in trading (if you are diversifying, you can, on average have between a 60- and 65%-win rate trading across various assets). When you specialise, however, you could achieve as much as a 90%-win rate by focusing on just a single asset. 

“Strategic specialisation can give you the winning edge and a high level of accuracy – ergo, you may make more money. And specialised trading can be less overwhelming and confusing, leaving you with better work-life balance because, where trading several assets at once means investing more time as you jump from one to the other, specialising in a particular asset or asset class can help you maintain a more singular focus. You are only looking out for one news item, after all, as opposed to constantly watching the markets like a hawk. 

Getting started as a specialised online trader 

“Specialised online trading is all about discipline and accuracy. For instance, if you decide to want to become a specialised trader, you could focus on crude oil and the US dollar – especially since the two have a relationship. If you cultivate a level of understanding about how those two assets work together, your accuracy is likely to increase exponentially. 

“The discipline comes in only trading when it is truly relevant – or learning to apply real focus, put your hands in your pockets and not be tempted to look into another asset to trade. There are likely to be many times you will be dying to get in there and trade, but if there aren’t real opportunities to do so on your particular asset class, you need to learn to step back and bow out until the grass looks a bit greener. 

The real benefits of specialisation 

“The old cliché, ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ applies here. In my 14 years of trading, I have found, time after time, that traders who decide to master a particular asset class grow to a unique level of understanding of their asset of choice – almost as we understand our life partners after years of marriage. The markets work on the principle of repetition – cycles and patterns that, subject to prolonged observation, will become more predictable to the trader. That predictability gives the trader an edge. 

“In 2013, I was lucky enough to win an award for the ‘Best Forex Fund Manager’ at the Lagos Forex Expo. This didn’t happen by chance. The win came on the back of converting $150 to $15,000 in six weeks. I did it by trading only the British pound versus the Japanese yen. This happened simply because I gained a very high level of win rates, having observed the cycles and patterns, I cultivated a solid understanding of this particular currency pair. It sounds straightforward, but it required the aforementioned discipline and accuracy in practice. With those in your trading arsenal, anything is possible. 

Closing thoughts “Everything has a downside. But the only pitfall I can think of with specialised trading is that you may not see trading opportunities as often as the average non-specialised trader might. Patience is a virtue, though – and it can pay off. In my experience, it is best to wait, watch and learn. And most importantly, always, trade with a reputable broker. 

For more information on CMTrading, visit their official website at www.cmtrading.com or call +2347001235348 or +2349137490534 and one of their friendly staff will assist you.

CMTrading is the brand name of Global Capital Markets Trading Ltd (A Seychelles company, company no. 104785)

Tope Ijibadejo, Nigeria Region Manager for CMTrading, Africa’s largest online broker and a leader in the international markets, gives his thoughts on how to invest in Forex and how to potentially spot Ponzi investment schemes.

“When looking for a reputable broker, there are several signs one should look out for, as forex trading can be accessed by pretty much anyone. Firstly, ensure the broker is licensed and operating under a government license or regulation that covers your country. Licensed and regulated brokers are bound to operate under set rules and standards.

“Generally speaking, this should help protect your interests. Always ensure the license that covers you is the one that is from your country of citizenship or residence. However, if your country does not regulate the operation or broker, you can still get a layer of protection by ensuring the broker is working under a known government license.

“It is also important to research the company’s track record and reviews. Reviews can be helpful but sometimes competitors pay review websites to taint the image of other companies just to look better in the public eye. For a better picture, it is more effective to find unbiased information about a broker from its existing and former clients. Find somebody who knows somebody else that has experience using the broker’s services. This might be time consuming, but it could save you a lot of time and money in the bigger picture.

“The most common scams in Nigeria are investment scams. It is rampant because there is a prevalent trend where investors try to grow their money through legitimate means online – like forex – without going through the process of understanding the basics of online trading. Unfortunately, con artists capitalise on this trend and set up scam companies that promise juicy monthly returns with guaranteed capital protection. Ignorant investors fail to investigate the validity of these bold claims and get their fingers burned.

“In most situations, to build public confidence, these companies start ponzi schemes by using part of newer investors’ capital to pay interest/ROI to the older investors. Satisfied investors are used to draft in greater participation by giving mouth-watering benefits for referral. These companies are aggressive with advertising and publicity so they can maximise and expedite exposure. Some will even go as far as securing famous social media influencers and network marketers to encourage participation. From the outside, it appears to be working and can do so for over a year, until the perpetrators either disappear with the money or start to experience a decline in new investors, which leads to the scheme crashing.

“To protect yourself against forex scams, you must understand the principles of investing in forex. Like every other business, trading forex has underlying risks. That means, no risk – no reward. Stop looking for guarantees, as you will most likely buy into lies and fall victim to unfulfilled promises.

“Investors must educate themselves as it helps them manage risk better. Profit is made only when the trader outsmarts the risk, and investors who are well informed are more likely to do so.

“It is advisable to invest your money directly with a forex broker instead of putting it in the hands of a third party. Money invested with a forex broker is accessible and withdrawable at any point in time should you no longer be confident or happy with the outcome of the investment. However, when you invest using third parties, you put yourself at their mercy. It can become frustrating, much like watching TV without a remote control to adjust volume or change stations.

"Moreover, should you decide that you have not invested wisely, you may find yourself trapped in the investment and have no choice but to await your fate. If you must utilise the service of any third party, fund your account with a broker and share your trading account login details with them so they are able to make trades on your behalf, or better still, use a copy trading solution if it is available. If you are not happy with the outcome, you can either lock out the third party by changing your password or stop copying trades. This is the type of control every investor should have.

“There are regulatory bodies that you can refer to in order to verify brokers before you trade. Check the broker’s website to confirm which license or regulations they are operating under and visit the regulator’s website to verify this claim. Every regulator has a list of the brokers they oversee on their website.

“The reason scams are so prevalent is due to a lack of regulation in some countries. Citizens will never know it all, so it is up to the government to protect them from public financial scams. Should your country not regulate forex business, it is vital that you gather enough information and eliminate ignorance before investing. This can be achieved by attending seminars, webinars, workshops or conducting comprehensive online research before making an investment. Forex scams are more common in countries without any form of licensing or regulation. Within the last decade, Nigeria has experienced several high-profile forex scams because of this.

“Trading with an offshore broker is riskier because you will not be covered in the event of bankruptcy or any other unforeseen situation. It is safer to trade with a broker that is licensed and regulated by your own government. Your government is expected to offer protection through regulation.

“Regarding Nigeria specifically, there should be a move by government to understand and regulate the forex industry (like South Africa did some years ago), seeing that there is significant interest in the forex business. Regulation will help eliminate high profile forex scams, increase investor confidence and participation from corporate entities which will ultimately grow the economy”.

For more information on CMTrading, visit their official website at www.cmtrading.com or call +27 10 500 8026 and one of their friendly staff will assist you.

CMTrading is the brand name of Global Capital Markets Trading Ltd (A Seychelles company, company no. 104785)

Anti - Corruption Unit ACU investigates Hawks for Racketeering in 'Undercover Billionaires' Louis Jr Tshakoane Case. In a recent turn of events the Hawks similarly known as the Specialized Commercial Crimes Unit in Johannesburg based in Eloff Street has been flagged by the ACU Anti-Corruption Unit of South Africa for its involvement in the fraud investigation against the Undercover Billionaires International Crypto-Currency business which sells UMC digital virtual coins to the public according to the framework outlined by the South African Reserve Banks Position Paper on digital virtual currencies in 2014. A sophisticated illegal syndicate using State resources and bribes has been identified by Detective Alfred Temane with key individuals being employees of Media publications, Public Relations practitioners, Hawks captains and subordinates, SAPS officers, SARS officials and FOREX traders in South Africa.

It has come to our attention that a spider network exists around this matter and many others overlapping and investigations are at an advanced stage now says Temane. Louis Jr Tshakoane who is a well-known Best-selling author. Master Forex Trading Millionaire has been featured on Vuzu Rich Kids during 2016 for his inspiration lifestyle.

Started Undercover Billionaires International as a business networking company aimed at alleviating poverty by bridging the gap between aspiring millionaires and existing ones. At the age of 16 Tshakoane, Jr became the youngest self-made millionaire in South Africa when British Billionaire from the Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson gave him R2 million rand in gym equipment and R500, 000 in cash to help previously disadvantaged youth in a township east of Johannesburg called Tembisa.

He has since worked for companies like Lamborghini Johannesburg and UBS South Africa a Swiss bank where he picked up his passion for FOREX Trading. In 2016 April Louis Jr Tshakoane created a digital coin called Undercover Millionaires Currency similar to the famous Bitcoin Crypto-Currency which is currently trading at R135,000 per coin.

More than 25,000 people purchased UMC coins from the network via its website www.undercovermillionaires.com trading was going very well as Louis Jr Tshakoane marketed around the world his intellectual property that anyone can own a part of. Currently, the coin is trading at R5,63 and fluctuates daily based on supply and demand.

R118 million rand worth of peer to peer lending coins were bought within the first year through the trading of its members. Of which R26 million worth of coins were purchased from the source company that generated the initial batch namely Undercover Billionaires International of which Louis Jr Tshakoane is 100% sole director and invested in my mining equipment in order to profit from the sale of his coins.

He hired around 20 employees to manage his brand, business, and clientele around 4 offices in the country. He has spent more than R1 Million advertising himself as a brand on social media sites Facebook and Instagram. He registered his business with CIPRO and SARS to remain compliant with regulatory requirements. His accountant Frans Phiri of Phiri Accountants has also drafted Audited Financial Statements as of February 2017. He did not register with the FSCA formally the FSB (Financial Services Board.) For UMC because after doing the research he discovered that cryptography based businesses aren't deemed legal tender and hence the trade thereof did not require a license to sell digital coins.

None the less he did partner with a July, 2016/2019 FSP/NCR licensed company called Epic Finance Pty Ltd owned by his Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship classmate Mvuleleni Mgibe. Should the need arise for him to offer such services the clients will be sent to Epic Finance Pty Ltd for financial intermediary advice consultations. Now after all of this rumor has it that a group of unscrupulous media journalists, police officials, Hawks officials, and the public prosecutor have been accepting bribes from one of his Forex competitors in order to keep Tshakoane and his family behind bars for no justifiable reason and taint his reputation.

A one police detective Mabunda of the Sandton Police Station once made an attempt to extort money from Louis Jr Tshakoane at a Sandton Bread and Basket restaurant. Louis then appeared at the Sandton Police station before Head of Fraud Detectives Col. Sikhwene to open a case of intimidation against Mabunda who is well known for confronting Forex Traders in the area with bogus cases. Sikhwene then pleaded with Louis not to pursue the matter due to fear of embarrassment.

He then issued a summons for Louis to appear at the SCCU court in Eloff Street instead of him being arrested since he wasn't evading the case opened against him. Louis appeared first in court during October 2017 and the matter was immediately struck off the roll due to overwhelming evidence that he was innocent and did not owe a one Petrus Khoza found by Judge Van Burren.

A one Captain Hanyani Ngobeni of the SCCU opened another docket on this matter and instructed a one Captain Mzwandile Gobozi who has since resigned due to his various scandals at the station to persecute Tshakoane. During a Johannesburg appearance in July 2018 Louis Jr Tshakoane was apparently unlawfully kidnapped by Captain Gobozi and handed over to an Investigating officer from Estcourt KZN to appear in another matter which Gobozi created after reviewing Undercover Billionaires bank statements and fabricating a new case simply to frustrate Tshakoane who was already on bail in Johannesburg for R70,000. This was a clear act of defeating the ends of justice.

Subsequently, Gobozi resigned from his post and is no longer serving at SCCU Johannesburg. The case in Estcourt was subsequently withdrawn due to lack of evidence. NPA appointed Public Prosecutor Terrance Zitha then took it upon himself to lie under oath on record during the bail hearing for Louis Jr Tshakoane.

The matter has been sitting at the SCCU court for over 18 months now without a shred of evidence being presented before the court. Tshakoanes legal team kept pleading with the court judges for a speedy trial upon multiple lies and excuses being made by the Prosecutor claiming on record that he was ready to commence with trial since the bail hearings.

None the less postponement after postponement has been made by the State Prosecutor. The only thing found in the dockets by the defendant's legal team has been Undercover Billionaires banks statements and statements made by 12 people. That's right. After wild allegations have been made that the company swindled over 500 investors. It has come to light that out of 25000+ members.

Only 12 people have come forward after only 1 Thato Menu a Standard bank manager claimed Tshakoane defrauded him and that he was not licensed. That's right a person working for a bank with key knowledge on how investments work went and took a loan from Capitec to buy coins amounting to over R150,000 from multiple UMC members.

Ran to the same Sowetan Newspaper claiming that theft has been conducted by Louis Jr Tshakoane. of which He clearly still has access to all his UMC coins on www.undercovermillionaires.com which have appreciated in value since 2016. The FSB also made a formal statement in the Sowetan article actually exonerating Louis Jr Tshakoane by saying that his company was not registered with them and that one does not need to be registered with FSB to run a cryptocurrency.

Now comes the part of the parents to Louis Jr Tshakoane. Louis Snr Tshakoane who is regarded among soccer enthusiasts as a Living Football Marketing Legend. Has served Kaiser Chiefs for 25 years as marketing director and 10 years as Bafana Bafana manager. Traveled to over 100 countries and was loved especially by the likes or Nelson Mandela.

Has been dragged into this matter to taint his long reputable character. He has simply been wanted by the Hawks together with his wife simply because he attended a seminar hosted by his son. And his wife Suzan Tshakoane is waNTED simply because the Undercover Billionaires company purchased her a car that it owed her after her son used her BMW for Undercover Billionaires purposes prior to the business going well.

How can his parents be benefiting from the proceeds of so-called criminal activity if the case now has been taken by Louis Jr Tshakoanes legal team to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions for Representations in order to be acquitted? Since multiple attempts to go to trial have been postponed more than 4 times. It is with great prejudice that the Tshakoane family has suffered malicious prosecution, prosecutorial misconduct, harassment, intimidation, defamation, kidnapping, wrongful arrest, extortion attempts ect. during this time.

Surely God will intervene to bring these unlawful public servants to justice. Should anyone be facing similar prejudice from the aforementioned officials kindly email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact Detective Alfred Temane on 0829478510 from Anti Corruption Unit South Africa. Formal complaints have been laid to the office of the President, NPA, IPID, ACU and Public Protector.

During its investigation the Fraud Department of FNB has found nothing that can categorize Undercover Billionaires international as a ponzi scheme or pyramid scheme as all funds paid into the company account were used for business purposes such as marketing expenses, travel & transportation costs, salaries, office rentals, stationery, equipment, property, tax etc.

Instead of the typical borrow from Peter to pay Paul scenario. Undercover Billionaires has also presented source or funds to FNB. Crypto Currency coins are generated through a process called Mining. And each coin holder earns what is called a Mining Reward for verification of transactions on the network called a Blockchain. A distributed public ledger named UMC blockchain is available for all members on the system for transparency purposes.

The system operates independently from Undercover Billionaires and is self-sustainable. This is what Hawks fail to understand. It is being misrepresented to the public that Louis JR and his company promised people unrealistic returns on a regulated investment. Louis could not promise a return on investment in the form of real money since UMC is a cryptocurrency, not a traditional investment. It is clear that the Corruption problem in South Africa is still thriving. A Cancer to the progress of the Country. How are the youth supposed to excel in business when they prosper devilish behavior is being displayed by law enforcement.

A problem President Cryil Ramaphosa and the African National Congress need to address since the Tshakoane family are well supported by the International community. This paints a very ugly picture to the millions of social media followers around the world watching all this unfold who already support Louis Jr Tshakoane and his vision to alleviate poverty in Africa.

This includes over 10000 millionaires and billionaires his company Undercover Billionaires conducts business with that are now wary of continuing to do business with South Africa through foreign direct investment with the fear that they will be next.

Make 2019 your year to commit 

Never before has trading been so lucrative and so exciting – 2018 has been an incredible year of ups and downs and 2019 promises to be even more interesting, says Daniel Kibel, CEO of top rated online trading company CM Trading. 

“While trading can be complicated and daunting, it can also be exciting,” says Kibel.  “If you compare trading with a relationship (which can also be complicated and daunting), things can become a lot clearer.  I know it sounds strange but with a relationship and with trading there are three key steps, as I see it:

Step 1: Falling in love. In a relationship you meet someone, get to know them, become familiar with them, their flaws as well as the things that you love about them – one of the most important steps in the relationship – you don’t invest yourself if you don’t understand the information you receive.  It is the same with trading, you need to get to know your market, the shares or the commodities that you are looking at trading in.  If you don’t understand it, don’t invest in it.  Having said that, if you learn more about the market you’re interested in and completely immerse yourself in the ups and downs, your relationship with trading will be a successful one. 

Step 2: Getting engaged.  Once you are happy with the information you have learned, it is important to start to commit, in a relationship, the next step would be getting engaged.  In trading it is being committed to a particular commodity, market or share - it is so much easier to trade in something that you know and are committed to. 

Step 3: Getting married!  You never know what goes on inside a marriage until you are in the midst of it.  Take the plunge!  Once you know what you are doing, where you are going and where you can see yourself in 10, 20, 30 years time, then trading is for you.  Make no mistake that - like a marriage -the markets are volatile, but with high risk there comes high potential profit and trading really is a mix of different entities.  Whether it is the economy, the political situation, corruption, fake news….it could be anything, but taking that first step is the most important and I believe the key to a successful relationship, whether it be online trading or finding your wife or husband! 

“I know that the analogy is unusual but if you think about it, it is quite accurate.  I am so excited about the opportunities and trends I foresee for 2019 – market changes, political changes, social changes all play a part in the trading arena,” concludes Kibel. 

Anyone wanting to start trading can contact CM Trading on www.cmtrading.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..   

About CM TradingAn FSCA-regulated company, CM Trading offers the best trading experience both locally and internationally and is a source of information and a conduit to successful trading on any and all trading platforms including: Forex Trading, CFD Trading, Stocks, Cryptocurrencies, Indices Trading, Commodities Trading and Currency Trading. 

For more information on CM Trading please visit their website https://www.cmtrading.com/, or contact them on +27 10 500 80 26 or via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also follow them on Twitter @CMTrading_FX and Facebook @CapitalMarketsTrading.

It is once again the leaders in our country that will make the difference – those with the drive and determination to succeed.  CM Trading is facilitating this South African entrepreneurial spirit by introducing the Business Referrers programme which enables individuals with vision, spirit and resolve to either make a successful part-time business or a booming full time enterprise.

“As well as providing the largest retail online trading platform for individuals and companies, we have also seen the need to provide opportunities for individuals to grow their wealth in other ways – hence the development of the Business Referrers programme,” says Daniel Kibel, CM Trading.  “Since we started trading in 2012 we have become one of the most trusted trading sites in the world, boasting our presence all over the world and winning many awards including the Best Performing Broker in Africa by Africa investor (Ai) at a function at NASDAQ in New York.  People are beginning to learn that trading can be as simple or as complicated as you make it, and we pride ourselves on making it simple, transparent and profitable.”

“Being prepared for various market scenarios is often a key part of a business’ success – the better prepared you are, the better your performance will be,” Kibel continues.  “However, a trader should always be responsible and we pride ourselves on good business practice and on ensuring that we educate both the experienced online trader as well as the new online practitioner – we are here to assist.  Our Business Referrers programme teaches our business partners to be disciplined, to think of the long term and most importantly to be patient.  This is just one of the reasons we started the Programme.”

“The point of entry is low – in fact all an individual needs to become a Business Referrer is someone who can introduce a minimum of five clients looking to invest with a company that provides full back up support and continued maintenance through an established trading company.  There is no capital outlay, just a determined spirit and a basic knowledge of the CM Trading platform – all of which is provided by CM Trading through webinars, through seminars and also through our call-in and walk-in centres.   This programme is really taking off – beyond what we ever imagined – after all, who doesn’t want to make an extra income with the backing of an international company!”, says Kibel.

At a recent Business Referrers workshop held, some of the comments received included:“I am a new Business Referrer and this seminar has shown me exactly what I can expect and I just can’t wait to get started.  I have been told exactly what I can expect from my online trading and marketing experience with CM Trading.  I am excited and they actually understand the exact direction that I want to take my company - this is all very exciting for me!”

Another delegate said:

“This is the first Business Referrers workshop that I have been to, but I understand from other delegates and Entrepreneurs here that they are really good at helping to generate more business and that their level of engagement is always top notch.  The team at CM Trading are very hands on and very involved and they always follow up – it really feels like they want us to succeed, they want to create a new breed of entrepreneurs, this is something I am so privileged to be involved in.”

Kibel concludes: “The World Wide Web has made it a new world, a small world but a beautiful world and we can’t wait to build up our entrepreneur base here in South Africa and invest in an entirely new breed of successful independent business people.”

Anyone interested in signing up to the Business Referrers Programme can contact CM Trading on www.cmtrading.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

CM Trading has been awarded the Best Performing Broker in Africa by Africa investor (Ai) at a recent function at NASDAQ in New York.  The annual Ai Capital Market Index Series Awards showcase the best of Africa’s investment success stories and CM Trading is proud to be recognised as the best in this prestigious award ceremony and sought after category.

Up against some stiff competition with nine other nominees in the Best Performing Broker in Africa category, CM Trading was the winner, with Head of Business Development Paul Venter citing the company’s smooth performance throughout the year as commitment to ensuring its client’s trading in the often complex world of Forex trading and development of a unique range of products and services that make CM Trading, well, simply the best!  

Daniel Kibel, Director, CM Trading says: “Although this is something that we knew we could win, an award of this nature is recognition of the amazing work that each and every one of our teams is doing each every day to push CM Trading forward.  I accepted this award in person, but I was representing our employees as well as the values and trust that are the cornerstones of our business and so key to our success.  While we still have much to do, we are definitely on the map and very much heading in the right direction.”

Hubert Danso, CEO and Vice Chairman of Africa investor said “Africa’s capital markets continue to provide some of the most attractive propositions for investors globally.  This has been proven in particular by our Ai40 Investors Index, which recently broke through the significant 100-point mark and has been on a bull run for the largest part of 2017.  We are therefore delighted that these awards once again showcase the institutions and CEOs from the Ai Index Series at the forefront of delivering world class returns and improving Africa’s capital market investment profile.” 

“With CM Trading offering clients the best Forex trading experience and having our commitment, our clients and our teams success recognised with this award, there can be nothing but victory in our futures,” concludes Venter.  “When dealing with foreign exchange, with money and with people’s investments, it is so important to be transparent and to treat each client with the same respect, courtesy and transparency – not matter what their investment.” 

CM Trading is “Your local international broker” and is a leading provider of derivative trading solutions to the local and international market.   The company, regulated by the South African Financial Services Board, operates successfully around the globe and assists in increasing their clients trading knowledge, providing personal service and support as well as a range of online solutions to match every traders needs. 

For more information on CM Trading please visit their website https://www.cmtrading.com/, or contact them on +27 10 500 80 26 or via email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . You can also follow them on Twitter @CMTrading_FX and Facebook @CapitalMarketsTrading.