Guaranteed stops

One way to ensure your stop is executed exactly where you specify is by placing a guaranteed stop. Guaranteed stops work in the same way as basic stops, except that they will always be filled at the level you set, even if prices move rapidly or gapping occurs.

If your guaranteed stop is triggered, you will incur a fee known as the stop premium on the closing of the trade.

To set a guaranteed stop on your deal or order ticket, click the drop-down arrow under ‘Stop’ and select ‘Guaranteed’.

Costs of a guaranteed stop

The stop premium varies depending on the market you are trading, and you’ll only be charged if the stop is triggered. You can see the guaranteed stop cost before opening a deal, as the stop premium will display near the bottom of the ticket. This premium is held separately alongside the margin, and if triggered will appear as an itemised charge in your history and overnight statement.

The charge you pay is calculated as follows:

Value per point x stop premium

In the following example, this will be:

£5 x 0.8 = £4

Benefits of using a guaranteed stop

In the event of a sudden, rapid market movement, an example of how a guaranteed stop can act like an insurance is shown below.

Let us consider three different clients, A, B and C, using different methods to manage their account.
All three clients have an open buy trade of £10 per point of USD/JPY at 11027.5.

During the sudden fall in the value of USD/JPY on 2 January 2019 – known as a ‘flash crash’ – most clients were closed out at 10686.4, while the pair bottomed out at 10472.7. Here’s the impact on the three accounts:

Comparing the scenarios above, client A, who placed a guaranteed stop on their position, has greatly minimised their losses compared to clients B and C. If the flash crash had not happened, and the guaranteed stop had not been triggered, there would have been no impact on client A as the guaranteed stop premium would only have been charged if the stop was triggered.

Why am I unable to edit my guaranteed stop?

Generally, guaranteed stops can be edited after you add them. However, there are some scenarios in which you won’t be able to edit your guaranteed stops:

1. The market is closed
When the market is closed, you can only move your guaranteed stop further away (increasing your guaranteed stop distance). You will not be able to move your guaranteed stop nearer.

2. An increase in the minimum guaranteed stop distance
During periods of increased or expected market volatility, we may increase the minimum guaranteed stop distance as compared to the initial guaranteed stop distance. In such situations you will have to adhere to the new guaranteed stop distance when amending your guaranteed stop.