Know the environment before trading
Browser · Demo account · Live account
Welcome to BamaUp lesson two. Last time we identified a symbol and a chart. Today we start with opening a website, even if you have never typed a web address yourself. Then we open the real MetaTrader web interface and distinguish a demo account from a live one. We will not deposit money, create a live account or submit a trade.
Type the address at the top
Address bar · Ctrl+L · Enter
This program is a browser: a tool for opening websites. Yours may be called Chrome, Edge or something else. The narrow box at the top is the address bar. Control and L selects its contents. I type TradingView here, not into a message box, and press Enter. The full address is also in this video description, so you can copy it and paste it into the address bar.
A chart is not a trading account
tradingview.com/chart/ | Chart
The TradingView page has opened. Allow a few seconds for it to load. This is the gold chart from lesson one. Viewing a chart and having a trading account are different things. Looking at a price in a shop window does not mean you bought the item. Here we are only viewing information. On a phone the menus may be arranged differently, so look for the option names rather than expecting identical screen positions.
Find the practice option
Paper Trading = simulated trading with virtual funds
I open Trade to see the available choices. Paper Trading means simulated trading with virtual funds. Today we only locate it; we do not place a trade. A sign-in or registration screen does not automatically mean payment is required. A website account, a paid subscription and a broker live account are three different things. You do not need to sign in for the observation exercise in this lesson.
Virtual funds are not withdrawable money
Demo ≠ Real / Live
Demo means practice. Think of a training game that gives you virtual coins: the number is visible, but those coins did not come from your bank card. A demo balance is for practice and its simulated profit is not withdrawable money. A live account puts real money at risk. Similar-looking screens must not fool you. Before any trade, establish the account type. If you cannot tell whether it is demo or live, do not submit an order.
Open MetaTrader through its official site
MetaTrader 5 = trading software
Now we open MetaTrader. I use a new browser tab so the previous chart remains available. MetaTrader is software, not our bank or broker. A broker supplies a trading account and its trading conditions. We are not recommending a broker. This demonstration uses the web version linked by the official website. Web version means it runs in your browser without installing a desktop application.
Connecting and creating a demo are different
Connect to account | Open Demo account
This is the actual MetaTrader web interface. It offers Connect to account and Open Demo account. Connecting assumes you already have that account’s login details. Opening a demo prepares a practice environment. I open the demo form so you can see it. We will not enter personal information or submit a registration on your behalf.
What do the form fields mean?
Name · Surname · Email
Name is your first name, and Surname is your family name. Email is the address of your internet mailbox, where registration messages can arrive. You do not need to create a new mailbox today. When registering for yourself later, use an address you can access. Do not put your email password into the email-address field. This form also requests a phone number; do not invent personal details just to get past it.
What does Deposit mean on this form?
Deposit here = starting virtual demo balance
This field says Deposit. On this specific demo form it means the starting virtual balance. I change the displayed number to one thousand without submitting anything. That does not withdraw a thousand dollars from a bank card. On a live-account funding page, Deposit can instead mean transferring real money. Always interpret a field in the context of the account type. We are inspecting a demo form only; no payment takes place.
We do not submit the form today
Leverage · Terms · Observation only
Other fields include leverage and agreement to terms. Leverage affects the size of a position that an account can support and can amplify risk. We do not configure it today; it has its own lesson. We will not check the agreement or submit the account form. We have only located and inspected it. You do not need to send money, identity documents or passwords to anyone to follow this lesson.
Recognize the three login details
Login · Password · Server
Back on Connect to account, Login usually means a trading-account number, not necessarily your email address. Password is that account’s password. Server identifies the relevant trading service. The three must match. Do not assume your email password, website password and trading-account password are interchangeable. Keep any account details you create later private; do not post them in comments or a learning group.
Return to the previous browser tab
Tab · Refresh
Each tab at the top of the browser keeps a separate page. I select the TradingView tab and our chart returns without having to find it again. If a page only partly loads, refresh once and allow it time. An error does not automatically mean an account is broken. When requesting help, capture the message itself, but hide account numbers and private details before sharing the screenshot.
Your turn: practice without registering
Open the official page · Find Demo · Do not submit
Your turn. Open the official address in the description and locate the demo-account option without submitting the form. Answer three questions. Does opening a chart itself place a trade? Can simulated demo profits be withdrawn? Must you deposit money for today’s exercise? Pause the video and answer. We will also leave a few seconds here for practice.
Answers: no money is involved today
All three answers: no | Next: accounts and safe sign-in
All three answers are no. A chart displays information, demo funds are virtual and this lesson needs no deposit. If you can now open the address and distinguish Open Demo account from Connect to account, you have met lesson two’s goal. Next we separate website, email and trading accounts with practical examples before setting up your own practice environment. There is no rush to risk real money.
