The era of the Internet made financial and stock markets available to individuals. But to start trading activity, you need a trading account and access to a platform. These two things are provided by a broker. Brokers act as intermediaries in buying and selling currencies, contracts, and other assets. Also, a broker provides additional services - leverage, educational materials as well as daily analytical data. So choosing a broker is a crucial step.
You will find many resources providing ratings on all existing brokers, but experienced traders suggest you focus on some specific criteria: Experience in the market; License; Trading conditions; Speed of order execution; The minimum deposit; Leverage; Demo account; Customer support. It is not a complete list, but these basic points will help you to avoid trouble and low-quality service.