What a real beginner’s course should contain
- The basics of markets: what an asset, a price quote, an order and a candlestick are, and the difference between long and short (buying to sell higher, or short selling to buy back lower).
- Risk management above all: the stop-loss, the position size, the risk/reward ratio.
- A written method: a trading plan before each entry, a journal after each exit.
- Practice without real money: a simulator on real prices.
- Knowledge checks: quizzes and exercises, not just videos.
The warning signs
- Promised or “guaranteed” gains, spectacular account screenshots, a lavish lifestyle put on show.
- A “free” course that pushes you towards a specific broker, often paid on your deposits or your losses.
- Signals to copy or a “robot” presented as infallible: you learn nothing and you do not control the risk.
- Payment for recruiting other students: the AMF, the French financial markets regulator, has warned against pyramid schemes that sell trading courses.
- Urgency: “limited places”, “offer valid tonight only”.
Before entrusting money to anyone, check that they are authorised: the AMF publishes blacklists and warnings (in French), and the REGAFI register lists authorised providers in France. Not being on the blacklist does not prove that a provider is reliable. If you live outside France, check with your own regulator (for example the FCA in the UK, or the SEC/FINRA in the US).
The figure to keep in mind
In 2018, ESMA, the European markets authority, found that 74% to 89% of retail accounts lost money on CFDs, leveraged products (which magnify gains and losses) often promoted by commercial courses, with average losses of €1,600 to €29,000 per client (ESMA press release). An honest course starts with this figure, not with a promise.
What BULLSAGE offers for free
- The free guides, including the learn trading from A to Z path.
- The Bull Beginner path in the Academy: lessons, exercises, quizzes and a certificate, with a free account.
- Paper Trading: €10,000 virtual on real prices, mandatory stop, journal.
BULLSAGE does not sell signals, is not paid by any broker and promises no gains. The content is educational and is not investment advice.
Get the trading plan kit (PDF)
The plan to fill in, the eight questions to ask before acting, the position size calculation and a journal template. You will also be told when the platform opens, on 1 January 2027.