The greatest advantage of having a TZS Account is that you will avoid currency conversion fees when funding your trading account.
If you have a USD trading account, conversion fees or the volatile TZS/USD exchange rate can take a bite out of your profits before you even start trading. Most international brokers will also give you a poor exchange rate from TZS to USD.
TZS Accounts will not have conversion fees on withdrawals and deposits
TZS accounts are also good for traders who use bank transfers or credit cards to fund their accounts. If you ask your bank or credit card company to fund a USD account, you can lose 7-10% of the value of your deposit in conversion charges and added fees. Fund transfers are also much quicker between local banks, so deposits and withdrawals can generally be made within 24 hours, and often happen instantly.
Funding TZS Accounts is much faster than USD accounts
Another benefit of having a TZS account is that your funds will be kept in a Tanzanian bank and will be accessible if your broker declares bankruptcy. With a USD account at an international broker, this will not be the case: Even if your funds are kept in a segregated account, they will be kept in a segregated account in another country.
TZS Accounts are usually held in Tanzanian banks
How to choose the best TZS Account
Choosing a broker with the best TZS account is much the same as choosing any Forex broker. It is essential to look at the detail of each broker to find out what differentiates them from each other. When looking for a TZS account broker, it is important to judge them on the following areas:
Regulation
Regulation is the most important aspect of selecting a broker with a TZS account, as it is with any Forex broker. You want to make sure your funds are secure and kept in a segregated account and that your broker maintains a fair trading environment.
The best international brokers tend to be regulated by the FCA, CySEC or ASIC as well as the FSCA.
The best regulators in the world are the FCA, CySEC and ASIC
Alongside FSCA regulation, brokers who offer TZS accounts will need a licence from the Bank of Tanzania (BOT) to provide financial products denominated in TZS – this extra licencing requirement adds another layer of protection for local traders.
Trading Conditions
This includes what kind of spreads are available, how much leverage is offered, and how many currency pairs are available. These factors will directly impact your profit or loss.
Trading conditions are particularly important for traders with TZS accounts as your trading balance will be denominated in Shilling. This means that when you are open a trade with the base currency in anything other than TZS (USD/JPY, EUR/USD, AUD/USD, etc.) you TZS balance will be converted in the base currency, it will be converted back again to TZS once you close the trade. This can be expensive if you plan to hold multiple large trades open simultaneously.
When trading, your account currency is converted to the base currency of an FX pair
If you are planning to trade the USD/TZS be aware that this is considered an exotic pair and spreads are much wider than for major pairs (such as the USD/GBP), often as wide as 80 or 100 pips.
Trading Platforms
Another factor to consider is the choice of trading platforms on offer. Most brokers will offer MT4, but some brokers will offer multiple platforms – each with their own advantages. Many brokers also have their own platforms, these are often easier to use for beginners, though may not have the automation options that exist on downloadable applications like MT4, MT5 and cTrader.
Broker’s own trading platforms are often easier to use for beginner traders
Minimum Deposit
For TZS Accounts, your minimum deposit will always be in Shilling. How much you are required to deposit changes for each broker and often changes between account types offered by the same broker, with higher minimum deposits often linked to better trading conditions.
Accounts with higher minimum deposits have better trading conditions
Deposit and Withdrawal Methods
All brokers accept traditional payment types such as debit/credit cards and bank transfers, many accept online payments through Skrill and Neteller.
Always check for deposit and withdrawal fees before you sign up with a broker
Always check for deposit and withdrawal fees, a few brokers charge a percentage fee for some withdrawal methods, making large drawdowns expensive.
Customer Service
Another important factor to consider when opening a TZS account is the quality of customer service offered by a broker. Brokers with TZS accounts tend to have local offices and can offer local support – which can make all the difference for beginner traders.
Brokers with local customer support will have a better understanding of your needs
Brokers with local customer support have a better understanding of the issues new traders in Tanzania have when setting up their accounts. They also can offer support in multiple languages, including Swahili.
Why are TZS Accounts so Rare?
Forex brokers who offer TZS accounts are rare, and most brokers still only offer USD or EUR accounts. This is mainly due to a lack of TZS liquidity providers. Forex brokers with TZS accounts need access to large amounts of Shilling, or Shilling liquidity pools, to cover their clients’ trades. Currently, there are just not that many banks in South Africa willing to provide the necessary funding.
Broker with TZS accounts need the support of large Tanzanian banks
Another reason for the lack of TZS accounts is that most international brokers have their costs priced in USD. By converting large sums of USD to finance TZS accounts they would open themselves up to huge exchange rate risk. They would lose money every time the TZS devalued against the USD, which has been a common problem recently.
International brokers with TZS accounts lose money when the Shilling devalues
Should I Use a TZS Account?
It depends. You will avoid conversion fees and withdrawals and deposits will be faster with a TZS account, however there will be a conversion fee on every trade with non TZS currency pairs.
Some traders want a USD account, especially traders who keep many positions open simultaneously. With this approach to trading with a TZS account, the fluctuations in the exchange rate would impact your profit margins.
One thing to keep in mind with a TZS account is whether your broker charges commission on trades – most ECN brokers do – and what currency the commission is charged in. If you have a TZS account and are being charged a USD commission for every trade, you will be losing a small amount of every trade in currency conversion. This can add up over time and become quite expensive. Most brokers with TZS accounts will charge the commission at a fixed rate in TZS but do check first.
Forex Risk Disclaimer
Trading Forex and CFDs is not suitable for all investors as it carries a high degree of risk to your capital: 75-90% of retail investors lose money trading these products. Forex and CFD transactions involve high risk due to the following factors: Leverage, market volatility, slippage arising from a lack of liquidity, inadequate trading knowledge or experience, and a lack of regulatory protection. Traders should not deposit any money that is not considered disposable income. Regardless of how much research you have done or how confident you are in your trade, there is always a substantial risk of loss. (Learn more about these risks from the UK’s regulator, the FCA, or the Australian regulator, ASIC).
Our Rating & Review Methodology
Our State of the Market Report and Directory of CFD Brokers to Avoid are the result of extensive research on over 180 Forex brokers. These resources help traders find the best Forex brokers – and steer them away from the worst ones. These resources have been compiled using over 200 data points on each broker and over 3000 hours of research. Our team conducts all research independently: Testing brokers, gathering information from broker representatives and sifting through legal documents. Learn more about how we rank brokers.
Editorial Team
Chris Cammack
Head of Content
Chris joined the company in 2019 after ten years experience in research, editorial and design for political and financial publications. His background has given him a deep knowledge of international financial markets and the geopolitics that affects them. Chris has a keen eye for editing and a voracious appetite for financial and political current affairs. He ensures that our content across all sites meets the standards of quality and transparency that our readers expect.
Alison Heyerdahl
Senior Financial Writer
Alison joined the team as a writer in 2021. She has a medical degree with a focus on physiotherapy and a bachelor’s in psychology. However, her interest in forex trading and her love for writing led her to switch careers, and she now has over eight years experience in research and content development. She has tested and reviewed 100+ brokers and has a great understanding of the Forex trading world.
Ida Hermansen
Financial Writer
Ida joined our team as a financial writer in 2023. She has a degree in Digital Marketing and a background in content writing and SEO. In addition to her marketing and writing skills, Ida also has an interest in cryptocurrencies and blockchain networks. Her interest in crypto trading led to a wider fascination with Forex technical analysis and price movement. She continues to develop her skills and knowledge in Forex trading and keeps a close eye on which Forex brokers offer the best trading environments for new traders.
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