This article will look at the steps that you need to take to become a Commodity Trading Advisor.

After years of trading for yourself, you have finally decided to become a Commodity Trading Advisor.  But what are your next steps? And how exactly do you get started? In this article, I will look at the steps that you must take in order to become a Commodity Trading Advisor.

How To Become A Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA)

This article will look at the steps that you need to take to become a Commodity Trading Advisor.

After years of trading for yourself, you have finally decided to become a Commodity Trading Advisor.  But what are your next steps? And how exactly do you get started? In this article, I will look at the steps that you must take in order to become a Commodity Trading Advisor.

What Is A Commodity Trading Advisor?

 According to the National Futures Association, a Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA) is an individual or firm that directly or indirectly advises clients on buying or selling futures or options contracts.   CTA’s are registered with the Commodity Trading Futures Commission (CFTC) and receive management and/or incentive fees for their services. In essence, CTAs are professional money managers that make up the managed futures industry.

Step 1: Reviewing Your Current Situation

The first step to becoming a Commodity Trading Advisor is to review your current situation.  The goal here is to find if you are ready to become a CTA or whether you should wait a little bit longer before you start your firm. Here are some questions that you should ask yourself:

What is your defined trading strategy?

How do you stack up against the competition?

Have your returns been consistent over a wide range of market environments?

Do you have actual or hypothetical returns?

Who is your target investor?

In addition to evaluating your trading program, it is best to consider your personal financial and emotional situation.  Given the fact that becoming a CTA takes time and money, consider the following questions:

Do you have the start-up capital to pay for registration, operational, marketing, and miscellaneous costs?

Is this going to be a full or part-time business?

If it’s a full-time business, do you have enough money to pay for your mortgage and living costs during this transitional and start-up phase?

 Step 2: The Registration Process

Once you have decided that you are ready to become a Commodity Trading Advisor, the next step is to meet all of the CTA registration and regulatory requirements. It is important to note that there is no formal education process to becoming a CTA.  Anyone can become a CTA as long as they meet the following guidelines:

Registering and Passing the Series 3 Exam

Anyone who applies for NFA membership must pass the National Commodity Futures Examination (NCFE or Series 3) within the two years prior to their application. The Series 3 exam is a 120 question, 2.5-hour exam that measures your understanding of the futures markets’ make up and regulations.

Registering with the National Futures Association and CFTC

Once you pass your series 3 exam, a CTA applicant is required to file the following with NFA:

• A completed online Form 7-R.
• A completed online Form 8-R, fingerprint card and fee of $85 for each individual principal. Fingerprint cards and fees are not required if such person is currently registered with the CFTC in any capacity or is listed as a principal of a current CFTC registrant.
• Individual principals and branch office managers who are applying for registration as associated persons must satisfy all applicable filing requirements. Also, for each branch manager proof of passage of the futures branch office manager examination (Series 30) or sponsorship by a broker-dealer and proof of having met the branch office manager requirements of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority are required to be provided.
• A non-refundable registration fee of $200.

There are also additional fees associated with the above requirements. For examples, all registered CTAs who manage or exercise discretion over customer accounts must be members of NFA in order to conduct futures business with the public. The annual NFA membership fee is $850 for Commodity Trading Advisors.

Step 3: Setting Up Your Business

Before you are ready to solicit clients, there are several more steps to complete. The first has to do with setting up your business and operations.  Take time to put together a detailed business plan for your business.  At this point, you will be able include some of the questions you answered in step one, like what is your startup and operational capital? Additionally, you must decide whether you will work out of your house or whether your will need office space. Typically, start-up CTAs work out of their homes until they have enough money under management to justify additional expenses.

Step 4: Finding The Right Brokerage Firm

Finding the right brokerage firm is extremely important.  There are many brokerage firms that provide clearing and execution services. However, it is beneficial to find a commodity brokerage firm that provides you with value-added benefits.  Some of these benefits include, assisting you with the start-up and registration process, providing marketing and operational support, and also helping you attract capital by offering capital introduction services..

Commissions are another factor to consider when selecting the right firm.  Since a high commission rate  negatively impacts the performance of your accounts, it is essential to find a firm that offers you a competitive commission rate.

Step 5: Soliciting Clients

When it comes to soliciting clients, the NFA and CFTC require you to draft a disclosure document. A disclosure document, also known as a DDOC, is a communication piece that must be submitted to every prospective client.  The DDOC includes information about yourself, your trading program, the risks associated with the trading program, the fees charged, performance capsules( if you have any), and other material that the CFTC and NFA require that you disclose to potential clients. Since your disclosure document has to be approved by the NFA, it is advisable that you hire an experienced attorney to draft the document for you.

For many commodity trading advisors that are looking to solicit funds from known contacts, a disclosure document usually is adequate to solicit client funds.  However, if you are trying to solicit funds from investors that you do not know, it is advisable to also prepare marketing material.  Creating a website, logo, and information brochures will assist you in professionally depicting your message and trading program.

It is important to note, however, that NFA must approve any promotional material before it is submitted to potential investors.  Rule 2-29 of the NFA manual serves as a guide regarding promotional material.

Balarie Capital Management offers turnkey start-up solutions for Commodity Trading Advisors. For a free consultation, please contact our Managed Futures representive.

PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS.  THERE IS SIGNIFICANT RISK OF LOSS WHEN TRADING FUTURES AND OPTIONS. ALWAYS REVIEW A DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT BEFORE INVESTING IN ANY MANAGED FUTURES PROGRAM.