Trading with SolidECN felt unique because of their crypto-only policy. I was a bit frustrated not to deposit via my bank or credit card, but after converting some USD to Tether, I funded my account. The process was surprisingly painless once I had a crypto address. With my account funded, I turned on a news trading algorithm on MetaTrader 5. The orders were filled quickly even during a volatile news release — spreads widened only slightly, which I expected, but they returned to normal fast. This reinforced that their ECN-style environment handles volatility well. I also played with different trading instruments beyond just currencies, since SolidECN offers metals, energies, and more. I took a position in an oil CFD using 200:1 leverage (lower than the max), and the trade went as planned with a small spread cost. Customer support answered one email about trading limits and mentioned the swap-free options for those who need them. The downside remains the broker's offshore nature and lack of legal recourse, so I manage this account as I would any risky investment by keeping position sizes conservative.