The question that arises in my mind is really somewhat pedestrain but perhaps of some limited relevance: what is driving the apparent semi-visibility of these little For Ex sites? They seem, given brief looks over, to be aimed at a two sorts of clients: the traveller who for some queer reason wants to convert money in advance (I suppose sensible for some countries, although why one would one want to do so as a general matter utterly escapes me) and a sort of day trading type of retail For Ex market speculator. I suppose perhaps there is also an angle perhaps for the smaller importer or exporter who might need For Ex market services, and these might be cheaper than bank based services.

Now, the first, I can vaguely understand as noted - I guess the sort of person who doesn't want to be troubled with airport exchange facilities or perhaps travelling to places where such are hardish to come by (although in my experience one runs into the nasty correlation with For Ex controls for bringing currency in and out of country), and the last I guess I can see a market.

The second, however, truly gives me pause. For Ex market is well known for eating up the marginal players - probably worse than commodities which at least are a bit easier to track as far as macro-economic and even micro-economic drivers on prices.

Is there some sudden boom in people, besides the deluded fools speculating in Iraqi dinar, trying the For Ex markets as a get rich scheme?

As an aside, I may mention that my (largely unkindly phrased) attempts at the aforementioned site went entirely unappreciated as the site participants remain married to the stunningly foolish concept that the Iraqi dinar will be revalued to some astounding level (and this despite clear downward market pressure on the dinar, as one would expect from a currency under the objective facts facing Iraq). It did lead to some entertaining flailing about and some 'unique' approaches to currency valuation discussed - I was mostly entertained by the fellow with the "model" that appeared to be largely numbers attached to a priori assertions of value tied to events. I was of course also disinvited from the game. No surprise there, for anyone with any fin sec experience the stench of self dealing and front running is easily detectable, although there it is likely of course done largely in blissful ignorance of ethics and the like.