⚠️ CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. X

Compare Forex CFD Brokers 2024 : Markets vs Swissquote vs XM

Updated October 5th 2024
Welcome to the most in-depth comparison table for the following brokers :

The ForexReviews.nl comparison tool rigorously compares forex brokers on factors like fees, platforms, licenses, apps, spreads, and ratings. Filter and narrow down brokers to find the ones that best suit your preferences compared to its competitors.

Plus500 is a CFD provider and they offer CFD service. All the instruments, including the Forex pairs, are available for trading through CFD

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Rating
Overall Rating 4.5 4.5 4.5
Offering of Investments 4 4.5 4
Commissions & Fees 3.5 3.5 4
Platform & Tools 4 4.5 4
Research 4 4.5 -
Mobile Trading 4 4.5 4
Education 4 4 -
Trustpilot Reviews - 2105 551
Trustpilot Rating - 3.7 3.2
Trustpilot Profile - View View
Licenses
Tier 1 Licenses 1 - 2
Tier 2 Licenses 2 - 1
Tier 3 Licenses 1 - 1
Licenses - 6 -
Investments
Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs)
Forex Pairs (Total) 2179 78 1429
Tradeable Symbols (Total) 57 472 55
U.S. Stock Trading (Non CFD) no
Int'l Stock Trading (Non CFD) no
Social Trading / Copy Trading
Cryptocurrency (Physical) no no
Cryptocurrency (CFD) no
Crypto Pairs (CFD) - 34 58
Assets
CFDs no
ETFs no no no
Forex no
Indices no
Shares no no
Commodities no
Oil Trading no
Licensing Jurisdiction
ASIC Authorised (Australia) no
IIROC Authorised (Canada) no no no
SFC Authorised (Hong Kong) no no
CBI Authorised (Ireland) no no no
FSA Authorised (Japan) no no no
MAS Authorised (Singapore) no no
FINMA Authorised (Switzerland) no no
FCA Authorised (U.K.) no
CFTC Registered (USA) no no
FMA Authorised (New Zealand) no no no
CBRC Authorised (China) no no no
CySEC Authorised (Cyprus) no
SEBI Authorised (India) no no no
Israel (ISA Authorised) no no no
CBR Authorised (Russia) no no
FSCA Authorised (South Africa) no no no
SEC Authorised (Thailand) no no no
DFSA / Central Bank Authorised (UAE) no no no
SCB Authorised (Bahamas) no no
FSC Authorised (Belize) no no no
FSA Authorised (Seychelles) no no no
CIMA Authorised (Cayman Islands) no no no
BMA Authorised (Bermuda) no no
FSC Authorised (British Virgin Islands) no no no
FSC Authorised (Mauritius) no no no
VFSC Authorised (Vanuatu) no no no
EFSA Authorised (Estonia) no no no
Funding
Min. Deposit 0 1000 5
PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) no no
Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw)
Visa/Mastercard (Credit/Debit)
Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw)
Webmoney (Deposit/Withdraw) no no no
Crypto Funding
Bitcoin (BTC) no no no
Litecoin (LTC) no no no
Ethereum (ETH) no no no
Tether (ERC20) no no no
Tether (TRC20) no no no
Dogecoin (DOGE) no no no
Trading Platforms
Proprietary Platform no
Desktop Platform (Windows)
Desktop Platform (Mac) no no no
Web Platform
Social Trading / Copy Trading
Mobile App (Android)
Mobile App (iOS)
Trading Software
MetaTrader 4 (MT4)
MetaTrader 5 (MT5)
cTrader no no no
DupliTrade no no no
ZuluTrade no no no
Myfxbook no no no
VPS Trading no no no
Cost
Average Spread EUR/USD - Standard 1.9 - 1.6
All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active 1.9 - 0.8
Active Trader or VIP Discounts no
Inactivity Fee no no no
Execution: Agency Broker no no no
Execution: Market Maker no
Research
Daily Market Commentary
Forex News (Top-Tier Sources)
Autochartist no no
Trading Central (Recognia) no
Social Sentiment - Currency Pairs
Economic Calendar no
Education (Forex or CFDs) no
Client Webinars
Client Webinars (Archived) no no
Videos - Beginner Trading Videos
Videos - Advanced Trading Videos
Investor Dictionary (Glossary) no no
Tick History no no no
Major Forex Pairs
GBP/USD no
USD/JPY no
EUR/USD no
USD/CHF no
USD/CAD no
NZD/USD no
AUD/USD no
Mobile Trading
Android App
Apple iOS App
Mobile Alerts - Basic Fields
Mobile Watchlist no
Watchlist Syncing no
Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies - 49 30
Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines
Mobile Charting - Multiple Time Frames no
Mobile Charting - Drawings Autosave no no
Forex Calendar no
Trading Tools
Virtual Trading (Demo) no
Alerts - Basic Fields no no
Watchlists - Total Fields 6 10 7
Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) 89 49 30
Charting - Drawing Tools (Total) 4 275 15
Charting - Trade From Chart no no
Charts can be saved no
Spread
Stocks - - -
Currencies - - -
Indices - - -
Commodities - - -
Max. Leverage
Overall Max. Leverage - 1:100 1:888
Stocks - - -
Currencies - - -
Indices - - -
Commodities - - -
Features
Scalping no
Hedging no
Trailing Stops no
Guaranteed Stop Loss no no no
Guaranteed Limit Orders no no no
Guaranteed Execution no no no
Negative Balance Protection no no
One-click Execution no
Interest on Margin no no no
Demo Account no
Web-based Trading no no
Mobile Native App Trading no no
Islamic Account no
Zero Spreads no no no
Regulation
Trust Score 98 - 90
Year Founded 1999 1996 2009
Compensation Fund - - 20000
Publicly Traded (Listed) no
Bank no no
Authorised in European Union
Member of The Financial Commission no no no
The Financial Commission Profile - - -
VerifyMyTrade Audit - - -
Public Disclosures
Financial Statements - View -
Management Team - View -
Support
Email Support no
Phone Support no no
SMS Support no no no
Live Chat no no
Support Hours - - 24/7
Community
Monthly Website Visitors 194 K 456 K 11.6 M
X Subscribers 0 27 K 115 K
Youtube Subscribers 0 20 K 104 K

Can you trust Markets?

  • Markets was founded in 1999.
  • Markets does not operate a bank and is publicly traded.
  • Markets is authorised to operate in the 🇪🇺 European Union.
  • Markets is licensed by the world's most strict and feared regulator 🇬🇧 ASIC (AU).

Is Markets authorised to operate in the US?

❌ No, Markets is not authorised to operate in the United States.

What licenses does Markets have to operate?

Markets is authorised by the following regulators: ASIC Authorised (Australia), CySEC Authorised (Cyprus), CBR Authorised (Russia) and BMA Authorised (Bermuda) .

Does Markets publicly discloses their financial statements?

❌ No, unfortunately Markets does not list their financial statements publicly on their website.

Does Markets offer trading software like Meta Trader?

✅ Yes, you can trade on Markets using MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) trading software as well as through their proprietary trading platform .

Does Markets provide a mobile native app?

✅ Yes, you can trade Markets on mobile using Mobile App (Android) and Mobile App (iOS).

Can you trust Swissquote?

  • Swissquote was founded in 1996.
  • Swissquote operates a bank and is publicly traded.
  • Swissquote is authorised to operate in the 🇪🇺 European Union.
  • Swissquote is licensed by the 🇬🇧 FCA (UK).

Is Swissquote authorised to operate in the US?

❌ No, Swissquote is not authorised to operate in the United States.

What licenses does Swissquote have to operate?

Swissquote is authorised by the following regulators: SFC Authorised (Hong Kong), MAS Authorised (Singapore), FINMA Authorised (Switzerland) and FCA Authorised (U.K.) .

Does Swissquote publicly discloses their financial statements?

✅ Yes, you can view the financial statements of Swissquote online

Does Swissquote offer trading software like Meta Trader?

✅ Yes, you can trade on Swissquote using MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) trading software as well as through their proprietary trading platform .

Does Swissquote provide a mobile native app?

✅ Yes, you can trade Swissquote on mobile using Mobile App (Android) and Mobile App (iOS).

Can you trust XM?

  • XM was founded in 2009.
  • XM does not operate a bank and is not publicly traded.
  • XM is authorised to operate in the 🇪🇺 European Union.
  • XM is licensed by the world's most strict and feared regulator 🇬🇧 ASIC (AU).
  • XM is licensed by the 🇬🇧 FCA (UK).
  • XM is registered by the 🇺🇸 CFTC (USA) .

Is XM authorised to operate in the US?

✅ Yes, XM is CFTC Registered (USA) which means that you are allowed to trade (Futures only) on their platform if you are based in the United States.

What licenses does XM have to operate?

XM is authorised by the following regulators: ASIC Authorised (Australia), FCA Authorised (U.K.) , CFTC Registered (USA) , CySEC Authorised (Cyprus) and SCB Authorised (Bahamas) .

Does XM publicly discloses their financial statements?

❌ No, unfortunately XM does not list their financial statements publicly on their website.

Does XM offer trading software like Meta Trader?

✅ Yes, you can trade on XM using MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) trading software as well as through their web trading platform .

Does XM provide a mobile native app?

✅ Yes, you can trade XM on mobile using Mobile App (Android) and Mobile App (iOS).

Comparison & Key Differences

Which brokers offer social/copy trading?

The following brokers offer social/copy trading: Markets, Swissquote and XM.

Best Brokers for Social/Copy Trading

Which brokers offer cryptocurrency (CFD) trading?

Both Markets and XM offer cryptocurrency (CFD) trading on their platform.

Best Brokers for Cryptocurrency (CFD)

Which brokers allow scalping?

Both Markets and XM allow scalping on their platform.

Best Brokers for Scalping

Which brokers allow hedging?

Both Markets and XM allow hedging on their platform.

Best Brokers for Hedging

Which brokers provide Negative Balance Protection?

Only XM provides Negative Balance Protection.

Best Brokers with Negative Balance Protection

Which brokers offer a Demo Account?

Both Markets and XM offer a Demo Account on their platform.

Best Brokers Offering Demo Accounts

Which brokers offer an Islamic Account?

Both Markets and XM offer an Islamic Account on their platform.

Best Brokers Supporting Islamic Accounts

What does it matter which licenses a broker has?

Licenses allow brokers like Markets, Swissquote and XM to legally provide services in those countries or regions. By having permits from regulators globally, the broker is authorized to conduct business and operate globally.

These licenses and regulations are good for consumers because they hold these companies to high standards.

For example, licenses from:

  • ASIC in Australia,
  • FCA in the United Kingdom,
  • CFTC in the United States,
  • CySEC in Cyprus

Require that Markets, Swissquote and XM follow rules around:

  • Keeping customer money safe
    Regulators make sure brokers keep client money separate from their own money. This stops brokers from spending customer money.
  • Providing clear fees and charges
    Regulators check that brokers show all fees to customers upfront. This helps customers understand and compare costs.
  • Resolving complaints fairly
    Regulators check brokers are dealing with customer complaints fairly. Brokers must have policies to fix complaints.
  • Guarding against fraud
    Regulators make rules so brokers check customer identities. This helps stop criminal activity. Regulators can punish cheating brokers.
  • Advertising honestly
    Regulators tell brokers what they can and can't say in ads. This stops brokers making false promises. Regulators can fine brokers who break ad rules.

Which brokers are authorised by ASIC, FCA, CFTC and CFTC?

AU's ASIC, UK's FCA and America's CFTC are considered global “gold standards” in rigorous consumer protection laws and enforcement policies.

  • ASIC (AU) Authorised - Both Markets and XM are licensed by the ASIC (AU).
  • FCA (UK) Authorised - Both Swissquote and XM are licensed by the FCA (UK).
  • CFTC (US) Authorised - Only XM is licensed by the CFTC (US).

CySEC in Cyprus follows the strict rules set by the European Union called MiFID. These MiFID rules were created to strongly protect investors.

  • CySEC (CY) Authorised - Both Markets and XM are licensed by the CySEC (CY).

Which brokers are not registered with ASIC, FCA or CFTC?

  • Not registered with CFTC (US) - Both Markets and Swissquote are licensed by the CFTC (US).

    This doesn't necessarily have to be a red flag as some forex brokers make the choice to only have customers who live outside of the United States. They do not accept traders who live inside the U.S. The CFTC is the agency in the U.S. that oversees brokers for U.S. residents. Since these brokers don't have any U.S. customers, the rules and registration enforced by the CFTC does not apply to those brokers. The brokers are still responsible for following the local rules where their international customers live. But they do not have to register specifically with the U.S. agency (CFTC) because they do not serve traders who reside in the United States.

  • Not registered with ASIC (AU) - Only Swissquote is not licensed by the ASIC (AU).

    Again, even though ASIC is known globally as having the strictest and most feared regulation of forex brokers, this doesn't always have to ring alarms. However, some brokers deliberately avoid Australia because ASIC aggressively examines brokers in detail and has very high standards of acceptable conduct. If ASIC finds brokers are badly mistreating customers or ignoring the strict rules, ASIC will punish them severely without waiting by issuing massive fines or shutting them down. Forex brokers know not to take ASIC rules lightly because ASIC is watching them closely and will come down hard on them if customers are harmed by their poor behavior.

  • Not registered with FCA (GB) - Only Markets is not licensed by the FCA (GB).

Background Information

Difference between shares, equity indices and , individual stocks and etfs

The main differences between forex, shares, equity indices, individual stocks, and ETFs are:

  • Forex (Foreign Exchange) - Forex trading involves exchanging one currency for another in the foreign exchange market. Forex traders attempt to profit from fluctuations in currency exchange rates.
  • Shares - A share represents part ownership of a company. Owning shares entitles the shareholder to a portion of the company's assets and earnings.
  • Equity Indices - An equity index is a statistical measure of the performance of a basket of stocks representing a portion of the equity market. Examples include the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average. These indices track the overall performance of their underlying group of stocks.
  • Individual Stocks - An individual stock represents ownership in a single company. The return on an individual stock depends solely on that company's performance. Individual stocks carry higher risk but also the potential for higher returns compared to broader indices.
  • ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) - An ETF is a collection of securities bundled together into a fund that trades on an exchange like a stock. ETFs can contain various asset classes but equity ETFs typically track an equity index, such as the entire stock market or a sector. ETFs offer diversification with the trading aspects of a stock.

Shares and individual stocks represent ownership in a single company, indices track groups of stocks, while ETFs are funds containing assets like stocks or indices that trade as a single security. The level of diversification, risk, and return potential differs across these asset classes.

Markets Review
Swissquote Review
XM Review
75.33% of retail CFD accounts lose money