Forex brookers

There are 2 different models of brokers: market maker and ECN/NDD broker licenses are only issued under certain conditions and criteria.

Actual forex bonuses

List of the best 23 Forex Brokers | Trusted Reviews, forex brookers.

If a broker violates these conditions, the license may be withdrawn immediately. All tested companies of mine are always concerned to keep the highest criteria and to guarantee a safe trade. Many brokers, for example, are regulated in cyprus. This has tax advantages. Nevertheless, there are also forex brokers with more than one regulation. The various regulatory authorities can be seen in the table above.

List of the best 23 forex brokers | trusted reviews

Are you looking for a good and serious forex broker? – then this page is the right place for you. Thanks to the large selection on the internet it is often difficult to make the right decision. With more than 7 years of experience in the financial markets, we present you with the best providers with top service and without hidden costs. Find out in the following texts how to select a secure forex provider and which online broker offers the best conditions.

Broker:	review:	regulation:	spreads:	assets:	advantages:	open account:
1. Bdswiss	(5 / 5) ➜ read the review	cysec, FSC	starting 0.0 pips + $ 2.0 commission per 1 lot	250+ (50+ currency pairs)	+ individual offers + trading signals + raw spreads + leverage up to 1:500 + best education + personal support

Watch our full video review about the best forex brokers (risk warning: your capital is at risk):

Strict criteria for the forex broker review

In contrast to many other comparison sites, we present you on this website only the safest providers with the best conditions for traders. As experts with many years of experience, we have tested many forex brokers and still use some of them. A good provider should have certain characteristics that guarantee good and safe investing.

It is not uncommon to hear of fraud on the internet. This is to be avoided by this comparison. In addition, one would like to save on charges as a trader because the costs for the trade reduce of course the actual profits. Also, the security of customer’s money is of high priority. A regulation or license, for example, is urgently needed for secure trading with international brokers. All these criteria and many more are included in the test. Therefore we can present you on this page the best forex brokers in a list.

Proven facts for a good forex broker:

Regulation and license of an official finance authority

High safety of customer funds

Fast and reliable market execution

Small forex trading fees and no hidden fees

No requotes (high liquidity)

User-friendly trading platform

Free and unlimited demo account

Professional support

Fast deposit and withdraw methods

How does a forex broker work?

A forex broker is an intermediary between a client (trader) and the interbank market for currencies (wikipedia). In addition, the broker can lend capital to the trader so that he can trade with leverage. The broker’s income is generated by the spread and the cost of financing the leveraged positions.

There are 2 different models of brokers: market maker and ECN/NDD broker

Example of live spreads for forex brokers

Market maker:

This broker does not place the trader’s orders directly into the real interbank or spot market. There is an internal matching system between the positions of the traders. Of course, the broker can hedge himself on the real markets so that there are no distortions in supply and demand. In most cases, this system can be opaque, and only as a broker employee, you know the exact functions. A market maker forex broker is not bad or scam. Nowadays, most providers offer good and exact executions.

ECN/NDD (no dealing desk) broker:

ECN and NDD mean direct access to the interbank market through various liquidity providers. These are large banks or very large forex brokers. The provider places the trader’s orders directly into the real market. So the customers get direct and real market prices for trading. With this model, there is no conflict of interest between trader and broker. Zero (no) spread accounts are offered.

Warning: only trade with regulated and licensed forex brokers

Security has the highest priority in online trading. When it comes to trading leveraged financial products, you have to be able to trust the forex broker. It is not uncommon for large sums of money to be used to generate a large profit. For example, brokers in europe must have regulations or licenses if they want to offer their services. The regulation can be in any european country. The same or almost the same requirements apply to brokers everywhere. In order to avoid fraud, it is important to look for such a license.

Licenses are only issued under certain conditions and criteria. If a broker violates these conditions, the license may be withdrawn immediately. All tested companies of mine are always concerned to keep the highest criteria and to guarantee a safe trade. Many brokers, for example, are regulated in cyprus. This has tax advantages. Nevertheless, there are also forex brokers with more than one regulation. The various regulatory authorities can be seen in the table above.

Facts of reliable and secure companies:

Regulation and license

Separated customer funds

Regulated deposit and withdrawal methods

Using well-known banks

Large liquidity providers

Another important point for serious trading is the security of customer funds. Payouts of winnings or the deposited amount should work smoothly. It was not uncommon for some brokers to speculate on customer funds themselves. In the end, withdrawals were refused or delays occurred.

How risky is forex trading?

Forex trading is managed by leveraged financial products. That means you are able to trade a bigger contract size than the amount of money in your account. Some brokers offer the leverage up to 1:3000. Many traders are afraid of the obligation to make margin calls and this is not without reason as the past has shown. Account balances could slip into the negative balance. This is possible due to extreme market situations and too large a position size in relation to the account balance.

The providers shown above all have no obligation to make additional contributions (except IC markets and vantage FX). With the providers in the upper table, you are therefore protected against such a scenario. In our experience, this can only happen if the account is too heavily leveraged. You should always beware of sensible risk management.

Beginners should always start with the free demo account to practice forex trading.

A demo account is essential for successful trading. The trading column form and conditions can be tested extensively with this account. It is a virtual credit account that simulates real money trading. It can be traded without risk. This means that new strategies can be developed or new markets tested. The demo accounts of the compared providers are completely free and unlimited. This account is best suited for entry into forex trading.

How to deposit and withdrawal money:

For most traders, the first deposit into their account is very exciting. It should work smoothly and be highly secure. Forex brokers offer well-known and proven payment methods. Capitalize the trading account with electronic methods (credit card, e-wallet, paypal, crypto) or with the classic way of bank transfer. Electronic methods work in real-time and the money is credited directly to the trading account. Trading can be started immediately. The minimum deposit at the compared brokers is very low. For example, you can open an account from as little as 1$. If this is worth it, you have to decide for yourself. There are no fees for deposits.

Example of payment methods of a forex broker

The payout is also very uncomplicated. With a few clicks, you can request a withdrawal on the menu. This is then released in 1-3 working days. However, most brokers payout customer money in less than 24 hours. All presented brokers passed this test. The fees can be high for small payouts. With payments over 200$, the most forex brokers take over the fees but some brokers do not charge any commissions.

Facts about the payments:

Instant deposit of money

Fast withdrawal within 1 – 3 working days

Electronic methods (skrill, neteller, paypal, and more)

Cryptocurrencies

Bank wire

Not every country is available for forex trading

Not every country is available for forex brokers and trading. This is because there are some restrictions and special regulations. For example, in some countries, an international broker needs a special license for that specific country. So it is too much afford for some companies to get the license and they stop taking clients from these countries. You can clearly see on the homepage which clients they accept. Not many brokers accept clients of the united states of amerika.

From my experience, the fastest-growing countries are in africa and asia. Because of the development of mobile internet, more people get connected to the forex market. India, nigeria, philippines, malaysia, and china are at the moment the fastest-growing countries.

Is forex trading legal?

Forex trading is fully legal if there is not any ban from the government. Forex trading is just changing money into another currency. This is not an illegal practice. The brokers on my review got official regulations so they act fully legal.

Review conclusion: start trading with a reliable forex broker

On this page, we have presented you with our current list of the top 23 forex brokers in comparison. Now you have a selection of good and reputable companies in front of you. It was particularly important to us that we only present providers here, which we have tested by ourselves with real money. This is not the case with most comparisons.

Profit now from the most favorable fees and the best conditions by my experience of many years. With these providers, you are 100% safe and can take your forex trading to the next level.

We hope you could learn something in this comparison and act now with better providers through my recommendations. If you can’t make up your mind, please also read the reviews.

Successful forex trading requires a good and reliable broker. In this review, we showed you the top 23 secure forex brokers. Now you can choose your professional trading partner.

Best forex brokers for 2021

Brokerage companies are scattered all over the world and have many differences in trading conditions, products and services. Some companies are regulated, others are not. Some have been around for decades, others are rather young. Certain brokers work as market makers and have fixed spreads, others provide STP or ECN accounts with direct market access and offer a much larger selection of underlying assets for trading. This site was created to help you find the best forex brokers for your specific needs and requirements. There are several sections and filters in the menu on the left. These can be used to create a custom list of entities with preferable parameters and characteristics. If you find a certain broker you are currently trading with or have used before, feel free to share your experience about it in the comments section meant for forex broker reviews.

The forex brokerage business has undergone a lot of evolution in the last decade. The global financial crisis of 2008 and the events that happened thereafter have reshaped the industry. At about the same time, new technologies came up and also contributed to the evolution of the forex market and forex brokerage business. It is important for traders to understand what forex brokerage is all about and how it will affect their trading ventures. Before we get to meet the best forex brokers for 2021, it is pertinent to identify the role that forex brokers play in a trader’s career and why it is important to go with a forex broker that can match your circumstances and aspirations.

Role of forex brokers

Forex brokers have several roles to play in the market. These roles have also evolved over time, as traders demand a lot more from their trading providers. Forex companies now perform the following roles:

A) access to the market

This is the core role of the forex broker. The forex market is a virtual market with no physical location. At the centre of forex market operations is the interbank market, where the big banks offer various currency pairs for sale. Professional and individual traders therefore do not have to proceed to a physical location to trade, but rather have to have a means of accessing the interbank market. They can only gain access to the interbank forex market using software known as platforms. These platforms are provided by the forex brokers. So without the brokers, nobody can get access to the forex interbank market to trade.

Access can be provided directly using the ECN/STP platforms (also known as direct market access platforms), or indirectly using the market maker platforms that route orders to the broker’s dealing desk. Traders should as much as possible, try to understand the implications of getting direct access to the FX market on one hand, and getting indirect access on the other. The type of access granted will determine factors such as amount of capital to start with, as well as the trading styles and processes to be adopted.

B) trader education

This is gradually but surely becoming a very important element of the forex broker’s functions. Research has shown that 90% of retail traders will lose 90% of their accounts in 90 days. This is a well-established market statistic. Majority of the losing traders (if not all) are traders who are uneducated about the market and who do not understand how to trade profitably. These will end falling by the wayside. No broker wants to spend money acquiring clients, only to have them quit the market after decimating their accounts in 90 days. With brokers realizing that such an arrangement is not good for business in the long run, many of them are now investing significantly into trader education. Videos, articles and webinars are the common means by which beginner traders are given an introduction into the forex market.

C) market research

Once traders get established on the platforms using trader educational resources, their trading activities can be sustained via the provision of market research tools, analysis and news feeds. Many brokers have incorporated this into their offerings as well. For the trader, this is a good thing.

Criteria to consider in choosing a forex broker

The criteria for choosing a forex broker have evolved over the years. While there are still some elements that are critical to the choice and which have remained constant over time, there are other parameters which have emerged and which will be considered below.

1. Spreads/commissions

Spreads are the primary cost to the trader. Lower costs mean that the trader will have a chance to retain more profits, or at least reduce the losses that may be incurred. Competitive spreads are now a factor used in broker selection. It may not be immediately obvious how much savings on spreads can translate to, but high volume traders such as scalpers know that when up to 300 trades are placed in a month, then savings from reduced spreads can be substantial.

2. Leverage

Leverage in forex is now a big deal. What started off in 2010 when leverage caps were introduced in the US by the commodities and futures trading commission (CFTC), has now been extended into the united kingdom and europe. Retail traders in the UK and EU have seen leverage caps reduced from as high as 1:500, to just 1:30 for major forex pairs. Minor pairs and cfds have even tighter leverage limits. This has increased margin requirements significantly. However, some brokers outside these jurisdictions have continued to maintain the high leverages, thus attracting traders who were caught out by ESMA’s decision. Some of the UK/EU brokers have also opened international divisions, where their international client accounts are being migrated to. So traders now have a choice of operating with the low leverage brokers, or the high leverage ones.

3. Regulation

Regulation will continue to remain a key factor in broker selection. Regulation ensures that traders are protected and that the trading environment is transparent and secure. The brokers presented on this site are regulated in their respective areas of operation, which ensures that traders who open accounts with them are assured of safety of their funds.

4. Broker type

A mention has earlier been made about direct and indirect access to the interbank market. As a trader, you need to know how each type of access will affect you. Market makers provide indirect access because they buy positions from the interbank market and resell them to their clients using a dealing desk. Market makers usually require smaller amounts of starting capital, provide fixed spreads, and tend to have more slippages and requotes. They provide a low barrier for market entry.

ECN brokers on the other hand, provide direct market access. They require large amounts as initial capital, provide variable spreads, but do not have slippages and requotes. However, they charge commissions on trades in addition to spreads. At the end of the day, the trader’s financial capacity will determine if a market maker or an ECN broker will be selected for the trading venture.

5. Trading resources

Trading resources are generally tools that are provided by a broker to enhance the trading experience and potentially improve a trader’s trading outcomes. More is not always better. In this case, it is about finding the broker that has the right mix of trading resources that cover analysis, news and market insight.

6. Customer support

Customer support can now be offered using a variety of means that were not in existence 10 years ago. Social media channels such as facebook and twitter, as well as messaging apps such as telegram can now serve as channels for receiving near-immediate responses from a broker’s customer support desk. Choose a broker with a diversified customer support structure which deploys these new means of communication.

Our list of forex brokers

The list below features best forex brokers selected by us for 2021 year. This list has been prepared after due consideration of all the factors mentioned above. In this list, you will find many brokers that are offshore brokerages with high leverage, or offshore divisions of EU/UK brokerages that can provide high leverage trading platforms to their clients. Feel free to read our forex broker reviews and make an informed choice based on the contents of this website.

Best forex brokers

These forex brokers offer the best platforms for all types of traders

We publish unbiased product reviews; our opinions are our own and are not influenced by payment we receive from our advertising partners. Learn more about how we review products and read our advertiser disclosure for how we make money.

The global foreign exchange (forex) market is the largest and most actively traded financial market in the world, by far. When looking for the "best" forex broker, both beginners and experienced traders generally look for several key features and benefits. Among the most important of these are: the overall trading experience, the breadth and depth of product offerings (currencies, cfds, indexes, commodities, spread betting, cryptocurrencies, etc.), fees (including spreads and commissions), trading platform(s) (web-based, downloadable software, mobile, charting, and third-party platforms), customer support, trading education and research, and trustworthiness.

Through extensive research and a strict adherence to our robust methodology, we have determined the best forex brokers in all of these areas and more, which has resulted in our top rankings below. Our mission has always been to help people make the most informed decisions about how, when, and where to trade and invest. Given recent market volatility and the changes in the online forex brokerage industry, we are more committed than ever to providing our readers with unbiased and expert reviews of the top trading platforms for traders of all levels, for every kind of market.

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Best forex brokers for 2021

Role of forex brokers

A) access to the market

B) trader education

C) market research

Criteria to consider in choosing a forex broker

1. Spreads/commissions

2. Leverage

3. Regulation

4. Broker type

5. Trading resources

6. Customer support

Our list of forex brokers

Top 7 of best US forex brokers for 2021

Top rated:

Are you searching for the best US forex brokers?

Luckily, our team of professional forex broker reviewers can take care of your every need.

Let alone the best forex broker in USA, our team realizes it is tough to find any broker which offers a trustworthy, and still value for money proposition when you want to trade forex in the USA. Forex brokers accepting US clients may be few and far between, but we have combined years of experience to narrow your selection down to the top five brokers.

These five are among the best forex brokers USA has to offer.

In fact, they are some of the best forex brokers for residents of any country. These brokers will ensure you feel safe, secure, and still have the ability to prosper in your trading career. They have been selected as the best US forex brokers for a variety of reasons.

Among these reasons are the amount of trading support they offer you, they wide range of markets and instruments that are available for trading, and the very competitive pricing and fee structure offered by these top forex brokers.

Is forex trading legal in the USA?

As a forex trader in the US, one of the most important questions you may be asking yourself from the outset surrounds the legality of forex trading in the US. Well, we are pleased to tell you that yes, forex trading is legal in the US. In fact, the US has several top financial regulators providing the best protection to you as a trader. These bodies are FINRA, the SEC, CFTC, and NFA with the latter two being the main regulators when it comes to forex trading and trading in derivatives such as futures. Remember also that cfds trading in the US is not permitted.

How to trade forex in the USA

The process of getting started with a forex broker in the US is typically similar to that of any other country. With any top broker you will usually be asked for the following information:

Proof of identity. A passport is typically best for this purpose.

Proof of residence, usually in the form of a bank statement at your current address.

Once these documents are uploaded and verified, a process that takes most forex brokers just a few minutes, you will be free to get started trading forex.

Top 7 forex brokers in the USA listing for 2021

Here’s our list of the best US forex brokers:

1. Forex.Com

When it comes to US forex brokers, forex.Com has to be an immediate consideration for opening your forex trading account in the USA. They are CFTC licensed and NFA regulated (#0339826) and provide a selection of flexible and accessible account types with low spreads starting from 0.2 pips, including their direct market access account. This offers some of the most unbeatable spreads among any of the forex trading brokers USA. They also provide extensive trading options in all of the top forex currency pairs, metals including gold and silver, as well as futures trading. When it comes to forex brokers accepting US clients, forex.Com certainly offers among the most comprehensive range of services to their US-based traders.

The forex.Com minimum deposits starting form $1000 on standard, and commission accounts, and $25,000 on DMA accounts with demo accounts available. There are also a range of other great benefits such as cash rebates and reduced or no fees for active traders.

2. IG markets

With over 40-years in the industry, IG markets is a true pioneer of the industry, and among the most long standing forex brokers accepting US clients. The broker has evolved continually, keeping the requirements of US-based traders as a top priority. These can be traded on MT4, the mainstay trading platform for top US forex brokers and traders from all around the world as well as being both CFTC licensed, and NFA regulated (#0509630). IG markets offers one type of account to all traders and this has a minimum deposit requirement of $250.

Accessibility with IG is also excellent, you can engage with a number of top professional charting packages using your desktop, phone, or other smart device. Beyond the USA, IG markets also featured in our top 10 largest forex brokers australia. This showcases their global appeal to traders. This appeal is further enhanced by a great cost of trading on more than 90 forex pairs with spreads starting at 0.8 pips.

3. Interactive brokers

You will very often find interactive brokers among our lists of top forex brokers. This is also true when it comes to our choice of top US forex brokers. This is thanks to a number of positive aspects which the longstanding broker uses to attract clients around the world. These include an excellent proprietary trading platform which offers some of the most advanced trading tools available on any market, and a widespread list of products which are available at highly competitive rates. These products include currencies, options, metals, and indices within a list which is ever increasing. IB are a FINRA member and regulated by both the CFTC and NFA (#0392970), as well as the SEC (#8-47257).

They have two account types, you can choose the IBKR lite, or IBKR pro both at no minimum deposit though the pro account has a $10 maintenance fee. As mentioned the product range is excellent as is the trading cost with spreads from 0.1 pips on 105 forex pairs. All of these features make IB a top choice particularly for experienced traders.

4. Oanda

Oanda is also making progress toward becoming the best forex broker in the USA. The industry leader is making progressive inroads in the US market, and now offers trading in more than 70 diverse forex currency pairs. This is more than enough for you to trade successfully. Added to this, you can also benefit from the powerful educational and research infrastructure oanda provides. This includes marketpulse, a selection of news, technical analysis, and research resources which are provided by the in-house oanda team. This can combine perfectly with our own online investment guides and educational content. Oanda are also well-regulated by both the CFTC, and NFA (#325821) offering traders two account types.

The standard account type is attractive thanks to the fact it has no minimum deposit, while the premium account requires a $2,000 minimum deposit but has benefits like lower spreads and other costs. An unlimited oanda demo account is also available. The broker also use the much respected MT4 trading platform for trading in all 70 forex pairs and more at a very competitive spread starting from 0 pips. All traders but particularly newer ones, seem to fit well within oanda.

Best forex brokers

Luke jacobi

Contributor, benzinga

Want to jump straight to the answer? The best forex broker for most people is definitely FOREX.Com

Forex trading is arguably one of the easiest financial markets to begin trading in. To get started, you just need to open and fund an account with a regulated online broker. Choosing the best forex broker to trade forex through does require some initial research to find the one most suitable for your trading needs and experience level.

Best forex brokers right now:

Best overall forex broker: FOREX.Com

Best for beginner traders: etoro

Best for non-US traders: HYCM

Best for commodities: avatrade

Best for intermediate traders: pepperstone

Best for advanced forex traders: interactive brokers

Best for mobile traders: plus500

Best forex platform: IG markets

Table of contents [ hide ]

The best forex brokers

Benzinga’s picks for the best forex brokers in 6 key categories appear below along with details about each broker and a screenshot of their trading platforms.

Account minimum

Pairs offered

Minimum trade size

Spread

Commisions

1. Best overall forex broker: FOREX.Com

FOREX.Com is a subsidiary of GAIN capital holdings (NYSE: GCAP) and ranks as the best overall forex broker.

You will only need $50 to open up an account to start trading up to 80 currency pairs on FOREX.Com’s advanced trading platforms, which include metatrader for non-U.S. Residents.

This broker accepts U.S. Clients and is regulated in the U.S. By the commodities futures trading commission (CFTC) and the national futures association (NFA). FOREX.Com also has oversight from regulators in 6 major world jurisdictions through its subsidiaries.

You can check out benzinga’s FOREX.Com review for more information about this excellent broker.

Account minimum

Pairs offered

Minimum trade size

Spread

Commisions

2. Best for beginner traders: etoro

Etoro specializes in social trading, which is ideal for beginners since you can follow the trades of expert traders with a proven track record. In addition to its world-class social trading network, etoro has excellent educational resources for forex beginners. Etoro’s intuitive multi-asset trading and social trading platforms and apps can be used by anyone immediately. Unfortunately, etoro does not support the metatrader 4 and 5 (MT4 and MT5) trading platforms.

The broker lets you trade over 2,000 different assets and has a minimum deposit of $50. Etoro currently accepts clients from most U.S. States where it is registered with the U.S. Financial crimes enforcement network (fincen) as a money services business, instead of with the NFA and CFTC as an online broker. The company is also regulated in australia, the U.K. And cyprus in the EU.

Etoro trading platform. Source: etoro.

Account minimum

Pairs offered

Minimum trade size

Spread

Commisions

3. Best for non-US traders: HYCM

Highly regulated HYCM offers stocks, forex, indices, cryptocurrencies, commodities and etfs. The company also offers excellent trading conditions and great liquidity.

HYCM uses metatrader 4 to trade the markets and adds in technical analysis, flexible trading systems and expert advisors (eas).

You’ll also encounter low spreads and low-cost trading, which includes 3 spread levels: fixed spreads, variable spreads and raw spreads:

You can access up to 500:1 leverage through HYCM, depending on where you live and which currency pair you’re trading.

Account minimums with HYCM may vary depending on your base currency and the type of account you open. You should have at least $100 to $200 ready to go before you open an account.

You can customize your account levels with varying fee structures to fit your risk tolerance and trade frequency.

HYCM even offers swap-free accounts that do not accrue interest for each of its fee types to allow islamic investors to trade freely without worrying about being in conflict with religious laws.

You’ll also find a range of education and research tools for endless education opportunities through HYCM.

Account minimum

Pairs offered

Minimum trade size

Spread

Commisions

4. Best for commodities: avatrade

Avatrade, one of the most secure brokers in the industry, carries 7 regulations across 6 continents (europe, australia, japan, british virgin islands, UAE and south africa). You’ll be pleasantly surprised by its asset availability, leading platforms and generous trading conditions (you can leverage your positions up to 400:1).

Avatrade offers an exceptionally user-oriented perspective, including a 24-hour multilingual support desk for a broad range of instruments, platforms and services for every level of trader. Instruments include:

Forex

Stocks

Commodities

Cryptocurrencies

Indices

You’ll find a range of automated trading platforms, including desktop, tablet, mobile and web-based trading with metatrader 4, metatrader 5, its proprietary webtrader, avaoptions and the award-winning avatradego. Client funds are held in segregated accounts for increased security and fast profits withdrawal.

Avatrade’s innovative technology and cutting-edge trading features also include 1-on-1 training sessions with a dedicated account manager.

Commissions

Account minimum

5. Best for intermediate traders: pepperstone

U.K.-based pepperstone gets our vote for best broker for intermediate traders. It has regulatory oversight in the U.K. And australia, although it does not currently accept U.S. Clients. The broker lets you trade in 61 major, minor and exotic currency pairs and requires a minimum deposit of $200. Pepperstone provides support for the metatrader 4 and 5 and ctrader platforms.

In addition to forex, pepperstone offers trading in cryptocurrencies, energy, metals, commodities and stock index contracts for difference (cfds). Customer balances are maintained in segregated accounts for safety in the australian national bank and barclays U.K.

Pricing

Account minimum

6. Best for advanced forex traders: interactive brokers

Interactive brokers offers some of the lowest costs in the business, including a $0 commission on U.S.-listed stocks and exchange-traded funds (etfs). Because of interactive’s world-class brokerage services in 33 countries that cover 134 markets worldwide, the company has oversight from most of the world’s largest financial regulators, including the U.S. SEC, CFTC and NFA. Interactive also submits to regulatory oversight in the U.K., australia and canada, and it has agencies in japan, hong kong, india and luxembourg.

Interactive brokers offers trading in 23 different currencies and their pairs, and the broker requires a $10,000 minimum margin deposit that is applied to commissions for the first 8 months, followed by a $2,000 minimum starting on the 9th month.

Minimum commissions apply, as well as maintenance fees and charges for inactivity, so interactive brokers would be best for advanced, active and well-funded professional traders. Interactive’s proprietary trading platforms, including its client portal, desktop trader workstation (TWS) and mobile application have been rated as some of the best in the business.

7. Best for mobile traders: plus500

U.K.- based plus500 has oversight from the FCA and is a leading provider of CFD trading on over 1,000 tradable assets including forex currency pairs, stock shares, cryptocurrencies, etfs, options and indices. The company keeps your money in segregated accounts but does not offer services to U.S.-based clients.

Plus500 offers trading in 70 currency pairs featuring competitive spreads on its forex cfds and leverage of up to 300:1. The intuitive interface featured on both the plus500 desktop and mobile trading platforms can be accessed immediately by novices and professionals, which makes plus500 our pick for mobile traders.

Commissions

Account minimum

8. Best forex platform: IG markets

IG markets gives clients access to trade cfds in more than 17,000 different markets including forex, shares, indices, commodities, bonds, etfs, options and short-term interest rate cfds. You can trade up to 80 different currency pairs through IG and the broker requires a $250 minimum deposit.

IG accepts U.S.-based clients due to oversight from the CFTC and NFA. IG holds your money in segregated accounts under trustee arrangements for added security. In addition to its proprietary trading platform, IG offers support for 3rd-party forex platforms such as metatrader 4 and prorealtime. It also allows application programming interface (API) trading.

Forex market explained

In the forex market, traders agree to exchange 1 currency for another to make a transaction in that currency pair at a particular level known as the exchange rate. Like stock prices, this exchange rate fluctuates based on supply and demand factors, as well as on the forex market’s overall expectations of future events.

Forex traders can make money on a currency transaction in 2 ways. First, if they buy or go long a currency and it goes up in value versus the sold currency, then they earn a profit. Second, if they sell or go short a currency and it goes down versus the bought currency, then they also profit.

Many currency pairs quoted in the forex market show substantial volatility or fluctuations, which can result in gains or losses for traders. The daily candlestick chart below shows changes in the exchange rate of the EUR/USD currency pair, which is the european union’s euro quoted in terms of the U.S. Dollar from november 2018 until april 2020.

EUR/USD daily candlestick chart. Source: metaquotes.

Risk and reward in forex trading

Rewards are generated in forex trading when you take a long or short position in a currency pair that subsequently appreciates in value. The risk in doing a forex transaction is when the market doesn’t perform as expected once you have done a forex trade.

Many brokers allow traders to magnify the gains or losses they take on a position via the use of leverage. Leverage is typically expressed as the ratio of the size of a position you can control by placing one unit of base currency on deposit as margin. Hence, a 500:1 leverage ratio would mean that you can control a $500 position with a $1 margin deposit.

Furthermore, most successful traders have a minimum risk/reward ratio for a trade before they will consider taking it, such as 1:2 or 1:3. For example, if you think the chances of a trade making 20 pips is around the same as the chances of it losing 10 pips, then your risk/reward ratio of that trade is 1:2. If that meets your risk/reward ratio criteria, then you might consider that trade worthy of executing.

Choose your broker wisely

Since your forex broker will be your primary trading partner, you want to choose one carefully to make sure they are reputable and will fit your requirements as a trader. Open a demo account with an online broker you’re thinking of using to see whether it is a good fit. Demo account trading can also help prevent potentially costly errors that might arise from you being unfamiliar with the broker’s trading platform.

Methodology

These top brokers were chosen for this review for various reasons depending on the specific category in which we felt they excelled. Baseline requirements included the strength of their regulatory environment, their generally good overall reputation with clients earned over an extended period and a substantial number of currency pairs available for trading.

Forex brokers for US traders (accepting US clients)

Below you will find a list of forex brokers accepting US traders as clients. Due to the strict and complicated regulatory environment, it became quite a challenge for FX companies to operate in the US. To make it worse, thanks to the dodd-frank act and the memorandum of understanding, many licensed forex brokers all over the world stopped accepting US clients. Still, there are some offshore countries where local authorities haven't yet imposed the restrictions. Unfortunately, most unchained brokers are not regulated, although that’s exactly the reason why there’s an opportunity to open a trading account with them. Notable benefits of going offshore: no hedging prohibition, no FIFO rule application and trading leverage is much higher.

Over the last decades, the forex market in the US has emerged as one of the most regulated markets anywhere in the world. Rules that were introduced and backed up by federal laws have made it very difficult for brokers and traders alike to operate in the US forex market. For many years, only three brokers operated in the US forex market: oanda, GAIN capital LLC (forex.Com) and TD ameritrade. Others were either put out of business or were forced to close down as a result of the strangulating environment created by the regulators, backed up by the dodd-frank wall street reform and consumer protection act of 2010.

What changed?

After the global financial crisis of 2008 which had its origins in the US subprime mortgage market, there were general calls for better regulation of the various markets operating in the united states. The dodd-frank act was a direct consequence of this agitation. This law strengthened the commodities and futures trading commission, enabling it to oversee not just the conventional financial markets, but also the swaps market which was valued in trillions of dollars.

Changes to the way business was conducted in the US financial markets were sweeping and aggressive. Some of the changes which were directly targeted at the retail segment of the market were as follows:

A) introduction of leverage caps in forex and options, pegging leverage at 1:50 for forex majors, and 1:20 for forex minors, and forex options trading.

B) elimination of hedging ability via the introduction of the first in, first out (FIFO) rule. Thus rule states that a position on an asset must first be closed before another can be opened on the same asset. The FIFO rule effectively ended the hedging style of traders placing opposing positions on the same asset.

C) stratification of traders in the FX market was institutionalized, as these rules were targeted at the so-called “unsophisticated’ investors, defined as traders with assets that are less than $10million, as well as small businesses. Professional and commercial traders (investment banks) were largely exempted from these changes.

According to the CFTC, these rules were meant to protect the retail clients from overexposing their money to the market and from taking excessive risk. But to what extent these rules have actually protected the retail consumers of forex products in the US is anyone’s wildest guess.

What the regulators of the US financial markets will not readily reveal, is that many traders in the US simply exited the US market and migrated their accounts to brokerage platforms in other countries. Forex brokers located in the US have had whatever market share they had badly eroded, and brokers without the kind of purposeful structure that the former US brokers suddenly emerged as less desirable but ready alternatives to traders who were unwilling to trade under the new conditions in the US.

In other words, the dodd-frank act actually stifled the forex brokerage business in america and the statistics do not lie. During the good times, more than 40 retail FX brokers were serving both US and international clients. Ever since dodd-frank became law, that number dwindled to the three brokers mentioned above, and the international clientele base simply moved away from the US and on to brokerages in the UK, europe, australia and the caribbean. A lot of the damage in the US forex brokerage business environment came as a result of the $20million bond which was imposed as a requirement for starting a forex brokerage business in the US. Tax reporting requirements have also scared off many brokerages from accepting US clients. Clearly, no foreign forex company wants to get the same kind of attention that huawei got from the US government in 2019, or what tiktok got in 2020.

What are the current options for US forex traders?

In 2019, some brokers made moves to re-enter the US market. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the process dramatically. Still, some new brokers managed to enter the US forex market in recent years, so traders now have more choice than before.

So what is the current state of the US market as it concerns US forex traders?

1) consumer-friendly regulators

Regulators in the US have made a series of changes designed to improve trading outcomes for US forex traders. For instance, the commodities and futures trading commission (CFTC) has made its weekly CFTC positioning report (also known as the commitment of traders report, or COT) more readily available. This report shows what the major players in the commodities and currency markets are doing. Using this information, summaries of which are found on some MT4 platforms of US forex brokers, traders can consider their positions against the backdrop of the institutional speculators are trading. This provides for more informed trade decisions.

Additionally, the CFTC is now more reachable as a number of channels are now open so the public can make complaints or submit inquiries and observations.

2) more robust database of providers

Everyone working in the industry must be registered with the CFTC and NFA. The NFA has taken it a step further by requiring biometric registration of those who provide services to traders, be it brokerage services or fund management. This biometric information can be shared with the federal bureau of investigation (FBI), and this has been a strong deterrence against wrongdoing by brokers. When last did you hear of US forex brokers swindling customers of their funds?

The CFTC database of providers is very vast. All floor traders/brokers, introducing brokers, swap dealers, retail forex dealers, commodities pool operators (cpos) and commodities trading advisors (ctas) who are licensed to provide services to US forex traders are all on this database.

If you are approached by anyone claiming to be any of these, you can easily contact the CFTC for near-instant verification. Even those who are not listed on the CFTC database by reason of exemption must appear on the NFA database, and the reason for the CFTC exemption provided.

3) expanded list of US-regulated forex brokers

There used to be a time when more than 70 brokers operated in the US forex market. The dodd-frank act thinned them out to just 3, and it remained this way for a nearly a decade. At the present day, there are now 8 regulated forex brokers in the US. Oanda, forex.Com (GAIN capital) and TD ameritrade retained their positions, and are now joined by ATC brokers, IG US, interactive brokers, ally invest and thinkorswim (now owned by TD ameritrade).

4) leverage caps

The 2018 ESMA rules in europe forced all local brokers to set a 1:30 leverage limit for all major FX currency pairs. In the US, this cap remains at the 1:50 level introduced in 2010. US forex traders will continue to enjoy what now seems to be the most liberal leverage caps in the tier 1 regulatory jurisdictions.

5) credit-based funding for customer forex accounts

Bank drafts and direct debits from a bank-linked ATM card are now the recognized means of account funding for US forex traders. The use of credit cards is now prohibited.

These are some of the changes that US forex traders have faced in 2020. 2020 also marked the year of the COVID-19 global pandemic that has completely changed the face of the global economy. However, while many other economic sectors have been badly hit, forex trading and other forms of financial market activity have thrived. In fact, the massive job losses and furloughs across the world that left millions without a source of income, drove the same people to the financial markets. Many brokerages have witnessed a surge in new trading account registrations as well as inquiries about trading. COVID-19 has changed the face of financial trading and it is likely that a number of changes as to how forex is traded in the US are coming.

What does the future hold for US forex traders?

So what possible changes can US forex traders hope to see in 2021 or in the years to come?

1) changes to margin rules

It is likely that forex traders in the US may face changes to margin rules on their accounts. US forex brokers are expected to have rolled out the phase 5 and phase 6 rules on uncleared margin, known as UMR 5 and UMR 6. UMR stands for uncleared margin rules. These rules have to do with how buy side participants in the forex market handle initial margin and variation margin among all counterparties in the market. Compliance with the UMR 5 and 6 means that there is a consolidated margin threshold of 50 million units of either the EUR or the USD that must be adhered to, among other requirements.

These rules were originally conceived in the aftermath of the 2008-2009 global financial crisis to enable firms handle risk better, and were meant to be implemented in phases. UMR 1 commenced in 2017. Full compliance with phase 5 UMR rules was to kick in by september 2020, but has been moved by a year to september 2021. While the full details of these rules would be out of the scope of this piece, suffice it to say that these new rules would make it harder for new players to enter into the retail FX brokerage space in the US. It would also stretch the resources of existing brokerages in terms of compliance with these rules. Ultimately, the entry point for opening a forex trading account may climb dramatically, putting it out of the reach of many. If you have been thinking of opening a US forex trading account, this may be the best time to do it.

2) advancements in technology

Algo adoption is expected to grow, whole artificial intelligence (AI) will start to feature more prominently in the development of market trading software. 2021 may be the year when US forex traders who want to maintain an edge in their trading may have to start using tools and software that can perform smarter analysis and make more rational trading decisions.

3) blockchain-based platforms

2021 may be the year when blockchain-based trading platforms may start to hit the US forex market. Some brokerages in japan and singapore have started to experiment with these platform types. Perhaps 2021 may be the year that we could see these used more widely in the US. Will this signal the beginning of the end for the MT4, or will metaquotes respond accordingly?

4) increased volatility on the US dollar, euro and british pound

Coronavirus vaccines will be out in 2021, but the availability of these vaccines seem to be geographically defined. Countries like the US and UK are buying up stocks in advance, so it is likely that these vaccines will not go round the world. Remember the dark days of the HIV epidemic when there was disproportionate access until PEPFAR and the global fund kicked in? This is probably what will happen unless something is done about the situation. COVID-19 will continue to dominate headlines, along with attempts to rescue the global economy. It is looking like there will be a change of guard at the white house. 2021 will see more volatility on the US dollar, euro and british pound.

It is prudent to say that there may be other occurrences in 2021 which have not been captured here, but which cannot be ruled out. Nobody can predict the future with 100% certainty.

Closing note

One of the best things that consumers of any product can enjoy is the power to choose, and to be able to make that choice from a wide range of service providers. This is what the dodd-frank law has taken away from US forex traders… but things have changed. Aside from a few forex brokerages operating in the US, there are a number of offshore forex brokers expressing willingness to take US traders on their platforms.

There are a number of advantages and also drawbacks to this arrangement. In terms of benefits, this is what US forex traders will enjoy when they use the offshore brokers presented in the list below.

A) the ability to hedge trades is a risk management tool. The FIFO rule basically prevents this from happening. Realizing this great folly in the US forex brokerage setup, the offshore brokers in the list provide below have created a system which allows traders to hedge, even if it means placing opposing positions on the same asset.

B) the CFTC has argued that the leverage caps protect retail traders by stopping them from overexposing their capital and accounts to the market. The leverage caps imposed a high minimum capital requirement on forex accounts opened in the US. This requirement only served to lock out a large segment of the trading public. With the forex brokers for US traders introduced here, you get lower capital requirements you can actually meet. You also trade with a wider spectrum of leverage, which allows you to trade under non-restrictive leverage conditions.

C) your greatest asset as a consumer (the power to choose) is restored. You have a choice of not just a few brokers, but many ones. If a broker does not match your requirements, move to the next one on the list.

The brokers featured in the list below have been carefully selected to offer you a forex brokerage service that rivals what you can get anywhere in the world, and under non-restrictive conditions. They are great for beginners who can make a transition from a demo account to a lightly funded live account, just to ensure they can understand what live trading is all about before they get more heavily committed. ECN style accounts are also available for those who prefer to trade directly with the FX interbank market. There is a lot of choice for you as you go through this list of brokers, one after the other.

Forex brokers for US traders

This is a list of forex brokers that work with the currency traders from the united states of america. These brokers are either registered with NFA (and regulated by CFTC) or are offshore companies that cater to the US traders despite the dodd-frank wall street reform and consumer protection act that prohibit doing so. According to the US spot forex market regulations, only properly registered brokers may solicit and offer service to residents of the USA. The same regulations also limit their trading conditions severely. To comply with the american FX regulatory environment, a broker must offer a leverage not higher than 1:50 for major currency pairs (even lower for minor and exotic pairs) and support no-hedging accounts. A regulated broker must also maintain at least $20 million capital and comply with rather strict monitoring, supervision, and risk management standards. This actually results in higher security of funds but may seem rather restrictive to many forex traders. You will find 30 brokers listed in the table below.

Metatrader 4

Metatrader 5

Web trading

Webtrader

Metatrader 4 web (VPS)

Metatrader 4

Dealbook 360

Forextrader PRO

Forex.Com website trading

There are only three real reasons to seek a broker that accepts US traders:

You are a US resident, so only this category of companies will offer live trading to you.

You are planning a move to US and you would not want to change brokers when this happens.

You are looking for a high level of funds security and regulatory scrutiny in your forex broker — brokers from the united states jurisdiction are usually very reliable in this regard.

Forex trading bears intrinsic risks of loss. You must understand that forex trading, while potentially profitable, can make you lose your money. Never trade with the money that you cannot afford to lose! Trading with leverage can wipe your account even faster.

Cfds are leveraged products and as such loses may be more than the initial invested capital. Trading in cfds carry a high level of risk thus may not be appropriate for all investors.

So, let's see, what we have: how reliable are the best 23 forex brokers? ✅ trusted list of reviews for traders | leading trading conditions ➜ read more at forex brookers