Trading contracts for difference (CFDs) is a way of speculating on financial markets that don’t require the buying and selling of any underlying assets.
CFD trading brokers are defined as ‘the buying and selling of CFDs’, with ‘CFD’ meaning ‘contract for difference’.
CFDs are a derivative product because they enable you to speculate on financial markets such as shares, forex, indices, and commodities without having to take ownership of the underlying assets.
CFDs are a derivative product because they enable you to speculate on financial markets such as shares, forex, indices, and commodities without having to take ownership of the underlying assets.
Instead, when you trade a CFD, you are agreeing to exchange the difference in the price of an asset from the point at which the contract is opened to when it is closed.
One of the main benefits of CFD trading brokers is that you can speculate on price movements in either direction, with the profit or loss you make depends on the extent to which your forecast is correct.
In this article, we explore the 27 best brokers that offer CFD trading, and which are also regulated to ensure a safe and secure trading environment.
77% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Plus500 has been in operation since 2008 and is a CFD broker which offers the trade in more than 2,000 financial instruments. Trades can be executed through the Plus500 proprietary trading platform using the broker’s competitive trading conditions.
PROS | CONS |
Multiple regulations | Limited account options |
Multilingual support | The desktop version of the trading platform not available |
A large variety of tradeable financial instruments | High inactivity fee |
Low trading fees, tight spreads, and low commissions | Withdrawal fees charged |
Adequate leverage offered | Limited payment options supported |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | CySEC, FCA, MAS, FSA, ASIC, FMA, FSCA |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Customer Support | 24/7 |
Commissions from | $0 |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | Yes |
Maximum Leverage | 1:30 |
Bonuses | Yes |
eToro allows traders to follow other traders, discuss trade ideas, and even mimic the successful trading strategies of other traders in the community with its innovative CopyTrading feature.
For a new generation of traders who want to trade cryptocurrencies or incorporate a social community into their online trading platform, eToro might be an ideal solution.
PROS | CONS |
Well-regulated | Limited account base currencies |
Advanced trading platforms | Withdrawals can be slow |
Low minimum deposit |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | CySEC, FCA, ASIC |
Minimum deposit from | $50 |
Average spread from | 0.75 pips |
Commissions from | No commission on stocks and ETFs |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | $5 |
Maximum Leverage | 1:30 |
Bonuses | $50 Welcome Offer And $50 Per Referral |
Customer Support | 24/5 – multilingual |
AvaTrade was founded in 2006 in Dublin, Ireland, and is licensed and fully regulated in the EU and BVI, as well as Australia, Japan, and South Africa.
AvaTrade’s own Ava AutoTrade System enables its clients to engage in algorithmic trading and devise their own forex trading and automation solutions from scratch, which is a feature unique only to AvaTrade‘s trading platform.
PROS
No deposit or withdrawal fees Streamlined account opening process | CONS
Inactivity fees on live accounts Limited product portfolio |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | Central Bank of Ireland, MiFID, ASIC, BVI |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Average spread from | 0.9 pips |
Commissions from | No commission on Forex |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:400 |
Bonuses | First Deposit Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 – multilingual |
Founded in the UK in 1999, Forex.com is undoubtedly one of the most well-known, and biggest players in the online forex broker industry.
Forex.com is a brand that is run by GAIN Capital UK, a UK-registered company. As a broker operating out of the UK, Forex.com operates under the Financial Conduct Authority, or FCA, in the UK.
Forex.com offers its traders highly competitive spreads and rates to choose from. The platform also has a wide range of investment instruments from around the world, including cryptocurrencies.
PROS | CONS |
Low Forex fees | Limited asset portfolio |
The high number of currency pairs
Well-regulated | High stock CFD fees |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FCA, CIMA |
Minimum deposit from | $50 |
Average spread from | 1 pip |
Commissions from | Commissions on the commission account only |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | Variable dependent on instrument traded |
Bonuses | 20% Welcome Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Pepperstone advertises minimum FX spreads starting from one pip but no commission for the “Standard” account, or zero spread but with a commission for the “Razor” account. This is very competitive in the retail FX brokerage space.
Pepperstone is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA #684312) which is one of the main regulatory agencies in the U.K. and is highly regarded globally for being strict in ensuring that market practices are fair for both individuals and businesses.
PROS
No minimum deposit Low trading fees for forex No added costs for withdrawals or deposits | CONS
A limited number of instruments No additional research tools |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FCA, ASIC |
Minimum deposit from | AUD200 |
Average spread from | 0.4 pips |
Commissions from | $3.76 commission per lot per trade |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 |
Bonuses | None |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Incorporated in Sydney, Australia in 2007, IC MARKETS is an NDD broker providing trading in more than 80 instruments, including several currency pairs, various CFDs on indices, commodities, and futures, as well as precious metals.
It also offers trading in some of the most popular cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ether, Dash, and Bitcoin Cash.
PROS
Low minimum deposit No deposit or withdrawal fees Low trading fees | CONS
Limited range of asset classes No Negative Balance Protection is available |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | ASIC |
Minimum deposit from | $200 |
Average spread from | 0.0 pips |
Commissions from | None |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 |
Bonuses | None |
Customer Support | 24/7 |
XM is a Forex & CFD trading platform. They are also a regulated online broker where you can trade a range of financial instruments.
Currently, you can trade forex currency pairs as well as 1000+ CFD assets like cryptocurrencies and stocks.
XM is owned by a parent company called Trading Point Holdings Ltd. This means that XM is managed and operated by Trading Point Holdings. Besides XM.com, the other site owned by Trading Point Holdings is Trading.com which is another popular platform.
PROS
Low minimum deposit Comprehensive educational offering Streamlined account opening process | CONS
Inactivity fee charged after 90 days on live accounts Limited product portfolio |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | IFSC, ASIC, CySEC, FCA and DFSA |
Minimum deposit from | $5 |
Average spread from | 0.1 pips |
Commissions from | $3.5 commission per $100 000 traded |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:30 |
Bonuses | $30 Trading Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Founded in 2002, XTB has developed a loyal following by focusing on developing the nature of the relationship between broker and trader.
Although a relative newcomer XTB has grown to become one of the largest stock exchange-listed, forex and CFD brokers in the world.
The trading platform is of the highest quality but also easy to use. Being regulated and authorized by mainstream regulators ensures that the client focus and trading experience are based on solid foundations.
PROS
Low trading fees Free deposit and withdrawal | CONS
High stock CFDs Limited asset portfolio |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | KNF, FCA, CySEC and IFSC |
Minimum deposit from | $250 |
Average spread from | 1.02 pips |
Commissions from | 0.08% of trade value with an $8 minimum |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | $30 on withdrawals of less than $50 |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 |
Bonuses | $40 No Deposit Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Global giant Alpari is a world-renowned broker with over 20 years in the business. With offices in 8 different countries around the world and 2 million+ clients – the reputation and trust the Alpari brand has established throughout the years is second to none.
Alpari International is the fresh new face of the brand that continues the tradition of putting clients first. This broker offers 250+ financial instruments, a fully regulated platform, and the best possible guidance, conditions, and support to traders of all experience levels.
PROS
Advanced copy trading software available A wide selection of tradable assets Low minimum deposit Excellent multilingual customer support | CONS
High trading fees Limited educational resources and research tools |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | Financial Services Commission (FSC) |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Average spread from | 1.2 pips on majors |
Commissions from | charged at 4 units of the Base currency |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:1000 |
Bonuses | Cashback Promotion |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
AxiTrader, a brokerage firm that operates within the UK, Australian and international markets, is owned by AxiCorp Financial Services Pty Ltd.
The broker was founded in 2007 in Australia before expanding its operations in 2015 to China and again in 2016 to Latin America, the Middle East, and Germany.
Operating exclusively using the MetaTrader4, it offers trading options for Forex Trading, Gold and Silver, Oil, Cryptocurrencies, Indices, Bullion, Metals and Commodities, and Futures CFDs, features standard and pro accounts for mobile and desktop applications.
PROS | CONS |
No Minimum Deposit | Limited research tools |
MetaTrader 4 available |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | ASIC, FCA, DFSA |
Minimum deposit from | No minimum deposit |
Average spread from | 1.24 pip |
Commissions from | $ 7 commission charged per round |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:400 |
Bonuses | 20% Deposit Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Markets.com is one of the bigger names in the CFD and Forex world. Playtech, the parent company since 2015, has been listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) for six years.
Originally, the company started as GFC Markets in 2007 and was later rebranded to its current name Markets.com in 2010.
Playtech purchased Markets.com for a sum of 458 million Euros. Markets.com is a brand and trademark used by Safecap Investments Limited, another subsidiary of Playtech, based out of Cyprus.
PROS | CONS |
Free and fast deposit and withdrawal | Limited product portfolio |
Easy and fast account opening |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | CySEC, FCA, ASIC, FSC, FSCA |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Average spread from | 1.9 pips |
Commissions from | 1% |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:300 |
Bonuses | $25 No Deposit Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
FXCM enjoys a large worldwide user base and has high liquidity and large financial assets which enables the company to offer tight spreads (as low as 1 pip) on over 50 currency pairs.
The broker also offers better rates, innovative features, and trading tools, and high-quality customer support services to all levels of traders everywhere in the world.
PROS
Excellent educational resources for beginner traders Low minimum deposit requirement Advanced research tools Excellent customer support | CONS
No Web Trader option available for trading platforms Rudimentary mobile trading platform Limited product portfolio |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FCA, ASIC, ACPR, FSP |
Minimum deposit from | $50 |
Average spread from | 1.3 pips |
Commissions from | £4 per standard round-turn lot (£2 per side) |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:400 |
Bonuses | $20 Welcome Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
The easyMarkets firm is headquartered in Limassol Cyprus and maintains satellite offices in London UK, Sydney Australia, and Warsaw Poland.
Based in Cyprus, the easyMarkets broker is overseen and highly regulated by the Cypress Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC).
Strict regulatory oversight and segregation of client funds in tier one financial institutions ensure the security of client deposits and the safety of all personal account information.
The easyMarkets broker only offers one type of account for trading assets and limited trading platforms, but account upgrades that provide enhanced spreads and additional support are possible and available through customer support services.
PROS
The highly simulated demo environment Responsive and professional customer support | CONS
The Proprietary Deal Cancellation feature is not available on the MetaTrader 4 platform |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | CySEC |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Average spread from | 0.9 pips |
Commissions from | None |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:400 |
Bonuses | $25 Sign Up Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Oanda is a US-based forex broker that launched in 1996. At the time of its launch, the company was one of the earliest players in the online forex trading space.
Oanda offers 16 stock index CFDs, 31 commodity CFDs, and 6 bond CFDs. You cannot buy and sell individual stocks or ETFs through Oanda, although the stock indices span a wide range of countries.
PROS
User-friendly trading platform Low minimum deposit Low trading fees | CONS
Lack of decent customer service High withdrawal fees Limited instruments for forex and CFDs |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FCA, RFID |
Minimum deposit from | None |
Average spread from | 1.6 pips |
Commissions from | USD 0.01 per trade |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:100 |
Bonuses | None |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Vantage FX is a member of Vantage Global Prime Pty Ltd. Its head office is in Australia. In 2019, the firm celebrated 10 years of excellence as an award-winning global CFD broker.
The company gives retail and professional traders access to forex markets, indices, shares, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Its clients have access to two popular trading platforms: MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5).
PROS | CONS |
Well regulated
Advanced trading platforms Has indemnity insurance | Limited range of tradable instruments |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | ASIC |
Minimum deposit from | $200 |
Average spread from | 1.35 pips |
Commissions from | $3 added per side |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | 20 units of trading account base currency |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 |
Bonuses | 50% Welcome Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
CM Trading is a foreign exchange and CFD trading brokerage located in South Africa, which adheres to the strict regulatory rules set by the FSCA.
Furthermore, your deposits are kept in segregated accounts and monitored by the FSCA, the South African Financial Services Board. This brokerage promises secure SSL transactions and an advanced encryption algorithm to ensure your security and privacy.
PROS | CONS |
Well regulated | Limited range of instruments |
Segregated client funds | |
Extensive industry experience |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FSCA |
Minimum deposit from | $250 |
Average spread from | 1.5 pips |
Commissions from | None |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | 3% and 4% respectively |
Maximum Leverage | 1:400 |
Bonuses | $25 YFM Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
TD Ameritrade is a US brokerage company, regarded as one of the top-rated and most popular worldwide. It has a long and transparent history, dating back to 1975 when it was founded.
Currently, the company serves more than 11 million accounts and processes well over 650,000 trades per day. Today it is one of the industry leaders, offering a wide range of services and investment tools across all segments of financial markets.
PROS | CONS |
Large portfolio of investment products | High spreads |
No commission fees | |
No minimum deposit |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | NFA, SIPC, FINRA |
Minimum deposit from | None |
Average spread from | 2.0 pips |
Commissions from | No commission |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 50:1 |
Bonuses | Up to $600 cash promotion |
Customer Support | 24/7 support |
Forex Time is an international Forex broker that offers its customers the best services for trading stocks, bonds, commodities, and foreign currencies.
The broker’s ECN (Electronic Communications Network) account allows ForexTime to assist its customers with an automated trading tool that picks the best currency pair prices from a variety of market participants.
PROS | CONS |
Superb customer service | Inactivity and withdrawal fees |
High maximum leverage | Limited product portfolio |
Great educational tools |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | CySEC, FCA, FSCA |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Average spread from | 0.9 pips |
Commissions from | No commission |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | $3 |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 on average |
Bonuses | $300 Trading Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
With 140,000 active clients globally, IG Group has been a leader in financial spread betting since 1974. Listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), IG Group UK is listed on the FTSE 250 Index with a £2.1 billion market cap.
IG subscribers have access to over 10,000 international markets, IG Index is a reliable trading platform offering some of the lowest margins, and competitive rates in the sector.
Account-holders have access to expert analysis and insights, as well as skills training and continuous financial trading advisory and help desk assistance.
PROS
Excellent customer support An advanced suite of technical indicators The secure and well-regulated trading environment | CONS
A demo account is only available for 30 days, and not all platforms can be tested Limited range of currency options |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FCA, FSCA |
Minimum deposit from | No minimum deposit |
Average spread from | Variable |
Commissions from | £3.00 – £8.00 per trade for all types of assets |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:200 |
Bonuses | None offered |
Customer Support | 24/6 |
Dukascopy is one of the most popular and well-known forex brokers established in 2004 in Geneva Switzerland. It operates under the Swiss banking license, and it is regulated by the Swiss financial market supervisory authority (FINMA).
Dukascopy offers a wide range of trading instruments, several features, and functionalities, which are helpful for both new and experienced traders. This broker provides services on CFD trading on stocks, commodities and offers binary options trading as well.
PROS | CONS |
Good choice for high volume traders
Comprehensive analytical tools Flexible trading on advanced platforms Good selection of currency accounts | High commission
Charges withdrawal fees High minimum deposit Charges inactivity fee |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FINMA |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Average spread from | 0.3 pips |
Commissions from | $49.5 per $1 million traded |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | Varies depending on the method |
Maximum Leverage | 1:200 |
Bonuses | 10% Equity Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Established in 2005, FP Markets is a trusted global CFD and Forex broker. FP Markets has over a decade of experience serving the foreign exchange industry and its long list of international clients from all over the world.
As a direct market access broker, FP Markets offers ECN accounts using state-of-the-art technology providers like MetaQuotes and Iress.
PROS | CONS |
Competitive trading fees | High stock CFD Fees |
Easy account opening
Fast processing for deposits and withdrawals | Limited range of asset classes |
FxOpen is a reputable Forex broker who has been active since 2005 and is targeted at people who only want to trade foreign currencies online.
With a free demo account and a minimum deposit of only $ 1 (micro account) or 25 $ (standard account), you can start trading online without risking large sums of money.
With a spread of just 2 pips on EUR / USD, FxOpen offers a very competitive rate for the most traded currency pair.
PROS | CONS |
Well regulated | No US clients |
ECN network | Restricted leverage for EU clients |
Tight spreads and low commissions |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | ASIC, FCA |
Minimum deposit from | $1 |
Average spread from | Variable |
Commissions from | $1.5 |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 |
Bonuses | $10 No Deposit Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 – multilingual |
LiteForex has been offering online currency trading services since 2005. With various advanced technology setups, attractive trading conditions, and low spreads this broker is definitely one of the top choices.
LiteForex is the right destination for more than a million and a half clients from all over the world.
Today, LiteForex has offices in Iran, Indonesia, Vietnam, Nigeria, Nicaragua, India, Kyrgyzstan, and the Philippines. The EU office operates from Limassol, Cyprus, and is regulated by CySEC.
PROS | CONS |
Social trading available
MetaTrader 4 and 5 are available Multilingual customer support | Limited trading instruments
No VPS available |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | Marshall Islands Business Corporation Act |
Minimum deposit from | $50 |
Average spread from | 1.9 pips |
Commissions from | No commissions |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:1000 |
Bonuses | 100% forex deposit bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Admiral Markets has locations in over 40 countries worldwide, with its history tracing back to 2001. With monthly transactions going above $50 billion performed by 94,000 traders, Admiral Markets has proven successful.
The company is regulated by the FCA and CySEC, which ensures that they don’t control the market and manipulate your investment.
PROS | CONS |
Segregated client accounts | No fixed spread accounts |
Advanced trading tools
Negative balance protection |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FCA, ASIC, CySEC |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Average spread from | 0.6 pips |
Commissions from | 0.01 USD (or the equivalent in another currency) per share per side |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | 1% on e-wallets |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 |
Bonuses | 50 EUR No Deposit Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
Although it’s relatively young in the markets, Moneta Markets seems like a good choice for both beginner and expert forex and CFDs traders.
This broker is a subsidiary of the renowned Vantage International Group (VIG), a broker that facilitates trades worth up to $100bn per month. Moneta Markets was founded to cater to retail CFDs traders.
PROS | CONS |
Wide range of instruments
Advanced trading tools Commission-free trading | No US clients |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | CIMA |
Minimum deposit from | $200 |
Average spread from | Floating |
Commissions from | None |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 |
Bonuses | 50% Deposit Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
GO Markets is the brand of GO Markets Pty Ltd., a Melbourne-based company, regulated by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).
The broker offers online trading services in more than 50 currency pairs, indices, and commodities CFDs, as well as binary options.
Pros
Low trading fees Ultra-fast execution Advanced analytical tools Low minimum deposit | CONS
Limited account options |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | ASIC |
Minimum deposit from | $1 |
Average spread from | 1.5 pips |
Commissions from | None |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:500 |
Bonuses | 30% Deposit Bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
IronFX is an online broker that provides a platform for Contracts for Difference (CFDs) trading. IronFX offers over 200 tradable CFD instruments on forex, spot metals, spot indices, spot commodities, futures, shares, and cryptocurrencies.
PROS | CONS |
Low fees
Great deposit and withdrawal User-friendly account opening | Poor customer support |
Feature | Information |
Regulation | FCA |
Minimum deposit from | $100 |
Average spread from | 0.3 pips |
Commissions from | No commissions |
Deposit/Withdrawal Fees | None |
Maximum Leverage | 1:1000 |
Bonuses | 100% sharing bonus |
Customer Support | 24/5 |
CFDs are a derivative product because they enable you to speculate on financial markets such as shares, forex, indices, and commodities without having to take ownership of the underlying assets.
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