1
Founded200917 yrs
Min. deposit$5USD
Max leverage1:1000up to
4.6/5
XMASIC · CySEC · DFSA
ExnessFCA · CySEC · FSCA
TMGMASIC · FSC-MU · VFSC
PepperstoneASIC · FCA · CySEC
IC MarketsASIC · CySEC · FSA-SC
GO MarketsASIC · CySEC · FSA-SCRisk warning:CFDs and leveraged forex trading are high-risk products that can lose your entire capital very quickly, and are not suitable for every investor. Everything on this site is information only and is not investment advice, an offer or a recommendation. Check the rules that apply where you live and read the broker's full terms and risk disclosure before opening an account. Some links on this site are affiliate links that may earn us a commission; this does not affect our scores or rankings.
Last reviewed: 24 July 2026
Our independent forex broker reviews compare regulation, real spreads, swap rates, withdrawal speed and platform tools — so you can shortlist the best forex broker for your needs before signing up.
Independent scoring · Partnerships never move a ranking
XMEditorial score · re-checked monthlyExnessEditorial score · re-checked monthlyTMGMEditorial score · re-checked monthly
FCAUnited Kingdom
SFC-COColombia
NFAUnited States
FINMASwitzerland
ASICAustralia
SFC-HKHong KongEvery licence number is checked against the regulator's public register, monthly
Five criteria combine into one final score
Broker Ranking
Compare every forex broker on the same fields and review cycle. Select two or three best broker candidates for a side-by-side comparison; the green button opens the broker's official sign-up page.
Minimum deposit and leverage follow the standard account of the entity you sign with; confirm the figures at sign-up.
In-depth Reviews
Every forex broker review states its sources, the live account we used and the date it was last verified — including who the broker is not right for.
A contract-based review of XM’s legal entities, account costs, leverage tiers, execution model, withdrawals and complaint routes.
Brokers coveredXM4.6XMOur score, out of 5.0Broker Promotions
Only offers with published, verifiable terms — annotated with eligible regions, account types and payout method.
FOREX.com·2026-08-09
FOREX.com combines a new-account bonus with referral, broker-transfer and active-trader rewards.
GO Markets·2026-08-09
New users depositing US$500–30,000 can receive a bonus of up to US$9,000.
Ultima Markets·2026-08-09
Ultima Markets is offering a 20% deposit bonus through its official promotion page.
Brokers' Updates
Verified reporting on brokers, trading platforms, regulation and market products — without price forecasts or trading signals.
An IC campaign announcement published on 28 October builds on its April partnership with Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. It plans digital and social distribution with regional marketing support, rather than announcing a new player signing.
Affects: This is a marketing campaign update for readers following IC’s Latin American presence.Source verifiedView detailsPepperstone’s ANT.US-PERP is a synthetic, cash-exposure product with no share ownership. Its EU product page, updated 27 October, lists 24/7 trading, weekly funding set in advance and separate professional and retail margin requirements.
Affects: Availability, reference pricing and funding must be checked against the client’s Pepperstone entity and contract specification.Source verifiedView detailsThe broker’s 28 October report describes clean-water aid for earthquake-affected communities in East Nusa Tenggara. BAZNAS had already announced the contribution on 21 September; this is follow-up reporting of the same initiative.
Affects: This is a corporate relief initiative; the publication date should not be confused with a new donation date.Source verifiedView detailsPepperstone and Aston Martin Aramco have announced an expanded partnership, with Fernando Alonso’s global ambassador role starting in 2027. A special helmet is planned for the Mexico City Grand Prix; the broker identifies Latin America as a growth region.
Affects: Readers following Pepperstone sponsorships should distinguish the 2026 announcement from the 2027 ambassador start.Source verifiedView detailsStoneX Securities’ Japanese offering opens the two index CFDs at 5 p.m. Tokyo time on Saturdays, with daily morning breaks. The launch is separate from the Cayman-regulated international entity’s 7-Day contracts.
Affects: Japanese clients gain additional CFD hours and need to check local break times, weekend prices and spreads.Source verifiedView detailsA sponsored 19 October release describes donated supplies and children’s drawing activities in Palmeira through Ultima Markets’ charitable initiative and AMAS. It provides no donation amount or beneficiary total.
Affects: This item records a provider-reported charity activity with limited disclosed outcome data.Source verifiedView detailsIn a company-authored article, IC group CMO Tony Philip describes acquiring ic.com, licensing the group trademark to operating entities and consolidating customer data. The October account explains an existing rollout rather than establishing a new licence or broker acquisition.
Affects: IC clients and partners should follow updated official domains while retaining the legal-entity distinction in account documents.Source verifiedView detailsThe company’s 15 October report describes an in-person seminar on market structure, liquidity, technical analysis and risk management, followed by networking. It gives no exact event date, attendance total or measured learning outcome.
Affects: The report documents a company education and community activity.Source verifiedView details
Our Methodology
Primary sources, live-account testing and fixed weights. Partnerships decide whether a sign-up link appears — never the score, the order or the conclusion.
FAQ
Pick a topic to narrow the list. If your question isn't here, write to the editorial team directly.
Contact the editorsNo. Rankings come out of fixed weights applied to fields anyone can verify. Some brokers do have an affiliate relationship with us, which only determines whether a sign-up link is shown and whether we earn a commission — it never changes the score or the order. Every affiliate link is labelled.
Start with the regulator and the entity you will actually contract with. The same brand often operates through different entities per region, with different client-money rules, compensation schemes and leverage caps. Only then compare trading cost and funding, and last of all platform features and promotions.
It is decided by your country of residence, and it is named in the client agreement you accept at sign-up. The entity sets your leverage cap, whether negative balance protection applies, whether a compensation scheme covers you and who hears a complaint — so the same brand can mean very different protection depending on where you live.
Four things add up: the spread, any per-lot commission, the overnight swap if you hold past the daily rollover, and currency conversion when your deposit currency differs from the account currency. On a raw-spread account the commission alone is often larger than the spread, so compare the all-in figure rather than the headline number.
It keeps your balance in a separate bank account from the broker's own operating money, so it should not be treated as company assets in an insolvency. It does not protect you from trading losses, and it is only as strong as the auditing behind it — which is why the regulator matters more than the wording on the website.
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