Home Best 15 Forex Brokers For Beginner And High-Leverage Traders in 2021
Edith Muthoni

There are numerous online forex brokerages and they all have friendly account registration and terms of trading. They accept relatively low initial deposits, have very easy to use platforms, and even support the widest range of trading and market analysis tools.

They, however, differ in design in the sense that while some are more welcoming to beginner traders, others are well adapted to cater to the veteran forex traders.

In this online investment guide, we review 5 of the best beginner-friendly online brokers and 10 of the best trading platforms designed for experienced traders.

The Best Forex Brokers Available in 2021

Before we look at forex brokers in more detail, here’s a list of the top forex brokers right now.

  1. eToro – Social trading forex broker
  2. Plus500 – Tight forex spreads
  3. Forex.com – Excellent charting
  4. Trade Nation – Risk Management tools for Forex Trading
  5. CryptoRocket – High leverage broker
  6. AvaTrade – Supports MT4/5
  7. 24Option – Great education content
  8. IG – Wide range of forex pairs

What are Forex Brokers?

Online Forex brokers are financial firms that provide Forex traders access to buy or sell currency pairs online.

This is made possible by providing traders access to trading platforms that create an interface between the trader and broker (market makers) or between the trader, broker and the Forex interbank market (ECN/STP brokers).

In the mid-90s, there were no individual or retail Forex traders.

The Forex market was exclusively for big banks, hedge funds, or high net-worth firms. This is because it was capital intensive with a minimum trading size was $1 million.

With time, the market was decentralized and access was granted to investors with smaller capital. The liquidity gap created by the smaller capital from retail traders and the large trading requirements of the interbank market was filled by market makers.

Today, we have numerous online Forex brokers operating from different parts of the world. With as little as $1, individual traders can access the Forex market from the comfort of their homes.

PRO TIP: Ask yourself a few questions before choosing an online forex broker: Is your broker secure? Are you fine with their costs and fees? Do they offer your preferred trading platforms such as MT4 and above all, how easily can you access your invested capital.

The Best Forex Brokers 2021 – Forex Brokers Compared

Who are the best Forex brokers in 2021 and who wins the best Forex exchange comparison? This table shows the best Forex brokers and the pros and cons of each one.

Reviewers Choice
Rating
What we like
  • Zero Fees
  • Offers a free unlimited demo facility
  • Authorized & regulated by the FCA
Min Deposit
$100
Rating
23
Visit Now

80.5% of retail CFD accounts lose money. *spread values vary*

80.5% of retail CFD accounts lose money. *spread values vary*

Rating
What we like
  • Over 50 Forex Currency Pairs
  • Get started with just $50 deposit
  • Unparalleled Tight Spreads
Min Deposit
$50
Rating
Visit Now
Rating
What we like
  • Open an account with just $100
  • Low spreads, no commissions, clear fees
  • Up to 30:1 leverage available
Min Deposit
$100
Rating
Visit Now

Factors to Consider in Choosing a Forex Broker

  • Minimum Deposit Requirement

How much is required as a basic minimum to open an account?

You need to consider how much money you can spare to start off a Forex brokerage.

Usually, traders are advised to make a transition from a demo account to a small live account and ultimately a larger Forex account.

Many Forex brokers now have very low minimum deposit requirements; some as low as $10. This is great for the transitional live account which new traders with budgetary constraints will find useful. Some accounts (such as STP accounts) may require as much as $50,000 as the minimum deposit.

If you are a trader who has such money and wants to trade with an ECN account, then this is the direction to go. So knowing your minimum deposit requirement will help narrow your search.

Best Forex Brokers For beginners and high leverage traders | Learnbonds

  • What are the spreads and commission structure like?

How low are the spreads and commissions on one FX broker’s platform when compared to another?

Spreads and commissions are a trader’s business costs.

Obviously, the lower the costs, the more profit can be retained. Spreads need to be kept low and competitive.

Imagine trading with a broker that offers a spread of 1.4 pips for EUR/USD and another which offers 0.8 pips on the same asset.

The difference of 0.6 pips, on 50 Standard Lot trades in a month ($10 per pip), equates to a savings of $300. Trade this in a year, and this goes up to $3,600.

Can you see the impact that a decision as simple as broker choice based on the competitiveness of spreads can make?

  • Does the Forex brokers offer swap-free accounts?

If you are a Muslim trader (and there is a large population of traders of the Islamic faith in the MENA region) and you want a swap-free account that complies with the tenets of the faith, then you would want a broker that offers this option.

So this is a key point of consideration in broker selection.

  • Is the Forex broker regulated?

Regulation in the forex market is all about trader protection.

You need to have an independent body you can go to if you are not satisfied with your broker’s services.

This underscores the importance of making sure the Forex broker you use is a regulated broker.

  • What has been the experience of other traders?

A very good way of knowing what your own experience on a brokerage platform will be like is to get first-hand information about the experience of other traders on the same platforms you desire to use. Such information can be obtained from online forums.

  • Quality of customer support among Forex Trading Brokers 

In order to avoid frustrating experiences, it’s good to know if your preferred broker has good customer support.

A quick search can show you whether their customer support staff treat their clients well, or just as if they are doing them a favour.

How Forex Brokers Are Rated? 

This article will present a list of the Best Forex brokers for 2021 that you can use now.

How were these brokers selected and rated? The following points present the basis for our broker selection:

a) Regulatory Forex Broker Status

All the brokers in our list are regulated and in good standing with regulators.

They present their traders with trader insurance in the form of investment compensation fund registration with the respective regulators.

b) Ease of Software Use

The brokers in our list present their traders with trading software and applications that are easy to use and which do not present obstacles to the trader’s profit potential.

Trading software should be user-friendly.

They should not constitute an extra layer of work for the trader to unravel before engaging in core trading.

Best Forex Brokers For beginners and high leverage traders | Learnbonds

c) Presence of Mobile Trading Apps

Some trading opportunities come at the most inopportune of times.

It is only with mobile trading apps that these times can be converted to periods of opportunity.

All brokers in our list allow their traders to trade on the go with easy to use mobile applications and website interfaces optimized for mobile devices.

d) Trader Education

Traders come to the market with little education about trading.

Providing their clients with proper market-based education boosts the trader’s knowledge of the trading platforms, the forex market itself and also simple processes involved in the trading process.

e) Market Research

Market research is a critical tool for profiting from Forex.

The brokers in our list provide outstanding market research using in-house experts and also in partnership with Trading Central.

f) Ease and Affordability of Account Opening

Account opening is a breeze with the brokers in our list.

Some of them allow you to open accounts using your existing email or social media profiles.

Best Forex Brokers for 2021

The list below represents our top 7 forex brokers for 2021.

These brokers have stood the test of time and have provided extra features that benefit their clients.

1. eToro - Overall Best Forex Broker

eToro is one of the best options for forex traders who want a do-it-all platform. The broker offers over 45 currency pairs to trade as CFDs and allows you to trade with leverage up to 30:1 on major forex pairs. Trading is 100% commission-free and eToro has very competitive CFD spreads.

We also like eToro because of the research tools it offers. The platform serves as a social network where you can follow other traders and start discussions or even copy their portfolios. It also has a built-in charting software and news feed. The only drawback to eToro is that the charts aren’t overly advanced, so you won’t be able to develop custom indicators or backtest strategies with this platform.

eToro is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is widely regarded as trustworthy. So, you can feel safe trading CFDs with this broker.

Our Rating

  • Dozens of forex pairs: Trade over 45 currency pairs
  • Low Minimum Deposit: Start trading with just $50
  • Social Trading: Follow other day traders and spark conversation
  • Limited Charts: No custom indicators or backtesting
67% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

2. Plus500: Great for advanced traders | CFD Broker

Founded in Israel over a decade ago, Plus500 has earned a spot for itself on the list due to its technological innovations, consistency and global mission which have led to its expansion. Today, the broker is listed on the London Stock Exchange and it is also part of the UK FTSE 250. It boasts of over 300,000 clients from all over the world.

Plus500 is regulated in the following jurisdictions:

  • Plus500UK Ltd is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FCA(#509909).
  • Plus500CY Ltd is authorized and regulated by CySEC (#250/14).
  • Plus500AU Pty Ltd (ACN 153301681), is licensed by: ASIC in Australia, AFSL #417727

The company employs the use of modern security best practices to secure user information and create a safe trading environment. The proprietary Plus500 trading platform is available as a WebTrader, and also as mobile apps on Android, Windows phones and iOS mobile devices. The platform is simple, innovative and loaded with analytical tools. It features real-time SMS and email alerts based on price movement earlier customized by the trader. Although user friendly, It is worth noting that Plus500 platform is suitable for experienced traders only.

Traders here can trade CFDs on underlying financial instruments such as currency pairs, commodities, ETFs, Options, and shares. The EU offering of Plus500 provides maximum leverage is 1:30 for retail traders while professional traders get up to 1:300. The spreads are tight and no commissions are charged on trades.

OUR RATING

  • Over 2500 assets can be traded on the Plus500 platform.
  • A proprietary platform that can be customized to send SMS/email alerts based on predetermined market conditions.
  • No commissions are charged on trades.
  • The Plus 500 online trading platform does not support certain strategies hedging and scalping.
  • Traders do not receive any bonuses, rebates or rewards.
CFDs are complex financial instruments and 80.5% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.

3. Forex.com - Best Forex Broker for US Traders

Forex.com is a broker that promises to earn traders’ loyalty by delivering an extraordinary trading experience with superior execution and low trading costs. Since 2001, the broker has grown in technology, strength, and excellence. Today, Forex.com is one of the leading brokers in the United States and the world at large.

Forex.com is an arm of Gain Capital Holdings Inc; a financial investment firm with headquarters in New Jersey, USA and a global presence that spans across Asia, Europe, and North America. Gain Capital Holdings Inc. is publicly traded in the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: GAP). Forex.com is a registered Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) and RFED with the CFTC. It is also a member of the NFA.

Over 80 currency pairs, metals and futures options can be traded on the platforms.

The Advanced Trading, web trading, MT4, and the forex.com mobile are the trading platforms provided. The platforms are sophisticated, technological and replete with useful trader tools. Forex.com also has a plugin that improves the features of the MT4 platform by adding more useful tools like a market manager, correlation matrix, alarm manager, etc. The broker also provides market analysis and an organized education center with lessons categorized for beginners, intermediate and advanced traders. Forex.com is indeed one of the leading forex brokers of 2021.

Our rating

  • Ultra-fast trade executions on modern platforms.
  • High volume traders can save up to 15% with cash rebates.
  • Advanced charting package powered by Trading View.
  • Credit cards cannot be used for deposits and withdrawals.
  • Paypal and other electronic payment gateways like Skrill and Neteller are not accepted.
Your capital is at risk

4. Trade Nation - Forex Broker with Risk Management Tools

Trade Nation is a global forex broker established in 2014. The broker has a selection of 30 currency pairs, including all of the major and minor pairs. You can also trade CFDs for shares, ETFs, commodities, and more with this platform.

One of the key elements that sets Trade Nation apart from other forex brokers is the suite of risk management tools built into its custom trading platform. With the Trade Nation platform, you can easily add trailing stop losses or open countering trades to hedge your position. The broker also provides negative balance protection, so you can never lose more money than you deposited into your account when trading with leverage.

Trade Nation also stands out for its low fixed spreads. Trading the EUR/USD currency pair costs just 0.6 pips and the GBP/USD pair costs just 0.8 pips. The platform doesn’t have deposit, withdrawal, or inactivity fees, and there’s no minimum deposit required to open an account. With a standard account, you can trade on margin up to 30:1.

Trade Nation is regulated by the FCA in the UK, ASIC in Australia, and the Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA) in South Africa. The broker offers customer support by phone and email if you need help with your account.

Our Rating

  • Risk management tools including trailing stop losses.
  • Trade on margin up to 30:1.
  • Spreads on major forex pairs from 0.6 pips
  • Limited selection of forex pairs to trade
  • Paypal not accepted.
Your capital is at risk

5. Cryptorocket - High Leverage Forex Broker

Cryptorocket sets itself apart from other CFD brokerages available today because it is blockchain-based. It also presents you with one the highest trading leverages of up to 1:500. The cryptocurrency based exchange also embraces Straight Through Processing (STP), ensuring you trade directly against the market participants.

Unlike most other brokerages that have several types of trading accounts, however, Cryptorocket maintains one trader account.

The account creation process if relatively fast. And you get to trade a huge variety of CFDs that include over 30 Cryptocurrency and token pairs and dozens of forex CFDs.

What we like most about opening an account with the broker is the fact there is no minimum initial deposit required to open a cryptorocket account. As you open an account with the broker keep in mind that the account has its base currency expressed in BTC. In addition, you get to trade within their proprietary trading platform or the advanced MT4 trading platform.

Our Rating

  • Employs STP order processing
  • Competitive trading costs and no deposit/withdrawal fees
  • Highly intuitive and user-friendly MT4 and web trader platforms
  • Cryptorocket is an unregulated exchange
  • No live chat or phone support
Your capital is at risk

6. AvaTrade Forex Broker - Attractive regional offering with local branches all over the world.

AvaTrade is multiple award-winning brokers with a presence across the globe. Regulated across six jurisdictions, AvaTrade has proved itself to be a reliable and reputable broker, hence qualifying as one of our top brokers for 2021. The broker was established in 2006 and the headquarters is in Dublin, Ireland. The tradable instruments available are currency pairs, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, commodities, indices, stock, and bonds.

AvaTradeGO is the broker’s proprietary mobile app that is simple yet sophisticated enough to handle all the essential needs of a trader. The MT4 platform is also available. The Guardian Angel is a customizable trade assistant designed for a beginner or advanced traders. It is an MT4 plugin that alerts the trader on predetermined conditions such as excessive risk, setting a stop-loss, trading volatility, market conditions, etc. The Autochartist tool is also provided for the MT4 platform.

ZuluTrade, the renowned social trading platform is available through this broker. Clients can copy the trades of expert traders and make profits. Duplitrade; another social trading platform is also available. The broker also provides trader education via ‘SharpTrader’ which provides training videos and articles for registered clients. AvaTrade boast of 200,000 traders with over 2million monthly trades.

Our Rating

  • Social trading is available via Zulutrade and Duplitrade platforms.
  • Over 250 trading instruments are available which includes cryptos, ETFs and bonds.
  • Multiple trading platforms across all devices.
  • The demo account expires after 21 days.
  • The premium account type “Ava Select” has an opening balance of $100,000 which is very high.
Your capital is at risk

7. 24Option FX Broker - Strong Educational Content

24Option was launched in Cyprus in the year 2010 as a binary options brokerage. It had to shut down binary options operations as an EU-wide ban loomed, choosing instead to focus solely on forex/CFD brokerage. The international arm operates from Belize while the European arm operates from Cyprus. They are regulated by the IFSC and CySEC respectively.

The web-based 24Option proprietary platform is intuitive, powerful and packed with trading aids and tools. The popular MT4 platform is also provided. The 24Option mobile app is developed for Android and iPhones and can be downloaded from their respective stores. There are over 120 tradable assets which include forex, commodities, indices, cryptocurrencies and stock shares. 24option has partnered with “Trading Central”, to bring its customers quality market analysis reports, news about the best Forex signals, etc. Trading Central is a financial market research firm that specializes in analysis, strategies, information, and advice on financial assets and investments.

The broker provides training resources and frequently organizes seminars to equip traders with the knowledge to make them more successful. By offering quality services, intuitive platforms and cutting edge technologies, 24option made its way into the list of top brokers in 2021.

Our Rating

  • Advanced market analysis from Trading Central.
  • Cutting edge platforms loaded with essential tools for analysis and order management.
  • Adequate educational resources especially for beginners.
  • Exorbitant inactivity fees of $40 per month, which increase after 3 months.
  • High withdrawal charges.
Your capital is at risk

8. IG.com USA Forex Broker - Strong Presence in USA

IG is a well known brand in the industry. Established in the UK in 1974, IG provides its services to over 195,000 clients from all over the world. IG is the trading name of IG US LLC which is registered in Delaware with registration number 6570306. IG is a registered Retail Foreign Exchange Dealer (RFED) and Introducing Broker (IB) with the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and member of the National Futures Association (NFA) with the ID 0509630.

The IG Forex broker provides over 80 currency pairs tradable on the MT4 platform, WebTrader and on various mobile devices. IG provides educational courses and a demo account in order to help beginner traders jumpstart their trading career. The provided MT4 platform comes with add-ons such as the Autochartist tool which scans the market and alerts the trader when it finds trading opportunities. A plugin that extends the features of the MT4 is also provided at no extra cost. The plugin adds over 12 extra tools to the MT4 platform.

Daily analysis, market news, and other trader tools are equally provided through DailyFX, which is owned by IG. With the myriad of technological tools, experience, and integrity, IG is one of the top brokers in the United States and the world in general.

Our Rating

  • Features of the MT4 can be expanded with add-ons for better user experience.
  • Comprehensive IG academy is suitable for new traders for knowledge acquisition.
  • The Autochartist assist traders in their daily analysis and trade decisions.
  • The minimum deposit of $250 is high when compared to other brokers.
  • Deposits cannot be made through PayPal and other e-wallet options.
Your capital is at risk

How do Forex Brokers operate? Forex Brokers Working Model!

The modus operandi of forex brokers is related to how they execute customer transactions. Here are the popular forex broker models.

i) ECN Forex Brokerage model

Electronic Communications Networks (ECN) brokers give their clients direct market access (DMA). Traders access the interbank forex market directly through the brokers’ ECN network.

There is no dealing desk (NDD) and the broker only acts as an agent between the client and the interbank forex market.

ECN brokers transmit the actual currency quotes to their clients in real-time and the trades are executed at the market. This reduces or eliminates requotes.

The spreads are usually very low and in some cases, zero spreads are incurred. This is why most ECN brokers prefer to collect a commission on each side of a trade.

ii) STP Forex Broker Model

Straight Through Processing (STP) brokers are Non-Dealing Desk (NDD) brokers that operate an automated system where trades are routed to liquidity providers for execution at competitive prices.

The liquidity providers are interbank forex market participants. Most times, the liquidity providers are top tier brokers, investment companies, payment aggregators or major banks.

The advantage of the STP brokerage model is that there is more liquidity from different sources; hence, orders are promptly fulfilled. The whole process is automated without broker intervention eliminating human errors, costs or delays.

iii) Market Makers Forex Broker 

These brokers operate a dealing desk (DD) brokerage model.

Most market makers quote the bid and ask price with fixed spreads and execute trades by taking the opposite side of a client’s trade.

Market makers can adjust the spread, delay trade executions and even manipulate traders’ positions to trigger a stop-loss.

The advantage of this brokerage model is that orders are executed instantly as it is not routed to another source but executed by the broker.

They also charge low trading fees and offer very high leverages. Because many beginner traders believe the illusion that forex trading can bring quick money, many scam brokers operate this brokerage model.

Most beginner traders lose money and these scam brokers easily make the money by trading against the newbie, manipulating trades and closing winning trades.

That is why it is always advisable to trade with a regulated broker.

iv) Hybrid Forex Broker Model

This involves the combination of two or more broker models in operation.

Most ECN brokers also add a dealing desk to their operations which caters to low volume traders with small capitals.

They usually specify different account types and tie the execution type to the account type. The Hybrid model is arguably the best brokerage model as it benefits both the new and professional traders.

Expert traders with huge capitals are given special accounts, favourable benefits and have their orders executed at the market. Tyros and low volume traders are offered a dealing desk with instant executions.

In this guide, we look at the best forex brokers with the most attractive leverages. We, however, start by looking at how it works and the criteria used to rank the best high leverage brokers.

Note: Leverage allows you to take control of large trade positions with minimal capital. And with the right set of skills, strategy, and mindset, leverage will help amplify your gains. However, this works both ways. Just as it amplifies your gains, leverage also amplifies your losses. And the need to protect most Forex traders from these amplified losses forms the primary reason why some regulators capped the maximum leverage in their jurisdiction.

High Leverage Forex Brokers:

Leverage is a form of investment loan given to an investor by the brokerage firm. It serves to inflate your trading account balances, making it possible to enter into larger trading positions with the hope of scoring higher returns. To access this loan, you will need first to open a margin account with your preferred broker. The leverage advanced is then expressed as 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, or 1:500.

Best Forex Brokers For beginners and high leverage traders | Learnbonds

But what does this mean? In the case of 1:200, it implies that for every one base currency you are willing to stake into a trade, the broker will loan you two hundred more. If you, therefore, wished to enter into a $200,000 trade, you would only need $1,000 in your trading account.

What are the pros and cons of using a Broker’s Leverage?

Pros

  • Provides you with additional albeit loaned trading capital
  • Helps you enter into larger trade positions that magnify your gains
  • The leveraged (loaned) trading capital is interest-free
  • Allows a trader to enter into any trade with low capital

Cons

  • Can easily wipe out your trading capital (staked amounts)
  • It exposes you to margin call risks
  • Higher leverages (free money) encourages reckless trading

Best High Leverage Broker For 2021:

1. PaxForex – Best for U.S Forex investors (1:500)

PaxForex stands out with their non-discriminative and high leverage of 1:500. This is now available to all types of trading accounts availed by the acclaimed broker. In addition to the high leverage, there are several other reasons PaxForex tops our list of high leverage brokers. And we are especially drawn in by the fact that they maintain over five types of trading accounts. They also expose you to more than 20 trading pairs and maintains a highly affordable minimum deposit of $10.

It also is compatible with the all-popular desktop and Mobile versions of the MetaTrader (MT4) platforms. Note that this attractive leverage is, however, capped at the CFTC recommended 1:50 ratio for their U.S. clients.

Our Rating

  • Provides you with additional albeit loaned trading capital
  • The leveraged (loaned) trading capital is interest-free
  • Helps you enter into larger trade positions that magnify your gains
  • Can easily wipe out your trading capital (staked amounts)
  • It exposes you to margin call risks

2. AvaTrade – Best for Non-U.S investors (1:400)

AvaTrade has an established presence in over 150 countries around the world. It is thus operated under the strict guidance of all major financial regulatory agencies in Europe, Canada, Japan, and Australia. This, plus the fact that it offers highly attractive leverages of up to 1:400 makes it a preferred broker for most international traders. Apart from the leverage, you will also be interested to note that the broker runs one of the most advanced and user-friendly trading platforms.

Some key features availed by the broker include a professional in-house trading software, Forex APIs, and lucrative trading strategies – all of which are available freely on the site. Plus the broker is also one of the few that provides you with adjustable trading algorithms and Forex trading APIs that let you automate your trades from scratch.

OUR RATING

  • Support a host of payment processing companies and free deposits and withdrawals
  • Exposes you to automated risk management tools like negative balance protection
  • Free training and access to Forex educational materials make it most appealing for beginner traders
  • Consumers have often complained of delayed withdrawals – can take up to 10 days
  • Doesn’t accept U.S clients

3. Crypto Rocket – Best For Free deposits (1: 500)

CryptoRocket stands out from the competition in the industry because of its attractive leverage of up to 1:500. But we also like it because of its zero-fee policy on deposits. But these aren't the only reasons the broker makes it here.

Other unique features that drew us to the Forex CFD trader include the fact that it exposes you to over 55 Forex trading pairs. Plus their ultra-tight spreads and the highly advanced trading platform are available in both the web trader, P.C., and mobile apps.

Our Rating

  • Their straight-through trade execution eliminates slippage and requotes
  • Their trading platform comes with numerous advanced trading tools that appeal to both beginner and advanced traders
  • It doesn't charge transaction fees when live trading
  • CryptoRocket is a non-regulated exchange
  • There are limited financial products you can trade here - mostly cryptocurrencies

4. Eagle FX – Best for the High number of Forex Trading Pairs (1:500)

Eagle F.X. appeals most to experienced traders looking for an advanced platform that gives them access to huge investment opportunities and attractive leverage. The broker exposes you to over 53 forex trading pairs (including all the major currencies). And these can be executed with leverage of 1:500.

Beginner traders looking to gain a deeper understanding of the Forex market can do so within the Eagle Fx demo account. It is free and has no limit to the amount of time or virtual currency you can spend there. Others factors that make it stand out from the competition, despite being a few months old, include its zero-fee approach to deposits and withdrawals. Plus the fact that you only need $10 to open a real trading account.

Our Rating

  • Available in both the web and mobile trading versions
  • Beginner-friendly as it supports social trading and copy trading
  • A low minimum deposit of $10 and high leverage that starts from 25:1 to 500:1
  • Not regulated
  • Not available to U.S. clients

5. XM Global - Best for Account Management Support (1:888)

X.M. Global ranks highly on the list of the most reputable online trading brokerages. Here, traders are treated to highly attractive leverages of 1:888. Not to mention that they also offer one the broadest list of trading pairs and other financial investment products. And these can be executed within one of their several retail client trading accounts that cater to both the beginner and expert traders.

Note, however, that the 1:888 leverage is only available to international traders operating outside the U.S. and Europe. X.M. isn't available in the United States but operates through a Proxy - XM-UK in Europe. And in this FCA controlled financial district, leverage is capped at 1:30. In addition, traders are treated to ultra-tight spreads of as low as 0.6 pips for all the major trading pairs. You might also be interested to note that all X.M. trading platforms are expert advisory friendly. You will also be treated to 50%+20% bonus on your initial deposit upon verifying your trading account.

Our Rating

  • Every account is matched with a supportive account manager
  • Highly adaptive trading platform and a friendly user interface
  • Fastest trade execution speeds, eliminating requotes and slippage.
  • Limited deposit and withdrawal options
  • Maintain account inactivity fee

7. InstaForex – Best in Eastern Europe (1:1000)

InstaForex is headquartered in Russia, making it one of the few most successful brokerages in Eastern Europe. It stands out because of its support for huge leverage that currently stands at 1:1000, and an equally large number of currency trading pairs – including all the major currencies.

Others factors ensuring InstaForex makes it to the list of the reputable high leverage brokerages include its near-instant customer support services. Plus a wide range of technical analysis tools on an elaborate trading platform. Here, a client is also free to maintain up to three different trading accounts.

Our Rating

  • The broker supports both the MT4 and MT5 trading platforms
  • One-click trading technology guarantees fast trade execution
  • The low minimum deposit for real account – stands at $1
  • Not available to both the U.S. and E.U. markets
  • Limited and relatively slow withdrawal options

8. FBS – Best for High Leverages (1:3000)

FBS maintains the highest leverage in the global forex trading industry – currently set at 1:3000. It also is one of the most versatile brokers we have come across with a unique approach to the industry. It also has a long list of trading account types, and each is specially designed to suit a particular class of traders. The most popular account type is the micro-lot trading (CENT) account for beginners, and the high-volume (ECN) account for scalpers.

The broker further takes pride in hosting a huge collection of trading tools as well as highly effective automated trading systems. More importantly, forex transactions are commission-free while spreads range from 0.0 pips for the Zero-Spread trading account to 3.0 pips for least popular forex pairs.

Our Rating

  • Hosts Sharia law compliant accounts for Islamic traders
  • Advanced trading technology eliminates any incidences of slippage and requotes
  • Supports expert advisers and other automated trading tools
  • Not available to U.S. residents
  • Poor risk management practices where some accounts, such as ECN, don't have a stop-loss feature

9. OctaFX – Best for Social Trading (1:500)

On paper, OctaFX has its leverage set at 1:500 for MT4 platform traders and 1:200 for the MT5 traders. And in a world where major Forex hubs are constantly coming up with regulations that seek to shrink leverages further, we consider this high and attractive. However, OctaFX is regularly holding promotions that allow traders from different parts of the world to adjust this leverage upwards manually.

In most cases, MT4 traders leverage moves from the standard 1:500 to 1:1000 while leverage for MT5 trades moves from 1:200 to 1:500. In addition to this, we liked the superior social trading feature on their website that supports copy trading for beginners. Plus the fact that the broker also operates the one-click trading feature that guarantees fast trade execution speeds.

Our Rating

  • Beginner-friendly through social trading and educational resources
  • OctaFX supports multi-platform trading on MT4, MT5, Web and OctaFX app trading platforms.
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees
  • Sluggish withdrawals
  • Limited payment processing options as it does not support debit and credit cards or PayPal

10. NordFX – Best for versatile trading platforms (1:1000)

NordFX also features on our list of high leverage brokers majorly because of its high leverage of 1:1000. But we are also impressed by the level of technology the broker has integrated into their trading platform.

This is evidenced by the fact that Nord FX runs one of the most advanced trading platforms with sophisticated analysis tools, indicators, and trading strategies. It also takes pride in having one of the fastest payment processing systems that have resulted in minimal complaints.

Our Rating

  • Highly affordable spreads that start from 0.0 pips
  • Exposes you to different types of accounts that require low minimum deposit amounts – from $10
  • Stellar customer support team
  • Limited number of forex trading pairs
  • Slow processing of withdrawals

Glossary of Trading Platforms

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Platform Fee

The trading platform fee refers to the amount a trader pays to use the platform and access its integrated platform features and tools. It can be a one –time fee paid for the acquisition of the trading platform, a subscription fee paid monthly or annually. Others will charge on a per-trade basis with a specific fee per trade.

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Cost per trade

Cost per trade is also referred to as the base trade fee and refers to the fee that a broker or trading platform charges you every time you place a trade. Some brokers offer volume discounts and charge a lower cost per trade for voluminous trades.

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Margin

Margin is the money needed in your account to maintain a trade with leverage.

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Social trading

Social trading is a form of trading that allows for the interaction and exchange of trade ideas, signals and trade settings between the different classes of traders.

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Copy Trading

Copy trading, also known as mirror trading is a form of online trading that lets traders copy trade settings from one another. In most cases, it is the newbies and part-time traders that copy the positions of pro traders. The copiers -in most cases - are then required to surrender a share of the profits made from copied trades – averaging 20% - with the pro traders.

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Financial instruments

A Financial instrument ideally refers to the proof of ownership of financial commodities of monetary contracts between two parties. In the money markets, financial instruments refer to such elements as shares, stocks, bonds, Forex and crypto CFDs and other contractual obligations between different parties.

Depiction of ETF performance |ETFs Learnbonds
Index

An index is an indicator that tracks and measures the performance of a security such as a stock or bond.

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Commodities

Commodities refer to raw materials used in the production and manufacturing of other products or agricultural products. Some of the most popular commodities traded on the exchange markets include energy and gases like oil, agricultural products like corn and coffee, and precious metals like gold and silver.

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Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

An ETF is a fund that can be traded on an exchange. The fund is a basket containing multiple securities such as stocks, bonds or even commodities. ETFs allow you to trade the basket without having to buy each security individually.

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Contract for difference (CFD)

CFDs are a form of contractual trading that involves speculating on the performance of a particular trade in the market. CFD’s will basically allow you to speculate on the future value of securities such as stocks, currencies and commodities without owning the underlying securities.

Dollar sack and potted plant depicting how assets grow in a Fund | Learnbonds
Minimum investment

The minimum investment simply refers to the lowest amount of capital injection you can deposit into a brokerage or a trading platform. Different brokers demand varied minimum investment amounts from their clients either when registering or opening trade positions.

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Daily trading limit

A daily trading limit is the lowest and highest amount that a security is allowed to fluctuate, in one trading session, at the exchange where it’s traded. Once a limit is reached, trading for that particular security is suspended until the next trading session. Daily trading limits are imposed by exchanges to protect investors from extreme price volatilities.

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Day traders

A day trader is a term used to describe a trader who is constantly opening trades and closing them within a day. It is a common term used to refer to forex traders who open trade and only hold onto it for a few minutes or hours before disposing and having to leave no open trades at the time the trading day closes.

FAQs

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What is NDD?

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Edith Muthoni

Edith Muthoni

Edith is an investment writer, trader, and personal finance coach specializing in investments advice around the fintech niche. Her fields of expertise include stocks, commodities, forex, indices, bonds, and cryptocurrency investments. She holds a Masters degree in Economics with years of experience as a banker-cum-investment analyst. She is currently the chief editor, learnbonds.com where she specializes in spotting investment opportunities in the emerging financial technology scene and coming up with practical strategies for their exploitation. She also helps her clients identify and take advantage of investment opportunities in the disruptive Fintech world.