A CFD and forex broker with licensed companies in Ireland, Australia, Japan, Abu Dhabi, Kenya and South Africa, and a BVI company behind its global site. Which company you join, and your protection, depends on where you live.
Facts last checked 20 October 2026. Always confirm on the regulator’s register. How we review brokers
Get an email when AvaTrade's licence or key facts change.
Key facts
Founded
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Minimum deposit
$0
Max. retail leverage
Up to 400:1 on forex (Ava Trade Markets Ltd, BVI); 1:30 on major pairs for EU and Australian retail clients
Cheapest cost per lot
Not yet checked
Regulators
Central Bank of Ireland (European Union), ASIC (Australia), JFSA (Japan), FSRA (ADGM) (United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi Global Market)), CMA (Kenya) (Kenya), FSCA (South Africa), FSC (BVI) (British Virgin Islands), CySEC (European Union)
✓Depends on the company named in your client agreementWhat this means
Regulation and entities
Your protection depends on which company holds your account, and that depends on where you live. Each row is one licensed company. What regulation means
Before you deposit: search the licence number on the register, then check that the website and phone number listed there match the ones you are using. How to check a licence
Websites
Official websites
✓avatrade.com
Type the address yourself or use a bookmark. Check it matches the website listed for the firm on the regulator’s register.
Watch out for look-alike sites
We have not recorded any look-alike sites for AvaTrade. That does not mean none exist.
A clone firm copies a real broker’s name, licence number and branding to take deposits. The register shows the genuine firm, so the surest check is the contact details: if the website, email or phone number you were given is not the one on the register, treat it as a clone. Check a broker step by step
Accounts and costs
Account types and costs not yet checked.
Cost per lot = typical EUR/USD spread × $10 + round-turn commission, for one standard lot (100,000 units) in busy hours. Swap and other fees are extra. Trading costs explained
Leverage and margin
Leverage lets you open a position bigger than your deposit, so losses grow as fast as gains. The caps below are the most AvaTrade allows; you can always use less.
Leverage by asset class not yet checked. Headline retail leverage: Up to 400:1 on forex (Ava Trade Markets Ltd, BVI); 1:30 on major pairs for EU and Australian retail clients.
Margin level = equity ÷ used margin × 100. Without negative balance protection, a fast market can gap past the stop-out and leave you owing money. Work out your margin level
Licensed by strict regulators in Ireland, Australia and Japan, plus the ADGM's FSRA, Kenya's CMA and South Africa's FSCA
Spreads on EUR/USD from 0.9 pips with no separate commission on the global site
A wide range of platforms, including MetaTrader, AvaOptions and copy-trading tools
Watch out for
Clients of the global site join Ava Trade Markets Ltd, which holds only an offshore licence from the BVI FSC, and South African clients also trade with that company
Inactivity fee of $50 after just 3 months without use, plus a $100 annual administration fee after 12 months
No minimum deposit is published as a fixed figure; AvaTrade says it depends on your base currency and payment method
We did not find negative balance protection stated for the BVI company; EU and Australian retail rules require it for those companies
Overview
AvaTrade is a CFD and forex broker with a company in each of its main markets and a BVI company behind its global site. It offers MetaTrader 4 and 5, its own WebTrader and app, an FX options platform called AvaOptions, and copy-trading tools.
Regulation and safety
We checked eight licences on the regulators’ registers. AVA Trade EU Limited is on the Central Bank of Ireland register. Ava Capital Markets Australia holds an Australian financial services licence, and Ava Trade Japan K.K. is a registered dealer in Japan. Ava Trade Middle East is active on the ADGM’s FSRA register, and Ava Trade Kenya holds CMA licence 262. In South Africa, Ava Capital Markets (Pty) Ltd is an authorised FSP, but AvaTrade says it acts only as an intermediary. Your counterparty there is Ava Trade Markets Ltd, licensed by the BVI FSC, an offshore regulator. D.T. Direct Investment Hub Ltd, listed in AvaTrade’s footer, holds CySEC licence 347/17 and runs DupliTrade.
Protection depends on the company in your agreement. Client money segregation and negative balance protection are required for retail clients of the EU and Australian companies; check the agreement for the others. Our regulation guide explains why, and check a broker helps you confirm it.
Costs
AvaTrade earns mainly from the spread. On the global site EUR/USD starts from 0.9 pips with no commission. Overnight premiums apply to positions held open. An inactivity fee of $50 is charged after three months without use. A $100 annual administration fee follows after twelve months. The trading costs guide shows how these add up.
Platforms and tools
WebTrader, the AvaTrade app, MetaTrader 4 and 5, AvaOptions, DupliTrade and AvaSocial. See MT4 vs MT5.
Deposits and withdrawals
Card, wire transfer and, outside the EU and Australia, Skrill, Neteller and WebMoney. Withdrawals go back to the method you funded with, and AvaTrade says it processes them in one to two working days once your account is verified.
Who it may suit
The set-up fits traders in the EU, Australia or Japan who want a strictly regulated local company and a wide choice of platforms. If you would trade with the BVI company, or rarely trade, weigh the offshore licence and the inactivity fees.
How to open an account
The steps as we checked them. Never deposit until you have confirmed the licence.
Check which company you will join
EU residents join AVA Trade EU Limited (Central Bank of Ireland), Australians Ava Capital Markets Australia (ASIC), Japanese residents Ava Trade Japan K.K. Others on avatrade.com join Ava Trade Markets Ltd (BVI). The company is named in the client agreement.
Verify your identity
Upload ID and proof of address. Card deposits and third-party payments need extra documents.
Fund the account
Card deposits are usually credited at once; wire transfers can take up to 7 business days. E-wallets are not offered to EU and Australian clients.
What changed on this profile
Profile published. Licences checked on the Central Bank of Ireland, ASIC, Japan FSA, ADGM FSRA, CMA Kenya, FSCA, BVI FSC and CySEC registers.
AvaTrade: common questions
Is AvaTrade regulated?
Yes. On 2026-10-20 we found AVA Trade EU Limited on the Central Bank of Ireland register (C53877), Ava Capital Markets Australia on ASIC's (AFSL 406684), Ava Trade Japan on the Japan FSA list (No. 1662), Ava Trade Middle East on the ADGM register (190018), Ava Trade Kenya on the CMA list (262), Ava Capital Markets on the FSCA register (FSP 45984) and Ava Trade Markets Ltd on the BVI FSC list.
Which AvaTrade company will I join?
EU, Australian, Japanese, Kenyan and ADGM clients join their local company. Clients of the global site, and South African clients, trade with Ava Trade Markets Ltd in the BVI. Check the name in your client agreement.
What is the minimum deposit?
AvaTrade does not publish one fixed figure; it says the minimum depends on your account's base currency and the payment method.
Can I lose more than I deposit?
EU and Australian retail clients have negative balance protection under local rules. We did not find it stated for the BVI company, so read your client agreement.
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This profile is factual information, not a recommendation or financial advice. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Read the full disclaimer.
