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Head to head

Admirals (Admiral Markets) vs XM

Admirals (Admiral Markets) is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in the European Union and CMA in Kenya, and also has an offshore registration. XM is licensed by CySEC in the European Union, DFSA in the United Arab Emirates (DIFC) and FSCA in South Africa. The licence that applies to you depends on where you live, so check which company you would contract with before comparing anything else.

Minimum deposits start at $25 at Admirals (Admiral Markets) and $5 at XM. Both offer negative balance protection and segregated client money.

Facts last checked: Admirals (Admiral Markets) on 20 October 2026, XM on 20 October 2026.

Admirals (Admiral Markets) profileXM profile
Broker 1
Broker 2
Broker 3

Monthly cost uses the account chosen in each slot: cost per lot × your lots. Swap and other fees are extra. The lowest monthly cost is highlighted only as a fact about cost, not as a recommendation.

Broker
Admirals (Admiral Markets)Strictly regulatedRead the profile
XMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
Admirals (Admiral Markets)United Kingdom
XMEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
2009
Headquarters
Tallinn, Estonia (Admirals Group AS)
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • admiralmarkets.com
  • admirals.com
  • admiralmarkets.com.cy
  • xm.com
  • trading-point.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
Admiral Markets UK Ltd
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd
Regulator
FCA
United Kingdom
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
595450
Check the register
120/10
Check the register
Clients this company serves
UK residents
Residents of EU and EEA countries (CySEC lists xm.com and trading-point.com as its approved domains)
All licences held
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • CMA (Kenya)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FSCA (South Africa)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus); none for the Seychelles company
ICF (Cyprus) for eligible clients of Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd; none named for XM Global Limited

Costs

Your monthly cost
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Spread from
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical EUR/USD spread
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Commission per lot (round turn)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Typical GBP/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical USD/JPY spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Typical XAU/USD spread
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Swap-free account
Yes
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU); up to 1:1000 at the Seychelles company
Up to 1:1000 (XM Global Limited); EU retail clients are limited to 1:30 on major pairs
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Currency pairs (Seychelles company): up to 1:1000
  • Indices (Seychelles company): up to 1:500
  • Major currency pairs (UK and EU companies): 1:30
Not yet checked
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
30% (Seychelles company)
Not yet checked

Account

Minimum deposit (this account)
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Base currencies
No accounts listed
No accounts listed
Execution
No accounts listed
No accounts listed

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • MetaTrader WebTrader
  • Admirals Platform
  • Admirals Mobile App
  • StereoTrader
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • XM App
Markets
80 currency pairs, metal, energy, index, stock, ETF and crypto CFDs, plus real stocks and ETFs on Invest.MT5
Currency pairs, indices, commodities and share CFDs; real shares on the Shares account
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Yes
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
  • Bank transfer
  • Debit or credit card
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • Crypto
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
One free withdrawal a month per payment method, then a fee by method (2% or 3% at the Seychelles company)
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
10 EUR a month after 24 months without trades (only on a positive balance)
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • UK and EU companies licensed by the FCA and CySEC, with client money in segregated accounts
  • Low minimum deposit (25 USD or EUR on Trade.MT5 and Zero.MT5, 1 USD or EUR on Invest.MT5)
  • Fees and charges page lists the inactivity, withdrawal and transfer fees in one place
  • Low minimum deposit of $5 on the Standard and Ultra Low accounts
  • Negative balance protection on all accounts, according to XM's account page
  • EU clients can contract with a CySEC-licensed company (licence 120/10)
Watch out for
  • International clients join Admirals SC Ltd, licensed only in the Seychelles (offshore tier), with leverage up to 1:1000
  • Says Admirals SA (Pty) Ltd is licensed by the FSCA; the FSCA's OTC derivative provider list shows it as Withdrawn, and we could not reach the FSCA FSP register on 2026-10-20 to check its FSP licence.
  • The group also names companies in Jordan, Canada and the UAE; we did not confirm those licences on 2026-10-20.
  • Only one free withdrawal a month per payment method; after 24 months without trades a 10 EUR monthly fee applies
  • XM's global site names XM Global Limited, which it says is regulated by the FSC of Belize (licence 8557558). We could not confirm this licence on the Belize FSC's online register on 2026-10-20, so we do not list it.
  • Leverage of up to 1:1000 on the global site magnifies losses as much as gains
  • The Standard account is marketed with deposit bonuses; read the bonus terms before you accept one
  • XM no longer holds a UK licence (the FCA register shows its passport as cancelled) and its former Australian company now trades as Trading.com Markets

Risk warnings

The buttons to a broker’s website above the table are partner links: we may earn a commission if you open an account through them. That never changes the facts shown here. Trading leveraged products such as forex and CFDs carries a high risk of losing money rapidly, and most retail accounts lose money. Each broker’s own warning:

  • Admirals (Admiral Markets): CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage.
  • XM: Risk Warning: Our services involve a significant risk and can result in the loss of your invested capital.

Open this comparison in the full tool to share a link with your own accounts and companies chosen.

Other head-to-head pages

Cost per lot is the typical EUR/USD spread in busy hours × $10, plus any round-turn commission, for one standard lot. “Not yet checked” means we have not confirmed that fact yet. This page compares facts; it does not rank the brokers or recommend either. Confirm costs and licences on each broker’s site and the regulator’s public register before opening an account: see how we review brokers and check a broker yourself.

Nothing on this page is financial advice. Read the full disclaimer.

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