Plain-English forex education. No hype, no signals.فارسی
BrokerCutForex Academy

Head to head

Alpari vs XM

Alpari has no licence we could confirm on a regulator's register. 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 $30 at Alpari and $5 at XM. Only XM offers negative balance protection and segregated client money.

Facts last checked: Alpari on 20 October 2026, XM on 20 October 2026.

Alpari 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
AlpariRead the profile
XMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
Alpari
XMEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
1998
2009
Headquarters
Fomboni, Mohéli, Comoros
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • alpari.com
  • xm.com
  • trading-point.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
No licence listed
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd
Regulator
No licence listed
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
No licence listed
Strictly regulated
Licence number
No licence listed
120/10
Check the register
Clients this company serves
No licence listed
Residents of EU and EEA countries (CySEC lists xm.com and trading-point.com as its approved domains)
All licences held
None listed
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FSCA (South Africa)
Segregated client money
No
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
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
Up to 1:3000 (ECN and Pro ECN); 1:1000 on Standard; 1:500 on Micro
Up to 1:1000 (XM Global Limited); EU retail clients are limited to 1:30 on major pairs
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Micro account: Up to 1:500
  • Standard account: Up to 1:1000
  • ECN and Pro ECN accounts: Up to 1:3000 (floating)
Not yet checked
Margin call level
50% on Micro and Standard; 80% on ECN and Pro ECN
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
20% on Micro and Standard; 50% on ECN and Pro ECN
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
  • Alpari trading app
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • XM App
Markets
Forex, metals, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, stocks, ETF, futures and crosses CFDs
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
  • Debit or credit card
  • Bank wire
  • E-wallet
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Local payment methods
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
Varies by method; the fee is taken from the amount withdrawn
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Live chat, chatbot, messengers and phone helpline
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • Four account types, from a $30 Micro account to a raw-spread Pro ECN account
  • Commission-free Micro, Standard and ECN accounts
  • MetaTrader 4 and 5, PAMM investing and a demo account
  • 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
  • Says it holds Mwali International Services Authority (MISA) licence T2023236; we could not confirm it on MISA's register on 2026-10-20, because the register sits behind a bot check
  • No licence from a strict regulator; not available to UK or EU residents
  • We found no statement on its site about segregated client money or negative balance protection
  • Leverage up to 1:3000, and deposit bonuses that come with conditions
  • 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:

  • Alpari: Before trading, you should ensure that you've undergone sufficient preparation and fully understand the risks involved in margin trading.
  • 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.

BrokerCut on Telegram

Get the latest forex news and market analysis.

Join the channel