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Head to head

AvaTrade vs HYCM

AvaTrade is licensed by Central Bank of Ireland in the European Union, ASIC in Australia, JFSA in Japan, FSRA (ADGM) in the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi Global Market), CMA (Kenya) in Kenya, FSCA in South Africa and CySEC in the European Union, and also has an offshore registration. HYCM is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom and DFSA in the United Arab Emirates (DIFC). 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 $0 at AvaTrade and $20 at HYCM. Only HYCM offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

Facts last checked: AvaTrade on 20 October 2026, HYCM on 20 October 2026.

AvaTrade profileHYCM 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
AvaTradeStrictly regulatedRead the profile
HYCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
AvaTradeEuropean Union
HYCMUnited Kingdom

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Not yet checked
London, United Kingdom
Official websites
  • avatrade.com
  • hycm.com
  • hycm.co.uk
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
AVA Trade EU Limited
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited
Regulator
Central Bank of Ireland
European Union
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
C53877
Check the register
186171
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Residents of EU and EEA countries
UK residents
All licences held
  • 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)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
Yes
Compensation scheme
Depends on the company named in your client agreement
FSCS for eligible clients of HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited only

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 400:1 on forex (Ava Trade Markets Ltd, BVI); 1:30 on major pairs for EU and Australian retail clients
1:30 on major pairs for FCA retail clients; up to 1:500 at the Costa Rica company
Retail leverage by asset class
Not yet checked
  • Major currency pairs: 1:30 (FCA); up to 1:500 (Costa Rica)
  • Bitcoin CFDs: 1:5 (Costa Rica company only)
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
Not yet checked
50% (HYCM may start closing positions from 55%)

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
  • WebTrader
  • AvaTrade app
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • AvaOptions
  • DupliTrade
  • AvaSocial
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • HYCM Trader app
  • Web Trader
Markets
Currency pairs, stocks, crypto, commodities, indices, ETFs, bonds and FX options as CFDs
300+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, commodities, shares and cryptocurrencies, plus US stocks
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Yes
Not yet checked
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
  • Credit or debit card
  • Wire transfer
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • WebMoney
  • Bank wire
  • Visa card
  • Cryptocurrency
Withdrawal fee
Not yet checked
No HYCM fee; your bank may charge. Profits are withdrawn by wire transfer only
Inactivity fee
$50 (or €50/£50) after 3 months without use, then every 3 months; plus a $100 (€100) annual administration fee after 12 months without use, unless prohibited by law
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
Live chat and online help centre

Our notes

Strengths
  • 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
  • UK company authorised by the FCA since 2001 and allowed to hold client money
  • Client money kept in segregated accounts, with negative balance protection
  • Low $20 minimum deposit on every account type
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
  • The international website (hycm.com) signs clients up with HYCM Capital Markets S.R.L., a Costa Rica company with no financial licence
  • Leverage of up to 1:500 at the Costa Rica company, against 1:30 for FCA retail clients
  • The FCA has warned about many clone firms using HYCM's name, including hycmarkets.net and hycmarket.com
  • Spreads are published only as "from" figures, so typical costs are hard to compare

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:

  • AvaTrade: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
  • HYCM: Contracts for Difference (‘CFDs’) are complex financial products that are traded on margin. Trading CFDs carries a high degree of risk. It is possible to lose all your capital. These products may not be suitable for everyone and you should ensure that you understand the risks involved. Seek independent expert advice if necessary and speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. Please think carefully whether such trading suits you, taking into consideration all the relevant circumstances as well as your personal resources. We do not recommend clients posting their entire account balance to meet margin requirements. Clients can minimise their level of exposure by requesting a change in leverage limit. For more information please refer to HYCM’s Risk Disclosure.

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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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