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Head to head

Axi vs HYCM

Axi is licensed by ASIC in Australia; FCA in the United Kingdom; CySEC in the European Union and DFSA in Dubai (DIFC), UAE. 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 Axi and $20 at HYCM. Only HYCM offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

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

Axi 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
AxiStrictly regulatedRead the profile
HYCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
AxiAustralia
HYCMUnited Kingdom

Overview

Founded
2007
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
London, United Kingdom
Official websites
  • axi.com
  • axi-solaris.com
  • hycm.com
  • hycm.co.uk
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
AxiCorp Financial Services Pty Ltd
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited
Regulator
ASIC
Australia
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
AFSL 318232
Check the register
186171
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Australian residents
UK residents
All licences held
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
Yes
Compensation scheme
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus); none for the St Vincent company
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
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia); up to 1:1000 at the St Vincent company
1:30 on major pairs for FCA retail clients; up to 1:500 at the Costa Rica company
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Major currency pairs (UK: 1:30
  • Currency pairs (St Vincent company): up to 1:1000
  • 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
20% (liquidation level, St Vincent company)
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
  • Axi Trading Platform
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • HYCM Trader app
  • Web Trader
Markets
Forex, metals, commodities, indices, share CFDs, crypto CFDs and perpetual futures CFDs
300+ CFDs on forex, metals, indices, commodities, shares and cryptocurrencies, plus US stocks
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
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
  • Bank transfer
  • Debit or credit card
  • Bank wire
  • Visa card
  • Cryptocurrency
Withdrawal fee
Free above US$50 or for the full balance; otherwise an administration fee of US$25 may apply (St Vincent company)
No HYCM fee; your bank may charge. Profits are withdrawn by wire transfer only
Inactivity fee
10 a month in USD, EUR, GBP and most other account currencies after 12 months without trading (St Vincent company)
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
Live chat and online help centre

Our notes

Strengths
  • Licensed by ASIC, the FCA and CySEC, all strict regulators
  • Published commissions per currency on the Premium account (for example $4.50 or €4.00 per standard contract)
  • Bank transfers and payments under US$50,000 a month are free to deposit
  • 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
  • International clients join AxiTrader LLC, a St Vincent and the Grenadines company (4303 LLC 2025) that is registered, not licensed; its risk warning says you can lose substantially more than your initial investment.
  • Axi publishes minimum spreads only, not typical spreads
  • The St Vincent company charges a monthly inactivity fee after 12 months and may charge US$25 for withdrawals under US$50
  • The FSCA's OTC derivative provider list shows AxiCorp Financial Services Pty Ltd's application as Withdrawn, so Axi has no South African licence we could confirm.
  • 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:

  • Axi: Over-the-counter derivatives are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing substantially more than your initial investment rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how over-the-counter derivatives work and whether you can afford to take the high level of risk to your capital.
  • 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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