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Head to head

AYA Markets vs XM

AYA Markets 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 $10 at AYA Markets and $5 at XM. Both offer negative balance protection and segregated client money.

Facts last checked: AYA Markets on 29 October 2026, XM on 20 October 2026.

AYA 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
AYA MarketsRead the profile
XMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
AYA Markets
XMEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
2009
Headquarters
Fomboni, Mwali (Comoros)
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • ayamarkets.com
  • my.ayamarkets.com
  • xm.com
  • trading-point.com
Facts last checked
29 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
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
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
Not yet checked
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:1000 on MT5 (forex and gold, for equity under $1,000; lower as equity grows)
Up to 1:1000 (XM Global Limited); EU retail clients are limited to 1:30 on major pairs
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Forex and gold (MT5): 1:1000 under $1,000 equity, stepping down to 1:100 above $40,000
  • Silver: 1:100
  • Other metals: 1:20
  • S&P 500, Dow Jones 30, Nasdaq 100 and DAX 40: 1:200
  • Other indices: 1:50
  • Energies: 1:20
  • Major cryptocurrencies: 1:10
  • Other cryptocurrencies: 1:5
  • Shares and ETFs: 1:5
Not yet checked
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
80%
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 5
  • cTrader
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • XM App
Markets
230+ CFDs on 45 forex pairs, 12 indices, 13 metals, 3 energies, 33 cryptocurrencies, 120 shares and 7 ETFs
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
  • USDT (TRC-20 and ERC-20)
  • Bitcoin
  • Litecoin
  • Ethereum
  • TopChange (TC Pay)
  • Visa and Mastercard
  • Apple Pay
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
No fee from AYA Markets; the agreement allows a 3% charge if you withdraw without trading since your last deposit
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
$5 a month after six months with no trading (accounts with a positive balance)
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Email, support ticket and Telegram, Monday to Friday 06:00 to 16:00 GMT
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • The customer agreement says client funds are held in segregated accounts, separate from the company's own money
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees from AYA Markets, with deposits from $10
  • MetaTrader 5 and cTrader, on desktop, web and mobile
  • On MT5, maximum leverage falls in steps as your equity grows, from 1:1000 down to 1:100
  • 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 AYA Markets (Comoros) Ltd holds MISA licence T2023263; we could not confirm it on MISA's register on 2026-10-29 (the register blocked automated access with a bot check).
  • The account page lists negative balance protection, but we did not find it in the customer agreement, and the risk disclosure says you could lose more than your initial investment
  • Commission on the Pro and Raw accounts is charged per side ($4 and $8 per lot each way, so $8 and $16 per round lot), and a 3% withdrawal charge can apply if you withdraw without trading
  • The 25% welcome bonus is trading credit that cannot be withdrawn and disappears with any withdrawal; dormant accounts pay $5 a month after six months
  • 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:

  • AYA Markets: Trading financial instruments carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. CFDs and Forex are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage (trading on margin). Before deciding to trade any financial instrument or making any other decision with financial impact you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience and risk appetite. Only invest with money you can afford to lose. If necessary you should seek independent advice.
  • XM: Risk Warning: Our services involve a significant risk and can result in the loss of your invested capital.

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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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