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Head to head

CPT Markets vs FXCM

CPT Markets is licensed by FSCA in South Africa and UAE CMA in the United Arab Emirates, and also has an offshore registration. FXCM is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in the European Union and ASIC in Australia. 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 $500 at CPT Markets and $50 at FXCM. Neither offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

Facts last checked: CPT Markets on 20 October 2026, FXCM on 20 October 2026.

CPT Markets profileFXCM 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
CPT MarketsRegulatedRead the profile
FXCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
CPT MarketsSouth Africa
FXCMUnited Kingdom

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
1999
Headquarters
Not yet checked
London, United Kingdom (Stratos Group)
Official websites
  • cptmarkets.com
  • cptfx.com
  • fxcm.com
  • tradu.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
CPT Markets (PTY) Ltd
Stratos Markets Limited
Regulator
FSCA
South Africa
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
FSP 45954
Check the register
217689 (applied to cancel)
Check the register
Clients this company serves
South African residents, through the South African website and terms
Existing UK clients; FXCM's UK site sends new accounts to Trade Nation
All licences held
  • FSCA (South Africa)
  • Belize FSC (Belize (international clients))
  • UAE CMA (United Arab Emirates)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • ASIC (Australia)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
No
Compensation scheme
None
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK company); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus company); none for the St Vincent company

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
Not yet checked

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:1000
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia); up to 1:1000 at the St Vincent company
Retail leverage by asset class
  • All accounts: Up to 1:1000
  • Major currency pairs: 1:30
  • Non-major currency pairs: 1:20
  • Other commodities and non-major indices: 1:10
  • Share CFDs: 1:5
  • Crypto CFDs: 1:2
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
Not yet checked
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
  • CPT app
  • CPT desktop platform
  • Copy trading
  • MAM
  • Trading Station
  • MetaTrader 4
  • TradingView
Markets
Forex, indices, metals, energies, commodities, futures, stocks and crypto CFDs
Forex, index, commodity, share and crypto CFDs, plus FXCM baskets
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
Not yet checked
  • Debit card
  • Credit card
  • Bank wire
  • Google Pay
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • Crypto
Withdrawal fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
24/5 live chat

Our notes

Strengths
  • CPT Markets (PTY) Ltd is authorised by the FSCA (FSP 45954), confirmed on the FSCA register
  • CPT Markets Limited is listed as active on the Belize FSC register, for trading and arranging transactions in securities
  • Says client funds are fully segregated
  • MetaTrader 4 and 5 plus its own app, copy trading and MAM accounts
  • Long-running brand (since 1999) with companies licensed by the FCA, CySEC and ASIC
  • Its own Trading Station platform alongside MetaTrader 4, TradingView and API access
  • Low first deposit of 50 in the account currency on the international site
Watch out for
  • Clients outside South Africa are likely to sign with the Belize company, which holds an offshore licence
  • The UAE company is licensed only for introduction and promotion, not for dealing
  • Its risk warning says you can lose more than your deposit; we found no negative balance protection policy
  • No minimum deposit, typical spread or commission rate is published for the Classic or ECN accounts; the Prime account starts at USD 500
  • The UK company, Stratos Markets Limited, has applied to cancel its FCA authorisation (shown on the FCA register since 15 October 2026), and FXCM's UK site says new trading accounts are now provided through Trade Nation.
  • FXCM's EU site says new trading accounts are now provided through AvaTrade, a separate broker
  • International clients join Stratos Global LLC in St Vincent and the Grenadines, which holds no financial licence; leverage there goes up to 1:1000 and losses can exceed deposits
  • Says Stratos South Africa (Pty) Ltd is FSCA FSP 46534 and Stratos Light Limited is supervised by the Israel Securities Authority; we could not confirm either on the regulator's register on 2026-10-20 (the FSCA FSP register could not be reached).

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:

  • CPT Markets: The FX and CFD contracts on our online facility are traded on a margin or leverage basis, a type of trading that carries a high degree of risk to your capital. The price of the contract you make with us may change quickly, and your profits and losses may be more than your initial investment or deposit. If you do not hold sufficient funds to meet your margin requirements, we may close your open positions immediately and without notice. It is possible to lose more than your initial deposit. Trading these products is not suitable for all investors. Make sure that you understand and accept the risks before trading on a margin or leverage basis and can sustain potential losses.
  • FXCM: Our products are traded on leverage which means they carry a high level of risk and you could lose more than your deposits. These products are not suitable for all investors. Please ensure you fully understand the risks and carefully consider your financial situation and trading experience before trading. Seek independent advice if necessary.

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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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