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Head to head

CPT Markets vs HYCM

CPT Markets is licensed by FSCA in South Africa and UAE CMA in the United Arab Emirates, 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 $500 at CPT Markets and $20 at HYCM. Only HYCM offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

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

CPT Markets 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
CPT MarketsRegulatedRead the profile
HYCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
CPT MarketsSouth Africa
HYCMUnited Kingdom

Overview

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

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
CPT Markets (PTY) Ltd
HYCM Capital Markets (UK) Limited
Regulator
FSCA
South Africa
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
FSP 45954
Check the register
186171
Check the register
Clients this company serves
South African residents, through the South African website and terms
UK residents
All licences held
  • FSCA (South Africa)
  • Belize FSC (Belize (international clients))
  • UAE CMA (United Arab Emirates)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
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
Not yet checked
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:1000
1:30 on major pairs for FCA retail clients; up to 1:500 at the Costa Rica company
Retail leverage by asset class
  • All accounts: 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
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
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • CPT app
  • CPT desktop platform
  • Copy trading
  • MAM
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • HYCM Trader app
  • Web Trader
Markets
Forex, indices, metals, energies, commodities, futures, stocks and crypto 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
Not yet checked
  • 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
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
Live chat and online help centre

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
  • 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 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 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:

  • 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.
  • 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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