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Head to head

eToro vs FXCM

eToro is licensed by CySEC in the European Union; FCA in the United Kingdom; ASIC in Australia and FSRA (ADGM) in Abu Dhabi (ADGM), UAE, 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 $10 at eToro and $50 at FXCM. Only eToro offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

Facts last checked: eToro on 20 October 2026, FXCM on 20 October 2026.

eToro 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
eToroStrictly regulatedRead the profile
FXCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
eToroEuropean Union
FXCMUnited Kingdom

Overview

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

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
eToro (Europe) Ltd
Stratos Markets Limited
Regulator
CySEC
European Union
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
109/10
Check the register
217689 (applied to cancel)
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Residents of EU and EEA countries
Existing UK clients; FXCM's UK site sends new accounts to Trade Nation
All licences held
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • FSRA (ADGM) (Abu Dhabi (ADGM), UAE)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • ASIC (Australia)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
No
Compensation scheme
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus); none we know of for the Abu Dhabi or Seychelles companies
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
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia)
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia); up to 1:1000 at the St Vincent company
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Major currency pairs (UK: 1:30
  • Non-major currency pairs: 1:20
  • 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
  • eToro web platform
  • eToro mobile app
  • Trading Station
  • MetaTrader 4
  • TradingView
Markets
Currency, index and commodity CFDs alongside stocks, ETFs and crypto (this profile covers CFDs only)
Forex, index, commodity, share and crypto CFDs, plus FXCM baskets
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Yes
Not yet checked
Expert advisors (automated trading)
No
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
$5 on withdrawals from a USD account; none from GBP, EUR or DKK local-currency accounts
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
None since 28 May 2026, according to eToro's help centre
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
24/5 live chat

Our notes

Strengths
  • Licensed by CySEC, the FCA and ASIC, with retail negative balance protection in those regions
  • Copy trading built into the platform, with the same account used for CFDs, stocks and crypto
  • Low first deposit in some countries ($10 in the UK)
  • 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
  • eToro's website could not be loaded during our check on 2026-10-20; the cost details on this page come from eToro's own fee and help pages read through a search tool, so confirm them on etoro.com before you trade.
  • eToro now prices CFDs as the market spread plus an opening and closing spread fee charged as a percentage (0.005% per trade on EUR/USD), which is harder to compare with pip-based spreads.
  • Deposits and withdrawals that need a currency conversion carry a conversion fee, and USD withdrawals cost $5
  • MetaTrader is not offered; you can only trade on eToro's own platform
  • 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:

  • 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.

Open this comparison in the full tool to share a link with your own accounts and companies chosen.

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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