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Head to head

FP Markets vs FXCM

FP Markets is licensed by ASIC in Australia, CySEC in the European Union and CMA in Kenya, 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 $100 at FP Markets and $50 at FXCM. Only FP Markets offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

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

FP 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
FP MarketsStrictly regulatedRead the profile
FXCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
FP MarketsRaw account · Australia
FXCMUnited Kingdom

Overview

Founded
2005
1999
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
London, United Kingdom (Stratos Group)
Official websites
  • fpmarkets.com
  • fpmarkets.eu
  • fpmarkets.co.ke
  • fxcm.com
  • tradu.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
First Prudential Markets Pty Ltd
Stratos Markets Limited
Regulator
ASIC
Australia
FCA
United Kingdom
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
AFSL 286354
Check the register
217689 (applied to cancel)
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Australian residents
Existing UK clients; FXCM's UK site sends new accounts to Trade Nation
All licences held
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • CMA (Kenya)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • ASIC (Australia)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
No
Compensation scheme
ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus company); none for the Australian, Seychelles or Saint Lucia 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
$79$7.9 per lot × 10 lots
No accounts listed
Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
$7.9
No accounts listed
Spread from
0.0 pips
No accounts listed
Typical EUR/USD spread
0.2 pips
No accounts listed
Commission per lot (round turn)
$6
No accounts listed
Typical GBP/USD spread
0.5 pips
Not yet checked
Typical USD/JPY spread
0.6 pips
Not yet checked
Typical XAU/USD spread
10 cents
Not yet checked
Swap-free account
Yes
Not yet checked

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
1:30 on major pairs (Australia, EU); up to 1:500 at the international companies
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 (Australia: 1:30
  • Currency pairs (international companies): up to 1:500
  • 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)
$100
No accounts listed
Base currencies
Not yet checked
No accounts listed
Execution
Raw spread plus US$3 commission per lot each way (MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView)
No accounts listed

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • cTrader
  • TradingView
  • WebTrader
  • Trading Station
  • MetaTrader 4
  • TradingView
Markets
70+ currency pairs, metals, indices, commodities, share CFDs and crypto CFDs
Forex, index, commodity, share and crypto CFDs, plus FXCM baskets
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 wire
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • Crypto
  • Broker-to-broker transfer
  • 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
  • Licensed by ASIC and CySEC, with retail client money held separately from company funds
  • Publishes average spreads per account (EUR/USD 1.29 pips Standard, 0.19 pips Raw)
  • Wide platform choice, including cTrader and TradingView
  • 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
  • The international website is operated by FP Markets Ltd, a Saint Lucia company (registration 2025-00853) that holds no financial licence; check which company your client agreement names.
  • International clients may be placed with the Seychelles company (offshore tier), with leverage up to 1:500 and no compensation scheme
  • Says FP Markets (Pty) Ltd is an FSCA-authorised financial services provider (FSP 50926); we could not confirm it on the FSCA register on 2026-10-20 because the register could not be reached.
  • 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:

  • FP Markets: Derivative products are highly leveraged, carry a high level of risk and may not be appropriate for all investors. The legal documents should be considered before entering into transactions with us.
  • 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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