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Head to head

FP Markets vs XM

FP Markets is licensed by ASIC in Australia, CySEC in the European Union and CMA in Kenya, and also has an offshore registration. 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 $100 at FP Markets and $5 at XM. Both offer negative balance protection and segregated client money.

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

FP 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
FP MarketsStrictly regulatedRead the profile
XMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
FP MarketsRaw account · Australia
XMEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
2005
2009
Headquarters
Sydney, Australia
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • fpmarkets.com
  • fpmarkets.eu
  • fpmarkets.co.ke
  • xm.com
  • trading-point.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
First Prudential Markets Pty Ltd
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd
Regulator
ASIC
Australia
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
AFSL 286354
Check the register
120/10
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Australian residents
Residents of EU and EEA countries (CySEC lists xm.com and trading-point.com as its approved domains)
All licences held
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • CMA (Kenya)
  • FSA Seychelles (Seychelles)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FSCA (South Africa)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus company); none for the Australian, Seychelles or Saint Lucia companies
ICF (Cyprus) for eligible clients of Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd; none named for XM Global Limited

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
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
1:30 on major pairs (Australia, EU); up to 1:500 at the international companies
Up to 1:1000 (XM Global Limited); EU retail clients are limited to 1:30 on major pairs
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Major currency pairs (Australia: 1:30
  • Currency pairs (international companies): up to 1:500
Not yet checked
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
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • XM App
Markets
70+ currency pairs, metals, indices, commodities, share CFDs and crypto CFDs
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
  • Bank wire
  • Visa
  • Mastercard
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • Crypto
  • Broker-to-broker transfer
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

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
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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:

  • 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.
  • 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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