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Head to head

FXCM vs Markets4you

FXCM is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in the European Union and ASIC in Australia. Markets4you holds only an offshore registration (British Virgin Islands). 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 $50 at FXCM and $0 at Markets4you. Only Markets4you offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

Facts last checked: FXCM on 20 October 2026, Markets4you on 20 October 2026.

FXCM profileMarkets4you 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
FXCMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Markets4youOffshore registration onlyRead the profile
Comparing
FXCMUnited Kingdom
Markets4youBritish Virgin Islands

Overview

Founded
1999
2007
Headquarters
London, United Kingdom (Stratos Group)
Road Town, British Virgin Islands
Official websites
  • fxcm.com
  • tradu.com
  • markets4you.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
Stratos Markets Limited
E-Global Trade & Finance Group, Inc.
Regulator
FCA
United Kingdom
BVI FSC
British Virgin Islands
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Offshore registration only
Licence number
217689 (applied to cancel)
Check the register
SIBA/L/12/1027
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Existing UK clients; FXCM's UK site sends new accounts to Trade Nation
International clients (not residents of the US, Japan, Canada, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Australia or the EEA)
All licences held
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
Yes
Compensation scheme
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK company); ICF up to €20,000 (Cyprus company); none for the St Vincent company
None

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
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia); up to 1:1000 at the St Vincent company
Up to 1:4000
Retail leverage by asset class
  • 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
Not yet checked
Margin call level
Not yet checked
100% on Classic accounts; 50% on Cent accounts
Stop-out level
Not yet checked
20% on Classic accounts; 10% on Cent accounts

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
  • Trading Station
  • MetaTrader 4
  • TradingView
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • Markets4you mobile app
Markets
Forex, index, commodity, share and crypto CFDs, plus FXCM baskets
Forex, metals, indices, commodities, shares and cryptocurrency CFDs
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
  • Debit card
  • Credit card
  • Bank wire
  • Google Pay
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • Crypto
  • E-wallets
  • Local payment methods
Withdrawal fee
Not yet checked
Markets4you says it charges no transfer fee on most methods (marked with an asterisk on its site)
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
24/5 live chat
24/7 by live chat, messengers and phone

Our notes

Strengths
  • 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
  • No minimum deposit on any account, and cent accounts for very small trade sizes
  • Negative balance protection, and client money held separately from company money
  • Copy trading (Share4you) and PAMM accounts on top of MT4 and MT5
Watch out for
  • 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).
  • Only an offshore licence (BVI FSC); no FCA, ASIC, CySEC or similar licence
  • Says Trade4you International holds Mauritius FSC licence GB21026460; we could not confirm it on the FSC Mauritius register on 2026-10-20, because the register blocked our access
  • Leverage up to 1:4000 and stop-outs at 20% (10% on cent accounts) can wipe out an account fast
  • Spreads are published only as "from" figures

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.
  • Markets4you: Trading complex financial instruments on the Over-the-Counter (OTC) market carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. There is a possibility of losing all your invested capital. Increasing your leverage magnifies both potential gains and losses. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The Company does not issue advice, recommendations or opinion in relation to acquiring, holding or disposing of OTC derivatives. All services are provided on an execution only basis. We strongly recommend that you seek independent financial advice to ensure that these products fit your investment objectives and financial situation. Only trade with funds you can afford to lose without affecting your standard of living.

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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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