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Head to head

FXCM vs WM Markets

FXCM is licensed by FCA in the United Kingdom, CySEC in the European Union and ASIC in Australia. WM Markets has no licence we could confirm on a regulator's register. 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 $50 at WM Markets. Only WM Markets offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

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

FXCM profileWM Markets 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
WM MarketsRead the profile
Comparing
FXCMUnited Kingdom
WM Markets

Overview

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

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
Stratos Markets Limited
No licence listed
Regulator
FCA
United Kingdom
No licence listed
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
No licence listed
Licence number
217689 (applied to cancel)
Check the register
No licence listed
Clients this company serves
Existing UK clients; FXCM's UK site sends new accounts to Trade Nation
No licence listed
All licences held
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • ASIC (Australia)
None listed
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 1:2000 (dynamic, set per instrument)
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%
Stop-out level
Not yet checked
20%

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
  • WM Markets mobile app
  • MT4 WebTrader
Markets
Forex, index, commodity, share and crypto CFDs, plus FXCM baskets
CFDs on forex, metals, indices, energies, commodities, treasuries, shares, ETFs and cryptocurrencies
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Yes
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Not yet checked
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
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
Not yet checked
Not published; the agreement allows transfer-related and termination fees
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Accounts with no trading for six months are disabled and may pay maintenance charges (amount not published)

Support

Customer support
24/5 live chat
24/5 multilingual support by live chat

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
  • Negative balance protection is written into the client agreement
  • The agreement says client money is kept apart from the company's own funds
  • Says it holds a client funds insurance policy of up to $1,000,000
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).
  • Says WM Markets Ltd holds MISA licence BFX2024009; we could not confirm it on MISA's register on 2026-10-20 (the register blocked automated access).
  • The agreement gives the company a lien over client assets and lets it pledge or reinvest assets held for clients
  • Leverage up to 1:2000, and payment methods and withdrawal fees are not listed on the public website
  • Inactive accounts are disabled after six months and may be charged maintenance fees that are not published

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.
  • WM Markets: Contracts for Difference (CFD) are complex financial instruments carrying a substantial level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors, as may result in the loss of all invested capital rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, your investment objectives, level of experience, risk appetite, and, if necessary, seek advice from an independent financial advisor.

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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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