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Head to head

ITBFX vs Pepperstone

ITBFX has no licence we could confirm on a regulator's register. Pepperstone is licensed by ASIC in Australia; FCA in the United Kingdom; CySEC in the European Union; BaFin in Germany; DFSA in Dubai (DIFC), UAE and SCB in The Bahamas. 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 ITBFX and $0 at Pepperstone. Only Pepperstone offers negative balance protection. Both offer segregated client money.

Facts last checked: ITBFX on 29 October 2026, Pepperstone on 20 October 2026.

ITBFX profilePepperstone 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
ITBFXRead the profile
PepperstoneStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
ITBFX
PepperstoneAustralia

Overview

Founded
2017
Not yet checked
Headquarters
Rodney Bay, Gros-Islet, Saint Lucia
Melbourne, Australia
Official websites
  • itbfx.com
  • itbfx.net
  • pepperstone.com
Facts last checked
29 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
No licence listed
Pepperstone Group Limited
Regulator
No licence listed
ASIC
Australia
Regulation level
No licence listed
Strictly regulated
Licence number
No licence listed
AFSL 414530
Check the register
Clients this company serves
No licence listed
Australian residents
All licences held
None listed
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • BaFin (Germany)
  • DFSA (Dubai (DIFC), UAE)
  • SCB (The Bahamas)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
No
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); ICF up to €20,000 (Pepperstone EU); none for the Bahamas 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
Yes
Not yet checked

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:500 (ECN account)
1:30 on major pairs (UK, EU, Australia)
Retail leverage by asset class
  • Forex and metals (Nano): 1:200
  • Forex, metals, indices and crypto (Standard): 1:400
  • Gold and silver (Gold): 1:400
  • Forex, metals, indices, crypto and shares (ECN): 1:500
  • Cryptocurrencies (Crypto): 1:10 to 1:50
  • Shares (Stock): 1:10
  • Major currency pairs: 1:30
  • Other currency pairs: 1:20
  • Other commodities and non-major indices: 1:10
  • Share CFDs: 1:5
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
15% Gold; 20% Nano and Standard; 30% ECN; 40% Crypto and Stock
50% (MT4 and MT5)

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
  • MetaTrader 5
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • cTrader
  • TradingView
  • Pepperstone platform
  • Mobile app
Markets
CFDs on forex, gold and silver, indices, energies, shares and cryptocurrencies
90+ forex pairs, indices, commodities, share CFDs, ETFs, currency indices and crypto CFDs (not for UK retail)
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
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Local currency exchange services
  • Debit card
  • Credit card
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Bank transfer
Withdrawal fee
None charged by ITBFX, says its FAQ; the agreement allows a 3% charge, or a refund of deposit fees, if you withdraw without trading
Free by card, Apple Pay, Google Pay and bank transfer (UK)
Inactivity fee
Up to US$5 a month per account after six months without trading
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
24/7 by live chat, phone, WhatsApp, Telegram, email and ticket, in Persian, English, Arabic and other languages
24 hours Monday to Friday and 18 hours at weekends

Our notes

Strengths
  • Six account types on MetaTrader 5, with a demo version of each
  • The Nano account opens from $10 and trades in steps of 0.001 lots
  • Swap-free (Islamic) option on request
  • The client agreement says client money is held in segregated accounts
  • Licensed by four strict regulators (ASIC, FCA, CySEC, BaFin), with retail money held in segregated accounts
  • Negative balance protection for retail clients
  • Razor account commission is published per currency (for example £2.25 per lot per side on GBP accounts)
  • No minimum deposit for bank transfers in the UK, and free withdrawals
Watch out for
  • Says it is regulated by the Mwali International Services Authority (MISA) but publishes no licence number; we could not confirm a licence on MISA's register on 2026-10-29 (the register sits behind a bot check).
  • The BVI Financial Services Commission's Public Statement 2 of 2020 says www.itbfx.com circulated a forged BVI investment business licence and has never been licensed in or from the BVI.
  • No negative balance protection: the account risk warnings say losses can exceed your deposit, and the agreement makes you pay any shortfall within two working days.
  • The website names International Trading Brachium Ltd (Saint Lucia), while the client agreement names ITB Limited (Seychelles); neither is a licensed firm on any register we checked.
  • Says Pepperstone Markets Kenya Limited holds CMA licence 128; we could not confirm it on the Capital Markets Authority register on 2026-10-20 because the CMA website was unavailable.
  • Says Pepperstone Financial Services LLC holds UAE CMA licence 20200000358 for introduction and financial consultation; we could not confirm it on the regulator's register on 2026-10-20.
  • Clients outside the UK, EU and Australia may be placed with the Bahamas company, which has no compensation scheme
  • Pepperstone publishes minimum spreads, not typical spreads; Pro clients lose negative balance protection

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:

  • ITBFX: Before trading, you should ensure that you’ve undergone sufficient preparation and fully understand the risks involved in margin trading.
  • Pepperstone: Spread bets and CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 73.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading spread bets and CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how spread bets and CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

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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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