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Head to head

OANDA vs XM

OANDA is licensed by CFTC / NFA in the United States, FCA in the United Kingdom, KNF in the European Union, CIRO in Canada, ASIC in Australia, MAS in Singapore and JFSA in Japan, 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 $0 at OANDA and $5 at XM. Both offer negative balance protection and segregated client money.

Facts last checked: OANDA on 20 October 2026, XM on 20 October 2026.

OANDA 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
OANDAStrictly regulatedRead the profile
XMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
OANDAUnited States
XMEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
2009
Headquarters
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • oanda.com
  • oanda.sg
  • xm.com
  • trading-point.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
OANDA Corporation
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd
Regulator
CFTC / NFA
United States
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
NFA ID 0325821
Check the register
120/10
Check the register
Clients this company serves
US residents (retail forex; registered futures commission merchant and retail foreign exchange dealer)
Residents of EU and EEA countries (CySEC lists xm.com and trading-point.com as its approved domains)
All licences held
  • CFTC / NFA (United States)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • KNF (European Union)
  • CIRO (Canada)
  • ASIC (Australia)
  • MAS (Singapore)
  • JFSA (Japan)
  • FSC (BVI) (British Virgin Islands)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FSCA (South Africa)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
FSCS (UK, OANDA Europe Limited clients); CIPF (Canada); other countries have their own schemes or none
ICF (Cyprus) for eligible clients of Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd; none named for XM Global Limited

Costs

Your monthly cost
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Cost per lot (EUR/USD)
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Spread from
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Typical EUR/USD spread
No accounts listed
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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 currency pairs (UK and EU retail clients); other companies set their own limits
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: 1:30
  • Other currency pairs: 1:20
  • Other commodities and non-major indices: 1:10
  • Share CFDs: 1:5
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)
No accounts listed
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Base currencies
No accounts listed
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Execution
No accounts listed
No accounts listed

Platforms and features

Platforms
  • OANDA Trade web
  • OANDA Trade mobile app
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • TradingView
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • XM App
Markets
Currency pairs, indices, commodities, metals, bonds, shares and ETFs as CFDs and spread bets (UK)
Currency pairs, indices, commodities and share CFDs; real shares on the Shares account
Demo account
Not yet checked
Yes
Copy trading
Not yet checked
Yes
Expert advisors (automated trading)
Yes
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Yes
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
  • Debit or credit card
  • Bank transfer
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
No deposit or withdrawal fees from OANDA (UK); your bank may charge
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
Monthly fee after 12 months without trading, capped at £20 a month per client (UK)
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • Licensed by strict regulators in the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Japan
  • No minimum account balance and no deposit or withdrawal fees on the UK site
  • Guaranteed stop-loss orders available in the UK (for a fee)
  • 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
  • Clients outside the countries with a local OANDA company may be placed with OANDA Global Markets Ltd, which holds only an offshore licence from the BVI FSC
  • UK inactivity fee after 12 months without trading, up to £20 a month
  • The NFA's BASIC record for OANDA Corporation lists past NFA and CFTC regulatory actions; read them there before you open a US account
  • 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:

  • OANDA: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 76.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
  • 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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