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Head to head

Saxo vs XM

Saxo is licensed by Danish FSA (Finanstilsynet) in Denmark / European Union, FCA in the United Kingdom, FINMA in Switzerland, MAS in Singapore, CONSOB in Italy and JFSA in Japan. 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 Saxo and $5 at XM. Both offer negative balance protection and segregated client money.

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

Saxo 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
SaxoStrictly regulatedRead the profile
XMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
SaxoDenmark / European Union
XMEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
Not yet checked
2009
Headquarters
Hellerup, Denmark
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • home.saxo
  • www.home.saxo
  • bgsaxo.it
  • xm.com
  • trading-point.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
Saxo Bank A/S
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd
Regulator
Danish FSA (Finanstilsynet)
Denmark / European Union
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
Strictly regulated
Strictly regulated
Licence number
Bank licence 1149
Check the register
120/10
Check the register
Clients this company serves
Clients in Denmark and other countries not served by a local Saxo subsidiary, including those served through its French, Dutch, Belgian and Czech branches
Residents of EU and EEA countries (CySEC lists xm.com and trading-point.com as its approved domains)
All licences held
  • Danish FSA (Finanstilsynet) (Denmark / European Union)
  • FCA (United Kingdom)
  • FINMA (Switzerland)
  • MAS (Singapore)
  • CONSOB (Italy)
  • JFSA (Japan)
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FSCA (South Africa)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
Danish Guarantee Fund: cash deposits up to €100,000 and investor cover up to €20,000 (Saxo Bank A/S); FSCS up to £85,000 (UK); local schemes for other subsidiaries
ICF (Cyprus) for eligible clients of Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd; none named for XM Global Limited

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)
Up to 1:1000 (XM Global Limited); EU retail clients are limited to 1:30 on major pairs
Retail leverage by asset class
  • EUR/USD (3.33% initial margin, UK): 1:30
  • GBP/USD and USD/JPY (4% initial margin, UK): 1:25
Not yet checked
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
50% (UK and EU retail close-out rule)
Not yet checked

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
  • SaxoTraderGO
  • SaxoTraderPRO
  • SaxoInvestor
  • Mobile app
  • TradingView
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • XM App
Markets
185+ FX pairs, FX options, CFDs, 23,000+ stocks, 7,400+ ETFs, bonds, futures and listed options
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)
Not yet checked
Yes
News trading allowed
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Guaranteed stops
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Deposits and withdrawals

Deposit methods
  • Bank transfer
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
24-hour support while markets are open; relationship managers for larger clients
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • Parent company is a Danish bank classed as systemically important, with bank licences in Denmark and Switzerland
  • Every listed company is authorised by a strict regulator
  • No minimum funding in the UK, and negative balance protection for retail clients
  • Forex, stocks, bonds, futures and options in one account
  • 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
  • Saxo publishes minimum spreads, not typical spreads, and prices vary by account tier and country
  • No MetaTrader; trading runs on Saxo's own platforms or TradingView
  • BG SAXO SIM was checked on CONSOB's published list of registered SIMs (February 2025 edition); the live CONSOB register blocked our access on 2026-10-20
  • 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:

  • Saxo: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 61% 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.

Open this comparison in the full tool to share a link with your own accounts and companies chosen.

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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