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Head to head

STB Provider vs XM

STB Provider has no licence we could confirm on a regulator's register. 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 $10 at STB Provider and $5 at XM. Both offer negative balance protection and segregated client money.

Facts last checked: STB Provider on 20 October 2026, XM on 20 October 2026.

STB Provider 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
STB ProviderRead the profile
XMStrictly regulatedRead the profile
Comparing
STB Provider
XMEuropean Union

Overview

Founded
2021
2009
Headquarters
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia (office in Sofia, Bulgaria)
Not yet checked
Official websites
  • stbbrokers.com
  • xm.com
  • trading-point.com
Facts last checked
20 October 2026
20 October 2026

Regulation and protection

Company you would contract with
No licence listed
Trading Point of Financial Instruments Ltd
Regulator
No licence listed
CySEC
European Union
Regulation level
No licence listed
Strictly regulated
Licence number
No licence listed
120/10
Check the register
Clients this company serves
No licence listed
Residents of EU and EEA countries (CySEC lists xm.com and trading-point.com as its approved domains)
All licences held
None listed
  • CySEC (European Union)
  • DFSA (United Arab Emirates (DIFC))
  • FSCA (South Africa)
Segregated client money
Yes
Yes
Negative balance protection
Yes
Yes
Compensation scheme
None
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
Yes
Yes

Leverage and margin

Maximum retail leverage
Up to 1:400 (1:200 on Prime), reduced as position size grows
Up to 1:1000 (XM Global Limited); EU retail clients are limited to 1:30 on major pairs
Retail leverage by asset class
  • FX majors and gold (Standard, ECN, Prime): Full account leverage up to $799.99K notional, then 33%, 10% and 5%
  • FX minors, metals, indices and commodities: 50% of account leverage up to $199.99K notional, then lower
  • Crypto: 1:75 for small positions, down to 1:3.75
  • Stocks: 1:20 for small positions, down to 1:1
Not yet checked
Margin call level
Not yet checked
Not yet checked
Stop-out level
30% (Standard, ECN, Prime); 60% (Zero)
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
  • MetaTrader 5
  • MetaTrader 4
  • MetaTrader 5
  • XM App
Markets
350+ CFD and spot instruments, including forex, metals, indices, energies, crypto and stocks
Currency pairs, indices, commodities and share CFDs; real shares on the Shares account
Demo account
Yes
Yes
Copy trading
Yes
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
  • USDT (BEP20 and TRC20)
  • Top Change exchange
  • Farsi Change exchange
Not yet checked
Withdrawal fee
$5 by USDT TRC20, $1 by USDT BEP20, minimum $2 via Top Change
Not yet checked
Inactivity fee
Not yet checked
Not yet checked

Support

Customer support
24/7 support
Not yet checked

Our notes

Strengths
  • Four account types from $10, with commissions published per asset class
  • Says client funds are segregated and that every account has negative balance protection
  • Publishes its dynamic leverage tiers and stop-out levels
  • 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
  • The "Licence No. 2023-00478" on its site is the company number on its Saint Lucia certificate of incorporation (International Business Companies Act), not a financial licence
  • It also shows a US FinCEN money services business registration; that is an anti-money-laundering registration, not a licence to offer forex or CFDs, and STB does not serve US residents
  • No licence from any regulator that we could confirm
  • Funding only by USDT and two exchange services; no cards or bank transfer
  • 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:

  • STB Provider: CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs, FX, or any of our other products 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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