Coffee

Coffee is one of the most widely traded commodities globally, with annual revenues of $200+ billion. This guide to trading coffee online explains what moves prices, how to trade the soft commodity, plus key trends and facts. Use our ranking of the best coffee trading brokers in 2025:

Best Coffee Brokers UK

  1. rating empty
    rating full

    Founded in Australia in 2010, Pepperstone is a highly regarded broker specialising in forex and CFDs. Serving more than 400,000 clients globally, it provides access to over 1,300 financial instruments through popular platforms like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView. Its fee structure is both low and transparent. With regulation by reputable bodies such as the FCA, ASIC, and CySEC, Pepperstone guarantees a safe trading environment for traders at every level.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    CFDs, Forex, Currency Indices, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Crypto (only Pro clients), Spread Betting FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, CMA, BaFin, SCB MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, DupliTrade, Quantower
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $0 0.01 Lots 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
  2. rating empty
    rating full

    Established in Poland in 2002, XTB caters to over a million clients worldwide. This forex and CFD broker offers a robust regulatory framework, a diverse range of assets, and prioritises trader satisfaction. It provides an intuitive proprietary platform equipped with excellent tools to support aspiring traders.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, cryptocurrencies, Real shares, Real ETFs FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC, SCA, Bappebti xStation
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $0 0.01 Lots 1:30
  3. rating empty
    rating full

    IC Markets is an internationally acclaimed forex and CFD broker, admired for its competitive pricing, diverse trading instruments, and superior technology. Established in 2007 and based in Australia, the firm is under the regulation of ASIC, CySEC, and FSA. It has successfully drawn over 180,000 clients from more than 200 nations.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto ASIC, CySEC, FSA, CMA MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, Quantower
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $200 0.01 Lots 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global)
  4. rating empty
    rating full

    Founded in 2006, FxPro has built a reputation as a reliable non-dealing desk (NDD) broker, providing trading access across more than 2,100 markets to over 2 million clients globally. It has received over 100 industry awards, reflecting its favourable conditions for active traders.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Futures, Spread Betting FCA, CySEC, FSCA, SCB, FSA FxPro Edge, MT4, MT5, cTrader, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, Quantower
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $100 0.01 Lots 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
  5. rating empty
    rating full

    Founded in 1974, IG is a part of IG Group Holdings Plc, a publicly listed brokerage (LSE: IGG). The company provides spread betting, CFD, and forex trading, offering access to over 17,000 markets. Its platforms and investing apps are notably user-friendly. Over the past 50 years, IG has consistently been an industry leader, excelling in all essential areas for traders.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto, Spread Betting FCA, ASIC, NFA, CFTC, DFSA, BaFin, MAS, FSCA, FINMA, CONSOB, AFM Web, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, ProRealTime
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $0 0.01 Lots 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro)
  6. rating empty
    rating full

    IC Trading belongs to the reputable IC Markets group. Designed for dedicated traders, it offers highly competitive spreads, dependable order execution, and sophisticated trading tools. However, it operates from Mauritius, an offshore financial centre, allowing high leverage but within a less regulated environment.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Cryptos, Futures FSC MT4, MT5, cTrader, AutoChartist, TradingCentral
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $200 0.01 Lots 1:500
  7. rating empty
    rating full

    Established in 1999, FOREX.com is now integrated into StoneX, a prominent financial services entity catering to more than one million clients globally. The broker is regulated in numerous jurisdictions, including the US, UK, EU, and Australia. It offers a vast array of markets beyond forex, delivering competitive pricing on state-of-the-art trading platforms.

    Instruments Regulator Platforms
    Forex, CFDs, Stock CFDs, Indices, Commodities, Futures, Options, Crypto NFA, CFTC, CIRO, FCA, CYSEC, ASIC, SFC, FSA, MAS, CIMA WebTrader, Mobile, MT4, MT5, TradingView
    Min. Deposit Min. Trade Leverage
    $100 0.01 Lots 1:30

Safety Comparison

Compare how safe the Coffee are and what features they offer to protect traders.

Safety Comparison
Broker Trust Rating FCA Regulated Negative Balance Protection Guaranteed Stop Loss Segregated Accounts
Pepperstone 4.6
XTB 4.6
IC Markets 4.6
FXPro 4.4
IG 4.9
IC Trading 2.8
Forex.com 4.9

Payments Comparison

Compare which popular payment methods the Coffee support and whether they have trading accounts denominated in British Pounds (GBP).

Payments Comparison
Broker GBP Account Debit Card Credit Card Neteller Skrill Apple Pay
Pepperstone
XTB
IC Markets
FXPro
IG
IC Trading
Forex.com

Mobile Trading Comparison

How good are the Coffee at mobile trading using apps or other mobile interfaces.

Mobile Trading Comparison
Broker Mobile Apps iOS Rating Android Rating Smart Watch App
Pepperstone iOS & Android 4.4 4.1
XTB iOS & Android 4.7 4.1
IC Markets iOS & Android 3.1 4.2
FXPro iOS & Android 4.7 4.3
IG iOS & Android 4.6 4
IC Trading iOS & Android 4.8 4.6
Forex.com iOS & Android 3.6 3.8

Beginners Comparison

Are the Coffee good for beginner traders, that might want an affordable setup to get started, along with good support and educational resources?

Beginners Comparison
Broker Demo Account Minimum Deposit Minimum Trade Support Rating Education Rating
Pepperstone $0 0.01 Lots 4.6 4
XTB $0 0.01 Lots 4.3 3.8
IC Markets $200 0.01 Lots 4.5 3.5
FXPro $100 0.01 Lots 4 4
IG $0 0.01 Lots 4.5 5
IC Trading $200 0.01 Lots 2.8 2.2
Forex.com $100 0.01 Lots 4.3 4.5

Advanced Trading Comparison

Do the Coffee offer features that allow for more advanced trading strategies?

Advanced Trading Comparison
Broker Automated Trading Pro Account Leverage VPS AI Low Latency Extended Hours
Pepperstone Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
XTB Open API 1:30
IC Markets Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global)
FXPro Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)
IG Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, build your own on ProRealTime 1:30 (Retail), 1:222 (Pro)
IC Trading Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader 1:500
Forex.com Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader 1:30

Detailed Rating Comparison

Use this heatmap to compare our detailed ratings for all of the Coffee.

Detailed Rating Comparison
Broker Trust Platforms Mobile Assets Fees Accounts Support Research Education
Pepperstone 4.6 4.4 4.3 3.8 4.5 4 4.6 4.3 4
XTB 4.6 4 4.4 4 4.3 4 4.3 4.1 3.8
IC Markets 4.6 4 3.7 3.5 4.6 4 4.5 4 3.5
FXPro 4.4 4.3 4.5 4 4 3.8 4 4 4
IG 4.9 4.9 4.3 4.5 3.5 4 4.5 4.9 5
IC Trading 2.8 4 4.7 3 4 3.5 2.8 3 2.2
Forex.com 4.9 4.6 3.7 4.3 4.6 4 4.3 4.8 4.5

Our Take On Pepperstone

"Pepperstone is a premier trading platform, providing tight spreads, swift execution, and sophisticated charting tools for seasoned traders. Beginners benefit from no minimum deposit, comprehensive learning materials, and outstanding 24/7 support."
Tobias Robinson
Tobias Robinson
Reviewer

Pros

  • Pepperstone presents itself as an economical choice for traders, offering spreads as low as 0.0 in its Razor account. The Active Trader programme provides rebates up to 30% on indices and commodities, plus $3 per lot on forex.
  • Support for top-tier charting platforms such as MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader. These tools accommodate different short-term trading methods, including algorithmic trading.
  • The award-winning customer support can be accessed through phone, email, or live chat. During tests, response times have consistently been under 5 minutes.

Cons

  • Pepperstone doesn't offer cTrader Copy, a favoured feature for copying trades found in the cTrader platform, which is available on other platforms such as IC Markets. However, Pepperstone has launched its own user-friendly copy trading app.
  • Although its market range has improved, its crypto offerings remain limited compared to brokers specialising in this sector, lacking real coin investment options.
  • Pepperstone's demo accounts expire after 30 days, which may not provide sufficient time to explore various platforms and evaluate trading strategies.

Our Take On XTB

"XTB emerges as an ideal option for novice traders, offering the impressive xStation platform, zero commission pricing, no required minimum deposit, and outstanding educational resources, many of which are conveniently integrated into the platform."

Pros

  • Setting up an XTB account is straightforward and fully online, requiring only a few minutes. This simplicity eases new traders into the world of trading.
  • XTB offers a superb array of educational resources, such as training videos and articles, embedded within the platform to assist traders of all experience levels.
  • XTB has raised its interest rate on uninvested funds and introduced zero-fee ISAs for UK clients, offering access to 3,000 stocks and 700 ETFs for diverse investment opportunities.

Cons

  • Trading fees are competitive, with average EUR/USD spreads of about 1 pip. However, they are not as low as the most affordable brokers, such as IC Markets. Additionally, an inactivity fee applies after a year.
  • The research tools at XTB are commendable but have the potential to excel further. Enhancing them with access to top-tier third-party services like Autochartist, Trading Central, and TipRanks would significantly elevate their offering.
  • The demo account lasts only four weeks, posing a challenge for traders wanting to fully explore the xStation platform and refine short-term strategies before investing actual money.

Our Take On IC Markets

"IC Markets provides excellent pricing, swift execution, and easy deposits. With cutting-edge charting tools like TradingView and the Raw Trader Plus account, it continues to be a preferred option for intermediate and advanced traders."

Pros

  • As a well-regulated and reputable broker, IC Markets focuses on client safety and transparency to provide a dependable global trading experience.
  • IC Markets provides reliable 24/5 support, especially for account and funding queries, drawing from direct experience.
  • In 2025, IC Markets earned DayTrading.com's accolade for 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' due to its top-tier MetaTrader integration. This achievement highlights the broker's continuous refinement over the years to enhance the platform experience.

Cons

  • Although there are four top-tier third-party platforms available, the absence of in-house software or a trading app tailored for novice traders is notable.
  • Certain withdrawal methods incur fees, including a $20 charge for wire transfers. These costs can reduce profits, particularly with frequent withdrawals.
  • The tutorials, webinars, and educational resources require enhancement, lagging behind competitors such as CMC Markets, which diminishes their appeal to novice traders.

Our Take On FXPro

"FxPro is an excellent choice for traders, offering swift execution speeds under 12ms, reduced fees since 2022, and outstanding charting platforms like MT4, MT5, cTrader, and FxPro Edge."

Pros

  • FxPro uses a 'No Dealing Desk' (NDD) model for swift and transparent order execution, usually within 12 milliseconds, making it well-suited for short-term trading strategies.
  • FxPro provides four dependable charting platforms, including the user-friendly FxPro Edge. It features more than 50 indicators, 7 types of charts, and 15 different timeframes.
  • FxPro's Wallet is a notable feature enabling traders to securely manage their funds. It ensures additional protection and ease by separating unused funds from active trading accounts.

Cons

  • FxPro, with its $10M funded demo account and expanding Knowledge Hub, mainly caters to experienced traders. Beginners might find its account and fee structure challenging to understand.
  • There are no passive investment options such as copy trading or interest on cash. While traders might not find these essential, competitors like eToro, which accommodate both active and passive investors, offer more extensive services.
  • FxPro offers customer support five days a week around the clock, accessible via various platforms, and the service quality is reliable based on tests. However, the absence of weekend support can be a drawback for traders requiring help beyond standard market times.

Our Take On IG

"IG offers a complete package with an intuitive online platform, top-tier beginner education, advanced charting tools through its TradingView integration, real-time data, and swift execution for seasoned traders."

Pros

  • IG provides a wide range of professional and engaging educational materials, such as webinars, articles, and analyses, tailored for traders.
  • IG stands out with its extensive range of instruments, offering stocks, forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, it has recently introduced US-listed futures and options, along with an AI Index. These options enhance opportunities for diversification in trading.
  • The web-based platform supports traders at every level, offering advanced charting tools and real-time market data vital for trading. Additionally, IG now includes TradingView integration.

Cons

  • Based on tests, stock and CFD spreads remain less competitive than the lowest-cost brokers, such as CMC Markets.
  • In the UK and EU, negative balance protection is available. However, US clients lack account protection and guaranteed stop losses.
  • IG imposes a monthly inactivity fee of $12 after two years, discouraging occasional traders.

Our Take On IC Trading

"IC Trading offers an ideal environment, featuring top-tier execution speeds of around 40 milliseconds, extensive liquidity, and advanced charting tools, perfect for scalpers, traders, and algorithmic traders."
Christian Harris
Christian Harris
Reviewer

Pros

  • IC Trading offers top-tier spreads, with some major currency pairs like EUR/USD featuring spreads as low as 0.0 pips, making it an excellent choice for traders.
  • Trading Central and Autochartist provide valuable technical analysis and actionable ideas. These tools are readily available within the account area or on the cTrader platform.
  • IC Trading provides exceptional flexibility, allowing traders to open as many as 10 live accounts and 20 demo accounts. This enables the management of distinct profiles for various activities, including manual and algorithmic trading.

Cons

  • Unlike IC Markets, IC Trading lacks support for social trading via the IC Social app or the ZuluTrade platform.
  • The educational materials require significant enhancement unless accessed via the IC Markets website. This limitation is particularly disadvantageous for beginners seeking a thorough learning experience, especially when compared to industry leaders such as eToro.
  • Customer support was inadequate during testing, with multiple live chat attempts going unanswered and emails ignored. This raises significant concerns regarding their capacity to manage urgent trading issues.

Our Take On Forex.com

"FOREX.com excels in serving traders of all levels, offering more than 80 currency pairs, spreads starting at 0.0 pips, and competitive commissions. Its robust charting platforms provide over 100 technical indicators and comprehensive research tools."

Pros

  • An abundance of educational resources is available, such as tutorials, webinars, and an extensive YouTube channel, designed to enhance your understanding of financial markets.
  • The in-house Web Trader remains a standout platform, excellently crafted for budding traders. It features a sleek design and offers more than 80 technical indicators for thorough market analysis.
  • With more than two decades of expertise, strong regulatory governance, and numerous accolades, including a second-place finish in our 'Best Forex Broker' awards, FOREX.com is globally renowned as a reliable trading platform.

Cons

  • US clients are not protected against negative balances, which means you could end up owing more than your initial deposit.
  • Although FOREX.com has expanded its range of instruments, its product offering is confined to forex and CFDs. Consequently, there are no investment options for actual stocks, ETFs, or cryptocurrencies.
  • FOREX.com's MT4 platform provides around 600 instruments, a notable reduction compared to the more than 5,500 options on its other platforms.

Coffee Trading Basics

Coffee trading involves the buying and selling of contracts for coffee beans to speculate on price volatility.

The two types of coffee traded are Arabica and Robusta beans:

  • Arabica beans are regarded as higher quality and tend to be more expensive. Arabica accounts for 70% of total coffee production and grows predominantly in Brazil and Colombia. It is estimated to trade at around $5.41 per kilo in 2024.
  • Robusta beans grow in hotter climates and can withstand more extreme weather conditions. It has a higher caffeine content and a more bitter taste. It is estimated to trade at around $2.11 per kilo in 2024.

The price of Arabica tends to be more stable, whereas Robusta can be more volatile, attracting active traders with a higher risk appetite.

How To Trade Coffee

There are a number of ways to trade coffee in the UK:

  • Futures: Futures contracts allow investors to lock in a price at a set point in the future and are often used for speculation or hedging. They are popular due to their high liquidity and high volatility. Futures contracts come with the expectation that a physical exchange of goods will take place which makes them trickier for individual investors. However, most contracts are traded prior to expiration.
  • Options: Coffee options can be traded on exchanges like the ICE and NYMEX. Options give traders the right but not the obligation to trade coffee at a specific price and date in the future. Options are often used to limit losses, as it is not possible to lose more than the premium.
  • CFDs: Contracts for difference (CFDs) are a straightforward prediction of the direction that the price of coffee will move. Traders will either earn or pay the difference between the opening and closing of the contract. CFDs are offered by many retail brokers along with leverage, allowing traders to boost their purchasing power with a small upfront investment. Both long and short positions can be taken with coffee CFDs.
  • Spread betting: Like CFDs, spread betting also involves making a call on the underlying price movement of coffee. Spread betting can only be executed over the counter (OTC) and profits are usually tax-free in the UK. Spread bets are particularly popular with short-term traders. CMC Markets is the best UK broker that offers spread betting on coffee.
  • Stocks: Trading stocks in coffee production companies is not easily accessible as most firms are privately owned. However, investors can buy shares in companies involved in the refinement and sale of coffee-related products, including Starbucks, Nestle, and JM Smucker.
  • ETFs: Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be used to trade coffee similar to stock trading. They are traded on an exchange and track the performance of a group of commodities or companies. ETFs are often used as a means of spreading risk and diversifying portfolios. One of the most popular coffee ETFs is the iPath Dow Jones-UBS Coffee Subindex Total Return ETN.

Today’s Price Chart

History Of Coffee Trading

Coffee trading can be traced back to the Ethiopian peninsula as early as the 15th century. As its popularity grew, it moved east to the Arabian peninsula, on to Europe in the 17th century, and in the mid-1600s, it arrived in New York.

In the 16th Century, Istanbul became the coffee epicentre of the world. The opening of the first coffee house in 1553 was quickly followed by many more. As the popularity of the beans grew, competition between regions grew. It became a valuable commodity and was exchanged for a range of goods and currencies.

Some of these early coffee houses went on to become large financial institutions, such as Lloyds of London.

Today, coffee is mostly cultivated in Central and Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and India. Brazil is the largest producer of coffee in the world, accounting for close to 50% of all coffee production globally.

More than 2 billion cups of coffee are now consumed every day.

Factors That Affect The Price Of Coffee

  • Environmental changes: The climate can affect the supply of coffee beans which can in turn affect the price. For example, if there is a frost that wipes out all the coffee plants in a particular region, supply will decrease. This is what happened in the winter of 1977, when prices soared to 339.86 cents, up from 45 cents just two years earlier. Climate change is likely to have a big impact on coffee prices over the decades to come as extremes in weather wreak havoc on agriculture.
  • Politics: Geopolitical events can also affect coffee trading prices. Disruption of global supply chains can lead to price hikes. Coffee is grown in regions prone to political unrest, including Brazil, Columbia, Honduras, and Ethiopia.
  • Oil prices: When the price of oil rises, transportation costs increase, which can be reflected in the market price of coffee. The soft commodity often travels great distances, from the fields in Brazil to coffee shops in London. Long supply chains mean that any changes in transportation costs can have a large impact on coffee prices.
  • Disposable income: Unlike other soft commodities like wheat, coffee is not a necessity. As a result, economic downturns and a squeeze in household incomes may lead to a fall in coffee demand.
  • Consumer trends: The price of coffee can be affected by consumer trends and perceived health advantages (or disadvantages). If coffee consumption rises to the same level as tea consumption in countries like China, demand, and in turn prices, may rise.
  • Price of the US dollar: As coffee is primarily priced in dollars, fluctuations in the strength of the US dollar will impact the price of coffee. As the dollar rises, coffee prices tend to fall, and vice versa.

Why Trade Coffee?

Like oil, gold and silver, coffee has many characteristics that make it an attractive commodity for traders:

  • Trading vehicles: There are multiple investment vehicles that can be used to trade coffee including futures, options, CFDs and ETFs. Each caters to different trading strategies and investment goals, for example, CFDs are popular with short-term traders and ETFs with long-term investors.
  • Volatility: Coffee is a volatile commodity. Its price is influenced by a number of factors which can make it difficult to accurately forecast prices, including climate and geopolitics. However, this volatility provides opportunities for traders with a healthy risk appetite.
  • Volume: Coffee is a staple part of the food and beverage industry and the most consumed drink globally. As a result, coffee is traded in huge volumes, meaning traders can fill orders with low fees.

How To Compare Coffee Brokers

Key comparison points when choosing between coffee trading brokers, platforms and apps include:

  • Fees: Look for tight spreads, low commissions and overnight charges, plus no inactivity fees. Pepperstone, for instance, offers coffee CFDs with an average spread of 0.4 pips, 1:10 leverage for UK traders, and a contract size per lot of 10,000 lbs.
  • Security: The top brokers with coffee trading in the UK hold a license with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Also check for negative balance protection and a secure platform and trading app.
  • Usability: Active coffee trading strategies require a stable and reliable platform. Check for fast execution speeds, no slippage and mobile compatibility. MetaTrader 4 and/or MetaTrader 5 are offered by most leading coffee brokers.
  • Customer support: Beginners, in particular, will prefer a brokerage with good customer support via live chat, telephone, email or online query form. Both XTB and CMC Markets, for instance, offer 24/5 customer support.
  • Added features: The best coffee brokers offer analyst insights and data into coffee trends. Their economic calendar may also highlight relevant announcements and reports, for example, output projections in key producing countries like Brazil and Vietnam.
  • Opening hours: Coffee trading times vary between exchanges and brokers but typically run Monday to Friday, 09:15 to 18:29 (GMT).

Bottom Line On Coffee Trading

Coffee continues to be a popular commodity for online trading. It is a highly liquid and volatile asset, presenting opportunities for the right trader. Some of the most popular coffee trading vehicles available today include CFDs, futures, options and ETFs. Get started by signing up with one of the best coffee brokers.

FAQ

What Factors Influence The Price Of Coffee?

Factors that influence the price of coffee include the weather, for example, frosts that destroy coffee plants in key producing countries like Brazil, Vietnam and Columbia. Other factors that can impact coffee prices are rising oil prices which can increase transportation costs, the value of the US dollar, and changes in consumer trends and the level of disposable income in large consumption countries, such as the US.

Is Coffee Trading Profitable?

Coffee is a relatively volatile commodity, experiencing significant price action in recent years. This means potential returns for successful traders. However, unpredictable factors like the weather and geopolitical events can make it difficult to forecast coffee prices. Ultimately, make sure you have a risk management system and only invest what you can afford to lose.

How Can I Learn How To Trade Coffee?

See our guide to coffee trading online to get started. Our team unpack different trading methods, from futures and options to CFDs and ETFs. The top coffee brokers also offer strategy tutorials and insights into the coffee market and current trends, including CMC Markets.

Which Is The Top Coffee Broker In The UK?

Leading coffee trading brokers in the UK include Pepperstone, XTB and CMC Markets. These brokerages offer stable trading platforms and apps, leveraged coffee instruments, tight spreads, plus oversight from the Financial Conduct Authority. Head to our table of coffee brokers for more options.

Article Sources

S&P Global coffee market analysis

Coffee price data and volumes

CMC Markets coffee trading guide