Hantec Markets or ActivTrades – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare Hantec Markets and ActivTrades in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.
Hantec Markets vs ActivTrades Comparison Table 2025
Hantec Markets, founded in Hong Kong in 1990, initially focused on the Chinese and Taiwanese markets. The broker rebranded in 2008, expanding into the UK, Australia, Japan, and other regions. By 2022, it had further strengthened its presence in Latin America. Today, Hantec operates as a multinational brokerage, with 18 offices across Europe and Asia.
ActivTrades, a UK-based CFD and forex broker since 2001, is renowned for its award-winning services. It holds licences from esteemed regulators, including the UK’s FCA. The firm offers trading on more than 1,000 instruments across seven asset classes, with an impressive 93.60% of trades executed at the desired price.
Pros
Hantec Markets, an established broker since 1990, is trusted and regulated by top-tier authorities like the FCA and ASIC.
Hantec Markets provides eight different account base currencies, enabling traders worldwide to dodge conversion fees and ensuring a smooth trading experience.
Trading Central offers a comprehensive platform for technical, fundamental, economic, sentiment, and news analysis. It aids traders in uncovering short-term opportunities efficiently.
The barrier to starting trading is minimal, requiring only a $100 initial capital. Deposits are seamless, incur no fees, and are easily managed within the client portal.
In certain regions, experienced traders can access high leverage of up to 1:1000, enhancing both gains and losses.
ActivTrades provides competitive spreads, especially for forex trading, starting at 0.5 pips on major currency pairs without extra commissions. Additionally, the €/£10 inactivity fee is only applied after 52 weeks, benefiting active traders.
While cTrader isn't supported, MT4, MT5, TradingView, and the broker's ActivTrader platform accommodate various trading requirements. The firm's web-based platform has proven user-friendly and visually appealing for novices during testing.
ActivTrades is a reputable firm with over 20 years in the financial sector. It holds authorizations from three top-tier regulatory bodies, according to DayTrading.com's Regulation & Trust Rating. For UK traders, it offers enhanced protection with £1 million in investor compensation, surpassing the £85,000 provided by the FSCS, should the firm face insolvency.
Based on our tests, ActivTrades offers swift and reliable support via live chat, email, and phone in multiple languages. This makes it an excellent choice for both traders and newcomers seeking quality assistance.
With execution speeds averaging 4ms and an order completion rate of 93.6%, ActivTrades provides an outstanding platform for traders. It supports rapid strategies without imposing limits on short-term approaches.
Cons
There is no specialised software designed for new traders, nor is there integration with the popular TradingView and cTrader platforms. Moreover, MT5 isn't accessible in some regions, such as the UK.
Hantec Markets must enhance its investment options to compete with industry leaders like Blackbull Markets, particularly by expanding its range of currency pairs and commodities.
Testing shows inconsistent support: though assistance is available 24/5, the live chat service often times out, rendering it unreliable for urgent trading matters.
The educational resources, mainly long-form articles, require updating. Incorporating interactive features and videos would align them more closely with IG's training materials.
Hantec Markets, while offering reliable order execution, does not allow scalping, diminishing its attractiveness relative to Pepperstone. The Razor account at Pepperstone is tailored specifically for traders using scalping techniques.
The platform lacks features for copy or social trading, which is a disadvantage for traders interested in passive investing or replicating the trades of seasoned traders. This is particularly evident when compared to eToro and Vantage.
The selection of over 1,000 markets includes forex, commodities, indices, and ETFs. However, the overall choice of asset classes is limited, with no stocks available outside the US, UK, and Europe. In comparison, BlackBull provides access to more than 26,000 markets.
Its research tools are decent, although somewhat lacking. The expanding 'Analysis' hub is useful, but the absence of Trading Central or Autochartist means advanced technical insights are missing. This limitation may hinder traders seeking to spot opportunities in volatile markets.
ActivTrades needs improvement in educational resources to compete with firms like XTB and CMC Markets. While it offers well-presented and informative webinars, the selection of courses and quizzes remains limited, hindering a more comprehensive and engaging learning experience for traders.
Awards
Most Reliable Global Forex Broker - Global Forex Awards 2022
Best Forex Trading Experience (Latin America) - Global Forex Awards 2022
Most Trusted Forex Broker (Africa) - Global Forex Awards 2022
Best Value Broker (Asia) - Global Forex Awards 2022
Most Transparent Forex Broker (Middle East and Northern Africa) - Global Forex Awards 2022
Most Transparent Global Broker - Global Forex Awards 2021
Most Trusted Broker (Africa) - Global Forex Awards 2021
Safest Global Broker 2023 - International Investor Magazine
Best Online Trading Services 2023 - ADVFN International Financial Awards
Best Forex Broker Europe 2022 - Forex-Awards.com
Most Trusted Global FX Broker 2022 - International Investor Magazine
Best CFD Broker 2021 - Rankia
Safest Global Broker 2021 - International Investor Award Winners
Hantec Markets lacks a unique trading app. Clients instead utilise MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5) apps, compatible with Apple and Android, replicating the desktop features. Absence of a custom app might displease traders seeking integrated solutions, as no support exists for TradingView or cTrader.
ActivTrades offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, including its own ActivTrader app, MT4, MT5, and TradingView. These provide real-time data, advanced charting, and customisable features. All apps enable intuitive trading and account management, but ActivTrader excels with its seamless experience, fast execution, and robust research tools.
iOS App Rating
4.8
4.9
Android App Rating
4.4
3.8
Margin Trading
Yes
Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes
Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes
Yes
cTrader
No
No
AlgoTrader
No
No
OmniTrader
No
No
TradingView
No
Yes
Autochartist
No
No
eSignal
No
No
Trading Central
Yes
No
STP Account
No
Yes
ECN Account
No
No
DMA Account
No
No
MAM Account
Yes
No
PAMM Account
No
No
LAMM Account
No
No
Demat Account
No
No
AI / Machine Learning
No
No
Robo Advisor
No
No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes
Yes
Market Maker
No
Yes
P2P Trading
No
No
Spot Trading
Yes
No
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Yes (APIs), Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Copy Trading
No
No
Social Trading
No
No
Trade Signals
Yes
VPS Hosting
No
No
Tournaments
No
No
Demo Competitions
No
No
Ethical Investing
No
No
Custodial Account
No
No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No
No
Inactivity Fee
$0
€/£10
Islamic Account
Yes
Yes
Account Currencies
USD
EUR
GBP
CAD
AUD
CHF
PLN
AED
USD
EUR
GBP
CHF
Commodities
Gold
Oil
Silver
Gold
Oil
Natural Gas
Wheat
Copper
Cocoa
Coffee
Corn
Orange Juice
Palladium
Platinum
Silver
Soybeans
Sugar
CFD
Traders can participate in CFD trading with a wide range of assets such as currencies, equities, commodities, precious metals like gold and silver, indices, and cryptocurrencies. In some regions, seasoned traders might benefit from leveraging opportunities as high as 1:1000. However, restrictions on scalping strategies may discourage experienced traders.
ActivTrades specialises in CFD trading, providing access to over 1,000 instruments, including currencies, shares, indices, and commodities. Renowned for its award-winning trading environment, the broker ensures swift and dependable order execution, coupled with clear margin requirements for traders.
Leverage
1:30
1:30 (UK and EU), 1:400 (Global & Pro)
FTSE Spread
1.0
0.6
GBPUSD Spread<
0.5
0.8
Oil Spread
0.05
0.03
Stocks Spread
Variable
Variable
Forex
Hantec Markets provides over 30 forex pairs, which is fewer than leading firms like Pepperstone offering over 100. Despite this, execution speed is swift, and spreads start competitively at 0.2 pips. With MT4's 30+ technical indicators, it caters well to short-term traders seeking an efficient trading environment.
ActivTrades provides competitive fees in forex, offering excellent spreads on major pairs like EUR/USD starting from 0.5 pips, with no commission charges. The enhanced ActivTrades platform, along with the renowned MetaTrader 4, equips traders with essential tools to navigate the FX market with confidence.
Assets
300
50+
GBPUSD Spread
0.5
0.8
EURUSD Spread
0.2
0.5
EURGBP Spread
0.7
0.8
Currency Indices
USD
Cryptocurrency
CFD trading encompasses a broad array of cryptocurrencies, from major players like Bitcoin and Ethereum to smaller tokens such as Polkadot. Trades can be executed against multiple global currencies, including USD, JPY, and MXN, as well as against precious metals like gold and silver. This sets Hantec apart from many other brokers, who typically only provide cryptocurrency pairs with the USD.
Trade over 15 popular cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. Engage in trading these digital assets 24/7, with transparent fees. Access up to 1:10 leverage on leading tokens like BTC.
