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HYCM vs ActivTrades

HYCM or ActivTrades – which is better for UK traders 2025? Compare HYCM and ActivTrades in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

HYCM vs ActivTrades Comparison Table 2025
HYCM	ActivTrades

3.8	4
HYCM is ranked #55 among CFD brokers.	ActivTrades is ranked #51 among CFD brokers.
Review	Review
HYCM is an online broker regulated by four international authorities, including the FCA and CySEC. It provides short-term CFD opportunities in forex, shares, commodities, indices, ETFs, and Bitcoin. Traders can utilise the MT4 and MT5 platforms, alongside Trading Central analysis.	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
The modest $20 minimum deposit appeals to beginners. Similarly, the Fixed spread account, which incurs no commissions, is attractive. The trusted regulators, such as the FCA, oversee the broker. MT4 and MT5 connectivity guarantees traders a wide array of technical charting tools. A wide array of free analytical tools is available, with Seasonax notably aiding in pattern analysis. The Raw account offers competitive spreads, beginning at 0.1 pips for EUR/USD. Traders can benefit from fast, fee-free transactions.	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
A limited asset selection, offering over 200 stocks. Market coverage varies considerably across different account types and platforms. The Raw account incurs a substantial $4 commission per transaction.	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
Best Forex Broker 2021-2022 - Spain, Middle East, Asia, Germany Best Trading Platform App 2021 - Forex Expo Best Mobile Trading App 2020 - World of Finance Forex Award	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 Best FX Broker 2021 - Le Fonti Award
FCA Regulated
Yes	Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs	CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Futures, Cryptos (location dependent)
Demo Account
Yes	Yes
Minimum Deposit
$20	$0
Payment Methods
Mastercard Neteller Skrill Visa Wire Transfer	AstroPay Credit Card Debit Card Mastercard Neteller PayPal Skrill Sofort Visa Wire Transfer
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots	0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, DFSA, CIMA, CySEC	FCA, CMVM, CSSF, SCB
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android	iOS & Android
Trading App
	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
3	4.9
Android App Rating
3.6	3.8
Margin Trading
Yes	Yes
Margin Rate
Variable upon regulation and jurisdiction
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
Yes	No
DMA Account
No	No
MAM Account
No	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	Yes
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
$10	€/£10
Islamic Account
Yes	Yes
Account Currencies
USD EUR GBP RUB AED	USD EUR GBP CHF
Commodities
Gold Silver Coffee Oil Cotton Copper Palladium Platinum Sugar	Gold Oil Natural Gas Wheat Copper Cocoa Coffee Corn Orange Juice Palladium Platinum Silver Soybeans Sugar
CFD
HYCM offers traders the opportunity to engage in trading CFDs across various stocks, indices, commodities, and ETFs, all featuring floating spreads. Leverage limits differ depending on the specific instrument. Clients can select from two top-tier trading platforms.	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
1:301:500	1:30 (UK and EU), 1:400 (Global & Pro)
FTSE Spread
1.5	0.6
GBPUSD Spread<
0.1	0.8
Oil Spread
2.0	0.03
Stocks Spread
2.2%	Variable
Forex
HYCM provides over 40 forex pairs for trading on the MT4 or MT5 platforms. Leverage is capped at 1:30, compliant with regulatory standards. The Raw account features tight spreads starting at 0.2, while the commission-free Classic account offers spreads from 1.2.	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
40+	50+
GBPUSD Spread
0.4	0.8
EURUSD Spread
0.1	0.5
EURGBP Spread
0.4	0.8
Currency Indices
	USD
Cryptocurrency
HYCM provides trading options exclusively on Bitcoin, available as CFDs paired with USD. Although this allows traders to engage with the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalisation, offering a wider selection of digital currencies would align the broker more closely with its competitors.	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.
Spread
Variable	Variable
Coins
BTC	BTC ETH LTC BCH DOT EOS LINK XLM NEO ADA SOL XRP BNB XMR AVAX DOGE
Crypto Lending
No	No
Crypto Mining
No	No
Crypto Staking
No	No
Auto Market Maker
No	No

HYCM	ActivTrades
Review	Review
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