InstaForex vs FXCM

InstaForex or FXCM – which is better for UK traders 2024? Compare InstaForex and FXCM in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

InstaForex vs FXCM Comparison Table 2024
InstaForex FXCM
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3.7
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3.5
InstaForex is ranked #16 among CFD brokers. FXCM is ranked #44 among CFD brokers.
InstaForex is a forex and CFD broker founded in 2007. The broker offers diverse market coverage to over 7 million clients, spanning traditional assets like currencies and shares, as well as other interesting opportunities such as IPOs. Traders can also access copy trading services, PAMM accounts and investment opportunities. InstaForex is regulated by the BVI FSC. FXCM is a respected forex and CFD broker, established since 1999. The British-headquartered broker has won multiple awards and operates in various jurisdictions, including the UK and Australia. With zero commissions, over 400 assets, and a range of analysis tools, FXCM remains a popular choice for traders. The broker is also regulated by top-tier authorities including the FCA and ASIC.
All investments involve a degree of risk of some kind. Trading financial derivative products comes with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should not engage in trading these instruments unless you fully understand the nature of the transactions you are entering into, and the true extent of your exposure. These types of investments may be suitable for some investors, but they are not for everyone.
Pros
  • InstaForex delivers a superb trading environment, with the powerful MT4 and MT5 platforms offering dozens of technical analysis tools, automation capabilities and multiple order types
  • The broker is a particularly good pick for serious forex traders, with over 100 currency pairs, tight spreads from 0.0 pips and a market-leading selection of curated forex market resources
  • The broker is accessible for beginners, with low minimum deposits, Cent accounts (for global clients) and zero-commission trading available
  • There’s a copy trading service available with just a $10 minimum deposit, allowing clients to become both followers and providers
  • There’s a decent range of free and fast payment methods including local bank transfers, bank cards, e-wallets and cryptos
  • InstaForex has a strong industry reputation, with a 15+ year history and serving over 7 million clients
  • Alongside the 4 charting platforms, FXCM also offers a market-leading range of specialist software for experienced investors, including QuantConnect, AgenaTrader and Sierra Chart
  • The proprietary Trading Station terminal is a good choice for traders looking for an all-in-one solution for their short-term and automated trading strategies
  • Traders can utilize several top-tier trading tools including a market scanner, forex signals and third-party research site, eFXPlus
  • FXCM’s global reputation is impressive, with licenses from the FCA, ASIC, CySEC and FSCA and a 20-year business history
  • A range of funding methods are available including bank cards, Apply Pay and PayPal, with instant processing times
  • The broker offers spread discounts and other excellent perks for experienced traders in the Active Trader account
  • FXCM has expanded its range of trading opportunities with 24-hour stock CFDs through MetaTrader 4
Cons
  • The broker’s global branch offers weaker regulation via the offshore jurisdiction of the British Virgin Islands, which means non-EU traders will receive limited safeguards
  • Market coverage and account conditions vary significantly between the global and EU entities - for example, only 300+ instruments are available for global clients, whilst European traders can access 2500+
  • The broker’s website and client cabinet feel outdated and difficult to navigate for newcomers
  • Although FXCM continues to gear their services towards experienced traders, it’s a shame that there are no managed accounts on offer
  • There is no choice of retail accounts for traders, nor any Cent/Micro account options
  • The live chat support can be slow and unreliable compared to the top competitors
Awards
  • Best Forex Broker, International Investor Awards 2022
  • Best Crypto Broker 2022, Forexing.com
  • Best Customer Service Broker 2022, AllForexBonus.com
  • Best Broker 2022 in Latin America, International Business Magazine
  • Best Affiliate Program 2022, GBM
  • Best Forex Broker 2022, International Investor Awards
  • Most Active Broker in Asia 2020, AtoZ Markets Forex Awards
  • Best Affiliate Program 2020, Global Brands Magazine
  • Best Broker in Asia 2019, Le Fonti Awards
  • Best Managed Account 2019, IAFT Awards
  • Best ECN Broker in Asia 2018, International Business Magazine
FCA Regulated
No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Yes
Instruments
Currencies, Cryptocurrencies, Stocks, Indices, Metals, Oil and Gas, Commodity Futures and InstaFutures CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Commodities
Bonus
Choose between: Club Bonus, 30 %, 55 % and 100 % bonuses
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$1 $50
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.10 of the lot (0.0001 of market lot for Cent.Standard and Cent.Eurica) Variable
Regulator
BVI FSC FCA, CySEC, ASIC
Mobile Apps
iOS and Android + browser based platform iOS and Android
iOS App Rating
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3.6
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Android App Rating
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3.6
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Margin Trading
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 4
Yes Yes
MetaTrader 5
Yes No
cTrader
No No
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No Yes
Autochartist
No No
eSignal
No Yes
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
No No
ECN Account
Yes No
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
Yes 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
No No
Auto Trading
Yes
Copy Trading
No Yes
Copy Trading Platform
The Copy Trading facility at Instaforex is increasingly popular, due to the clear design and growing list of specialist traders and markets. FXCM offers social and copy trading on forex, CFDs and cryptos through the hugely popular ZuluTrade platform. The sign-up process is quick and you can track your performance in real-time.
Social Trading
Yes Yes
VPS Hosting
Yes No
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No Yes
Ethical Investing
No No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Islamic Account
Yes No
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • ZAR
  • CHF
Commodities
  • Oil
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Palladium
  • Natural Gas
  • Copper
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Cotton
  • Soybeans
  • Livestock
  • Wheat
  • Orange Juice
  • Platinum
  • Sugar
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Cannabis
CFD
You can trade CFDs across a range of diverse markets with flexible account types and leverage up to 1:1000. With access to both MT4 and MT5, traders can execute multiple short-term CFD trading strategies using the dozens of pre-integrated technical indicators and graphical objects. You can trade a range of CFD instruments across forex, shares, indices and commodities. There’s an excellent selection of platforms for traders, including TradingView and MT4, plus additional tools for experienced algo traders including API solutions.
Leverage
1:30 for retail clients, 1:500 for professional 1:30
FTSE Spread
Fixed 1.18 pts var*
GBPUSD Spread<
Av. Floating 0.6 pips 0.5 pips*
Oil Spread
Fixed 0.05 (var)*
Stocks Spread
Commissions as low as 0.1% 0.2% Var*
Forex
InstaForex's range of 100+ currency pairs is among the largest we have seen. ECN spreads are also available from 0.0 pips with zero commissions. Minimum deposits start from $1 making the broker accessible for beginners. You can also access market-leading forex analysis and insights. FXCM offers an average range of 40+ currency pairs, although there are no commissions and spreads are competitive from 0.78 pips for EUR/USD. The broker also offers 3 forex baskets covering USD, Yen and emerging markets benchmarks.
Assets
1000+ 40
GBPUSD Spread
Av. Floating 0.6 0.5 pips var*
EURUSD Spread
Av. Floating 0.2 0.2 pips var*
EURGBP Spread
Av. Floating 0.5 0.5 pips var*
Currency Indices
  • USD
  • JPY
InstaForex FXCM
All investments involve a degree of risk of some kind. Trading financial derivative products comes with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should not engage in trading these instruments unless you fully understand the nature of the transactions you are entering into, and the true extent of your exposure. These types of investments may be suitable for some investors, but they are not for everyone.
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