XTB vs BlackBull Markets

XTB or BlackBull Markets – which is better for UK traders 2026? Compare XTB and BlackBull Markets in this detailed breakdown of their platforms, features and fees.

XTB vs BlackBull Markets Comparison Table 2026
XTB BlackBull Markets
rating empty
rating full
4.8
rating empty
rating full
4.5
XTB is ranked #2 among CFD brokers. BlackBull Markets is ranked #24 among CFD brokers.
Review
Review
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. BlackBull, a CFD broker from New Zealand, offers a wide array of over 2,180 trading instruments. Rebranded in 2023, it now features a contemporary design, advanced trading tools, and execution speeds averaging 20 milliseconds.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money
Pros
  • In 2026, XTB expanded its asset offerings and markets. It introduced options trading in Spain and Germany, launched spot cryptocurrencies in select regions, and unveiled Investment Plans 2.0. These enhanced plans now feature more pre-built options, including sectors like Defence, a user-friendly interface, and increased flexibility to mix stocks and ETFs within individual plans.
  • The xStation platform stands out with its user-friendly design and intuitive tools, such as adaptable news feeds, sentiment heatmaps, and a trader calculator. These features streamline the learning process for new traders.
  • 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 interest rates on uninvested funds and introduced zero-fee ISAs (for ETFs and real shares, or 0.2% on trades over €100k) for UK clients, offering access to a wide array of markets.
  • 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.
  • Top-notch customer support, available 24/5, includes a welcoming live chat with response times under two minutes during tests.
  • XTB processes withdrawals swiftly, paying within 3 business days, subject to the method and amount.
  • BlackBull provides all essentials for traders: execution speeds under 100ms and tight spreads starting at 0.0 pips.
  • BlackBull better suits budding traders after revamping its ECN Prime account. It now offers improved spreads, averaging 0.16 on EUR/USD, and eliminates the previous $2,000 minimum deposit requirement.
  • BlackBulls's research excels, particularly in the daily 'Trading Opportunities' articles. These publications simplify complex market dynamics into clear insights, enabling traders to effectively capitalise on emerging trends.
  • After collaborating with ZuluTrade and Myfxbook, upgrading its CopyTrader, and activating cTrader Copy, BlackBull provides an exceptionally thorough trading experience.
  • BlackBull caters to all traders, from beginners to high-volume professionals, with two ECN-based accounts (Standard and Prime) and Prime+, a rewards program providing trading rebates.
Cons
  • XTB lacks a raw spread account, a feature increasingly offered by competitors such as Pepperstone. This omission might not satisfy traders seeking the most competitive spreads.
  • 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.
  • XTB has stopped supporting MT4, restricting traders to its own platform, xStation. This decision may discourage experienced traders accustomed to using the MetaTrader suite.
  • 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.
  • It is frustrating that XTB products do not allow traders to modify the default leverage level. Manually adjusting leverage can greatly reduce risk in forex and CFD trading.
  • Although they offer an expanding range of over 2,180 assets, including new entries in Asia Pacific indices, the portfolio is primarily composed of stocks, alongside a moderate variety of currency pairs and indices.
  • Unlike many leading brokers, BlackBull imposes a bothersome $5 fee for withdrawals. This charge can reduce the overall cost-effectiveness, particularly for traders who regularly transfer funds.
  • Despite enhancements such as webinars and tutorials in the Education Hub, our review indicates that the courses still require greater emphasis on elucidating broader economic factors affecting prices.
Awards
  • Fast 50 Index (multiple years) - Deloitte
  • Best Global FX Broker 2022 - Forex Expo Dubai
  • Fastest Growing Exporter for Auckland 2018 - Westpac Auckland Business Awards
FCA Regulated
Yes No

List of FCA Regulated Brokers

Instruments
CFDs on shares, Indices, ETFs, Raw Materials, Forex currencies, cryptocurrencies, Real shares, Real ETFs CFDs, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Futures, Crypto
Demo Account
Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit
$0 $0
Payment Methods
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots 0.01 Lots
Regulator
FCA, CySEC, KNF, DFSA, FSC, SCA, CMF, Bappebti FMA, FSA
Mobile Apps
iOS & Android iOS & Android
Trading App
Each year, XTB's app impresses with its sleek design and clear interface. It's fast, responsive, and full of practical features like integrated sentiment data, market news, economic calendars, and educational content. The intuitive order panel below the chart simplifies trade execution, including take profit and stop loss settings. BlackBull delivers a comprehensive mobile trading ecosystem. It provides traders with excellent charting tools and impressive execution speeds of less than 100ms. Options include MT4, MT5, cTrader, and TradingView apps, accommodating varied preferences.
iOS App Rating
rating empty
rating full
4.7
rating empty
rating full
3.7
Android App Rating
rating empty
rating full
4.1
rating empty
rating full
3.7
Margin Trading
Yes Yes
Margin Rate
4.5%
MetaTrader 4
No Yes
MetaTrader 5
No Yes
cTrader
No Yes
AlgoTrader
No No
OmniTrader
No No
TradingView
No Yes
Autochartist
No Yes
eSignal
No No
Trading Central
No No
STP Account
Yes No
ECN Account
No Yes
DMA Account
No No
MAM Account
No Yes
PAMM Account
No Yes
LAMM Account
No No
Demat Account
No No
AI / Machine Learning
No Yes
Robo Advisor
No No
Negative Balance Protection
Yes Yes
Market Maker
Yes No
P2P Trading
No No
Spot Trading
Yes Yes
Auto Trading
Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cTrader Automate
Copy Trading
No Yes
Copy Trading Platform
Blackbull excels with its extensive array of trading solutions, including its CopyTrader, HokoCloud, DupliTrade, and Myfxbook. It provides detailed metrics to assess traders, featuring annual and percentage returns on intuitive dashboards, making it one of the most thorough trading packages available today, particularly with the addition of cTrader Copy in 2025.
Social Trading
No Yes
Trade Signals
No BlackBull Research stock recommendation service
VPS Hosting
No Yes
Tournaments
No No
Demo Competitions
No No
Ethical Investing
Yes No
Custodial Account
No No
Guaranteed Stop Loss
No No
Inactivity Fee
€/$10 per month after 365 days $0
Islamic Account
Yes Yes
Account Currencies
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • USD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • JPY
  • ZAR
  • SGD
Commodities
  • Gold
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Copper
  • Cotton
  • Sugar
  • Precious Metals
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Natural Gas
  • Nickel
  • Soybeans
  • Aluminium
  • Livestock
  • Corn
  • Palladium
  • Platinum
  • Wheat
  • Zinc
  • Lean Hogs
  • Cattle
  • Gold
  • Silver
  • Oil
  • Gasoline
  • Cocoa
  • Wheat
  • Corn
  • Sugar
  • Coffee
  • Natural Gas
  • Platinum
  • Palladium
  • Copper
  • Aluminium
  • Lead
  • Zinc
CFD
XTB provides an extensive range of CFDs, including forex, indices, commodities, stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies, subject to location. EU and UK clients have leverage up to 1:30, whereas global users and pro traders can obtain up to 1:500. XTB excels in offering valuable resources and tutorials for short-term CFD trading strategies. BlackBull is ideal for CFD traders, offering leverage, low spreads starting at 0.0 pips, and around-the-clock support. Testing showed their support to be exceptional, instilling confidence in active traders navigating volatile markets.
Leverage
1:30 1:500
FTSE Spread
1.8 1.5
GBPUSD Spread<
1.4 0.5
Oil Spread
0.03 1.5
Stocks Spread
0.2% No mark-up
Forex
XTB offers over 60 currency pairs with competitive spreads, averaging 1 pip on major pairs. The xStation platform is user-friendly, featuring over 30 indicators in its charting package and a variety of order types, supporting diverse trading strategies and risk management. BlackBull provides 64 currency pairs with competitive pricing via its ECN accounts. The Standard account offers commission-free spreads starting at 0.8 pips. BlackBull's swift execution is also available on MT4, the leading platform among active forex traders.
Assets
70+ 64
GBPUSD Spread
1.4 0.5
EURUSD Spread
1.0 0.16
EURGBP Spread
1.4 0.8
Cryptocurrency
XTB provides a robust array of over 50 cryptocurrencies, featuring competitive spreads beginning at 0.22% on Bitcoin and leverage up to 1:5. The xStation platform facilitates trading with pairs like ETH/BTC and DSH/BTC. Traders can operate round-the-clock in a secure and transparent cryptocurrency trading environment. BlackBull is an excellent choice for active crypto traders, offering over 27 digital tokens like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Trump, all paired with USD. It stands out with its pricing—average spreads are about 12 on BTC/USD, undercutting competitors such as Eightcap by more than half, plus there are no commissions, making it much cheaper than many crypto CFD brokers. BlackBull provides comprehensive crypto guides for all experience levels. Up to 1:100 leverage is offered on cryptos.
Spread
0.22% 12 average (Bitcoin)
Coins
  • ADA
  • BTC
  • BCH
  • DSH
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • IOTA
  • LTC
  • NEO
  • XRP
  • XLM
  • TRX
  • XEM
  • XLM
  • XMR
  • DOGE
  • BNB
  • LINK
  • UNI
  • DOT
  • XTZ
  • BTC
  • ETH
  • SOL
  • XLM
  • XRP
  • BCH
  • ADA
  • SUI
  • TRUMP
  • LNK
  • DOT
  • DOGE
  • AAVE
  • AXS
  • HED
  • LTC
  • TRX
  • UNI
  • PYTH
  • ARB
  • BNB
  • AVAX
  • NEAR
  • ILV
  • ATM
  • INJ
  • POLY
Crypto Lending
No No
Crypto Mining
No No
Crypto Staking
No No
Auto Market Maker
No No
XTB BlackBull Markets
Review
Review
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money
More Comparisons
XTB
vs

 BlackBull Markets
vs