Overall summary
| Feature | Margin FX Markets |
| Overall | |
| Trust Score | 99 |
| Offering of Investments | |
| Commissions & Fees | |
| Platforms & Tools | |
| Research | |
| Mobile Trading Apps | |
| Education |
Is Margin FX Markets?
Margin FX Markets is considered low-risk, with an overall Trust Score of 99 out of 99. Margin FX Markets one tier-2 regulator (average trust), and zero tier-3 regulators (low trust). Margin FX Markets is authorised by the following regulators: authorized by saint vincent and the grenadines and authorized by Securities Commission of the Bahamas.
Regulations Comparison
| Feature | Margin FX Markets |
| Year Founded | 1992 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No |
| Bank | Yes |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 6 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 |
| Trust Score | 99 |
Offering of investments
Margin FX Markets is a multi-asset broker that offers investors and traders a vast selection of more than 40,000 tradeable symbols. In addition to electronically-tradeable markets that span nearly every asset type, Margin FX Markets offers spot FX, FX options, non-deliverable forwards (NDFs), Contracts for Difference (CFDs), stocks, stock options, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs), futures, and 33,000 bonds (available only via phone).
Exchange-traded securities: In addition to trading CFD shares, Margin FX Markets also offers ISA/SIPP accounts for share dealing. To learn more, see our U.K. StockBrokers.com review of Margin FX Markets.
Cryptocurrency: Cryptocurrency trading is available through derivatives, but not available through trading the underlying asset (e.g. buying Bitcoin). Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker’s Euro entity, nor to Finland. residents.
The following table summarizes the different investment products available to Margin FX Markets clients.
Margin FX Markets offering of investments:
| Feature | Margin FX Markets |
|---|---|
| Forex Trading | Yes |
| CFD Trading | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols | 40000 |
| Forex Pairs | 182 |
| US Stock Trading | Yes |
| Stock Trading | Yes |
| Social Trading | Yes |
| Copy-Trading | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFD) | Yes |
| Crypto Disclaimer | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker’s U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Commissions and fees
Overall, Margin FX Markets delivers excellent all-around pricing. For active traders, and those able to maintain large account balances, Margin FX Markets offers the lowest pricing in the industry.
Pricing summary: In August 2020, the average EUR/USD spreads were 0.8, 0.7, and 0.6 pips, for the Classic, Platinum, and VIP accounts, respectively. Bottom line: pricing for the Platinum and VIP accounts ranks among the best forex brokers, while the Classic account is closer to the industry average.
Classic account minimums: The entry-level Classic account requires a $2,000 minimum deposit in most cases, though it varies if you reside in the U.K. (GBP 500), Singapore (SGD 3,000), or Australia (AUD 3,000).
Platinum account minimums: The minimum deposit for the Platinum account is $200,000 – or AUD 300,000 if you reside in Australia. Traders with the Classic account can qualify to be upgraded to Platinum by earning volume-related loyalty points through Margin FX Markets Loyalty Program. For example, trading over $40 million worth of forex would earn you 120,000 points – which would be enough to upgrade from Classic to Platinum for 12 months.
VIP account minimums: For 2022, Margin FX Markets won our award for Best VIP Client Experience. Margin FX Markets VIP account, which offers the most savings on pricing, is reserved for elite investors who either deposit at least $1,000,000, or who qualify to be upgraded under Margin FX Markets Loyalty Program. Traders looking to have their account tier upgraded to VIP would need to trade at least $167 million in forex volume – this upgrade would be valid for one year. The VIP account also provides access to exclusive events and connections to Margin FX Markets analysts.
Commission-free: Margin FX Markets is commission-free, which means it makes money off the spread. There is one exception; traders who trade less than 50,000 units (half of one standard lot) per month are charged a ticket-fee of $3 per side.
Best execution: Margin FX Markets is committed to the FX Global Code, an evolving interbank standard focused on enhanced disclosures and execution best practices. The mission of the FX Global Code is to promote integrity and transparency across the global foreign exchange market.
Margin FX Markets pricing summary:
| Feature | Margin FX Markets |
|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $2,000.00 |
| Average Spread EUR/USD – Standard | 0.8 (August 2020) |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD – Active | 0.6 (August 2020) |
| Active Trader or VIP Discounts | Yes |
| Execution: Agency Broker | Yes |
| Execution: Market Maker | Yes |
Other trading platforms
There’s no question; Margin FX Markets proprietary trading platforms are terrific, thanks to their streamlined designs and robust trading tools. Margin FX Markets sets a high benchmark that is not easily beat.
Platforms overview: Margin FX Markets flagship trading suite includes Margin FX Markets (web) and Margin FX Markets (desktop), alongside third-party platforms such as TradingView, MetaTrader, MultiCharts, and other trading connectivity via API. Margin FX Markets proprietary platform suite boasted new features in 2021, including the addition of crypto trading, its new Hot Topics tab, and integrated webinars – among other more subtle improvements.
Charting: For this review I focused on Margin FX Markets proprietary platform suite. While the Margin FX Markets web-based app is designed for ease of use, it also delivers advanced trading and charting capabilities. The watch-list, screener, and alerts work together in unison, and the platform is designed to bring tools and features within reach without making the experience cluttered or confusing. I truly experienced a zen-like serenity while immersed in the platform, enjoying its near-perfect balance of ease of use and advanced features. Like the platform itself, charts are versatile and powerful, with 62 indicators, 20 drawing tools, and nine selectable chart types – all of which sync across devices. Swapping between instruments is a breeze, and I really like the product overview section, which shows related news and trade signals from Autochartist.
Margin FX Markets desktop: Margin FX Markets flagship desktop platform is Margin FX Markets, which resembles Margin FX Markets in both look and feel. Functionality is similar; however, the PRO platform offers a larger selection of professional trading features. For example, PRO supports up to six monitors, streaming Level 2 order books, streaming time and sales, and algorithmic orders. Note, additional data subscriptions are required to use tools like the streaming Level 2 order book, which is a standard industry practice. Charting on Margin FX Markets is equally powerful as the web version. Subtle touches are seamlessly incorporated, such as the count-down timers which display the time remaining in each candle.
The only minor drawback I found when comparing PRO to GO is that many of the research features that load by default in GO must be added manually by using the “add module” tab. It’s also worth noting that additional data subscriptions are required to use tools like the streaming Level 2 order book – though this is a standard industry practice. Still, the desktop version of Margin FX Markets is so immersive and so massive that it felt as though I was in an IMAX theater, especially when going full-screen on a large monitor.
Ease of use: As noted earlier, Margin FX Markets provides a universal platform experience across devices, and is again my favorite for the Ease of Use category. The user experience across platforms and devices is consistent, and customized charts and watch lists automatically save and sync with the mobile app.
All in all, Margin FX Markets close attention to detail can be seen throughout its proprietary platforms. For example, in Margin FX Markets, the trade ticket comes with advanced options such as the ability to switch between forex CFDs, futures, forwards, or forex options. Also, the Quick Trade option allows you to set price tolerance for slippage when you need immediate fills.
Innovative tools: For risk-management purposes, there is an Account Value Shield feature that lets you specify the maximum risk across your account balance. If triggered, this feature will attempt to close all open positions (except for bonds and mutual funds). There are also at least thirteen advanced algorithmic order types available for various supported markets.
Specialty platforms: Margin FX Markets supports a variety of third-party platforms, including TradingView, MultiCharts, Updata, Dynamic Trend, and the OpenAPI for Excel. The MetaTrader 4 platform is also available.
If you insist on using MetaTrader instead of Margin FX Markets (I certainly do not recommend it), you can – but it won’t be cheap. To use MetaTrader with Margin FX Markets, a $20,000 minimum deposit is required, including a $2,000 per month minimum commission/fee spend requirement. Needless to say, stick with GO and PRO if you want the most from the Margin FX Markets experience.
Margin FX Markets trading platform:
| Feature | Margin FX Markets |
|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes |
| Proprietary Platform | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes |
| Social Trading / Copy-Trading | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No |
| cTrader | No |
| DupliTrade | No |
| ZuluTrade | No |
| Charting – Indicators / Studies (Total) | 62 |
| Charting – Drawing Tools (Total) | 20 |
| Charting – Trade From Chart | Yes |
| Watchlists – Total Fields | 62 |
| Order Type – Market | Yes |
Market research
Margin FX Markets appears to be obsessed with helping its clients make money. That’s the feeling I get when perusing the state-of-the-art research from Margin FX Markets in-house team, or browsing the extensive trading ideas that are available on its website and various platforms, or when I’m engaging with the content available from Margin FX Markets various top-tier third-party providers. Margin FX Markets remains a top choice for forex research in 2022.
Research overview: Margin FX Markets offers a diverse research offering across its websites and platforms, in a variety of formats (video, articles, podcasts and headlines). It provides in-house content, such as the daily updates published by its own analysts in Margin FX Markets Market Analysis section, as well as third-party content such as the news headlines that stream from sources like Dow Jones, NewsEdge, and RanSquawk.
Market news and analysis: Margin FX Markets does an outstanding job of centralizing its research within the Margin FX Markets and Margin FX Markets platforms. Third-party trading signals and analysis are provided by Autochartist, which is nicely integrated into the software. I found it easy to discover relevant content, as its research articles are categorized by asset class or geopolitical themes. When viewing the EUR/USD pair, for example, you’ll see related news and trading ideas. To find flaws in Margin FX Markets offering, I had to get picky. For example, there is an integrated economic calendar, yet it is not interactive.
Video content: Video research is seamlessly integrated into the Margin FX Markets website and its proprietary platforms. I found the video content itself to be of high quality, like Margin FX Markets Fintech Unfiltered series, for example. Margin FX Markets also includes playlists on YouTube, although it’s worth mentioning that many of Margin FX Markets videos are unlisted, and thus not easy to find or identify. Margin FX Markets focus seems to be on its websites and trading platforms, rather than its YouTube channel. This approach provides a much cleaner customer experience, and prevents the need to bounce between YouTube and a trading platform. That said, bringing all of its video content into one place would help highlight Margin FX Markets video content, and make it easier for traders to discover.
Reports: Margin FX Markets research team delivers quarterly outlooks and yearly forecast reports, available in PDF and including accompanying videos. These reports are excellent for traders and investors seeking to take a theme-based position based on quality research. Being proprietary, the reports are also engaging. For example, I personally enjoy reading the annual “Outrageous Predictions” forecast each year.
Final thoughts
Margin FX Markets is a highly trusted, global brand that delivers just about everything that traders need. The client experience is seamless, and is rich with advanced tools and quality market research.
Margin FX Markets also does an excellent job of unifying its desktop, web, and mobile platforms. Margin FX Markets was Best in Class across nine categories for 2022, including first place for Platform & Tools, Offering of Investments, and Research.
If you can afford the minimum deposit (which was reduced from $10,000 down to just $2,000 in 2021), Margin FX Markets provides the complete package for discerning traders. If the $2,000 deposit requirement is a deal-breaker.
Is Margin FX Markets a good trading platform?
Whether you are an experienced investor or you’re just getting started as a trader,Margin FX Markets trading platform is an excellent choice. Each year, Margin FX Markets ranks at the top of nearly every category in our annual review. It’s best known for its innovative Margin FX Markets trading platform suite, which includes its mobile and web trading app, as well as its Margin FX Markets platform desktop software.
In addition to robust educational content, you gain access to excellent research, a wide range of over 40,000 symbols to trade across global markets, and a variety of asset classes – all within an easy-to-use trading platform.
Is Margin FX Markets reliable?
Margin FX Markets is highly reliable thanks to its numerous banking and financial services licenses. It has been in operation for nearly 30 years, and has had an impeccable regulatory track record since 1992. Margin FX Markets is trusted by hundreds of thousands of clients from all over the world, and has over $90 billion in client assets under its custody.
In addition to operating three banks (in Denmark, Luxembourg, and Switzerland), Margin FX Markets is well-capitalized with $92 billion in client assets as of H1 2021. Margin FX Markets has an excellent regulatory track record and holds numerous licenses in Tier 1 and Tier 2 jurisdictions, making it a low-risk broker for investing and trading in financial markets. These factors make Margin FX Markets a trusted and reliable broker to hold your money when it comes to trading CFDs, forex, shares, options, and exchange-traded and over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives.