Our take on FXTM after testing
FXTM (ForexTime) is a well-established mid-tier broker that has served over a million clients across 150+ countries since 2011. The proposition is straightforward: low entry barriers, competitive raw-spread pricing on the Advantage account, MT4/MT5 platforms with a polished proprietary mobile app, and a substantial education library that goes deeper than most emerging-market-focused brokers. On regulation, the picture is similar to other globally distributed brokers — FXTM holds licences from FSCA (South Africa), FSC Mauritius, CMA Kenya, and other authorities. The FCA-regulated entity exists but is professional-clients-only following the post-2019 UK retail wind-down. Retail clients in most countries are served by ForexTime Limited (Mauritius), where investor protection comes via the Financial Commission's €20,000 per-claim compensation rather than the £85,000 FSCS scheme. FXTM's strongest fit is for emerging-market traders, education-conscious beginners, and active traders who value MT4/MT5 with reliable execution and transparent cost structure. UK and EU retail traders should treat FXTM as an offshore-regulated broker and weigh that against alternatives with full FCA retail coverage.
Key trading conditions
The numbers that matter most when picking FXTM.
What we like, what we don't
Honest assessment after evaluating against industry benchmarks.
- 1M+ clients across 150+ countries: Established global presence with strong support infrastructure
- $10 minimum deposit on Micro accounts: Genuinely accessible entry point for new traders
- Raw spreads from 0.0 pips on Advantage: Competitive ECN-style pricing with $0.40-$2 commission per side
- Strong educational content: FXTM Trading Academy is deeper than most emerging-market brokers
- Multi-regulated structure: FSCA, FSC, CMA, FCA (pro), CySEC across multiple jurisdictions
- Negative balance protection on all retail accounts: Standard across regulated entities
- Retail routed offshore in most markets: FCA and CySEC are pro-only; most retail clients land on FSC Mauritius
- $5 monthly inactivity fee: Charged after 6 months of dormancy — easy to avoid but worth noting
- Not available in US, Canada, Israel: Restricted from several major jurisdictions
- Standard account spreads not class-leading: Advantage Plus (no commission) starts at 1.5 pips, wider than competitors
Who FXTM is for — and who it isn't
Brokers aren't one-size-fits-all. Here's where FXTM shines and where it falls short.
- Copy/social tradersBuilt-in tools to follow proven traders without manually executing each trade.
- High-leverage strategy tradersOffshore entities offer leverage up to 1:500+ for traders comfortable with the risk and reduced regulatory protection.
- Beginner traders learning the marketsComprehensive educational resources cover everything from market basics to advanced strategy concepts.
- Algorithmic and high-frequency tradersEA support, fast execution, and trading-friendly policies suit automated strategies and short-hold approaches.
- Risk-averse beginnersThe high leverage available on offshore entities can amplify losses as much as gains. Stick to lower-leverage regulated entities until experienced.
- Traders prioritising lowest costs above allDiscount brokers in the same category may offer marginally cheaper commission structures for very high-volume traders.
FXTM at a glance
The essentials, scannable in seconds.
Everything you need to know
In-depth analysis across regulation, costs, platforms, accounts, funding, and support.
Regulation & Client Protection
FXTM operates under multiple regulated entities, with the entity assigned by country of residence. The current retail-active entities are ForexTime Limited (Mauritius, FSC licence), ForexTime Pty Ltd (South Africa, FSCA licence 46614), and Exinity Capital East Africa Limited (Kenya, CMA licence 162). These offer meaningful local oversight and compensation schemes (KES 50,000 in Kenya for instance), but no statutory floor comparable to FSCS/ICF that EU/UK retail clients are used to.
Exinity UK Limited holds FCA authorisation (licence 600475) but the entity has been restricted to professional clients only following the post-2019 retail wind-down. The Cyprus CySEC entity (ForexTime Limited Cyprus) has historically been listed but is similarly restricted in practice. For retail clients globally, the practical regulatory floor is FSC Mauritius — meaningful but offshore.
Client funds are held in segregated accounts across all entities. Negative balance protection applies to all retail clients. The Financial Commission membership provides up to €20,000 per claim as a voluntary backstop. Whether offshore-tier regulation is acceptable depends entirely on your jurisdiction and risk tolerance — for many emerging-market traders, FXTM's local regulatory presence is actually stronger than what other globally-active brokers provide.
Regulatory structure
FXTM operates under 5 regulatory licences:
- FCA — Tier-1 regulator (highest jurisdiction)
- CySEC — Tier-2 regulator (intermediate)
- FSCA — Tier-2 regulator (intermediate)
- FSC — Tier-3 regulator (offshore)
- CMA — Tier-2 regulator (intermediate)
Track record
FXTM has operated since 2011 (15+ years). Editorial assessment: high-confidence on regulatory standing.
Trading Costs & Spreads
FXTM offers three main retail account types with distinct cost profiles. The Micro account (formerly called Cent) targets beginners with $10 minimum deposit, micro-lot trading, and floating spreads around 1.5 pips on EUR/USD with no commission — useful for learning position sizing without material risk. The Advantage Plus account is the commission-free option, with spreads also starting at 1.5 pips but standard lot sizes and a $200 minimum deposit.
The Advantage account is FXTM's competitive proposition for active traders: spreads from 0.0 pips on EUR/USD with a tiered commission structure that drops to $0.40 per side per lot at high volumes ($0.80 round-turn at top tier). This is genuinely competitive with IC Markets and Pepperstone Razor for high-volume traders. No deposit fees, no withdrawal fees from FXTM's side, but a $5 monthly inactivity fee kicks in after 6 months of no trading activity — easy to avoid by occasional trading or full withdrawal.
Cost structure
FXTM cost structure depends on which account type you choose. The trade-off is generally between spread-only pricing (simpler, slightly higher implicit cost) and raw-spread plus commission (cheaper at higher volumes, requires per-trade math).
Other costs to know about
Overnight swap rates apply to positions held past daily rollover, based on currency-pair interest rate differentials.
Most reputable brokers don't charge deposit fees, withdrawal fees, or inactivity fees on active accounts. Check the funding terms for your specific entity at FXTM.
Trading Platforms & Technology
FXTM supports MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 with full Expert Advisor compatibility on all account types. The MT4 and MT5 builds are stable with FXTM-branded skins, and the mobile MT4/MT5 apps work well for monitoring and execution. Scalping and hedging are explicitly permitted, important for algorithmic traders.
The proprietary FXTM Trader mobile app is the differentiator versus other MT-only brokers. It's clean, beginner-friendly, includes integrated market news and analysis, and offers biometric login. It's not as feature-rich as platforms like cTrader or TradingView integration would be, but for the trader who wants a simple branded mobile experience alongside MT4/MT5 desktop, it's well-executed. No TradingView integration and no cTrader support — gaps to note if those platforms matter to you.
3-platform support
FXTM supports 3 platforms — choice affects available order types and execution model.
MetaTrader 4
The industry standard for forex retail. Full EA support, custom indicators, automated trading. Mature ecosystem of community-built tools.
MetaTrader 5
Newer MetaQuotes platform with additional asset classes, more timeframes, and improved backtesting. Recommended for newer accounts unless you have legacy MT4 EAs.
Account type options
FXTM offers 4 live account types, all with a $10 minimum where applicable:
- Micro — See broker site for details
- Advantage — See broker site for details
- Advantage-Plus — See broker site for details
- Islamic (Swap-Free) — Available for clients meeting religious requirements. No swap charges.
Demo accounts
Demo accounts are available free of charge, typically with virtual balance and the option to reset on request. Useful for testing strategies before committing capital.
Deposit methods
E-wallet deposits are typically instant; card payments take 1-2 hours; bank wires 1-3 business days.
- Credit/debit cards (Visa, MasterCard)
- Bank wire transfer
- Skrill
- Neteller
- Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, USDT, others)
- Local-Wallets
Withdrawal speed and cost
Withdrawals are typically processed within 1 business day. Arrival times depend on method: e-wallets same day, cards 3-5 days, wire 1-3 days.
The same-method rule typically applies — withdrawals must go to the same source as deposits where possible. This is standard AML compliance, not broker-specific.
Standard support channels
FXTM provides live chat, email, and phone support. Response times are typical for the industry: chat within a few minutes, email 12-24 hours, phone during regional business hours.
Coverage is reasonable but not exceptional — sufficient for routine queries, may require persistence for complex issues.
FXTM vs alternatives
How does it stack up against similar competitors?
FXTM FAQ
Quick answers to the questions traders ask most.
Is FXTM regulated?
What is the minimum deposit at FXTM?
What are typical FXTM spreads and commissions?
Does FXTM charge inactivity fees?
Is FXTM available in the United States?
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