A long-standing ASIC-regulated broker offering cTrader alongside MT4 and MT5 with competitive raw pricing, but with no FCA licence, so UK clients are onboarded through its Mauritius entity without FSCS cover.
GO Markets is one of the longer-standing ASIC-regulated brokers in retail forex — founded in 2006 in Melbourne, the broker has 18+ years of continuous ASIC Tier-1 oversight with no major regulatory infringements on file. The broker holds licences from ASIC (Australia, primary), CySEC (Cyprus, for EU clients via GO Markets Ltd), FSC Mauritius, and FSA Seychelles, providing multi-jurisdictional coverage with the entity assigned by country of residence. UK clients are notably onboarded through the offshore Mauritius FSC entity rather than via an FCA licence (which GO Markets doesn't hold) — important framing for UK traders considering the broker.
The proposition is a focused two-account structure: the commission-free Standard account with spreads from 0.8-1.0 pips on EUR/USD, and the GO Plus+ ECN account with raw spreads from 0.0 pips plus $6 round-turn commission ($3 per side per lot). Platform diversity is exceptional for ASIC-regulated brokers — MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, and the GO WebTrader proprietary platform, with cTrader being a notable rarity among Australian brokers. GO Markets is particularly well-positioned for Australian traders: AUD-denominated accounts, BPAY and POLi for local deposits, local Melbourne-based customer support, and 1:30 ASIC leverage caps with negative balance protection.
Platforms also support PAMM accounts for fund managers and copy trading natively. GO Markets's strongest fit is for ASIC retail clients wanting Tier-1 regulation with cTrader access, active forex traders prioritising raw ECN spreads from a well-regulated broker, and copy traders or signal providers wanting PAMM functionality. UK and US residents face limitations (UK via offshore entity, US not accepted) — alternatives serve these markets better.
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Where GO Markets is strong, and where it is not.
In-depth analysis across regulation, costs, platforms, accounts, funding, and support.
GO Markets operates under a four-entity regulatory structure. The Australian parent entity GO Markets Pty Limited holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) from ASIC since 2006, with mandatory segregated client funds, adherence to ASIC's strict conduct rules, and 1:30 leverage caps on major forex pairs for retail clients. ASIC retail clients receive negative balance protection. This is genuine Tier-1 regulatory protection comparable to FCA UK.
Additional entities include GO Markets Ltd (formerly Galactus Ltd) under CySEC for EU clients, providing ICF investor compensation up to €20,000, plus offshore entities under FSC Mauritius (used for UK and other international clients) and FSA Seychelles. Importantly, GO Markets does NOT hold an FCA UK licence — UK residents are onboarded through the offshore Mauritius FSC entity, which is not subject to FCA supervision and lacks FSCS protection. This is a meaningful framing for UK traders specifically.
GO Markets has maintained continuous ASIC regulation since 2006 — 18+ years with no major regulatory infringements on record. Client funds are held in segregated accounts at top-tier banks across all entities. Negative balance protection applies to ASIC retail clients; offshore entity clients have weaker protections. For Australian retail traders, GO Markets provides genuinely Tier-1 regulated trading with materially competitive ECN pricing — a strong combination. For UK or EU retail traders, the regulatory positioning is less attractive — alternatives like Pepperstone (FCA), ThinkMarkets (FCA), or Eightcap (FCA + ASIC) provide stronger regulatory backstops in those jurisdictions.
GO Markets operates under 4 regulatory licences:
GO Markets does not hold an FCA (UK) licence. UK traders therefore have no FSCS protection — which would cover up to £85,000 per client at FCA-regulated firms. For UK-based traders with substantial accounts, this is a meaningful consideration.
GO Markets has operated since 2006 (20+ years). Editorial assessment: high-confidence on regulatory standing.
GO Markets keeps its account structure refreshingly simple: just two main live accounts plus an unlimited demo and optional Islamic swap-free variants. The Standard account has a $0 minimum deposit with commission-free pricing and floating spreads from 0.8-1.0 pips on EUR/USD — adequate for casual traders prioritising simplicity. The minimum trade size is 0.01 lots making it accessible for very small position sizing.
The GO Plus+ ECN account is the active-trader option: spreads from 0.0 pips on EUR/USD with $3 commission per side per lot ($6 round-turn) — competitive with leading ECN brokers though slightly above Fusion Markets's $4.50 round-turn benchmark. The combined effective cost on EUR/USD GO Plus+ is approximately $7-$8 per lot during liquid hours, which is broadly in line with IC Markets and Pepperstone Razor. GO Markets does not charge deposit fees, withdrawal fees on most methods (international bank wires may incur fees), or inactivity fees — a clean fee structure that's better than many competitors at this tier.
GO Markets 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).
Raw spreads from market liquidity providers (typically 0.0-0.3 pips on EUR/USD) plus a per-side commission. Becomes more cost-effective above moderate monthly volume. Specific commission rates published on the broker site.
Spread-only pricing with no commission. EUR/USD spreads typically average 0.8-1.5 pips during liquid sessions. Simpler for casual or lower-volume traders.
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 GO Markets.
GO Markets offers an unusually diverse platform stack for an ASIC-regulated broker: MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 with full Expert Advisor compatibility, cTrader, TradingView, and the GO WebTrader proprietary browser platform. cTrader access is particularly notable — most Australian ASIC brokers don't offer cTrader, making GO Markets one of the more accessible options for traders specifically wanting cTrader's Level II pricing, depth-of-market visibility, and advanced order types.
TradingView integration provides industry-leading charting directly within the GO Markets execution environment. The PAMM (Percentage Allocation Money Management) functionality supports fund managers and copy traders, and copy trading is integrated natively without third-party platform requirements. Scalping, hedging, and EA usage are explicitly permitted across all account types. Mobile apps work well across MT4, MT5, cTrader, and GO WebTrader. The platform diversity is one of GO Markets's strongest differentiators alongside the ASIC regulation.
GO Markets supports 5 platforms — choice affects available order types and execution model.
The industry standard for forex retail. Full EA support, custom indicators, automated trading. Mature ecosystem of community-built tools.
Newer MetaQuotes platform with additional asset classes, more timeframes, and improved backtesting. Recommended for newer accounts unless you have legacy MT4 EAs.
Spotware's platform — preferred by traders who want native depth-of-market, level II pricing, and advanced order types. Modern interface, faster than MT4.
GO Markets offers 4 live account types, all with a $200 minimum where applicable:
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.
E-wallet deposits are typically instant; card payments take 1-2 hours; bank wires 1-3 business days.
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.
GO Markets 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.
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