FXCM — where it wins, where it loses
FXCM wins on platform choice. It loses on headline spread. Priced across ten round-turn EUR/USD lots it comes 16 of 17 in this field.
Column by column
The split
Two lists, no averaging. A broker that takes a column outright appears on the left of it; one that gets beaten on a column appears on the right. Nothing is scored into a single number, because a single number hides which side you actually care about.
Wins on
- platform choice
Loses on
- headline spread
Cost per 10 lots is the EUR/USD spread cost of ten round-turn standard lots at the figure above, commission excluded. Where a broker publishes a "from" spread rather than an average, the comparison inherits that limitation — see the unconfirmed list further down.
Licensing
Which entity, which regulator, which number
Tier decides how much weight a licence carries in any safety column. Each row links to the page it was read from.
| Regulator | Number | Jurisdiction | Tier | Entity | Read from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FCA | 217689 | UK | Tier 1 | Stratos Markets Limited (trading as FXCM) | register.fca.org.uk |
| CySEC | 392/20 | Cyprus | Tier 2 | Stratos Europe Limited (trading as FXCM) | cysec.gov.cy |
| ASIC | AFSL 309763 | Australia | Tier 1 | Stratos Trading Pty. Limited (trading as FXCM) | fxcm.com |
| None (unregulated offshore entity) | Offshore | Tier 3 | Stratos Global LLC | fxcm.com |
Checkable
Facts the comparison runs on
On the record
- One line that changes the comparison: FXCM advertises average EUR/USD spreads of 1.3 pips on its standard offering.
| Trading since | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Base | London, UK |
| Minimum to open | $50 |
| Leverage cap | 1:30 (UK/EU retail) |
| EUR/USD | 1.30 pips |
| Terminals | Trading Station, MT4, TradingView, Capitalise.ai, Mobile apps |
| Account tiers | Standard, Active Trader, Professional |
| Record confidence | medium |
| Matchup-ready | yes — enough public cost data to run a head-to-head |
Excluded from the maths
Not verified
Not verified
These fields are not confirmed. They are shown as gaps, not filled in, and they do not feed any column of the matrix:
- minimum deposit ($50) is from third-party sources, not confirmed on an FXCM page in this research is missing, so it is excluded from every comparison on this page.
- FSCA South Africa entity name and licence number is missing, so it is excluded from every comparison on this page.
Costs less
Who beats FXCM on price
Tickmill
$10.00 per 10 lots · wins on headline spread, platform choice
JustMarkets
$30.00 per 10 lots · wins on headline spread
CMC Markets
$50.00 per 10 lots · wins on headline spread, no minimum deposit, regulatory reach, platform choice
ActivTrades
$50.00 per 10 lots · wins on headline spread, no minimum deposit, platform choice
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money. Verify every figure with the broker before opening an account.