HFM (formerly HotForex) — where it wins, where it loses
HFM (formerly HotForex) wins on entry cost. It loses on published spread. Its cost per ten lots is not confirmed, so it is left out of the cost ordering rather than estimated.
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
- entry cost
Loses on
- published 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 | 801701 | United Kingdom | Tier 1 | HF Markets (UK) Ltd | hfm.com |
| CySEC | 183/12 | Cyprus | Tier 2 | HF Markets (Europe) Ltd | hfm.com |
| FSCA | 46632 | South Africa | Tier 2 | HF Markets SA (Pty) Ltd | hfm.com |
| DFSA | F004885 | United Arab Emirates (DIFC) | Tier 2 | HF Markets (DIFC) Ltd | dfsa.ae |
| CMA Kenya | 155 | Kenya | Tier 2 | HFM Investments Ltd | hfm.com |
| FSA Seychelles | SD015 | Seychelles | Tier 3 | HF Markets (Seychelles) Ltd | hfm.com |
| Registered IBC, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (not a financial licence) | 22747 IBC 2015 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Tier 3 | HF Markets (SV) Ltd | hfm.com |
Checkable
Facts the comparison runs on
On the record
- HF Markets (SV) Ltd is an International Business Company registration in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, not a financial services licence.
- The group operates seven disclosed entities across the UK, Cyprus, South Africa, Dubai, Kenya, Seychelles and Saint Vincent.
- The Zero account advertises spreads from 0.0 pips on forex with a $0 minimum opening deposit.
- HF Markets (Europe) Ltd is a member of the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund.
| Trading since | 2010 |
|---|---|
| Base | Ebene, Mauritius |
| Minimum to open | None |
| Leverage cap | up to 1:2000 (offshore entities); 1:30 retail under FCA/CySEC |
| EUR/USD | not verified |
| Terminals | MT4, MT5, HFM app |
| Account tiers | Cent, Premium, Pro, Pro Plus, Zero, Top-up Bonus |
| Markets | Forex, Metals, Indices, Energies, Shares, Bonds, ETFs, Crypto CFDs |
| Record confidence | high |
| Matchup-ready | no — too many gaps to run a fair 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:
- headquarters city (group-level)
- maximum leverage per specific entity
- typical EUR/USD spread (source only gave an advertised 'from 0.0' raw-account figure)
Costs less
Who beats HFM (formerly HotForex) on price
Tickmill
$10.00 per 10 lots · wins on headline spread, platform choice
Eightcap
$10.00 per 10 lots · wins on regulatory reach
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
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.