Merrill Edge — where it wins, where it loses
Merrill Edge does not currently take a column outright against this field. No column in our set puts it behind the field. 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
No column where Merrill Edge takes the field outright.
Loses on
No column in this set puts Merrill Edge behind the field.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (US) | 7691 | US | Tier 1 | entity not examined | brokercheck.finra.org |
Checkable
Facts the comparison runs on
On the record
- Merrill Edge: deposit as advertised by the firm, 2026-10 (https://www.merrilledge.com/pricing)
- Merrill Edge: software as advertised by the firm, 2026-10 (https://www.merrilledge.com/investing/merrill-self-directed-trading)
| Trading since | not verified |
|---|---|
| Base | not verified |
| Minimum to open | None (as advertised by Merrill Edge, 2026-10 · source) |
| Leverage cap | not examined |
| EUR/USD | not verified |
| Terminals | Proprietary web platform |
| Account tiers | Merrill Edge Self-Directed (general investing), Merrill Edge Self-Directed retirement (IRA) |
| Markets | not verified |
| Record confidence | not assessed |
| Matchup-ready | no — too many gaps to run a fair head-to-head |
Excluded from the maths
Not verified
Not verified
Every input above traces to a source we can re-open. Nothing about Merrill Edge is carried on the broker's word alone.
Costs less
Who beats Merrill Edge 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.