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The post Best CFD Brokers and Trading Platforms by Jay and Julie Hawk appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.
Adding a contract for difference (CFD) to your portfolio could reduce your risk and increase your returns through diversification. A typical CFD trading platform lets you trade thousands of financial instruments and commodities, with no obligation to own the underlying asset.
CFDs let you speculate on a price movement of an asset, whether stocks, cryptocurrencies, commodities or forex, giving you the ability to diversify your trading over a wide range of assets. Keep in mind that trading in CFD contracts cannot be traded by U.S. residents.
In the following article, we have reviewed the best CFD brokers and trading platforms currently available, taking into account key features like commissions, markets, payments and regulation.
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Best CFD Platforms for Trading
Here are some of the best CFD trading platforms available.
Best Overall: Plus500
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82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Plus500 is an online CFD broker focusing on contracts for difference (CFDs). CFDs are similar to binary options in the U.S. where traders take all-or-nothing speculation on the prices of certain securities like indices, commodities or currencies. While not legal to trade in the U.S., CFDs are legal in many jurisdictions across the globe and Plus500 offers a wide array of tradable markets using these instruments.
Plus500 doesn’t charge commission and only profits off the spread, which is the difference between the buy and sell price of a specific security. But Plus500 is not a broker for beginners — the education materials are sparse and CFDs are risky derivatives capable of sapping out all of an investor’s capital. Only trade these instruments if you understand how they operate and the risks involved with buying them.
Best For
- Traders looking for a smooth mobile experience
- Great mobile app
- Low spreads and commissions
- Unlimited demo account
- Only derivatives are available
- Not open to U.S. residents
- Plus500 offers CFDs on over 2,800 financial instruments, including futures, shares, forex, indices, commodities, ETFs and options.
Why We Picked It: Plus500 offers free deposits and withdrawals, with a low $100 minimum investment requirement. A 0.7% currency conversion fee applies per transaction if the account currency differs from the traded currency. However, the platform may not be suitable for beginners, as it earns revenue exclusively from spreads rather than commissions. Experienced traders can start immediately, utilizing the platform to grow their portfolios and maximize returns. With its intuitive interface and extensive resources, Plus500 empowers investors to build multi-asset portfolios designed for long-term savings, income generation, or a balanced strategy.
Best for Advanced Tools and Features: Vantage Markets
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Established in 2009, Vantage is a CFD broker with over 15 years in the industry and is trusted by 5,000,000+ traders. Vantage Markets is an excellent choice for both beginner and seasoned traders, offering features tailored to diverse needs. With a low $50 minimum deposit, no account maintenance fees, and access to over 1,000 tradable instruments, it appeals to those seeking affordability and variety. Advanced tools like MetaTrader 4 and 5, TradingView, and proprietary platforms cater to professional traders, while copy trading and educational resources support beginners. Negative balance protection and segregated accounts ensure enhanced security.
Best For
- Professional investors in need of an all-in-one broker
- Those who are keen to learn more with free trading education resources
- Intermediate and advanced traders with a small amount of capital
- Spreads from 0.0 pips on FX, no overnight fees, and $0 commission on US shares
- 1,000+ CFDs on forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, and bonds to diversify your portfolio
- Leverage options vary from 100:1 to 1000:1, tailored to the regulatory requirements of each region
- Trade like professionals at a low cost with our copy trading tool
- One-click trading, comprehensive TradingView charts, expert market analysis, and real-time price alerts all within the same platform
- Free articles, interactive courses, educational videos, podcasts, and webinars, covering everything from how the markets work, to complex technical strategies
- Real-time market analysis and insights
- Intuitive mobile app with extensive functionality
- Negative balance protection
- 24/7 customer service is ideal for international account holders
- Convenient and seamless deposit and withdrawal process
- ASIC, FSCA, the FCS and VFSC regulations
- Funds withdrawal: 2-5 business days
- Promotional Campaign: Gain an extra 50% on your deposit or up to 100% when you make your first-time deposit to a Perpetual Account
- Product range could be increased
- Vantage Markets offers more than 1,000 CFD products, including forex, indices, commodities, shares, ETFs, and bonds.
Why We Picked It: Vantage Markets provides access to a diverse range of tradable assets, including forex pairs, global indices, precious metals such as gold and silver, energy commodities, soft commodities, shares, and ETFs. The platform supports advanced trading through MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), ProTrader powered by TradingView, and a user-friendly mobile app, all equipped with cutting-edge charting tools, one-click trading, and various technical indicators. Traders benefit from competitive spreads starting as low as 0.0 pips and fast execution speeds, enabling them to seize market opportunities with precision.
Best for Multi-Asset CFDs & Crypto/FIAT Funding: PrimeXBT
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PrimeXBT, founded in 2018 and opened in 2019, is a multi-asset brokerage that features up to 100 times leveraged trading on the most popular cryptocurrencies and stock indices, and up to 1,000 times leverage on forex pairs and commodities. The experience is broken down between dynamic crypto futures trading and CFDs for traditional assets. The brokerage also charges dynamic fees that decrease to as low as 0.001% as your balance grows.
The platform features a few trading products to serve all of your needs, including the flagship PrimeXBT crypto futures platform, which offers comprehensive trading tools, an educational platform called PrimeXBT Trading Academy, weekly trading competitions, and the Covesting copy trading module, which allows you to copy strategies and invest alongside other experienced traders of your choice. All trading aspects of the trading platform feature a modern and sleek customizable user interface.
PrimeXBT requires KYC in the same way as other brokerages do. The platform boasts a plethora of safety features to ensure the security of your funds and account. Some features include 2FA, manual withdrawal clearance, crypto address whitelisting and cold storage of digital assets.
Best For
- Traders who are looking to maximize their profits
- Active traders
- Traders of any level
- Traders who prefer anonymity
- Traders who want to diversify their portfolios across different asset type
- Traders who want good customer support — 24/7 live chat feature in 16 languages
- Multi-asset platform (forex, crypto, indices, commodities, share CFDs) under one account (Crypto Futures, PXTrader, MT5)
- FSCA-authorized entity in South Africa (FSP 45697), plus additional global licenses
- 0% commissions on CFDs (spread-only) with competitive, variable spreads
- High leverage options (up to 1:2000 on MT5 forex; up to 1:500 on Crypto Futures) — for experienced traders
- TradingView-powered charts and advanced technical analysis; interface customization and alerts
- Flexible funding and settlement in fiat or crypto (USD, USDT, USDC, BTC, ETH) with broad payment rails
- Free demo account, weekly trading contests, and a Rewards Center with bonuses/cashback
- Native mobile apps (iOS/Android) with full trading, funding, and account management
- Not available to clients in the U.S. or Canada; additional regional restrictions apply
- Variable product/payment availability by jurisdiction; some features may be limited locally
- Leverage and derivatives carry high risk (financing every 8 hours on futures; overnight fees on CFDs)
- Spreads are not fixed and can widen during volatility/liquidity gaps
- Crypto withdrawals incur network fees; higher withdrawal limits typically require account verification
PrimeXBT is a multi-asset platform offering CFDs on forex, indices, commodities, and shares alongside Crypto Futures, all under one account. Trade on the web platform, PXTrader, or MetaTrader 5 (EAs supported) with TradingView-powered charting, flexible leverage, and a free demo. Funding and settlement are available in crypto or fiat (e.g., BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, or USD). Note: CFDs aren’t available to U.S. residents; availability and features vary by region.
Fees: CFDs on PXTrader/MT5: 0% commission (spread only). Crypto Futures: maker from ~0.01% / taker ~0.045%.
Why we picked it: PrimeXBT stands out for breadth (300+ instruments), pro-grade tooling (MT5 + TradingView), and flexible crypto/fiat deposits—useful for active CFD traders who want multi-market access without juggling multiple accounts.
Best for All Around Offerings: City Index
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***CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 68% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
City Index is a leading provider of online trading services, specializing in Contracts for Difference (CFDs), forex and spread betting. With over 35 years of experience, City Index offers a wide range of tradable assets to cater to the needs of both individual and institutional traders.
The broker is available to traders from various countries around the world. Providing their services in multiple languages. The platform can be accessed in languages such as English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, and Arabic, among others. This ensures that traders can navigate the platform comfortably and access all the necessary information in their preferred language.
City Index has offices in the U.K., Australia, and Singapore and is authorized by the following Tier-1 regulators: Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Best For
- Offers fixed and variable spreads + raw spreads in Australia
- Selection of contracts for difference
- Trusted broker owned by StoneX Group Inc.
- Spread betting available to UK clients
- Over 13,500 markets to trade
- EUR/USD spreads as low as 0.0
- Up to 30:1 leverage for traders in the UK and Australia and up to 50:1 leverage for traders in Singapore
- 80+ FX pairs and 80+ indicators
- Exclusive trading tools, including Performance analytics, SMART Signals, Trading Central and TradingView
- Tradable assets include forex, indices, shares, commodities and other markets such as bonds and ETFs depending on region
- Trading platforms include MT4, web trader, TradingView and a mobile app
- Accounts include CFD & spread betting, corporate accounts, professional accounts, live market analysis, academy and shares – extended hours
- Forex spreads are higher for MT4
- Does not accept U.S. forex traders
- City Index offers 13,500+ global financial markets including indices, shares and forex.
Why We Picked It: City Index is a well-established CFD and spread betting broker known for its reliability, competitive pricing, and wide range of tradable markets, including forex, indices, shares, and commodities. It offers advanced trading platforms like MetaTrader 4 and its proprietary Web Trader, featuring powerful tools for charting, analysis, and risk management. With strong regulatory oversight, responsive customer support, and additional features like educational resources and market insights.
Best for Beginners: Tickmill
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Tickmill is an award-winning, multi-regulated investment firm offering trading in a plethora of asset classes including, CFDs in forex, precious metals, indices, stocks, commodities, cryptocurrencies and bonds.
USD base rate is 2.25%, GBP is 2.00% and EUR is 2.00%.
Apart from offering various platforms, Tickmill caters to traders of all levels by providing competitive pricing, leverage up to 1:500 depending on the entity and client classification, dedicated support, exclusive market analysis and a wide array of trading tools and education. This low-spread broker offers fast execution, several payment methods and no restrictions on trading strategies such as hedging or scalping.
Futures and Options are offered with Direct Market Access across multiple globally regulated Futures exchanges including CME, CBOT, NYMEX, COMEX, EUREX, ICE Futures Europe and more. Real Futures include Stocks, Indices, Forex, Metals, Cryptos and Energies like the Micro E-Mini S&P 500, Micro E-Mini Nasdaq 100 and Micro Bitcoin Futures.
Future and Options are offered with probably the lowest fees and transparent commission structures in the industry, ultra-low latency, and seamless trading solutions for high volume trading with reliable, flawless order routing underpinned by advanced technologies.
Tickmill has become a trusted market-leading broker because of its commitment to seeking regulations in several jurisdictions. Traders have access to forex, stocks, commodities, cryptocurrency and bond markets as well as Futures and Options.
Free educational content and advanced tools are available for novice and experienced traders to help them enhance their trading strategies and achieve their trading goals.
The 20+ awards received are a testament to Tickmill’s commitment to providing optimal trading conditions for retail and institutional clients. Besides offering low spreads and fast execution, Tickmill ensures no trading restrictions, access to CFDs and occasionally runs campaigns (under Tickmill Ltd) to reward traders for their loyalty and activities.
Best For
- Forex, stocks, commodities, precious metals, bonds and crypto with competitive conditions
- Futures & Options trading with probably the lowest fees in the industry
- Retail and institutional clients
- Traders seeking various platforms and accounts
- Beginners wanting free trading tools and educational material
- Traders incorporating advanced tools and algorithm systems
- Strongly regulated broker
- Swap-free accounts available
- Enables access to various markets and asset classes
- Fast execution speed in milliseconds
- Crypto trading available 24/7 with 0 Commissions, 0 Swaps
- Deposits and withdrawals in BTC, ETH and USDT
- Free educational content
- Negative balance protection
- Mobile app available for account management
- User-friendly client area
- Free demo accounts
- Regulators: Seychelles Financial Services Authority (FSA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), DFSA UAE, Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA),
- Live chat is unavailable on weekends
- Simple news feeds available
- Tickmill offers 620+ CFDs across currency pairs, commodities, stocks and ETFs, indices, cryptocurrencies and bonds.
Why We Picked It: In addition to offering multiple platforms, Tickmill supports traders of all experience levels with competitive pricing, leverage up to 1:500 (depending on entity and client classification), dedicated customer support, in-depth market analysis, and a comprehensive suite of trading tools and educational resources. Known for its low spreads and fast execution, Tickmill allows various payment methods and imposes no restrictions on strategies like hedging or scalping.
Best for Low Fees: Axi
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Founded in 2007, AxiCorp has grown from a two-person startup to an industry-leading online trading company, trusted by thousands of traders worldwide.
Axi is a fully digital and user-friendly global award-winning broker offering CFD trading on the popular MetaTrader4 (MT4) platform. It provides clients with extensive trading education for different levels and experiences, as well as smart automated trading solutions that include PAMM accounts and a Copy Trading app. On the Axi blog, you can access free market news, trading guides, price prediction articles and other useful resources that can help you build your trading skills and understand the markets better.
Talented Axi traders who wish to become professionals can receive funding through the Axi Select capital allocation programme.
You can open a Live trading account at Axi with a minimum deposit of $500. Axi also offers a free demo account that allows you to hone your skills and trade risk-free with $50,000 USD in virtual currency.
Best For
- Derivatives traders who use MT4
- Copy Trading
- Automated trading
- Traders looking for funding
- Competitive spreads with fast execution speed
- Copy trading to learn from professional traders
- Autochartist integration and advanced analytics driven by AI and ML
- Trading Central and user-friendly MetaTrader 4 platform
- Economic calendar with country and category filters for news of economic affairs and economic indicators from across the globe
- Axi Select capital allocation program offering funding up to $1 million USD
- No deposit or withdrawal fees
- Doesn’t accept U.S. traders
- Web trading platform could use some work
- $10 per month after 12 months of inactivity
- Axi offers over 220 CFD products, including forex, shares, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies.
Why We Picked It: Axi is a global online trading platform known for its competitive pricing, high liquidity, and powerful trading tools. It offers flexible leverage, raw spreads starting from 0.0 pips, and fast execution speeds, making it an attractive choice for traders. With a strong commitment to customer support, Axi provides a range of educational resources, a multilingual support team, and access to the industry-standard MT4 platform. Recognized for its transparency and reliability, Axi has built a reputation as a trusted broker, serving traders in over 100 countries.
Best for Ease-of-Use: FOREX.com
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The products and services available to you will depend on your country of residence and the FOREX.com entity that holds your account, as well as any as well as any applicable regulatory guidelines. To verify the availability of any products or features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly
FOREX.com is a highly trusted global broker for forex and CFD traders. With a massive range of tradable currencies, low account minimums and an impressive trading platform, FOREX.com is an excellent choice for traders searching for a home base for their currency trading. New traders and seasoned veterans alike will love FOREX.com’s extensive education and research center that provides free, informative forex trading courses at multiple skill levels.
FOREX.com is regulated by Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and member of the National Futures Association (NFA) in the U.S. They also are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK among other regulators including CIRO, ASIC and more.
Best For
- Beginner forex traders
- Active forex traders
- Impressive, easy-to-navigate platform
- Up to 30:1 leverage
- Access to 80+ FX pairs and 80+ technical indicators
- Trade to your full capability with the mobile app with quality execution with one-swipe trading, advanced TradingView charting and analysis tools, real-time trade & order alerts and full account management features
- Exclusive trading tools including Trading Central, TradingView, Smart Signals and Performance Analytics
- EUR/USD spread as little as 0.0 and low commissions
- 30 indicators for technical analysis, nine timeframes and graphical objects such as Line Studies and Shapes on MT4
- Various tradable asset classes including forex, shares CFDs, crypto CFDs, commodities and indices
- No negative balance protection
- $15 per month inactivity fee after no trading activity for 12 months
- FOREX.com provides 220 CFDs including forex, stocks, commodities and futures.
Why We Picked It: FOREX.com is known for its competitive pricing, deep liquidity, and advanced trading platforms. The broker provides traders with fast execution, flexible leverage, and robust analytical tools. FOREX.com trading platforms include their Advanced Trading Platform, MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, a web-based platform and a mobile app. The accessibility options guarantee no missed experiences.
Best for Professional Traders: Interactive Brokers
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Interactive Brokers is a comprehensive trading platform that gives you access to a massive range of securities at affordable prices. You can buy assets from all around the world from the comfort of your home or office with access to over 160 global markets, allowing you to access the forex market with ease. Options, futures and fund trading are also available, and most traders won’t pay a commission on any purchase or sale.
IBKR is geared primarily toward experienced traders and investors but now with the availability of free trades with IBKR Lite, casual traders can also acclimate to IBKR’s offerings.
Best For
- Access to foreign markets
- Detailed mobile app that makes trading simpler
- Massive range of accounts and assets
- Quality desktop platform and mobile app mirrors the desktop platform
- Tight spreads as narrow as 1/10 PIP
- Industry-leading product and service portfolio featuring ultra-low trading fees
- Algorithmic trading available
- Asset selections that cover over 160 financial markets
- More regulated globally than any other broker
- Deep liquidity and real time quotes from 17 of the world’s largest FX dealers
- Low commissions, 0.08 to 0.20 bps times trade size, with no hidden spreads or markups
- The scope of this platform may intimidate some traders
- Only accepts institutional traders in the U.S.
- Lack of forex charts on the web platform
- Interactive Brokers lets you trade over 8,500 Share CFDs available to trade globally.
Why We Picked It: Interactive Brokers offers some of the lowest commissions and fees for retail traders, as well as some of the highest quality features, research and services available for traders. Interactive Brokers is also one of the most professional and versatile online brokers currently available to retail traders who can afford its substantial initial deposit of $10,000 or the equivalent. Operating in 150 markets in 33 countries. Interactive Brokers is represented on all major world markets and exchanges, plus most regional stock, options and commodities exchanges.
Features to Look for in CFD Trading Platforms
Keep these things in mind when looking for a suitable CFD trading platform:
Trading Costs
The less you pay out to your CFD broker in trading costs, the more money you will have in your trading account. Trading costs include trading commissions and fees, dealing spreads and account management fees.
Tradable Assets
You will want to select a CFD trading partner that offers CFDs on all the underlying assets you wish to trade. Assets that can be traded as CFDs include stocks, indices, commodities, currencies (forex), and cryptocurrencies. CFDs allow traders to speculate on the price movements of these underlying assets without actually owning them, offering potential profits from both rising and falling markets.
Customer Support
How easily and quickly you can access your broker in case a problem arises and how well they respond to queries and resolve issues can make a substantial difference to your success as a CFD trader. Also, novice traders may require more customer support and educational materials while they learn the ropes of CFD trading.
Mobile App
Many CFD traders want to be able to watch asset markets, check their CFD trade executions, enter trades and perform market analysis using their smartphones or tablets while away from their desktop computers. A CFD broker having a mobile app suitable for your device can therefore become a priority feature.
Trading from Charts
If you plan on doing technical analysis and then quickly entering a trade when you spot an opportunity, you will probably want to trade directly from price charts. Most decent CFD trading platforms will offer this important feature.
Fast Execution
Since CFD trading opportunities are often fleeting, transactions need to be executed quickly. Make sure a broker you are considering has quick transaction times for clients based in your locale and that issues like order slippage and requotes are minimal. You can test execution speeds by making small transactions in a live account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are CFDs good for trading?
Those traders who wish to use leverage tend to find CFDs attractive, and CFDs are typically simpler to trade than the underlying asset. Still, trading CFDs involves special risks that include minimal broker regulation, possible low liquidity and the need to maintain enough margin to cover possible leveraged losses.
Is CFD trading profitable?
If you have a sound trading plan, then CFD trading might be profitable for you, and some people have reported making substantial sums of money trading CFDs. You can also profit from both upwards and downwards trending markets when trading CFDs.
Is CFD trading high risk?
CFD trading can be considered high risk due to factors such as leverage, volatility in the market, and the potential for significant financial losses. There is always a chance of losing all or a substantial portion of your investment when engaging in CFD trading. It requires thorough research, proper risk management, and a deep understanding of the market to minimize the risks involved.
The post Best CFD Brokers and Trading Platforms by Jay and Julie Hawk appeared first on Benzinga. Visit Benzinga to get more great content like this.
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