ActivTrades Review 2023

4
/ 5
ActivTrades is #95 in our CFD broker rankings.

ActivTrades offers online trading on the MT4, MT5 and ActivTrader platforms. Over 93.60% of orders are executed at the requested price.


Trusted

Demo Account

Beginner Friendly

Award Winning
$10
MT4, MT5
Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, ETFs, cryptos
Cashback on trades
USD, EUR, GBP, CHF
Neteller, PayPal, Credit Card, Debit Card, Wire Transfer
and 4 more

Forex Trading

Trade on the foreign exchange market with up to 1:400 leverage.

Stocks Trading

Trade 1000+ stocks and shares from around the world.

CFD Trading

CFDs are available on hundreds of markets including FX, indices, shares, & commodities.

Crypto Trading

Trade 16 of the most know cryptos

Spread Betting

Trade on forex, indices, EFTs, commodities and LSE shares.

Awards

  • Best Forex Broker Europe 2022 - Forex-Awards.com
  • Most Trusted Global FX Broker 2022 - International Investor Magazine
  • Best CFD Broker 2021 - Rankia
  • Safest Global Broker 2021 - International Investor Award Winners
  • Best FX Broker 2021 - Le Fonti Award

ActivTrades is a UK-based broker offering forex and CFD trading plus spread betting on MT4, MT5 and its ActivTrader platform. The brand also posts average execution speeds of 0.004 seconds. Our 2023 review covers the login process, margin requirements, bonuses and more. Find out if ActivTrades is the right broker for your financial goals.

ActivTrades Overview

ActivTrades PLC was founded in 2001 in Switzerland and established its London headquarters in 2005. The broker has a strong client base in Europe across Italy, Germany, France, and Portugal as well as overseas markets, such as Australia.

The company’s number of employees runs in the hundreds and it has offices in Milan, Bahamas, Dubai, Bulgaria (Sofia) and Luxembourg. ActivTrades Corp is a subsidiary of ActivTrades PLC, authorized and regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The global brokerage also holds a license with the Securities Commission of the Bahamas.

Trading Platforms

ActivTrader

ActivTrader is a user-friendly platform that combines advanced features with industry-leading technology, perfect for beginning your trading career. The platform is compatible with major web browsers, excluding Internet Explorer.

Features include:

ActivTrader trading platform
ActivTrader platform

Additional advanced tools, most of which are also compatible with MT4 and MT5, include:

MetaTrader 4

ActivTrades offers MT4, a globally recognized platform, particularly for forex trading. You can download MT4 to desktop devices, major web browsers, and mobile.

Highlights of MT4 include:

ActivTrades MT4 cfd trading platform screenshot
ActivTrades MT4 platform

MetaTrader 5

ActivTrades also offer the MT5 platform, suited to more experienced investors. In addition to trading on forex, indices and shares, MT5 provides access to ETFs and over 500 CFDs. You can download MT5 to your desktop, use the WebTrader, or trade from your mobile.

Key benefits of the MT5 solution include:

ActivTrader MT5 platform
ActivTrades MT5 platform

Assets & Markets

Tradable assets at the online broker include:

A variety of ETFs and spread betting is also provided for UK clients. Binary options are not available.

ActivTrades offers more company shares than the likes of Pepperstone and XTB. However other brokers, including eToro and Admiral Markets, offer a broader range of CFDs and cryptocurrencies.

Spreads & Commissions

ActivTrades offers competitive forex spreads as low as 0.5 pips on the EUR/USD and USD/JPY and 0.8 pips on the GBP/USD. The broker charges no commission on forex trades.

On CFDs and indices, financial spreads are as low as 0.01 pips. Shares are available at 0-0.1% commission of the transaction value, with minimums ranging between 1 USD to 5 EUR.

For UK-based clients, there is a low commission of 0.5 pips on spread betting.

The broker also charges swap rate fees for positions held overnight, further details of which can be found on the company website.

Leverage

Leverage rates are capped at 1:30 in countries that fall under ESMA regulations, including the UK. However, international traders can access up to 1:200 maximum leverage depending on lot size.

Margin ranges:

The highest available margin for cryptocurrency is 1:10.

Note that professional accounts can unlock up to 1:400 leverage.

Mobile App

The ActivTrader, MT4 and MT5 platforms are all available for mobile trading. The applications allow for complete account management and price analysis from your mobile or tablet device. In addition, payments, bonuses and customer support are all available.

Head to the mobile trading section located underneath each platform page on the broker’s website for instructions on how to invest from your iPhone, iPad or Android device.

ActivTrades mobile trading platform iOS and android
ActivTrades mobile trading

Payment Methods

Deposits

The minimum deposit at ActivTrades is fairly high at $500. Several payment methods are available offering prompt processing:

Withdrawals

Select ‘request a withdrawal’ from the client area to retrieve profits and revenue via the following options:

All withdrawals are free unless transferring to Citibank or Moneycorp which incur a £9 charge.

For withdrawal problems, the customer support email address or live chat are the best forums to discuss any issues.

Demo Account

ActivTrades offers a demo account where users can test their skills with £10,000 in virtual funds. All three platforms are available in the paper trading environment. However, with the MT5 solution, market data on CFD shares are shown with a 15-minute delay.

Bonuses & Promotions

You can earn cashback on every trade you place once you reach $50m notional value traded. While a good promotion, the volume requirements in the promotional terms and conditions are high. The broker does not offer a no deposit bonus.

This offer is only available to international clients that don’t fall under ESMA laws which prohibit bonuses.

Regulation & Licensing

ActivTrades Corp is regulated by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas and is a subsidiary of ActivTrades PLC which is regulated and authorized by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Under this regulation, the company must follow a pillar 1, 2 and 3 system in order to secure clients’ funds. As such, ActivTrades has a robust Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP).

The FCA is a respectable regulatory body and means the broker receives a good trust rating in this review.

Note that clients from the USA are not accepted.

Additional Features

The firm has extensive training and education courses via webinars. Free content is available at all levels from fundamental principles to advanced trading theories. The broker also offers one-to-one training with industry experts on how best to use the ActivTrades platforms and tools.

In addition, the company offers bridging loans and alternative investment options. Speak to the customer support team for more information.

Account Types

ActivTrades offers several trading account options:

Both individual and professional accounts share similar features such as negative balance protection, FSCS protection, segregated accounts, and best execution. However, the standard individual account includes features such as rewards, risk alerts, and leverage warnings. It also allows for trading in mini and microlots.

Required compliance documents to open an account include passports, utility bills and bank statements.

Benefits

If you take ActivTrades vs IC Markets, NinjaTrader, ZuluTrade, or TradingView, the broker scores well in the following areas:

Drawbacks

Downsides of trading with ActivTrades include:

Trading Hours

ActivTrades follows standard market hours. Times vary slightly depending on the instrument but typically are open Monday to Friday. Server times on the platform may vary depending on your location. Cryptos are available between Sunday 23:00 GMT and Friday 23:00 GMT.

ActivTrades runs a reduced schedule on bank holidays in line with global financial markets. More information regarding specific changes is available on the broker’s website.

Customer Support

ActivTrades offer customer support in multiple languages, 24/5. A live chat channel, a free call back hotline, plus email support are available from the respective logos and icons on the right-hand side of the official webpage. Users can also head to the FAQ section for answers to common issues. The live chat function is particularly useful with efficient and informative agents to cover most queries.

ActivTrades have a 95% customer satisfaction rating for their support service.

Security

ActivTrades Corp has fund protection insurance up to $1 million. The broker uses secure encryption protocols to protect platforms, servers and payments. The MetaTrader platforms also offer strong user security with additional authentication options at login.

ActivTrades Verdict

ActivTrades offers a broad range of accounts and tools where users can trade forex, indices, commodities, cryptos and shares. Access to the globally recognized MT4 and MT5 platforms as well as the broker’s ActivTrader solution, means investors of all ability levels are catered for.

Accepted Countries

ActivTrades accepts traders from Australia, Thailand, United Kingdom, South Africa, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Italy, Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Qatar and most other countries.

Traders can not use ActivTrades from United States, Canada.

Payment Methods

ActivTrades Details

Minimum Trade 0.01 lots
Regulated By FCA, SCB
Islamic Account Yes
Mobile Apps Yes
Margin Trading Yes
Volatility Index Yes
Spot Trading Yes
Perpetual Swaps No
ELWs No
REITs No
AI / Machine Learning No
Robo Advisor No
P2P Trading No
Negative Balance Protection Yes
VPS Hosting Yes
Tournaments No
Demo Competitions No
Managed Accounts No
Market Maker Yes
Auto Trading Yes (APIs)
Social Trading No
Trade Signals Yes
Guaranteed Stop Loss No
Stock Exchanges
  • Australian Securities Exchange
  • CAC 40 Index France
  • DAX GER 40 Index
  • Deutsche Boerse
  • Dow Jones
  • Euronext
  • FTSE UK Index
  • Hong Kong Stock Exchange
  • IBEX 35
  • Japan Exchange Group
  • London Stock Exchange
  • Nasdaq
  • Nasdaq Dubai
  • New York Stock Exchange
  • SIX Swiss Exchange
Commodities
  • Cocoa
  • Coffee
  • Copper
  • Corn
  • Cotton
  • Gasoline
  • Gold
  • Natural Gas
  • Oil
  • Silver
  • Sugar
  • Wheat

CFD Trading Details

FTSE Spread 1.7 – 2.95
GBPUSD Spread 0.8
Oil Spread 0.03 – 0.08
Stocks Spread Variable
Leverage 1:400

Forex Trading Details

GBPUSD Spread 0.8
EURUSD Spread 0.5
EURGBP Spread 0.8
Assets 50+

Cryptocurrency Trading Details

Crypto Spread Variable
Crypto Lending No
Crypto Staking No
Crypto Mining No
Crypto Auto Market Maker No
Crypto Coins
  • ADA
  • AVAX
  • BCH
  • BNB
  • BTC
  • DOGE
  • DOT
  • EOS
  • ETH
  • LINK
  • LTC
  • NEO
  • SOL
  • XLM
  • XMR
  • XRP

Compare ActivTrades

Compare ActivTrades with similar brokers that accept traders from your location. Among available brokers these are the most similar to ActivTrades:

  1. IG Group – IG is an award-winning broker that has an excellent reputation globally. The brand-US offers spread betting, CFD and forex trading across a comprehensive suite of markets. IG is also multi-regulated, provides a great trading app and has 50 years experience.
    Go to IG Group
  2. Just2Trade – Just2Trade offer high-tech trading on stocks and options with some of the lowest prices in the industry.
    Go to Just2Trade
  3. Forex.com – Forex.com boasts a global reputation with multiple awards and 20+ years experience. Regulated in the US, EU, UK and Canada they offer a huge range of markets, not just forex, and offer competitive fees on a cutting-edge platform. The brand also provides a suite of additional tools, from performance analytics and SMART Signals to advanced charts and strategy builders.
    Go to Forex.com

ActivTrades Comparison Table

Compare ActivTrades With Similar Brokers
ActivTrades IG Group Just2Trade Forex.com
Rating 4 4.4 3.5 4.5
Markets Forex, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, ETFs, cryptos Forex, ETFs, CFDs, indices, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, options, futures, spread betting Stocks, ADRs, ETFs, futures, options, commodities, bonds Forex, CFDs, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Cryptos, Futures, Options
Demo Account Yes Yes Yes Yes
Minimum Deposit $10 £250 $100 $100
Minimum Trade 0.01 lots 0.1 lots 0.01 $1
Regulators FCA, SCB FCA, ASIC, MAS, FSCA, JFSA, FMA, CFTC, NFA, BMA, DFSA, FINMA, BaFin CySEC, NFA, FINRA, Bank of Russia CySEC, IIROC, NFA, CFTC, FCA, CIMA, CIRO
Bonus Cashback on trades Up to $2,000 for professional accounts
Education Yes Yes No Yes
Platforms MT4, MT5 MT4, AutoChartist, TradingCentral MT4, MT5, TradingCentral MT4, MT5, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral
Leverage 1:400 1:30 1:5 to 1:20 1:200
Payment Methods 9 6 20 8
Visit Visit Visit Visit
Review ActivTrades
Review
IG Group
Review
Just2Trade
Review
Forex.com
Review

Compare Trading Instruments

Compare the markets and instruments offered by ActivTrades and its competitors. Please note, some markets may only be available via CFDs or other derivatives.

Compare ActivTrades Trading Instruments
ActivTrades IG Group Just2Trade Forex.com
CFD Yes Yes Yes Yes
Forex Yes Yes Yes Yes
Stocks Yes Yes Yes Yes
Commodities Yes Yes Yes Yes
Oil Yes Yes Yes Yes
Gold Yes Yes Yes Yes
Copper Yes Yes No No
Silver Yes Yes Yes Yes
Corn Yes No No No
Crypto Yes Yes Yes Yes
Futures Yes Yes Yes Yes
Options No Yes Yes Yes
ETFs Yes Yes Yes No
Bonds Yes Yes Yes No
Warrants No Yes No No
Spreadbetting Yes Yes No No
Volatility Index Yes Yes No No

ActivTrades vs Other Brokers

Compare ActivTrades with any other broker by selecting the other broker below.

ActivTrades vs

FAQ

Is ActivTrades PLC Regulated?

ActivTrades PLC is regulated by the UK Financial Conduct Authority and the Securities Commission of the Bahamas. This suggests that the broker is reliable and trustworthy.

What Trading Platforms Does ActivTrades Use?

The company offers well-known industry platforms MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, plus its ActivTrader terminal.

Is ActivTrades Available On Mobile?

Yes, all platforms are compatible with iOS and Android devices. The ActivTrader, MT4 and MT5 mobile apps can be downloaded from the respective app stores.

Does ActivTrades Offer A Demo Account?

ActivTrades offer a demo account on all three of its platforms. They offer £10,000 in virtual funds for users to test their ability in the financial markets.

What Is The Process For Withdrawing Money From ActivTrades?

Withdrawals can be made through bank transfers, Neteller, Skrill, and PayPal. All withdrawals are free except via bank transfers like Citibank or Moneycorp which incur a £9 fee.

Is ActivTrades An ECN Broker Or A Market Maker?

ActivTrades acts as a market maker, following a non-dealing desk model as opposed to using an ECN model.

What Is The ActivTradesades’ UK Phone Number?

The English support desk has the following phone number: +44 (0) 207 6500 567. The main desk can be reached at: +44 (0) 207 6500 500.

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ActivTrades offers online trading on the MT4, MT5 and ActivTrader platforms. Over 93.60% of orders are executed at the requested price.