Established in 2003, Cobra Trading is a US-based brokerage specializing in equities and options contracts. The firm offers 3 powerful platforms and is aimed at professional clients or those looking for retirement accounts. Cobra Trading is regulated by the NFA and SIPC and is a member of FINRA.
JP Markets is a South African forex and CFD broker established in 2016. The broker is regulated by the FSCA in South Africa although the firm has been involved in controversy in recent years. The brokerage offers thousands of assets in ECN and STP accounts, including forex, stocks and commodities. The firm promises high-quality support, tailored services and innovation to its global traders.
Bonus Offer
200% deposit bonus up to R280,000
Comment by Reviewer
"After exploring this popular US brokerage, I think experienced stock traders who can deposit at least $30,000 to open an account with appreciate the broker’s low trading fees of $0.0015 per share."
"South African traders looking to speculate on 5000+ popular markets with a $0 minimum deposit and high leverage up to 1:500 will be well served by JP Markets."
Pros
I’m happy with the broker’s regulatory status in the US, with oversight from reputable bodies including the SIPC, NFA and FINRA. This, coupled, with the broker’s strong reputation since 2003 is a great sign of a trustworthy firm
I think the choice of 3 platforms means all strategies and trading styles are catered to. All platforms offer comprehensive charting packages, with sophisticated analysis tools and advanced order types
I found some reasonably low fees at Cobra Trading, including shares from $0.0015, options from $0.30 and margin rates as low as 8%
Cobra Trading offers a good range of account types, including traditional and Roth IRA’s, plus joint, corporate and trust accounts
I like that Cobra Trading doesn’t enforce any minimums on trades and there are also no locate fees
A wide selection of 5000 instruments spanning stocks, forex, indices, commodities and cryptos
No fees on deposits or withdrawals plus a breadth of local payment methods for South African clients
Range of ECN or STP account types with ZAR, USD and GBP base currencies
Decent demo account for beginners with flexible leverage
Same-day deposits and withdrawals
Free forex courses and webinars
WhatsApp customer support
MetaTrader 4 integration
Cons
Despite the low trading fees, this broker does charge several other platform and admin fees which will soon add up, including monthly software fees from $100 and market data packages from $18 per month
Unfortunately, Cobra Trading isn’t going to be suitable for novices, as the minimum deposit to open an account is $30,000. I think it’s a shame that there are no beginner-friendly accounts at this broker
I did find that pattern day trading (PDT) restrictions will apply, though this is expected from a US brokerage
Higher trading fees than many brokers with wide spreads and a $10 commission per lot
Scalping, hedging and automated trading not permitted
Mainly aimed at South African clients
Lack of transparency on the website
No MetaTrader 5 software
Some customer complaints
Outdated blogs
Awards
South Africa’s Best Broker 2019 - Global Business Outlook
South Africa’s Fastest Growing Broker 2019 - International Finance
The Most Transparent Broker 2019 - The European
Forex CEO of the year South Africa 2020 - International Business Magazine
Access over 5000 CFDs with high leverage up to 1:500. Trading costs are high with a $10 commission per lot, though the broker does offer accessible trading in ZAR, USD or GBP for global clients.
Leverage
1:400
FTSE Spread
19 pips
GBPUSD Spread
2.4 pips
Oil Spread
10 pips
Stocks Spread
From 0.7 pips
Forex Trading
Forex trading not offered
JP Markets only offers 30 currency pairs, which does not match top brokers. Average spreads on EUR/USD are also around 2 pips, which is higher than many competitors.
GBPUSD Spread
2.4 pips
EURUSD Spread
2 pips
EURGBP Spread
2.4 pips
Assets
30
Cryptocurrency
Crypto trading not offered
Some digital tokens are available, including Bitcoin, though crypto deposits are not supported. Crypto traders may want to consider a more reliable and regulated broker.
