Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) Brokers 2024

The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) has a mission to develop, administer and enforce world-class regulation of financial services within the Dubai International Finance Centre (DIFC), including online brokers. This guide ranks the top DFSA brokers. Our team also  unpack the DFSA’s rulebook, regulatory actions and how traders are protected.

Best DFSA Brokers

The Dubai Financial Services Authority ensures certain standards are met to protect traders. These are the best DFSA-regulated brokers for Emirati traders:

#1 - Pepperstone

Why We Chose Pepperstone

Established in Australia in 2010, Pepperstone is a top-rated forex and CFD broker with over 400,000 clients worldwide. It offers access to 1,300+ instruments on leading platforms MT4, MT5, cTrader and TradingView, maintaining low, transparent fees. Pepperstone is also regulated by trusted authorities like the FCA, ASIC, and CySEC, ensuring a secure environment for day traders at all levels.

"Pepperstone stands out as a top choice for day trading, offering razor-sharp spreads, ultra-fast execution, and advanced charting platforms for experienced traders. New traders are also welcomed with no minimum deposit, extensive educational resources, and exceptional 24/7 support."

- DayTrading Review Team
  • Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Currency Indices, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Crypto, Spread Betting
  • Regulator: FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, CMA, BaFin, SCB
  • Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, DupliTrade
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
  • Leverage: 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)

Pros

  • Award-winning customer support is available via telephone, email or live chat with response times of <5 minutes during testing.
  • Now offering spread betting through TradingView, Pepperstone provides a seamless, tax-efficient trading experience with advanced analysis tools.
  • Pepperstone emerges as a low-cost broker, especially for serious day traders with spreads from 0.0 in the Razor account and rebates of 25%+ through the Active Trader program.

Cons

  • Pepperstone does not support cTrader Copy, a popular copy trading feature built into the excellent cTrader platform and available at alternatives like IC Markets.
  • Pepperstone’s demo accounts are active for only 30 days, which may not be not long enough to familiarize yourself with the different platforms and test trading strategies.
  • Despite enhancements to its range of markets, crypto offerings are relatively limited compared to other brokers such as eToro, with no option to invest in real coins.

#2 - XM

Why We Chose XM

XM is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker with 10+ million clients in 190+ countries. Since 2009, this trusted broker has been known for its low fees on 1000+ instruments. XM is regulated by multiple financial bodies, including the ASIC and CySEC.

"XM is one of the best forex and CFD brokers we have tested. The flexible account types will suit a variety of short-term trading styles while the $5 minimum deposit and smooth sign-up process make it easy to start trading."

- DayTrading Review Team
  • Instruments: Forex, Stock CFDs, Turbo Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Precious Metals, Energies, Shares, Crypto, Futures
  • Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, FSC, FSCA
  • Platforms: MT4, MT5
  • Minimum Deposit: $5
  • Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots

Pros

  • The broker offers premium research including market sentiment, fundamental insights and strategy builders
  • 1000+ instruments are available, including recently added thematic indices, providing exposure to emerging industries
  • XM continues to deliver diverse and multilingual educational materials and offers a useful live education schedule for its webinars and insights

Cons

  • There's $5 inactivity fee after only 3 months, though this won't affect active traders
  • PayPal deposits are not supported
  • There is weak regulatory oversight through the global entity

#3 - CMC Markets

Why We Chose CMC Markets

Established in 1989, CMC Markets is a respected broker listed on the London Stock Exchange and authorized by several tier-one regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CIRO. More than 1 million traders from around the world have signed up with the multi-award winning brokerage.

"With advanced charting tools and an extensive range of tradable CFDs, including an almost unrivalled selection of currencies and custom indices, CMC Markets provides a fantastic online platform for traders of all levels. "

- DayTrading Review Team
  • Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting
  • Regulator: FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA
  • Platforms: Web, MT4
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
  • Leverage: 1:30 (Retail), 1:500 (Pro)

Pros

  • CMC Markets is heavily regulated by reputable financial authorities and maintains its stellar reputation, helping to ensure a secure and trustworthy trading environment.
  • The brokerage continues to stand out with its wide range of value-add resources, including pattern recognition scanners, webinars, tutorials, news feeds, and research from respected sources like Morningstar.
  • CMC offers excellent pricing, including tight spreads and low trading fees for all but stock CFDs. The Alpha scheme also offers perks for high-volume traders with up to 28.6% discounts on spreads.

Cons

  • The CMC Markets app offers the complete trading package but the design and user experience trails category leaders like eToro.
  • While CMC offers an above-average suite of assets, there is no support for trading real stocks and UK clients can’t trade cryptocurrencies.
  • Despite improvements, the web platform still requires enhancements to make it as intuitive to trade on as software from rivals like IG.

#4 - XTB

Why We Chose XTB

Founded in 2002 in Poland, XTB now serves more than 935,000 clients. The forex and CFD broker combines a heavily regulated trading environment with an extensive selection of 5,600+ assets and a commitment to trader satisfaction, featuring an intuitive in-house platform with superb tools to support aspiring day traders.

"XTB stands out as a top choice for new day traders with the terrific xStation platform, commission-free pricing, no minimum deposit, and excellent educational tools, many of which are seamlessly integrated into the platform. "

- DayTrading Review Team
  • Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto, ETFs
  • Regulator: FCA, CySEC, KNF, CNMV, DFSA, FSC
  • Platforms: xStation
  • Minimum Deposit: $0
  • Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
  • Leverage: 1:30 (EU) 1:500 (Global)

Pros

  • The xStation platform continues to impress with its user-friendly interface and intuitive features, including customizable news feeds, sentiment heatmaps, and trader calculator, reducing the learning curve for newer traders.
  • XTB has started offering interest on uninvested balances (up to 5% on $30K+) with lower requirements than brokers like eToro (up to 5% on $50K+).
  • Opening an XTB account is a hassle-free, entirely online process that takes just a few minutes, making the entry into day trading smooth for new traders.

Cons

  • The demo account expires after just four weeks, a serious limitation for traders who wish to thoroughly test the xStation platform and practice short-term strategies before committing real funds.
  • Not being able to adjust the default leverage level of XTB products is frustrating, as manual adjustment can significantly mitigate trade risk, especially in forex and CFD trading.
  • Trading fees are competitive with average spreads of around 1 pip on the EUR/USD but still trail the cheapest brokers like IC Markets, plus there's an inactivity fee after 12 months.

#5 - Plus500

Why We Chose Plus500

Established in 2008 and headquartered in Israel, Plus500 is a prominent brokerage that boasts over 25 million registered traders in over 50 countries. Specializing in CFD trading, the company offers an intuitive, proprietary platform and mobile app. It maintains competitive spreads and does not charge commissions or deposit or withdrawal fees. Plus500 also continues to shine as one of the most trusted brokers with licenses from reputable regulators, including the FCA, ASIC and CySEC.

"Plus500 offers a super-clean experience for traders with a CFD trading platform that sports a modern design and dynamic charting. That said, the broker’s research tools are limited, fees trail the cheapest brokers, and there’s room for enhancement in its educational resources."

- DayTrading Review Team
  • Instruments: CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Options, Crypto
  • Regulator: FCA, ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, MAS, FSA, FSCA, FMA, EFSA
  • Platforms: WebTrader, App
  • Minimum Deposit: $100
  • Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
  • Leverage: 1:30

Pros

  • Plus500 provides a specialized WebTrader platform designed explicitly for CFD trading, offering a clean and uncluttered interface
  • Plus500 has recently bolstered its suite of short-term trading products, including introducing VIX options with enhanced volatility
  • The broker offers commission-free trading on a diverse range of markets, minimizing additional fees while appealing to established traders

Cons

  • Compared to some competitors, especially IG, Plus500’s research and analysis tools are limited
  • Educational resources are limited compared to best-in-class brokers like eToro, impacting the learning curve for beginners
  • The absence of social trading means users can’t follow and replicate the trades of experienced traders

What Is The Dubai Financial Services Authority?

The Dubai Financial Services Authority strives to maintain an environment that embraces the DIFC guiding principles of integrity, transparency and efficiency. The authority aims to protect and enhance trading conditions for retail investors and service providing entities. The board does this by embedding high standards in a concise, clear and flexible regulatory framework. This is based on international best practises relevant to the modern international finance centre.

The vision of the board is to be an internationally respected regulator, leading the development of financial services in the UAE through a fair yet strong directive.

History

The Dubai Financial Services Authority is now well established. Here we outline some key dates in the history of the DFSA to understand how it got to where it is today:

The authority has been successfully operating ever since, and in 2019 the DFSA marked its 15th anniversary by registering the 500th firm conducting services in or from the DIFC.

Why Was The DFSA Created?

The Dubai Financial Services Regulatory Authority legislation was established to ensure fairness, transparency and efficiency in the markets, but why are they really there? The agency oversees regulated entities and monitors their compliance with the relevant laws and rules. New entities must be authorised and registered with the regulatory body to conduct financial services within or from the Dubai International Financial Centre.

DBFSA regulated trading brokers

Objectives

The functions and main responsibilities of the Dubai Financial Services Authority are comprehensive. With the regulatory obligation, the board has a statutory responsibility to pursue the following objectives:

Guiding Principles

When exercising responsibilities and functions via the regulatory framework, the board follows guiding principles of integrity, transparency and efficiency. These include:

Regulatory Framework

Dubai’s Financial Services Authority regulatory mandate covers various services in or from the DIFC. This includes asset management, insurance, international commodities derivatives exchanges, commodities futures trading, banking services, collective investment funds, securities and more. Additionally, to regulating these categories of services, the DFSA is accountable for overseeing and implementing Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing within the DIFC.

The Regulatory Law of 2004 permits the Dubai Financial Services Authority to create rules related to objectives, powers and functions. Any new guidelines tend to comprise of a period of public consultation. Thus, as a trader, you are given the right to comment on proposed rules. It should be noted that the DFSA’s regulatory regime is subject to international standard reviews from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. This ensures that a specific jurisdiction’s regulatory system is fair and reassures traders that international best practice is being implemented.

Structure

The Dubai Financial Services Authority follows a corporate structure. At the time of writing the chairman of the DFSA was Fadel Abdulbaqi Al Ali. Board members are made up of directors and an executive team across various departments. These committee subdivisions include governance and nominations, audit, risk and remuneration. The hierarchy structure consists of the following members:

The DFSA holds strong relationships with other regulatory boards across the globe. The pursuit of common objectives via the exchange of information ensures fair guidelines for traders under the DIFC. Specific cases can be referred to the Financial Markets Tribunal (FMT).

Investment Tokens

In October 2021, the Dubai Financial Services Authority updated its regulatory framework for crypto and digital currency investments. This guidance includes protocols for all investment tokens such as security tokens or derivative tokens.

Directors of the board, including Peter Smith, and previously Apurv Bagri, promote the guidelines as a strategy for the future of the market in a safe trading environment. A full consultation paper is due by the end of 2021 but is expected to follow similar values published by the UK’s FCA. The framework applies to all individuals issuing, trading, or holding such tokens.

Achievements

The entity has been recognised in various awards ceremonies since its inception in 2004. Honours include the Best Regulator for Islamic Funds in 2007. This followed the DFSA’s efforts to facilitate cross-border marketing of Islamic investment funds.

The Dubai Financial Services Authority adopts an effective strategic approach to corporate social responsibility with several social initiatives. This includes launching the Tomorrow’s Regulatory Leaders Programme in 2006. The DSFA Tomorrow programme has developed sustainable careers, jobs and high salary opportunities for UAE nationals.

A financial services awareness initiative was also launched for the UAE community to learn, share and understand financial markets. Alongside this, an in-house magazine originally named ‘13th Story’, offers an educational resource for individuals wanting to learn within the DSFA community, including prospective traders.

Criticisms

The Dubai Financial Services Authority regulatory board has made significant progress in its quest to become a globally respected authority. The website update and statutory regulations now provide transparent information for both financial entities and traders. This induces the online publication of the annual report, the outsourcing of reviews and simple entity search functionality.

However, license fees are costly when compared to the likes of the CySEC, which may deter companies from registering. On the positive side, traders can be assured of the stringent compliance, listing rules and qualification requirements of financial service firms.

Final Thoughts On The DFSA

The Dubai Financial Services Authority is an independent regulator that ensures a safe and transparent trading environment within the DIFC. Alignment with global regulators and a focus on corporate social responsibility is an added benefit. Remember, when signing up with a brokerage, don’t just check for the DFSA logo on the broker’s website. Always check they are on the register of the board by using the entity search function on the DFSA’s official website. See our list of DFSA regulated trading brokers to get started today.

FAQ

How Do I Know If A Broker Is Registered With The DFSA?

You can use the online Dubai Financial Services Authority company search to see if a broker is regulated by the board. This tool allows you to search through all firms associated with the regulator.

How Can I Contact The Dubai Financial Services Authority?

Traders can contact the DFSA via telephone at +971(0)43621500. The regulator follows standard office hours Sunday to Thursday 8 AM to 5 PM (GMT+4). Unfortunately, we did not find an email address contact and LinkedIn updates are infrequent.

Does The Dubai Financial Services Authority Regulate FinTech Firms?

Yes, licensing became available in 2017. Ian Johnston, Chief Executive, suggested FinTech is providing opportunities to seek financing and inclusion within the online trading landscape. The DFSA allowed FinTech firms to apply for a class of financial services license for sustainable development.

Is Cryptocurrency Trading Regulated By The DFSA?

Yes, from October 2021, the DFSA implemented guidelines for security token and derivative token trading. The framework includes requirements for digital wallet providers, appropriate marketing of digital currency trading and facilitating direct access to approved trading venues of investment tokens.

When Was The DFSA Established?

The DFSA was established in September 2004, when it was approved as an independent entity within the Dubai International Financial Centre. The authority was created to ensure fairness, transparency and efficiency within financial services.