Best ECN Brokers
The technology behind true ECN brokers allows for faster executions and tighter spreads with higher leverage and greater transparency. Here we list the best ECN brokers in the world 2024 and also explain how ECN brokers work, their benefits and drawbacks and how to get started.
Top 5 ECN Brokers
We have reviewed almost 500 brokers and these are the 5 best ECN brokers:
#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
- 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.
- There’s support for a range of industry-leading charting platforms including MT4, MT5, TradingView, and cTrader, catering to various short-term trading styles, including algo trading.
- Now offering spread betting through TradingView, Pepperstone provides a seamless, tax-efficient trading experience with advanced analysis tools.
Cons
- 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.
- Pepperstone does not support cTrader Copy, a popular copy trading feature built into the excellent cTrader platform and available at alternatives like IC Markets.
#2 - IC Markets
Why We Chose IC Markets
IC Markets is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker known for its excellent pricing, comprehensive range of trading instruments, and premium trading technology. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Australia, the brokerage is regulated by the ASIC, CySEC and FSA, and has attracted more than 180,000 clients from over 200 countries.
"IC Markets offers superior pricing, exceptionally fast execution and seamless deposits. The introduction of advanced charting platforms, notably TradingView, and the Raw Trader Plus account, ensures it remains a top choice for intermediate to advanced day traders."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto
- Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, FSA
- Platforms: MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade
- Minimum Deposit: $200
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
- Leverage: 1:30 (ASIC & CySEC), 1:500 (FSA), 1:1000 (Global)
Pros
- As a tightly regulated and widely respected broker, IC Markets prioritizes client security and transparency, helping to ensure a reliable trading experience globally.
- With ultra-fast execution speeds averaging 35 milliseconds and deep liquidity, IC Markets provides an optimal trading environment for scalpers, hedgers, and algorithmic traders.
- You have access to over 2,250 CFDs across various markets, including forex, commodities, indices, stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies, allowing for diversified trading strategies.
Cons
- There are fees for certain withdrawal methods, including a $20 wire charge, which can eat into profits, especially for frequent withdrawals.
- Despite four industry-leading third-party platforms, there is no proprietary software or trading app built with new traders in mind.
- Interest isn't paid on unused cash, an increasingly popular feature found at alternatives like Interactive Brokers.
#3 - Eightcap
Why We Chose Eightcap
"Eightcap delivers in every area for day traders with a growing selection of charting platforms and AI-powered tools. Now sporting 250+ crypto CFDs and the Crypto Crusher market scanner, it's also become a stand-out choice for crypto trading, winning our 'Best Crypto Broker' award two years in a row."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities
- Regulator: ASIC, FCA, xCySEC, SCB
- Platforms: MT4, MT5, TradingView
- Minimum Deposit: $100
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
Pros
- Having excelled across all key areas for day traders, Eightcap outperformed more than 490 competitors to win our 'Best Overall Broker' award for 2024, also securing our 'Best Crypto Broker' title.
- After bolstering its roster in 2021, Eightcap offers one of the most extensive selections of cryptocurrency CFDs in the market, with crypto/fiat pairs, crypto/crypto pairs, plus crypto indices for broader exposure to the market.
- Eightcap stands out with a selection of powerful trading tools, including MT4 and MT5, the innovative algorithmic trading platform Capitalise.ai, and more recently the 50-million strong social trading network TradingView.
Cons
- In spite of an increasing variety of tools, Eightcap doesn't offer industry favorites like Autochartist or Trading Central, which offer cutting-edge charting analytics, live news, and market insights for short-term traders.
- The demo account expires after 30 days and can only be extended upon request - a notable inconvenience compared to the likes of XM with its unlimited demo mode.
- Eightcap needs to continue bolstering its suite of instruments to match category leaders like Blackbull Markets with its 26,000+ assets, featuring a particularly weak selection of commodities.
#4 - LiteForex Europe
Why We Chose LiteForex Europe
LiteForex Europe is a CFD broker established in 2008 and authorized by the CySEC. The brokerage offers forex, commodities and indices via the MT4 and MT5 platforms. Spreads are ultra tight on ECN accounts and leverage is available up to 1:30 in line with EU regulations. LiteForex also offers a rich education centre for new day traders and social trading capabilities.
"LiteForex is a good option for active day traders with variable spreads from 0.0 pips, daily analysis and high-quality training guides. The forex copy system also lets you duplicate the positions of experienced traders."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Indices, Commodities
- Regulator: CySEC
- Platforms: MT4, MT5
- Minimum Deposit: $50
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
- Leverage: 1:30
Pros
- A proprietary copy trading system is available which allows you to copy other trading patterns
- LiteForex has been established for 15+ years and is regulated by a trusted regulator, CySEC
- There's a comprehensive analytics portal by Claws&Horns, which offers video reviews, expert insights and short-term trading signals
Cons
- There is no swap-free trading account for Muslim day traders
- Cryptocurrency trading is not offered
- Fees are fairly high, with spreads starting from 2.0 pips in the Classic account and $10 forex commissions in the ECN account
#5 - Exness
Why We Chose Exness
Exness is a Cyprus-based forex and CFD brokerage established in 2008. With over 260,000 clients, several awards and reputable licensing, the broker has maintained its position as a highly respected global brand. Active day traders can access the popular MT4 and MT5 platforms, raw spreads and multiple account types.
"Exness remains an accessible broker for all experience levels, though experienced day traders will particularly appreciate the ultra-low commission rates, fast withdrawals and high-quality charting software."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Crypto
- Regulator: FSA, CySEC, FCA, FSCA, FSC, CBCS
- Platforms: Exness Trade App, MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
- Minimum Deposit: $10
- Minimum Trade: 0.01 Lots
- Leverage: 1:2000
Pros
- There's a strong range of account types for all experience levels and requirements, including Cent, Pro and Raw spread solutions
- There's excellent 24/7 multilingual customer support via telephone, email and live chat
- Experienced strategy providers can open social trading accounts, with monthly commissions up to 50%
Cons
- Unlike most competitors, Exness doesn't provide its own education section
- There are several regional restrictions for retail traders including the USA, Europe and the UK
- There are no promotional deals or loyalty schemes for high-volume day traders
What Is An ECN Broker?
The simple definition is that Electronic Communication Network (ECN) brokers enable traders to place competing bids against each other. They are Non-Dealing Desk (NDD) brokers, meaning that instead of passing orders to market makers who take the opposing position in a trade, they connect buyers directly with sellers. When they cannot match two counter-parties, they reflect the highest bid and lowest ask price listed in the open market.
ECN forex brokers act as a major source of liquidity for retail traders versus major market makers like large banks, hedge funds and other financial institutions. They are the fastest-growing brokerages globally and are particularly popular for forex trading, offering greater transparency for investors.
ECN Brokers Vs STP Brokers
ECN brokers are very similar to Straight Through Processing (STP) providers. STP brokers also have no dealing desk. Listed trades are routed to the broker’s group of liquidity providers, such as hedge funds, big banks and investors. These providers act as counter-parties for each trade and compete for the best bid/ask spreads. The broker effectively acts as a silent facilitator, connecting the trader with its internal liquidity pool and taking its fee from a mark-up in the spread.
The primary difference with ECN vs STP brokers is routing. Whereas the STP broker provides access to different providers in their liquidity pool, the ECN plays the role of a hub. The hub essentially acts as the primary liquidity source, formed of the different hedge funds, banks and market players. The other notable difference is position size. ECN brokers typically cap minimum position sizes at 0.1 lots. This is a result of few liquidity providers being able to cater to smaller position sizes, which can prove challenging for beginners.
Both ECN and STP models offer fast executions and tight spreads which lend them to a range of strategies, including scalping trading. In fact, many ECN, STP or hybrid brokers offer zero-pip forex spreads, though they may charge a fixed commission per lot.
Benefits Of ECN Brokers:
There are several advantages to trading with an ECN broker:
- Execution speed – Pure ECN forex brokers such as Pepperstone connect you directly to liquidity providers ensuring direct market access and faster fills.
- Transparency – ECN brokers prevent price manipulation as everyone uses the same feed and trades at a defined price. No investor enjoys a built-in advantage over other traders on the ECN.
- Trading hours – ECN providers generally let you trade beyond traditional trading hours, allowing investors to react to after-market news announcements, for example.
- Leverage – Top ECN brokers typically offer leveraged forex trading. Ratios vary depending on your jurisdiction, but it’s not uncommon to find 1:100 leverage levels.
- Scalping – Rapid order executions and tight spreads lend ECN brokers to high volume scalping forex strategies. With that said, it’s worth checking the broker’s guidelines around scalping before you deposit funds.
- Regulation – ECN providers are heavily regulated. This is particularly important in light of the increasing number of online forex scams. The best ECN brokers are regulated and meet compliance measures. See our list of the best ECN brokers above for trustworthy providers.
Drawbacks Of ECN Brokers
Downsides to trading with ECN brokers include:
- Commission – Forex commissions charged by most ECN brokers usually range between $2.50 to $5.00 per lot. Fees tend to be higher compared to trading CFDs, stocks, binary options, or other non-ECN trading brokers. This may mean ECN is less favourable for low-volume retail traders or those with micro-accounts.
- Volatility – Forex markets are vulnerable to sudden upsurges in variable spreads, especially during high market volatility. It’s therefore important traders use appropriate risk management tools.
- Deposits – The best ECN brokers generally come with higher opening deposits than standard trading accounts. This is because ECN providers often shift the responsibility of meeting market liquidity requirements on the trader. This is the opposite of a market maker broker who can intervene to provide liquidity on the trader’s behalf, and therefore offer lower minimum deposits.
How To Identify The Best ECN Brokers
The top true ECN brokers are regulated by reputable financial agencies. For example, if you’re trading forex in the UK, check the provider is regulated by the FCA. For traders in Europe, check for CySEC regulation. Reliable regulators will cap leverage limits to protect a trader’s risk exposure.
Logistically, location is significant as the best ECN brokers can only accept accounts for traders in the countries they work within. For example, RoboForex cannot accept traders in the USA, Japan, Canada and Australia, despite being a top ECN broker. This means clients from the US will need to look to another broker, such as Forex.com, another top ECN brokerage. Similarly, the best ECN brokers in Kenya, Dubai, Malaysia, Cyprus or the Philippines might differ from the top providers in Nigeria, South Africa, India, Australia and Singapore.
You should also check the trading fees and commissions and whether you are allowed to start with a demo account. This will give you time to practice and get familiar with the platform, whether you are using MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), cTrader or another. Brokers offer different platforms so it’s important to use one you feel comfortable with.
Other considerations to take into account on your broker checklist comparison should include:
- Fast deposit and withdrawal processing times
- Providers with a history of at least two years
- Brokers with no deposit bonuses
- A decent customer support team
- Forex trading rankings
- Good online reviews
Final Word On ECN Brokers
ECN brokers bring significant benefits for forex traders in the US, UK and beyond. High levels of market transparency mean price manipulation is not possible. With that said, it’s still worth looking for regulated ECN brokers. Leverage levels, commissions, plus trading tools are also important to consider when opening a live account with an ECN broker.
FAQ
What Does An ECN Broker Mean?
An ECN broker is a technology hub, or bridge, that enables traders to place competing bids against each other or liquidity providers.
How Do ECN Brokers Make Money?
ECN brokers typically make money from fixed commissions charged to the customer on each trade. This is in contrast to market maker models that generally take their cut from the spread.
What Is The Difference Between A Market Maker And ECN Broker?
Market makers help ensure there’s enough liquidity so trades can be executed seamlessly. Market makers typically take the opposing side of a trade. In contrast, ECN brokers connect buyers and sellers, drawing on various liquidity providers. ECN brokers usually offer tighter spreads, faster order execution and increased transparency.
Who Are The Top ECN Brokers In The UK And Europe?
Among the top European ECN are Pepperstone, Axi, IG, Swissquote and FXCM. See our list of the best ECN brokers.
Is XM An ECN Broker Or STP?
XM is regulated by the FCA and offers both ECN and Straight Through Processing (STP) options. Which model you want to use will depend on your strategy, trading capital, position size and leverage requirements.