Fastest Execution Brokers In 2025

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James Barra
James is an investment writer with a background in financial services. As a former management consultant, he has worked on major operational transformation programmes at prominent European banks. James authors, edits and fact-checks content for a series of investing websites.
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Paul Holmes
Paul has over 14 years experience in the trading industry, both as a full-time trader and working with leading brokers. He’s traded indices and forex, developed proprietary day trading techniques, and built his own MetaTrader algorithms. He excels at delivering simple-to-follow guides for beginners to experienced traders.  
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Tobias Robinson
Tobias is a partner at DayTrading.com, director of a UK limited company and active trader. He has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry and contributed via CySec to the regulatory response to digital options and CFD trading in Europe. Toby’s expertise and dedication to financial education make him a trusted voice in the industry, including a BBC investigation into digital options.
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A broker’s execution speed is the time it takes for the platform to complete a trade – from the moment you place an order, to the moment it is carried out on the live market. Fast execution is critical for day traders in particular, because even slight delays can turn a winning trade into a loss in fast-moving markets like forex.

We’ve conducted hands-on tests and run our own analysis to reveal the top brokers for execution speed. Our team of experienced traders also explain how to get the best execution quality out of your trading platform.

List Of Fastest Brokers In 2025

Our analysis shows that these are the top 6 trading platforms for execution speed and quality in July 2025:

What Makes These Brokers The Best For Order Execution?

Here are the results of our order execution tests, explaining why these platforms topped our rankings:

  1. eToro USA is the best broker for trading execution speed in 2025 - In our latest round of tests, eToro USA offered reliable execution for most assets, though speeds were slower than ECN brokers we examined. Market orders filled within 200–300ms on average, with occasional minor slippage during volatile periods. While not built for scalping, execution was stable enough for longer-term and copy trading strategies.
  2. NinjaTrader - Execution was exceptionally fast in our NinjaTrader investigations, often under 50ms, especially on futures markets. Slippage was minimal, and we saw no requotes. The platform’s advanced order routing and depth-of-market tools gave us precise control, making it ideal for high-speed strategies and active day traders.
  3. Interactive Brokers - From our tests, Interactive Brokers delivered excellent execution speed, with most trades filled in under 40ms across major markets. Slippage was impressively low, even during volatility spikes. Direct market access and smart routing technology consistently found the best prices, making it a top choice for precision-driven, active traders.
  4. FOREX.com - Founded in 1999, FOREX.com is now part of StoneX, a financial services organization serving over one million customers worldwide. Regulated in the US, UK, EU, Australia and beyond, the broker offers thousands of markets, not just forex, and provides excellent pricing on cutting-edge platforms.
  5. OANDA US - During our tests, OANDA’s proprietary v20 engine filled trades in as low as ~1.3 ms, with average execution around 12 ms and virtually no requotes, even during major news events. London and New York servers deliver tight fills and rare slippage. Traders also praise the one‑click entry for scalping, though occasional spread spikes were noted.
  6. Plexytrade - Established in 2024 and headquartered in Saint Lucia, Plexytrade is an ECN/STP broker. Geared towards active traders, it supports four account options, crypto deposits and withdrawals, plus very high leverage up to 1:2000 made possible by its unregulated status.

Fastest Execution Brokers In 2025 Comparison

Here are the tools our top brokers offer to faclitate fast, reliable, and precise trading execution:

Fastest Execution Brokers In 2025 Comparison
Broker Passed Our 'Execution Quality & Efficiency' Benchmark VPS For Fast Trading Algo Trading Tools
eToro USA
NinjaTrader NinjaScript or via Automated Trading Interface
Interactive Brokers Capitalise.ai & TWS API
FOREX.com Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
OANDA US Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader
Plexytrade Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader

Compare The Detailed Ratings Of The Fastest Day Trading Brokers

See how the top brokers for day trading execution scored in every area of our independent rating system:

Compare The Detailed Ratings Of The Fastest Day Trading Brokers
Broker Trust Platforms Assets Mobile Fees Accounts Research Education Support
eToro USA 3.3 3.5 2.9 4.2 3.4 3 3.5 3 3
NinjaTrader 4.3 4.5 2.9 3.1 4.3 2.8 4 4 4
Interactive Brokers 4.5 3.3 4.7 4.4 4.3 3.5 4.4 4.3 3
FOREX.com 4.9 4.6 4.3 3.7 4.6 4 4.8 4.5 4.3
OANDA US 4.5 4.5 2.8 4.2 4 3.5 4.3 3.8 3.5
Plexytrade 1.5 2.5 2.5 4.8 3.3 2.5 0.5 0.5 3.5

Why Trust eToro USA For Lightning-Fast Trade Execution?

"eToro remains a top pick for traders looking for leading social investing and copy trading services. With a low deposit, zero commissions and an intuitive platform, the broker will meet the needs of newer day traders."

Jemma Grist Jemma Grist, Reviewer

eToro USA Quick Facts

Bonus OfferInvest $100 and get $10
Demo AccountYes
InstrumentsStocks, Options, ETFs, Crypto
RegulatorSEC, FINRA
PlatformseToro Trading Platform & CopyTrader
Minimum Deposit$100
Minimum Trade$10
Account CurrenciesUSD

Pros

  • The broker's Academy offers comprehensive learning materials for beginners to advanced-level investors
  • The low minimum deposit and straightforward account opening process means beginners can get started quickly
  • The online broker offers an intuitive social investment network with straightforward copy trading on cryptos

Cons

  • Average fees may cut into the profit margins of day traders
  • There's a narrower range of day trading instruments available compared to competitors, with only stocks, ETFs and cryptos
  • The proprietary terminal doesn't support trading bots and there are no additional stock market analysis tools

Why Trust NinjaTrader For Lightning-Fast Trade Execution?

"NinjaTrader continues to meet the demands of active futures traders looking for low fees and premium analysis tools. The platform hosts top-rate charting features including hundreds of indicators and 10+ chart types."

Tobias Robinson Tobias Robinson, Reviewer

NinjaTrader Quick Facts

Demo AccountYes
InstrumentsForex, Stocks, Options, Commodities, Futures, Crypto
RegulatorNFA, CFTC
PlatformsNinjaTrader Desktop, Web & Mobile, eSignal
Minimum Deposit$0
Minimum Trade0.01 Lots
Leverage1:50
Account CurrenciesUSD

Pros

  • Traders can get free platform access and trade simulation capabilities in the unlimited demo
  • NinjaTrader continues to deliver comprehensive charting software for active day traders with bespoke technical indicators and widgets
  • NinjaTrader is a widely respected and award-winning futures broker and is heavily authorized by the NFA and CFTC

Cons

  • Non forex and futures trading requires signing up with partner brokers
  • There is a withdrawal fee on some funding methods
  • The premium platform tools come with an extra charge

Why Trust Interactive Brokers For Lightning-Fast Trade Execution?

"Interactive Brokers is one of the best brokers for advanced day traders, providing powerful charting platforms, real-time data, and customizable layouts, notably through the new IBKR Desktop application. Its superb pricing and advanced order options also make it highly attractive for day traders, while its diverse range of equities is still among the best in the industry."

Christian Harris Christian Harris, Reviewer

Interactive Brokers Quick Facts

Demo AccountYes
InstrumentsStocks, Options, Futures, Forex, Funds, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds, CFDs, Cryptocurrencies
RegulatorFCA, SEC, FINRA, CFTC, CBI, CIRO, SFC, MAS, MNB, FINMA, AFM
PlatformsTrader Workstation (TWS), IBKR Desktop, GlobalTrader, Mobile, Client Portal, AlgoTrader, OmniTrader, TradingView, eSignal, TradingCentral, ProRealTime, Quantower
Minimum Deposit$0
Minimum Trade$100
Leverage1:50
Account CurrenciesUSD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR, JPY, SEK, NOK, DKK, CHF, AED, HUF

Pros

  • IBKR continues to deliver unmatched access to global stocks with tens of thousands of equities available from 100+ market centres in 24 countries, most recently the Saudi Stock Exchange.
  • Interactive Brokers has launched ForecastTrader, a unique, zero-commission product where users can trade yes/no Forecast Contracts on political, economic, and climate events, with fixed $1 payouts per contract, 24/6 market access, and 3.83% APY on held positions.
  • IBKR is one of the most respected and trusted brokerages and is regulated by top-tier authorities, so you can have confidence in the integrity and security of your trading account.

Cons

  • IBKR provides a wide range of research tools, but their distribution across trading platforms and the web-based 'Account Management' page lacks consistency, leading to a confusing user experience.
  • Support can be slow and frustrating based on tests, so you might find it challenging to reach customer service representatives promptly or encounter delays in resolving issues.
  • You can only have one active session per account, so you can’t have your desktop program and mobile app running simultaneously, making for a sometimes frustrating trading experience.

Why Trust FOREX.com For Lightning-Fast Trade Execution?

"FOREX.com remains a best-in-class brokerage for active forex traders of all experience levels, with over 80 currency pairs, tight spreads from 0.0 pips and low commissions. The powerful charting platforms collectively offer over 100 technical indicators, as well as extensive research tools."

Christian Harris Christian Harris, Reviewer

FOREX.com Quick Facts

Bonus OfferVIP status with up to 10k+ in rebates - T&Cs apply.
Demo AccountYes
InstrumentsForex, Stock CFDs, Futures, Futures Options
RegulatorNFA, CFTC
PlatformsWebTrader, Mobile, MT4, MT5, TradingView
Minimum Deposit$100
Minimum Trade0.01 Lots
Leverage1:50
Account CurrenciesUSD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, PLN

Pros

  • The in-house Web Trader continues to shine as one of the best-designed platforms for aspiring day traders with a slick design and over 80 technical indicators for market analysis.
  • There’s a wealth of educational resources including tutorials, webinars, and a stacked YouTube channel to help you get educated in the financial markets.
  • FOREX.com offers industry-leading forex pricing starting from 0.0 pips, alongside competitive cashback rebates of up to 15% for serious day traders.

Cons

  • FOREX.com's MT4 platform offers approximately 600 instruments, significantly fewer than the over 5,500 available on its non-MetaTrader platforms.
  • There’s no negative balance protection for US clients, so you may find yourself owing more money than your initial deposit into your account.
  • Despite increasing its range of instruments, FOREX.com's product portfolio is still limited to forex and CFDs, so there are no options to invest in real stocks, real ETFs or real cryptocurrencies.

Why Trust OANDA US For Lightning-Fast Trade Execution?

"OANDA remains an excellent broker for US day traders seeking a user-friendly platform with premium analysis tools and a straightforward joining process. OANDA is also heavily regulated with a very high trust score."

Jemma Grist Jemma Grist, Reviewer

OANDA US Quick Facts

Demo AccountYes
InstrumentsForex, Crypto with Paxos (Cryptocurrencies are offered through Paxos. Paxos is a separate legal entity from OANDA)
RegulatorNFA, CFTC
PlatformsOANDA Trade, MT4, TradingView, AutoChartist
Minimum Deposit$0
Minimum Trade0.01 Lots
Leverage1:50
Account CurrenciesUSD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD

Pros

  • There's a strong selection of 68 currency pairs for dedicated short-term forex traders
  • The proprietary OANDA web platform continues to deliver a highly competitive charting environment, including 65+ technical indicators powered by TradingView
  • The broker's API facilitates access to 25 years of deep historical data and rates from 200+ currencies

Cons

  • The range of day trading markets is limited to forex and cryptos only
  • It's a shame that customer support is not available on weekends
  • There's only a small range of payment methods available, with no e-wallets supported

Why Trust Plexytrade For Lightning-Fast Trade Execution?

"Plexytrade is a newcomer in the brokerage scene with attention-grabbing features like 1:2000 leverage, zero spreads on select instruments and fast execution speeds of less than 46 milliseconds. However, the absence of regulation is a significant concern, while the non-existent research and educational tools place it far behind industry frontrunners."

Christian Harris Christian Harris, Reviewer

Plexytrade Quick Facts

Bonus Offer120% Cash Welcome Bonus
Demo AccountYes
InstrumentsCFDs, Forex, Indices, Stocks, Commodities, Crypto
PlatformsMT4, MT5
Minimum Deposit$50
Minimum Trade0.01
Leverage1:2000
Account CurrenciesUSD, EUR

Pros

  • Despite lacking regulation, Plexytrade provides negative balance protection and reinforces safety protocols by holding client funds in segregated accounts.
  • Plexytrade offers among the highest leverage we’ve seen, up to 1:2000, catering to advanced traders willing to forego regulatory protections.
  • US residents are accepted as clients, distinguishing Plexytrade as one of the rare offshore brokers that cater to US-based traders.

Cons

  • There are no research and educational materials, falling short of alternatives like IG, while access to the economic calendar is restricted to clients with balances of $500.
  • Deposits and withdrawals are exclusively facilitated through cryptocurrencies, as Plexytrade does not support bank cards, bank wire transfers, or e-wallets.
  • There are no social or copy trading features for inexperienced traders to replicate the trades of more experienced investors, trailing category leaders like eToro.

How DayTrading.com Chose The Fastest Brokers

Every broker had to pass our proprietary ‘Execution Quality & Efficiency’ benchmark, which balances speed, reliability, and order quality.

We personally evaluated the order execution of each shortlisted broker, recording key metrics where possible, such as execution time, slippage, and requotes.

We also supplemented our findings with:

Finally, brokers were ranked based on their overall ratings, with our top-rated platforms offering consistently fast, accurate, and stable trade execution in fast-moving market conditions.

DayTrading.com Testing Methodology Snapshot

Order Execution Speed Explained

A broker’s execution speed is an important factor to consider when day trading. When the market is at its most volatile, execution speed could mean the difference between profit and loss.

However, some parts of the order execution chain are outside the broker’s control, and there are local factors that you can manage yourself.

But crucially, be aware that the quality of execution may be a better metric for comparing brokers and improving your trading returns.

Order quality covers a number of variables, including speed, price and likelihood of execution, ultimately measuring whether you got the best trade possible.

Why is a Fast Broker with High Execution Speed Important?

The best traders know that execution speed is vital for securing their intended trades in volatile markets. Let’s look at an example scenario to see the effect it can have.

Medium-cap company, Alfresco, has hit the news headlines for securing a deal with the world’s largest e-commerce retailer. As more details trickle through the media outlets, the stock price starts rising dramatically, from $2.00 to $4.00 in a matter of minutes.

You place a buy order for 1000 shares at $4.08, with a stop-loss set at $4.50. A direct market broker may fill your trade at $4.08, meaning when the price jumps to $5, you’ve made a profit of $920 (1000 x $0.92).

If your retail broker was slow to the mark, filling at $4.50 – your profit is only $500 (1000 x $0.50). You’ve lost $420 ($920 – $500) by trading with a broker with poor execution speeds.

Execution speed is measured in milliseconds (with the unit, ms). Anything less than 100 is considered excellent, anything more than 200 is fairly poor and could lead to price slippage or failure.

Should You Be Monitoring Your Broker’s Execution Speed?

Execution times can vary depending on a number of factors:

This vast array of factors makes it difficult to assess accurately. In fact, order size and market conditions are crucial elements to take into account, meaning a broker execution speed comparison is almost impossible to perform with any certainty.

This is where execution quality comes in.

Execution quality uses speed as just one metric for assessing a broker’s performance. But it also uses other factors, like price, their business model, and much more.

How The Markets Work

Broker Business Models

There are a few ways that a broker can structure their business and facilitate trading. Depending on their model, they can choose how to route your trade, as long as it fulfils the requirements you’ve set.

Therefore, the model used by your broker can impact execution speed as they may be incentivised to fill your trade through a less efficient route.

Brokers may have different priorities depending on their model and speed of execution may not always be at the top of their list, therefore execution quality may be a better metric.

What Is Payment For Order Flow (PFOF)?

Payment for Order Flow is the fee that a broker receives for routing trades to certain market makers. It’s the transfer of profit to the brokers selling the trades from the market makers who will execute them.

Small trading brokers will usually operate in this way, as it allows them to sell positions to the bigger market makers that specialize in certain assets.

Clients are often not aware that their broker is routing trades in this way, profiting from slowing their trade execution speed – unless they are told by the broker.

For this reason, PFOF has been largely controversial as investors’ best interests are not always the priority.

In 2005, the SEC even went digging into the issue, aiming to increase transparency by introducing Rule 606.

SEC Rule 606

SEC Rule 606 requires that brokers publish a quality report, providing a general overview of their routing practices.

By doing this, investors can discover exactly how brokers make cash from their trades and if any conflicts of interest arise on the way.

Over the years, the requirements on these reports have changed to ensure that investors can access the information they need.

In 2020, the SEC made it mandatory for brokers to publish the net PFOF payments they make each period from market makers. This covers trades executed in S&P 500, non-S&P 500 equity trades, and options.

Financed Information Forum (FIF)

The Financed Information Forum is a group of brokers and market makers that aims to standardize the reporting required as part of the SEC 606 Rule.

The group found that the reports created were not giving retail investors transparent information, so they introduced the following requirements.

Each report should contain the metrics below:

Note, you can find a list of the FIF members on their website.

National Best Bid Or Offer (NBBO)

Another SEC mandate aimed at protecting retail investors is the National Best Bid or Offer (NBBO). This regulation requires brokers to trade at the best available ask and bid prices when executing positions for US investors.

The NBBO is calculated from a composite of prices across all exchanges and market makers (excluding alternative markets).

However, due to the nature of live markets, this is extremely difficult to calculate and it is almost impossible to know for sure whether a trader actually received the NBBO, meaning holding brokers accountable to this is tough.

Alternative Trading System

But, one thing to be aware of is that Alternative Trading Systems (or ATS) are not included in the NBBO, so what is an ATS?

An ATS is a venue for trading that has less stringent regulation than an exchange. In Europe, they’re known as multilateral trading facilities.

An example of an ATS is an ECN (electronic communication network) broker – one of the most popular broker types in the US. ECN brokers electronically match buy and sell orders.

Importantly, ATS transactions do not show on national exchange order books, so are often used by traders making large institutional moves to conceal the size of a trade and prevent it from impacting the price of an equity.

Broker vs Market Maker

A broker is a party that facilitates trading by bringing together a buyer and seller. They have the authorization to buy or sell on behalf of their clients from larger institutions that hold the assets.

In most countries, brokers must be regulated by the national body that protects financial services e.g in the UK, this is the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), or in the US there is Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

A market maker is an organization that creates a market for an asset by taking a trade. Sometimes these firms can facilitate a trade by finding an opposing party on their order book i.e someone else wants to buy what you’re selling. However, crucially, if there’s no one to take the other side, they’ll form the trade themselves.

Note, a market maker can also be a broker, but brokers are not always market makers.

What Impacts Execution Quality?

Now that we understand how markets work, we’ll look at the factors that impact execution quality and speed. These can be variables between brokers, or the trades themselves.

What Else Impacts Execution Speed? – Local Factors

On top of the variables above, local factors also impact execution speed. These are unique to you as a trader and not impacted by the broker or the position that you choose.

What Can You Do?

Bottom Line

Whilst execution speeds are a useful metric to assess, their complexity and exposure to external factors mean they shouldn’t be reviewed in isolation.

Our broker speed assessment looks at more than just how fast they are, instead focussing on quality as a whole. Try out one of our fastest execution brokers to get started.

FAQ

What Does Execution Speed Mean In Trading?

Execution speed is the time it takes for a broker to fulfil a trade order, or more simply, how fast the broker is at carrying out your request. From the moment you press execute on MT4NinjaTrader, or other trading software, to the moment the trade is placed.

In our experience trading over many years, this can take anywhere from a few seconds to days depending on factors like your broker’s infrastructure, revenue streams, or the specifications of the trade.

Can I Complete My Own Order Execution Speed Comparison?

Yes – many brokers will list their best execution speeds on their website in their marketing material. If you combine this with an investigation into the size of the broker, their liquidity partners, and their revenue model, you can get a good idea of which brokers will have the best execution speed for your trading strategy.

Is High Execution Speed Important When Trading Forex?

While it’s true that fast executions are important when trading forex, it’s not the only factor to consider.

Ultimately, you want the best price possible for an asset, so speed should not be examined alone, execution quality is a fairer metric for ranking a broker.

Article Sources

The writing and editorial team at DayTrading.com use credible sources to support their work. These include government agencies, white papers, research institutes, and engagement with industry professionals. Content is written free from bias and is fact-checked where appropriate. Learn more about why you can trust DayTrading.com