Best Maestro Brokers 2023
Maestro is a method of payment that e-merchants and sellers accept in exchange for goods or services, including trading brokers. This review will go over how Maestro works and its pros and cons for funding online trading accounts. We also unpack deposit and withdrawal speeds, transaction limits, plus what differentiates it from other popular payment solutions. Use our list of the best brokers that accept Maestro deposits directly below to start trading.
Maestro Brokers
These are the 1 best brokers that accept Maestro deposits and withdrawals:
#1 - Pocket Option
Founded in 2017, Pocket Option is a binary options broker offering up/down contracts on forex, stocks and cryptocurrencies. With over 100,000 active users and a global reach, the brand has proven popular with budding traders. Pocket Option also supports dozens of payment methods and has a low minimum trade of just $1.
"We recommend Pocket Option for aspiring binary options traders looking for copy trading services and a low minimum investment."
- DayTrading Review Team
- Instruments: Binary Options, Currencies, Commodities, Stocks, Indices
- Regulator: IFMRRC
- Platforms: MT5
- Min. Deposit: $50
- Min. Trade: $1
Payment Methods
Pocket Option accepts these 23 payment methods for deposits and withdrawals:
- ADVcash
- Bitcoin Payments
- Cashu
- Credit Card
- Debit Card
- Doku Wallet
- Ethereum Payments
- FasaPay
- GlobePay
- JCB Card
- Maestro
- Mastercard
- Neteller
- PayRedeem
- Perfect Money
- QIWI
- Skrill
- Sofort
- Visa
- WebMoney
- Western Union
- Wire Transfer
- Yandex Money
Forex Trading
Binary and OTC options can be purchased on over 40 foreign exchange pairs. Typical payouts are also decent at 81% and users can trade forex binary options in just a couple of clicks.
Stocks Trading
Trade 30 of the most popular American multinational stocks including Microsoft and Google. Payouts on big brands come in at a decent 92% while indices are available up to 67%.
Crypto Trading
Pocket Option supports major cryptocurrencies on a beginner-friendly app. Over 10 leading cryptocurrencies are available with very high leverage up to 1:1000.
Pros
- 50+ payment methods
- Turbo binary options
- Copy trading
Cons
- The expiration time is limited on trades
- IFMRRC is not a reputable regulator
- No MT4 trading platform
About Maestro
The financial services company Mastercard introduced Maestro debit cards and prepaid cards in 1991. The debit cards are connected to a customer’s account, be it current, savings, or other, while a prepaid card isn’t connected to any account. They were introduced primarily to facilitate low-cost, cross-border payments.
The brand is accepted at around 15,000,000 point of sales outlets in 93 countries, including the USA, Canada, and Hong Kong, but it is particularly popular in Europe. Other countries, like China and the UK, replaced Maestro debit cards with Mastercard and Visa debit cards, and no longer issue Maestro.
Despite this, there is still a long list of brokers that accept Maestro cards spanning most major trading jurisdictions. And due to fast payment processing and transparency in terms of traders only being able to spend the funds in their account, Maestro brokers are popular with retail investors.
Maestro cards were the leading debit card a decade ago, accepted by all ATMs with the Suiche7B, Mastercard, Conexus and Cirrus logos. However, in 2021, Mastercard announced it will replace all lost or damaged Maestro debit cards with Mastercard. No new cards will be issued in Europe after 1 June 2023.
Deposit & Withdrawal Speed
Most Maestro brokers, such as XTB, eToro and XM, offer instant deposits. However, some trading platforms require a copy of personal identity documents before processing payments, which can cause delays. Additionally, some banks have extra security precautions which can mean funds won’t appear in trading accounts for several hours.
Withdrawal times often take longer as many Maestro brokers have to satisfy KYC checks and validate profits before releasing funds. With that said, timelines do not differ between card transactions, whether it be Visa debit, Mastercard credit, or Maestro debit/pre-paid cards. Most brokers that accept Maestro process withdrawals within 1-5 business days.
Payment Fees
There are not normally additional fees when using the solution to make deposits to trading accounts, which is an advantage over other payment methods, such as wire transfers and cryptos. Both eToro and XM, for example, offer fee-free deposits and withdrawals via Maestro.
With that said, some brokers that accept Maestro may charge a small commission, alongside a currency conversion fee. Currency conversion fees are often fixed, proportionate to the volume of the profit you are withdrawing.
Safety
The company is a trusted and regulated payment service in all countries and cities where it operates. The brand is owned by Mastercard, which provides end-to-end encryption on all transactions. This means your personal details are protected.
The best way to ensure any sensitive information is safe is also to trade with regulated Maestro brokers. Some of the top financial regulators include the Cyprus Securities & Exchange Commission (CySEC), the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC).
Advantages Of Maestro Deposits For Traders
- There is a long list of countries and brokers that accept Maestro payments.
- Transactions are fast, so you can make deposits instantly and begin trading.
- Traders can only use funds in their account, reducing the risk of overtrading which can happen if you use a credit card.
- Maestro is used globally, so supports a range of currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP and JPY. This also means less chance of paying currency conversion fees if your broker accepts a corresponding base currency.
- Mastercard issue Maestro cards, providing traders with peace of mind that the company is reputable, regulated and trustworthy.
Disadvantages Of Maestro Deposits For Traders
- Maestro is being replaced by Mastercard debit in some jurisdictions, which means less availability in the long term.
- The payment solution is being replaced because its servers cannot handle huge influxes of online transactions, which may impact the efficiency and reliability of the service for traders.
- Some banks that offer Maestro cards enforce relatively low transfer limits on accounts which may impact high-volume traders.
How To Make Maestro Deposits & Withdrawals
- Choose a broker: Ensure the broker accepts clients from your region, be it the US or Australia, and has a range of underlying assets that you can trade, from stocks, ETFs and options to forex and cryptocurrencies. Additionally, the best Maestro brokers will have 24/7 or 24/5 support in case of any issues with deposits and withdrawals.
- Deposit: Before making a deposit, ensure you are aware of any minimum transfer limits. This can range from as little as $10 through to $250+. Next, log in and navigate their website or platform interface to the deposit area and select the Maestro payment option. You will need to enter your card details, including the long card number, zip or CVC code, and expiry date.
- Withdrawals: Most brokers that accept Maestro withdrawals will need several days to process the payment. Some trading platforms will also only let you withdraw using the method you used to fund your account. Select Maestro in the cashier or similar portal and follow the on-screen instructions. Contact the customer service team if you have been waiting longer than expected.
Should You Trade With Maestro?
Maestro cards are recognized worldwide, including by many of the top online brokers and trading platforms. Traders benefit from near-instant deposits, fee-free account funding, plus robust security measures. The only major drawback is that Maestro cards are being replaced by Mastercard in some locations.
Use our list of the top brokers that accept Maestro deposits and withdrawals to start trading.
FAQ
Is Maestro The Best Way To Make Trading Deposits?
Maestro is a popular way to fund online trading accounts. Investors simply need to enter their card details at supporting brokers and funds should appear within a couple of hours. Withdrawals can take longer but are usually free of charge and secure.
How Can I Be Safe When Using Maestro Whilst Trading?
Maestro uses heavily regulated online servers for carrying out transactions and offers end-to-end encryption within its payment portals. Additionally, make sure you use a secure password to access your account. It’s also worth signing up with trusted Maestro brokers that offer two-factor authentication at the login stage.
Should I Get A Maestro Card For Trading?
Although making payments with Maestro means instant deposits and secure transactions globally, it is being discontinued in some jurisdictions. With that in mind, traders may prefer to use Visa or Mastercard. Alternatively, e-wallets like PayPal and Neteller are supported by many of the top trading brokers.
What Are The Best Brokers That Accept Maestro Deposits?
There are many top-rated trading brokers that accept Maestro. Among the best trading platforms are eToro, XTB, and XM. See our full list of leading Maestro brokers to compare different brands.