Best Market Maker Brokers

Market maker brokers are companies that buy and sell financial assets with the use of their own inventories. They allow markets to operate smoothly by supplying deep liquidity and provide important benefits for short-term traders.

This guide will explain how they work, plus the advantages and disadvantages you can experience by day trading with a market maker broker. We’ve also evaluated a long row of companies to bring you our pick of the best market maker brokers.

Best Market Maker Brokers 2026

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These are the top market-making brokers based on our exhaustive reviews:

Tested with a live trading account Accepts traders from Canada Your capital is at risk. Trade only with funds you can afford to lose.

1. Our top pick in Canada
   1

   AvaTrade

   4.9/ 5

   Visit AvaTrade Read review
   • Demo account
   • Min. deposit: $300
   • Min. trade: 0.01 Lots
2. 2

   FP Markets

   4.2/ 5

   Visit FP Markets Read review
   • Demo account
   • Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, FSA, FSCA, FSC, SCB, CMA-Kenya
   • Min. deposit: $0
3. 3

   CMC Markets

   4.7/ 5

   Visit CMC Markets Read review
   • Demo account
   • Regulator: FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA
   • Platforms: Web, MT4, MT5, TradingView
   69% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
4. 4

   TabTrade

   3.0/ 5

   Visit TabTrade Read review
   • Demo account
   • Regulator: FSC
   • Platforms: WebTrader, MT5
5. 5

   TopFX

   3.8/ 5

   Visit TopFX Read review
   • Demo account
   • Regulator: CySEC, FSA, BVI
   • Min. deposit: $50
6. 6

   Switch Markets

   4.2/ 5

   Visit Switch Markets Read review
   • Demo account
   • Regulator: VFSC
   • Platforms: MT4, MT5

Learn how we test brokers and why you can trust our ratings.

Here is a summary of why we recommend these brokers in October 2026:

1. AvaTrade 4.9/5 Established in 2006, AvaTrade is a leading forex and CFD broker trusted by over 400,000 traders. Operating under regulation in 9 jurisdictions, AvaTrade processes an impressive 2+ million trades each month. Through like MT4, MT5, and its proprietary WebTrader, the broker provides a growing selection of 1,250+ instruments. Whether it’s CFDs, AvaOptions, or the more recent AvaFutures, short-term traders at all levels will find opportunities. With terrific education and 24/5 multilingual customer support, AvaTrade delivers the complete trading experience.
2. FP Markets 4.2/5 Established in 2005 in Australia, FP Markets is an ASIC- and CySEC-regulated broker boasting an extensive suite of tradable assets. Its Standard and Raw accounts cater to day traders at every level, while it packs a punch in the tooling department, from the MetaTrader suite and intuitive TradingView to actionable trading ideas from Trading Central and AutoChartist.
3. CMC Markets 4.7/5 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.
4. TabTrade 3.0/5 Established in 2026, TabTrade is a CFD broker based in Saint Lucia. It offers a choice of three accounts (Standard, Edge, VIP) with spread-only and spread plus commission pricing, access to over 1,000 tradeable assets, and leverage up to 1:1000.
5. TopFX 3.8/5 TopFX, a Cyprus-headquartered company, has been an instrumental player in the financial services industry since its establishment in 2010, earning a solid reputation as a reliable broker for active traders. Initially, the company offered liquidity services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, banks, and brokers. However over the years, TopFX has grown to include retail traders in its clientele. It was one of the first brokers in the world to offer cTrader, a testament to its commitment to innovation.
6. Switch Markets 4.2/5 Switch Markets is a multi-asset CFD brokerage. The brand offers trading on the MT4 and MT5 platforms, thousands of instruments, with additional tools including copy trading services and premium VPS hosting.

Best Market Maker Brokers Comparison

Best Market Maker Brokers Comparison

Broker	Market Maker	Minimum Deposit	Investment Offering	Trading Platforms	Financial Regulators
AvaTrade	✔Yes	$300	CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Bonds, Crypto, Spread Betting, Futures	WebTrader, AvaTradeGO, AvaOptions, AvaFutures, MT4, MT5, AlgoTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade	ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, ISA, CBI, JFSA, BVI, FSRA/ADGM, AFM, CMA-Kenya, CIRO (via Friedberg Direct)
FP Markets	✔Yes	$0	CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Crypto	Iress, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral	ASIC, CySEC, FSA, FSCA, FSC, SCB, CMA-Kenya
CMC Markets	✔Yes	$0	CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting, Certificates and Warrants (Germany and Austria)	Web, MT4, MT5, TradingView	FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA
TabTrade	✔Yes	$0	CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Metals, Crypto, ETFs	WebTrader, MT5	FSC
TopFX	✔Yes	$50	CFDs, Forex, Shares, Indices, Metals, Energies, ETFs, Cryptocurrency	MT4, MT5, cTrader, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, Quantower	CySEC, FSA, BVI
Switch Markets	✔Yes	$50	Forex, Commodities, Indices, ETFs, Shares, Crypto	MT4, MT5	VFSC

Community Sentiment

See how users rate these brokers based on the average customer ratings submitted on DayTrading.com, plus ratings from Trustpilot, the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Community Sentiment

Broker	Our Users' Rating	Trustpilot Score	Trustpilot Reviews	iOS App Rating	Android App Rating
AvaTrade	4.3 / 5	4.8 / 5	13629	4.3 / 5	4.0 / 5
FP Markets	4.0 / 5	4.8 / 5	10371	4.0 / 5	4.0 / 5
CMC Markets	4.5 / 5	4.3 / 5	3531	4.1 / 5	3.7 / 5
TabTrade	-	4.6 / 5	30	4.8 / 5	4.8 / 5
TopFX	-	4.4 / 5	486	4.2 / 5	3.8 / 5
Switch Markets	-	4.6 / 5	962	4.8 / 5	4.6 / 5

AvaTrade

4.9/ 5

Visit AvaTrade AvaTrade review

AvaTrade offers active traders everything they need: an intuitive WebTrader, powerful AvaProtect risk management, a smooth 5-minute sign-up process, and dependable support you can rely on in fast-moving markets.

AvaTrade quick facts

Demo Account

✔Yes

Instruments

CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Bonds, Crypto, Spread Betting, Futures

Regulator

ASIC, CySEC, FSCA, ISA, CBI, JFSA, BVI, FSRA/ADGM, AFM, CMA-Kenya, CIRO (via Friedberg Direct)

Platforms

WebTrader, AvaTradeGO, AvaOptions, AvaFutures, MT4, MT5, AlgoTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade

Minimum Deposit

$300

Minimum Trade

0.01 Lots

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, ZAR

Pros

• The WebTrader excelled in our hands-on tests, sporting a user-friendly interface for beginners, complete with robust charting tools like 6 chart layouts and 60+ technical indicators.
• AvaTrade launched AvaFutures to offer low-margin access to global markets, then expanded in 2025 as one of the first brokers to add CME’s Micro Grain Futures.
• Support at AvaTrade performed excellently during testing, with response times of 3 minutes and localized support in major trading jurisdictions, including the UK, Europe and the Middle East.

Cons

• The AvaSocial app is good but not great – the look and feel, plus the navigation between finding strategy providers and account management needs upgrading to rival category leaders like eToro.
• While signing up is a breeze, AvaTrade lacks an ECN account like Pepperstone or IC Markets, which provides the raw spreads and ultra-fast execution many day traders are looking for.
• AvaTrade’s WebTrader has improved, but work is still needed in terms of customizability – frustratingly widgets like market watch and watchlists can’t be hidden, moved, or resized.

Visit AvaTrade AvaTrade review

FP Markets

4.2/ 5

Visit FP Markets FP Markets review

FP Markets strikes an ideal balance between affordability and quality for active traders. They’ve managed to keep trading costs low while expanding their investment offering, charting tools, and research features, all while providing excellent support you can rely on for urgent trading queries.

FP Markets quick facts

Demo Account

✔Yes

Instruments

CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, ETFs, Crypto

Regulator

ASIC, CySEC, FSA, FSCA, FSC, SCB, CMA-Kenya

Platforms

Iress, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist, TradingCentral

Minimum Deposit

$0

Minimum Trade

0.01 Lots

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD

Pros

• FP Markets delivers fast and dependable support, available 24/5 with average response times of less than 1 minute during testing.
• With MetaTrader, cTrader, Iress and more recently TradingView, FP Markets is one of the most accommodating brokers in terms of platform choice.
• AI-powered sentiment analysis, trading signals and real-time NewsIQ research, integrated with MT4 and MT5, has been added via FP Markets Intelligence.

Cons

• Although Traders Hub provides rich research, notably the Daily Report, Technical Report, Market Insights, and Fundamental Analysis, it needs to widen its daily content variety and keep its forex news updated to match category leaders like IG.
• While pricing in the Raw account is excellent, spreads in the Standard account trail the cheapest brokers with a 1.1-pip average spread on the EUR/USD compared to the 0.8-pip average at IC Markets.
• FP Markets’ Iress platform is only available to clients in Australia. It also primarily emphasizes stock trading over forex trading, and data fees can accumulate rapidly unless you're an active trader or maintain a high-balance account.

Visit FP Markets FP Markets review

CMC Markets

4.7/ 5

Visit CMC Markets CMC Markets review

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.

CMC Markets quick facts

Demo Account

✔Yes

Instruments

CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Treasuries, Custom Indices, Spread Betting, Certificates and Warrants (Germany and Austria)

Regulator

FCA, ASIC, MAS, CIRO, BaFin, FMA, DFSA

Platforms

Web, MT4, MT5, TradingView

Minimum Deposit

$0

Minimum Trade

0.01 Lots

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, SEK, NOK, SGD, PLN

Pros

• CMC Markets has added an AI News feature, using AI to surface and summarise market stories rather than place trades for you, hinting at where broker research tools are heading.
• The CMC web platform delivers a fantastic user experience with advanced charting tools for day trading and customizable features, catering to both beginners and experienced traders. MT4, MT5 and TradingView (added in 2025) are also supported.
• CMC Funded available from October 2026, providing up to a $100k prop trading-style simulated account to traders looking to prove their skills on CMC's trading infrastructure with wide market access, including prediction markets.

Cons

• The CMC Markets app offers the complete trading package but the design and user experience trails category leaders like eToro.
• An inactivity fee of $15 per month is applied after 12 months of inactivity, which may deter casual investors.
• Despite improvements, the web platform still requires enhancements to make it as intuitive to trade on as software from rivals like IG.

Visit CMC Markets CMC Markets review

TabTrade

3.0/ 5

Visit TabTrade TabTrade review

TabTrade is best suited to retail traders who are comfortable using MT5, want broad CFD access, and can deposit at least $250 for the Edge account to get the raw-spread pricing that makes the broker attractive for frequent, short-term trading.

TabTrade quick facts

Demo Account

✔Yes

Instruments

CFDs on Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Metals, Crypto, ETFs

Regulator

FSC

Platforms

WebTrader, MT5

Minimum Deposit

$0

Minimum Trade

0.01 Lots

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, CHF, SGD

Pros

• The MT5 platform, available on desktop, web and mobile, gives experienced traders the tools they actually need - one-click dealing, custom indicators, EAs and execution as low as 20ms on some accounts. cTrader and TradingView are also coming soon (not available when we checked the platform area in July and again in September 2026).
• TabTrade's support team, especially live chat, performed excellently during our second round of tests with 100% of queries answered sufficiently and in under 60 seconds.
• What impressed us for a new broker was the presence of infrastructure aimed at serious traders, with VPS hosting, FIX API access and Equinix-linked execution, helping active traders deploy fast-paced setups across global markets.

Cons

• Although it secured an FSC license in 2026, TabTrade is still based offshore where mandated regulatory safeguards are weaker than in tightly regulated regions, meaning clients don't receive protections like access to an investor compensation scheme.
• Some of the broker’s strongest selling points are gated behind higher tiers, with the VIP account requiring a punchy $25,000 deposit and priority support locked behind the TabTrade+ monthly subscription plan.
• Research and education resources need work, with more of a focus on onboarding and account setup than on the kind of market analysis, sentiment data, or strategy development many active traders want.

Visit TabTrade TabTrade review

TopFX

3.8/ 5

Visit TopFX TopFX review

TopFX is a strong choice for day trading due to ultra-low latency with execution times under 25 milliseconds. It also offers access to advanced charting platforms, MT4 and cTrader, with tight spreads and low commissions that can significantly reduce costs for active traders.

TopFX quick facts

Demo Account

✔Yes

Instruments

CFDs, Forex, Shares, Indices, Metals, Energies, ETFs, Cryptocurrency

Regulator

CySEC, FSA, BVI

Platforms

MT4, MT5, cTrader, AutoChartist, TradingCentral, Quantower

Minimum Deposit

$50

Minimum Trade

0.01 Lots

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP

Pros

• TopFX is committed to supporting a diverse range of day traders, including those who prefer manual, algorithmic, and strategy-based trading with a choice of flexible accounts.
• TopFX continues to deliver first-class support following years of real-money trading with responses on live chat in minutes and email replies in 24 hours for technical assistance.
• TopFX has finally added MT5, offering reliable integration with a robust charting and tooling package for multi-asset traders seeking the latest software from MetaQuotes.

Cons

• TopFX supports three platforms (cTrader, MT4 and MT5), but there's no option to trade on the increasingly popular TradingView. The lack of a proprietary platform for beginner traders is also an entry barrier.
• Although it produces in-house market analysis content, notably the Daily Market Digest, and includes Autochartist and Trading Central, the woeful educational offering is limiting for beginners, especially compared to category leaders like XTB.
• Despite a growing selection of 600+ instruments, you can't invest directly in real assets, such as stocks, ETFs, and crypto, and TopFX does not offer interest on uninvested cash like alternatives such as IBKR.

Visit TopFX TopFX review

Switch Markets

4.2/ 5

Visit Switch Markets Switch Markets review

Switch Markets is a good option for active traders familiar with MetaTrader and looking for resources to inform trading decisions and strategies with coaching, market analysis, and a huge suite of 20+ trading calculators and tools. Its algo trading infrastructure is also excellent, including a free premium VPS.

Switch Markets quick facts

Demo Account

✔Yes

Instruments

Forex, Commodities, Indices, ETFs, Shares, Crypto

Regulator

VFSC

Platforms

MT4, MT5

Minimum Deposit

$50

Minimum Trade

0.01 Lots

Account Currencies

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, CHF

Pros

• Traders can access copy trading solutions via the MetaTrader Trading Signals tools and duplicate positions of experienced traders in real-time.
• Switch Markets has bundled four tools at no charge for clients maintaining a $50 balance: a VPS, AlgoBuilder AI with natural-language prompts, Trackatrader for advanced analytics, and PineConnector.
• There's complimentary access to the MarketMovers education resources, market analysis, and one-on-one coaching that isn't provided by most brokers.

Cons

• Switch Markets' regulatory credentials have worsened since its ASIC coverage, via its operations as a Corporate Appointed Representative (CAR) under OneRoyal, lapsed in 2024.
• Despite improvements, spreads are still not the most competitive for Standard account holders based on our analysis, averaging around 1.5 pips on EUR/USD.
• The global entity is registered offshore with the VFSC via Royal CM LTD, a red-tier watchdog with limited financial safeguards for clients.

Visit Switch Markets Switch Markets review

How Did We Choose The Best Market Maker Brokers?

The first and most important thing we checked is that the company is trusted.

The best indicator of a trustworthy broker is authorization from a creditable body, such as the Securities and Exchange Commission in the US or the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK.

This will help safeguard your capital, ensure you are receiving a high level of customer care, and reduce the risk of falling victim to conflicts of interest.

Following that:

Understanding Market Makers

Market makers play an essential part in trading that takes place on regulated financial exchanges. They act as the middleman between buyers and sellers of financial securities, and continuously quote prices during market hours, thus ensuring that a trade can always be executed.

The deep liquidity that these institutions provide is critical for financial markets. It allows assets to be purchased and offloaded without causing substantial price turbulence.

Furthermore, their presence ensures that short-term traders, such as day traders, can open and close positions more easily.

Market makers also act as the middlemen in over-the-counter trading, where buyers and sellers do business outside of a financial exchange.

Importantly, market makers are not the same as brokerages. While brokers bring buyers and sellers together and pass orders onto third-party liquidity providers, market makers create the marketplace for investors by buying and selling assets directly to and from them.

However, financial institutions can act as both market makers and brokers. Trading with one of these dual-role entities carries advantages for short-term traders, though you should be aware of potential conflicts of interest that may arise.

Notably, market maker brokers may have an inherent conflict of interest as they often take positions opposite to their clients, potentially profiting from client losses. They also control prices and execution, which can lead to practices like price manipulation and less favorable execution for traders.

How Do Market Makers Work?

These institutions anticipate executing high volumes of buy and sell orders each day. And so they hold large inventories of assets, such as stocks, commodities, currencies and bonds, that they stand ready to trade from.

This function means that markets can keep moving by guaranteeing that a buyer and a seller can always find someone to do business with.

When markets are ‘illiquid,’ an investor may have difficulties locating another to make a trade. In these situations, the spread – in other words, the difference between the buy (or bid) and sell (or ask) prices – can be exceptionally high, resulting in greater costs to the trader.

How Do Market Maker Brokers Make Money?

Market-making brokers primarily generate profits through the bid/ask spread. They seek to buy at a lower bid price and sell at the higher ask price, and bank the difference in the process.

These institutions are still able to make money when liquidity is healthy and bid-ask spreads are kept to a minimum.

Whilst margins are small, the colossal volume of trades that are placed each day enables them to make a tidy profit.

Certain market makers will also charge fees or commissions to execute trades. However, a high level of competition means that these costs – along with the difference between bid and ask prices – do not become prohibitive for traders.

Example Trade

Let’s say that I wish to trade shares in Colin’s Computers using a market maker broker. I believe prices of the company will rise in price, and decide to buy 100 shares in the business to capitalize on this. The company currently trades at $50 per share.

To begin with, I’ll have a look at the bid and ask prices on my market-making broker’s trading platform. They are listed as:

• Bid price: $49.90
• Ask price: $50.10

This results in a bid/ask spread of $0.20.

When I place my buy order for 100 Colin’s Computers shares, the brokerage will match my instruction with existing sell orders on the market. If there is a seller who’s happy to offload their shares at $50.10, my order will be executed at this price.

In this case, how much profit would the market maker receive?

First off, let’s have a look at the total cost of the trade to me. This stands at $5,010 ($50.10 x 100 shares).

Now let’s assume that the market maker initially bought those shares for their inventory at the lower price of $49.90 each. Their profit would come in at $20 (the bid/ask spread of $0.20 x 100 shares).

Bottom Line

Deep liquidity is the key to straightforward and cost-effective trading. And by using market-making brokers, traders can enjoy an optimal dealing experience and improve their chances of making a profit.

However, using one of these brokerages to trade also presents risks that individuals need to be constantly mindful of. That’s why we recommend choosing one of our top-rated market maker brokers.

FAQ

What Is A Market Maker?

A market maker is a firm or broker that provides bids and offers of a two-sided market along with the market size of each. By trading on both sides of the market, these companies provide a platform for trading, making their money through spreads.

Do Market Maker Brokers Manipulate Prices?

Market maker brokers set their own bid/ask prices, which makes it possible for them to manipulate asset prices. However, competition is so stiff that spreads offered by market makers are generally tight.

Finding a market maker broker that is registered with a respected authority will help prevent you from being scammed or manipulated.

Do Market Maker Brokers Own Stock?

A market maker will buy stock from you and hold it until it finds another buyer. During this time, the broker does own that stock. However, they do not hold shares for their own benefit.

What Are The Advantages Of Trading With A Market Maker Broker?

Market maker brokers with healthy liquidity allow traders to enter and exit positions rapidly, thus enabling you to swiftly capitalize on trading opportunities that arise. This also helps reduce the threat of slippage, where the expected and actual prices of a trade differ due to timing issues.

Also, many such brokers offer fixed spreads, which appeal to beginners especially, providing a clear picture of how much a trade will cost.

What Are The Risks Of Trading With A Market Maker Broker?

While their operations are often closely observed by regulators, the potential for market-making brokers to act in their own interests at the expense of traders is always present.

Also, market makers may not provide the same level of price transparency as other brokers, such as ECN trading plarforms.

Additionally, with ECN brokers, it is possible to trade prices at certain times with little or no spread. This means day traders can often get better prices with these companies than with market makers.