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Rankings updated October 2026

Best Brokers With Negative Balance Protection 2026

The best brokers with negative balance protection ensure that you can’t lose more than your deposited funds, even in volatile markets. This crucial safeguard helps active traders manage risk when using leverage, though it’s not foolproof.

Explore our top brokers for negative balance protection, rigorously tested by our industry experts and experienced traders.

Best Brokers With Negative Balance Protection 2026

These are the top 6 brokers with negative balance protection based on our hands-on tests:

Tested with a live trading account Accepts traders from New Zealand Your capital is at risk. Trade only with funds you can afford to lose.
  1. Our top pick in New Zealand
    • Demo account
    • Regulator: FMA, FSA
    • Min. deposit: $0
    • Demo account
    • Regulator: FCA, FSCA, FSA
    • Min. deposit: $50
    • Demo account
    • Platforms: MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
    • Min. deposit: $5
    • Demo account
    • Min. deposit: $100
    • Min. trade: 0.01 Lots
    • Demo account
    • Regulator: FSC
    • Platforms: R StocksTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView
    • Demo account
    • Regulator: ASIC, CySEC, FSA, SCB, CMA-Kenya
    • Min. deposit: $200

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

Why Are These the Best Brokers With Negative Balance Protection?

Here's our brief take on what makes these brokers the best if you want negative balance protection:

  1. BlackBull is the best broker with negative balance protection in New Zealand in 2026 4.5/5 BlackBull is a New Zealand-based CFD broker providing diverse trading opportunities on over 2,180 instruments. After undergoing a rebrand in 2023, it now sports a modern look and feel complete with professional-grade trading tools and ultra-fast execution speeds averaging 20ms.
  2. Moneta Markets 4.4/5 Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, Moneta Markets offers over 1000 instruments for short-term trading. New traders can choose between STP and ECN accounts while the smooth sign-up process has helped attract 70,000 registered traders.
  3. XM 4.8/5 XM is a globally recognized forex and CFD broker with 20+ million clients in 190+ countries. Since 2009, this trusted broker has been delivering low trading fees across its growing roster of 1000+ instruments. It also offers a comprehensive MetaTrader experience that we've observed firsthand placing test trades.
  4. 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.
  5. RoboForex 4.5/5 RoboForex is an online broker, established in 2009 and registered with the FSC in Belize. Traders can choose from five accounts (Prime, ECN, R StocksTrader, ProCent, Pro) catering to different needs with trades from 0.01 lots and spreads from 0 pips. RoboForex has also enhanced its offering over the years, adding CFD instruments and launching its stock trading platform, plus the CopyFX system.
  6. IC 4.8/5 IC Markets (now IC) 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 200,000 clients from over 200 countries.

Compare the Top Brokers for Negative Balance Protection on Key Attributes

Find the perfect broker for you based on our comparison of key features important to traders looking for account safeguards:

Compare the Top Brokers for Negative Balance Protection on Key Attributes
BrokerMinimum DepositPlatformsRegulators
BlackBull $0BlackBull Invest, BlackBull CopyTrader, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartistFMA, FSA
Moneta Markets $50AppTrader, ProTrader 2.0, MT4, MT5, TradingCentralFCA, FSCA, FSA
XM $5MT4, MT5, TradingCentralCySEC, DFSA, FSCA, SCA, FSA, FSC-Belize, FSC-Mauritius, CMA-Kenya, CMA-UAE
AvaTrade $100WebTrader, AvaTradeGO, AvaOptions, AvaFutures, MT4, MT5, AlgoTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTradeASIC, CySEC, FSCA, ISA, CBI, JFSA, BVI, FSRA/ADGM, AFM, CMA-Kenya, CIRO (via Friedberg Direct)
RoboForex $10R StocksTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingViewFSC
IC $200MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, QuantowerASIC, CySEC, FSA, SCB, CMA-Kenya

How Safe Are These Brokers With Negative Account Protection?

How dependable are the top trading accounts with negative balance protection and do they have other measures that help safeguard your funds?

How Safe Are These Brokers With Negative Account Protection?
BrokerTrust RatingGuaranteed Stop LossNegative Balance ProtectionSegregated Accounts
BlackBull 4.1 / 5✘No✔Yes✔Yes
Moneta Markets 3.9 / 5✘No✔Yes✔Yes
XM 4.5 / 5✘No✔Yes✔Yes
AvaTrade 4.6 / 5✘No✔Yes✔Yes
RoboForex 3.3 / 5✘No✔Yes✔Yes
IC 4.6 / 5✘No✔Yes✔Yes

Compare Mobile Trading

Are these brokers good for trading on mobile and tablet devices?

Compare Mobile Trading
BrokerMobile AppsiOS RatingAndroid RatingSmart Watch App
BlackBull iOS & Android3.7 / 53.7 / 5✘No
Moneta Markets iOS & Android5.0 / 54.4 / 5✘No
XM iOS, Android & Windows4.7 / 53.9 / 5✘No
AvaTrade iOS & Android4.3 / 54.0 / 5✘No
RoboForex iOS & Android, R StocksTrader, Telegram Mini App4.7 / 54.4 / 5✘No
IC iOS & Android3.1 / 54.2 / 5✘No

Are the Top Brokers Brokers Offering Negative Balance Safeguards Good for Beginners?

Beginners should use brokers that allow trading with a demo account and have other features that aspiring traders need:

Are the Top Brokers Brokers Offering Negative Balance Safeguards Good for Beginners?
BrokerDemo AccountMinimum DepositMinimum TradeEducation RatingSupport Rating
BlackBull ✔Yes$00.01 Lots4.3 / 54.0 / 5
Moneta Markets ✔Yes$500.01 Lots3.3 / 54.0 / 5
XM ✔Yes$50.01 Lots4.8 / 54.9 / 5
AvaTrade ✔Yes$1000.01 Lots4.5 / 54.3 / 5
RoboForex ✔Yes$100.01 Lots4.1 / 54.6 / 5
IC ✔Yes$2000.01 Lots3.5 / 54.5 / 5

Are the Top Brokers Ensuring No Negative Account Balances Good for Advanced Traders?

Alongside account protection, experienced traders should look for sophisticated features to bolster the trading experience:

Are the Top Brokers Ensuring No Negative Account Balances Good for Advanced Traders?
BrokerAutomated TradingVPSAIPro AccountLeverageLow LatencyExtended Hours
BlackBull Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader✔Yes✔Yes✘No1:30✔Yes✘No
Moneta Markets Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader✔Yes✘No✘No1:1000 (via offshore entities)✔Yes✘No
XM Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader✔Yes✔Yes✘No1:1000✔Yes✘No
AvaTrade Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader✘No✔Yes✔Yes1:30 (Retail) 1:400 (Pro)✔Yes✘No
RoboForex Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, Strategy Builder in R StocksTrader✔Yes✘No✘No1:2000✘No✘No
IC Expert Advisors (EAs) on MetaTrader, cBots on cTrader, Myfxbook AutoTrade✔Yes✘No✘No1:5000✔Yes✘No

Compare the Ratings of Our Top Brokers With Account Protection

See how the top brokers who prevent accounts going below zero compare in all key areas after our latest investigation:

Compare the Ratings of Our Top Brokers With Account Protection
BrokerTrustPlatformsAssetsMobileFeesAccountsResearchEducationSupport
BlackBull 4.1 / 54.6 / 54.0 / 53.7 / 53.9 / 54.3 / 54.0 / 54.3 / 54.0 / 5
Moneta Markets 3.9 / 54.3 / 53.5 / 54.7 / 53.8 / 53.5 / 54.0 / 53.3 / 54.0 / 5
XM 4.5 / 54.8 / 54.5 / 54.3 / 54.0 / 54.5 / 54.3 / 54.8 / 54.9 / 5
AvaTrade 4.6 / 54.3 / 54.5 / 54.2 / 54.0 / 54.3 / 54.3 / 54.5 / 54.3 / 5
RoboForex 3.3 / 54.2 / 54.0 / 54.6 / 53.8 / 54.3 / 54.4 / 54.1 / 54.6 / 5
IC 4.6 / 54.0 / 54.1 / 53.7 / 54.6 / 54.0 / 54.0 / 53.5 / 54.5 / 5

Compare Trading Fees

The cost of trading with a broker adds up over time, especially for frequent traders. Here's how our top trading platforms offering account balance protection measure up on costs:

Compare Trading Fees
BrokerCost RatingFixed SpreadsInactivity Fee
BlackBull 3.9 / 5✘No$0
Moneta Markets 3.8 / 5✘No$0
XM 4.0 / 5✘No$5
AvaTrade 4.0 / 5✔Yes$50
RoboForex 3.8 / 5✘No$0
IC 4.6 / 5✘No$0

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
BrokerOur Users' RatingTrustpilot ScoreTrustpilot ReviewsiOS App RatingAndroid App Rating
BlackBull 4.0 / 54.7 / 535203.7 / 53.7 / 5
Moneta Markets 4.5 / 54.2 / 56475.0 / 54.4 / 5
XM 4.6 / 52.0 / 530764.7 / 53.9 / 5
AvaTrade 4.3 / 54.8 / 5136264.3 / 54.0 / 5
RoboForex 4.4 / 52.0 / 57764.7 / 54.4 / 5
IC 4.3 / 53.0 / 523.1 / 54.2 / 5

How Popular Are These Brokers Preventing Negative Equity Losses?

Understandably, many traders looking for account security prefer brokers with the highest number of active traders:

Why Trade with BlackBull, a Negative Balance Protection Provider?

After improving its trading infrastructure with Equinix servers in London, reducing latency for traders, BlackBull is an obvious choice if you want to day trade stock CFDs with ECN pricing. With competitive spreads and no commission on a growing roster of digital tokens paired with USD, BlackBull also works for active crypto traders.

Christian Harris Christian Harris, Reviewer

BlackBull quick facts

Demo Account
✔Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Futures, Crypto
Regulator
FMA, FSA
Platforms
BlackBull Invest, BlackBull CopyTrader, MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, AutoChartist
Minimum Deposit
$0
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots
Account Currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, ZAR, SGD

Pros

  • BlackBull is a much greater fit for aspiring traders following the overhaul of its ECN Prime account, now featuring improved spreads averaging 0.16 on EUR/USD and a more accessible minimum deposit of $0 compared to the old $2,000.
  • BlackBull offers every ingredient for day traders; fast execution speeds of <100ms and tight spreads from 0.0 pips.
  • With two ECN-powered accounts (Standard and Prime), plus Prime+ - an active trader rewards program offering trading rebates - BlackBull accommodates beginners through to high-volume active traders.

Cons

  • Although the Education Hub now features improvements like webinars and tutorials, the courses we’ve explored need more focus on explaining the wider economic factors influencing prices.
  • Unlike most top brokers, BlackBull charges an irritating $5 withdrawal fee, which can detract from the overall cost-effectiveness, especially for active traders who frequently move funds.
  • Despite a growing selection of 2,180+ assets, including additions to its Asia Pacific indices, they are mainly stocks with an average selection of currency pairs and indices.

Why Trade with Moneta Markets, a Negative Balance Protection Provider?

With ECN pricing featuring spreads from 0 and commissions from $1, leveraged trading, and terrific charting platforms, Moneta Markets is an excellent broker for experienced day traders.

Christian Harris Christian Harris, Reviewer

Moneta Markets quick facts

Demo Account
✔Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Crypto
Regulator
FCA, FSCA, FSA
Platforms
AppTrader, ProTrader 2.0, MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
Minimum Deposit
$50
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots
Account Currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, NZD, JPY, HKD, SGD, BRL

Pros

  • Moneta Markets makes account funding a breeze, with plenty of account currencies, zero transfer fees and a wide selection of traditional, digital and now crypto-backed payment methods.
  • Registering for an account with Moneta Markets is quick and easy through the digital sign-up process, taking just a few minutes with an accessible $50 minimum deposit.
  • Moneta Markets supports a growing suite of 1000+ tradable assets, with a particularly strong selection of commodities and more recently fresh index CFDs.

Cons

  • Clients need an account balance of at least $500 to access educational materials, a serious drawback for beginners who can get free materials from brokers like IG and eToro.
  • Although regulated by the FSCA, trading through the Seychelles-based entity may result in limited regulatory protections due to its offshore base and lax mandated account safeguards.
  • The best pricing is reserved for traders who deposit $20,000 for the ECN Ultra account, putting it out of reach for most retail investors.

Why Trade with XM, a Negative Balance Protection Provider?

With a low $5 minimum deposit, advanced charting platforms in MT4 and MT5, expanding range of markets, and a Zero account offering spreads from 0.0, XM provides all the essentials for active traders.

Christian Harris Christian Harris, Reviewer

XM quick facts

Demo Account
✔Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Commodities, Indices, Thematic Indices, Precious Metals, Energies
Regulator
CySEC, DFSA, FSCA, SCA, FSA, FSC-Belize, FSC-Mauritius, CMA-Kenya, CMA-UAE
Platforms
MT4, MT5, TradingCentral
Minimum Deposit
$5
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots
Account Currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, ZAR

Pros

  • XM stands out for its commitment to trader education, with a wealth of well-presented resources, including webinars, tutorials, and even real-time trading sessions through XM Live.
  • XM has rolled out platform upgrades with integrated TradingView charts and an XM AI assistant, delivering faster execution, smarter analysis, and a sleeker, more intuitive trading experience.
  • XM’s growing roster of 1,400+ instruments provides diverse short-term trading opportunities, with unique turbo stocks, fractional shares, and more recently thematic indices.

Cons

  • While the XM app stands out for its usability and exclusive copy trading products, the selection of technical analysis tools needs to be improved to meet the needs of advanced traders.
  • XM is falling behind the curve by not offering cTrader, which is favored over MetaTrader by some serious traders for its smoother user experience and superior charting package.
  • Although trusted and generally well-regulated in some regions, XM also has global entities registered with the weak regulators like FSC (Belize) and FSA (Seychelles), whilst UK clients are no longer accepted, reducing its market reach.

Why Trade with AvaTrade, a Negative Balance Protection Provider?

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.

Jemma Grist Jemma Grist, Reviewer

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
$100
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots
Account Currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, ZAR

Pros

  • 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.
  • 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.

Cons

  • 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.
  • 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.

Why Trade with RoboForex, a Negative Balance Protection Provider?

RoboForex is great if you want a vast range of 12,000+ day trading markets with ECN accounts, powerful charting and loyalty promotions. It also stands out for stock traders with its user-friendly R StocksTrader platform, featuring 3,000+ shares, fees from $0.01 and sophisticated watchlists.

Christian Harris Christian Harris, Reviewer

RoboForex quick facts

Demo Account
✔Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, ETFs, Futures, Crypto
Regulator
FSC
Platforms
R StocksTrader, MT4, MT5, TradingView
Minimum Deposit
$10
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots
Account Currencies
USD, EUR

Pros

  • In 2026, RoboForex introduced swap-free trading across all accounts, removing overnight interest charges, and potentially appealing to swing forex traders, though spreads and commissions may still apply.
  • The R Stocks Trader platform rivals leading solutions like MT4, with netting and hedging capabilities, comprehensive backtesting, Level II pricing, and a flexible workspace.
  • RoboForex offers over 12,000 instruments, providing more short-term trading opportunities than the vast majority of online brokers, with forex, stocks, indices, ETFs, commodities, and futures.

Cons

  • RoboForex now restricts base currency options to USD and EUR. This limitation may inconvenience day traders preferring to manage their accounts in other currencies, while potentially leading to conversion fees.
  • RoboForex provides a variety of account types, which, while offering flexibility, can be overwhelming for newer traders trying to choose the most suitable option for their trading style. Alternatives, notably eToro, provide a smoother entry into online trading with one retail account.
  • While RoboForex offers competitive spreads, some of its account types come with high trading commissions up to $20 per lot, trailing the cheapest brokers, such as IC Markets.

Why Trade with IC, a Negative Balance Protection Provider?

IC (formerly 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.

Christian Harris Christian Harris, Reviewer

IC quick facts

Demo Account
✔Yes
Instruments
CFDs, Forex, Stocks, Indices, Commodities, Bonds, Futures, Crypto
Regulator
ASIC, CySEC, FSA, SCB, CMA-Kenya
Platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, TradingCentral, DupliTrade, Quantower
Minimum Deposit
$200
Minimum Trade
0.01 Lots
Account Currencies
USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, NZD, JPY, CHF, HKD, SGD

Pros

  • You have access to over 2,250 CFDs across various markets, including forex, commodities, indices, stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies, allowing for diversified trading strategies.
  • IC secured DayTrading.com's 'Best MT4/MT5 Broker' in 2025 for its seamless, industry-leading MetaTrader integration, refined over years to maximize the platform experience.
  • IC offers fast and dependable 24/7 support based on firsthand experience, particularly when it comes to accounts and funding issues.

Cons

  • While IC offers a selection of metals and cryptos for trading via CFDs, the range is not as extensive as brokers like eToro, limiting opportunities for traders interested in these asset classes.
  • 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.

What Is Negative Balance Protection?

Negative balance protection is a security feature that applies when trading leveraged products.

It prevents users from being able to lose more money than they have in their accounts, no matter how far their open positions drop, stopping them from becoming indebted to their broker.

Generally, this applies to retail clients only and professional traders are not offered the same level of protection.

How Does Negative Balance Protection Work?

Negative balance protection ensures that, whenever you trade with leverage, you cannot lose more money than the balance of your account. It protects retail clients from becoming indebted to brokers.

The best way to explain how this works with one of the best brokers with negative balance protection is through an example…

Let’s say that you have deposited $1,500 into a CFD trading account. The broker you are using offers maximum leverage of 1:30 and you decide to open a position with $1,000 at a leverage rate of 1:5.

This means that the position you actually open is worth $5,000. If the market is particularly volatile and your position suddenly drops by 40%, you will suffer a loss of $2,000, 133% of your account’s deposited funds (not the position margin).

If you did not have negative balance protection, you would owe the broker $500.

However, if you got into this same scenario but your broker does provide negative balance protection, your losses cannot exceed the deposited amount of $1,500.

If the loss starts building, the broker will automatically close the trade when the loss hits $1,500, ensuring that you do not owe the broker money. Negative balance protection only protects funds up to the balance of your account.

If you had more than $2,000 deposited, you would lose the full amount.

It is also worth noting that this is not always a guarantee. Most brokers will close the position as it becomes too large but significant margin volatility could cause the position to drop even further before the order is fulfilled.

When this happens, you may still owe the broker some money. However, the best brokers with negative balance protection will guarantee this and take on that added loss themselves.

Why Did Negative Balance Protection Become Mainstream?

Negative balance protection became particularly prevalent in January 2015. Up to this point, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) had been holding the Swiss Franc (CHF) at a fixed exchange rate with the Euro (EUR), which it had been doing since September 2011.

On January 14th, 2015, the SNB announced that it would stop this practice and, as a result, the Swiss Franc soared against the single market currency.

While this would be seen as a success for the Swiss National Bank, it had some unfortunate repercussions. The Swiss market recorded unforeseen losses as many traders had been shorting the Swiss Franc.

Many of these investors ended up with negative balances as a result and it was feared that the brokers would demand these losses be paid to cover their losses.

Some brokers, including FXCM, chose to “forgive” up to 90% of their clients given the unprecedented nature of the losses.

The main outcome was that negative balance protection entered the limelight and regulatory bodies started to create measures to prevent such drastic losses from happening again.

Pros

  • Prevents large losses
  • Helps traders to manage risk
  • Saves traders from large debts
  • Protects against high market volatility
  • Prevents further events like the Swiss Franc scandal

How Is Negative Balance Protection Regulated?

Following the events in 2015, many regulators have implemented different rules when it comes to negative balance protection. It is important to check each individual broker but here is an overview of some of the main regulatory bodies policies.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK’s regulatory body, has implemented rules to ensure negative balance protection is offered. They have stated that firms offering CFDs and CFD-like assets must guarantee that a client cannot lose more than the total funds in their trading account.

Additionally, they must close out a customer’s position when their funds fall to 50% of the margin needed to maintain the open position on their CFD account. This applies to retail clients only, professional traders do not receive the same protection. The FCA’s supervisory team will work with brokers to ensure the proper management of negative balance protection.

The Cyprus Securities and Exchanges Commission (CySEC) is a regulatory body based in Cyprus and one of the main regulators for EU brokers. CySEC has taken a more lenient route for the implementation of negative balance protection.

Under them, brokers must implement it on a per-account basis. This means that a client who has one large leveraged position within a portfolio can still lose more than the value of the initial position.

The other positions or funds the client has will be used to cover the negative balance. Overall, a customer’s account can never have a negative balance and, if it does, that loss falls to the broker.

Australia’s regulatory body, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), also implemented similar rule changes in 2021. In addition to limiting the leverage offered on different assets to a maximum of 1:30, they have stated that brokers must provide negative balance protection.

This ensures that clients losses are limited to the funds available in their account. As with the FCA and CySEC, these rules only apply to retail traders, professional traders still stand to lose more than their available funds.

Germany’s Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, better known as BaFin, also requires negative balance protection to be offered to clients. B

aFin did not introduce a limit on leverage in 2017 but they have stated that all licensed brokers must offer negative balance protection to customers, ensuring retail clients cannot lose more than they have deposited into their accounts. Any losses on top of this are borne by the broker.

How To Choose Brokers With Negative Balance Protection

When choosing from the best brokers with negative balance protection, there are many things to look out for. Below we have outlined our top recommendations.

One of the first things to check is which agency the broker is regulated by. Try to ensure that you use a broker who is regulated by a top-tier regulatory body, such as the FCA, CySEC or ASIC. On top of requiring that brokers offer negative balance protection, they implement fund segregation rules, offer dispute meditation and provide insurance cover.

Check each broker’s website and find the section on security. Here, it should clearly mention whether they offer negative balance protection, alongside other things like cybersecurity, login protection and two-factor authentication (2FA).

Customer reviews are a great way to learn about a broker’s practices. Many people will note down their experiences with brokers, positive or negative, on online forums and websites. Visit these to learn about brokers and how they deal with issues like negative balance, fund withdrawal issues and more.

Look at the funding procedures a broker provides. Check that they provide a variety of payment methods and that withdrawals and deposits are processed within a few working days. This allows you to trust that your funds will go through successfully and you do not have to worry about your money being lost. Lots of payment methods is also an indication of privacy and security levels, as each provider will have required standards.

Additionally, there are a host of other things to check when comparing the best brokers with negative balance protection. You should ensure that the chosen broker offers the assets you want to trade, be that forex or stock CFDs, for example.

Moreover, compare fees and spreads, trading platforms, mobile apps and additional features.

Bottom Line

Opening accounts with the brokers providing negative balance protection helps protect your funds from serious market downturns and volatility. It ensures that, when trading a leveraged position, you cannot lose more than the amount you have deposited in your account,  preventing retail clients from becoming indebted to brokers.

When choosing a broker, try to ensure that they offer negative balance protection as markets are volatile and you do not want unexpected losses. Additionally, follow our guide above to ensure you pick brokers that you can trade safely with.

FAQ


Do The Best Brokers With Negative Balance Protection Prevent Big Losses?

Brokers with negative balance protection don’t just automatically stop any major losses from hitting your account, they only protect you from a net zero balance. This means that major losses that don’t completely wipe out your capital are still let through, so you should still implement robust risk management.

Do The Best Brokers With Negative Balance Protection Remove Risk?

Negative balance protection removes the risk of being indebted to the broker, though general financial risk is still very much present and you can still lose your entire account balance.