TD Ameritrade is a leading discount brokerage offering a vast range of instruments including forex, stocks, futures, options and crypto. The company has nearly 40 years of experience and authorization from the SEC, FINRA and CFTC. Trading takes place via its well-known thinkorswim platform, which offers sophisticated tools and features including stock screeners and calculators.
Futu is a NASDAQ-listed brokerage established in 2012. The fintech firm offers multi-asset trading opportunities on two proprietary platforms; Futubull and moomoo. Futu holds licenses with 20+ authorities including the ASIC, NFA and SFC. An impressive 15 million customers trade with Futu.
Comment by Reviewer
"Traders who want access to a huge range of stocks from a reputable broker with low fees should consider TD Ameritrade. On the downside, we miss access to the familiar MetaTrader 4 software."
"Futu is best for investing in Hong Kong, Chinese and US stock markets with transparent pricing. The broker is trustworthy with strong regulatory oversight and multiple awards."
Pros
Advanced order types, including OCO and brackets
Automated trading capabilities, including robo-advisors
Several trading platforms including proprietary award-winning software
TD Ameritrade provides rich in-depth research and educational resources
Extended 24/7 trading hours allow for international access to the markets
The broker facilitates automatic syncing between desktop and mobile trading platforms
There is access to over 350 technical studies, 20 drawing tools and 8 Fibonacci tools
Active chat rooms to share ideas and communicate with thousands of experienced traders
The Economic Data tool allows access to a range of data about the health of global economies
Management Services and Essential Portfolios. Reviews of which show high levels of customer satisfaction
Portfolio margin gives some users increased leverage by basing margin requirements on total portfolio risk
Reputable brokerage listed on the NASDAQ and registered with tier-one regulators
Extensive list of investments including stocks, options, ETFs, warrants, bonds and IPOs
Transparent pricing model with no commission fees to trade HK stocks & ETFs and free market data
Easy-to-use proprietary trading platform with desktop software, browser compatibility and a mobile app
Regulated worldwide with segregated client funds, ISO27001 security credentials and investor compensation schemes
Investor backing from several corporations including Tencent Holdings
NiuNiu community-based platform with NiuNiu Classroom education access
Pre-IPO trading hours access
Cons
CFD trading not available
No MT4 or MT5 integration
Fractional shares are not offered
No direct cryptocurrency trading
Broker-assisted trade commissions are around $25
Stringent margin maintenance requirements and high fees
New traders may be overwhelmed by the vast amount of information and tools available
Limited number of payment methods with no e-wallets such as Skrill, Neteller or PayPal
High minimum deposit requirement of HKD 10,000 or USD 1,500
No live chat support available
Forex trading not available
No MT4 or MT5 access
Awards
Best Broker for Beginners 2022 - Investopedia Best Online Broker Awards
Best Online Broker for Stock Trading Platform and Research 2022 - NerdWallet's Best-Of Awards
#1 Platform & Tools, #1 Active Trading, #1 Options Trading, #1 Customer Service, and #1 Phone Support 2022 - StockBrokers.com Online Broker Review
HKEX - Business Innovation Information Vendors 2017
TD Ameritrade offers currency trading via Android and iOS mobile and tablet apps. Users can speculate on over 75 currency pairs with low fees and advanced trading tools. Deposit funds and manage accounts in a few clicks.
Trade 70+ forex pairs including majors, minors or exotics via the desktop, mobile or webtrader app with no commission and 1:2 leverage. The choice of currencies is wider than most forex brokers.
Forex trading not offered
Forex App
TD Ameritrade offers currency trading via Android and iOS mobile and tablet apps. Users can speculate on over 75 currency pairs with low fees and advanced trading tools. Deposit funds and manage accounts in a few clicks.
GBPUSD Spread
Variable
EURUSD Spread
Variable
EURGBP Spread
Variable
Assets
75+
Cryptocurrency
Gain exposure to cryptocurrency markets through OTC crypto trusts, mutual funds and ETFs and Bitcoin futures. This offers portfolio diversification opportunities and trading vehicles beyond standard crypto CFDs.
