Best Forex Brokers 2026
Our expert picks for the top forex and CFD brokers, ranked by overall score across 8 categories. Every broker is tested with real money accounts.
Top 5 Brokers Compared at a Glance
This gives readers one structured snapshot before the long-form cards below. For the full head-to-head view, use any compare page.
| Feature |  IG Overall 9.2/10 |  Interactive Brokers Overall 9.2/10 |  Saxo Bank Overall 9.0/10 |  IC Markets Overall 8.8/10 |  CMC Markets Overall 8.8/10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 9.2/10 ✓ | 9.2/10 ✓ | 9.0/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Spreads From | 0.6 pips | 0.1 pips | 0.4 pips | 0.0 pips | 0.7 pips |
| Min Deposit Lower is better | $250 | $0 ✓ | $2000 | $200 | $0 ✓ |
| Platforms | IG Platform, MT4, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer | TWS, IBKR Mobile, IBKR GlobalTrader | SaxoTraderGO, SaxoTraderPRO | MT4, MT5, cTrader | Next Generation, MT4 |
| Regulation | FCA, ASIC, MAS, BaFin | SEC, FCA, ASIC, MAS, IIROC | FCA, DFSA, MAS | ASIC, CySEC, FSA | FCA, ASIC, BaFin |
| Markets | 17,000+ | 1,000,000+ ✓ | 72,000+ | 2,200+ | 10,000+ |
IG
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 1974 · London, UK
IG is a premium broker with 50+ years of experience, 17,000+ markets, and an exceptional proprietary platform backed by top-tier global regulation.
Interactive Brokers
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 1978 · Greenwich, USA
Interactive Brokers is one of the world's largest and most regulated brokers, offering access to 150+ markets, all asset classes, and professional-grade tools at industry-leading low costs.
Saxo Bank
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 1992 · Copenhagen, Denmark
Saxo Bank is a premium licensed bank offering 72,000+ instruments, award-winning proprietary platforms, and top-tier FCA/DFSA/MAS regulation.
IC Markets
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 2007 · Sydney, Australia
IC Markets delivers institutional-grade execution with raw spreads from 0.0 pips, $15B+ daily volume, and ASIC/CySEC regulation.
CMC Markets
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 1989 · London, UK
CMC Markets is a 35-year veteran offering 10,000+ instruments through its award-winning Next Generation platform with FCA/ASIC/BaFin regulation.
LMAX
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 2010 · London, UK
LMAX is an FCA-regulated exchange offering institutional-grade execution with no last look, ultra-tight spreads, and a transparent order book for serious traders.
Swissquote
⚪ UnratedEst. 1996 · Gland, Switzerland
Swissquote is a FINMA-regulated Swiss bank offering premium trading with the highest regulatory safety standards and 3,000+ instruments.
XTB
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 2002 · Warsaw, Poland
XTB is a publicly traded, FCA-regulated broker with the award-winning xStation 5 platform, no minimum deposit, and one of the best trading education programs in the industry.
XM
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 2009 · Limassol, Cyprus
XM is a well-regulated broker known for its excellent education, $5 minimum deposit, and reliable MetaTrader execution across 1,000+ instruments.
Pepperstone
🟢 Tier 1 RegulatedEst. 2010 · Melbourne, Australia
Pepperstone offers raw spreads from 0.0 pips, four platform choices, and strong ASIC/FCA regulation with no minimum deposit requirement.
Read the full broker reviews behind this shortlist
If a broker made this best-of list, the detailed review is where you can verify the spreads, regulation, platform testing, and withdrawal notes before you open an account.
IG review
IG is a premium broker with 50+ years of experience, 17,000+ markets, and an exceptional proprietary platform backed by top-tier global regulation.
Interactive Brokers review
Interactive Brokers is one of the world's largest and most regulated brokers, offering access to 150+ markets, all asset classes, and professional-grade tools at industry-leading low costs.
Saxo Bank review
Saxo Bank is a premium licensed bank offering 72,000+ instruments, award-winning proprietary platforms, and top-tier FCA/DFSA/MAS regulation.
IC Markets review
IC Markets delivers institutional-grade execution with raw spreads from 0.0 pips, $15B+ daily volume, and ASIC/CySEC regulation.
CMC Markets review
CMC Markets is a 35-year veteran offering 10,000+ instruments through its award-winning Next Generation platform with FCA/ASIC/BaFin regulation.
LMAX review
LMAX is an FCA-regulated exchange offering institutional-grade execution with no last look, ultra-tight spreads, and a transparent order book for serious traders.
Swissquote review
Swissquote is a FINMA-regulated Swiss bank offering premium trading with the highest regulatory safety standards and 3,000+ instruments.
XTB review
XTB is a publicly traded, FCA-regulated broker with the award-winning xStation 5 platform, no minimum deposit, and one of the best trading education programs in the industry.
XM review
XM is a well-regulated broker known for its excellent education, $5 minimum deposit, and reliable MetaTrader execution across 1,000+ instruments.
Pepperstone review
Pepperstone offers raw spreads from 0.0 pips, four platform choices, and strong ASIC/FCA regulation with no minimum deposit requirement.
Looking for more shortlist pages? Browse the full Best Broker Lists hub for country pages, platform-specific rankings, and use-case roundups.
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