ActivTrades review 2026

ActivTrades says it is regulated in several countries: the FCA in the UK, the CMVM in Portugal, the Securities Commission of the Bahamas, the FSC in Mauritius, the Brazilian central bank and securities commission, and the UAE's capital market authority. We list here only the licence whose number we could read on its website.

ActivTrades works through one licensed entity: ActivTrades PLC (FCA, 434413). Which one holds your account depends on where you live, and that decides your protection: leverage limits, negative balance protection and any compensation scheme come from that entity's licence, not from the brand.

On client money, ActivTrades says: "All client accounts are ring-fenced from company funds by being held in segregated accounts". Segregation means your deposit is kept in separate bank accounts from the company's own money.

Compensation: Insurance up to USD 1,000,000 (ActivTrades Corp; private cover for insolvency losses above USD 10,000, not a statutory scheme).

Negative balance protection: Yes (all retail clients are protected from negative balances). This means a fast market cannot leave you owing the broker money beyond your deposit.

ActivTrades was founded in 2001. Headquarters: Founded in Switzerland; ActivTrades PLC is registered in England & Wales.

FCA licence (ActivTrades PLC)

ActivTrades PLC is licensed by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the United Kingdom, licence or reference 434413. We read it on activtrades.co.uk (https://www.activtrades.co.uk/en/).

The Financial Conduct Authority is one of the strictest retail regulators in the world. FCA-regulated brokers must keep client money apart from their own, cap leverage for retail clients and offer negative balance protection to retail clients. Eligible UK clients can also turn to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) if a firm fails.

To check it yourself, open the register at https://register.fca.org.uk/, search for "ActivTrades PLC" or 434413, and make sure the name, status and website match before you deposit.

ActivTrades lists these accounts: Individual, Professional, Islamic and Spread Betting (UK) accounts, plus a demo account.

Base currencies are EUR, USD, GBP, SEK or CHF (CHF only for ActivTrades Corp clients). Professional accounts get higher leverage but lose some retail protections.

Base currencies: EUR, USD, GBP, SEK or CHF (CHF only for ActivTrades Corp clients). Choosing the currency you deposit in avoids paying a conversion fee each time money goes in or out.

Swap-free (Islamic) account: Yes (Islamic account with no rollover commissions and no interest).

Demo account: Yes (risk-free simulation with real prices). A demo uses virtual money, so it is the safe place to learn the platform before you risk real funds.

A spread is the gap between the buy and the sell price; it is the main cost on most CFD trades. ActivTrades's published spreads: 0.5 pips (forex CFDs). "From" figures are the tightest moments in the best markets; normal spreads are usually wider, especially at night and around news.

With no commission on most products, the spread is your main cost. A 0.5% conversion fee applies when you deposit or withdraw in a currency other than your account's base currency.

Commission

Commission, as ActivTrades publishes it: Does not charge commissions on most of the products offered (including forex, indices and commodities).

On a commission account you pay a fixed amount per lot on top of a small spread; on a spread-only account the cost is built into a wider spread. Add both together to compare the real cost of one trade.

Other fees to check

Inactivity fee: ActivTrades does not publish an inactivity fee on the pages we checked.

Currency conversion fee: 0.5% (deposits and withdrawals in a currency other than the account base currency).

Swaps (overnight financing) are charged or paid when you hold a position past the daily rollover; check the swap of each market on the platform before holding trades for days.

Minimum deposit: No minimum deposit (USD 250 in certain jurisdictions).

ActivTrades says there is no minimum deposit to activate an account on its global, UK and EU sites; only clients in certain jurisdictions need USD 250.

A small first deposit lets you test the account, the platform and a withdrawal before you commit more. Only deposit money you can afford to lose.

ActivTrades lists these deposit methods: Bank transfer, Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, Skrill and Crypto. Which ones you see depends on your country and your ActivTrades entity.

Deposit fee: Free (bank transfer, cards, Neteller, Skrill, crypto; third-party charges may be passed on in exceptional cases).

Always deposit from an account or card in your own name: brokers reject third-party payments and return funds to the source.

Withdrawal methods: Bank transfer, Visa, Mastercard, Neteller, Skrill and Crypto.

Withdrawal fee: Free (third-party or intermediary bank charges may be deducted).

Timing: Same working day by bank transfer; about 30 minutes for cards, Neteller, Skrill and crypto (indicative).

Its funding table lists bank transfers as free and same working day, and cards, Neteller, Skrill and crypto as free and about 30 minutes, after the company receives the request. Intermediary bank charges may be deducted, and in exceptional cases third-party processing fees may be passed on.

Like most brokers, ActivTrades sends money back to the method you deposited with first. Verify your identity before your first withdrawal, and try a small withdrawal early so you know how it works.

ActivTrades offers MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, ActivTrader and TradingView.

ActivTrader is ActivTrades' own platform; MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5 and TradingView are also available.

MetaTrader 4 and 5 suit traders who use expert advisors (automated strategies) and custom indicators; a broker's own app is usually simpler for beginners. Try the platform on a demo before you trade real money.

Leverage lets you open a position larger than your deposit. It multiplies gains and losses in the same way.

ActivTrades does not publish its maximum leverage on the pages we checked.

ActivTrades does not publish a single maximum leverage figure on the pages we read. UK and EU retail clients get the regulated limits; professional accounts can get more.

ActivTrades's own page states that 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs (source: https://www.activtrades.co.uk/en/).

ActivTrades does not publish its margin call and stop-out levels on the pages we checked; check them on the platform before you trade.

What we like: FCA-regulated UK entity and several other licences; No minimum deposit in most countries; No commission on most products; spreads from 0.5 pips; Negative balance protection and segregated accounts; Extra insurance up to USD 1,000,000 (ActivTrades Corp).

What to watch: 0.5% conversion fee for other-currency funding; Maximum leverage not published; Licence numbers other than the FCA's not shown on the pages we read; 69% of retail accounts lose money with its UK entity, by its own figure.

ActivTrades suits traders who want a long-established broker with no minimum deposit, a choice of four platforms and extra insurance on top of regulation.

UK traders who want spread betting, and Islamic traders who need swap-free accounts, are well served.

1. Go to ActivTrades's official website (https://www.activtrades.com) and check that the entity named in the footer is the one licensed for your country.

1. Register, then upload your ID and proof of address. Brokers must verify you before you can withdraw.

1. Choose your account type and base currency (Individual, Professional, Islamic and Spread Betting (UK) accounts, plus a demo account).

1. Deposit at least No minimum deposit (USD 250 in certain jurisdictions) with a method in your own name, then practise on the platform with small trades.

1. Request a small withdrawal early, so you know how long it takes before you add more money.

These are the rules ActivTrades keeps in its terms, read on its own pages on 2026-10-16:

• Inactivity fee: not published on the pages we checked
• Withdrawal fee: Free (third-party or intermediary bank charges may be deducted)
• Deposit fee: Free (bank transfer, cards, Neteller, Skrill, crypto; third-party charges may be passed on in exceptional cases)
• Minimum withdrawal: not published on the pages we checked
• Currency conversion fee: 0.5% (deposits and withdrawals in a currency other than the account base currency)
• Negative balance protection: Yes (all retail clients are protected from negative balances)
• Margin call: not published on the pages we checked
• Stop-out: not published on the pages we checked

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider, by ActivTrades's own figure. Brokers change their terms; confirm each number on the official page before you deposit.

ActivTrades is a long-running broker with low entry costs, broad platform choice and strong client-money protections.

Fund in your base currency to avoid the 0.5% fee, check which entity serves your country, and remember that most retail CFD accounts lose money.