Are you looking for the best forex brokers Canada has to offer in 2020?
If the answer is yes, our expert team can help you.
We have compiled a list of the best 5 options for you to choose a forex broker. Canada can sometimes be a challenging location when it comes to your choice of brokers.
Many forex trading brokers in Canada offer limited trading capability, while some do not offer any service at all to traders. Luckily, some of the best forex brokers Canada can provide, have been found by our review team.
These top brokers will provide a full range of trading capabilities for you to get the most out of the forex market in Canada. As expected with any major forex broker, Canada-based brokers which we have listed offer some of the most competitive fees, and access to the best trading platforms.
This combines with providing the widest range of markets and trading products for you to choose from. All of this should be of great help to you in cultivating a successful career as a forex trader with some of the top forex trading brokers in Canada.
(This post is part of the best forex brokers series)
Table of contents
Is Forex Trading legal in Canada?
This is a question that many people ask, regardless of which country they are forex trading in. With Canada, while there are some points we will outline here. Forex trading in general is legal. The forex market in Canada is regulated by the IIROC (Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada). The IIROC are the national regulator, though each region of Canada has their own local regulator which is where things can get complex and we will take a look at that below.
For this reason, Canadian customers can face some challenges getting accepted by brokers especially if that broker is not IIROC regulated. In fact, when a broker is not IIROC regulated, each regional regulation has the power to decide whether or not a broker should be allowed to offer its services within the area.
Is Forex Trading legal in Alberta?
Things get a little tricky as we mentioned, in Alberta. Forex trading is legal, but you must qualify as an “accredited investor” whether or not the broker is IIROC regulated. This is something similar to the qualification as a professional trader in Europe and you must satisfy at least one of the following conditions:
- Qualify as a bank or any other financial institution
- Have a net income of at least $200.000 in the past 2 years
- Have at least $1.000.000 in your financial portfolio
- Have at least $5.000.000 invested in properties
If you can satisfy one of these criteria, then you will have no problem being classified as an accredited investor in Alberta.
How to trade forex in Canada
Things go back to normal in this respect. The steps for starting in forex trading within Canada are generally the same as in another country. You should be sure to provide the following:
- Proof of identity typically in the form of your passport is best.
- Proof of residence through a utility bill or bank statement within the last 3 months is usually best.
From there, you will be free to fund and trade on your fully verified account.
Top 10 Forex Brokers Canada Listing for 2020
Here’s our list of the best Canadian forex brokers.
AvaTrade
More than just one of the best forex brokers Canada has to offer, Avatrade is respected around the world. They are IIROC regulated, and the Canadian arm of this top global broker, Avatrade Canada provides access to the same depth of markets and trading instruments as they do to traders around the world. Combining this with the full availability of their excellent trading platforms including the well-respected Metatrader 4, Duplitrade, and AvaOptions, serve to add to the reasons why our team recommends Avatrade as one of the top forex trading brokers in Canada. The Duplitrade platform provides you with opportunities to engage in social trading.
Unlike some others, they also offer negative balance protection and the AvaProtection service to temporarily protect you from losses. The broker also provides leverage of up to 50:1 and is very accessible to all traders with a competitive minimum deposit of just $100.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors)
Forex.com
Next in our list of best forex brokers Canada makes available, is longstanding industry veteran, Forex.com. They are considered one of the market leaders, are IIROC regulated, and have been active in the sector for almost two-decades. As a Canadian user, you can access more than 300 global markets for trading with Forex.com which include more than 80 forex currency pairs, and a wide array of CFDs in shares, commodities, and indices. These options easily make Forex.com one of our premium selections when considering the best forex broker Canada of 2020.
Their highly competitive spreads are a focal point for this attraction, starting at only 0.8pips with fixed spread only trading on commodities. The minimum deposit also makes it really easy to get started at only $50 with a 50:1 leverage available on many markets.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors)
Vantage FX
VantageFX are a top forex broker who have developed into one of the leading names in the industry and a top choice for traders in Canada. They are an Australian based broker and although they are not IIROC regulated, they are still well-trusted in the sector and accepted for trading in Canada. You can open a VantageFX trading account with a minimum deposit starting at $200.
Once you have an account you can benefit from high-speed trade execution through both MT4 and MT5 trading platforms with this top ECN broker and a highly attractive spread that starts from 0 pips on forex with over 40 forex pairs available as part of the more than 150 CFDs and other markets VantageFX offer. A leverage of as much as 50:1 is also offered on many markets.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors), British Columbia
Oanda
With over 100 markets available for trading to Canadian users, Oanda is featured as one of our top forex trading brokers in Canada for 2020. Regulated by the IIROC, Oanda is among one of the most recognizable names in the forex trading industry around the world, and it brings a number of excellent research and trading tools to the Canadian market. These include advanced charting, and access to the Oanda Algo Lab. This empowers you to take control of your trading future in a way which competes with the best forex brokers Canada has in 2020. All with a 50:1 trading leverage available.
Add to this the transparent, competitive pricing model which Oanda operates, with no minimum deposit and it is easy to see why our expert team recommends them as one of the best forex trading brokers in Canada. These are some of the reasons that Oanda is highly recommended as a great choice for beginners.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors)
CMC Markets
CMC Markets are next on our list of top Canadian brokers. They really have been in the business a very long time, since 1989 in fact, During this time, they have developed a trusted reputation among traders. They are based in London but offer IIROC regulated trading to Canadian forex traders. There are many appealing aspects here, not least the fact that there is no minimum deposit required.
While trading with CMC Markets you will have access to the trusted MT4 trading platform and spreads starting from just 0.3 pips that make it a great broker for forex trading. You can also learn and grow with a great educational offering including free webinars, market insights, and more. The cherry on top here with CMC is that as a Canadian trader, you can also avail of some excellent cash rebates to lower the cost of your trading.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors)
Interactive Brokers
Providing access to a range of proprietary trading platforms, together with an extensive catalogue of trading products, and some of the most competitive commissions in the sector, Interactive Brokers makes our list as one of the top forex broker Canada choices. IIROC regulated, the top-level trading infrastructure is well supplemented by a vast educational platform. This will assist you in furthering your forex journey through informative articles, webinars, and video content.
IB is very popular among traders who are new to the industry also. This popularity stems from the wide range of markets offered, but also from the fact they do not impose a minimum deposit at all. The maximum national leverage of 50:1 being available also provides great potential to more experienced traders.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors)
FXCM
As a top no-dealing desk broker, FXCM makes our list of best forex brokers Canada this year. This trading model allows FXCM to operate with some of the best value commissions in the industry within a huge range of markets. As well as access to two premium trading platforms, FXCM offers an array of CFDs to choose from in various markets. These include commodities, metals, and indices. Generous margins and high leverage to rival any of the top forex trading brokers in Canada is also available. All of these features culminate to increase your potential for success and profitability as a forex trader in Canada.
The broker is of course IIROC regulated as are the others in our listing and a $50 minimum deposit makes them great value for all traders who can also access a flexible maximum leverage of 50:1 that provides a freedom to take advantage of trading opportunities when they arise.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors)
EasyMarkets
EasyMarkets are another top forex broker to make our listing as one of the best brokers in Canada. They were founded in Australia but now operate from Europe and around the world and are accepted for trading in Canada despite not being IIROC regulated. You can get started here with a $200 USD minimum deposit amount and have your choice of more than 150 markets, 120 of which are forex pairs.
This massive selection across the board is very appealing to traders and also includes commodities traded on a fixed spread that starts from a very competitive 0.9 pips. The broker offers the same extensive 50:1 leverage as others in the Canadian market and also goes a step further in offering negative balance protection to make sure your trading experience is as safe as possible.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors), British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec
OctaFX
OctaFX is next to make our list as a great broker for consideration of traders in Canada. They are based in Europe operating from Estonia and are quickly forging a trusted reputation among European forex traders who value the fast and reliable ECN execution on offer.
As a trader with OctaFX you can also benefit from a very accessible minimum deposit from just $100 to trade in a wide range of markets including 28 forex currency pairs. Another attractive point for all traders is the fact that both fixed and floating spreads are offered and start from 2 pips, and 0.2 pips respectively. OctaFX is also a great option for those interested in copytrading. In this regard, they offer their own proprietary copytrading service and platform that many traders rate highly.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors)
HYCM
Last but not least on our listing of the top Canadian forex brokers to choose from is one of the cornerstones of the forex trading world. HYCM have been around since 1977 and are consummately regulated by both the FCA and CySEC in providing the most trusted trading available as a European broker. You will be impressed to find an accessible minimum deposit of $100 available here and a range of more than 100 markets to trade in.
The costs too are very competitive with spreads at HYCM starting from just 0.2 pips and fixed spreads from 1.8 pips also offered. This displays excellent flexibility and value in equal measure from the longstanding broker and a reason why many traders opt to open an account here.
Regional restrictions: Alberta (only Accredited Investors), British Columbia, Quebec, Saskatchewan
Canadian trader? Here’s what to look for in a forex broker
As a Canadian forex trader, there are indeed some things to watch out for that may be OK in some other countries when trading with a top forex broker.
Binary options trading for example, is illegal in Canada. Oppositely, spread betting is in fact legal for Canadian traders. Derivative products like CFDs, while they are not legal with the neighbors in the USA, are legal to trade in Canada. Cryptocurrency trading is also legal in Canada and very much enjoyed by Canadian traders.
Restrictions on leverage and other trading conditions are also somewhat lenaint in Canada. Leverage can generally reach up to 50:1, and while negative balance protection is not mandatory as it is in Europe, it is still generally offered by top brokers along with the use of segregated bank accounts.
With those points noted, here are a few tips to follow when choosing your forex broker in Canada:
1. Look for forex brokers regulated in Canada
This point goes for every place, you should always be on the lookout for the best regulation. The IIROC is the national regulatory body and very trusted in Canada, so much so in fact, that brokers offering their services in every Canadian province must be regulated by them. This is a great thing to make sure you have in place to improve trust.
2. Try to look for brokers that offer CAD currency
We all want to avoid fees as much as possible. This means trying to choose a broker that facilitates CAD deposits and base currency. It will save you on commissions and fees from both the broker and your bank. Luckily, most of the Canadian forex brokers already facilitate this.
3. First time trading? Look for Negative Balance Protection
Negative balance protection basically can prevent you from losing more than you have in your account. This could happen in rare cases where the market is volatile and particularly if you are new to trading. So, even though it is not mandatory in Canada, it makes sense for you to find and choose a broker that offers this protection for your own benefit.
How to verify if a forex broker is regulated in Canada
One of the last steps before trading and once you have found a broker that ticks all the boxes for you, is to verify their regulation. This is simple to complete and means heading over to the IIROC official website, and checking the IIROC Register there using the company name. This name you can typically find at the bottom of your brokers homepage.
Is forex trading taxable in Canada?
The last question is are your forex trading earnings taxable in Canada. Yes, they are. You will have to pay capital gains tax on any profits in this respect. The typical tax on these earnings is also known to be quite high in Canada so you should expect to pay around 50%.
We are not professional tax advisors, thus we strongly suggest you contacting local authorities if you don’t know how to manage this aspect
