Founded in 2009, FBS is a well-regulated STP broker. They have regulation in place from a number of top-tier industry regulators including FSC Belize (FBS Markets Inc.), CySEC (Tradestone Ltd) and ASIC (Intelligent Financial Markets Pty Ltd). FBS has collected 90 awards over the years since its inception.
They are also noted as a broker that provides very low spreads on trading across a wide range of markets. FBS is a popular choice with Asian and African traders in particular.
In this FBS review, the InvestinGoal team has carefully examined all the key features of the broker including account types, trading costs, products offered, and trading platforms to ensure you have the most accurate basis to make your broker choice.
The key strengths of FBS include:
- 90 international awards
- Low spreads on the majority of assets
- Well-regulated by top-tier bodies
Table of Content
What Is Our Opinion On FBS?
FBS is an STP broker offering only CFD trading. The broker stands out for its remarkably low-cost trading options from 0.7 pips on Forex and a supportive environment for various trading strategies like hedging, scalping, and algo-trading, making it a versatile choice for traders globally.
FBS is a versatile choice for trader globally and has won over 90 awards since starting.
What are the FBS Pros and Cons?
Pros:
- The broker offers excellent negative balance protection to all traders
- FBS does an excellent job in securing top-tier regulation, and ensuring your funds are always secure
- They have won more than 90 awards over the years for their top quality service
- The spreads and trading costs here remain incredibly low
Cons:
- Physical office locations for the broker are quite limited at only one
- The number of base currencies made available is quite limited
- The customer service is a little limited, particularly when it comes to language availability
Pros and Cons: a Summary
The chart below examines key broker areas and identifies pros and cons from each.
If you want to expand your research, and evaluate some options similar to this broker, you can consult the alternatives to FBS.
FBS Offer | Advantages | Downsides |
---|---|---|
Demo Account | Available for every account | N/a |
Minimum Deposit | Low barrier of $5 to open an account | N/a |
CFDs and Forex | Spreads starting from 0.7 pips | N/a |
Scalping | FBS allow and provide VPS | N/a |
Indonesia | Fixed exchange rate for deposit to avoid flactuation | Not physically present |
CFDs and Forex Review
FBS offers trading on Forex and CFDs only. This includes markets such as commodities, indices, stocks, and everything on offer from the broker.
They provide variable spreads from 0.7 pips on Forex and they offer more than 550 tradable assets. If you are looking for the most commonly traded assets, it can be an excellent choice.
Pros:
- The spreads are kept very low here
- A low minimum deposit is perfect for new traders
Cons:
- There are fewer assets compared to other major forex brokers
Scalping Review
FBS does a great job in supporting scalping and is a very popular choice in this regard. This comes thanks to a very fast execution speed with orders executed within 0.01 seconds. Market execution is in place which also makes requotes impossible.
Also, you are permitted to use a VPS and the broker can provide you one that meets their requirements such as the one that only 500 open positions and pending orders can exist (400 for EU traders). Overall, these features despite the limited assets, make FBS a top scaping broker choice.
Pros:
- VPS use is both supported and one is provided
- Automated trading is also allowed
Cons:
- A limited selection of assets is available
FBS Indonesia Review
Indonesian traders, in particular, find FBS to be an excellent broker choice. One of the reasons behind this may be that they offer a fixed exchange rate of 10,000 IDR to 1 USD to help avoid currency fluctuations. Another may be that as an Indonesian trader you are eligible to get a Trade 100 bonus.
As an Indonesian trader, you also have full access to the complete range of FBS features that can be limited elsewhere so it is a strong country for the broker.
Pros:
- They offer a fixed currency conversion rate for IDR-USD
- A trade bonus is made available
Cons:
- The broker has no physical presence in Indonesia
Is FBS regulated and legit?
FBS is regulated by FSC, ASIC and CySEC within the European Union, which makes FBS an ESMA compliant broker.
Here below you can find a summary of all the FBS regulations:
- FBS Markets Inc: FSC in Belize (FSC/000102/460);
- Traderstone Limited: CySEC in Europe (331/17);
- Intelligent Financial Markets Pty Ltd: ASIC in Australia (426359).
Foundation and Offices
FBS was founded in 2009. Since that time they have worked hard to expand their offering to traders worldwide. FBS headquarters is based in Belize, 2118, Guava Street, Belize Belama Phase 1, Belize.
Money Protection
FBS provides for several protection measures to make sure that the funds you deposit with the broker remain safe and secure.
This includes a negative balance protection which means you can never lose more than you deposit. Added to that, your funds will also be placed in segregated accounts so that if the company does come under any financial difficulty like bankruptcy or insolvency, your funds remain protected.
This protection is further strengthened for those located in Europe. Here you can avail of the ICF insurance which covers your deposit up to 20.000€.
Awards
FBS broker is very well-decorated in the industry. They regularly win awards for all aspects of their service and they have won 90 awards since they were founded. This includes a recent award of Most Trusted Forex Broker in 2024.
They have also collected awards as the best broker in Asia and Africa. This backs up their very strong reputation in the industry.
In Which Countries is FBS not Available?
FBS has over 27 million customers from 150 different countries. Despite this excellent worldwide offering, there are still a few places the broker remains unavailable as follows:
- Israel
- Iran
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
What Are FBS Account Types?
FBS offers a single trading account type with Demo account and Swap-free features available. The initial deposit is as low as $5. The spreads too are very competitive starting from just 0.7 pips with very fast order execution. If you are trading under FSC regulation you will also be able to access extensive leverage up to 3000:1.
FBS Demo Account
FBS offers a demo account that is completely free and can replicate live trading conditions but with no-risk virtual funds, and no pressure to move to a live account when you are finished.
The FBS demo account is available for a 90-day period, though once this expires, you can easily open another since the only information you really need is your name and email address to get started here.
FBS Islamic Account
An Islamic account is available on request from FBS. As you would expect here, the FBS Islamic account is swap-free to be compliant with Shariah law, but the broker may charge a fee if you keep a position open for longer than 2 days.
You can find out more about these types of accounts through our article on swap-free Islamic brokers.
How Can You Deposit And Withdraw With FBS?
Account Base Currency
The account base currency is that which is available for you to trade with. This selection is a little limited with FBS. The EUR and USD are the available base currencies. This means you may have to pay a conversion fee if you deposit in, or withdraw to, another currency.
Deposit
Let’s take a closer look at the FBS minimum deposit and any fees which may be associated here.
FBS Minimum deposit
The FBS minimum deposit is $5.
Deposit Methods
As you would expect with a major forex broker, there are a number of deposit methods catered for. This includes wire transfers which are only available in Europe, and typically take 3-4 days processing time.
Credit card deposits through Visa and MasterCard are both also accepted, although MasterCard is not available outside the EU. This is usually instant, though your first deposit may take a little longer.
eWallet deposits through both Skrill and Neteller are supported too and again these are typically instant. There are a few more methods also available depending on where you are located.
In the EU, Rapid Transfer is available for instant deposit, while under the FSC, Globe Pay, Stic Pay, and Perfect Money are all supported for instant deposits.
Deposit Fees
Deposits are typically free of any fees. With that said, a few of the methods may attract a fee. This includes Globe Pay with a 1.5% fee, Stic Pay with a 2.5% fee and $0.30 commission, and Perfect Money charge a fee too depending on the funding method.
A conversion fee may apply if you are depositing a non-base currency, and you should check with your bank fee policy for wire transfers.
FBS Deposit – Fixed Rate
FBS offers a fixed rate for deposits if you are from Indonesia or Nigeria. This rate is fixed at 10,000 IDR or 400 NGN for 1 USD and is another reason the broker is popular in many areas of the world.
Withdrawals
Let’s also take a look at the withdrawal features of FBS.
Withdrawal Methods
FBS makes all of the same methods available for withdrawal. FBS withdrawal methods include wire transfers, credit cards, and eWallet.
FBS clients withdraw funds from their account only to the payment systems that were used for the deposit. FBS withdrawals follow the LIFO (last in first out) system in case of multiple payment methods.
Consider the case of FBS clients depositing funds using Payment Method 1 and later uses Payment Method 2 for another deposit. Any FBS withdrawal must first be made through Payment Method 2 until the total amount deposited via Payment Method 2 is fully withdrawn (either in whole or in parts). FBS allows withdrawals on payment method 1 only after the payment method 2 is completely withdrawn.
Rapid Transfer is also available in the EU for withdrawals, as are Globe Pay, Stic Pay, and Perfect Money under FSC. All withdrawals regardless of the method will typically take around 48 hours to process.
Withdrawal Fees
There are also no withdrawal fees to worry about if you are a European trader. If you are trading outside Europe, you may be charged a commission that depends on the payment method chosen, plus a conversion fee if the base currency doesn’t match the currency of your bank account. These fees and commissions are listed below:
- Visa – $1 commission
- Stic Pay – 2.5% + $0.30
- Skrill – 1% + $0.32
- Neteller – 2% (min $1, max $30)
- PerfectMoney – 0.50%
- Globe Pay – 1%
How Much Are Trading Fees With FBS?
FBS offers only floating spreads starting from 0.7 pips on Forex.
How Much Are Non-Trading Fees With FBS?
There are also a couple of other fees to consider if you are starting to trade at FBS.
Overnight Fees
The overnight fee is commonly charged by every broker in the industry, and is the fee for holding a position open overnight. These fees are charged daily on market closing and basically apply to every asset with FBS since they are a CFD broker.
Since it is a changing fee, you can find more information on it through your trading platform. If you are an Islamic trader, you will qualify for a swap-free account so this fee is not applied.
Inactivity Fees
FBS does not charge any inactivity fees to its traders.
Which Markets Does FBS Offer?
FBS is a CFDs broker, every asset listed on the platform is offered as CFDs. Here are the available assets.
Forex
FBS provides for forex trading in a total of 72 forex currency pairs.
Commodities
Commodities with FBS are also traded as CFDs and there are 11 in total available. These include 8 metals such as palladium, platinum, gold, and silver, and 3 energies in the form of Brent and WTI crude oil.
Indices
There are 11 indices available for trading which again are traded as CFDs. These markets include the DAX,NASDAQ, SPX500, and DJ Mini Futures.
Stocks
A total of 474 major global stocks are traded here as CFDs and the offer includes the likes of Apple, Amazon, Walmart, and more.
Cryptocurrencies
When it comes to cryptocurrency markets available at FBS, you can trade all of the major coins, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and others as CFDs.
In total there are 5 crypto pairs that you can choose to trade as CFDs. The market for trading these assets is open 24/7.
How Are Execution, Leverage And Position Sizing With FBS?
Here are some of the key trading features that you can expect to find once you start trading with FBS.
Executions
FBS is a CFD broker offering STP execution of your trades. This enables you as a trader to get the best possible price on assets and a really competitive spread since the broker deals with some major liquidity providers to make sure you have the best prices.
Leverage
The leverage you can access for trading with FBS will depend on where you are located.
Leverage is up to 30:1 on Forex, if you are trading under the CySEC or ASIC regulated branch of FBS.
Leverage is up to 3000:1 on Forex, if you are trading under the FSC Belize regulated branch of FBS.
Sizing
The minimum trade size at FBS is one micro lot. This is also equal to 0.01 standard lots, or $1000 in cash value (when non-leveraged).
Risk Management
When it comes to managing your risk while trading, FBS utilizes all of the tools made available by the trading platforms to make sure you have as many safety options as possible to manage your positions. This includes the ability to place stop losses, take profits, limit orders, and trailing stops to help in this regard.
FBS also provides margin calls if you are utilizing leverage to trade. This helps to ensure that your equity does not drop below a certain level.
Forbidden trading techniques
FBS allows basically all kinds of trading techniques that you would like to use. This includes hedging, scalping, and the use of EAs through MetaTrader to conduct algorithmic trading. You can also utilize a VPS if you wish and you may be provided one by FBS if you meet certain trading requirements.
What Platforms Does FBS Offer?
FBS also offers several excellent trading platforms to choose from across a range of mediums.
Charting and Trading tools
Since the broker is offering MetaTrader 4 and 5 then you can be fully assured of comprehensive charting capability, customization, and a range of trading tools to make sure you get the best out of the platform.
Here there are 51 charting indicators and 31 tools available as standard through these platforms with FBS. One click trading is also possible and they are kept up to date with the latest news and analysis at all times.
MetaTrader 4
MT4 has been around for a long time and is rightfully recognized as the top trading platform in the industry. It is very lightweight with the ability to run on almost any device. It is also very robust, and easy to get to know with a very high degree of customization available if you wish.
Through FBS you can also utilize the EAs that MT4 facilitates through the MQL5 community that can allow you to copy other trades and strategies. As one of the most powerful trading platforms around, MT4 still holds on to the title of the most popular trading platform. It is available through Mac, and Windows on desktop and Webtrader too.
MetaTrader 5
MT5 retains all of the excellent capability and features of MT4 but is improved in some areas with more indicators, 6 more pending orders available, and an ability to see the market depth with 21 total time frames.
Again here, you can apply your strategies for algorithmic trading if you have some and the platform is also available on all devices, Mac, or Windows.
FBS App
FBS App is a proprietary mobile trading platform made available by the broker. You can use Fbs App on either iOS or Android devices. This trading platform also supports all of the features of MetaTrader to make it extremely powerful and convenient for trading on the move.
An upside here is that the FBS App platform is more visually appealing and user friendly than MetaTrader. It also supports both deposits and withdrawals and the team offers live support if you need it.
What Extra Trading Services does FBS Offer?
There are also a few additional products to be aware of if you are trading with FBS.
FBS Fixed Rate
The FBS fixed rate is a special feature available to FBS traders in Indonesia and Nigeria. Here they can benefit from a fixed exchange rate of 10,000 IDR to 1 USD which can help them avoid currency fluctuation, and the same goes for Nigerian traders who can enjoy the 400 NGN to 1 USD fixed exchange rate.
FBS VPS Server
An FBS VPS server is available to you if you deposit enough and make a certain volume of trades. This offer is unlimited and having a VPS in place allows you to fully exploit the use of EAs and trade on a 24/7 basis with the backing of a very fast and stable connection from the broker.
How Is FBS Customer Service?
Languages
The FBS website does very well in supporting a total of 6 different languages. This includes EU languages and Asian languages including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian Bahasa, Malay Bahasa, and Thai.
Customer Service
The customer service provided at FBS is professional and easy to reach. They are available through the web-based chat function as well as through email or phone. There is also a well-stocked FAQ section that can help you answer many questions without the need to contact support.
FBS customer support is available in 9 languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Malay, Filipino and Tagalog, Thai, Swahili.
Does FBS Have Research And Education Services?
Research
The broker provides for a very well-resourced research section. This includes daily news on the forex market, stocks, other assets, and the general global economy. Market analysis both technical and fundamental is also regularly provided.
The FBS Academy feature provides weekly market insights as well as trading plans on a daily basis and access to a range of informative webinars. The broker also provides a detailed economic calendar keeping you totally up to date with what is happening around the world.
Education
The FBS education section is excellent. They do very well at catering for all levels of trader from beginner through to intermediate, and the more experienced, there should be something here for everyone. Included in the educational offering are forex guide books, a dedicated blog with trading tips, a collection of video lessons to help you develop, as well as access to a forex glossary and range of quality webinars.