Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as CFD/FX brokers (leveraged trading on forex, indices, commodities and crypto), using the data of OctaFX's Saint Lucia entity and XM's Belize entity. Scores, winners and data below compare these brokers as stock brokers (real shares and ETFs you own outright), using the data of OctaFX's Saint Lucia entity and XM's Belize entity.
OctaFX
Not regulated in your country OctaFX does not accept residents in the UK because it is not regulated by FCA.
73-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.
XM
Not available in your country XM is not available in the UK.
72.82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.
Best for
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of traders OctaFX and XM are best suited to, based on what each one actually offers in United Kingdom.OctaFX is better than XM for day traders and high-volume traders, while XM is better for long-term investors. Both are a good fit for scalpers, swing traders and news traders.
| Overall score | OctaFX 80 Best not offered | XM 74 -6 73 |
|---|---|---|
| Day trading i | ||
| Long-term investing i | ||
| Professional traders i | ||
| High-volume traders i | ||
| Scalpers i | ||
| Swing traders i | ||
| News traders i | ||
| Algo traders i | ||
| Stock traders i | ||
| Crypto traders i | ||
| Futures traders i | ||
| Options traders i |
Regulation
What we compare A comparison between the financial authorities that supervise OctaFX and the ones that supervise XM.Neither OctaFX nor XM is regulated in the UK. OctaFX and XM are both regulated by top-tier authorities, including CySEC. XM does not operate in the UK.
| Section score | OctaFX 85 -5 not offered | XM 90 Best 90 |
|---|---|---|
| Tier-1 regulators | ||
| ESMA (European Union) i | ||
| FCA (United Kingdom) i | ||
| ASIC (Australia) i | ||
| CFTC (United States) i | ||
| NFA (United States) i | ||
| SEC (United States) i | ||
| CIRO (Canada) i | ||
| MAS (Singapore) i | ||
| SFC (Hong Kong) i | ||
| JFSA (Japan) i | ||
| FINMA (Switzerland) i | ||
| Tier-2 regulators | ||
| FMA (New Zealand) i | ||
| CBR (Russia) i | ||
| FSCA (South Africa) i | ||
| DFSA (Dubai) i | ||
| CSRC (China) i | ||
| ISA (Israel) i | ||
| LFSA (Malaysia) i | ||
| JSC (Jordan) i | ||
| CMA (Kenya) i | ||
| Tier-3 regulators | ||
| FSA (Seychelles) i | ||
| MMA (Maldives) i | ||
| SCB (Bahamas) i | ||
| FSC (Mauritius) i | ||
| VFSC (Vanuatu) i | ||
| FSC (Belize) i | ||
| CIMA (Cayman Islands) i | ||
| SV FSA (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) i | ||
| FSRC (St. Kitts & Nevis) i | ||
| BMA (Bermuda) i | ||
| BVI FSC (British Virgin Islands) i | ||
| EDR (External Dispute Resolution) i | ||
Safety
What we compare A comparison of the tools and services that OctaFX and XM have in place to protect your money in United Kingdom.OctaFX and XM both offer segregated client funds and two-factor authentication. OctaFX holds no licence in the UK and is not covered by the FSCS.
| Section score | OctaFX 65 not offered | XM 65 65 |
|---|---|---|
| Company info | ||
| Is it publicly traded i | ||
| Is it a bank i | ||
| Year founded i | 2011 | 2009 |
| Parent company i | Octa Markets Incorporated | Trading Point Holdings |
| CEO i | Pavel Prozorov | Tasos Anastasiou |
| Money safety | ||
| Segregated client funds i | ||
| Two-factor authentication i | ||
| Investor compensation scheme i | ||
| Additional money insurance i | ||
| Partner bank i | N/A | N/A |
| Brand power | ||
| Number of customers worldwide i | 40,000,000 | 20,000,000 |
| Annual revenue i | USD 1,000,000,000 | |
| Monthly website search traffic i | ||
Costs
What we compare A comparison of what it costs to trade with OctaFX and with XM in United Kingdom, both on each trade and on holding the account.OctaFX is better than XM for CFD/FX costs, as OctaFX is cheaper on EUR/USD, at 6 USD per lot (against XM's 20 USD), has tighter gold CFD spreads, at 0.26 points (against XM's 0.55 points), and charges lower Bitcoin CFD fees, at 29 USD (against XM's 40 USD). Neither OctaFX nor XM charges account maintenance fees or deposit fees.
XM and OctaFX cannot be compared for real stock costs, because XM is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while OctaFX is a CFD broker.
| Section score | OctaFX 85 Best not offered | XM 26 -59 72 |
|---|---|---|
| Broker fees | ||
| Deposit fees i | ||
| Withdrawal fees i | ||
| Overnight fees i | ||
| Inactivity fees i | ||
| Currency conversion fees i | ||
| Discounts on volume i | ||
| Real time market data fee i | ||
| Dividend withholding i | ||
| Account opening fees i | ||
| Account maintenance fee i | ||
| Portfolio management fee i | ||
| Fees on CFDs | ||
| Forex commission per lot i | Free | Free |
| EUR/USD average standard spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average raw spread i | ||
| EUR/USD average fixed spread i | ||
| EUR/USD total cost per lot i | USD 6 | USD 20 |
| S&P 500 fees (CFD) i | 2 points | 0.6 points |
| Gold fees (CFD) i | 0.26 points | 0.55 points |
| Bitcoin fees (CFD) i | USD 29 | USD 40 |
| US stocks fees (CFD) i | Free | Free |
| Fees on stocks | ||
| Stock fee type i | Commission, Percentage, Spread | Commission, Percentage, Spread |
| US stocks fees (real) i | USD 30 | USD 2.8 |
| ETF fees (real) i | ||
| Management costs i | ||
| Connection costs i | ||
| Fees on futures | ||
| Futures fees per contract i | ||
| Platform fees i | ||
| Fees on options | ||
| Options fees per contract i | ||
| Event fees i | ||
| Fees on savings plans | ||
| IRA opening fee i | ||
| IRA maintenance fee i | ||
| 401k opening fee i | ||
| 401k maintenance fee i | ||
Available markets
What we compare A comparison of the markets and products you can trade with OctaFX and with XM in United Kingdom, and of how many instruments each one gives access to.There is little between OctaFX and XM on CFD/FX markets. Both OctaFX and XM offer CFDs on commodities, crypto, forex, indices and stocks. XM has a slight edge, as it gives access to 1,400 tradable symbols (against OctaFX's 270), and lets you own stocks outright.
Only XM can be assessed for real stock markets, since OctaFX is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | OctaFX 75 not offered | XM 75 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Total tradable symbols i | 270 | 1,400 |
| Currency pairs i | ||
| Indices i | ||
| Commodities i | ||
| Stocks i | ||
| ETF i | ||
| Cryptocurrencies i | ||
| Bonds i | ||
| Interest rates i | ||
| Portfolios i | ||
| CFDs i | Commodities, Crypto, Forex, Indices, Stocks | Commodities, Crypto, Forex, Indices, Stocks |
| Futures i | ||
| Options i | ||
| Assets you can own i | Stocks |
Platform
What we compare A comparison of the trading platforms that OctaFX and XM make available to their clients in United Kingdom.OctaFX is better than XM for platforms, as OctaFX offers cTrader, social trading and AutoChartist, which XM does not. OctaFX and XM both offer MetaTrader 5 and MetaTrader 4.
XM and OctaFX cannot be compared for platforms, because XM is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while OctaFX is a CFD broker.
| Section score | OctaFX 89 Best not offered | XM 63 -26 63 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary platform i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 i | ||
| cTrader i | ||
| Social trading platform i | ||
| Copy trading platform i | ||
| ZuluTrade i | ||
| TradingView i | ||
| Duplitrade i | ||
| Mirror Trader i | ||
| NinjaTrader i | ||
| AutoChartist i | ||
| Real time pricing i | ||
| 5 digit pricing i | ||
| One-click trading i |
Mobile
What we compare A comparison of the mobile apps of OctaFX and XM in United Kingdom, and of what each one lets you do from your phone.OctaFX is better than XM for mobile trading, since OctaFX offers the cTrader app, a social trading app and a copy trading app, which XM does not. Both OctaFX and XM offer a proprietary mobile app and the MetaTrader 5 app.
Only XM can be assessed for mobile trading, since OctaFX is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | OctaFX 100 Best not offered | XM 86 -14 86 |
|---|---|---|
| Proprietary app i | ||
| Social trading app i | ||
| Copy trading app i | ||
| MetaTrader 4 app i | ||
| MetaTrader 5 app i | ||
| cTrader app i | ||
| Mobile trading signals i | ||
| Mobile alerts i | ||
| Mobile charting tools i | ||
| Mobile drawing tools i | ||
| Mobile watchlist i | ||
| Smartwatch app i |
Trading features
What we compare A comparison of the trading tools and strategies that OctaFX and XM allow on their platforms in United Kingdom.XM is better than OctaFX for CFD/FX trading features, as XM executes orders faster, within 66 ms (against OctaFX's 100 ms), and allows for high-frequency trading. OctaFX and XM both offer negative balance protection and trailing stops. The leverage shown for OctaFX is set by its Saint Lucia entity and exceeds the retail limit in the UK (30:1 on major currency pairs). The leverage shown for XM is set by its Belize entity and exceeds the retail limit in the UK (30:1 on major currency pairs).
There is no like-for-like comparison for real stock trading features, as OctaFX is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | OctaFX 83 -4 not offered | XM 87 Best 77 |
|---|---|---|
| Trade execution | ||
| Broker type i | NDD | Agency |
| Average execution time i | 100 ms | 66 ms |
| Slippage occurrence i | ||
| Requotes occurrence i | 0% | |
| Tier-1 liquidity providers i | ||
| PFOF i | ||
| Leverage | ||
| Major FX pairs leverage i | 1000:1 | 1000:1 |
| Minor/Exotic FX pairs leverage i | 1000:1 | 1000:1 |
| Major indices leverage i | 400:1 | 500:1 |
| Minor indices leverage i | 400:1 | 250:1 |
| Gold leverage i | 1000:1 | 1000:1 |
| Commodities leverage i | 400:1 | 400:1 |
| Equities leverage i | 20:1 | |
| Cryptocurrency leverage i | 200:1 | 1000:1 |
| Risk management | ||
| Stop losses i | ||
| Take profits i | ||
| Limit orders i | ||
| Trailing stop i | ||
| Margin call i | ||
| OCO orders i | ||
| Guaranteed stop loss i | ||
| Negative balance protection i | ||
| Minimum trade size (FX) i | 0.01 lots | 0.01 lots |
| Minimum trade size (stocks) i | USD 0 | USD 0 |
| Fractional stocks i | ||
| Trading compliance | ||
| Scalping strategies allowed i | ||
| Hedging strategies allowed i | ||
| Automated trading strategy allowed i | ||
| EAs use allowed i | ||
| HFT strategy allowed i | ||
| VPS use allowed i | ||
| API use allowed i | ||
| Price scraping allowed i | ||
| FIFO rule applies i | ||
Account types
What we compare A comparison of the kinds of account you can open at OctaFX and at XM in United Kingdom, and of who each one is meant for.OctaFX is better than XM for CFD/FX account types, as OctaFX offers an ECN account, an unlimited demo account and a raw spread account, which XM does not. Both OctaFX and XM offer a demo account and a managed account.
XM and OctaFX cannot be compared for real stock account types, because XM is a broker offering both CFDs and stocks while OctaFX is a CFD broker.
| Section score | OctaFX 72 Best not offered | XM 60 -12 68 |
|---|---|---|
| Demo account i | ||
| Unlimited demo account i | ||
| Standard account i | ||
| Micro account i | ||
| Cent account i | ||
| Nano account i | ||
| Raw spread account i | ||
| ECN account i | ||
| Swap-free account i | ||
| Islamic account i | ||
| Professional traders account i | ||
| Fixed spread account i | ||
| Spread betting account i | ||
| Copy trading account i | ||
| Corporate account i | ||
| Managed account i | ||
| Stock investing account i | ||
| Margin investing account i | ||
| Savings account i | ||
| Retirement account i |
Account opening
What we compare A comparison of what it takes to open and fund an account with OctaFX and with XM in United Kingdom.XM is better than OctaFX for account opening, since XM offers 10 account base currencies (against OctaFX's 2), credits deposits faster, within the same day (against OctaFX's 3 days), and pays out withdrawals faster, within 1 day (against OctaFX's 3 days). Both require a minimum deposit of 5 USD. XM does not operate in the UK and OctaFX holds no licence there.
There is no like-for-like comparison for account opening, as OctaFX is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks. XM does not operate in the UK and OctaFX holds no licence there.
| Section score | OctaFX 80 -15 not offered | XM 95 Best 95 |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit i | USD 5 | USD 5 |
| Minimum withdrawal i | USD 0 | USD 5 |
| Wire transfers i | ||
| Credit cards i | ||
| Debit cards i | ||
| eWallets i | Neteller, Skrill | Neteller, Skrill |
| Local payment methods i | ||
| Account base currencies i | EUR, USD | AUD, CHF, EUR, GBP, HUF, PLN, RUB, SGD, USD, ZAR |
| Deposit waiting time i | up to 3 business days | Instant |
| Withdrawal waiting time i | up to 3 business days | up to 1 business days |
| Bonus program i |
Customer care
What we compare A comparison of the customer support of OctaFX and XM in United Kingdom, in how it can be reached and how fast it answers.XM is better than OctaFX for customer care, as XM offers customer support in 20 languages (against OctaFX's 11), has a website in 19 languages (against OctaFX's 11), and offers a dedicated account manager, which OctaFX does not. Both OctaFX and XM offer phone support and live chat.
XM and OctaFX cannot be set side by side for customer care, as OctaFX is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks, unlike XM.
| Section score | OctaFX 67 -11 not offered | XM 78 Best 78 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of languages supported i | 11 | 20 |
| Website languages i | Bangla, German, English, Indonesian, Malay, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese, Chinese | Arabic, Czech, German, Greek, English, French, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese |
| Website available in English i | ||
| Customer support languages i | Bangla, German, English, Indonesian, Malay, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese, Chinese | Arabic, Czech, German, Greek, English, French, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese |
| Customer support in English i | ||
| Call back request i | ||
| Email support i | ||
| Phone support i | ||
| Live chat i | ||
| Priority customer support i | ||
| Dedicated account manager i | ||
| Cash sweep i | ||
| Stock lending i | ||
| Distributes proceeds i | ||
| Tax withholding agent i | ||
| Tax assistance i |
Learning
What we compare A comparison of the educational material that OctaFX and XM provide to their clients in United Kingdom.XM is better than OctaFX for learning, as XM offers daily market commentary and traders' sentiment, which OctaFX does not. OctaFX and XM both offer education for advanced traders and webinars.
Only XM can be assessed for learning, since OctaFX is a CFD broker and does not offer real stocks.
| Section score | OctaFX 75 -13 not offered | XM 88 Best 88 |
|---|---|---|
| Education | ||
| Education center i | ||
| Education for beginners i | ||
| Education for advanced traders i | ||
| Webinars i | ||
| Tutorials i | ||
| Glossary i | ||
| Research | ||
| Economic calendar i | ||
| Traders' sentiment i | ||
| Daily market commentary i | ||
| Daily trading ideas i | ||
| News via social media i | ||
| Professional reports i | ||
| Watchlist i | ||
OctaFX vs XM: which one should you choose?
OctaFX
CFD/FX Choose OctaFX if you want a CFD and forex broker with cTrader and fixed-spread accounts and live in a country where it is licensed to operate.
Not licensed in the UK 73-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.
XM
CFD/FX Choose XM if you want an online CFD broker with same-day deposits, high-frequency trading strategies and fast withdrawals and live in a country where it accepts clients.
Stocks Choose XM if you want a stockbroker with same-day deposits, fast withdrawals and several account base currencies and live in a country where it accepts clients.
Not available in the UK 72.82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.Other popular comparisons
Below are other head-to-head comparisons that include OctaFX or XM, each scored with the same data and method as this page.
