XM Review: Pros and Cons Uncovered 2023

XM was founded in 2009. They now provide service to more than 3 million customers in 190 countries around the world. The broker is well-regulated by multiple top-tier bodies including CySEC, FSC, DFSA, and ASIC. XM has a global presence but they are particularly popular among African traders and also offer an Islamic account type.

In this XM review, the InvestinGoal team has taken a close look at all the key areas of the broker such as their trading costs, account types, and assets selection to provide a clear and thorough insight.

The key strengths of XM include: 

• Low minimum deposit
• Spreads from 0 pips
• Multiple account types
• Well-regulated
• Copy trading available
• Islamic account offered

Being such a large broker with many features and assets, XM makes a demo account available for you to try out before live trading. This can help you gain a better understanding of the broker and its features.

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77,37% of retail CFD accounts lose money

What is Our opinion on XM?

XM is a Market Maker broker offering CFDs with nano lot trading through their Micro, or Ultra Low accounts also available and ideal for minimizing risk. They are award-winning and well-regulated with a low-cost trading environment perfect for new traders. XM also provides an excellent educational section known as one of the best in the industry.

When it comes to the award-winning history of the broker they have managed to collect more than 30 awards in Europe and around the world with many focused on security and the priority XM puts in that area.

At the broker, you will also find an unlimited demo account that only expires if you are inactive for more than 30-days, and one of the best Islamic accounts in the industry with no swap fee or any replacement fee. The only things you will not find at XM are cryptocurrencies (under the EU and AU regulated entities of the Group) or any form of social trading opportunity.

What are the XM Pros and Cons?

Pros

There are several advantages to note with the key to these being an excellent range of account types that are on offer as well as the trading of nano lots being available through both the Micro and Ultra Low account types.

As an Islamic trader, you will also find one of the best swap-free accounts around which does not apply any swap replacement fee at all and functions much like a regular standard account with no swap fee.

A range of trading techniques are also supported such as scalping, hedging, and algo-trading via the EAs feature of your trading platform.

Cons

As mentioned above, the broker does lack social trading capabilities both of their own or in terms of a connection to any other social trading platform with none provided.

You will also notice that certain account types are only available in some areas such as the Zero Spread account which is not available to traders under the Australian entity.

The Ultra Low account meanwhile is very similar to the Zero Spread account type and is only available to Australian traders while shares trading is also offered but only if you are a US trader.

Pros and Cons: a summary

The table below features a look at some of the core advantage and issues in each broker area.

If you want to expand your research, and evaluate some options similar to this broker, you can consult the alternatives to XM.

CFDs and Forex Review

Trading CFDs and forex at XM you will find a great range of markets available and more than 1,000 assets to trade in total.

The available markets include trading in forex, stocks, commodities, indices, precious metals, and energies while you can also trade many of these assets as nano lots through a Micro account if you wish.

XM generally tries to maintain a fee-free trading environment where they can and so this means you can get some excellent value in trading.

The spread can be as low as 0 pips although the commission is a little higher at $3.50 per lot traded on the Zero account.

The average spread is kept competitive on many of the most commonly traded assets including a 1.7 pip average on the EUR/USD, 2 pips on the EUR/GBP, and 0.35 pips on gold.

Pros

• XM is an extremely accessible broker in terms of costs
• An excellent choice for saving on fees

Cons

• No crypto assets are available to trade under the EU and AU regulated entities of the Group

Copy Trading Review

When it comes to copy trading with XM, they do not provide any direct copy or social trading services, the use of the EAs features in your Metatrader platform is permitted.

This means you could find forex and trading signals and strategies from the wider community through the MQL5 forum and other places to use on your own account as a form of copy trading if you wish though XM is not affiliated with any kind of outside copy or social trading service.

Pros

• Metatrader trading platform will full feature access is offered
• You can engage your own signals from the wider MQL5 community without issue

Cons

• No social or copy trading features are offered

Islamic Account Review

The XM Islamic account is well-known as an excellent choice for Shariah Compliant Islamic trading. This type of account is also known as a swap-free account since no swap or rollover fee is charged when holding positions overnight. The account is available on request to those who need it.

While many brokers charge an additional fee in place of the swap fee, this is not the case with XM although not every account type is available around the world, those that are available are supported with an Islamic account.

Pros

• The trading conditions are the same as you will find on a regular account
• No commission is charged with these account types
• The spread does not increase and there is no swap replacement fee

Cons

• Some account types are not available depending on location

Research and Education Review

XM comes into its own with a top-class educational section that can really benefit new traders in particular.

They have an extensive range of content available with more depth than many in the industry and are backed by a team of 50 experts in the sector who create daily live lessons and webinars that are broadcast in multiple languages.

These factors clearly help the XM education section and research capability to stand out as one of the very best around and always continuing to grow.

Pros

• More than 20 global languages are supported
• Dedicated but not limited to beginners

Cons

• Access to some features may not be mobile compatible

Is XM regulated and legit?

When it comes to the vital point of regulations, XM starts to excel.

They provide for some of the very best top-tier regulation in the business. In fact, the broker is very well regulated by some of the most respected regulatory bodies around the world. These include CySEC and ASIC

You can check on the XM regulatory status with each body using the following information.

• EU entity: Trading Point of Financial Instruments Limited regulated by CySEC (120/10)
• Dubai entity: Trading Point MENA regulated by DFSA (F003484)
• Global entity: XM Global Limited regulated by FSC Belize (000261/397)
• AU entity: Trading Point of Financial Instruments Pty Ltd regulated by ASIC (443670)

As you can see from the details above, XM takes their regulatory coverage and responsibility to traders very seriously.

This wide range of compliance is very positive for you as a trader since it ensures that you are fully protected while also allowing a degree of flexibility for you to trade around the world.

Foundation and Offices

The company was founded in 2009. Within the period over a decade that has passed, they have managed to expand their offering to include locations worldwide and cater for an increasingly broad range of traders and markets. XM has an office presence in the three following places:

Cyprus

12 Richard & Verengaria Street,
Araouzos Castle Court, 3rd Floor, 3042
Limassol, Cyprus

Australia
Level 13, 333 George Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia

Greece
Michalakopoulou 91, 3rd Floor, 11528
Athens, Greece

Money Protection

XM also steps up in this regard to offer the best in protection for you and your funds while you are a trader with XM. These protective measures include negative balance protection worldwide. This means you can never lose more than you have deposited in your trading account.

Further to this is the fact that XM utilizes segregated bank accounts to hold your funds. This is positive for you as a trader in the sense that if the company had any financial troubles like bankruptcy or insolvency, your money would remain untouched.

Clients registered under the EU regulated entity of the Group can further benefit from a special insurance fund known as ICF that can also cover funds up to 20.000€ if anything happens.

Awards

It is very clear that XM is a top broker choice in the industry for any trader. This is proven nor only by their popularity and huge following in the industry, but also by the fact that they have become a top award-winning broker.

XM has in fact won more than 30 awards. These include that of the best EU forex broker, and best Australasia forex broker, both in 2020.

They are also featured in the prestigious collection of the World Finance 100 which charts the top 100 financial businesses in the world. These kinds of accolades can only enhance the reputation of XM as a top forex broker.

In which countries is XM not available?

XM has over 3 million customers from 196 different countries. There are still though, a few areas in which they do not offer services. However, compared with some other top brokers, XM does a great job at offering worldwide service with very few exceptions. These include:

What are XM’s Account Types?

XM makes a range of account types available with enough variety to ensure that there is something on offer to all types of trader with a variety of experience levels.

Demo

The very best place to start for any trader no matter the broker, is a demo account. This provides the ideal learning opportunity where you can trade in real replicated conditions but with no risk to your own funds and no commitment to deposit any funds based on your use.

XM offers an excellent and completely unlimited demo account for you to try out. The only thing that will lead to the expiry of this trial is inactivity for a period of between 30-90 days depending on your location.

Aside from that, you are free to continue utilizing the XM demo accounts to get to know the broker, or further hone your skills.

Standard Account

The Standard account offered by XM is a very popular choice among a wide range of traders. This account is very easy to get started with. All you will need here are copies of your ID and residence proof and you should be verified to begin trading within a short time.

Through this standard account you can trade on a wide range of assets offered by XM as CFDs and with a great value minimum deposit that starts from just $5. At the same time you can continue to have and use your XM demo account to test out new strategies freely.

Micro Account

If you are new as a beginner in forex trading, or simply looking for another low-risk trading option, then the XM micro account may be perfect. Here also, you can get started with a minimum deposit of just $5.

Through the micro account there are still a great range of markets available to trade in.

The appealing difference to many here is the fact that you can trade in nano lots. This means you can open trades for as little as $10 (down to less than $1 when using leverage). This means you can fully engage in the trading experience even with just a $5 deposit.

XM Zero Account

The XM Zero is one of the most well-known accounts provided by the broker and a hugely popular choice if you are looking for the low spreads. These start from 0 pips through the XM Zero account, and the commission on trades here is also competitive at just $3.50 per lot traded.

Again as is a hallmark of XM, the starting costs are low. A minimum deposit of only $5 is needed, and the same great range of assets are largely available for trading. XM Zero Account is not available to all the entities of the Group.

XM Ultra Low Account

Another excellent account choice if you are trading with XM is the XM Ultra Low Account. This is similar to the XM Zero account though there are no commissions on trading at all here, and the spread starts from a really great 0.6 pips.

The minimum deposit for this account type remains the same at $5, and the account is also available as a micro account where you can trade in nano lots meaning a very low and accessible trade size.

The only major point to remember here is that you can only open this type of account if you are under ASIC, or FSC regulation. Under CySEC you’ll find this option available through the Ultra Low Standard account and the Ultra Low Micro account.

Shares Account

If you are interested in trading shares, then XM also has you covered. With the XM shares account you can trade in many of the top stocks worldwide. This account is made for stock brokering, though the minimum deposit remains quite high here at $10,000.

The high deposit is made essential due to the fact that you cannot buy fractional shares here, so if you want to fully enjoy the trading experience, then a substantial deposit is needed.

This XM Shares account type is available only to traders who are residing in the XM Global area under the regulation of the FSC.

Islamic Account

When it comes to Islamic trading too, the XM swap free account is held above as one of the best on offer throughout the sector. This is largely due to the fact that XM do not charge any kind of fees in place of the spread at all for Islamic traders.

They manage to offer the same markets and excellent trading conditions as the other accounts, but without any swap fees, an essential part of remaining Shariah compliant.

If you are interested in this, or other swap-free account, then check out our article on Islamic forex brokers.

How can you Deposit and withdraw with XM?

Account Base Currency

Your account base currency is that which you trade in. Many top brokers offer several account base currencies so you can avoid any conversion fees. XM goes above and beyond requirements here and offers a massive selection of even less common base currencies.

The availability of these will vary based on the country where you register, but USD and EUR are typically available everywhere along with all major currency pairs on both standard and micro accounts.

Less common XM base currencies that are made available in some areas include ZAR, SGD, RUB, JPY, and HUF.

Deposit

Let’s now take a closer look at your deposit options and any fees when you make an XM deposit.

XM Minimum deposit

The XM minimum deposit remains very competitive and it is $5 for all XM account types.

If you are based within the FSC regulatory area then you can also open an XM Shares account with a $10,000 minimum deposit.

Deposit Methods

XM facilitates deposits through all of the common channels you would expect. This includes deposits through wire transfer, credit/debit cards, and eWallets including Skrill, Neteller, and WebMoney.

As regards timing, wire transfers typically process within 2-5 days, credit card deposits are through within 24-hours max, and this is also the case with eWallet deposits.

There may also be other deposit methods available depending on your local area and this is something you can check through your account management and deposit area once you open your XM account.

Deposit Fees

In the majority of cases, XM deposit methods try to remain fee-free.

The only exceptions to this are if you deposit a non-base currency you may incur a small conversion charge. Also you should double check that your bank does not charge any fees for a wire transfer. If the deposit is over $200 though, XM will also cover this fee for you.

Withdrawals

Here is an overview of the XM withdrawal methods available and any associated fees.

Withdrawal Methods

XM facilitates multiple withdrawal methods which match the deposits methods available and with the same timeframes for processing. This means that wire transfer, credit/debit cards, and eWallets in the form of Skrill, Neteller, and WebMoney are all available.

Withdrawal Fees

As is the case with XM deposits, withdrawals are typically free of any fees. With that said, a conversion fee may apply if your base currency does not match that of your bank account, and you should check your bank policy on wire transfers for any fee there.

How much are Trading Fees with XM?

When it comes to spreads and commissions, XM offers some of the most competitive in the industry. The broker offers variable spreads that depend on the asset, but these spreads on major forex markets can start from as low as 0 pips with the XM Zero account.

If you are operating through an XM Standard, or XM Micro account, the spread will start from 1 pip, and 0.6 pips if you have an Ultra Low account. As mentioned, with the XM Zero account, the spread starts from 0 pips. This account does have a commission of $3.50 per lot traded though.

Here are some of the sample spreads on the most popular CFD traded markets with XM:

• EUR/USD – 0.00 pips
• Gold – 0.30 pips
• S&P500 – 0.70 pips
• US Stocks – generally 2 pips

These assets are all traded on a commission-free basis with the exception of when you are trading through the XM Zero account.

How much are Non Trading Fees with XM?

Here are a couple of other fees to keep in mind if you are trading through XM:

Overnight Fees

The overnight fee is one that every broker in the sector applies. This is a small fee for holding an asset overnight and it depends on the asset itself.

You will find more details on the exact fee here through your trading platform, though since XM is a CFDs trading broker, the fee is almost unavoidable.

The exception here is as an Islamic account holder, you will not get charged this fee at all, though you must qualify for this account that is available on request.

Inactivity Fees

XM does charge an inactivity fee. This will only be applied on your real trading account after 90 days of inactivity.

The fee is $10 for this inactive period and the amount will be deducted from your balance. If you do not have sufficient balance to cover this, then the broker reserves the right and may close your account.

The inactivity fee does not apply to XM demo accounts.

Which Markets does XM offer?

XM is a CFDs broker, every asset listed on the platform is offered in CFDs. Here is what there is to choose from:

Forex

XM offers a total of 57 forex pairs available to trade. The spread here starts from as low as possible at 0 pips and you do not have to worry about any requotes on the prices you receive.

Commodities

The broker offers a wide range of commodities for trading. A total of 17 in all. This offering includes a selection of both soft and hard commodities as well as energies markets, all of which are traded as CFDs and with no conversion fees.

Indices

XM provides too for a huge range of indices available to trade. There are 30 global indices available here with no fees charged other than the low spread. 12 of these markets can also be traded as futures.

Stocks

XM stocks trading is a huge offering that again comes with no fees other than the spread for stock traders. Here you can choose between a massive selection of 1150 stocks traded as CFDs from around the world.Stocks from a total of 18 countries are offered with the exception of Asian stocks.

How are Execution, leverage and position sizing with XM?

There are several important trading features to note when it comes to forex trading through XM. Let’s take a closer look at exactly what is available.

Executions

With executions at XM, the first important point to note of course is that they are a CFD market maker broker.

This means you do not have the same direct degree of market access you may have with some ECN/STP brokers, though there is still a lot of room for XM to create some great trading conditions for you to take advantage of.

Leverage

On the point of leverage, this too will vary depending on your XM account type, on the financial instrument traded, and which regulatory body you fall under.

If you register with the European XM Entity, then the maximum leverage allowed under ESMA regulations here is 30:1. This is also the case if you register with the Australian XM Entity under ASIC regulation.

The leverage increases to an 1000:1 maximum leverage with XM Global Limited for non-EU residents.

Sizing

The minimum trade size available at XM will depend on the account type you choose. The minimum size that is typically available for trading though is 1 micro lot. This is equal to 0.01 standard lots in trading size, or $100 in cash value.

With the XM Micro Account though, this gets even lower. The minimum trade size here is 0.1 nano lots which is equal to 0.0001 standard lots or a cash value of $10 in non-leveraged trading.

Risk Management

Naturally, risk management is key for both new and experienced forex traders in the industry. XM does well in recognizing this, and they provide for all the standard order tools you would expect when it comes to managing your risk.

When placing orders you can utilize stop losses, take profits, and limit orders to maximize your positions and help limit your downsides. The trailing stop can also be used to mitigate any negative market moves.

XM leverage trading also provides margin calls if your balance hits a certain point. This helps protect your funds and equity if you are trading with any kind of leverage.

Forbidden trading techniques

XM caters for all of the trading techniques that you may choose to employ. This includes both scalping, and hedging as well as algorithmic trading that is made possible through the use of EAs on the Metatrader trading platform.

Your own VPS is also available if you need it. Therefore, when it comes to trading techniques, XM is flexible in catering for the needs of all traders.

What Platforms does XM offer?

Trading platforms are a key foundation block for any broker. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at exactly what XM provides in this area.

Charting and Trading tools

As a MetaTrader broker, you can look forward to utilizing the wide range of charting tools and indicators that these platforms provide when you are trading at XM.

This amounts to an impressive total of 51 charting indicators and 31 drawing tools provided as standard through trading platforms that the industry respects as being among the most customizable.

MetaTrader Platform (Desktop)

Trading with XM, you will be using MT4 and MT5. The broker does not provide its own proprietary trading platform. With that said though, the platforms that are provided, are among the most-trusted, and widely used in the industry.

They are highly customizable and extremely robust as well as being easy to get to grips with from the outset, and making automated trading available through the EAs feature.

You will have no trouble getting to know and use these platforms that are both extremely light, enough so that they can run on virtually any device. This in itself can enhance trading speeds and experience. They are available for both Windows and Mac.

MetaTrader Platform (Web)

Again a lightweight platform, MetaTrader on the web incorporates almost all of the same excellent features as present in the desktop counterpart. The added convenience here is that it can be run completely in browser with no download required.

MetaTrader Platform (Mobile)

Trading through mobile at XM is offered through too, with the MT4 mobile app available on both Android and iOS devices. Again this is a light but powerful software that caters for almost all of the functions of a full desktop platform, in the palm of your hand. This makes trading extremely accessible to all.

What extra trading services does XM offer?

XM provides for several additional products and services in trading that they offer to make an appealing proposition for a very wide range of traders.

The first thing you can avail of as a trader with XM are free forex signals. They are provided by Avramis Despotis and offer a high degree of professional trading knowledge that is particularly helpful in forex trading and other markets.

Also with XM, you can avail of some bonuses although these are not permitted under ASIC regulation, and ESMA regulation if you are based under the EU regulatory authority. 

XM Loyalty Program

The XM loyalty program is a popular offering that can be rewarding to many traders. It provides you with a certain amount of XM points for every lot that you trade. You can build these points up and then redeem them as rebates based on the amount that you have traded.

$30 no deposit bonus

The $30 no deposit bonus provides exactly as it says, $30 free with no deposit needed. There are some conditions though. These are that the bonus is only available to new clients and that only the profits, not the original bonus, can be withdrawn.

XM Bonus Program

Another general XM bonus program applies to all deposits over $5. This program offers a 50% bonus on deposits up to $500, and 20% bonus on deposits up to $4500. Again here, only profits derived from the bonus amount can be withdrawn, not the actual bonus itself.

100% deposit bonus

The next excellent XM bonus to take a look at is the 100% deposit bonus. This allows for a maximum deposit bonus of $5,000 and also gives you a nice boost within the XM loyalty program. If you are an Ultra Low Account holder, you will not be eligible for this bonus.

Ramadan Draw

The Ramadan draw is a special XM draw available in some countries. Firstly, this offers a 100% deposit bonus of up to $500 deposits to eligible traders. Added to that bonus, if you trade forex or gold between April 20th, and May 22nd, you may reach the final draw.

To be eligible, you need to have at least $400 in your account and have traded at least 4 standard lots round turn. The total prize in the final lucky draw is $100,000.

Social Trading – Copy Trading

With social trading at XM, they are not affiliated with any social trading service so they do not presently have any built-in copy trading features.

With that said, copy trading to an extent is made possible through the Metatrader EAs feature. Here you can take strategies and pre-build codes to engage autotrading from the MQL5 community forum. This in a sense can be considered copy trading, though you can also develop your own codes to be implemented as an EA if you have knowledge of the MQL code language.

How is XM’s Customer service?

Languages

XM offers extensive support when it comes to language availability with 21 languages in total available for the website.

English, Malay, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Greek, Hungarian, Russian, Indonesian, French, Swedish, German, Polish, Arabic, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Thai, Filipino, Dutch, Czech, and Bengali are all catered for.

They are also available through mobile.

Customer Service

The XM customer service is up there with the very best in the industry. They firstly provide for a huge range of FAQs through the broker website. This means you may not have to contact them at all. If you do though, they are quickly and easily available through the web-based live chat, phone, or on email where response time is fast. The XM customer support also caters for all 21 languages mentioned above.

Does XM have Research and Education services?

Research

The research offering with the broker is comprehensive too. Much of this is made by an XM team of market specialists that ensure top quality information. A detailed economic calendar with all of the important upcoming events that could impact the market is also available.

Further than that, there is regular availability of anything in the news that may impact the market, along with more detailed technical summary and analysis, a strong collection of videos, and some trading insight for all types of traders.

Education

Another area in which XM does very well is that of education. Here they provide for a comprehensive offering that includes XM live lessons and webinars in 19 languages that are broadcast 7 days a week from a range of 50 experts.

Beyond this, the broker recognizes the importance of continued learning and development through structured programs. To that end, they provide for a growing selection of 25 forex trading lessons covering everything from the basics, to trading psychology and technical analysis.

There is something here for all levels of trader from beginner to advanced, with an additional total of 43 Metatrader trading platform video lessons available also. An excellent place to learn and grow in trading.

XM vs other brokerage firms

• XM vs Pepperstone
• XM vs IC Markets
• XM vs eToro
• XM vs FP Markets
• XM vs IG Markets
• XM vs FBS

FAQs

Is XM Broker safe and legit?

Yes, XM is safe and legit. They are regulated by multiple Tier 1 regulatory bodies including the CySEC, ASIC, DFSA and FSC. Added to this regulatory protection, your funds will also be safeguarded in a segregated bank account. This means you are fully protected if the broker declares any financial problems like bankruptcy or insolvency.

Does XM allow scalping?

Yes, XM does allow scalping. In fact, the broker is very popular among scalpers since they offer really low spreads combined with fast execution speeds making them a top scalping broker.

What is the minimum deposit for XM?

The XM minimum deposit is $5 for any account type available. If you opt for a CFD stockbroking account, this minimum deposit increases to $10,000.

Is XM an ECN broker?

XM is not an ECN or a NDD broker. They are a Market Maker broker.

Does XM allow news trading?

Yes. You can trade news thanks to the multiple XM research and analysis tools provided by the broker.