ActivTrades
- Written By thinkforexbrokers
- Updated:
ActivTrades is a well-established online brokerage firm that’s been operating since 2001. With over 20 years in the industry, it now serves more than 100,000 clients across 170 countries. The company is licensed by several recognized authorities, including the FCA, CMVM, FCB, and FSC, adding a strong layer of trust and regulation to its services.
Traders can access more than 1,500 financial instruments, covering a broad range of markets such as forex, stocks, indices, commodities, bonds, cryptocurrencies, and ETFs. The broker is known for offering tight spreads and favorable trading conditions that appeal to both beginners and experienced traders.
Users have the flexibility to choose between the broker’s in-house platform, ActivTrader, or go with widely used alternatives like MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and TradingView. On Trustpilot, ActivTrades has earned a respectable 4.5 out of 5 stars, with a large majority of reviewers giving it top marks.
If you’re considering opening an account, read on. We’ll take a closer look at what ActivTrades has to offer—from its trading fees and available markets to platform tools and overall user experience.
Overall Summary ActivTrades | |
Year Founded | 2001 |
Minimum Deposit | $0 |
Tradable Instruments | 1,500+ |
Key Pros and Cons
But before diving deeper, here's a quick look at the key pros and cons of trading with ActivTrades.
- Key Pros
- No requotes and average execution speeds of 0.004 seconds
- Provides multilingual support in 8 languages
- Offers daily market analysis and weekly webinars
- Quotes narrow spreads for over 50 currency pairs
- Maximum retail leverage of 1:1000 under the Mauritius entity
- Enhanced funds insurance of up to $1 million
- Key Cons
- Customer support is unavailable on weekends
- Professional accounts are unavailable at the FCB-regulated entity
- Charges $12.50 for bank transfer withdrawals in US dollars
- Inactive customers incur a $10 fee after 52 weeks
Company Information
ActivTrades was founded in Switzerland back in 2001, and over the past 24 years, it has grown into a global brokerage serving more than 100,000 clients across 170 countries. Its reach extends to major markets including the UK, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Portugal, Australia, and China. The company’s strong reputation and consistent performance have earned it over 60 international awards.
Among its most recent recognitions, ActivTrades was named Best Forex Broker and Safest Global Broker in 2023 by International Investor Magazine. The firm operates out of several global offices located in London, Nassau, Milan, Sofia, Lisbon, Port Louis, and Florianopolis. Its worldwide services are delivered through the following legal entities:
- ActivMarkets Empresa de Investimento S.A. is authorized and regulated by the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) under registration number 516 929 291. Its office is located at Rua Duque de Palmela, No. 37, 1A, 1250-097 Lisbon.
- ActivTrades Markets is licensed and regulated by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Mauritius, holding registration number GB24203277. Its registered office is situated at 1st Floor, River Court, 6 St Denis Street, 11328, Port Louis.
- ActivTrades Corp is authorized and regulated by the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) under license number 199667(B). Its official address is 209 & 210 Church Street, Sandyport, P.O. Box SP 64388, Nassau, Bahamas.
- ActivTrades Plc is regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) under license number 434413. Its registered office is located at The Loom, Office 2.5, 14 Gowers Walk, London, Tower Hamlets, E1 8PY.
- ActivTrades CCTVM is authorized and regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) of Brazil. Its registered address is Rua Ângelo La Porta, 53, Ático 1 and 2, Florianópolis.
With its many registrations and licenses, it’s no surprise that ActivTrades maintains strong standards for security, transparency, and regulatory compliance. The company was founded by Alex Pusco, who also played a key role in launching StreamBank, based in Wales, in 2021. More recently, in late 2024, Matteo Paganini took on the position of CEO for the company’s Mauritius-regulated branch.
Catering to Traders Worldwide
One of the impressive features of AvaTrade is its truly global reach, which is something that will appeal to traders all around the world. Their website is configured for over 25 separate countries and regions and supports at least 20 different languages.
Multiple Industry Awards
AvaTrade has won multiple industry accolades from reputable outlets, such as The European, International Business Magazine, FXEmpire, and Daytrading.com.
Why Trade with ActivTrades?
After thorough research and hands-on testing with live accounts, our reviewers put together the top reasons to consider ActivTrades. You can find a summary of our main takeaways in the table below.
Aspect | What we like |
Multi-Regulated Broker | The broker carries licenses from 5 financial watchdogs, including the first-tier regulator FCA in the UK. |
Generous Funds Insurance | Investor compensation reaches up to $1 million, way beyond what other regulated brokers offer to retail clients. |
A Rich Selection of Trading Platforms | Besides proprietary software, the broker works with the hugely popular MT4, MT5, and TradingView. |
Competitive Trading Conditions | Forex traders incur no commissions and enjoy minimum spreads from 0.5 pips. |
Seamless Trading Experience | ActivTrades eliminates the risk of requotes by ensuring lightning-fast order execution with average speeds of 4 ms. |
Quality Education and Research | Traders can advance their knowledge with weekly webinars, daily market analysis, price alerts, and weekly market outlooks. |
Multilingual Customer Support | Clients can receive assistance in 8 languages, including Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, and German. |
Availability of Less Common Assets | Apart from forex, traders can dip their toes in less commonly available markets like ETFs and bonds. |
Regulation
ActivTrades is truly a global online broker, holding licenses from five different regulators. Its UK branch, ActivTrades Plc, is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), one of the world’s most stringent watchdogs. Since gaining FCA approval in July 2009, the company has only faced disciplinary action once in more than 16 years.
In addition to the UK, ActivTrades runs operations in Mauritius and the Bahamas, licensed by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) and the Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) respectively. These offshore licenses allow the broker to serve clients from a wide range of regions, including Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Latin America.
To strengthen its presence in Latin America, ActivTrades received authorization from Brazil’s Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM) in late 2021. The Brazilian subsidiary is based in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, and began offering services under this license in 2023.
Around the same time, the company also launched a branch in Lisbon, following approval from the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM). Because Portugal is part of the European Union, the CMVM license lets ActivTrades onboard clients from other EU countries without needing separate approvals. For instance, while the broker holds a registration with Italy’s CONSOB, its operations there are primarily overseen through the CMVM license.
Flag | Region | Entity | Authority | Year |
 | Portugal | ActivMarkets Empresa de Investimento S.A. | Portuguese Securities Market Commission (CMVM) | 2023 |
| Mauritius | ActivTrades Markets | The Financial Services Commission (FSC) of Mauritius | 2024 |
| Bahamas | ActivTrades Corp | The Securities Commission of the Bahamas (SCB) | N/A |
| The United Kingdom | ActivTrades Plc | The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) | 2009 |
| Brazil | ActivTrades CCTVM | The Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) | 2022 |
With multiple licenses in place, ActivTrades prioritizes security and regularly upgrades its infrastructure to provide a safe trading experience for all clients. The broker protects traders through negative balance protection and keeps customer funds in segregated accounts at top-tier banks such as Lloyd’s and Barclays. Additionally, ActivTrades offers enhanced investor compensation without charging clients any extra fees.
Regulation
4/5
- Licensed in 5 jurisdictions
- Holds licenses from 2 top-tier regulators (FCA and CMVM)
- Offers enhanced client funds insurance
- Holds client funds in segregated accounts at multiple reputable banks
- Undergoes regular financial audits by a Big Four accounting firm
KYC Procedure for Account Creation and Depositing
The KYC requirements vary depending on which ActivTrades entity you sign up with. If you have all the necessary documents ready, opening an account usually takes about five minutes. Verification of your documents is typically completed within one business day. To get started, simply visit the broker’s website on your desktop or mobile browser, click the blue “Sign Up” button in the top right corner, and follow the steps outlined below.
Enter your personal details by choosing your country of residence and filling out your name, email address, and desired password.
Add your phone number so the broker can reach you quickly if any urgent issues arise.
Provide additional personal information, including your date of birth, country of birth, and nationality. If you’re from certain countries, you may also need to submit a tax identification number (TIN).
Enter your full residential address, including your postcode and the name of your town or city.
Share your employment details by indicating your current job status and providing information like your company name, industry, and job title.
Provide your financial details, including the value of your savings and your annual income. You’ll also be asked to specify your intended initial deposit amount.
Indicate where your deposited funds come from, such as employment, investments, savings, or inheritance.
To complete your account verification, upload clear photos of your documents. The broker accepts national ID cards, residence permits, passports, and recent utility bills as proof of address.
Fill out the questionnaire to help ActivTrades assess your trading experience and determine your eligibility to trade derivatives.
Choose your preferred trading platform from ActivTrader, MT4, or MT5. Then, select your base account currency and agree to the terms and conditions.
Opening a live account is quick and straightforward, typically taking just a few minutes if you have all your verification documents ready. The verification process usually takes anywhere from a few hours up to one business day, depending on how busy the team is. Once verified, you can open up to 10 live accounts. After your identity is confirmed, you can fund your account using bank transfer, card, or supported e-wallet options. For clients registering through the EU, UK, FCB, and FSC entities, there are no minimum deposit requirements to get started.
Account Opening
5/5
- Streamlined registration completed within 5 minutes
- No minimum deposit requirements for customers from most regions
- Clients must complete an eligibility questionnaire.
Account Types
ActivTrades offers three primary account types to serve its global clients: individual, swap-free, and demo accounts. European traders who meet certain eligibility requirements can also open professional accounts. However, this option doesn’t appear to be available for clients registered under the Bahamas and Mauritius entities. The broker supports the following base currencies for accounts:
- Main account currencies: EUR, GBP, USD
- Additional account currencies: INR, KWD, AED, ARS, QAR, BRL, CHF, SEK
Demo Accounts at ActivTrades
ActivTrades offers demo accounts that let customers try trading without any risk, closely mirroring the live trading experience. These accounts are ideal for both beginners and experienced traders who want to get familiar with the platform or test out new strategies without any restrictions. Setting up a demo account is straightforward—you just pick your preferred platform, base currency, virtual balance, and leverage.
You can fund your demo account with virtual credits ranging from 250 to 200,000. Although the broker states that demo accounts are available indefinitely, we found that they actually expire after 30 days. The good news is you can easily create a new demo account anytime from your Personal Area. It’s worth noting there’s a 15-minute delay on demo account price quotes. Demo accounts are offered on MT4, MT5, and ActivTrader platforms.
Individual (Retail) Accounts
ActivTrades provides a single individual account designed specifically for retail clients. It’s also possible to open a joint account with a spouse or family member, as long as both individuals have their own individual retail accounts first. These individual accounts don’t charge commissions on forex trades and allow trading in micro lots on all supported platforms—MT4, MT5, and ActivTrader.
Traders can use a range of strategies, including algorithmic trading, hedging, and scalping. While the broker doesn’t charge commissions on most CFD trades—since costs are built into the spreads—stock CFDs are an exception. In addition to standard order types like market, limit, and stop loss, account holders can take advantage of advanced options such as Fill or Kill and Immediate or Cancel orders.
Islamic Accounts
For traders who want to avoid paying or earning interest, ActivTrades offers Islamic accounts that comply with Shariah law. These swap-free accounts don’t charge rollover fees on positions held overnight. Instead, after an unspecified grace period, administrative fees apply to overnight trades, although the exact details aren’t clearly outlined on ActivTrades’ website.
If you want to find out more about eligibility requirements, you can reach out via email at middleeastdesk@activtrades.com. These accounts work with all supported trading platforms, include negative balance protection, and come with enhanced deposit insurance. Islamic accounts are only available to clients from 13 specific countries.
Which Countries Are Eligible for Swap-Free Accounts? | |||
Malaysia | Kuwait | Qatar | Lebanon |
United Arab Emirates | Oman | Saudi Arabia | Bahrain |
Jordan | Algeria | Tunisia | Egypt |
Professional Accounts
As mentioned earlier, customers registering through the CMVM and FCA-regulated entities can apply for professional accounts. This option isn’t available for traders joining via the Bahamas or Mauritius branches of ActivTrades. Verified retail clients with live accounts can also upgrade to professional status if they meet the required criteria.
Professional traders enjoy several benefits, including much higher leverage—up to 1:400 for forex CFDs—with a close-out level as low as 30%. By comparison, retail clients in the UK and EU are limited to a maximum leverage of 1:30. These account holders also receive support from dedicated account managers and gain access to exclusive seminars hosted by the broker. They can further enhance their skills through one-on-one training sessions with industry experts.
In addition, professional clients can take part in the broker’s cashback program and earn referral bonuses for bringing in new traders. Notably, they still benefit from negative balance protection and investor compensation, which is quite rare in the industry. To apply for a professional account, customers need to download and complete the application form available on the website. Below, we outline the criteria for upgrading—you must meet at least two of these conditions to qualify.
- Over the past year, there has been an average of 10 high-value transactions per quarter in the relevant market. Applicants need to submit printed records of their trading activity as evidence.
- A financial portfolio valued at over $/€500,000, which includes both financial assets and cash deposits. Traders who qualify must provide account statements to verify this.
- At least one year of professional experience in the financial industry in a relevant role is required. ActivTrades may reach out to your current or previous employer to verify this information.
Which Account Types Are Unavailable at ActivTrades
ActivTrades allows the opening of joint accounts; however, they do not currently provide Percentage Allocation Management Module (PAMM) accounts. The lack of PAMM accounts might discourage clients who prefer a more active role in forex trading or want passive portfolio diversification. Additionally, commission-based accounts are not offered, but this is not a significant drawback given the competitive spreads available to ActivTrades users.
Account Types
5/5
- Offers retail, professional, swap-free, and demo accounts
- Provides negative balance protection to professional traders
- Over 10 base account currencies, including EUR, USD, CHF, and GBP
- Option to open up to 10 real-money accounts per trader
- Applying for joint accounts is possible
Trading Fees and Other Costs
ActivTrades is well-known for its competitive pricing, with trading costs coming exclusively from spreads and swap rates on overnight positions. According to the broker’s order execution statement, ActivTrades acts as a counterparty, trading on its own account. It obtains liquidity from third-party providers to set price quotes and manage risk. The broker also explains that it uses these external liquidity providers to hedge and reduce its risk exposure. Taking all this into account, it’s clear that ActivTrades operates as a market maker. Let’s take a closer look at the broker’s fees and pricing structure.
- Trading fees – Customers can anticipate narrow average spreads and swap fees on overnight positions.
- Non-trading expenses – These result from transacting with some payment methods, currency conversion charges, and inactivity fees.
Costs/fees | What is this? | With ActivTrades |
TRADING FEES | ||
Spreads | A cost built into all trades that reflects the difference between the bid and ask prices. | ActivTrades offers competitive spreads that generally start at 0.5 pips across all account types. |
Commission | A fixed or percentage-based fee charged by brokers for executing customer trades. | ActivTrades has no commission-based accounts as all costs are built into the spreads. Only stock CFDs are eligible for commissions. |
Financing Charges (Swap Fees) | A percentage or point-based fee charged for maintaining leveraged positions open overnight. | Swap rates at ActivTrades vary based on symbol and position direction (long, short). They fluctuate constantly due to changing interest rates. |
NON-TRADING FEES | ||
Deposit Fees | Charged for deposits via specific deposit methods. | The broker charges 0.5% to 1.5% for credit and debit card deposits (see more in Deposit Methods below) |
Withdrawal Fees | Apply when withdrawing from your live balance with certain methods. | A $12.50 fee applies to USD bank transfer withdrawals (see Withdrawal Methods below) |
Currency Conversion Fees | Apply when traders open positions involving a currency different from their base account currency. | A 0.5% currency conversion fee applies at ActivTrades. |
Spreads
From what I’ve seen, ActivTrades keeps its spreads fairly consistent across all account types. Traders don’t have to worry about paying commissions on most asset classes, except when it comes to stocks. For stock trading, the charges are $0.02 per US share (with a $1 minimum), 0.05% for European shares (minimum €1 or €5 depending on the market), and 0.10% for UK shares (minimum £1). The broker stands out with its tight spreads, which gives it an edge compared to some of its competitors. For example, spreads on major pairs like EUR/USD usually sit around 0.5 pips. Another plus is that ActivTrades is upfront about its costs, sharing clear details on average spreads and swap rates for all instruments.
Instrument | ActivTrades Average Spreads (pips) |
EUR/USD | 0.50 |
GBP/USD | 0.80 |
USD/JPY | 0.50 |
USD/CHF | 1.00 |
AUD/USD | 0.60 |
USD/CAD | 1.00 |
NZD/USD | 1.00 |
At ActivTrades, the broker itself acts as the counterparty for all trades and earns money mainly through the spreads. Figuring out your trading costs is pretty straightforward—you just take your position size, multiply it by the spread, and then factor in the pip value. Naturally, the bigger your trade, the more you’ll end up paying, since costs rise in proportion to your position size.
Most forex pairs on ActivTrades are quoted with five decimal places. To give you a clearer idea, let’s break down what trading a standard lot, a mini lot, and a micro lot of EUR/USD would look like. These examples assume you open and close your trades within the same day, so no swap fees are applied.
Example 1 – One Standard Lot
Currency pair: EUR/USD
Position size: 100,000 units
Average spread: 0.00005
Pip value: $10 per pip (0.0001)
Average spread cost: 100,000 x 0.00005 = $5
Let’s clear a few things up first. In forex, one standard lot equals 100,000 units of the base currency—in this case, the euro. The pip value is worked out by multiplying the number of base currency units by the smallest tick size. So, each one-pip move ends up being 100,000 x 0.0001, which comes to $10.
To figure out your spread costs, you just multiply the spread in pips by the pip value. For example, with a 0.5-pip spread, the cost on a standard lot would be 0.5 x $10, or $5. Now, let’s break down what the costs look like for a mini lot and a micro lot using that same spread.
Example 2 – One Mini Lot
Currency pair: EUR/USD
Position size: 10,000 units
Average spread: 0.00005
Pip value: $1 per pip
Average spread cost: 10,000 x 0.00005 = $0.50
Example 3 – One Micro Lot
Currency pair: EUR/USD
Position size: 1,000 units
Average spread: 0.00005
Pip value: $0.10 per pip
Average spread cost: 1,000 x 0.00005 = $0.05
Instrument | ActivTrades | Fusion Markets | FP Markets | BlackBull Markets | Pepperstone |
EUR/USD | 0.50 | 0.95 | 1.20 | 1.00 | 1.10 |
GBP/USD | 0.80 | 1.03 | 1.50 | 1.20 | 1.20 |
USD/JPY | 0.50 | 1.04 | 1.40 | 1.20 | 1.20 |
USD/CHF | 1.00 | 1.13 | 1.60 | 1.60 | 1.30 |
AUD/USD | 0.60 | 0.97 | 1.30 | 1.20 | 1.10 |
USD/CAD | 1.00 | 1.01 | 1.40 | 1.20 | 1.40 |
NZD/USD | 1.00 | 1.03 | 1.60 | 1.20 | 1.30 |
As you can see from the table above, ActivTrades’ spreads are pretty much in line with the industry average, though in some cases the broker actually does a bit better than its direct competitors. Some other brokers do provide commission-based accounts, which can work out cheaper overall because of the much tighter spreads they offer. That said, our comparison here focuses only on standard accounts, since ActivTrades doesn’t add any commissions for forex trades.
Spreads & Commissions
4/5
- Average spreads of 0.5 pips for major pairs
- Commission-free trading across all asset classes
- Average spread costs of $5 per standard lot in EUR/USD
Financing Charges
If you keep trades open overnight, you’ll run into financing charges, commonly known as swaps. These rates shift depending on the difference in interest rates between the two currencies in the pair you’re trading. Swaps can either be positive or negative, and it mainly comes down to whether you’re going long or short. If the currency you’re buying carries a lower interest rate than the one you’re selling, you’ll end up paying interest (a negative swap).
On the flip side, if the currency you buy has a higher interest rate than the one you sell, you’ll actually earn interest through a positive swap. For example, at the time of writing, swap rates on EUR/USD sit at -0.21 pips for long trades and 0.61 pips for short trades. In simple terms, that means a long position would cost about $2.10 per standard lot per night, while a short position would earn you around $6.10. Swaps are applied at midnight, based on the platform’s server time, and just a heads-up—on Wednesdays, swaps for currency pairs and precious metals are charged at triple the usual rate.
Deposit fees
With ActivTrades, funding your live account is pretty straightforward. If you’re using digital wallets such as Skrill, Google Pay, Apple Pay, PayPal, or Neteller, deposits are processed free of charge. For clients registered under the offshore entities, topping up with cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Ripple, and a few others is also free of cost.
There are, however, some small fees to keep in mind if you’re depositing with a credit or debit card under the CMVM-regulated entity. The charges are either 0.5% or 1.5%, depending on whether your card issuer is inside or outside the UK/EEA. On top of that, the broker applies a 0.5% conversion fee.
Withdrawal fees
Inactivity fees
As mentioned earlier, ActivTrades does charge an inactivity fee. If your account sits unused for a year (52 weeks), the broker starts deducting $10 or €10 each month from whatever balance you have left. One of their support reps confirmed this detail when we asked about it. The simple way to avoid the fee is to log in every now and then and place a trade, even a small one. Also worth noting—if your account balance is empty, they won’t charge you anything.
Inactivity Fees
3.5/5
- Charges $/€10 per month after 50 weeks of inactivity
Overall on Fees
ActivTrades markets itself as a solid choice for casual traders and those who don’t trade in huge volumes. One of its strongest points is the low average spreads, paired with zero commissions on CFD trades across most asset classes, stocks being the only exception. Swap rates are in line with what you’d find at most competing brokers. On the flip side, you should be prepared for some extra non-trading costs, such as inactivity fees, conversion charges, and small fees tied to certain payment methods.
Trading Fees and Other Costs
4.5/5
- Narrow average spreads for highly liquid currency pairs
- Clearly outlined swap rates for overnight positions
- Fully commission-free trading, regardless of asset class
- Additional expenses resulting from non-trading fees
Desktop Trading Platforms
Here is a brief overview of the supported platforms at ActivTrades before we take a closer look at their features:
- MetaTrader 4 (MT4) remains the go-to platform for most ActivTrades clients, and it’s also one of the most widely used trading platforms worldwide.
- MetaTrader 5 – The improved version of MT4 offers additional features, technical indicators, graphical objects, and more.
- ActivTrader – The broker’s proprietary software runs seamlessly in most mobile and desktop browsers.
- TradingView – Customers can connect their ActivTrader accounts to TradingView and harness the powerful capabilities of the third-party platform.
MetaTrader 4
MT4 has earned the trust of millions of traders around the world, and at ActivTrades it’s no different. The platform supports trading in forex, indices, precious metals, and various commodities, though stock CFDs aren’t available on MT4 with this broker. What makes MT4 so popular is its wide range of features—it comes packed with tools for in-depth technical analysis and even lets you build your own custom indicators. You can use it through both desktop and mobile browsers, or simply download the software if you prefer. Below are some of the standout features ActivTrades clients get access to when using MT4.
MT4 comes loaded with more than 50 built-in technical indicators, giving traders plenty of tools to analyze the markets. These indicators help track things like volatility, momentum, and overall trends. Some of the most widely used include Simple and Exponential Moving Averages, Bollinger Bands, Stochastic Oscillators, and Ichimoku Kinko Hyo.
MT4 also supports algorithmic trading through Expert Advisors (EAs). These are trading bots built with the MQL4 programming language that can place and manage trades automatically. With EAs, you can set up your own strategies to run on autopilot without having to monitor every move in the market yourself.
One of the strong points of MT4 is how customizable it is. Traders can build their own charts, create custom indicators, and even design scripts for automated strategies. This flexibility makes it easy to shape the platform around your own trading style and preferences.
MT4 is also accessible to traders worldwide thanks to its multilingual interface. The platform supports more than 20 languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese, making it easy for clients from different regions to navigate and use it comfortably.
MT4 also comes with a built-in strategy tester that lets you run backtests on historical market data. It works in a single-threaded mode, which means trades are simulated one at a time. While this setup isn’t the fastest, it does make it easier to spot mistakes and fine-tune new strategies before using them in live trading.
MetaTrader 5
MetaTrader 5 (MT5) is essentially the upgraded version of MT4, expanding the range of markets you can trade. With MT5, traders can access CFDs on shares, forex, cryptocurrencies, indices, ETFs, and other key asset classes. Compared to its predecessor, it comes with more built-in indicators, additional timeframes, and extra graphical tools for deeper market analysis. It also supports advanced order types like trailing stops, and hedging mode is available if requested.
Just like MT4, MT5 works across both desktop and mobile devices. You can trade directly in your browser or download the platform on Mac and Windows for a smoother experience. Some of the standout features MT5 users get include:
MT5 caters well to more experienced traders by offering advanced order types. These give you extra flexibility and control over how your trades are executed, making it easier to fine-tune your strategies.
MT5 also comes with a built-in economic calendar, giving traders real-time updates on key financial events and news. This makes it easier to stay on top of market-moving announcements without needing a separate tool.
Another big improvement in MT5 is its multi-threaded strategy tester. Unlike MT4’s single-threaded system, this one can use multiple CPU cores at once, making backtesting much faster and more efficient. It’s especially handy when you’re working with complex strategies that need a lot of data to be processed.
With MT5, traders at ActivTrades can choose from over 20 different timeframes. This wide selection makes it easier to analyze the market from multiple angles, whether you’re looking for short-term setups or long-term trends.
MT5 also offers Level II pricing through its Depth of Market (DOM) tool. This lets traders see order flow and trading volumes in real time, providing valuable insight into market liquidity. It’s especially useful for those who base their strategies on order flow analysis.
ActivTrader
ActivTrader is the broker’s own web-based platform, which runs directly in your browser without the need to install extra software on desktop. It’s designed to suit both beginners and experienced traders, offering a clean interface along with a solid range of advanced tools. Some of its highlights include bulk position management, pullback entry options, progressive trailing stops, and built-in market sentiment indicators. One drawback worth mentioning is the lack of a strategy tester, but overall, ActivTrader still manages to stand out as a reliable and easy-to-use platform.
ActivTrader includes advanced order types such as the progressive trailing stop. This tool lets traders set two price levels, with the stop adjusting step by step as the market moves either in your favor or against you. It’s a handy way to keep tighter control over both profits and potential losses.
ActivTrader also supports hedging, which makes it a good choice for traders who want to reduce risk from sudden price swings. With this approach, you can open both long and short positions on the same asset, helping to offset potential losses if the market moves against you.
ActivTrader also comes with built-in market sentiment tools. These give you a look at how other traders are positioned in different markets and asset classes, allowing you to gauge overall sentiment and potentially use that “crowd insight” to shape your own decisions.
With ActivTrader, you can manage multiple open positions at once. The bulk management option makes it easier to adjust or close several trades simultaneously, which saves time and helps keep risk under control.
The ActivTrader platform is also multilingual, making it accessible to clients who prefer to trade in their native language. It supports several options, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, Bulgarian, and Portuguese, which makes navigation much easier for non-English speakers.
TradingView
ActivTrader can also be linked with TradingView, allowing traders to combine the strengths of both platforms. One of the standout features here is chart trading, which comes with 12 different chart types and the ability to view up to 8 charts within a single tab. This integration gives users more flexibility and a richer trading experience. Below are some of the key advantages of connecting your account to TradingView.
TradingView gives you plenty of flexibility with 12 different chart types to choose from, including options like Point and Figure, Renko, and Kagi. This variety makes it easier to analyze the markets in a way that fits your trading style.
With TradingView, you can display up to 8 charts within a single tab. On top of that, you can sync drawings, timeframes, and symbols across them, which makes comparing different setups much more efficient.
TradingView also offers a wide selection of timeframes, going beyond the usual options to include range bars and even seconds-based charts. This flexibility makes it easier to zoom in or out on market movements depending on your strategy.
Side-by-Side Comparison of Platforms Supported by ActivTrades
Feature | MetaTrader 4 | MetaTrader 5 | ActivTrader |
Hedging | Yes | Available upon request | Yes |
Automated Trading | Yes | Yes | No |
Light/Dark Mode | No | No | Yes |
Market Sentiments | No | No | Yes |
Single-Click Trading | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Managing Multiple Positions Simultaneously | No | No | Yes |
Dynamic Trailing Stop | No | No | Yes |
Pullback Entry | No | No | Yes |
Economic Calendar | No | Yes | Yes |
Strategy Tester | Single-Threaded | Multi-Threaded | No |
Timeframes Number | 9 | 21 | 9 |
Number of Order Types | 8 | 6 | 8 |
Number of Chart Types | 3 | 3 | 14 |
Copy Trading at ActivTrades
At the moment, ActivTrades doesn’t offer its own built-in copy trading service, which might be a drawback for beginners who want to follow experienced traders or for those interested in more passive income opportunities. That said, since the broker supports the MetaTrader platforms, clients can still use Expert Advisors (EAs). These third-party tools allow for automated trading strategies, which in some ways can serve as an alternative to copy trading.
Desktop Platforms
5/5
- Support for MT4, MT5, and ActivTrader (proprietary)
- Built-in copy trading is currently unavailable
- Option to link ActivTrader account to TradingView
- Hedging is supported across all available platforms
- No stock CFDs in MetaTrader 4
Mobile Trading Platforms
With ActivTrades, you’re not tied to your desktop—every supported platform is available on mobile as well. The proprietary ActivTrader app stands out in particular, thanks to its clean design and wide range of features. It delivers nearly the same robust experience as the desktop version and runs smoothly on both Android and iOS devices. The app includes advanced tools like market sentiment indicators, Trailing Stop orders, and customizable watchlists. Plus, you can switch between light and dark mode depending on your preference. The table below gives a more detailed look at what the ActivTrader app offers.
ActivTrades Mobile Trading Platform
Feature | Android | iOS |
Minimum System Requirements | 6.0 or higher | 16.4 or higher |
User Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.9 / 5 |
User Reviews | 718 | 18 |
Supported Languages | English, German, French, Italian, Bulgarian, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Russian, Portuguese, Malay | English, Arabic, Bulgarian, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese |
Forex Pairs | 50+ | 50+ |
Other Tradable Assets | Shares, indices, commodities, bonds, ETFs | Shares, indices, commodities, ETFs, bonds |
Features | Advanced order types, personalized watchlists, simple and advanced view, market sentiment feature, light and dark mode, negative balance protection, live education | Trailing stop orders, partial close, market sentiments, light and dark mode, simple and advanced view, customizable watchlists, negative balance protection, live education |
Biometric Authentication | No | No |
2-Factor Authentication | Yes | Yes |
Mobile Trading
5/5
- Low system requirements, especially for Android users
- Free to download, install, and use
- Available in 12 different languages
- Advanced orders like Partial Close and Trailing Stop
- Fresh yet user-friendly design
Trading Instruments
ActivTrades gives traders a solid variety of instruments to build a diversified portfolio, with access to more than 1,000 CFDs across forex, stocks, commodities, indices, and cryptocurrencies. Keep in mind, though, that availability depends on your region. For instance, clients registered under the FCA entity can’t trade cryptocurrency CFDs, while Brazilian traders get access to non-deliverable forwards, which aren’t offered in the EU, UK, or offshore entities.
Forex traders have a decent selection with 56 currency pairs to choose from, but stocks make up the biggest share of ActivTrades’ product range, with hundreds of CFDs on individual companies. For those who prefer more complex products, the broker also lists bonds and ETFs in most supported regions. Crypto coverage is on the lighter side, with around a dozen of the most popular coins available. Below is a more detailed breakdown of what you can trade with ActivTrades.
Asset Class | Number of Tradable Markets | |||
ActivTrades | OANDA | AvaTrade | ||
Number | Selection | Number | Number | |
Forex | 56 | Average | 68 | 53 |
Indices (Cash Indices & Futures) | 44 | Excellent | 15 | 36 |
Commodities (Spot & Futures) | 35 | Excellent | 31 | 19 |
Stocks | 1240 | Average | 1,600+ (share CFDs), 2,200+ (direct investment) | 643 |
Cryptocurrencies | 15 | Excellent | 8 | 25 |
ETFs | 135 | Excellent | 0 | 67 |
Bonds | 7 | Small | 6 | 2 |
Options | 0 | N/A | 0 | 87 |
Overall | 1532 | |||
Forex
ActivTrades offers a fairly standard lineup of a little over 50 forex markets, covering majors, minors, and a range of exotics. Clients can only trade these through CFDs, as spot forex isn’t available with the broker. For those registered under EU and UK regulations, leverage is capped at 1:30 on major pairs and 1:20 on minors and exotics, with margin requirements sitting at 3.33% and 5% respectively.
Traders who register through the Mauritius entity can access much higher leverage—up to 1:1000. Meanwhile, clients onboarded via the Bahamas-regulated site get maximum leverage of 1:200. It’s also worth pointing out that with the offshore entities, leverage levels depend on the size of your position: the bigger the trade in lots, the lower the leverage allowed. Below is an example with USD/CHF, and from what we’ve seen, these dynamic caps are applied consistently across all major pairs.
Dynamic Forex Leverage under the FSC Entity (Mauritius)
Position Size | Leverage Cap | Margin Requirement |
0 – 1 Lots | 1:1000 | 0.10% |
1 – 5 Lots | 1:500 | 0.20% |
5 – 10 Lots | 1:200 | 0.50% |
10 – 25 Lots | 1:100 | 1% |
25 – 60 Lots | 1:50 | 2% |
Over 60 Lots | 1:12.5 | 8% |
ActivTrades lists its contract specs in standard lots, but you don’t need deep pockets to get started. Traders can open positions as small as 0.01 lots (equal to 1,000 units of the base currency) and go all the way up to 100 lots per trade. This flexibility makes the broker a practical choice for both cautious beginners trading in micro lots and high-volume traders who want to scale up.
Indices
ActivTrades gives traders access to 33 global indices that track the performance of leading companies across regions such as Australia, Brazil, China, Japan, Europe, and the United States. Popular options include the DAX 40, China A50, S&P ASX 200, EuroStoxx 50, Nikkei 225, and the S&P 500. Clients can choose between cash indices for shorter-term exposure or futures for longer horizons.
Leverage conditions vary depending on the regulatory entity. Traders under CMVM and FCA regulation can use up to 1:20 on major indices and 1:10 on minor ones. By contrast, the Mauritius entity allows leverage as high as 1:1000, while the Bahamas branch caps it at 1:200. The minimum trade size typically starts from 0.1 lots, though the exact threshold depends on the specific index.
Stocks
Stocks make up the bulk of ActivTrades’ product portfolio, accounting for around 81% of its total lineup. The broker offers more than 1,200 share CFDs from companies listed in the UK, US, Switzerland, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, and several other markets. While this range provides plenty of choice for equity traders, it is somewhat smaller compared to a few competitors. For instance, OANDA gives access to over 1,600 share CFDs and more than 2,200 stocks for direct investment.
Clients can easily filter shares by country and trade with different leverage levels depending on their regulatory jurisdiction. Those under EU or UK oversight can use a maximum leverage of 1:20, while traders onboarded through the FSC or SCB entities can go up to 1:50 when working with the smallest position sizes. Hedged stock positions carry a minimum margin requirement of 10%. Trading starts at 0.01 lots, with maximum trade sizes varying depending on the specific share.
Commodities
ActivTrades gives traders access to more than 30 spot and futures markets across both hard and soft commodities. Popular choices like gold, silver, platinum, crude oil, cocoa, copper, and sugar are all available, along with less common options such as oats, cotton, and even carbon emissions. The inclusion of commodity futures is a nice touch, especially since many competitors stick only to spot markets.
Leverage levels depend on the regulatory jurisdiction. Clients under the UK and EU entities can use up to 1:20 for gold and 1:10 for other commodities. Those onboarded through Mauritius get some of the most generous conditions, with leverage of 1:1000 for gold and up to 1:500 for products like corn, copper, and cotton. The Bahamas branch sits in between, capping leverage at 1:200 for gold. Trading generally starts from 0.01 lots, making commodities accessible to both small and larger-volume traders.
Cryptocurrency
Crypto traders at ActivTrades get access to a relatively modest lineup of 15 digital coins. The list includes major names like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP), alongside altcoins such as Cardano (ADA), Polkadot (DOT), Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Solana (SOL), Stellar (XLM), and Uniswap (UNI). All are traded against the US dollar via CFDs, which means you don’t need a separate crypto wallet to participate.
The selection is decent but not exactly extensive when compared to competitors like Global Prime, which offers over 30 cryptocurrencies. On the leverage side, EU clients are capped at 1:2, while those registered under the FSC or SCB entities can scale up to 1:20. Order sizes vary depending on the coin: BTC/USD and ETH/USD start at 0.01 lots, ADA/USD and DOT/USD at 0.1 lots, and DOGE/USD at 1 lot.
ETFs
Seasoned traders looking for extra portfolio variety can explore more than 130 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) at ActivTrades. These are conveniently grouped by region, covering markets in Europe, the UK, and the US. There’s even a small but noteworthy category of crypto-related ETFs, including the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF and the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF.
The lineup spans a broad range of themes and sectors—precious metals like gold and silver, energy markets, treasury bonds, and popular indices such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Leverage depends on both the instrument and jurisdiction, ranging from 1:5 up to 1:50.
Bonds
ActivTrades also caters to traders interested in fixed-income markets with a modest selection of 6 bond CFDs. The lineup includes Euro Bobl, Euro BTP, Euro Bund, Euro Schatz, USD vs BRL Futures, and US T-Bonds.
Leverage conditions vary by jurisdiction. Clients in Europe and the UK are capped at 1:5, while those registered under the Mauritius entity can trade with ratios as high as 1:500. Customers of the Bahamas-regulated division have access to leverage of up to 1:200.
Instruments Unavailable at ActivTrades
Overall, ActivTrades offers a well-rounded selection of tradable instruments, covering all the major asset classes fairly comprehensively. The inclusion of futures contracts for indices and commodities is a definite advantage, setting the broker apart from many competitors. Bonds and ETFs are another plus, as these aren’t available with some rival brokers. That said, there are a few gaps in the portfolio that prospective traders should be aware of.
- No Options – Options pose a great hedge against market downturns but are presently unavailable at ActivTrades.
- No NDFs – Non-deliverable forwards (NDFs) are available only to Brazilian customers registered under the CVM entity.
Traded Instruments
4.5/5
- Provides a choice of 1,137 tradable symbols (1,131 in Europe)
- Offers commodity and index futures
- 913 CFDs on shares
- ETF and bond CFDs are available
- Generous leverage of up to 1:1000 under the FSC entity
Trade Execution
As mentioned earlier, ActivTrades acts as the sole execution venue for its clients, serving as a counterparty and trading on its own account. To ensure competitive pricing, the broker aggregates and compares quotes from multiple liquidity providers. According to its order execution statement, ActivTrades also hedges through these providers to manage its own risk exposure.
The broker has developed a highly scalable proprietary trading infrastructure hosted on the IBM Cloud, which allows for extremely fast order execution with very low latency. This setup means traders can expect few requotes and minimal slippage. ActivTrades also states that any positive slippage is passed on to customers. Market execution is available across all supported platforms, including MT4, MT5, and ActivTrader. Below are some of the key highlights regarding execution quality at ActivTrades.
Average execution speed – ActivTrades reports that its orders are executed in under 0.004 seconds on average. While it’s difficult to verify this precisely, the number is extremely impressive, especially when compared to most competitors, which typically advertise speeds ranging from 20 to 100 milliseconds.
Number of trades per second – ActivTrades’ trading infrastructure can handle more than 100,000 orders per second. This high capacity ensures that even during periods of heavy activity, the system can process trades without significant delays or bottlenecks, reducing the likelihood of slippage. Active traders and those placing large volumes particularly benefit from these fast processing speeds.
Minimal risk of requotes – ActivTrades states that 93.6% of all orders are executed at the exact price requested by clients. This low likelihood of requotes helps traders manage risk more precisely and can enhance profitability, particularly when avoiding negative slippage.
Trade Execution
5/5
- Advertises average execution speeds of 0.004 seconds
- Passes positive slippage onto customers
- Executes over 93% of all client orders at the requested price
- Processes over 100,000 client orders per second
Deposits
ActivTrades offers a wide range of deposit options to accommodate its global client base, including debit and credit cards, bank transfers, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies. The exact methods available depend on your region—for example, crypto deposits are only supported for clients registered under the Bahamas or Mauritius entities.
Minimum deposit requirements also vary by jurisdiction. There is no minimum for clients under FCA, FSC, FCB, or CMVM regulation. Brazilian traders need to fund their accounts with at least R$100,000, while Chinese clients must start with a minimum of $500. Debit and credit card deposits may carry fees of up to 1.5%, whereas e-wallet and cryptocurrency deposits are free of charge. ActivTrades supports 11 different base currencies for account funding, giving traders additional flexibility.
- Euro (EUR)
- US dollar (USD)
- Pound sterling (GBP)
- Indian rupee (INR)
- Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)
- UAE dirham (AED)
- Argentine peso (ARS)
- Qatari riyal (QAR)
- Brazilian real (BRL)
- Swiss franc (CHF)
- Swedish krona (SEK)
Deposits usually appear in your live trading account within 30 minutes or less. To avoid the 0.5% currency conversion fee, it’s a good idea to open your account in your native currency, if it’s supported. Below is a full overview of the deposit methods available at ActivTrades.
Method | Processing Time | Fees |
Credit and debit cards issued in the UK and EEA | Up to 30 minutes | 0.5% |
Credit and debit cards issued outside the EEA | Up to 30 minutes | 1.5% |
Bank transfer | Up to 24 hours | Free |
Skrill | Up to 30 minutes | Free |
Neteller | Up to 30 minutes | Free |
PayPal | Up to 30 minutes | Free |
Google Pay | Same working day | Free |
Apple Pay | Same working day | Free |
Cryptocurrencies* | Up to 30 minutes | Free (bar blockchain expenses) |
* ActivTrades accepts deposits with 10 cryptocurrencies – Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Chainlink, Litecoin, Ethereum, US Coin, Tether, Stellar, Ripple, and Dash.
Deposits Methods
4/5
- 30-minute processing times
- A choice of 11 base account currencies
- No minimum deposit requirements for most customers
Withdrawal Methods
Withdrawing funds from your ActivTrades account is generally straightforward, with most requests processed within the same business day. The available withdrawal methods largely mirror the deposit options, including Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, and bank transfers. Clients registered under the offshore entities also have the option to withdraw profits to a cryptocurrency wallet.
Method | Processing Time | Cost | Minimum |
Debit and credit cards | Within the same working day | Free | $0 |
Bank transfers | 1 working day | $12.50 for USD withdrawals at the CMVM entity £9 at FSC and SCB entities | $0 |
Skrill | Within the same working day | Free | $0 |
Neteller | Within the same working day | Free | $0 |
PayPal | Within the same working day | Free | $0 |
Crypto | Within the same working day | Free | $25 |
Most withdrawal methods at ActivTrades are free of charge. The main exception is bank transfers in US dollars through the EU-regulated platform, which carry a $12.50 fee. Clients registered under the Bahamas or Mauritius entities pay £9 for bank transfer withdrawals. There is no minimum amount required to withdraw, giving traders full flexibility.
Withdrawal Methods
4.5/5
- No minimum requirements for most withdrawal methods
- Free withdrawals via cards, e-wallets, and cryptocurrencies
- Processing times of up to 24 hours
Customer Support Contacts
One of ActivTrades’ standout features is its responsive customer support. The team is available during weekdays and provides prompt assistance across multiple communication channels. While support isn’t offered on weekends, the broker makes up for it with multilingual service.
Support is offered in eight languages, including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Chinese, and Arabic. Traders can reach a representative through any of the available contact methods below.
Live chat: Undoubtedly, this is the quickest way to receive assistance as the agents respond within no more than a couple of minutes, depending on their workload.
WhatsApp: You can contact a representative instantly via WhatsApp on your mobile device or desktop computer.
Messaging : The broker provides an online contact form for less urgent issues and queries.
Free call : Alternatively, clients seeking assistance can request a free callback. Calling the representatives directly is another option.
Email : Emailing your queries is also possible. Users can anticipate a response within several hours to one working day.
Support Contact | Contact Details | Response |
FAQs | Available on the website | |
Live Chat | 24/5 | Within 2 minutes |
Telephone | +44 207 650 0500 (UK) +44 207 650 0567 (Europe, UK) +1 242 603 5200 (The Bahamas) 0800 722 5548 (Brazil) +359 2 49 34 393 (Mauritius) | Within minutes |
A a couple of hours to 1 working day | ||
Requires WhatsApp | Instant |
Support Contact
4.5/5
- Provides 24-hour support on weekdays
- Multiple communication channels, including WhatsApp
- Free callbacks over the phone
- Detailed Help Center with frequently asked questions
- A support service in multiple languages
Research and Educational Materials
ActivTrades really shines when it comes to research and education. The broker gives traders access to a wide variety of resources designed to sharpen their skills and deepen their market knowledge. Best of all, everything is completely free of charge. Here’s what you can expect in terms of research tools and educational content.
Research
ActivTrades offers a solid set of research tools to keep traders informed and up to date. There’s a dedicated news section for following market developments, along with an economic calendar to track key events and data releases. Both tools are free to use and don’t require any subscription.
Market news : Traders will find detailed weekly outlooks and news pieces in the Analysis section of the website. Macro market analysis is available as well.
Economic calendar : The economic calendar enables you to filter events by type, importance, and country.
Market Buzz : The feature provides market insights and analysis in real-time and is free to use for clients whose deposits exceed $1,000.
Trading Central : The research portal is free to use, providing economic insights, crowd insights, and more.representatives directly is another option.
Education
ActivTrades has put together a full section of its website dedicated entirely to education, showing a clear commitment to helping traders sharpen their financial knowledge and skills. Here’s what you can expect from the broker’s educational resources:
Comprehensive Guides : The broker boasts an extensive library of guides to help customers acquaint themselves with the available trading platforms and tools.
Seminars : Customers can advance their knowledge by participating in live seminars hosted by industry experts from around the world.
Free Webinars : Alternatively, traders can join regular expert-led webinars available in multiple languages, including English, Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, and French. You can find past events in the Webinar Archives.
Research & Education
5/5
- Free weekly webinars in multiple languages
- Support for the Trading Central research portal
- Live seminars hosted in different countries
Security and Money Guarantees
Given the range of licenses it holds, it’s hardly surprising that ActivTrades maintains some of the highest standards for security, compliance, and reliability in the industry. The broker has built a solid reputation over the years and currently enjoys a strong 4.5-star rating on Trustpilot, backed by plenty of positive feedback from customers.
A big plus for traders is the built-in negative balance protection, which applies across all entities — even professionals are covered, according to the company. On top of this, ActivTrades regularly audits its trading systems to spot and address vulnerabilities before they become an issue. Client funds are also fully segregated from operational money and stored in tier-one banks such as Barclays, Lloyd’s, Citibank, and RBS.
Regulatory compliance is equally robust. ActivTrades operates under the scrutiny of some of the world’s strictest financial watchdogs and undergoes routine financial audits by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). PwC is one of the Big Four auditing giants, alongside Deloitte, KPMG, and Ernst & Young, which speaks volumes about the broker’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
Investor protection is another area where the broker goes above and beyond. Clients are covered by the Investor Compensation System (ICS) for up to €25,000 and, impressively, ActivTrades extends additional coverage of up to $/€/£1 million per client. Taken together, these safeguards make the broker a very appealing choice for anyone who places a premium on security and peace of mind.
Security of funds
4.5/5
- Investor compensation of up to €1 million
- Licenses from 2 tier-1 regulators (FCA and CMVM)
- Negative balance protection for all customers
- Regular financial audits by PwC
- Segregated accounts at Lloyd’s, Citibank, RBS, and Barclays
Conclusion
To sum it all up, ActivTrades comes across as a strong all-round broker that should appeal to a wide spectrum of traders. Between its competitive spreads, multiple platform choices, and strict regulatory framework, it ticks most of the boxes for both retail and professional clients. The company’s emphasis on transparency and compliance, combined with a well-rounded suite of trading tools, makes it a dependable choice for anyone in search of a trustworthy trading partner.
Overall
4.5/5
- Some of the best trading conditions we have seen in a long time
- A varied range of tradable instruments, including futures
- Solid regulatory background with very few disciplinary actions
- Numerous consumer protection mechanisms
