Searching for the top forex broker or platform for trading crypto? Based on our hands-on analysis, we’ve identified the 12 best options tailored to various trading needs. Practical tips from our experts are included.
*Crypto CFD trading is not available for residents of the US and the UK.
Crypto CFDs (Contracts for Difference) offer a unique way to trade cryptocurrencies without owning the underlying digital assets. This method involves a contract with a broker to trade the difference in a cryptocurrency’s price from when the contract is opened to when it is closed.
It allows for margin trading, enabling traders to open large positions with a relatively small capital outlay, and offers the flexibility to speculate on both rising and falling markets. However, this also means that gains and losses can be magnified, making understanding leverage and risk management crucial.
Our team of experts has identified brokers’ strengths and weaknesses using FXEmpire’s comprehensive methodology. Here’s how we test.
Without further ado, let’s move to the selected brokers.
Exness has been in business since 2008, offering trading in forex, crypto, stocks, indices, metals, and commodities. The broker provides access to 35 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ripple. Crypto (BTC, USDC, USDT) is available for deposit and withdrawal.
We tested the live spreads during the U.S. open when the crypto markets are most active. Our tests indicated that spreads for Bitcoin and Ethereum were low. The live Bitcoin spread at the time of testing was 20.96, while the spread for Ethereum was 2.75.
From our hands-on test, Exness offers its proprietary Trading Terminal platform, as well as MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5. The broker provides multiple deposit and withdrawal methods, including bank transfers, cryptocurrencies, credit cards, and e-wallets. Withdrawals are instant, 24/7.
The broker created a special Education portal that offers three courses: “How Trading Works”, “ How to Analyze”, and “Managing Risk”. There is also a Knowledge Base section that has over 30 in-depth articles on various topics. The Research section includes a real-time feed of market news and trading signals by Trading Central.
BlackBull Markets was founded in 2014 in New Zealand as a financial derivatives broker. It offers more than 26,000 tradable instruments across different markets, including 28 currency pairs. The broker stands out with its wide assortment of trading platforms and tools, catering to the needs of different types of traders.
BlackBull Markets has developed three proprietary platforms – BlackBull Trade, BlackBull CopyTrade, and BlackBull Shares. It also incorporates MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, and ZuluTrade. MT4, MT5, and cTrader accommodate both copy and automated trading, with cTrader featuring an enhanced coding environment. ZuluTrade also facilitates copy and social trading, whereas TradingView accommodates the execution of probing technical analyses.
TradingView boasts over 150 technical indicators, drawing tools, and chart configurations and stands out with its extremely versatile and high-definition charts. Price action is easily scalable on the trading station, thus affording traders a probing overview of price action behavior. BlackBull Markets also incorporates Myfxbook for advanced market analysis and provides Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting for low-latency trading.
I conducted my tests on a Standard BlackBull Markets account, which features zero commissions and floating spreads from 0.8 pips. The broker also supports Direct Market Access (DMA) trading, so its clients can obtain raw spreads directly from an exchange’s order books.
FXTM was founded in 2011. It is a Cyprus-based derivatives broker with multiple regulations, including by the FCA in the UK and FSC in Mauritius. The broker offers more than 1200 tradable instruments, including a dozen cryptocurrencies. Professional traders choose FXTM because of its superior execution performance coupled with below-average trading fees. And they can take advantage of both against an initial deposit of only $500.
Based on my measurements, FXTM’s average execution speeds fall below 80 milliseconds. This is sufficient for day trading and scalping because low-latency trading reduces the risk of negative slippage.
FXTM incorporates the renowned MetaTrader 5 platform, which can be useful to professional traders seeking even better execution performance. Via its Expert Advisors (EAs) feature, seasoned professionals can automate their trading strategies and gain even more favorable entries and exits.
Professional traders would appreciate the Advantage account, which features a $5 round-turn commission per traded lot and raw spreads from 0.0 pips. To test the competitiveness of the pricing mechanism, I executed a full-sized EURUSD trade. With a spread of 0.2 pips, the net cost of the trade reached 0.7 pips, which is better than the $8 industry average for ECN accounts.
Headquartered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, OCTA was founded back in 2011. The broker offers trading in forex, indices, commodities, and cryptocurrencies.
From our examination, the cryptocurrency offering includes 30 CFDs. Clients can trade main coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polkadot, and Dogecoin. For cryptos, OCTA offers the maximum leverage of 1:25. Crypto deposits and withdrawals are available (BTC, USDT, LTC, DOGE, ETH).
We tested the live spreads during the U.S. open, when the crypto markets are most active. Our tests showed that spreads for Bitcoin and Ethereum were low. The live Bitcoin spread at the time of testing was 20.49, while the spread for Ethereum was 2.4.
The broker provides 24/7 customer support via live chat and email. Contacting support agents, we found them professional and provided timely answers to our questions.
We assessed that OCTA provides strong educational and research support, which is good for beginner traders. The broker offers multiple educational materials, including articles, videos, webinars, and a video course. These materials cover a wide range of topics from technical analysis to trading strategies.
Established in 2016, Capital.com is regulated by several top-tier authorities, including the FCA, ASIC, CySEC, as well as SCB and FSA Seychelles. The broker provides access to over 4,000 instruments, including currency pairs, commodities, stocks, indices, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies.
Capital.com’s cryptocurrency portfolio includes 141 varieties, featuring both USD pairs and cross pairs. Traders can engage with popular names like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Solana, and Dogecoin, as well as more exotic options. In our analysis, the live spread for Bitcoin was noted at 106, in contrast to Ethereum’s spread of 6. The tests indicated that Bitcoin spreads were high, while Ethereum spreads were moderate compared to the industry average.
Our research highlights Capital.com’s strong educational offering, which encompasses a mix of articles, trading courses, and videos. The courses are particularly beneficial for beginners, covering topics such as: “Introduction to Financial Markets”, “What are leverage and margin?”, “Derivatives and Understanding Risks of Trading”, “Financial Instruments”, and “The ABCs of Derivatives and CFDs”. Additionally, the broker has developed a proprietary mobile app, designed to help traders understand market dynamics more effectively.
Regarding trading platforms, clients have options to choose between the proprietary platform, TradingView, and MetaTrader 4. The broker’s research tools are comprehensive, encompassing calculators, an economic calendar, and extensive news and analysis.
Regulated by CySEC, ASIC, SCB, and the FSA of Seychelles, IC Markets provides access to more than 1700 financial CFD instruments. Clients can trade forex pairs, stocks, indices, commodities, and bonds. Traders also have access to 23 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple.
IC Markets fees are very competitive and exceed the industry average. Our analysis indicated that the broker’s spreads are tight, and there is no inactivity fee. We tested the live spreads during the U.S. open, when the crypto markets are most active. The spreads for both Bitcoin and Ethereum were low. The live Bitcoin spread at the time of testing was 5.3, while the spread for Ethereum was 2.8.
IC Markets offers multiple methods for deposits and withdrawals. Funds can be deposited in a wide range of currencies including AUD, USD, JPY, EUR, NZD, SGD, GBP, CAD, HKD, CHF, and RMB. Crypto deposits and withdrawals are not available.
IC Markets provides access to the popular MetaTrader 4 and 5, as well as the in-house cTrader platform. Broker’s clients will also benefit from the strong research support, which includes in-house research and third-party tools like Trading Central and AutoChartist.
Founded in 2009, the broker offers trading in forex, indices, commodities, shares, and cryptocurrencies. The broker’s entities are regulated by ASIC and FSCA. Vantage also has an unregulated entity registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The broker provides access to 43 cryptocurrencies, including popular coins like Bitcoin, Polkadot, Dogecoin, and Cardano. We tested the live spreads during the U.S. open, when the crypto markets are most active. Our tests showed that spreads for Bitcoin and Ethereum were low: the live Bitcoin spread at the time of testing was 12.42, while the spread for Ethereum was 2.59.
The broker offers the highly popular MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 platforms. Advanced traders will benefit from access to free VPS hosting and algorithmic trading via these platforms.
Vantage provides access to copy trading via its Social Trading Account. The broker has a tiered system for signal providers. The growth of their income depends on the popularity of their trading signals.
Also, Vantage offers the popular FX copy trade service AutoTrade which allows copy trades from more than 90,000 forex traders. The AutoTrade account connects to a unique MT4 trading account, specifically for AutoTrading.
ZuluTrade is another social trading platform available to Vantage clients and could be connected to the Vantage MT4 trading account. The broker also offers DupliTrade which is available for clients who have a minimum of $2000 on their Vantage account.
Founded in 2006, AvaTrade is regulated by as many as eight regulators around the world, including ASIC, Japan’s FSA, and CySEC. The broker provides access to more than 1250 instruments in forex, stocks, indices, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and FX options.
AvaTrade offers 20 cryptocurrencies. The list includes popular names like Ethereum and Solana, as well as smaller cryptos like MIOTA and NEO. We tested the live spreads during the U.S. open, when the crypto markets are most active. Our research indicated that spreads for Bitcoin were medium, while spreads for Ethereum were high. The live Bitcoin spread at the time of testing was 46.04, while the spread for Ethereum was 14.12.
From our live testing, we found that AvaTrade offers a wide range of trading platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, AvaTrade Web platform, as well as AvaTrade Go and AVASocial mobile apps.
The Proprietary AvaTrade Web platform is designed to trade markets as quickly and simply as possible, so it is easy to use even for beginner traders. The platform provides clean and responsive charts and gives access to different markets, positions, and indicators, so users can manage their whole account from the web platform.
The broker’s in-house AvaTrade Go mobile platform is simple to use and provides access to useful technical tools and features. The AvaSocial mobile app suits clients who are interested in copying the best practices of experienced trades.
A pioneer in copy trading, eToro was founded in 2007. Regulated by multiple top-tier regulators, eToro provides access to more than 2000 financial instruments, including stocks, cryptocurrencies, ETFs, indices, forex, and commodities.
The broker’s cryptocurrency offering is rich as it provides access to 79 underlying crypto coins and 14 CFDs. CFD is a contract for differences, which means that you do not own the underlying asset. Traders can trade with the most popular coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as more exotic options like Zcash and Chiliz. eToro does not provide crypto deposits and withdrawals.
We tested the live spreads during the U.S. open, when the crypto markets are most active. We tested spreads for Bitcoin and Ethereum and found that they were high. The live Bitcoin spread at the time of testing was 472.87, while the spread for Ethereum was 33.79.
eToro’s clients will also enjoy strong educational and research support. Clients who meet certain deposit levels (the system is tiered) have access to additional tools like live webinars, weekly market analysis, and research from the third-party provider Trading Central. The broker’s educational offering includes courses, guides, videos, webinars, and podcasts.
Founded in 2007, eToro US is regulated by the CFTC/NFA and has entities worldwide licensed by top-tier financial authorities. An excellent range of 95 cryptocurrencies is available to invest covering major, stable, and meme coins, as well as some altcoins.
I found that eToro charges a flat single fee of 1% to buy and sell crypto assets. The simplicity of its pricing is an excellent feature to assist with risk management calculations. There are also over 3,000 stocks and ETFs to invest in and a wide range of options from its dedicated eToro Options app.
When using the eToro trading platform and mobile app, I was impressed by how easy it was to trade cryptocurrencies and the number of features available. CoinFi provides sentiment data for crypto assets and is an excellent way to identify overbought and oversold conditions. The eToro CopyTrader feature is a breeze to use, allowing you to copy the trades of other successful crypto traders.
Plus500 is a globally recognized brand with more than 26 million clients worldwide. Founded in 2008, the company is headquartered in Israel and licensed and regulated in multiple jurisdictions, including the US, by the CFTC and NFA. It is also a FTSE 250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Plus500 US offers over 50 futures contracts across forex, commodities, interest rates, and equity indices. It also provides two crypto futures contracts: Micro Bitcoin and Micro Ether.
The minimum deposit needed to start trading crypto futures contracts is $100, while the daily margin ranges from $20 (for Micro Ether) to $100 (for Micro Bitcoin). The broker also provides extensive educational content aimed at inexperienced crypto traders.
I was most impressed with the Plus500 US professional-grade web trading station. It has a massive pool of more than 130 analytical tools and chart configurations, allowing traders to examine price action behavior from different angles. Additionally, the platform supports all basic order types (market, limit, and stop).
Founded in 1996, OANDA US is regulated by the CFTC/NFA and has global entities licensed by Tier-1 authorities. It offers access to forex, crypto, and metal markets from various feature-rich trading platforms.
The OANDA web and mobile trading platforms are excellent. Built-in trading tools include market depth, order book flow, position ratios, news aggregator, and trading signals from Autochartist. Algorithmic traders can utilize the MT4 platform, while social traders have access to trade directly from TradingView.
The OANDA web and mobile platforms have spot crypto prices directly quoted from Paxos’s itBit exchange. While no leverage is available on the eight cryptocurrency pairs, up to 1:50 is available on its 68 forex pairs. There is also no markup for the spot crypto pairs available from the OANDA trading platforms.
Use our guide to choose the best crypto trading broker for your needs.
Trading crypto with a CFD broker allows traders to speculate on the price of an asset, such as a cryptocurrency, without actually owning the underlying asset. This means that traders can make a profit or loss based on the price movement (up or down) of the asset without having to buy or sell the actual cryptocurrency.
Additionally, trading crypto CFDs allows traders to make large trades with small amounts of capital by using leverage. However, it is important to note that this also means that the risk of losing money is higher, as leverage can amplify losses as well as gains.
Read more about Best CFD brokers.
The process of choosing a broker begins with learning where your potential broker is regulated. Cryptocurrencies are an emerging asset class, so some brokers would offer them only through their offshore entities.
In addition to the location of the regulator, traders should focus on important protection options like negative balance protection, segregated funds, and the compensation fund which will cover your back if the broker has financial problems.
Read more about Best regulated forex brokers.
Typically, brokers charge spreads, commissions, swap/rollover fees, and inactivity fees.
The spread is the difference between the bid and the ask price. The higher the spread, the more you pay for the trade. We consider spreads below 1 pip for EUR/USD and 3 pips for GBP/JPY to be low. In crypto, we considered spreads below $40 for Bitcoin and $3 for Ethereum to be low.
A commission is a fixed cost of entering the trade. Accounts that charge commissions usually offer low spreads. Commissions below $3 are considered low for forex pairs and gold.
A swap/rollover fee is charged when you hold a leveraged position overnight. Traders should pay extra attention to these fees if they plan to use swing trading strategies, which involve holding positions for several days or even weeks. For forex pairs, a swap rate below 0.5 pips is viewed as a good result.
An inactivity fee is a fee that the broker charges if your account is dormant. In this case, a certain amount of money is charged monthly. An inactivity fee below $10 is considered to be low.
Read more about Best lowest spread forex brokers.
As a cryptocurrency trader, you should understand the difference between various types of accounts.
Read more about Best forex demo accounts and Best Islamic accounts.
Typically, most brokers provide access to MetaTrader4 and/or MetaTrader5. These sophisticated platforms have a variety of tools tailored mainly for experienced traders; hence, beginners may have to spend some time learning the ropes.
Some brokers have also developed in-house trading platforms. Such platforms are usually focused on the needs of different levels of traders and are easy to navigate and use.
Check out our dedicated guide on Best forex trading platforms.
The choice of trading platform depends on personal preferences and trading experience. Beginner traders will be better off starting with a simple platform or a mobile app, while advanced traders will likely choose MT4/MT5.
Read more about Best MetaTrader 4 brokers and Best MetaTrader 5 brokers.
Leverage allows traders to use borrowed funds to increase their profits. The higher the leverage, the higher your potential profits are. However, leverage is a double-edged sword, and using high leverage also boosts your potential losses. Thus, beginners will be better off starting with low leverage levels to avoid outsized losses.
The maximum potential leverage that the broker can offer is determined by the regulator. Top-tier regulators usually limit the leverage to 1:30. Offshore regulators may allow the broker to offer leverage of up to 1:3000.
To access higher leverage, traders should open accounts with entities regulated by offshore regulators and offer fewer protections.
Explore Best forex brokers with high leverage.
Here are the five must-do things when selecting a crypto trading broker:
To avoid forex and crypto scams, traders should first check the broker’s regulations. If the broker is regulated by top-tier regulators, you are mostly protected. An unregulated broker is the most suspicious one by definition. In addition to regulations, check the following red flags:
FXEmpire has been reviewing brokers since 2010 and has developed an in-depth review program of CFD brokers. We have over a decade of experience testing brokers and abide by strict guidelines for editorial integrity. Our review process follows a thorough protocol that results in a score that is based on objective criteria and measurable data. As a result of our work, we publish a comprehensive and unbiased review, which is meant to help traders choose the broker that suits their needs.
To choose the best broker for you, we rate brokers across nine categories and calculate a score that reflects their performance. The categories include
We open accounts, test platforms, measure spreads, and chat with support teams to collect as much data as possible for each broker. In total, we examined brokers using over 250 data points.
Each category receives a rating from one star (weak) to five stars (excellent). The broker’s total score depends on its performance in each of these nine categories.
We highlight each broker’s strengths and weaknesses, explain regulatory details, and share the results of our live tests of brokers’ fees, customer support, and trading platforms. To learn more about our review process, click here.
For this guide, we prioritized a comprehensive crypto trading offering, a wide selection of cryptocurrencies, and a strong emphasis on trustworthiness and security. Additionally, we sought brokers with competitive fees and user-friendly, feature-rich platforms, ensuring both cost-effectiveness and ease of use for traders at all levels.
The team of forex and CFD writers and editors at FX Empire is composed of trading industry professionals and seasoned financial journalists. Our authors have been published on leading financial websites such as Investopedia and Forbes. In addition, they all have extensive trading experience.
Dan Blystone began his career in the trading industry in 1998 on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. Later Dan gained insight into the forex industry during his time as a Series 3 licenced futures and forex broker. He also traded at a couple of different prop trading firms in Chicago. Dan is well-equipped to recommend the best forex brokers due to his extensive experience and understanding of the brokerage industry.
Jitan Solanki is a professional trader, market analyst, and educator. He day trades major currency and index markets and focuses on swing trading US equities and commodities. A qualified Market Technician, Jitan also works with trader education and brokerage companies on various projects. These include market analysis, live trading events, and broker reviews. As an experienced trader and educator, Jitan brings all his qualities in action when reviewing and recommending brokers.
Having been a retail trader since 2013, Plamen has gained an in-depth understanding of the challenges that novice traders face today. His expertise is swing trading and day trading with a heavy emphasis on psychological and fundamental analysis. Plamen’s favourite trading instruments include FX majors and gold. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Economics and International Relations. Plamen's broad experience has equipped him with the expertise to recommend the best forex brokers.
In more than 15 years of trading in the financial markets, Vladimir dealt with a wide range of brokers and financial instruments. His career as a day-trader at a proprietary trading firm goes back to 2007. Later, Vladimir turned to longer time frames and became an independent trader and analyst managing his own portfolio. Using his experience, he helps traders find the best broker in his reviews.
In more than 15 years of trading in the financial markets, Vladimir dealt with a wide range of brokers and financial instruments. His career as a day-trader at a proprietary trading firm goes back to 2007. Later, Vladimir turned to longer time frames and became an independent trader and analyst managing his own portfolio. Using his experience, he helps traders find the best broker in his reviews.
At FXEmpire, we strive to provide unbiased, thorough and accurate broker reviews by industry experts to help our users make smarter financial decisions.