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Best Forex Brokers in Europe – 2026 Ranked & Reviewed

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Toni Nasr, CFA, FRM
Fintech Analyst
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Franklin Silva
Co-Founder & Fintech Analyst
Fact checked by: Franklin SilvaUpdated on Oct 8, 2026

Forex is one of the most active markets globally, and accessing it starts with choosing the right broker. At Investing in the Web, we help users find the platform that best fits their needs. If you’re looking for the best European Forex brokers, this guide is for you.

Best Forex brokers in Europe

Forex brokers specialise in currency trading, offering a wide range of currency pairs plus tools like advanced charting, technical indicators, economic calendars, news feeds, and platforms such as MetaTrader 4/5, cTrader, and TradingView. Europe hosts one of the world’s largest and most regulated forex markets.

In the BIS Triennial Survey published in September 2025, the United Kingdom accounted for 37.8% of global foreign exchange turnover, overwhelmingly through London, ahead of the United States on about 19%. Global turnover reached $9.6 trillion a day on a net-net basis.

For European retail investors, the right broker comes down to regulatory protection (ESMA leverage limits, negative balance protection, investor compensation schemes), available currency pairs, spreads and commissions, platform features, and base currency support.

Here are our top picks for European clients:

Interactive Brokers: Best overall

Interactive Brokers lets you trade over 100 currency pairs, with deep liquidity and real-time quotes. Plus, it offers low commissions, 0.08 to 0.20 bps times trade size, with no hidden spreads or markups. Their central trading platform, the Trader Workstation (TWS), offers professional FX trading tools, including the FXTrader, built for the currency markets.

Pepperstone: Best MT4 and MT5 broker. Our second choice.

Founded in 2010, it allows you to trade forex majors, minors, crosses and exotics on highly competitive conditions, including low spreads and deep liquidity. Pepperstone offers access to 90+ currency pairs.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 74.1% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

Plus500: Ideal for a demo account

Plus500 is a multi-asset online broker that offers no commissions when trading Forex CFDs. You can trade on 60+ Forex pairs with leverage up to 30x. You also have access to advanced trading tools, including stop loss, stop limit and guaranteed stop to limit losses and lock in profits.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider.

eToro: Best for social trading. Offers a welcome bonus up to $500 for new users.

eToro is the leading social trading broker, with 40 million registered users across 75 countries. You can trade 66 currency pairs with the ability to copy the trades of other experienced investors, which makes the platform attractive for beginners.
Disclaimer: Your capital is at risk. Other fees apply. For more information, visit etoro.com/trading/fees.

XTB: Best for customer service

XTB is a well-known online broker with a strong customer support team. It offers 70+ currency pairs, with EUR/USD spreads from 0.8 pips. Its platform, xStation 5, is well-designed and user-friendly on both web and mobile.

Fusion Markets: Best for the lowest Forex spreads

A CFD and Forex broker based in Australia offering over 250 instruments and 90+ currency pairs, spreads from 0.0 pips, no minimum deposit and a demo account to test their platforms and tools. It provides average spreads of 0.0 on forex majors and a $2.25 commission per side, $4.50 per round turn. Note that Fusion has no EU or UK licence: European clients are onboarded by an offshore entity.

CMC Markets: Best for CFD trading

CMC Markets stands out in the Forex space with over 300 currency pairs available to European clients, making it one of the most comprehensive Forex brokers around. Whether you’re trading majors, minors, or exotics, CMC offers tight spreads and competitive pricing, especially for high-volume traders.

Forex.com: Best for professionals

With more than 300,000 active retail accounts as of March 2026, Forex.com is an all-in-one trading platform for Forex and CFDs on indices, shares, commodities (including Gold and Silver), and cryptocurrencies. They offer over 80 currency pairs with relatively low spreads for highly liquid pairs, and have different account types that fit beginners and professional traders.

IG: Best for a wide range of markets

IG is known for its extensive product range, 15,000+ markets on its UK platform, and its comprehensive research and education materials. They have 90+ currency pairs available and EUR/USD spreads start from 0.6 pips. It is ideal for beginners and professionals looking to trade Forex while having access to other asset classes on the same platform.

Forex broker Minimum deposit Currency pairs Spreads from (pips)
Interactive Brokers €/$/£0 100+ 0.1 (commission applies)
Pepperstone €0 bank transfer; €10 card 90+ 0.0 (Razor account, commission applies)
Plus500
81% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Not published 60+ Variable (spread-only model)
XTB None 70+ 0.8 (EUR/USD, Standard)
Fusion Markets €/$/£0 90+ 0.0 (Zero account, commission applies)
CMC Markets €/$/£0 300+ 0.5
Forex.com €100 80+ 0.0 (commission applies); 1.0 (no commission)
IG No minimum by bank transfer; €300 by EUR card 90+ 0.6
eToro $50 first deposit; $10 subsequent (varies by country) 66 1.0+ (spread-based, no commission)

Spreads are not fixed: they vary with the currency pair, liquidity, and market events. The spreads above are as published on each broker’s own European site in September 2026. Where a broker runs several account types, the figure is for its standard retail account.

Video summary

Watch a short recap of our highest rated choices in the video below:

#1 Interactive Brokers at a glance

Interactive Brokers logo
Visit brokerRead review
Minimum Deposit€/$0
RegulatorsSEC, FINRA, SIPC, CFTC, FCA, CBI, ASIC, SFC, MAS, CIRO
Forex fees:Spreads starting 0.1 pip and tier pricing commission
Number of currency pairs:100+
Visit Interactive BrokersRead review

Interactive Brokers is one of the largest global online brokers, providing access to over 170 global markets. Almost all financial instruments are available on the platform: stocks, bonds, ETFs, forex, mutual funds, commodities, options, futures, CFDs, crypto futures, and even US penny stocks. Trading since 1977 and running a brokerage since 1993, it is listed on NASDAQ (ticker: IBKR) and joined the S&P 500 in August 2025. Interactive Brokers is regulated by an extensive list of top-tier authorities globally.

Interactive Brokers offers a robust, professional-grade environment for forex trading, providing access to over 100 currency pairs across major, minor, and emerging market pairs. With deep institutional liquidity, smart order routing, and industry-low costs, it’s a top choice for advanced traders seeking efficiency and scale.

Key forex highlights:

  • Trade 100+ currency pairs with institutional-grade spreads
  • Direct market access with smart order routing across multiple liquidity providers for optimal pricing
  • Ultra-low commission-based pricing: 0.20 bps with $2 minimum on the standard tier, among the lowest in the industry
  • Advanced risk management tools and real-time analytics integrated across the platform
  • Available across multiple platforms: Trader Workstation (TWS) for professionals, IBKR Desktop, Client Portal, IBKR Mobile, and GlobalTrader for newer traders

Interactive Brokers supports multiple base currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, CHF, JPY, AUD, CAD, and others), and offers leverage up to 30x for major forex pairs (the maximum permitted under ESMA regulations for retail clients). The broker operates under strict regulation from top-tier global authorities (SEC, FINRA, SIPC, CFTC, FCA, CBI, ASIC, SFC, MAS, CIRO).

While the platform is genuinely best suited for experienced traders, the mobile app and web platforms (particularly IBKR GlobalTrader) offer simplified access to forex markets for less advanced users. With no minimum deposit, transparent fee structure, and institutional-grade execution, Interactive Brokers is ideal for serious forex traders who value performance, control, and global market access.

Interactive Brokers Forex landing page

We recommend you check out our comprehensive Interactive Brokers review.

#2 Pepperstone at a glance

Pepperstone logo
Visit brokerRead review
Minimum Deposit€0 by bank transfer; €10 by card
RegulatorsFCA, CySEC, ASIC, SCB, DFSA, BaFin, CMA
Forex feesFrom 0.0 pips plus $3.50 per lot per side (Razor)
Number of currency pairs:90+
Visit PepperstoneRead review

74-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

Pepperstone, founded in 2010 in Melbourne, Australia, has positioned itself as one of the largest forex and CFD brokers globally, serving more than 900,000 traders as of March 2026. The broker has earned multiple industry awards for its exceptional service, including the “Best MT4 and MT5 Broker” award from Investing in the Web. With access to over 90 currency pairs and tight spreads starting from 0.0 pips on the Razor account, Pepperstone particularly appeals to day traders, scalpers, and algorithmic traders.

Pepperstone operates under regulation from multiple top-tier authorities: ASIC (Australia), FCA (UK), BaFin (Germany), CySEC (Cyprus), DFSA (Dubai), SCB (Bahamas), and CMA (Kenya), which it describes as nine licensed entities globally. European clients contract with Pepperstone EU Limited, authorised by CySEC under licence 388/20, and the EU site is not intended for residents of Belgium or Spain. The broker offers five trading platforms: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, TradingView, and its own Pepperstone Trading Platform, with features including advanced charting, custom indicators, automated trading via Expert Advisors, and integrated copy trading.

Account types cater to different trader needs:

  • Razor account: spreads from 0.0 pips plus a small commission (around $3.50 per side on standard lots), favoured by scalpers, algorithmic traders, and users of Expert Advisors.
  • Standard account: commissions built into the spread (typically starting from 1.0 pip), suited to traders preferring a straightforward, all-in pricing model.

Key forex highlights:

  • Trade 90+ major, minor, and exotic forex pairs
  • Low-latency execution with spreads from 0.0 pips on Razor accounts
  • Commission-based and spread-based pricing models to suit different trading styles
  • Nine licensed entities globally, one of the broadest regulatory footprints in retail forex
  • Negative balance protection for retail clients under ESMA-regulated entities

Pepperstone’s forex offering is enhanced by strong platform flexibility, fast execution and deep liquidity from multiple tier-1 institutional providers. On execution speed, note that the “most orders in under 30ms” figure Pepperstone publishes applies to its Australian entity; the UK entity is quoted at 60ms. European clients are covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund, which pays 90% of a covered claim up to a maximum of €20,000. Although Pepperstone focuses primarily on CFD products (meaning you don’t own the underlying asset, and gains/losses are realised through price movements with leverage), it remains one of the best choices for forex traders prioritising cost-efficiency and execution quality.

Pepperstone Forex landing page

Read our Pepperstone review for a deeper insight!

#3 Plus500 at a glance

Best Forex Brokers in Europe - 2026 Ranked & Reviewed 6
Visit brokerRead review
Minimum Deposit€/£100
RegulatorsFCA, CySEC, MAS, ASIC, FMA
Forex fees:Variable
Number of currency pairs:60+
Visit Plus500Read review

81% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

Founded in 2008 in Israel, Plus500 is an online broker offering a range of financial products including real shares (via Plus500 Invest) and CFDs on forex, indices, shares, commodities, options, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies. Available in over 50 countries and publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange (FTSE 250, ticker: PLUS), Plus500 has established itself as one of Europe’s most prominent retail trading platforms.

Plus500 offers a straightforward and accessible way to trade forex through its proprietary WebTrader platform. While primarily known for its CFD offering, the platform gives retail traders clean access to major and minor currency pairs with user-friendly tools and strong regulated protection across multiple jurisdictions.

Key forex highlights:

  • Trade 60+ major and minor forex pairs with leverage up to 30:1 for major pairs (per ESMA regulation for retail clients)
  • Proprietary WebTrader platform, intuitive, stable, and available across desktop, web, and mobile
  • Order types supported: market, limit, stop loss, guaranteed stop loss, and trailing stop
  • Spreads vary by pair and market conditions; pricing is spread-only (no separate commissions)
  • Multi-regulator footprint across nine entities: CySEC (Plus500CY Ltd, licence 250/14), FCA (Plus500UK Ltd, FRN 509909), the Estonian Financial Supervision Authority (Plus500EE AS), ASIC, FMA, FSCA, MAS, DFSA, SCB and CIRO in Canada
  • Negative balance protection for retail clients under ESMA-regulated entities

Plus500 suits beginner and intermediate traders seeking a clean interface and simplified trading experience. While spreads can be wider than at ECN-style brokers, and forex is offered exclusively via CFDs (no real spot forex), the platform provides a reliable, well-regulated environment for retail forex trading.

European investors typically open accounts through Plus500CY Ltd (CySEC-regulated), where the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund pays 90% of a covered claim up to a maximum of €20,000. UK clients are served through Plus500UK Ltd (FCA-regulated), with FSCS coverage up to £85,000, which is the investment limit rather than the higher £120,000 deposit limit. Note that Plus500 does not publish a minimum deposit on its European pages, so treat the €100 figure that circulates elsewhere as unconfirmed. Negative balance protection is mandatory for retail accounts under both regulatory regimes.

Want to know more about Plus500? Check our Plus500 review.

Plus500 Forex landing page
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 81% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. Any educational content, market commentary, research, analysis, forecasts, coaching, training, or opinions provided by independent third parties do not represent the views of Plus500. Plus500 provides self-trading execution-only services and does not provide asset management nor investment, financial, legal, or tax advice. Plus500 accepts no responsibility or liability for any decisions made or losses incurred as a result of reliance on information, research, educational materials, coaching, or services provided by third parties.

#4 XTB at a glance

XTB logo
Visit brokerRead review
Minimum Deposit€0
RegulatorsKNF, FCA, CySEC, CNMV, DFSA, FSC (Belize)
Forex fees:$0 commission on the Standard account, spreads from 0.8 pips
Number of currency pairs:70+
Visit XTBRead review

69-80% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

XTB is a global broker headquartered in Warsaw, Poland and publicly listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ticker: XTB), offering access to 70+ currency pairs with competitive spreads, low minimum deposit, and robust proprietary trading platforms. With regulation across multiple European jurisdictions and over two decades of market presence (trading under the XTB brand since 2002), XTB provides a reliable environment for forex trading. It reported 2.83 million clients at 30 June 2026.

Key forex highlights:

  • Trade 70+ forex pairs, covering major, minor, and exotic currencies
  • Platform: xStation 5 on web plus a mobile app, XTB’s own software with no MetaTrader support, with intuitive design and feature-rich functionality
  • €/$/£1 minimum deposit, making it accessible to all traders
  • Funding methods include bank transfers, credit/debit cards, Skrill, and PayPal (varies by jurisdiction)
  • Regulated by FCA (UK), KNF (Poland), CySEC (Cyprus), DFSA (Dubai), and FSC (Belize) for non-EU clients, giving strong investor protection
  • Competitive spreads, published from 0.8 pips on EUR/USD, with commission-free Standard accounts

XTB suits beginner to intermediate forex traders who value strong educational resources (its Trading Academy), responsive customer support, and a clean, well-designed platform experience. While the forex pair count is more limited than at some specialised forex brokers, XTB’s transparent pricing, multi-regulator footprint, and platform quality make it a solid choice for everyday forex trading.

On the downside, XTB charges a €10 monthly inactivity fee once an account has gone 365 days without a trade and 90 days without a deposit. Withdrawal costs depend on the entity: they are free for UK clients and for EU clients of an XTB S.A. branch, and cost €10 below €100 for clients of XTB Limited in Cyprus. The product range is focused on CFDs, forex, and real stocks and ETFs in select markets.

Read our XTB review for further insights.

XTB Forex landing page

#5 Fusion Markets at a glance

Best Forex Brokers in Europe - 2026 Ranked & Reviewed 7
Visit brokerRead review
Minimum Deposit€/$0
RegulatorsASIC, VFSC, FSA
Forex fees:Spreads starting 0.0 pip for major currency pairs
Number of currency pairs:75+
Visit Fusion MarketsRead review

74-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

Fusion Markets is a forex and CFD broker with offices in Australia, Vanuatu, and Seychelles, accepting clients from most countries worldwide. The trading conditions are genuinely competitive: tight spreads, low commissions, and access to over 90 currency pairs within a range of more than 250 instruments.

Read this before the rest of the section. Fusion holds no EU or UK licence. Its Australian licence covers Australian clients only, so a European client is onboarded by Gleneagle Securities in Vanuatu or Fusion Markets International in the Seychelles. That means no MiFID II protections, no investor compensation scheme of any kind, no ESMA leverage caps, no EU ombudsman, and no obligation to publish a retail-loss percentage, which is why Fusion publishes none. Spanish residents cannot open an account at all; Spain is the one EU country on Fusion’s restricted list. Weigh that against the pricing before you open an account.

On major pairs like EUR/USD and AUD/USD, commissions on the Zero account are $2.25 per standard lot per side, $4.50 per round turn, among the lowest in the industry. The Zero account offers spreads from 0.0 pips with that commission structure, while the Classic account bundles commissions into wider spreads starting from 0.9 pips. Beyond trading fees, Fusion Markets charges no deposit fees, with most withdrawal methods also free.

Fusion Markets offers multiple platform options across desktop, web, and mobile: MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, cTrader, and TradingView. All platforms include customisable charts, fundamental and technical indicators, and intuitive interfaces. cTrader particularly stands out for advanced market depth features (price depth and VWAP depth), making it well-suited for active traders and scalpers.

The demo account is genuinely useful for beginners, it provides full hands-on experience with real-time market conditions in a risk-free environment, so the transition to live trading is seamless.

Fusion Markets is regulated across three jurisdictions:

  • Australia: regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) under licence 385620, a top-tier financial regulator
  • Vanuatu: Vanuatu Financial Services Commission (VFSC)
  • Seychelles: Financial Services Authority of Seychelles (FSA)

To restate the point above, because it is the single most important fact about Fusion for a European reader: the offshore entities are not bound by ESMA leverage caps, but they also carry none of the investor protections that the other brokers in this list do.

Read our comprehensive Fusion Markets review.

Fusion Markets Forex landing page

Please note that CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Fusion Markets does not publish a retail-loss percentage, because its offshore entities are not subject to the ESMA and FCA disclosure rule. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

#6 CMC Markets at a glance

Best Forex Brokers in Europe - 2026 Ranked & Reviewed 8
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Minimum Deposit€/$/£0
RegulatorsFCA, BaFin, CIRO, ASIC, FMA, MAS, DFSA
Forex fees:$0, but spreads from 0.5 pips apply
Number of currency pairs:300+
Visit CMC Markets

69% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

CMC Markets is a global CFD and forex broker that has been operating since 1989 and is publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker CMCX. With over three decades of market presence and, on its own November 2025 figure, more than 2 million traders and investors worldwide (which CMC defines as unique user logins across its platforms, including partners), CMC Markets is one of the longest-established retail forex brokers in the world. It’s regulated by multiple international authorities including the UK’s FCA, Germany’s BaFin, and others.

CMC Markets offers one of the most diverse forex selections in the industry: over 300 currency pairs on its European and UK sites, covering majors, minors, and exotic pairs. Combined with deep liquidity, competitive pricing, and flexible platform options, CMC caters to both active traders and those seeking broad global market access.

Key forex highlights:

  • Access to 300+ forex pairs, including majors, minors, and exotics, one of the broadest selections available
  • Tight spreads from 0.5 pips on major pairs, and from 0.0 pips on EUR/USD with the FX Active account, with no deposit or withdrawal fees
  • Multiple platform options: CMC proprietary platform (Next Generation), CMC mobile app, MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, and TradingView integration
  • Support for up to 10 base account currencies, reducing FX conversion costs for international traders
  • Regulated by FCA (CMC Markets UK plc, FRN 173730), BaFin (CMC Markets Germany GmbH, 154814), ASIC, MAS, FMA, and CIRO in Canada
  • Investor protection: £85,000 under the FSCS for UK clients, and for EU clients 90% of a claim up to €20,000 under the German EdW, which covers EUR accounts only

CMC Markets supports multiple account base currencies, which reduces FX conversion costs if you regularly trade or hold balances in more than one. Account funding methods include credit and debit cards, bank wire transfers, and PayPal in select jurisdictions. CMC Markets does not charge any deposit or withdrawal fees. However, an account with no open positions and no trading activity for a continuous year incurs a £10 monthly inactivity charge (the amount depends on your account currency). If you start trading again, CMC refunds up to three months of the charge, to a maximum of £30.

On the downside, CMC Markets is primarily a CFD broker, you cannot purchase real stocks or real cryptocurrencies through the platform (although CMC Invest, a separate UK product, does offer real shares, ETFs, investment trusts and funds for UK clients, with ISA and SIPP wrappers).

CMC Markets Forex page

#7 Forex.com at a glance

Best Forex Brokers in Europe - 2026 Ranked & Reviewed 9
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Minimum Deposit$100
RegulatorsFCA, NFA, CFTC, CIRO, CySEC, CIMA, FSA, MAS, ASIC
Forex fees:$0, but spreads starting 1 pip apply, or zero spread with tier-pricing commission
Number of currency pairs:80+
Visit Forex.com

76% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

Forex.com is a global online broker regulated across eight jurisdictions: NFA and CFTC (US), FCA (UK), CIRO (Canada), ASIC (Australia), MAS (Singapore), FSA (Japan), CySEC (Cyprus), and CIMA (Cayman Islands). It is a subsidiary of StoneX Group Inc., a publicly listed financial services company (NASDAQ: SNEX), which adds institutional credibility through strict SEC reporting and audit requirements.

European clients are served by StoneX Europe Ltd, a Cyprus investment firm authorised by CySEC under licence 400/21, passporting into 27 European countries including Portugal, Spain, Germany, France and Ireland. UK clients contract with StoneX Financial Ltd (FCA FRN 446717) and are protected up to £85,000 under the FSCS; European clients are covered by the Cyprus Investor Compensation Fund at 90% of a claim up to €20,000.

Key forex highlights:

  • Trade 80+ forex pairs, including majors, minors, and exotics
  • Multiple account types in Europe: Standard (spread-only), RAW Spread (spreads from 0.0 pips plus $5 per $100,000 traded per side), MT5, and Corporate. The Active Trader programme is a US offering, not a European one
  • Platform options in Europe: Web Trader, mobile apps, MetaTrader 5, and TradingView integration. MetaTrader 4 is offered by the UK entity but not the EU one
  • No deposit or withdrawal fees; minimum deposit of €100 or currency equivalent
  • Regulated across multiple jurisdictions: US, UK, Canada, Japan, and Australia

Forex.com offers strong platform flexibility, with MetaTrader alongside its own platform on desktop, web, and mobile. The proprietary platform delivers powerful charting, analysis, and risk management tools for experienced traders.

Forex.com charges no commission on deposits or withdrawals (minimum deposit €100), with funding methods including bank wire transfers, credit and debit cards, and e-wallets like Neteller and Skrill (availability varies by jurisdiction). The account types offer different fee structures, from the spread-only Standard account to commission-based pricing for tighter spreads on the RAW Spread account.

On the downside, Forex.com charges a €15 monthly inactivity fee (£12 in sterling) after 12 months with no trading activity or open positions, and the available product range can vary meaningfully by jurisdiction (the US entity has different offerings than UK or EU entities due to regulatory differences).

Forex.com - Forex landing page

#8 IG at a glance

Best Forex Brokers in Europe - 2026 Ranked & Reviewed 10
Visit broker
Minimum DepositFor Card & Paypal: between £250 or $/€300; No minimum for bank transfer
RegulatorsASIC, FCA, NFA, MAS, FSCA, FINMA, FMA
Forex fees:$0, but spreads starting 0.6 pips apply
Number of currency pairs:80+
Visit IG

67% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

IG Group, headquartered in London and publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: IGG), is one of the oldest and largest financial brokers in the world, founded in 1974 with over five decades of market presence. It was promoted to the FTSE 100 on 23 March 2026. IG reported 742,100 active clients for the 2025 calendar year, a figure boosted by its acquisition of Freetrade. Its primary regulator is the FCA in the UK, with additional regulation from multiple international authorities including ASIC (Australia), BaFin (Germany), FINMA (Switzerland), MAS (Singapore), FSCA (South Africa), and others.

Key forex highlights:

  • 90+ forex pairs covering majors, minors, and exotic currencies, with EUR/USD from 0.6 points and an average of 1.13
  • Advanced proprietary platform plus MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, ProRealTime, L2 Dealer and TradingView
  • Extensive market research, technical analysis tools, and educational content via IG Academy
  • Multiple funding options: credit/debit card, bank transfer, PayPal (varies by jurisdiction)
  • Investor protection: £85,000 under the UK FSCS, 90% of a claim up to €20,000 in the EU, and CHF 100,000 of deposit protection in Switzerland
  • Minimum deposit: none by bank transfer; €300 by EUR debit card, £1 by GBP debit card

You can fund your IG account using a debit card or bank transfer. IG publishes no minimum or maximum for bank transfers, while card minimums are €300 on a EUR debit card, £1 on a GBP debit card and $50 on a USD debit card. IG offers its own proprietary platform alongside MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 for traders who prefer the industry-standard environment.

Investor protection varies meaningfully by the IG entity you open your account with. UK clients (IG Markets Ltd, FCA-regulated) receive £85,000 FSCS coverage for investment business. EU clients contract with IG Europe GmbH, supervised by BaFin, and are covered by the German EdW at 90% of a claim up to €20,000. Swiss clients (IG Bank S.A., FINMA-regulated) have CHF 100,000 of cover under esisuisse, which is a deposit-protection scheme covering cash rather than securities; securities are held in segregated custody instead. This protection applies only in the event of broker insolvency and is not related to your portfolio’s investment performance.

IG Forex landing page

#9 eToro at a glance

eToro logo
Visit brokerRead review
Minimum Deposit$10 in the UK (it varies between countries)
RegulatorsFCA, CySEC, ASIC
Forex fees:$0, but spreads starting 1 pip apply
Number of currency pairs:66
Visit eToroRead review

52% of retail CFD accounts lose money.

Founded in 2007, eToro is a distinctive broker in the forex space, offering a social trading platform where users can copy the trades of experienced traders through CopyTrader. With access to 66 currency pairs, eToro blends forex trading with community-driven insights, making it a compelling option for beginners and intermediate traders looking to learn from successful peers.

Key forex highlights:

  • Trade 66 currency pairs, including majors, minors, and selected exotics
  • CopyTrader feature lets you automatically follow and replicate trades from top-performing forex traders
  • Now NASDAQ-listed (ETOR) since May 2025, adding public-market transparency to the safety story
  • Multi-regulator footprint: FCA (UK), CySEC (Cyprus), ASIC (Australia), ADGM FSRA (UAE), SEC/FINRA (US)
  • Multiple funding options: credit/debit card, bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller
  • Minimum deposit from $50 first deposit (varies by jurisdiction); $10 for subsequent deposits
  • EUR-denominated accounts now available, eliminating FX conversion costs for European traders

eToro is ideal for traders who want to learn from successful peers or automate their forex strategy through copy trading. While its forex pair count is more limited than at specialist forex brokers and spreads can be wider, the platform’s CopyTrader feature, low entry barrier, and strong regulatory standing make it an excellent starting point for newer forex traders.

The eToro web platform is intuitive and beginner-friendly, with a clean interface that doesn’t overwhelm new users with excessive technical complexity. On fees, two things have changed in eToro’s favour and are still misreported elsewhere: eToro no longer charges an inactivity fee, and the $5 withdrawal fee applies only to the USD account, with withdrawals free from a local-currency EUR account.

Read our eToro review for more details.

eToro Forex offering
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 52% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

What makes a good forex broker?

Many features and factors matter when choosing a forex broker, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced trader. The most critical considerations for European retail traders include:

  • Regulation: the most important criterion, you must ensure the broker is regulated by a top-tier authority before transferring funds. For European traders, this typically means an entity authorised by the FCA (UK), BaFin (Germany), CySEC (Cyprus), AMF (France), CNMV (Spain), CONSOB (Italy), or KNF (Poland). Avoid brokers regulated only by offshore authorities (Vanuatu, Seychelles, St. Vincent and the Grenadines) without an EU-passporting entity for European clients.
  • Investor compensation schemes: verify the specific scheme attached to your broker’s entity, and read the amounts carefully. EU schemes pay 90% of a covered claim, capped at €20,000, not a flat €20,000. FCA-regulated UK entities are covered by the FSCS up to £85,000 for investment business, which is a different limit from the £120,000 that applies to bank deposits. Swiss esisuisse cover of CHF 100,000 is deposit protection for cash, not investor compensation for securities.
  • Leverage limits: retail traders in the EU and UK face a five-tier cap, originally set by ESMA and now applied through each country’s own national measures, with the FCA mirroring them in the UK: 30:1 on major currency pairs, 20:1 on non-major pairs, gold and major equity indices, 10:1 on other commodities and non-major indices, 5:1 on individual equities, and 2:1 on cryptocurrencies. Professional clients (with documented financial experience and assets) can access higher leverage but lose retail protections. ESMA said in February 2026 that perpetual futures, often marketed as “perps”, most likely fall inside these same measures.
  • Spreads and commissions: top brokers offer competitive raw spreads or low commission-based pricing. The right choice depends on your trading style (Razor/ECN-style accounts for scalpers, Standard accounts for less active traders).
  • Platform options: consider whether you prefer MetaTrader 4/5 (the industry standard), cTrader (better for active traders), TradingView integration, or a broker’s proprietary platform. Mobile app quality matters for traders monitoring positions on the go.
  • Deposit and withdrawal methods: reputable European brokers offer multiple convenient funding methods including SEPA bank transfers (free for EUR within the EU), credit/debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller. Withdrawal fees and processing times vary significantly.
  • Negative balance protection: mandatory for retail clients in the EU and UK, and applied per account rather than per position, so you cannot lose more than the funds in that trading account even during extreme market moves. A margin close-out rule also applies, at 50% of total initial margin. Neither applies at an offshore entity.
  • Base currency support: brokers offering EUR base currency accounts eliminate FX conversion costs for European traders. Multi-currency accounts (like CMC’s 10 base currencies) reduce conversion costs further for international traders.

The bottom line

Finding the best forex broker in Europe and comparing different trading conditions is genuinely challenging, many factors matter, and gathering all the information to identify the right fit takes considerable time. Our analysts have done this work for you, summarising the findings in this review of the best forex brokers in Europe:

  1. Interactive Brokers
    Best overall
  2. Pepperstone
    Best MT4 and MT5 broker
  3. Plus500
    Ideal for a demo account
  4. XTB
    Best for customer service
  5. Fusion Markets
    Best for lowest Forex spreads
  6. CMC Markets
    Best for CFD trading
  7. Forex.com
    Best for professionals
  8. IG
    Best for all-inclusive products
  9. eToro
    Best for social trading

You can also try our BrokerMatch tool to identify the broker best suited to your specific trading profile, or check our comparison table for a detailed side-by-side overview of the main features across major brokers. For deeper analysis of each broker’s products and services, browse our broker reviews.

Whether you’re a beginner starting your forex trading journey or an experienced trader looking for enhanced brokerage services, we hope this article has saved you time in your broker search. We always recommend opening a demo account to test platform usability, execution quality, and customer support before committing real funds.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Forex trading carries significant risk and is not suitable for all investors. CFD products in particular carry substantial risk of loss. Each provider must publish its own figure, and across the major European brokers in this article those currently run from roughly 51% to 81%. Firms without their own data must use the standard warning that between 74% and 89% of retail investor accounts lose money. Check the warning on the broker’s own site, since the figures are updated periodically. Always do your own research and consider consulting a qualified financial advisor before making trading decisions.

FAQs

Can you trade in Forex without a broker?

No, you can’t have direct access to the Forex market without a broker. Still, you can exchange currencies over the counter at any exchange dealer.

Can I trade Forex with $10? And $100?

Yes, you can trade Forex with amounts as low as $100 or even $10. But the trade size will be small.

How to open an account with a Forex broker in Europe?

It is very simple, you just need to visit the broker’s website and sign up by filling the required fields and uploading the needed documents.

What is a PIP (percentage in point)?

Pip stands for “percentage in point”, which is the unit of change in an exchange rate. For example, 1 pip change in a rate is equal to a 0.0001 change.

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About the author
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Toni Nasr, CFA, FRM
Fintech Analyst

Toni is a Fintech Analyst with over 8 years of experience in the financial industry where he worked as a financial control analyst at a regional bank and later conducted independent investment research analysis.

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