While several Forex brokers accept clients from the Philippines, picking the best one might be challenging. As a result, we examined the services of many Forex brokers and evaluated several factors, such as the currency pairs available, spreads, fees, trading platforms, regulations, and more. We’ve gathered all this information for you in this article.
Let’s move on to our findings.
- Interactive Brokers: Best for a wide range of currency pair offerings and advanced tools.
- Pepperstone: Best for low Forex fees and free deposits and withdrawals.
- XTB: Best for high leverage and great customer service.
- FP Markets: Best for social trading and user-friendly platform.
Let’s take a closer look at the key characteristics before delving thoroughly into each broker’s services.
Best Forex Brokers in the Philippines for 2024 compared
|
Broker |
Interactive Brokers | XTB | FP Markets | |
|
Number of currency pairs |
100+ | 48 | 60+ |
60+ |
|
Maximum leverage |
1:40
(depends on account type and currency pair) |
1:500 | 1:30 (standard account)
1:500 (pro account) |
1:200 (standard account)
1:500 (pro account) |
|
Minimum deposit |
$0 | $0 | $100 |
$0 |
|
Spreads starting at (pips)* |
0.1 (subject to commission) | 0.9 (standard account)
0 (pro account) |
1 (standard account)
0 (pro account) |
0.7 |
|
Deposit method |
Bank transfer | Bank transfer, credit/debit card, Skrill. | Bank transfer, credit/debit cards, Neteller, Skrill, and more. |
Bank transfer, credit/debit cards, PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill, and more. |
|
Withdrawal fees |
1 free withdrawal per month | $20 on amounts below $100; Free above $100 | $0 |
$0 |
*The above spreads are mentioned as presented on the broker’s website.
You can check below the spreads of those brokers on the most used currency pairs.
Spread comparison of the best Forex brokers in the Philippines
| Currency | XTB | FP Markets | ||
| EUR/USD |
0.1 |
0.9 | 1.1 |
0.7 |
| GBP/USD |
1.5 |
1.4 | 2.1 |
0.9 |
| AUD/USD |
0.5 |
1.3 | 1.2 |
0.8 |
| USD/JPY |
100 |
140 | 150 |
120 |
| USD/CAD |
1.0 |
1.8 | 1.6 |
1.3 |
| CAD/CHF |
0.5 |
2.2 | 1.1 |
1.9 |
| Gold (XAU/USD) |
900 |
2,500 | 900 |
1,500 |
| Silver (XAG/USD) |
70 |
250 | 140 |
140 |
Spreads are in pips (equal to 0.0001).
The spread in forex trading is the difference between the ask price and the bid price on a particular currency pair. Spreads are not fixed. They vary depending on the currency pair, liquidity, and market events. Brokers have the ability to increase or widen the bid-ask spread, which would result in an investor paying more when buying and getting less when selling. Accordingly, it is a key factor in selecting the best forex brokers.
Top Forex brokers in the Philippines Reviewed
1# Interactive Brokers
Interactive Brokers at a glance
Founded in 1978, Interactive Brokers is one of the largest international brokers listed on the NASDAQ exchange (Ticker: IBKR) and regulated by many international top-tier regulators. They are at the top of our list of the best Forex brokers in the Philippines for their wide range of currency pairs, great research tools and their advanced trading platforms.
There are several account base currencies at Interactive Brokers without any minimum required amount, but the only way to fund them is through a bank wire transfer. They offer one of the tightest spreads on Forex, but you are subject to a tiered commission based on the monthly volume of your trading activity. Below is a sample of the spreads applied to major currency pairs:
Interactive Brokers spreads on major currencies
| Currency pair | Spreads in pips |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.1 |
| GBP/USD spread | 1.5 |
| AUD/USD spread | 0.5 |
| USD/JPY spread | 100 |
| USD/CAD spread | 1 |
| CAD/CHF spread | 0.5 |
| XAU/USD spread | 900 |
| XAG/USD spread | 70 |
In addition to low spreads and margin rates, Interactive Brokers does not charge an inactivity fee, and you are entitled to one free withdrawal per month.
Finally, their trading platform, TWS (desktop version), is one of the best trading platforms with advanced features and a high degree of customisation. Moreover, they offer a web interface, IBKR GlobalTrader, and a mobile app that are also well-designed.
Interactive Brokers trading features
| Trading platforms | IB Trader Workstation (TWS), Client Portal (Web-based platform), IBKR Mobile and IBKR GlobalTrader (another mobile app). |
| Limit orders | Yes |
| Stop loss & take profit orders | Yes |
| Negative Balance Protection | No |
| Guaranteed stop loss | No |
We recommend you check out our comprehensive Interactive Brokers review.
2# Pepperstone
Pepperstone at a glance
74-89% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Pepperstone was established in 2010 and currently serves more than 300,000 traders across the globe. It is an ideal broker if you want to reduce your fees, as it provides tight spreads and free deposits and withdrawals. They give you access to trade over 60 currency pairs with leverage that can go up to 1:500, but keep in mind that higher leverage means higher risk.
Pepperstone spreads on major currencies
| Currency pair | Spreads in pips |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.7 |
| GBP/USD spread | 0.9 |
| AUD/USD spread | 0.8 |
| USD/JPY spread | 120 |
| USD/CAD spread | 1.3 |
| CAD/CHF spread | 1.9 |
| XAU/USD spread | 1,500 |
| XAG/USD spread | 140 |
Pepperstone provides three trading platforms that suit all traders: MetaTrader4 (MT4), MetaTrader5 (MT5) and cTrader. Each platform is free and available on the web portal, mobile, and desktop. They have two account types: Standard account suitable for new traders and Razor account ideal for scalpers and algorithmic traders.
Pepperstone trading features
| Trading platforms | MetaTrader4 (MT4), MetaTrader5 (MT5) and cTrader |
| Limit orders | Yes |
| Stop loss & take profit orders | Yes |
| Negative Balance Protection | Yes |
| Guaranteed stop loss | No |
On the downside, negative balance protection applies to retail clients only. Negative balance protection implies that you will never lose more than what is available in your account.
3# XTB
XTB at a glance
76-83% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
XTB is a global CFD broker established in 2002 with more than 495,000 clients. Compared to other brokers, it is widely known for having an outstanding customer service team. Additionally, they provide high leverage on forex trading that can go as high as 1:500. Spreads are reasonably low, starting at 0.1 pips, and there are 48 currency pairs available for trading.
XTB spreads on major currencies
| Currency pair | Spreads in pips on standard account |
| EUR/USD spread | 0.9 |
| GBP/USD spread | 1.4 |
| AUD/USD spread | 1.3 |
| USD/JPY spread | 140 |
| USD/CAD spread | 1.8 |
| CAD/CHF spread | 2.2 |
| XAU/USD spread | 2,500 |
| XAG/USD spread | 250 |
The spread depends on the type of account that you choose and the market that you trade on.
XTB offers beginner and experienced traders a dynamic trading experience with its two trading platforms, xStation5 (desktop-based) and xStation (mobile), which have advanced charting tools and indicators. You can fund your account via bank wire transfer, credit or debit card, or Skrill, and there is no minimum amount to open an account.
XTB trading features
| Trading platforms | XTB Web Trade Platform, xStation 5 desktop trading platform, xStation Mobile application. |
| Limit orders | Yes |
| Stop loss & take profit orders | Yes |
| Negative Balance Protection | No |
| Guaranteed stop loss | No |
On the downside, XTB charges a $20 fee for withdrawals of less than $100, but they do not impose a fee on withdrawals over that amount. Additionally, they charge a $10 monthly fee after 12 months of inactivity.
Read our XTB review for further insights.
4# FP Markets
FP Markets at a glance
FP Markets is another broker included in our list of the best forex brokers in the Philippines. It is one of the few brokers that gives you access to social trading, allowing you to find, follow and copy successful traders automatically. It was founded in 2016, they give you access to trade more than 60 currency pairs.
FP Markets spreads on major currencies
| Currency pair | Spreads in pips |
| EUR/USD spread | 1.1 |
| GBP/USD spread | 2.1 |
| AUD/USD spread | 1.2 |
| USD/JPY spread | 150 |
| USD/CAD spread | 1.6 |
| CAD/CHF spread | 1.1 |
| XAU/USD spread | 900 |
| XAG/USD spread | 140 |
FP Markets has its own well-designed web trading platform and mobile application. In addition, you can trade using the online trading platform Iress, and the famous MetaTrader trading platforms MT4 and MT5. These trading platforms offer a wide range of indicators and drawing tools that assist you in analysing trends and market movements. You can open an account online, fund it by bank transfer, credit or debit cards, Neteller, Skrill, or several other online payment methods, and the minimum deposit is $100.
FP Markets trading features
| Trading platforms | MetaTrader4 (MT4), MetaTrader5 (MT5), Iress, FP Markets WebTrader and Mobile app. |
| Limit orders | Yes |
| Stop loss & take profit orders | Yes |
| Negative Balance Protection | Yes |
| Guaranteed stop loss | No |
FP Markets does not charge any fees on deposits and withdrawals, but on the downside, they provide very few educational materials and research reports compared to other brokers.
What Makes a Good Forex Broker?
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced trader, there are numerous characteristics and features that should be taken into account when choosing a good Forex broker. The following are a few of the most important factors to consider:
- Regulation: This is the most crucial factor because you need to make sure the business is legitimate before depositing your money. As a result, we advise you never to select a broker who is not regulated by a recognized authority.
- Commissions: Although spreads vary depending on the currency pair, good Forex brokers often provide tight spreads and have reasonable commissions.
- Deposit and withdrawal methods: A good broker will make it easy and convenient for users to deposit and withdraw funds by offering several methods, such as wire transfer, debit or credit card, or other electronic payment methods such as PayPal or Skrill.
The bottom line
It can be difficult to compare different trading conditions and find the best Forex broker in the Philippines. It takes time to collect all the data and make the best decision for your needs due to the various parameters to be checked. Our analysts completed this work for you and presented their results and their analysis of the “Best Forex Brokers in the Philippines”.
To find out which broker could be ideal for you, you can always use our “Help Me Choose” tool. You can also look at our comparison table for a detailed breakdown of the key features of various global brokers. And for additional details about the products and services each broker provides, you can read our reviews.
We hope this article saves you some time while researching the best Forex brokers in the Philippines. We advise you to conduct your own research to determine which online broker is best for you. Keep in mind that a demo account might always be helpful.
Other FAQs
How to trade Forex in the Philippines?
First, you have to open an account with a Forex broker in order to get access to the Forex market. Then, you need to analyze the markets using fundamental or technical analysis, depending on your trading strategy. After that, you can place your trades in line with your analysis.
Can I trade Forex in the Philippines with $10? And $100?
Yes, you can trade Forex with amounts as low as $100 or even $10. We have listed in this article a few brokers that do not require any minimum amount to start trading. But the trade size will be small.
When can I trade forex in the Philippines?
You can trade forex 24 hours a day, regardless of where you are physically located. You need to be aware of the opening and closing of various trading sessions. For instance, in the Philippines, the London and New York sessions occur at night.
Who is the local regulatory body in the Philippines?
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is the central bank of the Philippines and the local regulatory body for capital markets.
Is there any local Forex broker in the Philippines?
No, there are no local Forex brokers in the Philippines, as the BSP considers Forex trading illegal in the Philippines. However, there is no law preventing retail investors from registering with a foreign or international broker. Accordingly, several international brokers allow investors from the Philippines to open an account and trade Forex.
