Futures trading is an increasingly popular investment option among Malaysians looking to take positions on the future prices of commodities, currencies, equity indices, and other financial instruments. However, finding the right online platform to trade on can be challenging, particularly when balancing local Bursa Malaysia Derivatives access with global market exposure.
That’s where we come in. We’ll compare the best futures brokers’ fees, features, and trading platforms, providing the essential information you need to choose the one that best fits your requirements.
Whether you’re an experienced trader or just starting out, you’ll find everything you need here. Read on to discover the top futures brokers in Malaysia.
The best futures brokers in Malaysia
- Interactive Brokers: Best overall futures broker with its iconic Trader Workstation platform.
- Saxo Bank: Best for a wide-ranging futures offering through its in-depth SaxoTraderGO platform.
- Kenanga: Best for Malaysian futures through its comprehensive KDF TradeActive platform.
62% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Brokers comparison
Before we delve into the specific capabilities offered by each of the trading platforms, let’s compare how the three brokers stack up:
| Broker | Minimum deposit | Futures offering | Futures commission (US contracts) | MYR available as base currency |
| Interactive Brokers | $0 | Agriculture, currency, energy, equity index, fixed income, metals, volatility, and crypto futures | From USD 0.10 per contract (depending on the exchange and account tier) | No (USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, and 20+ other base currencies supported) |
| Saxo | $0 (Classic tier; Platinum $200K, VIP $1M portfolio value) | Metals, energy, power/electricity, grains, meats and dairy, softs, equity indices, currencies, bonds, and STIR (short-term interest rate) futures | From USD 1.00 per contract (depending on exchange and account tier) | No |
| Kenanga Futures | MYR 10 (subject to change) | Energy, agriculture, metals, equity, interest rate, and index futures | 0.24% to 0.45% with a minimum of MYR 28 | Yes |
Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is a strong option for retail investors focused on optimising trading commissions across a broad multi-asset platform. It is well suited to both beginners (via IBKR GlobalTrader) and professionals seeking access to 170+ markets across 36+ countries, with robust regulatory oversight including SEC, FINRA, FCA, CBI, ASIC, and BaFin. IBKR is also a NASDAQ-listed company (ticker: IBKR), included in the S&P 500 in 2024.
On the downside, the main Trader Workstation (TWS) platform can feel overwhelming for newer investors, with extensive menus and configurations. You can check IBKR’s dedicated futures website for more information on the broker’s futures offering.
Saxo (formerly Saxo Bank, acquired by J. Safra Sarasin in March 2025) has a product offering very similar to IBKR, with slightly higher headline commissions but a more refined platform experience and an A-/A2 credit rating from S&P. SaxoTraderGO and SaxoTraderPRO are arguably better suited to sophisticated investors who can take full advantage of the platforms’ functionality. Saxo also has a dedicated website detailing its futures offering.
Kenanga Futures offers access to both local Malaysian futures (Bursa Malaysia Derivatives) and global futures markets (CME, HKFE). As a result, it is a strong option for investors primarily focused on the local market or willing to diversify into top global markets. For Malaysians interested exclusively in global markets, however, the platform may not provide the same range and diversification as IBKR or Saxo.
The ability to open an account in MYR may help you save on currency translation fees if you trade only the local futures market. For global markets, you will still need to convert your cash to USD or HKD.
Interactive Brokers at a glance
Trader Workstation (TWS), the proprietary platform of Interactive Brokers, is one of the most innovative trading platforms developed by a brokerage firm. It includes two subsets: TWS Mosaic, which displays a fully customisable workspace, and Classic TWS, where you can find more advanced tools for experienced traders.
You get comprehensive order management, technical charts, watchlists, and other portfolio tools in a single view. You can organise your trading activity by asset class and, at the same time, stay current with relevant market news. TWS offers powerful tools like ComboTrader, which helps traders build proprietary combination order strategies or choose from multiple templates with predefined programmes to execute futures trades.
Interactive Brokers also offers a web-based alternative called Client Portal, a “light” version of TWS that lets you track portfolio performance and other essential features with fewer constraints. The same applies to its mobile app, which provides on-the-go access to your account, alongside the simpler IBKR GlobalTrader app aimed at beginner investors (with $1 fractional shares, automatic FX conversion, and a $10,000 virtual demo account).
IBKR offers competitive pricing starting at USD 0.10 per contract, among the lowest on the market. Although the pricing structure is layered, IBKR has no added spreads, ticket charges, platform fees, or account minimums – making it a strong option for traders looking to minimise costs. The fee you pay will also depend on your monthly traded volume. You can learn more about the pricing structure on IBKR’s dedicated futures pricing page here.
Below, we present a small selection of futures contracts available on IBKR and their respective commissions:
| Market | Contract | Commission per contract (minimum USD 1.00) |
| United States | E-micro futures | USD 0.10 to USD 0.25 |
| Canada | S&P/TSX 60 futures | CAD 0.30 to CAD 2.40 |
| Australia | Mini SPI futures | AUD 0.20 to AUD 1.00 |
| Germany | Mini DAX futures | EUR 0.28 to EUR 0.80 |
| Bitcoin | Bitcoin futures | USD 5.00 |
| Commodities | Commodities futures | USD 0.25 to USD 1.05 |
| Stocks | Stock futures | USD 0.25 to USD 0.85 (depending on exchange) |
| E-micro FX | E-micro FX futures | USD 0.05 to USD 0.15 |
SaxoTraderGO at a glance
62% of retail CFD accounts lose money.
Saxo offers three platforms: SaxoInvestor, SaxoTraderGO, and SaxoTraderPRO. Assuming most people visiting this page have intermediate market knowledge, we will focus on SaxoTraderGO – the broker’s most popular consumer-facing platform.
SaxoTraderGO is an award-winning web-based platform with key features including fundamental and technical analysis tools, an extensive charting package, performance analytics, a comprehensive account overview, and a clean user interface.
When trading futures, you will have access to a comprehensive all-in-one screen where you can manage investments across asset classes, currencies, and markets. Saxo has a dedicated futures trading page available here.
The fee on futures contracts will depend on your account tier and monthly traded volume. You can learn more about the pricing structure on Saxo’s dedicated futures pricing page here.
Below, we present a selection of currency futures contracts available on SaxoTraderGO with their respective commissions, ranging from Classic (entry tier) to Platinum (portfolio value €/$/£200K+) and VIP (portfolio value €/$/£1M+) for higher-volume investors:
| Contract / currency | Commission Classic | Commission Platinum | Commission VIP |
| AUD | AUD 3.00 | AUD 2.00 | AUD 1.00 |
| USD | USD 3.00 | USD 2.00 | USD 1.00 |
| CAD | CAD 6.00 | CAD 4.00 | CAD 2.00 |
| EUR | EUR 3.00 | EUR 2.00 | EUR 1.00 |
| GBP | GBP 3.00 | GBP 2.00 | GBP 1.00 |
Saxo offers advanced tools for trading futures contracts. The Futures Spread Trading feature lets you place orders to buy and sell multiple contracts simultaneously, while the Depth Trader feature shows all the buy and sell orders waiting to be executed so you can manage your trades more effectively.
You can also monitor real-time futures prices and trade directly from the exchange via the Time and Sales feature. Saxo provides 24-hour support and educational resources for all trader levels, while VIP clients additionally receive priority service and exclusive event invitations.
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 62% 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.
KDF TradeActive at a glance
KDF TradeActive is Kenanga Futures’ flagship derivatives trading platform. The platform offers a desktop and a mobile version that share a single set of login credentials, although you can only be active on one of the two platforms at a time (logging into one automatically logs you out of the other).
The platform is distinctive in that it offers access to both the local Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Market and strategic global markets such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the Hong Kong Futures Exchange (HKFE).
The platform offers a wide range of charting tools and real-time indicators to help you make informed trades, alongside the ability to hold cash in several currencies (including MYR, USD, and HKD).
To help you get acquainted with KDF TradeActive and the macro news driving futures markets, Kenanga maintains a regularly updated e-learning section available here. A downside of Kenanga’s website is the relatively limited public disclosure regarding commissions and fees, which can make broker-to-broker comparisons more difficult than for IBKR or Saxo.
Bottom line
To sum it up, here’s a brief overview of our findings on the best futures brokers in Malaysia:
Interactive Brokers
Best overallSaxo Bank
Best for a wide-ranging futures offeringKenanga
Best for Malaysian futures
With our comparison complete, here is what you need to do to get started on trading futures:
- Find a suitable broker. Make sure the broker works with residents of Malaysia. Consider the fees and market access of the broker if you are interested in trading niche futures contracts.
- Open an account and deposit money: After deciding which broker’s trading platform to use, you must go through the account opening process and deposit money.
- You can now trade futures in Malaysia: Having considered the pros and cons of each broker, and after going through the account opening process, you can take advantage of the endless possibilities offered by the futures market!
We hope that this post addressed some of your concerns. Do your research to find the best investing strategy for you!
Happy investing!
