Australia is well known for brokers and retail investing, which is a major financial center in the world, spotlighted by the Australian Securities Exchange Ltd (ASX).We tracked the overall playing field to find the best forex broker in Australia for retail investors. The following synopsis details the top-performing Australian forex brokers, highlighted by their respective strengths.
As such, read on and see for yourself who is doing it best in the land down under.
Saxo Markets Australia
Saxo Markets Australia has an amazing trading platform and a robust educational client portal. The highly trusted, multi-asset broker features over 65,000 tradable instruments and packs some of the best premium features and tools that can take your trading to the next level.
All trading accounts are equipped with margin close-out protection, negative balance protection and 24-hour expert customer service. These are some of Saxo Markets Australia's features which further attest to their commitment to creating a safe trading environment.
Saxo Capital Markets holds an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL 280372) and is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
The minimum initial deposit at Saxo's is AUD 1000 and by opening an account you can immediately take part in Saxo Bank's loyalty program and earn rewards.
Trading any forex market flexibly is possible as Saxo's features give access to spot FX, crypto, FX option, and FX swaps.
In what concerns leverage, Australian traders can expect to be met with a 50:1 leverage on majors and minor pairs, 40:1 on stock indices, 10:1 on single stocks, and 25:1 on commodities. Spreads are among the most competitive in the industry and start at 0.6 pips on major pairs.
At Saxo, traders can benefit from tier-1 liquidity and price improvement technology. This means they will be able to minimize spreads, achieve near-zero asymmetric slippage, and get the best possible price execution.
Another feature that really shines is that, in stark contrast to other brokers, Saxo has reduced premature stop outs. This means that stop orders are triggered at the opposite end of their respective spreads to prevent traders from getting stopped out prematurely.
With a seamless trading experience, full transparency, an award-winning trading platform, and best-in-class execution, Saxo Bank is certainly a top contender for the best forex broker in Australia.
IG
IG is a widely known name across the forex market. This brokerage offers exceptional trading tools, unparalleled educational resources, and incredibly designed proprietary trading platforms.
Australian traders who sign up with IG can expect to be met with a wide variety of trading products and two different account types:
- CFD account: in which traders are required to pay a commission on whichever share CFD transactions they make while other assets are kept traded commission-free. Spreads are variable, starting at 0.6 pips and IG can occasionally act as a market maker on trades.
- DMA account (also known as a level 2 trading account): with tighter spreads starting at 0.1 pips but also a commission which is based on the size of the trade. DMA accounts are only available via iOS IG trading platforms and the L2 dealer. It is the preferred account type of pro trader given that it offers what can possibly be one the best execution environments (trading straight through the exchange order books).
Both trading account types require a $450 minimum deposit and can be funded via Mastercard, Visa, Paypal, or bank transfer.
Australian retail traders can leverage their positions 30:1 on major pairs and 20:1 on minor pairs, whereas professional forex traders can reach 100:1 and 250:1 leverage, respectively.
IG features 100 forex pairs, over 80 indices, over 13000 stocks, 12 cryptocurrencies, over 2000 ETFs, over 13000 options, and many commodities at the ready.
In terms of customer support, IG can be reached 24hrs a day, 6 days a week. IG is also fully regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and is a holder of an Australian Financial Services (AFS) License.
Overall, this selection puts IG well ahead of its competitors in terms of diversification capabilities.
FP Markets
FP Markets is a reliable broker which provides Australian traders with great tools and trading platforms for the forex market.
$100 AUD is all it takes to open a trading account, but to those who are still learning the ropes, opening a demo account is also an incredibly easy process (and one which can let you see exactly what’s 'under the hood').
With FP Markets, Australian forex traders can choose between two account types:
- FP Markets Standard Account: in which traders are met with no commissions and spreads starting at 1.0 pips
- FP Markets Raw Account: where spreads are tighter (starting at 0.0 pips) but there’s a fixed AUD $7 commission on each standard lot round-turn trade.
As for leverage, Australian retail traders will be met with a 1:30 on majors and 1:20 on minors while professional traders can go up to 1:500.
But, where FP Markets really excels is in their trading platforms. The full MetaTrader suite is available (MT4 and MT5), but there’s more. With the FP Markets Mobile Trading app, Australian traders can always trade on the go.
Moreover, the IRESS suite (Viewpoint, Trader, Mobile, Viewpoint Essential) further empowers traders.
Social trading and copy trading are also available via the FP Markets Social Trading app or via MyFXBook Autotrade.
Lastly, API trading is also possible, as is a multi-account manager tool, and VPS hosting.
Regardless of which forex trading platform you choose, at FP Markets you’ll find over 60 currency pairs, stock trading, 19 indices, commodities, and even crypto, meaning you can always diversify your portfolio.
For retail investors, leverage comes at 1:30 and 1:20 on majors and minors, respectively, while pro forex investors can go all the way up to 1:500.
FP Markets is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The company also has strong customer support and can be reached 6 days a week, 24 hours a day.
IC Markets
IC Markets was founded in 2007. The Sydney-based broker quickly grew to become one of the most trusted forex brokers in the world.
With 25 liquidity providers across the world, IC Markets guarantees low trading costs in tandem with low rates for forex market participants. IC Markets also offers a unique feature relative to other brokers in Australia: futures.
With this much deep liquidity at the ready, it is no wonder that scalpers gravitate towards IC Markets.
As for trading account types, Australian investors can opt between a Standard Account and two different types of Raw Spread Accounts.
The Standard Account is commission-free, and traders can expect institutional grade spreads (minimum 0.6pips). It offers incredible speeds as it has Equinix NY4 servers at the ready in New York.
The Raw Spread Account can be either through MetaTrader (spreads starting at 0.0 pips plus an AUD $7.00 commission), or cTrader with a USD $6.00 flat commission on all round-turn trades.
Scalpers and algorithmic traders tend to choose the Raw Spread MetaTrader account whereas DoM traders looking for analytical tools and depth of market tend to go with cTrader.
IC Market’s Raw Spread Account offers an average spread under 0.10 pips for the EUR/USD pair, meaning it will be hard to find a tighter spread.
As for its trading products for Australian traders, IC Markets features 61 forex pairs (with 30:1 leverage for retail and 500:1 for pros), over 25 indices, over 1600 stocks, over 18 different cryptocurrencies, treasuries, futures, and several commodities.
Assets can be purchased and/or traded both directly or as a CFD. Futures are quite a unique offering in what concerns Australian brokers. IC Markets features ICE Dollar Index Futures, both Brend Crude Oil and WTI Crude Oil Futures and CBOE VIX Index Futures.
IC Markets has some of the best customer support options for all Australian brokers, with 24/7 availability to answer any queries from clients. IC Markets is also fully authorised and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
AvaTrade
AvaTrade is worth mentioning because there’s always someone with little to no experience who at some point will want to enter the forex market in Australia.
As we all know, newcomers will sometimes try to bite off more than they can chew. Now it is important to mention what AvaTrade lacks in terms of competitive spreads and commissions, it more than makes up for it with its risk management capabilities.
As such, spreads on all trading accounts will start at 0.9 pips (which is a tad higher than other brokers might offer), however, with AvaProtect, new Australian traders will be trading in a much more controlled environment.
Obviously, scalpers and forex traders who thrive on volatility will probably go in a different direction.
Nonetheless, AvaProtect allows traders to cover their positions while operating like somewhat of an 'insurance policy' on certain trades. These risk mitigation tools are perfect for novice traders.
Depositing money is easy and can be done via debit or credit card, Paypal, eWallets, and wire transfer.
As for AvaTrade’s trading products, you’ll find 55 forex currency pairs, 33 indices, over 600 stocks, 16 cryptocurrencies and 1 crypto index, bonds, options, ETFs, and 27 commodities ranging from energy to soft and precious metals.
AvaTrade’s subsidiary Ava Capital Markets Australia Pty Ltd is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. In terms of customer support, AvaTrade is also easy to reach, though is only available 24/5, which is somewhat more limited than other Australian brokers in this list.
eToro
eToro gamified forex trading and while it might fall slightly behind in terms of trading products, it goes above and beyond in what concerns social and copy trading.
Australian forex market participants who are just starting out will be delighted to know that eToro offers some great educational tools.
Additionally, Australian crypto traders can also find an extensive crypto selection available either for direct investing or, if they prefer, CFD trading.
In what concerns account types, eToro offers one single account type which means that contrary to any other Australian brokerage, their clients are obliged to use their proprietary platform and tools.
The minimum deposit is $50 and the account can be funded via credit card, bank transfer, Paypal, Skrill, and many other different e-wallets.
Retail investors can count on a 1:30 leverage on major pairs and 1:20 on minor pairs for all basic trading accounts. As for professional traders, leverage goes up to 1:400. eToro is also regulated by the FCA and CySEC, meaning they are a trustworthy broker.
With 49 forex pairs, over 2600 stocks, 264 ETFs, over 40 cryptos, 13 indices, and several commodities, eToro seems to be consolidated amongst traders who wish to social or copy trade and that value crypto trading as high as forex trading.
eToro’s customer service portal is somewhat more limited relative to other brokers in Australia. However, the broker can still be reached for all major queries.
Finally, eToro is a fully regulated broker by the Australian Securities and Investments.
Pepperstone
Pepperstone was founded in 2010 and has been growing ever since as the domestic forex market has expanded in tandem.
With a daily trading volume of nearly USD 10 billion and over 300,000 clients worldwide, Pepperstone has certainly earned the trust of Australian traders.
As such, by going with Pepperstone you’ll be met with over 60 currency pairs, incredibly fast execution speeds (around 30ms), and low spreads.
However, before you get started, you should take the time to identify your trading styles, the trading platform, and the tools you’ll need to excel.
As Pepperstone features different account types (Standard and Razor), you’ll find that this exercise will help you long-term.
The trading account types at Pepperstone are:
- Pepperstone standard account: in which round-turn trades of standard lots don’t have commissions, and spreads range from 0.6 to 0.8 pips.
- Pepperstone Razor account: which can be set in two different ways:
- Capitalise.ai or MT 4/5: an ECN-style account with spreads going as low as 0.0 to 0.2 pips and an AUD $7.00 commission per standard lot round-turn trade. It is used mainly by algorithmic traders and/or scalpers.
- TradingView or cTrader: tighter spreads and $6.00 commission. It is used mainly by traders who wish to use advanced analytical tools.
Like every broker on this list, Pepperstone is a fully regulated broker by the Australian Securities and Investments. Pepperstone does perform better than most in terms of customer service with live agents around 24/7.
Wrapping Up
Forex trading in Australia presents the same challenges, opportunities, and enjoyment as any other jurisdiction. With a well-regulated framework that looks to safeguard investors, Australia is extremely friendly towards both retail investors and brokers alike.
Choosing the best forex broker in Australia requires diligence and your own research. However, a few traits stand out that investors should look for:
- Regulated brokerage services
- Free access to educational material
- Strong customer support
- Flexibility in trading accounts
- Access to financial instruments that interest you
Risk disclaimer:
Trading in foreign exchange or forex on margins entails high risk and is not suitable for all investors. Past performance is not an indication of future results. A high degree of leverage can act both against you and for you. Before you decide to invest in foreign exchange, you should carefully assess your investment objectives, experience, financial possibilities, and willingness to take risks.
FAQs
Which Is the Best Forex Broker in Australia?
The answer to that question will obviously depend on your trading experience, trading style, strategy, the volume of your trades, and the time you have at hand.
Regardless of those factors, lies a crucial element that should never be discarded: the broker of your choice should be ASIC-regulated.
FX brokers who wish to operate in Australia need to be granted authorization by the Australian Securities & Investment Commission, Australia’s financial markets regulator.
How Do I Know If a Broker Is ASIC Regulated?
Verifying ASIC-regulated brokers is easy as the answer lies on ASIC’s website. You only need to search by following this link to validate their regulatory status. Look for the registered number disclosed on your broker’s website and look up that number on ASIC’s website.
How Can One Choose an Australian Forex Broker?
There are many things to consider when looking at brokers, but the best way to answer this is by flipping the question to “Which broker is right for me?”
By doing so, you’ll take your interests at heart and see which brokerage aligns better with them.
For example, being new to trading, fees being a concern, being risk-averse, opting for automation and trading bots, going only for CFDs… all of these are valid matters, and all of these are probably better taken care of at different Australian brokerages.
As such, it’s up to you to see what works and what doesn’t.
