Plus500 has been one of the best CFD brokers globally since 2008. The broker offers a wide range of online CFDs on forex, shares, commodities, and more!
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Choosing the right CFTC broker is crucial for any UK investor. With such brokers, you are not only guaranteed extra safety, but you also have an opportunity to explore the US derivatives market. This exposes you to diverse opportunities, thus enhancing your overall trading experience.
Given the multitude of CFTC-regulated brokers in the UK, traders and investors find it challenging to select what best suits their requirements. This is where we come in to simplify your research process. Below, we share the best CFTC-regulated brokers that have been tested and approved by our experts. Our guide also sheds light on what the CFTC means, how to start trading with regulated brokers, and more.
List of the Best CFTC Regulated Brokers in the UK 2024
eToro – Best CFTC Regulated Broker For Social Trading
Plus500 – Best CFTC Regulated Broker For CFD* Traders
Interactive Brokers – CFTC Regulated Trading Broker with The Low Minimum Deposit
Forex.com – CFTC Regulated Trading Broker for Beginners
OANDA – Best CFTC Regulated Broker for Stock Trading**
*80% of retail CFD accounts lose money
**76.6% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider
In this guide
Best CFTC Regulated Brokers in the UK
Compare Best CFTC Regulated Trading Brokers in the UK
TradingGuide is comprised of professional traders and researchers with decades of experience. With our extensive knowledge in the financial industry, we decided to test and compare hundreds of CFTC-regulated brokers in the UK. We will share our opinions based on our experiences later in this guide. But first, here is a comparison table highlighting some of the elements we looked into during our research process. We aim to ensure you understand what each CFTC broker offers and make informed choices.
Brief Overview of Our Recommended CFTC Brokers’ Fees and Assets
When choosing the best CFTC-regulated broker in the UK, always confirm its features to ensure you partner with one that aligns with your trading requirements. Some elements to look into are the applicable fees and asset offerings. To streamline this research process for you, we share tables below briefly highlighting our recommended CFTC UK brokers’ fees and assets.
1. eToro - Best CFTC Regulated Broker For Social Trading
Throughout our extensive testing and evaluation, eToro’s innovative social trading features and CFTC compliance stood out as defining factors for the platform’s appeal. Its unique social trading ecosystem allows users to interact, follow, and even replicate the trading strategies of successful investors within the platform’s community. This feature provides an unparalleled learning experience for novice traders while offering opportunities for seasoned investors to diversify their portfolios.
Furthermore, our analysis revealed eToro’s commitment to regulatory compliance, ensuring a secure and transparent trading environment for its users. The broker’s user-friendly interface, coupled with over 3,000 financial instruments beyond CFDs, adds depth to its appeal among traders seeking diverse investment options. With a low minimum deposit requirement of $100 and reliable support service, we give eToro a 5-star rating.
1
eToro Review
TradingGuides Rating:
✔Copy/Social trading
✔Low minimum to fund an account and begin investing
An award-winning social trading platform that connects millions of global users
3,000+ tradable instruments, including forex, stocks, commodities, cryptos, and more
Cons
Most of its assets attract high trading charges
Withdrawal fees apply
Types
Fee
Minimum Deposit
$100
Conversion Fee
depends on your payment method, currency, and eToro Club level.
Overnight Fee
vary according to the value and direction (BUY or SELL) of your position
Withdrawal Fee
all withdrawal requests are subject to a $5 USD fee
Inactivity Fee
monthly inactivity fee of $10 USD (charged after 12 months)
Stocks – there is a total of 800 stocks offered ranging from the biggest tech businesses in the U.S. to smaller companies from all over the world. Stock trading is always commission-free with eToro.
Cryptocurrencies – being one of the first brokers to jump on the cryptocurrency bandwagon, it comes as no surprise that eToro dominates this segment. With more than 20 coins and a number of cryptocurrency pairs, there is enough for all crypto traders.
Currency Pairs – in the early days, eToro was just another FX broker and even though they’ve developed since, the broker has stayed true to its roots. As a trader, you can choose between 49 currency pairs ranging from majors and minors to a few exotic ones.
Long-Term Investments– unlike many online brokers, eToro is also suitable for long-term investments. For example, their investment portfolios are a great way to diversify your portfolio and limit risk.
Additional assets – in addition to the above, eToro provides access to commodities, indices, and ETFs as CFDs. There is also a range of unique assets such as Crypto Portfolios that are only offered by eToro. This means that you can create a diverse portfolio with ease.
2. Plus500 - Best CFTC Regulated Broker For CFD Traders
During our comprehensive research into CFTC-regulated brokers catering to CFD traders, Plus500 emerged as a standout option. We extensively tested the platform and found it to offer a robust and user-friendly experience for traders interested in CFD instruments. Its compliance with CFTC and other authorities’ regulations instils a sense of security and trust among traders. Plus500 has an intuitive interface and hosts +2,000 CFD products across various asset classes, including forex, shares, commodities, cryptocurrencies, and more.
Besides being highly regulated, our exploration revealed that Plus500 values user education by hosting adequate skills development resources. The platform’s competitive spreads from 0.0 pips and a low minimum deposit requirement of £100 further enhance its appeal, ensuring traders can focus on their strategies without being burdened by excessive costs. Based on our comparison findings, we give this broker a 5-star rating in this category.
1
Plus500 Review
TradingGuides Rating:
✔ Educational materials
✔ Regulated in many countries
A user-friendly and intuitive design CFD trading platform
Cons
Inactivity fees of £10 monthly kicks in after 3 months
No buying and taking full ownership of physical assets
Type
Fee
Overnight Funding
yes
Currency Conversion Fee
0.7%
Guaranteed Stop Order
spread applies
Inactivity Fee
$10 per month
Withdrawls/Deposits
$0
Plus500 provides access to 2800+ CFDs across a wide range of different asset classes, including: Indices – Country and Sector, Forex, Commodities, Individual shares, ETFs, Options
Risk Warning: 80% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
3. Interactive Brokers - CFTC Regulated Trading Broker with The Low Minimum Deposit
Interactive Brokers is one of the CFTC-regulated brokers that has been around in the UK financial space for over four decades. We tested it and confirmed that its features were impressive to suit both new and professional traders. For instance, we discovered thousands of securities across various asset classes, including forex, stocks, commodities, ETFs, and more. We also like the broker’s ability to eliminate the minimum deposit requirement. This allows for seamless entry into the financial space, especially for traders who are sceptical of trading with a lot of money.
While we find IBKR’s desktop platform challenging for newbies to use, the broker has a GlobalTrader mobile app with user-friendly functionality. There is also a $1,000,000 virtually funded demo account for risk-free trades before transitioning to the live trading account. However, note that IBKR’s demo account has a 30-day expiration period, so utilise it while it lasts. And when it comes to platform selection, IBKR hosts a variety of options, including IBKR GlobalTrader, Client Portal, IBKR Desktop, IBKR Mobile, Trader Workstation, IBKR ForecastTrader, and IMPACT.
1
Interactive Brokers Review
TradingGuides Rating:
✔ One of the oldest broker
✔ Top trading platform for advanced
Interactive Brokers’ clients can trade stocks, options, futures, forex, cryptocurrencies, bonds, and funds in 150 markets.
4. Forex.com - CFTC Regulated Trading Broker for Beginners
We find Forex.comto be the best CFTC-regulated broker for newbies due to various reasons. First, it is home to 4,500+ tradable instruments, making it a great platform to explore various options and choose the best for portfolio diversification. We also noticed that the broker hosts multiple platforms, including TradingView, WebTrader, and MT5. With this, you can easily access its top-notch research resources to help you make the best decisions.
Beginners will also enjoy this CFTC broker’s user-friendly and customisable trading app. You can access the app from Google Play or the App Store to efficiently manage your trades while on the move. Moreover, we like that Forex.com has a streamlined account opening procedure with a low minimum deposit requirement of £100. All trades are commission-free, and you will enjoy quality learning materials, from articles and guides to recorded videos and webinars. There is also a £50,000 virtually-funded demo account to test the broker and gauge your skill level before making a commitment.
1
Forex.com Review 2024
TradingGuides Rating:
✔ Unparalleled forex service ✔ Wide array of offerings
Lists over 4,500 instruments across various asset classes, including forex, stocks, commodities, and more
A user-friendly and intuitive design platform
Quality learning and market research tools
Cons
You can only trade the featured assets as CFDs
We find its forex trading spreads a bit higher compared to its peers
Type
Fee
Minimum deposit
$100
Inactivity fee
$15
Deposit fee
$0
Withdrawal fee
$0
Overnight fee
$0
Clients can trade Forex, Indices, Cryptocurrencies, Stocks, and Commodities (including precious metals and oil) with different account types.
5. OANDA - Best CFTC Regulated Broker for Stock Trading
Among the CFTC-regulated brokers we tested in the UK, OANDAtakes the lead as the best stock broker primarily due to its reputation in the stock CFD market. Having been in the industry for over two decades, this broker has proven reliable to both new and professional traders. Its web platform and app are user-friendly and customisable, thus enabling users to trade long-term. We also like that it lists a variety of third-party platforms, including MT4 and TradingView platforms.
Besides stocks, OANDA is home to additional CFD assets, such as forex, indices, commodities, bonds, and more. From our experience, we also find it affordable since it has no minimum deposit requirement. Plus, all transactions are free of charge, and you will incur low trading fees, starting from 0.6 pips on major currency pairs. With its virtually funded demo account, the broker allows newbies to explore the financial landscape without risking real funds. Moreover, we find its trading tools powerful, as they helped us in market analysis, thus creating solid strategies for our trades.
1
OANDA Review
TradingGuides Rating:
✔ Outstanding research tools
✔ Fast and user-friendly account opening
76.6% 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 risk of losing your money.
*We do not charge a fee for withdrawals made to your PayPal account. If your PayPal account is denominated in a currency other than GBP, EUR or USD, you may incur an exchange fee levied by PayPal.
With OANDA, you can trade forex, indices, metals (a wide range of metals, including gold and silver), commodities and bonds.
What is CFTC?
CFTC stands for Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which is the regulatory body for the United States financial markets. It was formed in 1974 and has earned a good reputation for ensuring that derivatives markets meet strict requirements. Through this body, efficient and competitive markets are highlighted. Although not essential for UK traders, CFTC-regulated platforms offer additional protection.
This independent agency focuses on regulating the US derivatives market, including futures contracts, options, and swaps. It prohibits misconduct among US brokers while promoting integrity, resilience, and vibrancy through sound regulation. Any broker or platform that violates the laid down regulations will experience punitive measures. CFTC reserves the right to investigate and take enforcement actions when it comes to trading scams, violation of prior orders, off-exchange transactions, and manipulation of foreign exchange rates.
This authority is transparent with its regulations. You must understand all the rules applicable to trade securely and efficiently. You can visit the CFTC’s official website to learn more about the regulations. You will also be familiar with the types of fraud in the financial space, how to file complaints, forward suspicious activities, and more.
How the CFTC Protects You
CFTC has laid down regulations that brokers must adhere to to ensure the US financial market, traders and investors are protected. The authority aims to protect traders against abusive trade practices, manipulation, and fraud, which often result in consumers losing their hard-earned money.
CFTC regulations ensure brokers secure your trading or investing funds in a segregated account. Such accounts are safe, and even your broker will not have access to them, no matter the situation. CFTC ensures you can easily recover your funds in case a broker goes bankrupt.
CFTC also protects you by ensuring all brokers it regulates have enough funds. This is achieved through its capital adequacy ratio requirement, which reduces the chances of a broker’s failure, especially when it experiences massive losses.
If you are wondering why most CFTC-regulated brokers are transparent about their offerings, it’s all thanks to the CFTC authority. Any broker overseen by this authority must share a complete overview of their offerings for clients. The CFTC will then review and approve those that meet its specifications to manage traders in the US financial landscape.
Additionally, the CFTC requests regular audits and reports to spot any misconduct and take necessary action. And to ensure the financial landscape is free from imposters, the authority mandates all the brokers it regulates to verify their clients’ details during the accounting registration process.
Overall, the CFTC is very strict with its laid down regulations and can take extreme action against any broker that violates the rules. For instance, if the CFTC identifies any broker misconduct, it can take legal actions, revoke a broker’s licence or impose fines. Ensure you confirm a broker’s regulatory status on its official website at the bottom of its homepage. You can also visit CFTC’s website for an up-to-date list of all brokers legally approved to operate in the US.
How to Choose the Best CFTC Regulated Trading Broker in the UK
Trading with CFTC-regulated brokers exposes you to numerous opportunities that could maximise your chances of earning good profits. However, how do you choose what best suits your trading requirements? Whether you decide to conduct your own research or choose from our recommendations list above, here are the primary elements to consider.
Your safety and that of your funds should be of the utmost importance when choosing a CFTC-regulated broker in the UK. While the broker should be overseen by the CFTC, ensure it is also regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This way, you are guaranteed a safe experience within the UK market. Your funds will be secured in a segregated account, and you will enjoy the best trading conditions.
Additionally, choose a broker that is highly encrypted and employs top-notch security measures on its desktop and mobile trading platforms. These include strong passcodes, two-factor authentication, face and fingerprint ID, and more to ensure your account is fully secured from unauthorised access.
The CFTC broker you select must be affordable. To ensure you stick to your budget, confirm the broker’s minimum deposit requirement, commissions/spreads, inactivity fees, deposit/withdrawal fees, and more. Most importantly, the broker should be transparent with its charges, and there should be no hidden costs. Remember, losses are inevitable while trading or investing in the financial market. Therefore, set aside funds you are comfortable losing and select a broker that fits within your budget.
It is crucial to select a broker hosting your preferred instruments. This way, you will enter this venture fully armed with the right strategy and broker. So, whether you want to trade forex, shares, commodities, ETFs, cryptos, or more, the broker you select must host them. If a broker supports multiple asset classes, this should be a plus. You will have a variety of options to explore and diversify your portfolio with.
Having a CFTC-regulated broker with a supportive customer care team is a plus. With such brokers, you are guaranteed quality assistance anytime you need it. Your concerns will be catered for professionally, thus allowing you to enjoy your experience. Remember, brokers’ support service availability varies. Therefore, choose one that aligns with your trading schedule and can be contacted via convenient channels. For most CFTC brokers, communication is done via phone, email, or live chat.
The right CFTC-regulated broker for you must have a user-friendly and customisable platform to guarantee an exciting experience for an extended period. Also, choose one with a trading app so you can manage your activities even while on the move. And when it comes to trading tools, your broker should have plenty of options for research and skills development. If you are a beginner, opt for a broker hosting a demo account. This allows you to test its performance, explore various assets, and gauge your skill level without spending real money.
From our experience, choosing a broker you are comfortable with is one of the best decisions you can make in the financial landscape. Besides considering the elements above, analysing user testimonials will give you enough insights into the broker’s strengths and weaknesses from a user perspective. Therefore, head over to Google Play, the App Store, and Trustpilot to sample and analyse what other users say. Based on your findings, you can decide whether to commit or explore other options.
How to Register an Account with a CFTC-Regulated Broker
Before you start trading or investing in the financial space, familiarise yourself with the asset you want to explore. This includes tracking its performance and understanding elements that influence its price fluctuation. Then, follow the procedures below to register an account with a CFTC-regulated broker to kickstart your ventures.
Step 1: Go to Your Broker’s Website
Step 2: Register an Account
Step 3: Verify Your Details
Step 4: Make a Deposit
Step 5: Open a Position
Start by visiting your broker’s website to register for a trading or investing account. If you have chosen an option from our recommendations list, we share links to give you quick access to the brokers’ websites. Do not start your registration process without understanding your CFTC-regulated broker’s terms of service. This way, you can avoid future inconveniences once you are fully invested. Also, install the broker’s trading app to efficiently manage your activities anytime you are away from your trading station.
With step 1 above completed, click the register or sign up button at your broker’s website to create a trading account. A form will be provided for you to fill out using your personal details. These include your name, email, phone number, date of birth, source of income, and more. Remember to also create a unique username and passcode that you will use to secure your trading account from unauthorised access.
In the UK, all FCA-regulated brokers must verify their new clients’ personal details before fully activating their trading or investing accounts. In this regard, your CFTC-regulated broker in the UK will request copies of some personal documents. These include a copy of your ID and utility bill to verify your identity and location, respectively.
If you cannot access these documents, your broker may request other options, such as a copy of your driver’s licence and bank statement. The verification process may take up to 48 hours. Therefore, wait for an email notification before making a deposit.
Fund your account to explore various assets your broker features. For brokers like the ones we recommend, you can fund your account using multiple payment methods. These include credit/debit cards, e-wallets, and bank transfers. Ensure you stick to your broker’s minimum deposit requirement and transaction costs. Your broker should align with your budget to avoid risking what you are not comfortable losing.
Now that you have made your deposit, your broker will automatically redirect you to its listed securities. Choose the ones you have conducted a thorough analysis on and can efficiently manage. Consider portfolio diversification to avoid risking all your money on a single asset. For beginners, start trading or investing via your broker’s demo account. This account is virtually funded, and you will not risk your hard-earned money until you are confident in your skills. And when you transition to live trading, utilise risk management tools like stop-loss or take-profit orders to mitigate massive losses.
FAQs
What products does the CFTC regulate?
The CFTC regulates derivatives products from financial markets in the U.S.. These include swaps, futures, stocks, forex, mutual funds, bonds, ETFs, and different options.
How do I contact CFTC?
To contact the CFTC, there are numerous options. From the CFTC website, you can fill the Tips and Complaints Form. You can also contact a specific office by going through the contact index on the site. This will link you to a particular office.
Are CFTC regulated forex brokers safe?
Yes, CFTC regulated forex brokers are safe. To get their regulation status, they need to meet a range of stringent requirements outlined by the CFTC.
How do I check if a broker is regulated by CFTC?
To check whether a broker is regulated by the CFTC, you need to visit the CFTC register.
What does the CFTC do?
Through regulation, the CFTC can prohibit fraudulent conduct from traders or brokers. In addition, it is essential for promoting integrity and resilience in derivative markets. It ensures that all brokers are transparent in their communication with traders.
Conclusion
CFTC-regulated brokers in the UK offer traders and investors numerous opportunities. With our above recommendations, we believe you are guaranteed a worthwhile experience. Such brokers secure your funds and offer the best trading conditions. However, success still requires your input. Conduct thorough market analysis using your broker’s research tools. If you are participating in short-term trades, constantly track your open activities to ensure everything works out as expected. Remember, the financial market is dynamic, and asset prices keep changing. So, choose a broker with a trading app to make your activity management much more manageable.
How we test?
Our test process is really based on two different aspects: our independent tests and research, as well as user reviews from Google Play, the App Store, and Trustpilot, etc.
The first thing we do when testing is to check every detail and test every tool and instrument. Our experts spend more than 200 hours on every article. We pay special attention to the specific function or the criteria that we’re comparing during the comparing stage. This means that we must determine which broker is more suited for beginners, and which is better suited for experts, for example.Find out more about our test process here.
Thadeus Geodfrey
Is a regular dad trying to be smart about how we play and win in this big game of life. He has worked within the very best of the financial industry producing numerous training resources. He is an experienced copywriter with immense financial background. Now earns a full time living as a Trader, and as our writer.
His articles help everyday families build sustainable wealth, stop stressing about their financial security, and start living the life they’ve always wanted.
If he is not trading or writing, he is at the gym.
We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services, which helps to maintain our site. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn’t influence our assessment of those products.
