| Feature | XM Trading | HF Markets (HFM) |
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 2009 | 2010 |
| Regulation | ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, FSCA, FSC Belize | FCA, CySEC, DFSA, FSCA, FSA Seychelles, CMA |
| Trust Score | 88 | 86 |
| Minimum Deposit | $5 | $0 |
| Maximum Leverage | Up to 1:1000 | Up to 1:2000 |
| Trading Instruments | 1,394 total, including 55 forex pairs, commodities, indices, stocks, cryptocurrencies | 500 total, including 102 forex pairs, commodities, indices, stocks, ETFs, bonds, cryptocurrencies |
| Trading Platforms | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, XM proprietary mobile app | MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, HFM proprietary platform |
| Account Types | Micro, Standard, Ultra Low, Shares | Cent, Premium, Zero Spread, Auto, HFCOPY |
| Spreads | From 0.6 pips on Ultra Low account | From 1.2 pips on Standard account, 0.0 pips on Zero Spread account |
| Commission | None on most accounts; $3.5 per lot on Shares account | $6 per lot on Zero Spread account |
| Deposit/Withdrawal Methods | Bank wire, Visa/MasterCard, Skrill, Neteller, PayPal | Bank wire, Visa/MasterCard, Skrill, Neteller, BitPay, FasaPay, WebMoney |
| Educational Resources | Extensive, including webinars, tutorials, and market analysis | Comprehensive, including webinars, tutorials, and market analysis |
| Customer Support | 24/5 via email, live chat, and phone; supports over 20 languages | 24/5 via email, live chat, and phone; supports multiple languages |
| Copy Trading | Yes, via MT4 and MT5 platforms | Yes, via HFCOPY account |
| Islamic Accounts | Available | Available |
| Bonuses and Promotions | Offers various bonuses and promotions | Offers various bonuses and promotions |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes, after 90 days of inactivity | Yes, after 6 months of inactivity |
| Demo Account | Yes, unlimited duration | Yes, unlimited duration |
| Mobile Trading Apps | Yes, supports iOS and Android | Yes, supports iOS and Android |
| Research Tools | Trading Central, economic calendar, market analysis | Autochartist, economic calendar, market analysis |
| Social Trading | No | Yes, via HFCOPY account |
| Cryptocurrency Trading | Yes, as CFDs | Yes, as CFDs |
| Physical Cryptocurrency | No | No |
| Negative Balance Protection | Yes | Yes |
| Segregated Client Funds | Yes | Yes |
| Publicly Traded | No | No |
| Bank | No | No |
| Order Execution Type | Market execution, no re-quotes | Market execution, no re-quotes |
| Execution Speed | Under 1 second | Under 1 second |
| Hedging Allowed | Yes | Yes |
| Scalping Allowed | Yes | Yes |
| Stop-Out Level | 20% (Standard & Micro), 50% (Ultra Low) | 10% (Cent & Premium), 20% (Zero Spread) |
| Margin Call Level | 50% | 50% |
| Trailing Stop | Yes | Yes |
| One-Click Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Indicators | Yes, supports MT4/MT5 indicators | Yes, supports MT4/MT5 indicators |
| Expert Advisors (EAs) | Yes, fully supported | Yes, fully supported |
| Trading Signals | Yes, via MT4/MT5 | Yes, via Autochartist & HFcopy |
| Deposit Fees | No | No |
| Withdrawal Fees | No (except for bank wire under $200) | No (except for certain methods) |
| Processing Time for Deposits | Instant (except bank wire) | Instant (except bank wire) |
| Processing Time for Withdrawals | 24 hours (except bank wire) | 24 hours (except bank wire) |
| Stock CFD Leverage | Up to 1:20 | Up to 1:33 |
| Commodity CFD Leverage | Up to 1:50 | Up to 1:66 |
| Index CFD Leverage | Up to 1:200 | Up to 1:200 |
| Bond Trading | No | Yes |
| ETF Trading | No | Yes |
| PAMM/MAM Accounts | No | Yes |
| VIP/Exclusive Account | Yes, offers personalized conditions for high-volume traders | Yes, VIP accounts available with better spreads & conditions |
| Loyalty Program | Yes, offers redeemable points | Yes, offers cash rebates |
| Contests & Competitions | Yes, periodic trading competitions | Yes, frequent trading competitions |
| Affiliate/IB Program | Yes, up to $25 per lot rebate | Yes, competitive IB commission structure |
| Swap-Free Account for Islamic Traders | Yes | Yes |
| VPS Service | Yes, free for eligible clients | Yes, free for eligible clients |
| Automated Trading Support | Yes | Yes |
| Web-Based Trading Platform | Yes, WebTrader for MT4/MT5 | Yes, HFM WebTrader for MT4/MT5 |
| Real-Time Market Data | Yes | Yes |
| Sentiment Analysis | Yes | Yes |
| Volatility Protection | No | Yes, via risk management tools |
| News Alerts | Yes, via platform & website | Yes, via platform & website |
| Support for High-Frequency Trading (HFT) | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Charting Tools | Yes, includes multiple timeframes and indicators | Yes, includes multiple timeframes and indicators |
| Regulatory Licenses | Holds four Tier-1 licenses (ASIC, CySEC, DFSA, FSCA) and one Tier-2 license (FSC Belize) | Holds two Tier-1 licenses (FCA, CySEC) and three Tier-2 licenses (DFSA, FSCA, CMA) |
| Trust Score | 88 | 86 |
| Number of Clients | Serves over 3.5 million traders | Serves over 2.5 million traders |
| Cryptocurrency Offerings | Offers 60 cryptocurrency CFDs | Offers 40 cryptocurrency CFDs |
| Educational Resources | Provides extensive educational materials, including webinars, tutorials, and market analysis | Offers comprehensive educational support with webinars, tutorials, and market analysis |
| Research Tools | Access to Trading Central for technical analysis | Utilizes Autochartist for market analysis |
| Customer Support Availability | 24/5 via email, live chat, and phone | 24/5 via email, live chat, and phone |
| Negative Balance Protection | Yes, for all clients | Yes, for all clients |
| Segregated Client Funds | Yes, ensuring client funds are held separately from company funds | Yes, ensuring client funds are held separately from company funds |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes, after 90 days of inactivity | Yes, after 6 months of inactivity |
| Demo Account Duration | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Mobile Trading Platforms | Supports iOS and Android devices | Supports iOS and Android devices |
| Social Trading Platforms | No proprietary social trading platform | Offers HFCOPY account for social trading |
| Physical Cryptocurrency Trading | Not available | Not available |
| Publicly Traded Company | No | No |
| Banking Services | Not offered | Not offered |
XM Trading and HF Markets (HFM) are both well-regulated brokers offering competitive spreads, multiple account types, and advanced trading tools. XM excels in low spreads and execution speed, while HFM offers higher leverage, social trading, and more trading instruments.