Editor’s Verdict
Plus500 Futures is the US-based futures broker subsidiary of international multi-asset broker Plus500, aiming to simplify futures trading in the US with its low-cost trading environment. Besides standard contracts, Plus500 Futures offers mini and micro contracts from its user-friendly trading platform. I reviewed this futures broker to evaluate if it fulfills its promise of simple, fast, and accessible futures trading. Should you download the Plus500 Futures trading app today?
Pros
- Trusted broker
- Reasonable spreads and commissions
- User-friendly trading app
- Educational content and tools for beginners
Cons
- No negative balance protection
Overview
A reasonably priced US futures broker with a user-friendly mobile trading app and tools.
Headquarters | US |
|---|---|
Regulation | CFTC |
Year Established | 2022 |
Execution Type | Market Maker |
Minimum Deposit | $100 |
Trading Platform(s) | Proprietary trading platform |
Signals | No |
US Persons Accepted | Yes |
Islamic Account | No |
Segregated Account | Yes |
Managed Accounts | No |
Support Hours | 24/7 |
Customer Support | E-mail, live chat |
Demo Account | Yes |
Plus500 Futures brings its well-known proprietary trading platform to the US, including its mobile app. It offers seamless switching between live and demo accounts but only supports manual trading.
Retail Loss Rate | Undisclosed |
|---|---|
Regulation | CFTC |
Minimum Raw Spreads | Not applicable |
Minimum Standard Spreads | 0.5 pips |
Minimum Commission for Futures | $0.49 (mini) / $0.89 (standard) per side |
Commission for CFDs / DMA | Not applicable |
Cashback Rebates | No |
Minimum Deposit | $100 |
Inactivity Fee | No |
Deposit Fee | Third-Party |
Withdrawal Fee | $20 (bank wire) |
Funding Methods | 2 |
Plus500 Futures Regulation & Security
Trading with a regulated broker will limit the potential for fraud and malpractice. I always recommend traders check for regulation and verify it with the regulator by checking the provided license with their database. Plus500 Futures presents clients with one regulated entity and maintains a secure trading environment.
Country of the Regulator | Name of the Regulator | Regulatory License Number |
|---|---|---|
US | Commodity Futures Trading Commission / NFA | 0001398 |
Is Plus500 Futures Legit and Safe?
Plus500 Futures launched in 2022, but its parent company Plus500 is a publicly listed UK company operational since 2008 and an FTSE 250 constituent. Since becoming publicly listed, Plus500 has had a clean regulatory track record and complies with numerous regulators globally. I trust it will bring the same expertise and operational excellence to the US and rank Plus500 Futures equally legit and safe as the rest of the Plus500 family.
Cunningham Commodities LLC, the wholly owned subsidiary of Plus500 Inc., provides the services of Plus500 Futures.
Fees
HOW WE TEST BROKER FEES
At DailyForex, we review broker fees by opening live accounts and trading multiple asset classes to assess spreads, commissions, and overall trading costs. We compare each broker’s fees against industry averages for major currency pairs. We also assess deposit, withdrawal, inactivity, and swap fees, rewarding price competitiveness and transparency. Learn more here.
How Do Plus500 Fees Stack Up to Competitors?
Trading costs directly influence long-term profitability, particularly for active traders. As the most liquid forex instrument, the EUR/USD pair serves as the best benchmark for comparing spreads across brokers. Brokers offering attractive EUR/USD pricing, generally tend to provide similar conditions across other major markets.
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD (Futures)
(Based on EUR/USD futures or micro futures, including spread + commission equivalents, rounded to industry-standard comparison values)
In the below table, Plus500 is compared to two of its market competitors:
Broker | Avg Cost (pips) | NinjaTrader | TradeStation |
|---|---|---|---|
Plus500 Futures | 1.0 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
Plus500 Futures offers minimum forex futures spreads from 0.5 pips. Commissions range between $0.49 and $0.89 per side, per contract, with all trading fees clearly listed. Overall, Plus500 Futures positions itself as a competitively priced option for retail futures traders.
Here is a snapshot of Plus500 Futures spreads:
Deposit Fee | Third-Party |
|---|---|
Withdrawal Fee | $20 (bank wire) |
Inactivity Fee | No |
Minimum Commissions / Spreads | $0.49 - $0.89 per side / 0.5 - 1.0 pips |
Withdrawal Options | Bank wires, credit/debit cards |
Deposit Options | Bank wires, credit/debit cards |
Range of Assets
Traders are offered a selection of futures contracts, including mini and micro futures, covering 13 Forex pairs, 2 cryptocurrencies, 23 commodities, 10 indices, and 2 interest rate products. The range of choices is widest for commodity traders, who can benefit from a well-balanced selection of agricultural commodities, metals, and energies.
I feel the overall asset range is fine - it focuses on the most liquid and widely traded assets, which is more than sufficient for most retail traders, especially newcomers.
Asset List Overview
Currency Pairs | Yes |
|---|---|
Cryptocurrency Pairs | Yes |
Commodities and Metals | Yes |
Index CFDs | No |
Equity CFDs / DMA Shares | No |
Bonds | No |
ETFs | No |
Options, Futures, and Synthetics | Yes |
Maximum Retail Leverage | Contract dependent |
Maximum Pro Leverage | Contract dependent |
Plus500 Futures Trading Hours (EST)
Asset Class | From | To |
|---|---|---|
Cryptocurrencies | Monday 00:00 | Friday 23:00 |
Forex | Monday 00:00 | Friday 23:00 |
Commodities | Monday 00:00 | Friday 23:00 |
European Equities | Not applicable | Not applicable |
US Equities | Not applicable | Not applicable |
Account Types
Plus500 Futures offers one account type. The account base currency is the US Dollar, and the minimum deposit is $100, which is low by US futures broker standards. Margin trading is available on all futures contracts, and the trading platform clearly displays the necessary capital requirements per asset. Plus500 Futures keeps it simple, with a transparent, beginner-friendly approach and exceptional accessibility.
Plus500 Futures Demo Account H3
Plus500 Futures offers a demo account with a default account balance of $50,000. There is no expiry, and traders can easily switch between demo and live from the web-based trading platform. I recommend traders adjust the Plus500 Futures demo account balance to their planned live deposit amount, which they can easily do by navigating to “Funds” in the left-hand side menu.
I want to caution beginner traders when using demo trading as an educational tool. They should consider the limitations, since demo trading does not expose the trader to the psychological impact of live trading with real money.
Trading Platforms
Every trader has their own preferred trading style, so access to multiple platforms can be useful, since some focus on automation, and others on advanced charting or social trading. Plus500 Futures takes a different route however, by offering a single, proprietary platform that covers all essential tools for manual futures trading. While this may limit flexibility, it also results in a clean, user-friendly experience that many retail traders will appreciate.
Available Trading Platforms
In the below table, Plus500 is compared to two of its market competitors:
Platform | Plus500 Futures | NinjaTrader | TradeStation |
|---|---|---|---|
MT4 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
MT5 | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
cTrader | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
TradingView | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Proprietary | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
The Plus500 Futures trading platform is available in a web-based version or as a mobile app. It does not support algorithmic or copy trading but presents manual traders with a highly intuitive user interface. Transparent, and simple to navigate, it presents all the necessary details, including trading costs, day margin, place order margin, and full margin.
Overview of Trading Platforms
Platform Languages | English |
|---|---|
OS Comparability | Windows, Mac, Mobile |
Charting Package | Yes |
Scalping | Yes |
Hedging | Yes |
Mobile Alerts | Yes |
E-Mail Alerts | No |
Guaranteed Limit Orders | No |
Guaranteed Execution | No |
One-click Execution | No |
OCO Orders | No |
Interest on Margin | No |
Web-based Trading | Yes |
Mobile Trading | Yes |
MT4 | No |
MT5 | No |
cTrader | No |
Proprietary Platform | Yes |
Automated Trading | No |
Social Trading / Copy Trading | No |
MT4/MT5 Add-ons / Plugins | No |
Guaranteed Stop Loss | No |
Negative Balance Protection | Yes |
Noteworthy:
- The Plus500 Futures trading infrastructure is not ideal for scalpers, since it is not optimized for high-frequency or ultra-short-term strategies.
- Hedging is possible, but buying and selling the same volume in the same asset always results in netting.
Research & Education
Plus500 Futures is an execution-only broker, and it provides this service extremely well. While it neither publishes in-house research or market commentary, I do not consider this a particular negative.
Before funding their trading account, I recommend beginners start with the Plus500 Futures Academy, which offers a high-quality introduction to futures trading. The well-structured content consists of short videos and well-written articles, which are ideal for traders who are just getting started.
Customer Support
Support Hours | 24/7 |
|---|---|
Customer Support | E-mail, live chat |
Website Languages | English |
Traders get 24/7 e-mail support, and the trading platform includes a live chat function. I recommend traders read the FAQ section, which answers most questions, and reduces the need for interpersonal assistance.
The Plus500 Futures trading environment is highly intuitive, and I doubt traders will require additional support.
Bonuses and Promotions
Plus500 US offers a first-time deposit bonus of up to $200. It is not withdrawable as cash, but is offered as commission credit, allowing traders to trade commission-free until the bonus balance is used up.
Opening an Account
The Plus500 Futures account registration is quick and requires only an email address and password. Traders can also sign up using Google or Apple IDs. I appreciate the straightforward approach, as well as the fact that Plus500 automatically opens a demo account with no expiry at each registration.
Demo Account | Yes |
|---|---|
Managed Account | No |
Islamic Account | No |
Other Account Types | No |
OCO Orders | No |
Interest on Margin | No |
Account verification is mandatory, as Plus500 complies with global AML/KYC stipulations enforced by the CFTC. In most instances, traders can complete the verification process by sending a copy of a government-issued ID and one proof of residency document. Plus500 Futures might ask for additional information on a case-by-case basis.
Minimum Deposit
The Plus500 Futures minimum deposit requirement is $100.
Payment Methods
Plus500 Futures supports bank wires and credit/debit cards, as well as Apple Pay. Plus500 Futures is the first US trading platform to allow the use of Apple Pay, for which the minimum deposit amount is $100.
Accepted Countries
Plus500 Futures caters exclusively to US-based traders.
Deposits and Withdrawals
The secure Plus500 Futures trading platform handles all financial transactions for verified clients.
Plus500 supports bank wires, where a $20 withdrawal fee applies, and credit/debit card transactions. The minimum deposit amount is $100. Plus500 Futures does not list a minimum withdrawal amount, and the finance department undertakes to process all withdrawal requests within three business days.
Only verified trading accounts can deposit and withdraw, and the name on the payment processor must match the Plus500 Futures account name. Plus500 Futures notes that it will send withdrawals to the funding source.
Is Plus500 Futures a good broker?
I like the user-friendly, fast, and accessible trading environment at Plus500 Futures. While the single platform only supports manual traders, it is secure, offers a very reasonably priced cost structure and a focused asset selection of liquid futures contracts. So yes, particularly for beginner traders, Plus500 Futures is a good choice.
Bottom Line
Plus500 Futures delivers a clean, beginner-friendly futures trading experience backed by a globally trusted brand. While it lacks advanced trading features, it excels in simplicity, transparency, and cost efficiency.
- Strong regulatory backing
- A clean, intuitive trading platform
- Limited platform and asset variety
- Competitive pricing for retail traders
- No automated/algorithmic trading
- Excellent educational resources for beginners
Furthermore, feel free to read our updated Plus500 broker review.
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FAQs
Is Plus500 Futures better than eToro?
Plus500 Futures is a futures broker, while eToro is a social and copy trading platform. Therefore, both serve a different market, and a direct comparison does not apply. Both brokers serve their core markets well.
Is Plus500 Futures risky?
Plus500 Futures belongs to the Plus500 family of companies and ranks among the most trusted brokers. A major factor mitigating risk is that Plus500 Futures is fully regulated in the US by the CFTC. Trading futures is risky, but the risk depends on the traders and their ability to trade.
Does Plus500 Futures allow hedging?
Yes, traders can hedge their Plus500 futures account but buying and selling the same volume in the same asset results in netting.
Can you trade futures on Plus500 Futures?
Yes, Plus500 Futures is exclusively a futures broker for US traders.
