ActivTrades Editor’s Verdict

ActivTrades was founded in 2001 in Switzerland but relocated to the UK in 2005. From there, it grew into an international brokerage, presently catering to traders from over 140 countries. With its origin as a Forex broker, it expanded and now maintains over 1,000 CFDs across six categories. Technology fulfills a critical role at ActivTrades, as evident in intensive investment in the trading infrastructure and its development team in Bulgaria.

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Overall
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Fees
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Deposit and withdrawal
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Asset selection
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Ease of account opening
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Regulation and security
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Pros
  • Demo Account

  • Highly Regulated

  • Low Spreads

Cons
  • No Choice of Trading Accounts

Overview

In April 2017, in a special supplement to the UK Sunday Times, ActivTrades was recognized as the 90th fastest growing company in the UK.

HeadquartersUnited Kingdom
Tier 1 Regulator(s)?
Owned by Public Company?
Year Established2001
Execution Type(s)Market Maker
Minimum Deposit$10
Trading Platform(s)MetaTrader 4, MetaTrader 5, Proprietary platform, Web-based
Average Trading Cost EUR/USD0.8 pips ($8.00)
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD1.3 pips ($13.00)
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil$0.04
Average Trading Cost Gold$0.36
Average Trading Cost Bitcoin$105.00
Islamic Account
Signals
US Persons Accepted?
Managed Accounts

ActivTrades landing page

Regulation and Security

ActivTrades PLC is regulated by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which serves as the primary authority for this broker. An office was established in Milan, Italy, and registered with the Italian Companies and Exchange Commission Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (CONSOB). ActivTrades Corp is the broker's Bahamian subsidiary, authorized by The Securities Commission of the Bahamas. While client funds remain segregated, and UK portfolios enjoy the protection of Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000 (in the event of the broker's default), ActivTrades additionally maintains Excess of Loss insurance coverage with a limit of £1,000,000 for the UK subsidiary and $1,000,000 for all other accounts. Negative balance protection is equally available to all retail traders.

ActivTrades provides a genuinely safe and secure trading environment.

ActivTrades regulators

The Excess of Loss insurance coverage indicates a strong fiscal position and enforces the protection of client deposits.

ActivTrades additional insurance

Fees

Average Trading Cost EUR/USD0.8 pips ($8.00)
Average Trading Cost GBP/USD1.3 pips ($13.00)
Average Trading Cost WTI Crude Oil$0.04
Average Trading Cost Gold$0.36
Average Trading Cost Bitcoin$105.00

Currency pairs are commission-free, where the EUR/USD carries an average spread of 0.72 pips, representing a competitive offer. US equity CFDs carry a minimum commission of $1 or $0.02 per share, UK CFDs carry a commission of £1 or 0.1%, and European shares carry a commission of €1 or 0.01%. It should be noted that this broker also charges its clients €1 per month for market data, which is not a significant charge. Swap charges on leveraged overnight positions apply, and can be obtained directly from the trading platforms. Equity and index CFDs are exposed to corporate actions, suitably described on the website. Third-party charges for deposits and withdrawals exist.

Currency pairs are acceptably priced and remain free of commissions.

ActivTrades Fees

Equity CFDs commissions exist; traders should familiarize themselves with additional costs.

ActivTrades equity cfds

What Can I Trade

Pure Forex traders will find the 48 currency pairs, representing only entry-level exposure, rather disappointing. Cross-asset diversification is possible through 15 commodities, while over 450 equity CFDs are maintained. Complementing them are eight cash index CFDs, 16 forward indices, and seven bond CFDs. Completing the asset selection are 24 ETFs. Most retail traders will find the overall choice suitable, while advanced and professional traders, as well as fund managers, will swiftly encounter limitations.

ActivTrades maintains an acceptable asset selection, suitable for most retail traders.

ActivTrade Asset selection

Account Types

All clients are treated equally from an identical CFD account without a minimum deposit. UK traders are provided with a tax-free spread betting account, while an upgrade to professional status is listed under the FCA regulated brokerage. Trading conditions from the Bahamas subsidiary are equal to that of the UK professional account. A free demo account is maintained, and an Islamic account is available upon request for a minimum deposit.

All traders receive access to the same CFD account and trading conditions.

ActivTrade Account types

The FCA regulated entity offers a professional account upgrade.

ActivTrades professional account

Trading Platforms

MT4
MT5
cTrader
Proprietary Platform
Automated Trading
DOM?
Guaranteed Stop Loss
Scalping
Hedging
One-Click Trading
OCO Orders
Interest on Margin

Traders without existing trading solutions developed in the MT4 infrastructure may find ActivTrader, the proprietary trading platform offered by this broker, visually appealing. While it allows for the most inclusive trading environment it is available only as a webtrader. Moreover, the ActivTrader platform lacks support for automated trading solutions, rendering it an acceptable choice only for manual traders. ActivTrades does feature the MT4 trading platform, together with its failed successor, the MT5.

The Smart Tool suite upgrades the basic version of the MT4 platform and transforms it into a powerful trading portal. It can be further modified with thousands of third-party plugins, which fully supports automated trading solutions, and represents an overall superior choice. Unfortunately, not all assets may be available in MT4. Traders may opt to split their portfolio and utilize ActivTrader together with MT4 for an optimized approach, which unlocks the full potential available.

ActivTrader, the proprietary trading platform, provides a sound choice for manual traders.

ActivTrades activtrader platform

The MT4 trading platform fully supports automated trading solutions.

ActivTrades MT4 platform

MT5, the failed successor version of MT5, is equally available.

ActivTrades MT5 platform

Unique Features

Despite having developed a proprietary trading platform, ActivTrades demonstrates their commitment to the MT4/MT5 trading platforms with seven unique add-ons available for all live accounts. The upgraded MT4 allows traders access to a more superior gateway than that which is provided in the proprietary ActivTrader. The add-ons, labeled Smart Tools, include automated chart pattern recognition, which is a tremendous tool, especially for retail traders who may lack resources and access to a proper trading team. Smart Tools represents the most valuable asset this broker provides.

Smart Tools, consisting of seven add-ons, transform the MT4 trading platform into a powerful gateway to financial markets.

ActivTrades Smart Tools addon

Research and Education

In-house research is generated by three analysts who provide brief trading ideas daily. While the content is acceptable, it remains far below the quality of competing brokerages. The Smart Tools suite provides clients with more valuable research than the published content of the analytics team. Education is available via one-to-one training, which represents an excellent service to new traders. A video library covers MT4 introductory topics, and manuals covering all trading platforms are available. Webinars discuss more advanced topics and may be accessed from the website. ActivTrades additionally hosts events in key financial centers, and the overall educational division provides outstanding service.

The published research is acceptable but inferior to competing brokerages.

ActivTrades published research

One-to-one training sessions provide exceptional value for new traders.

ActivTrades one to one training

The video library covers MT4 related topics.

ActivTrades video library

Webinars cover more advanced content.

ActivTrades webinars

ActivTrades also hosts events in Europe and Asia.

ActivTrades hosted events

Customer Support

Customer Support Methodsemail-support chat-support
Support Hours24/5
Website Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • Arabic
      • Italian
      • French
      • German
      • Other
      • Chinese
      • Russian
      • Portuguese
      • Malay
  • Customer support is provided 24/5 and easily accessible via live chat. Traders may also e-mail, call, or request a free callback. An FAQ section attempts to answer basic questions, while a glossary covers fundamental terminology. The legal section hosts all required documents.

    Customer support is readily available and given high marks by clients

    ActivTrades customer support

    Bonuses and Promotions

    ActivTrades features a cashback program for traders who exceed $50 million in notional trading value. Interest is paid on available free margin; however, both reward programs are available only for traders from the Bahamas operating subsidiary.

    Cashback and free margin programs

    ActivTrades bonuses and promotions

    Opening an Account

    Following industry standards, new accounts are opened via an online application. After new traders obtain access to the back-office, verification is mandatory as stipulated by regulators to satisfy AML/KYC requirements. A copy of the trader's ID and one proof of residency document generally completes this step.

    Account opening procedures are in line with the industry

    ActivTrades account opening procedure

    Deposits and Withdrawals

    Traders may choose between bank wires, credit/debit cards, Skrill, Neteller, Sofort, and PayPal. ActivTrades differentiates between UK and EEA traders, and traders from other jurisdictions. The availability of options is dependent on geographic location, as are fees associated with deposits and withdrawals. An ActivTrades Prepaid MasterCard is listed under withdrawal options, but no further details are provided. The name on the trading account and payment processor must be identical to comply with AML regulations.

    Deposit and withdrawal options

    ActivTrades deposit and withdrawal options

    Summary

    ActivTrades has been in operation since 2001 and provides superior protection of its client funds up to £/$1,000,000. The pricing structure and asset selection are acceptable, though the Bahamas subsidiary provides a far superior trading environment than the UK one. New traders are provided with an outstanding educational division, while in-house research is below average. A proprietary trading platform is available, but the MT4 platform, together with the Smart Tools upgrade, provides traders with greater value. Overall, ActivTrades represents a genuine choice for portfolios managed under the Bahamas subsidiary. The untapped potential makes this broker one to monitor for future developments, while it deserves to be part of a well-diversified brokerage selection.

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    FAQs

    Is ActivTrades a scam?

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    This broker is regulated in and compliant with two regulators and, therefore, a legit broker.

    What is the maximum leverage granted by ActivTrades?

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    Leverage is dependent on various factors, but the Bahamas based subsidiary grants leverage up to 1:400.

    What is the minimum deposit required at ActivTrades?

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    Accounts may be opened with as little as $10 or a currency equivalent.

    What is the ActivTrades commission?

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    US equity CFDs carry a minimum commission of $1 or $0.02 per share, UK CFDs carry a minimum commission of £1 or 0.1% and European CFDs carry a minimum commission of €1 or 0.01%.

    What is the minimum ActivTrades spread?

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    The EUR/USD carries an average spread of 0.72 pips, which is the lowest available.

    About the Author

    DailyForex.com Team
    The DailyForex.com team is comprised of analysts and researchers from around the world who watch the market throughout the day to provide you with unique perspectives and helpful analysis that can help improve your Forex trading.