The best CFD Brokers in the UAE use one of the following 4 regulators, DFSA (Dubai), ADGM (Abu Dhabi), Central Bank of UAE, or the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). We look at the best-regulated forex brokers in the UAE for Forex and CFD traders.
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The best brokers to trade CFDs in UAE need to be regulated by DFSA, ADGM, CBUAE or SCA
| Broker | Our Rating | Regulation | Standard EUR/USD Spread |
Standard GBP/USD Spread |
Standard AUD/USD Spread |
Raw EUR/USD Spread |
Raw GBP/USD Spread |
Raw AUD/USD Spread |
Commissions (USD Base) |
MetaTrader 4 | MetaTrader 5 | cTrader | Execution Speed | Minimum Deposit | Currency Pairs | Crypto CFDs | Retail Leverage | Prof. Leverage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
9.33 |
ASIC,DFSA, FCA,CySEC BaFin,CMA,SCB |
1.12 | 1.69 | 1.22 | 0.17 | 0.59 | 0.24 | $3.50 |
|
|
|
77ms | $0 | 62+ | 12+ | 30:1 | 500:1 |
|
|
8.33 |
ASIC, FSCA CBI, KNF, CIRO ADGM, FSC-BVI |
- | - | - | - | - | - | - |
|
|
|
160ms | $100 | 55+ | 15+ | 30:1 | 400:1 |
|
|
6.67 |
ASIC, FCA, BaFin FINMA, NFA/CFTC, MAS CySEC, DFSA, FMA JFSA, BMA, FSCA |
1.13 | 1.66 | 1.01 | 0.16 | 0.59 | 0.29 | $6.00 |
|
|
|
174ms | $450 | 100+ | 12+ | 30:1 | 200:1 |
|
|
6.0 |
ASIC, FINMA FCA, MAS |
1.20 | 1.8 | 0.9 | - | - | - | - |
|
|
|
135ms | $2000 | 209+ | 9+ | 50:1 | 50:1 |
|
|
4.83 |
DFSA, FCA ASIC, FMA |
1.2 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.44 | 0.85 | 0.42 | $3.50 |
|
|
|
90ms | $0 | 72+ | 11+ | 30:1 | 400:1 |
|
|
7.42 |
ASIC, FCA CYSEC, DFSA, IFSC |
1.6 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 0.10 | 0.20 | 0.40 | $3.50 |
|
|
|
148ms | $5-$100 | 57+ | - | 30:1 | 400:1 |
|
|
5.42 |
FCA, DFSA, CySEC BaFin, CMNV, KNF |
0.9 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.14 | 0.13 | - |
|
|
|
160ms | $250 | 49+ | 16+ | 30:1 | 500:1 |
|
If you want to trade with the best CFD Brokers in the UAE, there are plenty of high-quality brokers to choose between. But before you sign up for anything, make sure the broker has proper regulations and spreads that compare with the best in the business, such as those we’ve outlined below.
Forex Panel Score
Average Spread
EUR/USD = 0.1
GBP/USD = 0.6
AUD/USD = 0.3
Trading Platforms
MT4, MT5, cTrader, TradingView, Capitalise.ai
Minimum Deposit
$0
Why We Recommend Pepperstone
Pepperstone is a no-dealing desk broker that offers lightning-fast execution times (less than 30 ms) and small spreads by working with the finest available liquidity sources. It provides transactions with leverage of up to 30:1. Pepperstone offers 62 currency pairs, including the EUR/USD and other well-known ones, in addition to 20 CFDs on cryptocurrencies, 23 CFDs on indices, 900+ CFDs on equities, and over 30 CFDs on commodities.
Pros & Cons
Broker Details
Pepperstone Is Known For Its Excellent Spreads And Fast Execution Speeds
As a no-dealing desk broker, Pepperstone stands out for its super-fast execution times of <30ms and tight spreads, which it achieves by working with the best liquidity providers out there. Pepperstone offers 62 currency pairs including the EUR/USD and other popular pairs alongside 20 cryptocurrency CFDs, 23 index CFDs, 900+ share CFDs, and over 30 commodity CFDs. It also provides leverage up to 30:1 on trades.
Pepperstone offers over 66 currency pairs including the EUR/USD and other popular pairs alongside 12 cryptocurrency CFDs, 14+ index CFDs, 300+ share CFDs, and at least four commodity CFDs. It also provides leverage up to 30:1 on trades.
There is no minimum deposit to open an account, but $200 (which equates to about 700-800 Dirham or AED) is recommended to meet margin requirements when trading. Pepperstone has no funding fees and 3 funding methods to choose from (bank transfer, visa debit, and Mastercard debit) meaning depositing funds into your trading account should be straightforward.
When you’re trading, you can use a range of sophisticated tools, such as its Smart Trader, an enhancement to the MetaTrader trading platforms that include 28 trading apps covering everything from strategy to management tools to access to expert advisors. Other tools include Figaro Advanced Trader Tools, which is exclusive to Pepperstone, this app is like Smart Trader but gives you 20 more trading tools for extra trading power.
These aren’t the only features you’ll get — you can also try automated trading (Best Broker MT4 4/5, cTrader Automate), social and copy trading (with Myfxbook, DupliTrader, and MetaTrader Signals), and standard stop losses. Another standout is their customer service, which is offered in Arabic and through live chat, phone, or email.
Trading Accounts
There are two choices of account type: a Standard Account (with no commission and higher spreads) and a Razor Account (with lower spreads but with commission). The Razor Account is for experienced traders who focus on activities like scalping, while the Standard Account is better for beginners looking to start trading.
With either account, you can trade on MetaTrader 4 (MT4), MetaTrader 5 (MT5), or cTrader. MT4 is the most popular option and best for the average trader, while MT5 can be a good option for advanced traders. cTrader is Spotware software and has the advantage of letting you see the quotes offered by various liquidity providers as you trade to ensure you always get the best prices, besides other benefits.
You can also open an Islamic account, which is interest-free and still offers the broker’s trademark low spreads, allowing you to trade in compliance with Sharia law. The swap-free account only works with the standard account and has an administration charge that occurs when you have kept a position open for 10 days in place of swaps. A demo account is also available for practice.
Spreads
Pepperstone has excellent spreads for both accounts, but it’s the spreads for the Razor Account that really stand out. Its spreads start from 0.0 pips, and it charges a $3.50 commission on trades (per 100k traded). The spreads are so low because it’s an ECN-style account, meaning you’ll receive almost the same prices that institutions themselves get.
To highlight how low Pepperstone spreads are, we compared the commissions or ECN-style accounts of different brokers using a range of popular currency pairs. These spreads are taken from the broker’s websites and updated each month.
|
ECN Broker Spreads
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0.12 | 1.38 | 0.22 | 0.55 | 0.40 |
|
0.10 | 1.40 | 0.20 | 0.50 | 0.30 |
|
0.20 | 1.50 | 0.20 | 0.50 | 0.40 |
|
0.17 | N/A | 0.30 | N/A | 0.54 |
|
0.20 | 10.00 | 0.40 | 0.60 | 0.50 |
|
0.10 | 1.30 | 0.50 | 1.10 | 0.60 |
|
n/a | 3.10 | 0.50 | 0.70 | 0.60 |
|
0.44 | 1.30 | 0.42 | 0.50 | 0.40 |
Avg. spreads are taken from each broker's website and updated monthly. Last update on 01/09/2023
In a similar vein, Pepperstone spreads are excellent for no-commission accounts as well. This is unusual since no dealing desk brokers have competitive ECN-style accounts and brokers using a market broker have better commission accounts.
|
Standard Account Spreads
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1.13 | 1.01 | 1.71 | 1.66 | 1.12 |
|
|
1.12 | 1.22 | 1.40 | 1.69 | 1.47 |
|
0.90 | 1.30 | 1.40 | 1.40 | 1.40 |
|
0.70 | 2.20 | 1.10 | 1.10 | 0.60 |
|
1.20 | 0.90 | 1.50 | 1.80 | 1.80 |
|
1.20 | 1.40 | 1.50 | 1.60 | 1.50 |
|
1.10 | 1.20 | 1.40 | 1.50 | 1.20 |
|
|
1.10 | 1.30 | 1.30 | 1.30 | 1.30 |
|
|
1.20 | 1.30 | 1.20 | 1.30 | 1.10 |
|
1.70 | 1.60 | 1.70 | 2.00 | 1.60 |
|
1.20 | 1.80 | 1.90 | 1.90 | 1.60 |
|
1.30 | 1.70 | 2.10 | 1.40 | 1.50 |
|
1.12 | 1.64 | 0.86 | 1.30 | 1.38 |
|
1.32 | 1.95 | 1.37 | 1.70 | 1.40 |
|
1.20 | 1.30 | 1.50 | 1.30 | 1.20 |
Avg. spreads are taken from each broker's website and updated monthly. Last update on 01/09/2023
Products
The products offered by Pepperstone will be familiar to many traders, products include CFDs on forex crosses, index CFDs on the major stock indices, and share CFDs. Also, traders can access cryptocurrencies and commodity CFDs. There’s something for everyone and enough breadth to ensure there’s a diverse mix in the trader’s portfolio (i.e. not overexposed in any one market).
Regulation
Pepperstone is regulated by DFSA, in addition to various other regulatory authorities across the world, making it a trustworthy broker to trade with.
Forex Panel Score
Average Spread
EUR/USD = 0.9
GBP/USD = 1.5
AUD/USD = 1.1
Trading Platforms
MT4, MT5, AvaTradeGo, AvaOptions
Minimum Deposit
$100
Why We Recommend AvaTrade
AvaTrade is a top forex broker in the UAE that caters to a diverse group of traders. Unlike Pepperstone and most other brokers, AvaTrade provides fixed-spread trading, which means that the broker sets prices using its own liquidity instead of relying on outside suppliers.
Pros & Cons
Broker Details
AvaTrade Offers Great Fixed Spreads For Its Products
One of the best forex brokers in the UAE is AvaTrade but the service they offer is for a very different group of traders. Unlike Pepperstone and just about all the brokers, AvaTrade offers fixed-spread trading. This means the broker sets prices with its own liquidity rather than using external providers.
There are 55 currency pairs, 16 cryptocurrency CFDs, 33 stock index CFDs, 632 share CFDs, and 30 commodities CFDs. Overall, AvaTrade has fewer options compared to Pepperstone for currencies and cryptocurrencies but fares a little better for indexes, shares, and commodities.
When trading forex, retail traders can trade with leverage up to 30:1, while professional traders can trade with 400:1.
To open an account, there is a minimum deposit of $100. You can choose between seven funding methods, all with no fee but with an inactivity fee of $50 — this applies if you have not traded for three months.
On the bright side, there are a variety of social trading tools, with which you can carry out copy trading through third-party platforms DupliTrade and ZuluTrade, or AvaSocial. You can also go for both standard and guaranteed stop losses, besides automated trading.
Trading Accounts
Unlike other brokers, AvaTrade doesn’t have a range of accounts, mostly because of its specialised fixed spreads. It offers an Islamic account, a demo account, and a professional account, but these are the only options other than the default.
You’ll get plenty of choices over forex platforms, though. As with Pepperstone, you can trade on MT4 and MT5. You can’t trade on cTrader, but you can use Avatrade’s own platform, AvaTradeGo, to trade on the go through your smartphone.
Spreads
AvaTrade offers great fixed spreads, with some going as low as 0.9 pips for some major currencies. While fixed spreads are wider than variable spreads, they are designed for different traders.
|
Top Fixed Spread Brokers
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
0.90 | 1.10 | 1.50 | 1.50 | 1.00 |
|
0.70 | 1.20 | 1.50 | 1.30 | 1.00 |
|
4.00 | 4.00 | 3.00 | 5.00 | 4.00 |
|
3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
|
|
1.50 | 1.80 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 1.80 |
Avg. spreads are taken from each broker's website and updated monthly. Last update on 01/09/2023
One thing to note is that AvaTrade spreads are not always truly fixed. These spreads can change when the market is volatile and even through the trading day. However, for the most part, the spreads are fixed rather than variable.
Products
AvaTrade offers fixed spreads for most of its trading products. Specifically, fixed spreads are available for forex pairs, forex options, bonds/treasuries, and indices. Cryptocurrencies and single stock/shares use a fixed percentage while most commodities use a fixed mark-up.
While the spreads are fixed, they can widen at certain times. Certain metals and energies, for example, are wider during peak trading hours and narrower for off-peak times.
Regulation
While most brokers on this list are regulated by the DFSA which is the Dubai free trade zone, AvaTrade is regulated by ADGM which is the Abu Dhabi free trade zone. As a trader from the UAE, you are unlikely to notice much difference.
Forex Panel Score
Average Spread
EUR/USD = 0.16
GBP/USD = 0.59
AUD/USD = 0.29
Trading Platforms
MT4, IG Trading Platform, L2 Dealer, ProRealTime
Minimum Deposit
$20,000 AED
Why We Recommend IG Markets
IG is one of the oldest trading firms, having been in business since 1974. It has launched in 15 countries across the globe and expanded to have over 300,000 traders, including those in the UAE. The broker’s standout offering is the low minimum deposit of just $0, which allows beginners and advanced traders alike to test out the platform without having to put in vast amounts of capital upfront.
Pros & Cons
Broker Details
IG Markets Allows Testing Its Trading Platform With $0 Minimum Deposit
IG is one of the most well-established trading brokers having been around since 1974. It’s now launched in 15 countries across the globe and expanded to have over 300,000 traders, including those in the UAE.
The broker’s standout offering is the low minimum deposit of just $0, meaning that beginners and advanced traders alike can test out the platform without having to put in vast amounts of capital upfront.
You can trade forex, shares, indices, and cryptocurrencies, with 17,000 markets available.
IG also has great customer service, with staff on hand 24 hours a day and seven days a week (except for 1 am to 11 am on Saturday in Dubai time). There’s also a helpful range of educational resources. It has won various awards — such as the best trading app (voted at the ADVFN International Financial Awards 2020).
You can make use of a variety of stop and limit orders and also benefit from responsive HTML5 charts, price, and economic alerts straight to your device, and top-tier execution. Leverage is available up to 1:30.
Trading Accounts
You can choose between a live account or a demo account, which is great to use alongside the range of free resources on the site. This means there’s just one account option for trading CFDs that’s compatible with MT4, while the other account is for direct market access (which allows you to access market prices without intervention from liquidity providers).
There are a variety of platforms to trade on, such as MT4, L2 Dealer, and ProRealTime. The last two options are more advanced platforms, with L2 Dealer offering direct market access and ProRealTime with more sophisticated tools for analysis and charting. However, you can’t trade with these options using MT5.
Spreads
Spreads start from 0.6 pips, which is on the lower end of the spectrum, but they can go up to 1.5 pips for more unusual currency pairs.
Regulation
IG is regulated by the DFSA, along with other providers elsewhere in the world.
Forex Panel Score
Average Spread
EUR/USD = 0.09
GBP/USD = 0.14
AUD/USD = 0.13
Trading Platforms
MT4, xStation 5
Minimum Deposit
N/A
Why We Recommend XTB
XTB is a broker that admits traders from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, in addition to the United Arab Emirates. This makes it an excellent choice for traders from nearby areas that fit the same description.
Pros & Cons
Broker Details
XTB Accepts Traders Throughout the Middle East
While all brokers on this list are great options for traders in the UAE, they’re not all as inclusive of neighbouring regions that fall under the same category. XTB is different since it accepts traders from Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, rather than solely focusing on the UAE.
XTB offers 57 currency pairs and over 1,800 share CFDs, making it one of the more varied on the list, but it doesn’t fare so well for trading other assets. It doesn’t offer any cryptocurrency CFDs, only 22 commodity CFDs, and 36 index CFDs. When trading forex, the leverage offered is 1:50.
You can fund your account using five methods, but some of them have fees involved — there’s a 2% charge for Skrill and a 1% charge for Neteller. However, there are no charges for inactivity.
XTB also offers a range of other tools, including automated trading, social trading, and standard stop losses. Plus, there are over 2,000 different instruments on offer.
Trading Account
There’s only one account type available (other than an Islamic account and a demo account), but there are a range of platforms you can trade on.
MT4 is one of them, but not MT5. This isn’t a major issue since MT4 is the most popular and largely viewed as the best trading platform, but it could be a limitation for some people.
Alternatively, you can trade on xStation 5, XTB’s own trading platform, which offers live data and commentary and greater transparency. It’s suitable for smartphones and desktops alike.
Spreads
Spreads start low, from just 0.5 pips with no commission fees.
They’re higher for Islamic Account holders, with spreads starting from 0.7 besides the commission of $10 per lot.
Regulation
XTB was recently given a license from the DFSA, meaning it’s joined the more established and successful brokers from the region as a major player.
Forex Panel Score
Average Spread
EUR/USD = 0.44
GBP/USD = 0.85
AUD/USD = 0.42
Trading Platforms
MT4
Minimum Deposit
$0
Why We Recommend AxiTrader
When trading, it’s important to consider the costs for things like inactivity and financing your account, in addition to the spreads and commissions. AxiTrader excels in this regard, as it doesn’t charge any fees for funding your account using any of the 26 available methods, including Bitcoin and Skrill. Additionally, there are no inactivity fees and no deposit requirements.
Pros & Cons
Broker Details
AxiTrader Offers Trading Accounts That Don’t Need Set Up Or Inactivity Fees
It’s not just the spreads and commissions you have to watch when trading — it’s also the pesky fees for things like inactivity and funding your account. Fortunately, this is where AxiTrader shines.
There are 26 methods of funding (including Skrill and Bitcoin), but none of them involve any fees. Plus, there’s no inactivity fee and no minimum deposit.
But this isn’t all that AxiTrader has going for it. The leverage you can access goes up to 400:1, and you can try automated trading or social trading and make standard stop losses.
There are 80 currency pairs, 6 cryptocurrency CFDs, 31 index CFDs, and 28 commodity CFDs. This is a lower selection than some other brokers, and there are no share CFDs either, but the other benefits more than compensate.
Trading Accounts
The two main account types to choose between are the Standard Account (with no commission) and the Pro Account (with a $7 commission but lower spreads). True to the general ethos of AxiTrader, neither account involves fees to set up.
You can also open an Islamic account or a demo account.
As for the platforms, you can trade on MT4, but there’s no MT5. However, you will get the option to use Autochartist (which helps you find trading opportunities across different markets automatically) and PsyQuation (made by Axi and gives tailored advice based on your mistakes).
Spreads
Spreads on the Standard Account start from 0.4 pips, while the Pro Account has spreads starting from 0.1 pips plus a commission of $3.50 each way. On the whole, the spreads are a little higher than the other brokers on this list, but they’re still competitive.
Regulation
Axitrader is regulated by DFSA, so if you like the sound of it, it’s a secure broker to go with.
Forex Panel Score
Average Spread
EUR/USD = 0.9
GBP/USD = 0.7
AUD/USD = 0.9
Trading Platforms
MT4, TradingView, SaxoTraderGo, SaxoTraderPro
Minimum Deposit
$10,000 USD
Why We Recommend Saxo Markets
Saxo Bank is a significant player in the CFD trading industry, having been in business for more than 25 years and with 660,000 clients on its books. Leveraged products offer spot trading in addition to CFDs, and there are also conventional investment choices available. Powerful trading tools are included with these instruments, such as Saxo’s own trading platforms, trade signals, technical indicators, and risk management tools.
Pros & Cons
Broker Details
Saxo Bank Provides Its Clients With Lower Spreads And Premium Benefits
Saxo Bank is a major player in the world of CFD trading, having been around for more than 25 years and counting with 660,000 clients on its books.
Leveraged products with Saxo Bank are not just limited to CFDs but also include spot trading. Plus traditional investment options are also available.
These trading instruments come with powerful trading tools, including Saxo’s in-house trading platforms, trade signals, technical indicators, and tools for risk management.
However, you could face an inactivity fee of $150 if you’re inactive for 180 days, which is a lot steeper than the competition.
Trading Accounts
There are three account tiers: Classic, Platinum, and VIP. The Platinum and VIP accounts allow you to trade at lower spreads. You’ll also get access to high-quality customer service if you upgrade; all account holders can access 24/5 support, but only those with VIP accounts can rely on direct access to trading experts.
Each of the accounts has higher minimum funding requirements than other brokers, and they go up with each account type. The Classic account requires $10,000, the Platinum $25,000, and the VIP has minimum funding of $1,250,000.
On balance, opening an account with Saxo has many advantages thanks to the features and selection, but it might not be suitable for everyone because of the high funding requirements — it makes more sense for high-value traders.
You can trade on either the SaxoTraderGO or the more professional SaxoTraderPRO.
Spreads
Pricing starts from 0.4 pips, which is competitive for spreads. However, these vary between account types. Platinum Accounts have access to 30% lower prices, and VIP prices are even lower than this.
Saxo Bank gives you a choice of 3 trading platforms. Each platform is suitable for a different type of trader. Most retail traders will use SaxoTraderGO as this is designed for long-term investors and small or medium-volume traders. This platform is available through your web browser.
SaxoTraderPRO is for high-volume active traders as it contains a wealth of customised features and tools to speed up your trading. This platform requires you to download software for PC or MAC.
Lastly, MetaTrader 4 is also an option but only for forex trading.
Trading Products
Saxo Bank differs from most other brokers on this list as they offer more than just CFD products. They also offer spot trading and investment choices.
You can trade 9,500 instruments as CFDs, including 8,000+ stocks, 675 ETFs, 29 indices, 35 commodities, five government bonds, and 15 indexes. However, there are only 7 FX pairs, which is less than other brokers on the list.
Besides CFD products, you can trade other leveraged instruments using spot pricing or invest in a range of other asset classes.
Regulation
Saxo is regulated by CBUAE, which is a top-tier regulator that ensures your investments will be safe.
Forex Panel Score
Average Spread
EUR/USD = 0.1
GBP/USD = 0.2
AUD/USD = 0.4
Trading Platforms
MT4, MT5,
XM App/Tablet
Minimum Deposit
$5
Why We Recommend XM
XM offers a Sharia-compliant swap-free account for Islamic traders, which is different from other brokers in that it does not charge additional fees to make up for the lack of swaps. This means that there are no administrative costs, service fees, commission costs, or artificially widened spreads.
Pros & Cons
Broker Details
XM Has The Best Accounts That Comply With DFSA Regulations
Unlike some other brokers that offer a swap-free account for Islamic traders, XM offers a Sharia-compliant swap-free account. The difference is the XM Islamic account does not use other charges to cover the absence of swaps. This means no administration charges, no service fees, no commission costs, and the spreads themselves are not artificially widened.
As a trader, you are getting exactly the same spreads as a trader using an account with swaps.
Best of all the Islamic account is good for trading with all of XM’s 1,000 different trading instruments, including 55+ forex currency pairs, shares for 600+ companies, indices, metals, commodities, and energies.
As a winner of over 30 industry awards — including Best Retail Forex Broker in the Global Forex Awards 2021 — this broker prioritises customer service and transparency. You can count on 24-hour customer service five days a week. Plus, you’ll get free access to forex market research, forex calculators, technical analysis, and webinars.
Plus, the minimum deposit to open an account is just $5.
Maximum leverage is 1:30, which is lower than most, and even lower for non-forex CFDs, which could be a potential drawback.
Trading Accounts
While most brokers on this list offer an Islamic Account, XM really stands out here. Its swap-free account offers 30:1 leverage and lets you hold positions with no time limit without charging interest. Basically, it offers the same trading conditions as all other accounts with no extra charges.
You can choose between an Ultra Low Standard account and a Professional Account. The Ultra Low account offers no commissions and instead offers low spreads that start from 0.6 pips, while the Professional Account offers commissions.
For trading, you can choose between XM Web Trader and MT5. Although MT5 is a great advanced trading option, it’s unusual for a broker to not also offer MT4.
You can access the platform on seven devices (PC, Mac, WebTrader, iPad, iPhone, Android, and Android Tablet).
Spreads
With an Ultra Low account, spreads start at 0.6 pips, but they’re higher for the Professional Account type.
Regulation
XM is regulated by the DFSA.
About Regulated Brokers
Many brokers are multi-regulated meaning they may also be regulated in other countries such as Australia (Australian Securities and Investment Commission or ASIC), The UK (Financial Conduct Authority or FCA), or Cyprus/Europe (Cyprus Securities Exchange Commissions or CySEC) and South Africa (Financial Sector Conduct Authority or FSCA). As a UAE trader, this won’t mean much, but it emphasises the trustworthiness of these brokers. We suggest you avoid online brokers using offshore regulators such as IFSC (Belize) and FSC (Mauritius) and stick to brokers in our list of best CFD brokers in the UAE.
About Trading with Regulation
About treading cautiously, a quick disclaimer but one which isn’t limited to the UAE. Like other derivatives, when you trade CFDs, you’re trading with leverage, which is also known as trading on margin. This compares to buying the underlying asset such as gold, where you exchange your cash for a gold bar or coins. Part of the attraction of the best CFD brokers in the UAE is that they provide retail investor accounts with access to a wide range of financial instruments and in return for a relatively small deposit, you can get exposure to larger price changes than you would otherwise not have. Of course, this works both on profits and losses and there’s always the risk you can lose all the initial deposit.
The amount of margin you can access is usually advertised as leverage, and it affects the results of your trades. Interestingly, DFSA and ADGM limit leverage for forex to 1:30 (which is in line with regulatory bodies for other jurisdictions such as ASIC, CySEC, FCA) while CBUAE and SCA do not place a limit on leverage. A 1:30 leverage means that with a $1,000 deposit, the broker will allow you to trade with up to $30,000, so keep in mind, a 1% price change of the CFD is $300 and which is 30% of your initial deposit. This can be quite risky, so take baby steps!
Get Started With CFD Trading In The UAE
The brokers outlined above have slightly different strengths, but they’re great places to trade in their own right. We recommend Pepperstone, because of its fast execution and low spreads, but depending on your priorities as a trader, you might prefer a different platform.
Key Considerations For UAE Brokers
The best CFD brokers in the UAE aren’t different from brokers in any other part of the world. Most criteria are the same — you should still look for the brokers with the lowest spreads and commissions to maximise your trading profits.
That said, brokers with the widest access to the financial markets, such as those offering the most currency pairs or multi-exchange stock trading, might be more attractive. However, other considerations might be the minimum deposit required, the customer support offered, and the quality of the platform offered for online trading or via mobile apps. For those with limited trading experience and who aren’t quite ready to trade for real, another question might be whether demo accounts are offered.
One area in which the UAE differs from elsewhere is regarding regulation. The Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) and Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) regulate the free zone areas of the UAE. These brokerages can be owned by foreign-owned firms.
Outside the free zone, brokerages must be majority-owned in the UAE and can be regulated by either the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (CBUAE) or the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA). Brokers regulated by the CBUAE transitioned to SCA regulation last year. You can view all types of comparisons on the homepage of the UAE compare forex brokers.
| Regulator | Pepperstone | Avatrade | IG | XTB | Axitrader | CMC Markets | Saxo Bank | XM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFSA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| CB UAE | Yes | |||||||
| ADGM |
In the options below, we’ve considered all these options and more, focusing particularly on trading accounts, spreads, products, and regulation.
